Coming off a top 10 QB season, Eli Manning has the potential for an even better 2016 campaign
In the fantasy football world, we as owners rely on rankings, cheat sheets and projections to build our rosters in the draft. However, there are various times during the process that it comes your turn to make a selection and your gut tells you to select a player who’s average draft position (ADP) is lower than your draft slot. We call this preferred group of players “reaches” or “must-haves.” Today, we will turn our focus to the quarterback position and take a look a look at my must-have signal callers of 2016.
Start preparing for your draft now with our NFL Draft Simulator 
Eli Manning (NYG) – ADP: QB10, Overall 94
The fact that Manning is ranked nearly outside of the top 10 in 2016 is quite surprising. The 12-year veteran is coming off one of his best statistical seasons as a pro in 2015 where he threw for 4,436 yards, a career high 35 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. including six 300-yard passing games. Let’s not forget that he performed at that level with a receiving group that was decimated by injury with starters Victor Cruz missing the entire year and Larry Donnell landing on injured reserve at the midway point of the season. Outside of Odell Beckham, Manning had his outstanding campaign throwing to career backup Rueben Randle, special teams ace Dwayne Harris and undrafted rookie tight end Will Tye.
In 2016, however, the New York Giants will employ a new weapon for Manning in the 40th overall selection in the 2016 NFL Draft, Sterling Shepard, who is entering his rookie year with extremely high expectations. Shepard is slated to start opposite Beckham and has already drawn comparisons to his teammate, Cruz.
Manning also has a new head coach, Ben McAdoo, to add to his favorable outlook for the upcoming season. McAdoo arguably rejuvenated Manning’s stalling career in 2014 when he left Green Bay and came to the Giants as their offensive coordinator, a position he held with the club until being named as Tom Coughlin’s successor over the offseason.
Manning finished the 2015 season ranked 10th in fantasy points scored at the quarterback position with 287.6 and averaged 18.0 FPPG through 16 games. Although Manning has a promising No. 10 ADP among quarterbacks, I would select him over Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger (QB5), who’s durability concerns me because of his hard-nosed style of play catching up to him at the age of 34.
Ryan Tannehill (MIA) – ADP: QB22, Overall, 162
Perhaps 2016’s biggest sleeper at the quarterback position is Ryan Tannehill. Miami’s signal caller appears to be poised to reach the next level in his career entering his fifth NFL season. The Dolphins added quarterback guru Adam Gase as their new head coach who will aid Tannehill in his progression. Gase is credited with helping Tim Tebow to his small window of success in the league as well as Peyton Manning’s record-setting 2013 season which both occurred during his tenure with the Denver Broncos as their quarterback’s coach and offensive coordinator.
Tannehill will also have a maturing DeVante Parker as his starting wide receiver this year who will line up opposite Pro Bowler Jarvis Landry. Parker is expected to take the proverbial sophomore leap in 2016 following a promising end to the 2015 campaign. The trio of Tannehill, Parker and Landry could explode in the upcoming season in Gase’s system in a similar fashion as the Jacksonville Jaguars’ offense did in 2015.
Tannehill finished the 2015 season as the 17th ranked fantasy passer with 257.3 points and a 16.1 FPPG average over the span of 16 contests. I wouldn’t expect top 10 caliber numbers out of Tannehill just yet, but he could easily produce statistics that would leave him ranked in the 11-to-14 range in fantasy points scored come year’s end in his first season under Gase. I would select Tannehill ahead of Tampa Bay’s Jameis Winston (QB16) and Tennessee’s Marcus Mariota (QB18).
Brock Osweiler (HOU) – ADP: QB24, Overall, 179
With the talent that the Houston Texans have in place around Osweiler, it is mind-blowing that he has a QB23 ADP. Houston is loaded with talent and depth at the wide receiver position with players that include DeAndre Hopkins, Jaelen Strong and rookie Will Fuller headlining the group. The Texans also added Lamar Miller to boost their ground game. And as the old adage suggests, a good running game always takes pressure off the quarterback and opens up the long pass. Houston has an offensive juggernaut ready to explode in 2016, and Osweiler’s fantasy value will benefit considerably because of it.
Osweiler had talent in Denver last season, but let’s face it, it was Peyton Manning‘s team. In his eight starts, Osweiler threw for 1,967 yards, 10 touchdowns and six interceptions. Was it the young passer who couldn’t produce? Or was it the coaching staff not trusting him enough to win and only putting him in situations not to lose. In my eyes, Osweiler was used as a game manager in 2015 with the Broncos and showcased a small glimpse of his abilities.
In the upcoming fantasy football campaign, consider Osweiler a player who can break out in a similar fashion as Ryan Fitzpatrick did last season with the New York Jets. I wouldn’t deem Osweiler a QB1 to start the year, but he can certainly grow into a solid starter as the season progresses. I would select Osweiler over Minnesota’s Teddy Bridgewater (QB21) and Buffalo’s Tyrod Taylor (QB19) as a reserve quarterback on my bench or as a dependable bye week replacement for later in the year.
Anthony Cervino is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Anthony, check out his archive or follow him on Twitter @theRealNFLguru.
Check out undervalued fantasy players
