Roundtable Week 4: Notable Quarterbacks

Photo: USA Today Sports

Welcome to Week 4 of the 2023 Footballguys Roundtable. Our intrepid panel of fantasy pundits discusses and debates four topics every week. We split the conversation into separate features.

This week's roundtable features these four topics:

• Notable Fantasy Starters at QB (see below)
• Emerging Player Candidates
• Week 3 vs. Weeks 1-2
• The Footballguys' Subscriber Contest

Let's roll.

Notable Fantasy Starters at QB

Matt Waldman: After three weeks, the following QBs are on the cusp of QB1/QB2 value.

• C.J. Stroud
• Jared Goff
• Brock Purdy
• Deshaun Watson
• Mac Jones

Only 4.5 points separate them. Answer the following questions about this pool of passers:

• Who has the highest ceiling of value this year?
• Who has the steadiest skill set?
• Who has the lowest floor?
• Who remains inside QB1 territory at year's end?

Elucidate this matter.

Jeff Bell: Deshaun Watson has the highest ceiling of the group. We have seen elite-level production before, and with the injury to Nick Chubb, that offense has little choice but to run through him. The game against Tennessee showed encouraging signs that the rust may be coming off.

Is it a hot take or homerism to take the rookie C.J. Stroud?

Waldman: For you, homerism, but no one expects anything different from you.

Bell: I can live with that. And I can definitely live with Stroud as a starting QB.

Stroud has functional mobility to escape the pocket and enough arm talent and accuracy to hit the required throwing windows. I may have misunderstood the question, bringing Brock Purdy into the conversation. Purdy has shown high-level processing and decision-making, coming up with a year's worth of games to judge off. He lacks in some physical areas but has the best play-caller to help smooth those concerns.

Mac Jones has the lowest floor. He has the perfect combination of defense and run game capable of winning without his production and none of the residual big play by accident that Purdy is awash in.

Jones will remain outside QB1 territory at year's end. He played into trailing game scripts in his first two games to bolster his numbers. But in the long term, the Patriots can not win shootouts, and Bill Belichick is smart enough to know that. The Jets game shows their path to victory. It is not through Jones.

Zareh Kantzabedian: Stroud is currently fifth in pass attempts and eighth in yards per attempt. He's the QB14, including his debut, where he scored 9.7 fantasy points. Since then, Stroud has scored 21.5 and 20.6 fantasy points. Stroud is the QB11 if we only include those two 20-plus point games. The Texan's offense is beginning to figure itself out. Compile Strouds' weapons with his passing volume, and there is plenty of room for growth.

Purdy emits stability. He's surrounded by elite talent that will never let him down. San Francisco's defense will do enough to keep opposing offenses at bay. All Purdy has to do is get the ball to his weapons and let them do the rest.

Jones is QB12 on the year despite being third in pass attempts. Hunter Henry and Kendrick Bourne are the primary weapons. Even with the volume, the Patriots offense lacks significant explosive play-making ability. His floor is the lowest.

Stroud will be a locked-in QB1 for the rest of the year. Stroud defeated the Jaguars on the road while posting his best completion percentage this year. The Texans' coaching staff is going to let him cook. Stroud is just getting started.