"I got all this knowledge, I got it up here now, I wanna give it to you. I wanna take care of ya, I wanna make sure that all this (beep) that happened to me doesn't happen to you. Ya can't buy what I'm gonna give ya."
If you grew up in the 70s and 80s like I did, you'll know that quote is in the original "Rocky" movie, from the lips of good ole' Mick when he's pitching his skills as a boxing manager to the future champion. Well, you can consider me your fantasy manager. I've got all this knowledge, and I want to give it to you to help you become a fantasy champion. That knowledge starts with the quarterbacks.
If you're a football fan, you know that the NFL's recent pass stats are swollen like Heath Evans' chest. The top five leaders in single-season passing yards have all come in the last five years. Furthermore, the NFL's highest single-season totals in pass attempts are littered with quarterbacks from the last six campaigns. In fact, Drew Bledsoe (1994) and Warren Moon (1991) are the lone field generals in the top 10 who didn't produce their totals since 2010.
The question is ... which players are the best ones to target based on their projected totals, their offenses and the past tendencies and philosophies of their coaches and coordinators? Well, I have all the knowledge you'll need on those topics to enter your draft with confidence.
Below is a list of all 32 teams, including projections for the quarterback who's atop their current depth chart.
Arizona Cardinals
Carson Palmer:
Pass yds: 4,454
Pass TDs: 32
INTs: 14
Rush yds: 21
Rush TDs: 0
Fumbles lost: 2
Fantasy points: 276.3
The Cardinals threw the football 562 times last season (19th), but still finished second in passing yards (4,970) and tied for third in touchdown passes (35). ... Carson Palmer finished fifth in fantasy points among quarterbacks and averaged 19.3 points per game. His 35 touchdown passes are a career high. ... Palmer was on pace to be a top-10 fantasy quarterback in 2014 before an injured knee cost him the final 10 games. ... Bruce Arians was either a head coach or offensive coordinator in six consecutive seasons before taking over in Arizona. In that time, his system produced three top-eight fantasy quarterback finishes (Andrew Luck - 2012, Ben Roethlisberger - 2007, 2009).
Atlanta Falcons
Matt Ryan:
Pass yds: 4,487
Pass TDs: 23
INTs: 15
Rush yds: 58
Rush TDs: 0
Fumbles lost: 4
Fantasy points: 239.3
The Falcons threw the football on 60.8 percent of their offensive plays under offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan last season, finishing eighth in pass attempts (621), fifth in completions (410), sixth in yards (4,379) but just 23rd in touchdown passes (21). ... In his seven previous seasons as a coordinator, Shanahan had just two top-15 fantasy field generals. Both of them (Matt Schaub - 2009, Robert Griffin III - 2012) finished fifth. ... Matt Ryan was 19th in fantasy points at his position last season, which was his worst finish since his rookie campaign (2008). It should also come as a surprise to no one that his 21 touchdown passes were also his worst total since 2008.
Baltimore Ravens
Joe Flacco:
Pass yds: 4,256
Pass TDs: 23
INTs: 17
Rush yds: 41
Rush TDs: 2
Fumbles lost: 2
Fantasy points: 240.3
The Ravens recorded a 64.6 pass percentage in their first season under offensive coordinator Marc Trestman. Ironically, his offenses threw the football 64.7 percent of the time during his short tenure with the Chicago Bears. Before he went down with an injured knee, Joe Flacco was on pace to score 259.1 fantasy points last season. That would have ranked him 17th at the position. ... In his previous six seasons as either a coordinator or head coach, Trestman had just one signal-caller (Rich Gannon, 2002) finish better than 16th in fantasy points among quarterbacks. To be fair, however, Gannon did finish first that season and was forced to miss nine games in 2003 due to injuries.
Buffalo Bills
Tyrod Taylor:
Pass yds: 3,118
Pass TDs: 22
INTs: 8
Rush yds: 543
Rush TDs: 4
Fumbles lost: 2
Fantasy points: 271.0
The Bills threw the football 49.9 percent of the time in 2015 under offensive coordinator Greg Roman. His offense in San Francisco had a pass percentage of 53.4 percent the previous season, which ranked 26th. In his previous three campaigns, Roman's offenses never finished better than 30th in pass percentage. Furthermore, his system had accounted for one top-10 fantasy quarterback (Colin Kaepernick, 2014) while with the Niners. It should be noted that almost 30 percent of his fantasy points that season came as a runner, which could bode well for Tyrod Taylor's fantasy prospects. Cam Newton (636) was the lone signal-caller to rush for more yards than Taylor (568) last season.
Carolina Panthers
Cam Newton:
Pass yds: 3,749
Pass TDs: 28
INTs: 12
Rush yds: 663
Rush TDs: 7
Fumbles lost: 3
Fantasy points: 340.3
Panthers quarterbacks ranked 27th in pass attempts (501), 29th in completions (300) and 24th in passing yards (3,589) last season. Still, Newton finished first in fantasy points due in large part to his 35 touchdown passes, 636 rushing yards and 10 rushing scores. He's been a fantasy star during his time with Mike Shula as either the quarterbacks coach or coordinator (2011-present), finishing no worse than fourth in fantasy points in four of his first five NFL seasons. ... Since 2011, no other quarterback has had more rushing attempts (599), rushing yards (3,207) and rushing touchdowns (43) than Newton. He's likely to be the first signal-caller drafted in most 2016 leagues.
Chicago Bears
Jay Cutler:
Pass yds: 3,843
Pass TDs: 23
INTs: 16
Rush yds: 174
Rush TDs: 1
Fumbles lost: 5
Fantasy points: 227.1
The Bears threw the football 54.3 percent of the time under former offensive coordinator Adam Gase, who is now the head coach in Miami. That total should be considered ballpark under new coordinator Dowell Loggains, whose offenses threw the ball 54 percent of the time during his two seasons as the OC in Tennessee. Unfortunately, his system didn't produce a top-20 fantasy quarterback between Jake Locker (2012) and Ryan Fitzpatrick (2013). Furthermore, his 2012 offense finished dead last in the NFL in plays from scrimmage (957). ... Loggains will be the sixth offensive coordinator that Jay Cutler has played under in the last eight years. He's no more than a No. 2 fantasy option.
Cincinnati Bengals
Andy Dalton:
Pass yds: 4,008
Pass TDs: 27
INTs: 13
Rush yds: 177
Rush TDs: 2
Fumbles lost: 2
Fantasy points: 266.0
The Bengals hired former quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese (yes, he's Ernie's son) to replace Hue Jackson, who left to coach the Cleveland Browns. Zampese is the lone position coach that Andy Dalton has played under at the NFL level, but he's never been an offensive coordinator in the pros. ... On a positive note, Zampese has overseen the development of both Palmer and Dalton during his 13 seasons in the Cincinnati organization. In 2015, Dalton was on pace to finish with 4,000 yards and 34 total scores under Jackson before he busted his thumb. ... The Bengals lost wideouts Marvin Jones (Lions) and Mohamed Sanu (Falcons) and could be without Tyler Eifert to start the 2016 campaign.
Cleveland Browns
Robert Griffin III:
Pass yds: 3,360
Pass TDs: 15
INTs: 12
Rush yds: 432
Rush TDs: 2
Fumbles lost: 3
Fantasy points: 219.6
Hue Jackson has announced that he'll serve as the team's offensive coordinator in 2016. In his last five stints in that role, he hasn't had a single quarterback finish higher than 18th in fantasy points (Dalton, 2015). In his defense, Dalton was on pace to rank in the top 10 before injuring his thumb. Furthermore, his top players at the position before his tenure in Cincinnati were Patrick Ramsey (2003), Joey Harrington (2007) and Jason Campbell (2010). ... Robert Griffin III is considered the favorite to open the season as the Browns No. 1 quarterback. After finishing fifth in fantasy points as a rookie (2013), RG3 has failed to finish better than 18th at the position.
Dallas Cowboys
Tony Romo:
Pass yds: 2,128
Pass TDs: 16
INTs: 8
Rush yds: 25
Rush TDs: 0
Fumbles lost: 2
Fantasy points: 144.1
Dak Prescott:
Pass yds: 1,599
Pass TDs: 12
INTs: 7
Rush yds: 201
Rush TDs: 2
Fumbles lost: 2
Fantasy points: 120.1
The Cowboys threw the football 57.8 percent of the time last season, but that was due in large part to the absence of Tony Romo and a campaign that included a lot of deficits. The previous season, the team threw it 49.9 percent of the time. That will be a closer prediction for the 2016 campaign, as the Cowboys will look to run it more often with Ezekiel Elliott. ... During his five seasons as the offensive coordinator in Detroit, Scott Linehan's field generals ranked no worse than 11th in points four times. That includes a pair of top-10 finishes from Matthew Stafford (2012, 2013). ... Romo is out with a back ailment, so rookie Dak Prescott has some late-round appeal.
Denver Broncos
Trevor Siemian:
Pass yds: 3,249
Pass TDs: 19
INTs: 15
Rush yds: 98
Rush TDs: 1
Fumbles lost: 5
Fantasy points: 185.8
During Gary Kubiak's five seasons as a head coach with Rick Dennison as his offensive coordinator, his teams threw the football more than 60 percent of the time twice (including last season). Under Dennison's watch, field generals have finished in the top 10 based on fantasy points once (Matt Schaub, 2010). During his time as the coordinator in Denver without Kubiak (2006-2008), however, Cutler was a top-10 fantasy quarterback twice. ... The Broncos figure to run the ball more often moving forward, so don't expect a lot of success in the stat sheets from projected starter Trevor Siemian. He's not on the re-draft fantasy radar, at least not in standard leagues.
Detroit Lions
Matthew Stafford:
Pass yds: 4,341
Pass TDs: 28
INTs: 16
Rush yds: 111
Rush TDs: 2
Fumbles lost: 3
Fantasy points: 270.7
All hail Jim Bob Cooter! In the nine games where he served as the Lions offensive coordinator last season, Stafford threw the football 329 times (36.5 APG) for 2,396 yards with 21 total touchdowns and four interceptions. In his previous seven contests under Joe Lombardi, he put up 263 attempts (37.6), 1,866 yards, 12 touchdowns and nine picks. The gunslinger pass attack remained, but Stafford was far more productive once Cooter took over the reins. That bodes well for the Georgia product and his receivers, as the Lions chucked it 65.6 percent of the time overall. ... The loss of Calvin Johnson hurts, but Stafford remains on the higher end of the No. 2 fantasy quarterbacks.
Green Bay Packers
Aaron Rodgers:
Pass yds: 4,315
Pass TDs: 35
INTs: 7
Rush yds: 278
Rush TDs: 2
Fumbles lost: 3
Fantasy points: 332.4
In his first season as the offensive coordinator, Edgar Bennett's squad threw the football 58.7 percent of the time. The team finished 18th in pass attempts (573), 20th in completions (348) and tied for 11th in touchdown passes (31). ... Aaron Rodgers had his worst full fantasy season in a while, but he still finished seventh in points and was without Jordy Nelson (knee) for the entire campaign. He had finished no worse than second in his previous five full seasons, and a return to that status should be expected in 2016. Had he not missed seven contests due to a busted collarbone in 2013, Rodgers projected to finish third at the position based on the numbers from his nine starts.
Houston Texans
Brock Osweiler:
Pass yds: 4,016
Pass TDs: 24
INTs: 13
Rush yds: 127
Rush TDs: 1
Fumbles lost: 3
Fantasy points: 243.3
In his first season as the Texans offensive coordinator, George Godsey's squad threw the football 58.1 percent of the time and finished 18th in passing offense. The team also combined to throw 28 QB touchdown passes between Brian Hoyer (19), Ryan Mallett (3), T.J. Yates (3) and Brandon Weeden (3). ... Houston quarterbacks finished tied for ninth in pass attempts (619), but that stat should decline somewhat after the addition of Lamar Miller. Remember that the Texans didn't have their top running back, Arian Foster, for most of the season. ... A former quarterbacks coach, Godsey will have a chance to mold new starter Brock Osweiler into an effective and more reliable signal-caller.
Indianapolis Colts
Andrew Luck:
Pass yds: 4,292
Pass TDs: 32
INTs: 15
Rush yds: 317
Rush TDs: 3
Fumbles lost: 5
Fantasy points: 309.4
The Colts have handed over the reins of their offense to coordinator Rob Chudzinski, who has produced three top-six fantasy quarterbacks in his career. Of course, Newton (2011, 2012) recorded two of those seasons while Derek Anderson (2007) had the third. The good news is that when Chudzinski has had a solid quarterback under center, the position has produced well in the stat sheets. ... In his lone start under Chudzinski last season, Andrew Luck threw for 252 yards with two touchdowns and zero interceptions against a tough Broncos defense. ... Overall, quarterbacks averaged close to 35 pass attempts under Chudzinski's watch after the team fired Pep Hamilton.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Blake Bortles:
Pass yds: 4,109
Pass TDs: 26
INTs: 15
Rush yds: 331
Rush TDs: 1
Fumbles lost: 4
Fantasy points: 269.5
The Jaguars threw the ball on over 65 percent of their offensive snaps last season, so it wasn't a surprise to see Blake Bortles chuck it 607 times and finish in the top 10 in fantasy points among quarterbacks. It was the first time since Marc Bulger (2006) that coordinator Greg Olson has produced a starting-caliber fantasy quarterback during his six pro seasons in that role. Of course, his other signal-callers have been rookies in Derek Carr, Terrelle Pryor (who is now a wide receiver) and Harrington. ... The addition of Chris Ivory and several top defenders could signal a change in philosophies, however, so Bortles' fantasy totals could regress a bit in 2016.
Kansas City Chiefs
Alex Smith:
Pass yds: 3,287
Pass TDs: 20
INTs: 8
Rush yds: 401
Rush TDs: 1
Fumbles lost: 1
Fantasy points: 239.3
The Chiefs have decided to use both Brad Childress and Matt Magy as co-offensive coordinators after Doug Pederson left to coach the Eagles. Still, head man Andy Reid will do most of the play calling. ... Heading into 2014, Reid hadn't had a quarterback who started more than 10 games rank worse than 12th (Smith, 2013) in fantasy points at the position. Of course, Reid did have Michael Vick and Donovan McNabb for the majority of those campaigns. ... In his three seasons with Reid at the helm, Smith has ranked 12th, 15th and 18th in fantasy points among quarterbacks and has averaged a modest 3,355 passing yards, 20 touchdown passes and seven picks.
Los Angeles Rams
Case Keenum:
Pass yds: 3,179
Pass TDs: 17
INTs: 15
Rush yds: 99
Rush TDs: 0
Fumbles lost: 5
Fantasy points: 165.1
The Rams made a switch at offensive coordinator late last season, firing Frank Cignetti Jr. and promoting tight ends coach Rob Boras in Novemeber. In Boras' four games in the new role, quarterback Case Keenum threw the football more than 23 times once and averaged a mere 173 passing yards. Still, the Rams did have a 3-1 record in that time. ... Boras is likely to lead a conservative pass attack with Case Keenum or rookie Jared Goff under center, so don't expect a lot of statistical fireworks from the California product. ... Mike Groh, who is the passing-game coordinator, hasn't been a coordinator at the pro level but did serve in that role at the University of Virginia (2006-08).
Miami Dolphins
Ryan Tannehill:
Pass yds: 4,065
Pass TDs: 25
INTs: 13
Rush yds: 227
Rush TDs: 1
Fumbles lost: 3
Fantasy points: 259.3
The Dolphins hired Clyde Christensen to take over as the team's offensive coordinator, but Gase is likely going to handle most of the play-calling duties. In his first two seasons as a coordinator, Gase's offenses in Denver fielded the best (2013) and the fourth-best fantasy quarterback (2014) in Peyton Manning. During those two campaigns, Manning combined to throw for 94 touchdowns. ... Gase came back to earth last season with Cutler, who finished with his best passer rating as a pro but finished just 20th in points among field generals. ... Ryan Tannehill should make strides under his new coach, but he shouldn't be seen as more than a late-roound selection in most drafts.
Minnesota Vikings
Sam Bradford:
Pass yds: 3,677
Pass TDs: 19
INTs: 13
Rush yds: 38
Rush TDs: 0
Fumbles lost: 4
Fantasy points: 192.9
The Vikings threw the football just 51.3 percent of the time and finished with the fewest pass attempts (454) and the second-fewest completions (294) of any team in the league last season. ... Offensive coordinator Norv Turner hasn't had a quarterback finish better than 21st in fantasy points in his last four seasons, but he did help Philip Rivers rank in the top 10 four times during a five-year stretch (2008-2012) when he was the head coach in San Diego. ... With Adrian Peterson still the centerpiece of this offense, there's little chance that Sam Bradford will develop into more than a No. 2 fantasy quarterback or matchup-based starter in the absence of Teddy Bridgewater (knee).
New England Patriots
Tom Brady:
Pass yds: 3,395
Pass TDs: 23
INTs: 7
Rush yds: 32
Rush TDs: 1
Fumbles lost: 2
Fantasy points: 219.0
The Patriots threw the football 63.5 percent of the time last season, which was the highest rate the team has had since offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels re-joined the team in 2012. This powerful unit ranked fifth in pass attempts (404), seventh in completions (404) and tied for first in touchdown passes (36) as well. ... In his last seven seasons, Tom Brady has finished in the top 10 in fantasy points six times. He failed to reach the mark in 2013, but Rob Gronkowski missed nine games that season. ... In 2015, Brady averaged 21.5 fantasy points per game. Keep that in mind when you draft him, as Brady will miss the first four games of the season due to a controversial suspension.
New Orleans Saints
Drew Brees:
Pass yds: 4,733
Pass TDs: 31
INTs: 13
Rush yds: 39
Rush TDs: 1
Fumbles lost: 3
Fantasy points: 291.2
The Saints threw the football 63.7 percent of the time last season, which ranked in the top 10 among NFL offenses. The team finished tied for second in pass attempts (667), first in passing yards (4,970) and completions (460) and 10th in touchdown passes (32). ... Pete Carmichael has been the team's offensive coordinator since 2009, during which time Drew Brees has finished no worse than sixth in fantasy points among quarterbacks. That includes four seasons where he's ranked first or second. ... The veteran out of Purdue has also attempted no fewer than 627 passes over the last six seasons, during which time he's averaged better than 5,000 passing yards and 38 touchdown passes.
New York Giants
Eli Manning:
Pass yds: 4,429
Pass TDs: 32
INTs: 14
Rush yds: 41
Rush TDs: 0
Fumbles lost: 3
Fantasy points: 275.3
Head coach Ben McAdoo has brought some new life to the Giants pass attack. In two seasons as the offensive coordinator before his promotion, his system produced a pair of 4,400-plus passing yard and 30 or more touchdown campaigns from Eli Manning. During those two years, the Ole Miss product finished 10th in fantasy points twice. Manning set and then broke his previous career highs in pass attempts and completions while also recording some of his best passer ratings. Furthermore, he dropped his interception average from 21 in the previous four seasons to just 14. ... With Odell Beckham Jr., Victor Cruz and rookie Sterling Shepard in the mix, Manning could be quite the bargain.
New York Jets
Ryan Fitzpatrick:
Pass yds: 3,766
Pass TDs: 27
INTs: 14
Rush yds: 253
Rush TDs: 2
Fumbles lost: 4
Fantasy points: 259.9
Offensive coordinator Chan Gailey invigorated the Jets pass attack last season, as the team finished with a top-12 fantasy quarterback in Fitzpatick and two top-10 fantasy wide receivers in Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker. ... In his last seven seasons as a head coach or coordinator, Gailey has had four quarterbacks finish in the top 12 in fantasy points at the position (Jay Fiedler - 2001, Tyler Thigpen - 2008, Fitzpatrick - 2011, 2015). ... In four seasons under Gailey's watch between Buffalo and New York, the Amish rifle has averaged 3,534 passing yards and a respectable 25.5 touchdown passes. He had the most productive fantasy season of his career under Gailey in 2015.
Oakland Raiders
Derek Carr:
Pass yds: 4,195
Pass TDs: 31
INTs: 15
Rush yds: 101
Rush TDs: 0
Fumbles lost: 3
Fantasy points: 265.9
The Raiders threw the football 63.3 percent of the time in their first season under offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave, and Derek Carr finished 14th in fantasy points among quarterbacks. That was the first time he's coached a quarterback who finished in the top 15 in fantasy points in his last six seasons at the pro level. His next best signal-caller was Byron Leftwich, who finished in the top 20 in 2004. ... During a six-game stretch of 2015, Carr threw for 300-plus yards and scored 23-plus fantasy points four times to go along with 16 touchdown passes. He will now be a popular late sleeper in fantasy leagues, even more so with two full seasons of starter's experience under his belt.
Philadelphia Eagles
Carson Wentz:
Pass yds: 3,218
Pass TDs: 17
INTs: 14
Rush yds: 127
Rush TDs: 1
Fumbles lost: 5
Fantasy points: 177.4
The Eagles will have a new offensive look this season, as Chip Kelly was fired and the team hired Pederson to take over as the new main man. He served as the offensive coordinator in Kansas City from 2013-2015, but Reid did most of the play calling in that time. Still, it's notable that Alex Smith never finished better than 12th in fantasy points among quarterbacks. ... Frank Reich, who was in San Diego the last two seasons, will now serve as the coordinator under Pederson. During his time with the Chargers, Philip Rivers threw the football a ridiculous 1,231 times and averaged 4,539 passing yards. Don't expect the same sort of production out of rookie signal-caller Carson Wentz.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Ben Roethlisberger:
Pass yds: 4,572
Pass TDs: 31
INTs: 14
Rush yds: 56
Rush TDs: 0
Fumbles lost: 4
Fantasy points: 276.5
Ben Roethlisberger missed four games last season due to injuries, but he still averaged 19 fantasy points per game. Projected over a full campaign, he would have scored 304.2 fantasy points and finished sixth among fantasy quarterbacks. ... The loss of Martavis Bryant to a suspension hurts, but the Steelers added an athletic tight end in Ladarius Green. The team will also have superstar runner Le'Veon Bell in the mix, so Big Ben will have no shortage of playmakers. ... Offensive coordinator Todd Haley has produced a total of five top-12 fantasy quarterbacks in his last 10 seasons as a coordinator or coach, including Roethlisberger (2010, 2013, 2014) and Kurt Warner (2007, 2008).
San Diego Chargers
Philip Rivers:
Pass yds: 4,621
Pass TDs: 28
INTs: 14
Rush yds: 63
Rush TDs: 0
Fumbles lost: 2
Fantasy points: 271.1
The Chargers threw the football 64.3 percent of the time under Reich last season. However, new offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt isn't expected to throw it that much in 2016. In fact, Rivers chucked the ball 117 fewer times when Whiz was the OC back in 2013. He also ranked fifth in fantasy points among quarterbacks that season, which is his best finish since 2010. ... Unfortunately, that's one of a mere two top-10 fantasy quarterbacks Whisenhunt has produced in his last 12 seasons as a coach or coordinator. The second was Warner (5th, 2008), who also ranked 12th (2007) and 13th (2009). Roethlisberger ranked no better than 13th (2006) when the Whiz was in Pittsburgh.
San Francisco 49ers
Blaine Gabbert:
Pass yds: 3,199
Pass TDs: 17
INTs: 13
Rush yds: 71
Rush TDs: 0
Fumbles lost: 3
Fantasy points: 171.1
New coach Chip Kelly is considered an offensive specialist, but his top quarterback in Philadelphia finished 23rd and 27th in each of the last two seasons. Nick Foles was a more respectable 12th in 2013, but he went on to flounder during the following campaign. ... Kelly hired Curtis Modkins to be his new offensive coordinator, but he's not likely to be the primary playcaller. In his lone stint as an NFL coordinator, Modkins' quarterback (Fitzpatrick) ranked no better than 12th in fantasy points at the position. ... Blaine Gabbert, who scored 16.2 fantasy points per game in eight 2015 starts, is the leading candidate to start ahead of Colin Kaepernick. Neither is worth a draft choice.
Seattle Seahawks
Russell Wilson:
Pass yds: 3,979
Pass TDs: 28
INTs: 9
Rush yds: 598
Rush TDs: 3
Fumbles lost: 2
Fantasy points: 327.0
In four seasons under offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, Russell Wilson has averaged 608 rushing yards and finished no worse than 10th in fantasy points at his position. ... He exploded as a passer last season, posting career highs in pass attempts (483), completions (329), passing yards (4,024) and aerial touchdowns (34). ... In his first nine games, Wilson averaged 30 pass attempts and threw for 10 touchdowns with seven interceptions. Over his final seven contests, however, he threw 24 touchdowns with one interception. What's even more impressive about those stats is that he recorded them despite averaging just one more pass attempt (31) than he had in the first seven games.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Jameis Winston:
Pass yds: 4,161
Pass TDs: 25
INTs: 15
Rush yds: 175
Rush TDs: 3
Fumbles lost: 3
Fantasy points: 265.9
Dirk Koetter, who was promoted from Tampa Bay's offensive coordinator to head coach during the offseason, has had some success with the quarterback position during his time in the pros. In his last eight seasons as a coordinator between the Jaguars, Falcons and Buccaneers, he hasn't had a single signal-caller finish worse than 15th in fantasy points (David Garrard, 2009). Koetter has also had two quarterbacks (Garrard - 2008, Ryan - 2012, 2014) in three seasons finish in the top 10 in points at the position. ... During his rookie campaign, Jameis Winston threw for 4,042 yards and scored a combined 28 touchdowns. That was good enough to finish 13th among quarterbacks.
Tennessee Titans
Marcus Mariota:
Pass yds: 3,924
Pass TDs: 23
INTs: 14
Rush yds: 344
Rush TDs: 2
Fumbles lost: 4
Fantasy points: 259.4
The Titans hired Terry Robiskie to be their new offensive coordinator under coach Mike Mularkey. He's been in the NFL for 34 years, but just eight of those have come as a coordinator. During his five seasons in that role for the Los Angeles Raiders, Robiskie's quarterbacks averaged 3,194 yards, 19 touchdown passes and 17 interceptions. As a passing game coordinator in Washington (1999-2000), his field generals averaged 4,002 yards, 22 scores and 17 picks. ... Despite Robiskie's average statistical track record with quarterbacks, Marcus Mariota has all the looks of a fantasy sleeper. In 12 starts as a rookie, he averaged 17.5 fantasy points, which projects to 280 over a full season.
Washington Redskins
Kirk Cousins:
Pass yds: 4,377
Pass TDs: 28
INTs: 14
Rush yds: 38
Rush TDs: 2
Fumbles lost: 3
Fantasy points: 268.9
Head coach Jay Gruden worked his magic with Kirk Cousins last season, as the Michigan State product recorded 34 total touchdowns and scored 293.44 fantasy points. That was good to finish eighth among quarterbacks. It was the fourth time in Gruden's five seasons as either a coordinator or head man that his quarterback finished 15th or better based on fantasy points. In two of those seasons, his signal-caller was fifth (Dalton, 2013) and eighth (Cousins, 2015). ... Over his final seven starts of the 2015 fantasy season, Cousins had 21.3 or more fantasy points five times. That includes two games with 32 or more points. Despite that success, Cousins is rated as a No. 2 option in 2016.
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on NFL.com. Have a burning question on anything fantasy related? Tweet it to _**@MichaelFabiano**_ or send a question via **Facebook**!
