Fantasy Upside
There is not a quarterback controversy in Buffalo. E.J. Manuel is the man the Bills think is the present and the future. After a rookie season with mixed reviews, Buffalo is confident that he will make strides in 2014. From a fantasy standpoint, Manuel's numbers are hard to evaluate. He only played in 10 games because of injury, and the Bills protected him with a very conservative offense. It is expected head coach Doug Marrone will open up the playbook a little more. Another factor is that the Bills went out and get Sammy Watkins with their first round pick. This alone should help Manuel's numbers if Watkins becomes the stud people expect. Manuel is also athletic which means he can pick up some rushing stats for you.
Fantasy Downside
Manuel's fantasy numbers were on the lower end of the quarterback scale. He was 26th in average fantasy points and struggled with the speed in the NFL. Durability will be a question going forward because he did miss some games throughout last season. Many critics believe Manuel is not an NFL quarterback so he still has a lot to prove.
Bottom Line
Manuel is not a player you should be looking to put on your roster when drafting in 2014. He rarely gets selected in traditional standard and PPR leagues. Like all young quarterbacks, you should keep an eye on him as the season progresses. He will get more opportunities this season and definitely has some interesting offensive weapons that might help him progress. If he has some early season success, he could be worth a flyer on then waiver wire.
