49ers fantasy football: Are any Niners one of these 10 potential draft busts?
By Peter Panacy
No. 1 Fantasy Football Bust to Avoid: QB Matthew Stafford, Rams
Two things can be equally true:
- Matthew Stafford gives the Rams a better shot at winning the Super Bowl than Jared Goff
- Matthew Stafford will be a poorer fantasy football option in Los Angeles than in Detroit
The Rams upgraded at quarterback this offseason, which isn’t in question. But Stafford going from a venue where he was a sheer volume passer to one of the league’s most innovative and balanced offenses under head coach Sean McVay changes the context quite a lot.
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For starters, LA is expected to win a lot of games this season. A simple suggestion but one which ultimately means Stafford will be playing with the lead a lot on the second half of games this year.
Unlike with the Lions, who seemingly were playing catch-up on a week-to-week basis the last six years, Stafford won’t be tasked with proverbially “airing it out” to the tune of 4,200 yards per season.
On top of that, McVay’s offense isn’t of the pass-happy variety, which also stands in contrast to what Detroit engineered for years with Stafford at the helm. Rams running back Cam Akers is going to get plenty of touches, which will ultimately mean Stafford’s previous average of 550 pass attempts per year will see a decline, too.
Stafford’s ADP is 8.03, which means fantasy owners are likely viewing him to thrive within McVay’s offense.
It’s possible, perhaps likely Stafford does just that. But fantasy football typically favors volume over the fit, especially from quarterbacks.
Simply put, don’t expect Detroit-like numbers from Stafford this season.