Dynasty Roundtable: 9 Pivots For Injured QBs

Injuries have dominated the conversation in fantasy football, but recently, we experienced two of the most significant: Dak Prescott and Trevor Lawrence.

Prescott and Lawrence's absence affects the entire offense, but for Superflex-contending rosters, they are crucial pieces, and replacements are rarely available on deep league waivers. 

Our staff gave some pivot options.

You are a contender in a Superflex league. You just lost Dak Prescott or Trevor Lawrence. What is your pivot? Who are you looking to target?

NFL Backup Quarterbacks

Andy Hicks: In a Superflex league, every quarterback with a pulse is on a roster, but a few of the guys who could see time on the run home include Tyson Bagent in Chicago, Dorian Thompson-Robinson in Cleveland, Trey Lance in Dallas, C.J. Beathard in Jacksonville, Desmond Ridder in Vegas, Drew Lock with the Giants and Sam Howell in Seattle. 

We don’t know how many of these teams are trying to get as high a draft pick as possible and how many want to invest time in their backup. There are a lot of coaches on these teams in precarious positions, though. My favorite options are the last two—Sam Howell in Seattle and Drew Lock with the Giants. Howell may take a few more weeks, whereas Lock appears ready to start any second. Brian Dabolll appears hitched to Daniel Jones, but even he is growing impatient. Lock should start within a week, and then it's on.

Justin Herbert, LA Chargers

Corey Spala: If I lose Prescott and am a contender, I will likely look to replace my QB2 production, as he is QB22 overall. He averaged 15.6 points per game (PPR). Players like Chubba Hubbard (16.2) and David Montgomery (15.4) are assets who scored similarly to Prescott’s production. You do not always need to replace a quarterback in your Superflex spot. Certainly, quarterbacks will offer the opportunity for higher-scoring games. You must note that consistency can be found without breaking the bank.

If you want to replace Prescott with a quarterback, you should pivot to one you can trust. You must identify the rebuilding teams in your league and hope they have an aging quarterback like Russell Wilson, Geno Smith, or Matthew Stafford. Sam Darnold would be a potential trade option, as his future outlook is uncertain, paired with a horrendous Week 10 game and five interceptions over the last two weeks. There should be a trade package you can put together: young assets (Ricky Pearsall, Ja’Tavion Sanders), a second-round pick(s), and more draft capital that is not a first-round pick. I would not mind sending first-round pick(s) in the package; I just want to ensure I get back a proven quarterback with a solidified future outlook. Additionally, you can try to include Prescott in the package:

• Prescott, Ricky Pearsall, 2025-second for Herbert

It will be essential to identify the team needs of your trading partner and not send players you do not care for, and they do not need. You can certainly roll the dice on Trey Lance and hope he becomes the starter, as he would provide rushing upside. This will offset any lack of passing production. But can you trust Lance as a contender? A contending team would not want to help out another contender unless you significantly overpay. This may put you at a disadvantage for the rest of the season and your future outlook.