Streaming Quarterbacks: Week 1 Targets

Sep 08, 2015

Week 1 is upon us! To those about to compete, we salute you.

As we target streaming QBs, remember that early in the season we are focusing on two stats with strong correlations to fantasy success: the opposing defense and the Vegas projections for the game. As the season progresses, we will lean more heavily on each passer’s per-attempt efficiency, with some mention of 2014 efficiency for now.

Here are the names I am targeting as streaming options in Week 1. Remember, our choices are limited to QBs available in at least 40% of Yahoo public leagues.

Week 1 QB Streaming Targets

Andy Dalton (CIN) at Oakland Raiders

Beginning with the matchup, Andy Dalton traveling to Oakland looks like a favorable option. As of Monday, the Vegas lines had the Bengals scoring the tenth-most points of any team in Week 1. Oakland is the sixth-best matchup for quarterbacks, per 4for4’s Schedule-Adjusted Fantasy Points Allowed (aFPA) metric. Those numbers suggest the Bengals should lead this game comfortably, and Andy Dalton would be a primary beneficiary.

Although Dalton had only the 20^th-best Fantasy Points per Attempt (FPAT) last season, 0.43, remember that his passing weapons were devastated by injuries. This year, Dalton gets A.J. Green, Tyler Eifert, and Marvin Jones all back healthy. In 2013, when those weapons were healthy, Dalton managed a more respectable 0.48 FPAT.

Dalton is available in 73% of Yahoo public leagues, and he is my optimal streaming QB of the week.