Fantasy Football 2011: Sam Bradford and 5 Young Quarterbacks You Should Draft

Fantasy football leagues are usually won or lost during the draft. Here are five young quarterbacks you should draft in your fantasy league this season.

By drafting a young quarterback in the later rounds, you will be able to use your high-round picks on proven running backs and wide receivers and have a stronger roster from top to bottom.

Many people think it is necessary to have a stud such as Tom Brady at quarterback in order to have success in a fantasy league, but that is not true. Often times, the winners of fantasy leagues are the people with the deepest roster at the other offensive positions.

So this year, grab one of these young quarterbacks and get ready to dominate your league.

5. Mark Sanchez

Last season, Mark Sanchez threw for 3,291 yards and 17 touchdowns, along with 13 interceptions. Those might not seem like the most overwhelming numbers for your fantasy quarterback, but Sanchez also rushed for three touchdowns and only fumbled the ball once. He also had two 300-yard passing games.

Sanchez is still really young at 24 years old but already has two full seasons under his belt. The fact he has that kind of experience at such a young age means that he has a lot of potential to have a breakout season in 2011.

Sanchez may not be able to carry your team into the promised land like a Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers could, but he is a solid QB to take in a later round after you build up your team with studs at other positions.

4. Colt McCoy

After injuries forced him into a starting role last season with the Cleveland Browns, Colt McCoy performed admirably. In eight starts, McCoy threw for 1,576 yards and six touchdowns with nine interceptions. He also rushed for 136 yards and a score.

McCoy achieved those stats with less-than-stellar wide receivers and an injury-ridden offensive line. However, he did show the leadership skills necessary for a player to excel at the quarterback position.

Over the 2011 draft and the offseason, the Browns have improved on the offensive line and at the wide receiver position. They also implemented a West Coast offense that plays perfectly into McCoy's skill set.

As long as the team can stay relatively healthy and one or two receivers can have improved seasons, McCoy should be a solid option in most fantasy leagues.

McCoy may not be the guy you want to use as your main starting quarterback, but he is a solid bench option and could develop into a starter to consider if your starting quarterback sustains an injury that knocks him out of commission for an extended period of time.

McCoy will probably be available in most leagues in the latest rounds and will not cost you much to add to your fantasy team's bench.

3. Matthew Stafford

Matthew Stafford was the No. 1 overall draft choice by the Detroit Lions in the 2009 NFL draft. He started 10 games in his rookie season and passed for 2,267 yards with 13 touchdowns and 20 interceptions. He also rushed for 108 yards and two scores.

He was poised to have a breakout season in 2010 and got off to a great start by throwing for 535 yards and six touchdowns in just three games. However, he was then lost for the season after suffering a serious shoulder injury.

Stafford is only 23 years old and looks to be fully healthy heading into the 2011 season. He also has several outstanding offensive weapons to throw to in WR Calvin Johnson, TE Brandon Pettigrew and RB Jahvid Best.

Although his history of injury is a risk, Stafford has the potential to be a strong fantasy option in 2011. He should be available in the middle rounds of fantasy drafts this season and could end up being a No. 1 fantasy option for your team this year.

2. Sam Bradford

Last year, in his first NFL season, St. Louis Rams' quarterback Sam Bradford had a truly outstanding rookie year. Bradford threw for 3,512 yards along with 18 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. He also rushed for 63 yards and a score.

Bradford compiled those stats with absolutely no playmakers to throw to. He did have RB Steven Jackson in the backfield and dumped the ball off to him 46 times for 383 of his passing yards.

Over the offseason, the Rams signed WR Mike Sims-Walker, who will provide Bradford with another set of hands to throw to.

If the Rams receivers can improve from last year, Bradford should easily become a No. 1 fantasy quarterback. He could just be the steal of this year's fantasy draft and should be available in the later rounds of your draft.

1. Josh Freeman

Last season, Tampa Bay Buccaneers' quarterback Josh Freeman had a breakout campaign. He passed for 3,451 yards along with 25 touchdowns and only six interceptions. He finished the sixth-ranked sixth in quarterback rating and also rushed for 364 yards and three more scores.

The Buccaneers are an up-and-coming team in the NFL and have a lot of talent. There is no reason to doubt that Freeman can improve upon his numbers from last season and be a solid fantasy producer in 2011.

Freeman will not be available as late in fantasy drafts as the other quarterbacks on this list, but you should be able to grab him in the third or fourth round. He is a guy that you can build your fantasy team around and have a lot of success in your league this season.

Freeman just may solidify himself as a consistent fantasy option for many years to come in 2011 and now is the time to jump on his bandwagon.