Platoons have been popular in MLB for decades, some left-handed hitters mashing against righties before scurrying to the bench when a southpaw steps on the mound. But how about we apply that logic to fantasy football? More specifically, the quarterback position. 

While so many fantasy managers would like to draft Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts, Lamar Jackson, or Patrick Mahomes, paying up at the ADP in the second or third rounds of fantasy drafts in August and September might leave some uncomfortable passing up some solid WR and RB options, as well as the start of the elite TEs, in that range.

Does it pay to wait? 

It can, and waiting can be rewarded with a solid, well-rounded roster that is deep at the skill positions while not having to sacrifice at the most important position in football.

How? Well, for one, it’s going to take drafting two quarterbacks in a single-QB league, and to make this exercise a little more challenging, after the top 10 quarterbacks have gone off the board. 

Using the Fantasy Life ADP Tool, it’s easy to look up in what range the quarterbacks are going in Yahoo!, Sleeper, ESPN, Underdog, and other formats. The consensus QB10 in those aforementioned formats is Jordan Love of the Green Bay Packers. He’s going on average anywhere from pick 76.8 (Yahoo!) to 97.4 (Underdog). While there are many good quarterbacks behind him, there might be some times that fantasy managers would want to bench them because of matchups.

With a platoon, savvy managers could focus on starting these quarterbacks in optimal environments.

Finding QB Production Late in Drafts

So much has been made about Jared Goff’s home/road splits.

In 2023, Goff passed for 2,240 yards and 19 TDs in eight home games. Projected out to 17 games, that’s 4,760 yards and 40 touchdowns. In four other games in which the Lions played on the road—but under a dome—Goff averaged 268.5 yards, which comes out to 4,564.5 yards over a full season. He threw six TDs in those games, which comes out to a respectable 25.5 if he played all his games under a roof and on the road.

Well, now comes the great news: Goff and the Lions play either at home or under a dome in 14 of 17 games this season.

A Nov. 3 trip to Green Bay and a Dec. 22 game at Soldier Field in Chicago are potential land mines, especially the latter being likely in sub-freezing temperatures. The Week 17, Dec. 30 Monday Night Football Game in San Francisco is less of a worry, as Northern California temperatures will be tepid compared to most of the other NFL stadiums that weekend. Plus, Goff shredded the 49ers for 273 yards and a score in a wild 34-31 loss in San Francisco in the NFC Championship Game this past January. That kind of production is available between picks 104.8 to 151.4, depending on the format.

The goal here is not just to sing Goff’s praises, though I am high on the Detroit offense whenever it’s playing indoors on a fast track for Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta to roam free throughout secondaries while the RB duo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery showcases their thunder and lightning combination. It’s to show that there are QB options for fantasy managers who choose to wait at the position, even if they have to double-tap on signal callers.

Here are some viable QB combinations made up completely of players drafted outside of the Top 10.

Trevor Lawrence & Jared Goff

Aside from both of these quarterbacks getting PAID this offseason, the scheduling gods may have done them some favors, especially for fantasy managers who might want to pair them together. Goff (QB16) is home against the Rams, Buccaneers, and Seahawks in the first four weeks, with the lone road game in that start being at Arizona. All games with potential for a lot of points. 

Lawrence (QB14) has some AFC South bangers in Weeks 4 and 5 at Houston then hosting the Colts. The Jags’ QB averaged 266.3 passing yards and threw six TDs in four games against those opponents. In Week 9, when Goff is in frigid Lambeau Field, Lawrence and the Jaguars travel to Philadelphia in a game that should see plenty of offense. Same in Week 16—when Goff is in Chicago—the quarterback with the golden hair plays indoors at the Raiders.

If this tandem rides you to the championship game, and Goff’s trip to San Francisco is not enticing, the Jaguars host the Titans. Lawrence threw for 542 yards and four touchdowns in two games last season against Tennessee. Flip a coin.

Jayden Daniels & Brock Purdy

Daniels has been a favorite of many Fantasy Life analysts—Heck, so much of the fantasy football cognoscenti!—it almost feels odd that he’s available anywhere from QB11 to QB15 in the formats mentioned above.

But when it comes to Fantasy Life projections, he’s No. 2 in rushing yards at 734 yards and tied with C.J. Stroud for QB6 with 311.6 fantasy points. And he’s going no earlier than pick 101. Yes, it’s hard to fully project No. 2 picks, as they could be immediate hits like Stroud or future backups like Mitchell Trubisky.


Purdy is a good complement, with his Avengers-like skill players flying over the field making plays for him. He’s already supported multiple 1,000-yard pass catchers (Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle in 2023), and has some inviting early matchups at the Rams, Vikings, and Seahawks, with a home date against the Cardinals mixed in by Week 6. Home games against the Chiefs and Cowboys follow, so look for some fireworks. 

Daniels will have to play catchup some weeks because the Washington Commanders are rebuilding their defense, so shootouts could happen often for him. In Weeks 15-17—the fantasy playoffs—Washington goes to New Orleans, then hosts the Eagles and Falcons. All offenses should be improved off of their 2023 versions.

The QB choice could be tough in the closing weeks, as Purdy has a finishing kick with home games against the Bears, Rams, and Lions (again, Week 17), with a Week 16 road game at Miami mixed in.

Justin Herbert & Matthew Stafford

The L.A. combo may practice in the California sun, but between the two of them, the only week this season that neither of them is indoors is Week 6 when Herbert (QB17) and the Chargers are in Denver, while Stafford (QB19) and the Rams are on a bye. That’s it. 

Yes, the prevailing wisdom is that the Chargers are going to run the ball. That will be the best-laid plan until a rebuilding secondary that allowed 268 passing yards per game last season gives up some points and Herbert has to go into catchup mode. Some attractive early matchups could be Week 4 hosting the Chiefs and Week 7 at Arizona, to name just two. Week 13 the Chargers start their final run with a pair of road games at Atlanta and KC, then home dates against the Buccaneers and Broncos to open the fantasy playoffs.

Let’s also remember that Stafford is at the helm of an offense with a pair of WRs in the top 21 in ADP in Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp, with Demarcus Robinson coming off being a sneaky league winner by scoring a touchdown in each of Weeks 13-16. Stafford could be in late-season shootouts against the Bills (Week 14), at San Francisco (Week 15), and a Week 17 home date against the Cardinals that best ball players have been targeting all summer. 

The earliest either of these quarterbacks is being drafted is the 10th round, so load up on skill players through the first nine rounds and then pick a pair of L.A. QBs.

If you want to see what your rosters will look like with any of these combinations or any other late-round QBs, check out the Draft Champion Tool on Fantasy Life+ and get sharp for your drafts right away.

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