In news that should come as a shock to nobody, the Bills have decided to bring Tyrod Taylor back on a restructured contract. The details of the contract have yet to be released, but it’s likely a cap-friendly move to free up some cash for a Bills team that is the bottom-10 of cap space. With the state of starting quarterbacks around the league, it was only a matter of time before the Bills realized what they had.

What this does from a fantasy perspective is much larger than what it appears on the surface. While it gives Taylor stability, it also gives him familiarity. He knows the offensive line, he knows what his running backs can do out of the backfield, he knows what Sammy Watkins’ speed looks like, and heck, he knows his way to and from the stadium. While all of this may seem ordinary, it’s not for someone whose name has been thrown into the press countless times the last two months.

Looking back at Taylor’s 2016 season, it was a miracle considering what he was working with. Watkins was dealing with foot issues for the entire season, forcing him to miss more than half the season, which essentially meant throwing to Robert Woods as your No. 1 receiver for the majority of the season. To see that Taylor finished with 17 touchdowns while throwing just six interceptions should cause you to do a double-take.

There are a lot of people out there saying that Taylor should be a solid QB2, but I’d argue that he’s earned QB1 status. Not only did he finish as the No. 8 quarterback in 2016, but he did so while sitting out Week 17. A fluke? Not really. He finished as the No. 6 quarterback on a points per game basis in 2015, and that was while playing through injuries in the middle of the season, limiting his rushing ability.

The Bills seem to be set on losing Woods and Marquise Goodwin this offseason, which will lead to some new faces in the receiving corps, and that can only mean good things if you were to look at the history of those two on the field with Taylor. Below are Taylor’s numbers while targeting Woods and Goodwin, compared to targeting any other Bills wide receiver:

 
On top of keeping Taylor’s numbers uninterrupted, this move also does wonders for Watkins’ fantasy value. We’ve witnessed what bad quarterbacks can do to a wide receiver. Look no further than last year where DeAndre Hopkins was forced to play with Brock Osweiler. Not knowing who Watkins quarterback was going to be was a serious blow to his perceived value. This cements him as a top-12 option at wide receiver with game-changing potential. Below is a chart showing what Watkins has done with Taylor, compared to what he’s done with all other quarterbacks:

 
Whether it be a redraft league or an MFL10, Taylor is often overlooked at a very deep position despite finishing as the No. 7 and No. 6 quarterback in points per game over the last two years. Take advantage of that, load up on other positions, and nab him in the later rounds. Don’t be like the Bills – secure this player who is still somehow a massive value.

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Mike Tagliere is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @MikeTagliereNFL.