Fantasy Football 2012: Late-Round Quarterbacks Worth a Week 1 Start

If you came away from your fantasy draft with Aaron Rodgers as your quarterback, this article is not for you. He’s your starting fantasy QB in Week 1. You’re starting Tom Brady and Drew Brees. You won’t think twice about Cam Newton or Matthew Stafford.

The matchups don’t even matter for those guys this early in the game.

You’ve got your fingers crossed when you submit your fantasy lineup with Michael Vick in the QB spot, hoping he’ll still be healthy and available for play in Week 2 and beyond.

You’re probably comfortable starting Eli Manning (746 passing yards and five touchdowns in two games against the Cowboys in 2011). But after that, it gets a little less clear.

There’s cautious optimism with Matt Ryan, Tony Romo and Peyton Manning, but there are questions that come with starting those guys as well.

For example, we’ve seen Matt Ryan toss the football all around the field in the preseason before, only to turn around and hand it to Michael Turner 301 times when the games count. Which is it going to be this season?

Are Tony Romo’s weapons healthy?

Is Peyton Manning himself ready to go full speed? The Steelers certainly won’t go easy on him.

Fortunately, there are more than enough quality options at quarterback to go around. Here are a few under-the-radar guys you might consider starting if you’re feeling squeamish about your No. 1 QB this week.

Alex Smith, San Francisco 49ers

Smith was a fine game manager last season. He had a shining performance in the 2011 playoffs against New Orleans, however, throwing for 299 yards and three touchdowns while rushing 28 yards for another.

The 49ers added Mario Manningham and Randy Moss to Smith’s wide receiver targets in the offseason. Playmakers like that make Alex Smith worth a speculative fantasy look, but his upcoming opponent is even more reason to consider starting him in Week 1.

The Green Bay Packers were dead last in pass defense last season. Part of that was due to opposing teams having to keep up with the Packers offense, but the defense allowed 299.8 passing yards per game and 29 passing touchdowns.

Green Bay also led the league in defensive interceptions with 31, but Smith tossed just five total interceptions last season in 18 games (including the playoffs).

Jake Locker, Tennessee Titans

Based on last season’s numbers, Locker is also a candidate to be a fantasy starter in Week 1. The New England Patriots were 31st in pass defense, surrendering 293.9 yards per game in the 2011 regular season.

Locker will make his first start at home with help from rookie Kendall Wright, Nate Washington, Jared Cook and backfield nightmare Chris Johnson.

With the way New England’s offense is set up, Jake Locker could even be the second-leading rusher in this game, behind Chris Johnson. Locker’s long-term fantasy prospects can get even brighter this season when Kenny Britt is ready to make his return from injury and suspension.

Robert Griffin III, Washington Redskins

Depending on how owners in your league perceive rookie quarterbacks, RGIII could have been picked as high as the fifth or sixth round as a fantasy starter or slipped into the later rounds of the draft as a high-upside backup.

The New Orleans Saints share a division with last year’s rookie sensation, Cam Newton. Newton threw for just 382 yards and three touchdowns in two 2011 contests against the Saints. However, Griffin is seen as a better passing prospect as an incoming rookie than Newton was.

New Orleans is also under the tutelage of a new defensive coordinator, Steve Spagnuolo. Spagnuolo was last seen as a head coach for the St. Louis Rams, whose 2011 defensive unit was far from formidable. Nevertheless, the Rams were less talented (and far less healthy) than his current Saints squad.

St. Louis was seventh-best in pass yards allowed last season, but that was because the offense struggled to put points on the board and opponents consistently took to the ground against the Rams.

The Saints, by virtue of their offensive explosiveness, should force Griffin to put the ball in the air. If the preseason is any indication, he should excel doing just that. Like the quarterbacks on this list before him, Griffin’s team added wide receiving help in the offseason in Pierre Garcon and Josh Morgan.

I expect a big debut from Robert Griffin III.