3. Matthew Stafford, QB, Los Angeles Rams
After the high of a Super Bowl win in his first year as a Ram, it can't get much worse than it was for Stafford last season. He missed time with some severe injuries, and his top target (Cooper Kupp) was out too. And in the nine games he did play, he topped 17 fantasy points just twice and hed not reach 15 fantasy points in his other seven appearances.
Yes, Stafford is up in age (35) and he won't finish as the QB5 finish in fantasy like he did in 2021. But the skills he still showed that season shouldn't be completely gone, and he has notably been healthty and throwing all offseason.
As long as Kupp is healthy, and it's worth noting he has missed preseason time with a hamstring injury, Stafford has one of the best fantasy wide receivers to throw to. Behind Kupp, it's easy to say the Rams are thing on good targets. But No. 2 receiver Van Jefferson and tight end Tyler Higbee are solid, and going further the Rams' defense will push passing volume from Stafford.
Relying on Stafford as your QB1 in fantasy, or obviously as the only quarterback you draft, is not a great idea. But you can draft him as your QB2 (QB23, based on current average ADP data over at Fantasy Pros), pair him with a more stable signal caller (Kirk Cousins, Dak Prescott) and reap rewards when a matchup drives a legit start-sit decision.