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Factoid

Backup plans

Teams winning with unheralded quarterbacks

Here we go again. We’re only three weeks into the season, and already a half dozen teams have used multiple starting quarterbacks. If form holds, some of these guys will end up being surprising productive.

Thus far, six teams have plugged in new starters at quarterback, and all have won games – Case Keenum last night, and Marcus Mariota, Jameis Winston, Michael Penix, Drew Lock and Carson Wentz. The Falcons, of course, a little different in that they played their first two games (both losses) with Cooper Rush (who's their third-string QB). The Bucs will be the seventh team to plug in a new starter, with Baker Mayfield sidelined.

For our purposes, we’re more interested in stats than wins and losses. The current backups haven’t been as productive on that front. Keenum, Mariota and Lock have finished with above-average numbers, but Penix, Wentz and Winston have not. Wentz and Winston have finished among the bottom dozen quarterbacks (using traditional fantasy scoring) among the 96 who’ve started so far.

But these players serve as an early reminder that some decent quarterbacks will be showing up off the bench.

Playing around with the numbers, I see that 108 quarterbacks in the last 10 years have started at least four games after not starting in Week 1. And 32 of these quarterbacks (tagged with black dots) have averaged above-average numbers when in the starting lineup. (That’s using standard fantasy scoring, comparing their numbers to the league average of the 500-plus starts of the same season).

There was a excellent four-pack of such quarterbacks last year – Brissett, Dart, Shough and Mac Jones. I can’t say that any of the first six to appear look to me like that level of prospect, but others will be coming.

Fantasy leaguers who’ve lost their quarterbacks to injuries shouldn’t be too quick to throw in the towel. It’s a long season, and there will be some viable players coming out of the woodwork, especially at the quarterback position.

In the chart below, players are list in reverse chronological order. Players with above-average numbers tagged with black dots. The vast majority of these guys began the season as true backups, but there are also a few veterans who missed Week 1 because of injuries or suspensions (Tom Brady, 2016).

BACKUP QUARTERBACKS, LAST 10 YEARS
YearPlayerStPassTDPIntRunTDRFPGv. Avg
2025• Jacoby Brissett, Ari.12280.51.92.6713.8.0823.74.0
2025• Jaxson Dart, NYG12189.31.25.4240.6.7523.23.4
2025• Tyler Shough, N.O.9250.71.11.5619.3.3321.11.3
2025• Mac Jones, S.F.8268.91.63.758.0.0021.01.2
2025Marcus Mariota, Was.8200.31.25.6332.0.1319.2-.6
2025Carson Wentz, Min.5243.21.201.0011.4.0018.5-1.3
2025Shedeur Sanders, Cle.7193.31.001.2921.9.1416.7-3.1
2025Kirk Cousins, Atl.8205.51.25.63.6.1316.1-3.7
2025Tyrod Taylor, NYJ4149.31.00.7527.8.2515.7-4.1
2025Dillon Gabriel, Cle.6153.01.00.3314.3.0013.1-6.7
2025Brady Cook, NYJ4144.0.501.2512.3.0010.9-8.9
2024• Jameis Winston, Cle.7291.11.711.7111.6.1424.34.1
2024• Drew Lock, NYG5212.41.201.0024.0.4020.6.4
2024• Mason Rudolph, Ten.5233.21.401.6017.4.2020.6.4
2024• Joe Flacco, Ind.6265.51.671.173.8.0020.3.1
2024Russell Wilson, Pitt.11225.61.45.4514.1.1819.6-.6
2024Drake Maye, N.E.12187.81.25.8334.1.1719.1-1.1
2024Andy Dalton, Car.5197.81.401.206.8.0016.2-4.0
2024Cooper Rush, Dall.8209.61.38.501.6.0016.1-4.1
2024Tyler Huntley, Mia.5165.8.60.6027.0.4015.8-4.4
2024Mac Jones, Jac.7201.3.861.1412.3.1415.6-4.6
2024Aidan O'Connell, L.V.7205.11.00.434.3.1415.5-4.7
2024Spencer Rattler, N.O.6197.0.50.8324.3.0014.3-5.9
2023• Joe Flacco, Cle.5323.22.601.60.4.0027.07.3
2023• Jake Browning, Cin.7266.91.571.0012.6.4323.74.1
2023• Kyler Murray, Ari.8224.91.25.6330.5.3821.82.1
2023• Easton Stick, LAC4237.5.75.2536.0.2520.0.3
2023Gardner Minshew, Ind.13229.21.08.697.4.2318.2-1.5
2023Tyrod Taylor, NYG5220.6.80.4032.0.0017.4-2.2
2023Taylor Heinicke, Atl.4178.81.001.0027.5.2517.2-2.5
2023Tyson Bagent, Chi.4194.0.751.2526.3.2516.8-2.8
2023Aidan O'Connell, L.V.10214.31.10.601.1.1015.8-3.8
2023Bailey Zappe, N.E.6185.71.001.1713.8.1715.7-4.0
2023Will Levis, Ten.9200.9.89.446.3.1115.1-4.5
2023Tommy DeVito, NYG6152.21.17.1727.7.0015.0-4.6
2023Zach Wilson, NYJ11193.7.64.5518.6.0014.5-5.2
2022• Brock Purdy, S.F.5219.62.20.402.2.2021.21.6
2022Mike White, NYJ4298.0.751.002.3.2519.6.0
2022Jimmy Garoppolo, S.F.10228.31.50.402.8.1018.3-1.3
2022Sam Darnold, Car.6190.51.17.5017.7.3318.0-1.6
2022Deshaun Watson, Cle.6183.71.17.8329.2.1717.8-1.8
2022Taylor Heinicke, Was.9206.61.33.6710.7.1117.4-2.2
2022Andy Dalton, N.O.14205.11.29.643.9.0015.9-3.7
2022Kenny Pickett, Pitt.12190.3.58.5018.5.0814.5-5.0
2022Zach Wilson, NYJ9187.6.67.7811.3.1113.8-5.7
2022Cooper Rush, Dall.5191.21.00.601.2.0013.7-5.9
2022Desmond Ridder, Atl.4177.0.50.0016.0.0012.5-7.1
2022Tyler Huntley, Balt.4117.8.50.5024.0.0010.8-8.8
2022P.J. Walker, Car.5134.2.60.607.8.009.9-9.7
2021• Trevor Siemian, N.O.4231.02.00.754.8.2521.51.2
2021• Tyler Huntley, Balt.4193.0.501.0059.8.5020.6.3
2021Taysom Hill, N.O.5184.4.80.8054.0.4020.2-.1
2021Taylor Heinicke, Was.15219.81.271.0019.7.0718.4-1.9
2021Cam Newton, Car.5135.2.601.0042.2.8018.2-2.2
2021Davis Mills, Hou.11228.51.36.823.1.0017.4-3.0
2021Jacoby Brissett, Mia.5217.81.00.6011.2.2017.2-3.2
2021Justin Fields, Chi.10180.0.70.9038.6.1016.3-4.1
2021Mike Glennon, NYG4125.3.501.755.0.2510.3-10.1
2020• Jalen Hurts, Phil.4231.31.25.7568.0.7527.95.7
2020• Justin Herbert, LAC15289.12.07.6715.6.3326.54.4
2020Andy Dalton, Dall.9228.81.56.8912.7.0018.9-3.2
2020Nick Mullens, S.F.8266.01.251.381.3.0018.7-3.5
2020Tua Tagovailoa, Mia.9200.61.22.5612.1.3318.4-3.8
2020Joe Flacco, NYJ4212.01.50.755.5.0017.2-5.0
2020Mike Glennon, Jac.5214.41.401.003.4.0017.1-5.1
2020Nick Foles, Chi.7237.71.001.00.9.1416.8-5.3
2020Brandon Allen, Cin.5185.01.00.805.4.0013.8-8.4
2020Kyle Allen, Was.4152.51.00.256.5.2513.8-8.4
2020Alex Smith, Was.6203.3.83.83.3.0013.5-8.6
2019• Ryan Tannehill, Ten.10259.82.20.5018.1.4026.25.4
2019• Daniel Jones, NYG12250.82.001.0022.8.1724.23.4
2019• Gardner Minshew, Jac.12237.41.50.3327.5.0021.0.2
2019Kyle Allen, Car.12252.31.421.258.4.1720.1-.7
2019Teddy Bridgewater, N.O.5241.01.80.406.4.0019.9-.9
2019Drew Lock, Den.5204.01.40.6014.4.0017.2-3.5
2019Mason Rudolph, Pitt.8190.51.251.004.4.0015.0-5.8
2019David Blough, Det.5196.8.801.206.2.2014.9-5.9
2019Dwayne Haskins, Was.7175.01.00.4311.1.0014.2-6.6
2019Devlin Hodges, Pitt.6146.2.671.337.8.0010.8-10.0
2018• Jameis Winston, T.B.9294.21.781.2228.7.1125.44.2
2018• Baker Mayfield, Clev.13271.12.081.0810.2.0023.01.9
2018• Josh Allen, Buff.11181.8.911.0955.0.7322.81.6
2018• Carson Wentz, Phil.11279.51.91.648.5.0022.61.5
2018• Lamar Jackson, Balt.7160.6.71.4379.4.5722.31.1
2018• C.J. Beathard, S.F.5250.41.601.4013.8.2021.5.3
2018Nick Mullens, S.F.8284.61.631.25-2.0.0020.8-.4
2018Brock Osweiler, Mia.5242.41.00.802.8.0016.8-4.4
2018Jeff Driskel, Cin.5152.81.00.4016.2.0013.7-7.5
2018Josh Rosen, Ariz.13172.5.851.009.7.0013.1-8.0
2018Cody Kessler, Jac.4138.3.25.2528.8.0010.8-10.4
2017• Deshaun Watson, Hou.6266.23.001.1742.2.3332.212.8
2017• Jimmy Garoppolo, S.F.5308.41.201.001.4.2021.62.2
2017• C.J. Beathard, S.F.5237.0.601.0024.4.6020.3.9
2017• Case Keenum, Min.14243.41.50.509.9.0719.7.4
2017Brett Hundley, G.B.9204.01.001.3330.0.2218.8-.6
2017Blaine Gabbert, Ariz.5217.21.201.2016.4.0017.7-1.6
2017Jacoby Brissett, Ind.15203.1.87.4717.3.2717.0-2.4
2017Drew Stanton, Ariz.4207.01.501.00.8.0016.4-2.9
2017Brock Osweiler, Den.4219.0.751.2512.5.0015.7-3.6
2017Mitchell Trubisky, Chi.12182.8.58.5820.7.1714.7-4.6
2016• Tom Brady, N.E.12296.22.33.175.3.0024.84.4
2016• Colin Kaepernick, S.F.11203.71.45.3642.5.1821.51.1
2016Matt Barkley, Chi.6255.01.332.00.5.1719.1-1.3
2016Sam Bradford, Min.15258.51.33.333.5.0018.6-1.9
2016Brian Hoyer, Chi.5267.41.20.00-.4.0018.1-2.3
2016Cody Kessler, Clev.8171.1.75.252.3.0012.0-8.4
2016Jared Goff, L.A.7155.6.711.002.3.1411.7-8.8
2016Bryce Petty, NYJ4163.8.501.254.8.0011.2-9.3

—Ian Allan

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