Neither of these two rookies, Mark Sanchez or Matt Stafford, are likely burning up the draft board given their unproven positions and untested nerves in the regular season. But sorting through the rookie noise at quarterback can prove worthwhile as we all know how it feels to be digging through the waiver-wire trash on game days. Making the right choice on your rookie flier in the late rounds can end up saving the day on multiple occasions once those injuries and bye weeks come flying at you.The jury is still out on whether either of these guys will have much fantasy impact at this point, but so far they look like the two most likely candidates to get heavy repetitions, so let's get the debate rolling...
Dembinsky: It'd be awfully easy to point at Mark Sanchez as a dead man walking from a fantasy perspective this week. Sanchez played like a scatterbrained youth in Monday night's defeat -- a loss that is largely attributed to Sanchez's awfulness -- going just 3-of-8 for 43 yards with one TD and one interception.
Let's keep things in perspective though. As compared to Matt Stafford, Sanchez has a far superior supporting cast in terms of a running game, an offensive line, and receiver depth. Yeah I know, Stafford has that one special receiver in Megatron, who single-handedly makes a case for Stafford, but Sanchez should have a much easier time learning his offense while standing vertically, as opposed to cleaning grass out of his helmet after every play.
As for Sanchez's struggles in the preseason, how much weight do you want to place on a preseason game against the Ravens, one of the toughest defenses in the league? Personally, I see a much faster coming of age from Sanchez than Stafford. Plus, Sanchez will likely get the start in Week 1, which makes a big difference in development. All told, I think Stafford has better individual tools and should eventually be the better quarterback in the league, but Sanchez has a better shot at blossoming as a player with some waiver-wire potential down the road in the 2009-2010 season.
Sean Lalley: First off, let's be realistic. Neither one of these guys is going to win you a fantasy title this season. However, both guys are sure-bet keepers in the long run. And you never know, maybe they surprise us all at some point this season. I'm not banking too much on that happening and neither should you, but if my hands are tied and I had to go with one or the other ... I'm going with Stafford.
Let me point out the obvious reason why and yup, it's Calvin Johnson. The Jets simply have nothing even remotely close on their side. Really, we expect Mark Sanchez as a rookie QB to make something out of the ever-inconsistent Jerricho Cotchery? I'm not even sure that Sanchez's best WR option even matches Bryant Johnson for the Lions. OK, maybe that's a stretch, but Calvin Johnson alone makes quarterbacks look better than they are. He's a pretty big safety valve if you ask me.
We all know that Sanchez is going to get the nod right off the bat, which can be good and bad. Chances are Stafford will have to wait a few games until Daunte Culpepper goes up in flames. So, advantage Sanchez for getting knocked around and initiated to the NFL for several weeks, while Stafford can sit, observe and learn the ropes. It's up to you how you like your QB of the future to be schooled. I prefer the watch-and-learn approach -- it has a resounding success rate. Lastly, we fail to even mention that while the Jets have a solid running game, so do the Lions. Kevin Smith is no slouch and if you don't think he's gonna help take some heat off whomever plays QB and Megatron, think again. Add it all up and if you ask me, Stafford just has more positives (in the long run) on his side -- a dominant WR, a solid running back and a potential star in Brandon Pettigrew at TE. This debate will rage on with advantage Sanchez for now, but just keep a closer eye on Stafford in keeper leagues. Thank me later.
