Fantasy Football Draft Strategy 2012: QBs That Make It Foolish to Go QB First

The 2012 fantasy football season forces owners to make a tough decision in the first round of the draft. Go with the tried and true method of taking a stud running back with your first pick, or go the trendy route and snatch up Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees or Tom Brady?

The answer? Stick with the tried and true method.

It's easy to understand the infatuation with taking quarterbacks in the first. The league is becoming more and more pass-happy and the most elite quarterbacks are putting up mind-boggling scores from week-to-week. Here's the problem, though: it's still easier to find much better value at quarterback than running back later into the draft.

These quarterbacks may not have the cache of Rodgers, Brees and Brady, but they will be better values than the other positional players that you may find in the same round.

Matthew Stafford

OK, you really want to take a quarterback early? Take Stafford.

Stafford can be found in most leagues at some point in the second round and compares favorably to his first-round predecessors. While he's younger and not quite as proven, his 5,000 passing yards and 41 touchdowns were no fluke last season and he should be able to repeat those numbers as long as Calvin Johnson is around. 

The injury risk is there. Stafford has only played in all 16 games just once in his career, but his scoring was on par with Brady last season and he still has room for improvement as the young weapons around him improve.

Tony Romo

Sure, Tony Romo won't win you many games single-handedly, but he can be found in the fifth or sixth round of most fantasy leagues and gives you a solid, consistent starter to supplement your roster. 

Romo is now entering his 11th season in the league and is coming off of his most productive season yet. In 2011 he threw for over 4,000 yards and 31 touchdowns to only 10 interceptions. With an improved running game behind DeMarco Murray and the improvement of wide receiver Dez Bryant, it's conceivable that Romo could top those numbers in 2012.

A proven passer with a high floor and some upside? That's a pretty good find in the fifth or sixth round. Especially considering the skill players being drafted in that range include the likes of Willis McGahee and Antonio Gates (less than sure things).

Matt Ryan

Ryan is another quarterback who can be found in later rounds who provides a proven commodity with the upside of a breakout season.

Ryan is being taken 11th among quarterbacks and 60th overall, according to ESPN's Average Draft Position rankings. 

Patience is a virtue, and those willing to hold out on drafting a quarterback until Ryan makes sense will be rewarded with a quarterback that has consistently improved every season and is ready to have his best season. Ryan's 2011 was the best season of his career as he threw for 4,177 yards and 29 touchdowns.

This could be the year that Ryan finally breaks into the top 10, and he really has the potential to be a top-five quarterback. With the improvement of Julio Jones and the always steady Roddy White as his go-to targets, Ryan has the weapons he needs. Throw in the fact that Michael Turner is aging and Ryan is proof that quality quarterbacks can be found way later than quality running backs or receivers.