For dynasty team owners, the NFL draft is about landing spots. It’s not just about the rookies though. The value of the players that are already on your team can change dramatically. Your quarterback’s team might get him some brand-new weapons or they might draft his replacement. A team’s number one wide receiver or running back might become their number two in the blink of an eye. The NFL draft is so much fun for us, but it can be stressful when the picks don’t go our way. Ask Packers fans about that.
For rookies, landing spots will change our dynasty draft’s order. A great landing spot for a rookie can raise his stock, moving him up into a higher tier, and in turn help the rest of us get a better player where we are drafting. It’s important to be careful though. Sometimes a good landing spot will catapult a player into a tier that he doesn’t belong in. Ask someone who drafted running back Darwin Thompson last year.
These are the 2020 NFL draft’s biggest winners and losers from the quarterback position.
This is part 1 in my post-draft winners and losers series. Check out my other 2020 NFL Draft Winners and Losers:
QB | RB | WR | TE
Veteran Winners:
These quarterbacks are already in the league and have benefitted from their team’s decisions in the 2020 draft.
Drew Lock (DEN)
The Broncos were very serious about adding to their offense in the draft. I guess when you’re in the same division as the Chiefs that makes a lot of sense. They drafted wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and K.J. Hamler along with Lock’s college teammate tight end Albert Okwuegbunam. The jury is still out on Drew Lock as an NFL quarterback, but he will have a ridiculous number of weapons at his disposal to help make his case.
Dak Prescott (DAL)
Dak has still not signed his franchise tag yet, but all indications are that he will be the Cowboys quarterback for the foreseeable future. Dallas wasn’t necessarily looking to give Dak another weapon, but when Ceedee Lamb fell to seventeen, they couldn’t not take him. Contract negotiations aside, Dak has got to be licking his chops.
Jarrett Stidham (NEP)
Other than a couple middle round tight ends, the Patriots didn’t get Stidham much offensive help in the draft. His owners were relieved though when they went all seven rounds without adding a single quarterback. It looks like the Patriots weren’t joking around about going into the season with Jarrett Stidham as their starter.
Gardner Minshew (JAC)
Like Stidham, Minshew owners were concerned that the Jaguars might draft a quarterback in the early rounds to compete for the starting job. Not only did they not, they added wide receivers Laviska Shenault Jr and Collin Johnson to the mix.
Honorable Mentions:
Some more quarterbacks whose teams either added more offensive weapons and/or extra protection, or didn’t draft a legitimate replacement.
Jimmy Garoppolo (SFO), Sam Darnold (NYJ), Derrick Carr (LVR), Lamar Jackson (BAL), Kirk Cousins (MIN), Dwayne Haskins (WAS)
Rookie Winners:
These rookie quarterbacks have landed in some great spots and in doing so, their dynasty stock has gone up.
Joe Burrow (CIN)
Burrow was the #1 overall pick in the draft and already the #1 dynasty rookie quarterback, but it’s not normal for a number one pick to walk into an offense with the likes of wide receivers A.J. Green, Tyler Boyd, Tee Higgins, and John Ross. Not to mention, running back Joe Mixon. If Burrow is what they say he is then he has a chance to be a top ten fantasy quarterback starting day one.
Justin Herbert (LAC)
Herbert was the third quarterback selected in the draft and already on a playoff ready team. He might not start right away, but when he does he will be handed the reigns of an offense consisting of wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, tight end Hunter Henry, and running back Austin Ekeler.
Jacob Eason (IND)
The Colts nabbed Eason in the fourth round. Head coach Frank Reich has done a great job working with young quarterbacks, and Philip Rivers is on just a one year contract. If Rivers doesn’t play well, I wouldn’t be surprised if they decided to hand the reigns over to Eason sooner rather than later.
Veteran Losers:
These are the quarterbacks already in the league that took the biggest hit by their team’s decisions in the 2020 draft.
Aaron Rodgers (GBP)
Not only did the Packers draft quarterback Jordan Love out of Utah State in the first round, they moved up to get him. Rodgers has been a great quarterback, but the front office in Green Bay apparently believes that the end is in sight. To make matters worse they opted to draft a running back instead of a wide receiver in the second round, when they already have Aaron Jones. In fact, in one of the deepest wide receiver drafts in history, the Packers didn’t draft a single one. Rodgers stock could have easily gone up from this draft, but instead it raised the collective eyebrows of the entire football following nation. Important to mention though, the flipside is that Rodgers is motivated like never before and is a top five quarterback the next three years.
Tyrod Taylor (LAC)
In hindsight, it was naive to ever entertain the idea that the Chargers were being truthful when they said that they were comfortable with Tyrod Taylor as the uncontested starter. Their true intentions were revealed with the sixth pick in the draft when they selected quarterback Justin Herbert out of Oregon. If Tyrod does indeed win the starting job, he will have a top ten drafted rookie breathing down his neck.
Philip Rivers (IND)
Rivers signed a one year contract with the Colts. There is no entitlement guaranteed to him as the starting quarterback in Indianapolis. The plan has been Rivers for the 2020 season since they signed him, but when in the fourth round, quarterback Jacob Eason out of Washington was available, the Colts decided not to pass him up. If they decide to start the rookie, Rivers will want out, and if Rivers starts and struggles, they will be tempted to get Eason in. It’s not a good situation for Rivers.
Ryan Tannehill (TEN)
Not much has changed for Tannehill, and that’s how he slipped onto this list. The only offense they brought in through the draft was a tackle to replace Jack Conklin and a running back to replace Dion Lewis. So, receivers Corey Davis, Adam Humphries, and Jonnu Smith will continue to be the supporting cast after Derrick Henry and A.J. Brown. Tannehill did fine with this crew last season, but it would have been nice to see one more weapon added, especially after the Titans showed their faith in him with a contract.
Honorable Mentions:
More quarterbacks whose teams either drafted their future replacement or didn’t draft needed weapons.
Deshaun Watson (HOU), Ryan Fitzpatrick (MIA)
Rookie Losers:
These rookie quarterbacks could have landed in better spots, and have therefore been designated to this list.
Jordan Love (GBP)
Nobody can tell me that this was a good landing spot for Jordan Love. A potential first-round talent, now playing behind a passive aggressive, pissed off Aaron Rodgers. It’s bad. If Love is the talent that many think that he is, and you have the room to stash him, then that would be the rationale for drafting him.
Jalen Hurts (PHI)
Arguments can be made that this is not that bad of a landing spot for Hurts. Hurts has some running ability, so he can be used in packages. Also, Wentz has had some injury issues in the past, so Hurts could eventually get some chances to come in and win the job. While these are both possibilities, I’d rather not place my bet on injury or on the Eagles giving up on Wentz. It might not be that bad of a landing spot, but it’s not very good.
Jake Fromm (BUF)
The Patriots, the Jaguars, and the few other quarterback needy teams all passed on Fromm and the Bills got him in the fifth round. He will be trying to win the backup job against Matt Barkley. That might not seem like a difficult task, but that is the bridge he will first have to cross.
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