Everyone has a player or two that has lost their trust in the fantasy world. It happens often early in a manager’s career when they do not know what they are doing, and friends guide them (for better or worse) to help select their squad. These picks are often based on reputation, rather than stats or facts that can influence the next season. Instead of using stats like Air-Yards, expected completion perception, average depth of target (aDOT), etc. They would use the highlight they saw on Redzone two years ago as the best evidence to support the use of their second-round draft pick.
I am a guy who has a lot of these players, for a bunch of different reasons: being burned prior, real-reasoning like situation or stats, or even the juvenile reasoning of lacking style on their fantasy football photo for the season. (Not extremely important, but noted in the decision-making process)
I am a guy who likes to win in style, and I think it is important to like your squad in all aspects. I like winning just as much as the next guy, but I always say… “Just because you are winning, doesn’t mean you are winning and like your team…” I will always outwork my league mates to win, and love the way that my team and record look when I open the app.
Guys who have burned me over the years do not get a second chance. Unless… Something drastic happens. More importantly, they will help me win, or they are a great streamer. This is a big step in rebuilding trust.
Consistency is key, so if there are players in this team that seem like players you would draft, that is just because I do not prefer the BIG BOOM or sad bust. Those players who are week-to-week are not my style.
In this series of articles, I am going to build my ZERO-TRUST Team for the 2025 season. Most of my analysis is not based on their performance 4 years ago in week 7 – I promise. Today is based on quarterbacks. A position that has evolved in style of play in fantasy football over the last 10 years. Different strategies in fantasy football drastically change the way that you view these players. I like consistent quarterback play. Whether that be a consistent 18 fantasy points from Geno Smith over the last few years, or drafting a stud early like Josh Allen for my weekly 25+ fantasy points. Knowing your quarterback makes building the rest of your team a lot easier.
QB – Brock Purdy – SF
Brock Purdy’s story has been well documented over the last few years. He was the last pick of the NFL draft in 2022 and now just signed a 5-year, $265 million contract this offseason. I will not go through that whole song and dance. He has been very solid through his first three seasons as San Francisco’s starter. He finished as the QB6 and the QB14 in his first two seasons as the full-time starter. He has not been a bad quarterback and has won some weeks for you as well as lost some weeks for you.
That is precisely the issue with Purdy: his week-to-week inconsistency. He had 6 weeks outside of the top 12. He did, on the other hand, have 4 weeks inside the top 8. His variance is an issue. I like a quarterback who consistently can put up 18 to 22 fantasy points week-to-week. Or draft one of the top-3 guys early in the draft. Purdy is a frustrating player to roster because if you do get those “nothing” weeks, it will penalize you heavily and could cost you a few weeks.
He is in a Kyle Shanahan offense, which has always been successful for the quarterback at the helm, which gives a positive trend. He also had injuries all around him last season, noting Christian McCaffrey’s and Brandon Aiyuk’s lost seasons. As well as Deebo Samuel’s illnesses and spotty injuries through the 2025 season. His cast this season will only miss Samuel. While Ricky Pearsall and Jauan Jennings appear to have emerged as a consistent target in the 49ers’ offense.
Brock Purdy, most likely, will finish as a Top-15 Quarterback this season and closer to QB 10 than QB 15, but from a week-to-week perspective, I cannot trust him as my starting quarterback. I will look for better options earlier in the draft.
QB – Justin Fields – NYJ
Justin Fields is ranked #13 in the Blitz rankings heading into the summer, and in my personal rankings, he is the QB #14. This is a high ranking for the fantasy community to give him, as he only started a handful of games last season and continued to be limited in the passing game. We all know how valuable his legs are and on a random week could put up 40 fantasy points with ease, but are we sure he is nearly a QB1?
The New York Jets do not have the best reputation when it comes to the quarterback position, and neither do the places Fields comes from: The Bears historically and Pittsburgh since Ben Rothlisburger left town. They do have a new regime with Head Coach Aaron Glenn, but he is a defensive guy. He brought in Tanner Engstrand, former Lions Passing game coordinator, to hopefully coach Fields up to be a quality passer in this league. He also has a young stud at wide receiver in Garrett Wilson, who will help.
Fields does not need to be Peyton Manning or Drew Brees throwing the ball, but he needs to be a good enough passer to where the threat to where they have respect for his arm. Almost the reverse of a younger Aaron Rodgers and his ability to run the football.
His ADP is 103 Overall, which is about the 9th round in standard leagues. If the quarterback market is heavily lacking at that point, I would be more inclined to take him than Purdy, whose ADP is 96 Overall. Fields is more risky than Purdy, but with the legs of Fields, it’s a strong upside. However, there is no trust in Justin Fields. Third Team? First-round QB? That hasn’t worked… Maybe ever?
QB – Patrick Mahomes II – KC
I know, I know this sounds like click bait, but seriously let us take a minute to truly reflect… Patrick Mahomes has not been an elite fantasy quarterback in quite some time now. He had four top 10 finishes last season and five the year before that. He is not who he once was (from a fantasy standpoint). The Chiefs had maybe the most uneventful 15-2 season of all time in 2024, and I do not expect much to change. Things got a bit stale towards the end of the playoffs, but I question their need to change offensively.
Rashee Rice will be back for the 2025 season, and before he got hurt, he looked like a true fantasy WR1. Isaiah Pacheco should also be back to form for the 2025 season as well. Although he did not look like himself in the back half of 2024, this offense should see a significant boost in talent compared to a year ago. This talent is not what it once was, though. Travis Kelce is hanging on, Xavier Worthy is not an elite receiver, and Pacheco is not what he was before the injury, and I worry about his bounce-back. Rashee Rice is the only Kansas City Chief I believe in from a fantasy football perspective.
Will this offense be productive when it comes to winning NFL games? Yes, it will be, but for me to put heavy draft capital in one of these players besides Rice would be a mistake. Of course, Patrick Mahomes is the best quarterback in the NFL, but he is nowhere near the best fantasy football quarterback.
Patrick Mahomes’ ADP is 55 overall. I would rather take many other players in that range. Baker Mayfield is a quarterback I would rather have in fantasy than Mahomes in 2025. I am not here for hot takes, and I am also not here to say that Patrick Mahomes is bad. I do not trust him to man my fantasy football team for the season at the cost of the 5th round.
