In today's Fantasy Life Newsletter, presented by Bud Light:

The quarterback carousel in the NFL is about to spin heavily as free agency approaches in the coming weeks. Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford, Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, and Sam Darnold are among the names to be on the move.

Derek Carr and Kirk Cousins were on the list, but for the moment they will remain with their teams. For the moment …

Hop On The Quarterback Carousel

Kendall: There was a time where I believed Cousins would be on the move this offseason, because the amount of money the Falcons would be paying him to be their backup just wouldn't make sense … right? Well, it seems that the organization (for now) has come to terms with the idea that Cousins will stay on the books for an ungodly amount of money.

Cousins is entering the second year of a four-year deal, and his guaranteed base salary in 2025 is $27.5 million with a $40 million cap hit for the upcoming season, which makes up 14% of Atalanta's cap currently. I think the team could still look at ways to offload some of that money, but it is going to be expensive no matter what.

Adam: It's difficult to believe this will happen. Cousins can still be a starter in the NFL and said he was dealing with right shoulder, elbow and ankle injuries last season. The numbers suggest there's some truth there. Through the first nine weeks, Cousins completed 69.2% of his passes with 17 TDs and 7 INTs. The rest of the way, Cousins had a 63.3% completion rate with 1 TD and 8 INTs. Cousins has a no-trade clause and the cap hit is significant, but the “for now” is key. It feels like Cousins won’t be in Atlanta.

Kendall: Another quarterback that I believed could have been starting for another team was Carr, but recent reports believe he will continue operating as the QB1 for the Saints. New Orleans right now is projected to be nearly $60 million over the cap (hence why Carr rumors started to swirl)—Carr's contract has a $51.4 million cap number in 2025 and he said earlier this offseason that he wasn't willing to take a pay cut.

Adam: I wouldn’t take a pay cut either. Can’t blame Carr there. Carr also has a no-trade clause in his contract and it’s more likely the Saints are telling the truth here. 

So how should we be drafting with this quarterback clarity?

Kendall: The Falcons also made it clear in Indianapolis this week that Michael Penix Jr. is their guy for the upcoming season. He flashed at times last season. In three starts he completed 58.1% of his passing attempts for 775 yards, had 3 touchdowns and also 3 interceptions, while also rushing for a score. In current drafts on Underdog there are no discounts on the "elite" Falcons players. Bijan Robinson is currently going as the third overall pick, Drake London is going around pick 16, Darnell Mooney is being drafted at pick 97, and Penix is off the board as QB19.

Adam: That’s a good price for Penix. He’s surrounded by good weapons and looked good in his three starts. Having a full offseason working as the starter will help. Coach Gene Clemons is even more optimistic on Penix.

Kendall: For the Saints, Chris Olave and Alvin Kamara go back-to-back at picks 55 and 56. Rashid Shaheed goes around pick 96 and Carr comes in as QB28. For me, I might take some fliers on Shaheed, but this offense might be one I stay away from. We don't have true answers on what Olave's season will look like, and this was not an offense that screamed "fantasy gold mine" last season. While they do have Kellen Moore in town now, I would much rather spend more on those Falcons pieces than what the Saints are currently showing (sorry, Cooterdoodle).

Adam: It’s difficult to feel confident in the Saints. Carr isn’t even appealing in a superflex league. Kamara has always excelled for fantasy and is targeted frequently. He turns 30 in July and needs the targets to remain a Top-15 running back. I’ll buy the dip on Olave if he’s healthy and Shaheed was making plays on the way to becoming the clear No. 2 WR before his season-ending knee injury.


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