Post by Banana Cat on Mar 31, 2011 22:34:31 GMT -5
www.lfl360.com/articles/lfl-fantasy-grading-the-quarterbacks/
LFL Fantasy: Grading the Quarterbacks
During the off-season we’ll look at the most important positions from a fantasy perspective and grade last year’s starters on their 2010 statistics. These grades aren’t designed to judge the players’ competitive spirit, athletic talent or even on-field results. This is about fantasy– not actual game– performances.
Grading the quarterbacks:
* Ashley Salerno, Los Angeles Temptation. Grade: A+
With 28 completions, 265 passing yards and nine passing touchdowns, Salerno would be a top QB choice on those numbers alone. But it’s her rushing stats that really put her ahead of the competition. With 179 rushing yards and four scores on the ground, she was also the Temptation’s leading rusher. When you have a quarterback that is involved no matter what play the team runs, fantasy owners will usually be happy with the results. Despite five interceptions, Salerno is at the top of her class when it comes to fantasy production behind center.
* Heather Furr, Chicago Bliss. Grade: B+
Furr’s passing numbers aren’t anything spectacular: She has four touchdowns and three interceptions, and fewer passing yards (166) as well. So why does she get a B+? As you can probably guess, there are rushing totals to consider, and Furr has plenty: 107 rushing yards and seven more scores. Adding those totals in, she’s only a couple of touchdowns behind Salerno. Furr led Chicago to a great season, and she was also very valuable from a fantasy perspective. She might not have the name recognition as others at quarterback, but her stats make her a fantasy favorite anyway.
* Christy Bell, Philadelphia Passion. Grade: B
Bell’s numbers are impressive (188.9 pass rating, six touchdowns) so it’s no surprise she helped lead the team to the Lingerie Bowl. She threw no interceptions during the regular season, and she never fumbled the ball, either. In other words, she had zero turnovers at the position that handles the ball more than anyone else.
So why only a B for Bell? If we were talking about real football, she’s an A player for sure. But this is about fantasy football, and Bell did absolutely nothing on the ground: -26 yards and zero touchdowns. Her 181 passing yards are good but not outstanding, and without any rushing help fantasy owners aren’t getting anything close to the kind of production someone like Salerno provides. Bell earns a solid B in fantasy.
* Laurel Creel, Seattle Mist. Grade: C+
The Mist didn’t win any games last season, but at least their quarterback play was pretty average. Creel only passed for 147 yards and three scores (in three games), but she threw just one interception and chipped in another 65 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. That’s unspectacular, but not terrible, production. If the team improves in 2011, Creel might get the chance to utilize her passing and running skills a bit more. The team has a long way to go to contend for a championship, but their quarterback play wasn’t a sore spot in 2010. Fantasy owners could find some value there.
* Kathryn Matheny, Tampa Breeze. Grade: C
Matheny led the Breeze back to the playoffs and threw no interceptions during the regular season. That’s the good news. But from a fantasy perspective, she added nothing on the ground (-17 yards and zero scores) and only threw four touchdown passes. That’s just not enough production to consider her a top fantasy play. Not throwing any interceptions helps, but even though the team had a great year, Matheny wasn’t a special fantasy player in 2010. She might get to do more this season, but until the team gives her more opportunities to shine the Breeze signal-caller won’t be a top quarterback pick in fantasy.
* Veronica Moor, Orlando Fantasy. Grade: D+
Moor’s Fantasy didn’t win any games last year, so it’s not surprising that the quarterback struggled as well. She threw just two touchdowns compared to six interceptions, and added 36 yards and another score on the ground. But even with her rushing totals, she had more than twice as many turnovers as touchdowns: Moor lost a fumble, giving her seven turnovers compared with three touchdowns during the season.
So why does she get a D+ instead of a worse grade? Because she also threw for 269 yards, which is more than any of the four playoff quarterbacks last season. The team had a bad year, but Orlando’s quarterback threw for more yards than the Temptation’s Salerno (269 yards to 265 yards). That doesn’t mean much to an 0-4 football team, but for fantasy players it’s a glimmer of hope.
* Samantha Allen, Baltimore Charm. Grade: D-
Allen’s team wasn’t the worst in the league and she had better rushing stats than a few of the players who received a better grade. But she gets a D- because fantasy players who expected even average statistics from her were severely disappointed.
Allen threw three touchdowns compared to seven interceptions, and added one score and 14 yards on the ground. Those rushing totals don’t make up for a lopsided touchdown-to-interception ratio, and the passing yardage makes it look even worse. Allen threw for just 114 yards all year; that’s less than 30 yards per game. She didn’t run much, she didn’t pass much and she threw many more interceptions than touchdowns. It was a tough year for Allen, especially from a fantasy standpoint.
During the off-season we’ll look at the most important positions from a fantasy perspective and grade last year’s starters on their 2010 statistics. These grades aren’t designed to judge the players’ competitive spirit, athletic talent or even on-field results. This is about fantasy– not actual game– performances.
Grading the quarterbacks:
* Ashley Salerno, Los Angeles Temptation. Grade: A+
With 28 completions, 265 passing yards and nine passing touchdowns, Salerno would be a top QB choice on those numbers alone. But it’s her rushing stats that really put her ahead of the competition. With 179 rushing yards and four scores on the ground, she was also the Temptation’s leading rusher. When you have a quarterback that is involved no matter what play the team runs, fantasy owners will usually be happy with the results. Despite five interceptions, Salerno is at the top of her class when it comes to fantasy production behind center.
* Heather Furr, Chicago Bliss. Grade: B+
Furr’s passing numbers aren’t anything spectacular: She has four touchdowns and three interceptions, and fewer passing yards (166) as well. So why does she get a B+? As you can probably guess, there are rushing totals to consider, and Furr has plenty: 107 rushing yards and seven more scores. Adding those totals in, she’s only a couple of touchdowns behind Salerno. Furr led Chicago to a great season, and she was also very valuable from a fantasy perspective. She might not have the name recognition as others at quarterback, but her stats make her a fantasy favorite anyway.
* Christy Bell, Philadelphia Passion. Grade: B
Bell’s numbers are impressive (188.9 pass rating, six touchdowns) so it’s no surprise she helped lead the team to the Lingerie Bowl. She threw no interceptions during the regular season, and she never fumbled the ball, either. In other words, she had zero turnovers at the position that handles the ball more than anyone else.
So why only a B for Bell? If we were talking about real football, she’s an A player for sure. But this is about fantasy football, and Bell did absolutely nothing on the ground: -26 yards and zero touchdowns. Her 181 passing yards are good but not outstanding, and without any rushing help fantasy owners aren’t getting anything close to the kind of production someone like Salerno provides. Bell earns a solid B in fantasy.
* Laurel Creel, Seattle Mist. Grade: C+
The Mist didn’t win any games last season, but at least their quarterback play was pretty average. Creel only passed for 147 yards and three scores (in three games), but she threw just one interception and chipped in another 65 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. That’s unspectacular, but not terrible, production. If the team improves in 2011, Creel might get the chance to utilize her passing and running skills a bit more. The team has a long way to go to contend for a championship, but their quarterback play wasn’t a sore spot in 2010. Fantasy owners could find some value there.
* Kathryn Matheny, Tampa Breeze. Grade: C
Matheny led the Breeze back to the playoffs and threw no interceptions during the regular season. That’s the good news. But from a fantasy perspective, she added nothing on the ground (-17 yards and zero scores) and only threw four touchdown passes. That’s just not enough production to consider her a top fantasy play. Not throwing any interceptions helps, but even though the team had a great year, Matheny wasn’t a special fantasy player in 2010. She might get to do more this season, but until the team gives her more opportunities to shine the Breeze signal-caller won’t be a top quarterback pick in fantasy.
* Veronica Moor, Orlando Fantasy. Grade: D+
Moor’s Fantasy didn’t win any games last year, so it’s not surprising that the quarterback struggled as well. She threw just two touchdowns compared to six interceptions, and added 36 yards and another score on the ground. But even with her rushing totals, she had more than twice as many turnovers as touchdowns: Moor lost a fumble, giving her seven turnovers compared with three touchdowns during the season.
So why does she get a D+ instead of a worse grade? Because she also threw for 269 yards, which is more than any of the four playoff quarterbacks last season. The team had a bad year, but Orlando’s quarterback threw for more yards than the Temptation’s Salerno (269 yards to 265 yards). That doesn’t mean much to an 0-4 football team, but for fantasy players it’s a glimmer of hope.
* Samantha Allen, Baltimore Charm. Grade: D-
Allen’s team wasn’t the worst in the league and she had better rushing stats than a few of the players who received a better grade. But she gets a D- because fantasy players who expected even average statistics from her were severely disappointed.
Allen threw three touchdowns compared to seven interceptions, and added one score and 14 yards on the ground. Those rushing totals don’t make up for a lopsided touchdown-to-interception ratio, and the passing yardage makes it look even worse. Allen threw for just 114 yards all year; that’s less than 30 yards per game. She didn’t run much, she didn’t pass much and she threw many more interceptions than touchdowns. It was a tough year for Allen, especially from a fantasy standpoint.