Forget the early-round quarterback hype, because a dude who was literally the No. 1 quarterback in 2025 just fell to Round 12 in a 12-team fantasy mock draft. Yeah, you read that right: Matthew Stafford, the top gun from last season, was picked as the *last* starting quarterback off the board. This isn’t some fluke, either. It’s making serious waves for how we should be drafting this year, showing there’s some wild value out there if you play it smart.
The QB Value Nobody Saw Coming
This fantasy season, it’s gonna be a blast drafting quarterbacks because the position is loaded. You absolutely do not have to reach for one early on Draft Day. In a recent half-PPR mock draft featuring some CBS Sports analysts, the quarterback value was insane. Josh Allen, a bona fide stud, somehow tumbled all the way to No. 47 overall. Drake Maye, another top-tier talent, didn’t even get picked until Round 6. And Jaxson Dart? Round 11. Sure, quarterbacks tend to slip a bit in analyst drafts, but even the CBS Sports Average Draft Position data shows that these guys are rock-solid value picks this season. Allen is the *only* quarterback being drafted in the first three rounds, going at No. 19 overall. Lamar Jackson is next up at No. 39. It just keeps going from there, showing the depth is real.
Stacking Up While Others Reach for QBs
Jamey Eisenberg, the fantasy writer from CBS Sports, actually had the chance to snag Allen in Round 4 but opted for D.J. Moore instead. Then, in Round 5, he passed on Jackson to grab D’Andre Swift. His toughest call came in Round 9, debating between Jordan Addison and Trevor Lawrence, but he stuck to his guns. He wanted to see what his roster would look like by waiting on a quarterback as long as humanly possible. The payoff? Stafford in Round 12, after every other manager had already picked their starter. Eisenberg then followed that up with Jared Goff in Round 13. That Goff pick looks especially sweet with a fantastic schedule, boasting only five outdoor games through Week 17. Other quarterbacks who also went in Round 13 or later included Brock Purdy, Kyler Murray, and Baker Mayfield. Meanwhile, guys like Bo Nix, Tyler Shough, Malik Willis, and Jordan Love didn’t even get drafted.
What This Means for Your Draft Strategy
So, how did Eisenberg’s team look after this extreme wait-on-QB strategy? Pretty stacked, honestly. The strength of his squad is absolutely at receiver and tight end, with Ja’Marr Chase, Moore, Chris Godwin, Addison, Matthew Golden, and Brock Bowers all on board. He waited until Round 3 to draft his first running back but still walked away with a solid corps of Jeremiyah Love, Swift, Tony Pollard, Jordan Mason, Chris Rodriguez Jr., and George Holani. Eisenberg believes if the Stafford-Goff pairing works out even half as well as he expects, this team is absolutely ready to compete for a playoff spot. If this mock draft is any indication, you can bet he’s planning to wait on a quarterback a lot this season, and honestly, who can blame him? What does this tell you about your own draft plans? Are you still reaching for a quarterback early, or are you gonna be smart and stack up those skill positions first, just like this? I know what I’m doing next time I hit the draft board!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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