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Detroit Lions: Matthew Stafford’s 2015 Fantasy Football Value

By Nate Williams

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Trust. It’s a key component in any relationship, including those involving fantasy football. Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford has proven himself to be a rather untrustworthy asset over the last few years, but should we think differently of him in 2015?

You have to admit it — we can all be homers at times. Involving your heart in fantasy football is breaking one of the unwritten rules that is very much real. Still, many of us find ourselves selecting players from our favorite teams because we already root for them and we want them to succeed.

Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

I am a Detroit Lions fan.

And I also take fantasy football very, very seriously.

Enter my dilemma with Matthew Stafford.

For whatever reason, most of us always expect Stafford to put up better numbers than he does. After all, not everyone can throw for 4,200-plus yards without surpassing 22 touchdowns. It’s happened only five times in NFL history, and Stafford has done it twice in the past three seasons.

He’s also been labeled “the king of the ill-advised throw”, largely due to his league-high eight redzone interceptions over the last three seasons.

Yet, with the 2015 fantasy football season approaching, I’m here to tell you that selecting Stafford in your upcoming fantasy drafts may not be a bad idea — for the right value.

As it stands right now, I have Matthew Stafford ranked in my third tier of quarterbacks.

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    • Tier 1

    1. Andrew Luck – (IND)
    2. Aaron Rodgers – (GB)
    3. Peyton Manning – (DEN)
    4. Russell Wilson – (SEA)
    5. Drew Brees – (NO)

    Tier 2

    1. Cam Newton – (CAR)
    2. Matt Ryan – (ATL)
    3. Ben Roethlisberger – (PIT)
    4. Tony Romo – (DAL)
    5. Tom Brady – (NE)

    Tier 3

    1. Matthew Stafford – (DET)
    2. Ryan Tannehill – (MIA)
    3. Eli Manning – (NYG)
    4. Philip Rivers – (SD)
    5. Colin Kaepernick – (SF)

    What that means essentially is that if you’re draft strategy is to pass on guys like Luck, Rodgers, and Manning early on, then taking a guy like Stafford might not be a bad idea because you’ll be able to get him for a great value — say rounds 10-12.

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    Make no mistake about it, Matthew Stafford has all of the tools necessary to be a great fantasy quarterback. He’s got a rocket arm, good in-pocket mobility and Megatron.

    If he continues to cut back on his turnovers and make smart decisions with the football, then Stafford could easily ascend back to the top of the ladder where he was in 2011-12.

    And I feel confident that will happen this year.

    Therefor, if you consider the late-round value, newly added weapons on offense, coaching staff supporting him and young o-line protecting him, it’s hard not to want to take a chance on him in 2015.

    Next: Matthew Stafford Has Confidence Behind New O-Line

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