Still Waiting for Training Camps

Historical QB Swaps, a New Home for DeAndre Hopkins, and a Jacked Dak

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The early part of the offseason was spent waiting for Aaron Rodgers to get traded to the New York Jets, and it finally happened in April right before the 2023 NFL Draft. This is certainly not the first time an elite QB has switched uniforms late in their career to varying successes. Rodgers was the QB13 in total fantasy points in 2022 and is currently leaving early draft boards as the QB16 according to 4for4’s Multi-Site ADP tool.

I decided to take a look at the QBs who performed the best on their new teams and if relevant what their fantasy performances looked like.

🏴‍☠️ Tom Brady (Pats → Buccaneers)

During two decades of NFL play for New England, Brady racked up six Super Bowl titles and a whopping 4,958 fantasy points which included 13 fantasy QB1 performances. He parted ways with Robert Kraft and Bill Belichick in 2020 and spent the next three years with the Bucs, where he won another Super Bowl and was QB12 or better in fantasy points in all three campaigns.

🐴 Peyton Manning (Colts → Broncos)

Arguably one of the highest-profile free agents in NFL history, Manning left Indy for Denver in 2012 after missing the entire 2011 season with a neck injury. He was the NFL MVP four times during his stint with the Colts and won one Super Bowl in 2007. Upon arrival in the Mile High City, Manning was second in MVP voting in 2012, then won it in 2013 at age 37 in a season where he led the league in touchdowns (55) and passing yards (5,477).

The Broncos won four AFC West titles and went to two Super Bowls with one win (SB50) during his time in Denver, and Manning was the first quarterback to win two Super Bowl Championships as a member of two different teams. On the fantasy side, the Sheriff was QB9 or better from 1998-2014, with a QB34 finish in his final year in the league in 2015.

↠ Joe Montana (49ers → Chiefs)

After 14 seasons as a member of the San Francisco 49ers, Joe Montana was traded to the Chiefs following the 1992 season, after they decided to move forward with Steve Young as their QB. In 1993, KC won the AFC West for the first time in 22 seasons while Montana threw for 2,144 yards and 13 touchdowns at 37 years old. His stats actually improved that next year and the QB retired following the 1994 season after leading the Chiefs to a 17-8 record in his brief two-year stint.

Montana was a fantasy QB2 in both seasons as a Chief, finishing as the QB17 and QB14 in 1993 and 1994, respectively.

🛩️ Brett Favre (Packers → Jets → Vikings)

Favre retired and unretired first before Tom Brady made it famous again in 2022. After 16 seasons with the Packers, Favre left and quickly returned to be traded to the Jets in August right before the 2008 season. He was playing well and got New York off to an 8-3 start before suffering a torn biceps tendon, resulting in a brutal skid that found the Jets 9-7 at the end of the season.

Favre switched teams again in 2009 and joined Packer rival Minnesota for two more years in the NFL. He led the Vikings to the NFC Championship game and posted the third-highest passing yards of his career (4,202) along with 33 touchdowns at the age of 40. Injuries got the best of him the next season and Favre finally retired in 2010. After the team change, Favre had one fantasy QB1 year, one where he put up QB2 numbers, and the signal caller was a QB3 in his final season in the NFL.

It’s that time of year when a camp or workout photo gets the fantasy community lathered up to overdraft a player. This week’s photo is also of the QB variety - one Rayne Dakota Prescott aka Dak. I doubt this pic will move the needle when it comes to drafting the Dallas QB but he does appear ready for the 2023 season. Prescott is currently leaving boards as QB10 according to 4for4’s ADP tool and is QB16 in our rankings.

  • So this happened on a hot July Sunday when nothing else was going on in the NFL world.

That final major WR free agent shoe dropped and now we’re just waiting to see where Dalvin Cook lands, hopefully, before we get too far into training camp so we know how it will screw up whatever RB room he joins from a fantasy football perspective.

  • Both Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs did not reach agreements with their respective teams on Monday which was franchise tag deadline day. Both guys will likely play on the tag but it’s now a matter of when. Tony Pollard will also play on the $10.1M franchise tag he signed back in March.

YouTube Video of the Week: 2003 Flag Plants

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