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The NFL Draft can have a big impact on player values. In dynasty leagues, additional competition or support from the NFL Draft can have an impact on a player’s dynasty outlook. This article focuses on six quarterbacks who benefitted from the NFL Draft.
Jameis Winston was sitting at a crossroads entering the NFL Draft. The Saints traded their 2023 first-round pick to get back into the first round of the 2022 draft, then again traded up for wide receiver Chris Olave before selecting offensive tackle Trevor Penning with their second first-round pick. The Saints do not have the future assets to address the quarterback position in the 2023 NFL Draft. This gives Winston a good chance to win a multiple-year job on top of additional help at the receiver position and offensive tackle. With Olave, along with Michael Thomas, and Alvin Kamara, the Saints could have a good supporting case for Winston. Winston has been outside the Top 20 quarterbacks in real drafts the past month and could see his cost rise.
Patrick Mahomes II needed additional help in the wide receiver corps entering the offseason. Then the Chiefs traded Tyreek Hill, before filling the position with JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling in free agency. The Chiefs then drafted Skyy Moore in round two of the draft. Moore is a versatile player who can unlock an offense that was boxed in by defense schemes in 2021. Mahomes has slipped in startup drafts to QB3 in a good percentage of startup drafts, which is a great investment in 2022. In the past month, Mahomes has fallen to a median of QB2.5 in real drafts running alongside Justin Herbert behind Josh Allen. At the cost, Mahomes is a great target, and a trade target as well.
Much of the pre-draft discussion revolved around Philadelphia adding a wide receiver. The Eagles made a big splash by trading for A.J. Brown on draft day and then giving him a 100-million-dollar extension. Brown and Dallas Goedert are both highly efficient on a route run basis and pair well with Devonta Smith who is on a success track after his rookie season. Hurts has all the weapons to have an elite season but is without excuse if he fails to take a step forward as a passer. The Eagles have two first-round picks in 2023 to address the position if Hurts fails in 2022. Notably, the Eagles did not select a falling quarterback, the way they did when they selected Hurts behind Wentz. Hurts has been QB14 in the past month with a draft range in the mid-third round of startup drafts. At the cost, Hurts has substantial upside and risk. If you take him at cost as a QB2 consider a stable QB1 and QB3 as insurance on his upside.
When Detroit traded Matthew Stafford to the Rams in 2021, there was a theory the Lions gained an additional first-round pick in the deal because of their willingness to take Jared Goff’s contract back in the deal. There has been little to suggest that theory was true, as Detroit has gone through two NFL Drafts without addressing the quarterback position. This leaves Goff without competition, while they also gave Jared Goff an additional weapon with Jameson Williams. Goff is among the cheapest starters in dynasty leagues, with a median draft position of QB30 in the past month.
Atlanta could have addressed the quarterback position at the eighth overall pick and put Marcus Mariota into a competition. Instead, Atlanta selected the first wide receiver of the draft in Drake London. Atlanta selected Desmond Ridder, but as a third-round selection, Mariota should have a good opportunity to win the job. Mariota is a year-to-year play, would present rushing upside at the position, and has a growing set of weapons with Kyle Pitts and Drake London. Mariota has a median draft position of QB31 in the past month of startup drafts.
Carolina passed on a quarterback with the sixth pick in the draft and selected an Offensive Tackle Ikem Ekwonu. Carolina then traded up for Matt Corral in the third round who is widely thought of as a development pick coming from an RPO-centric college offense. This selection was after a potential trade for Baker Mayfield fell through. This all gives Sam Darnold the opportunity to win another year of starts for Carolina. Darnold has been one of the worst starters in the league since he was drafted, but his contract basically commits him to Carolina through the year.
