Update 5/25: Ryan Fitzpatrick’s 2021 fantasy stock continues to climb following the NFL draft. He avoided rumored rookie competition, cementing his floor and season-long starting status. Moreover, electifying rookie speedster Dyami Brown was added to Fitzmagic’s already sturdy weapons cabinet. Fitzpatrick will uncork fantasy magic all of 2021.
NFL and fantasy fans, rejoice! Ryan Fitzpatrick, a true timeless treasure, will continue his wild career, joining the Washington Football Team on a one-year, $10 million contract. Fantasy-wise, the gunslinging FitzMagic always brings the fireworks, yet is always underappreciated. Fitzpatrick will likely fall to the last rounds of fantasy drafts, if selected at all, but will again be the ultimate late-round QB fantasy sleeper.
We’ve Seen Ryan Fitzpatrick’s Fantasy Ceiling Two Years Straight
Consider this: After flip-flopping with Josh Rosen to open 2019, FitzMagic took over the full-time Dolphins role in Week 7. From this point on, only Lamar Jackson outscored Fitzpatrick’s 241 FPs.
Yes, that’s right. The Harvard Madman chucked for more points than Dak Prescott, Russell Wilson, Josh Allen, Deshaun Watson, whoever else you want to throw out there not named Lamar.
It wasn’t just a mirage of 1-2 massive blow-ups scattered amidst pure shit, either. Nor did his impressive fantasy play end in 2019. Via RotoViz’s NFL Stat Explorer:
Discard Week 11, where Fitzmagic filled in late for an injured Tua. This leaves us 18 full starts. Fitzpatrick performed as a Top-12 QB and topped 22 FPs in twelve of those 18 games (66%). He fell outside the Top-24 just once. Just to spell it out:
- QB9
- QB19
- QB5
- QB20
- QB19
- QB8
- QB3
- QB19
- QB7
- QB3
- QB3
- QB32
- QB10
- QB7
- QB12
- QB3
- QB16
- QB7
FOUR Top-3 finishes. FOUR! Fitzpatrick’s ceiling and floor have been incredibly stable the past two seasons in Miami. This, while throwing to absolute garbage.
Now Fitzpatrick Has More Firepower, Better System with Washington
DeVante Parker. Mike Gesicki. Uhmmm. Preston Williams? Maybe… Myles Gaskin?
OR
Terry McLaurin. Antonio Gibson. Newly added and electrifying Curtis Samuel. A returning top-10 TE and athletic specimen in Logan Thomas.
The ninth most pass attempts per game, or the 18th?
The 10th fastest pace, or the 26th? Ninth most plays run, or 20th?
The list goes on, but the Washington Football Team provides an unequivocally better environment for fantasy success than the Dolphins.
Now consider: Fitzpatrick averaged over 22 FPs per game in these unideal circumstances. This would’ve ranked as the QB10 last year.
Imagine the upside in this higher-powered, faster-paced, more creative offense? The ceiling is astronomical, and the price (re: free) won’t reflect it.
Could Fitzpatrick completely fizzle out as a 39-year old, turnover-prone journeyman? Absolutely. The risk remains zero when he will cost you nothing.
More likely, however, is that Fitzmagic provides the spark this barrel of talent needs to blow-up. Plus, no one is more fun to root for, especially when barreling over poor cornerbacks. Needless to say, I will be all-in on this team and Fitzpatrick in 2021.
Check out The Wolf’s latest 2021 Fantasy Football Big Board & Rankings to see where all these players and more fall after 2021 NFL Free Agency!
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