Fantasy football: Top 5 keepers at quarterback for 2018
By Jay Marsdale
It’s never too early to start thinking ahead to the 2018 fantasy football season. Especially if you have already been eliminated from this year’s fantasy playoffs. Everyone has to be prepared for next year with these keeper selections at quarterback for 2018.
Quarterback is a position that many fantasy football players take different strategies on each season. Some people choose to wait and get a quarterback at the end of drafts. This thought process of trying to catch “lightning in a bottle” is useful in some cases, but not always.
The highest scoring position, weekly, is quarterback. So, wouldn’t you want a sure thing at the top of your fantasy football roster? That is the other line of thought for fantasy football quarterbacks.
The keepers in any fantasy football league are game changers. They can make or break every team in your league. For example, someone who used their keeper on Aaron Rodgers this season is probably regretting that right now, even though it looked like the correct move at the time.
San Francisco 49ers
Most of these keepers are applied to dynasty leagues, where teams are built through multiple years. However, some of these quarterbacks are good enough to be used as keepers in just year-by-year leagues as well.
If you do believe you want to build your 2018 fantasy football roster around the quarterback position, here are a few options to consider for your keeper.
No. 1: Deshaun Watson (HOU)
Don’t forget about Deshaun Watson next season!
He was on the verge of doing something special in his rookie year with the Texans before his knee injury. He transformed an offense that was awful in 2016 into a dynamic one to start 2017. Those who questioned whether his abilities would carry over to the NFL got their answer emphatically this season.
Many players look at the leader boards for fantasy football points when considering their keepers, but Watson should be the exception. He isn’t going to be on any top-points list, but he is going to be a top option at quarterback in 2018.
The Houston Texans are built to win for the next few years. Their defense has been a force for the past three seasons and now the offense has caught up. They have been patiently waiting for a quarterback to take this team to the next level in Houston, and Watson is that player. With J.J. Watt healthy, Jadeveon Clowney continuing to develop and Zach Cunningham turning into a draft-day steal for the Texans, they will be good on that side of the ball for a few seasons at least.
If at all possible, the Texans offense is even more frightening for opponents. DeAndre Hopkins is a top-five receiver, and that is with the likes of Tom Savage throwing him the ball. Wil Fuller is a great second option in this league, and Lamar Miller can run well once he is given a passing game to balance this offense.
Watson has the skill, opportunity and supporting cast to be great for a long time. That is exactly what you want from a keeper selection. He will have a full offseason to recovery and get a better grasp of the Texans offense. Next season, Watson will be a household name that you wish you had on your fantasy football team.
The best part is he may be available to add in your league right now. With him being done for the season, many players have dropped him from their team in order to free up a roster spot. If you are out of the fantasy playoffs, like many people are, try to grab Watson for the future wins he is going to bring your team.