Issue #236: Comes In Threes

By Derrick Ernst

December 21, 2025

Backup QB’s Part 3

Our few issues on backup QB’s drew a lot of response from you guys. That was awesome to see! There was one reply from Ed from TX (who by the way has been a subscriber since day one!) that I wanted to highlight. While he is a fan of the approach of drafting two QB’s, he had a suggestion that worked well for him this season. I share his words verbatim:

“I think when there’s a rookie that has running to their game and a weak incumbent (ex. R. Wilson) you want to swing for the fence. In [two of my leagues] Dart was my last pick. Pretty good value for the price.”

I love this. The J. Dart pick was one I wish I had a better sense for before the season began. He has quickly become a favorite of mine as the season has progressed. I’ve shared this before and I’ll say it again, I’m all in on Dart next season. I also think NYG will be the NFL’s biggest turnaround story in ’26.

Let’s take what Ed shared a step further. There were 13 QB’s taken in this year’s NFL Draft (see next page). I’d argue five were drafted to sit behind a weaker starter (Dart, Shough, Gabriel, Sanders, Leonard). If it wasn’t for P. Rivers, all five of these guys would’ve seen playing time this season.

Source: Facebook (College Football on FOX)

Perhaps it’s not too late for Leonard. Ward was drafted as the starter and I wouldn’t have considered Tua to be weak enough for Ewers to find the field. Nonetheless, if we look to these five, what are main features about them that would make them draft worthy? For me, it’s not so much predicting how many games they’ll start, rather what their upside and playmaking ability is when they do. Easier to say in hindsight, but there was some part of that connected to Dart and Sanders that stood out a lot more than others. Get this:

• Dart is QB17, only having started nine games (the highest ranking for a QB who has started the least number of games)

• S. Sanders is QB39 having started four games. D. Gabriel is QB38 having started six games

Their games are a bit a different, but I think we can both agree they have a bit of moxie to them that sticks out. It’ll take quite a bit of guts to draft a backup rookie QB as your fantasy team’s backup, which is why I suggest if you’re going to take a swing at doing this:

• Do so as your roster’s third QB (if you’re league allows)

• Draft them with your last pick

• Have them on a short leash (aka don’t keep them on roster forever; ditch them after 4-6 weeks for someone more useful)

I did want to point out too that I don’t think T. Shough will be the worst of options next season. Much like Sander/Gabriel, Shough is QB34 having started six games while S. Rattler is QB33 having started eight games. Believe it or not, since taking over as starter in week nine, Shough is QB15 ahead of the likes of B. Mayfield, J. Herbert, A. Rodgers, and B. Young. He’s also 26 years old which is very much on the older side for rookies.

WR’s

Speaking of 3’s, it seems to be a number showing up a lot these days:

• P. Nacua was one of 3 players I was up against in my fantasy matchup this week and I’m down 99 points heading into the weekend. COME ON!

• J. Meyers signed a 3 yr / $60M contract (which to me solidifies T. Hunter being pretty much a full time CB moving forward)

• There are 3 games left in the reg season which means, these streaks of 1,000 receiving yard seasons may be in jeopardy: M. Evans, 11 (needs 728 yds); J. Jefferson, 5 (needs 168 yds); D. Adams, 5 (needs 211 yds); T. McLaurin, 5 (needs 591 yds); C. Lamb, 4 (needs 24 yds)