The NFL preseason is underway and the position battles are ready to heat up. One of the most hotly contested battles this preseason will be for the Buffalo Bills’ starting quarterback job, and it features three very flawed options. As of now, fantasy owners may have to wait until the very end of the preseason for Rex Ryan to make his decision.
EJ Manuel
Manuel is the favorite to earn the position, even though he has been a disappointment in his brief Bills career. Some might say Manuel has never really been given a fair shake; he’s only been given 14 starts as a pro, and in that time he’s thrown 16 touchdowns vs. 12 picks, while running for three scores.
Matt Cassel is no lock to be on the Bills Week 1
Manuel is no burner, but he’s built like Ben Roethlisberger and he reaches a higher top speed. The problem for him has been accuracy, and that was the knock coming out of Florida State when Buffalo shocked the NFL and pulled the trigger on him at No. 16 overall. Few teams had him in that range, and that draft slot has hurt his perception. He must improve on his completion rate (58.6 percent for his career), but if he were given as much rope as fellow 2013 draft mate Geno Smith in New York he may develop into a capable passer.
Fantasy Upside: B
Tyrod Taylor gaining momentum in QB battle
Matt Cassel
Cassel was dreadful in Minnesota last season, and didn’t impress in OTAs. ESPN’s Mike Rodak has consistently written that Cassel is on the roster bubble, and even though he is a veteran, he’s never impressed to the point of ensuring continued employment.
His claim to fame is guiding New England to a 10-5 record in 2008 once Tom Brady went down for the season in Week 1, but he’s five games below .500 in 71 career starts. He only has two 3,000-yard seasons in his career, and he hasn’t eclipsed 2,000 yards since 2010. Ryan has also discussed a War and Peace-sized collection of running plays, and rushing games tend to benefit from mobile QBs. Cassel is not that QB.
Fantasy Upside: C-
Tyrod Taylor
Taylor is the wildcard in this mix, thanks to his rushing capability. Taylor’s ability to take off has impressed the Bills’ coaching staff, and Rex Ryan is notably into QBs that can move. He was behind the Jets’ decision to trade for Tim Tebow and devise packages specifically for him, and he also took a flier last year on Michael Vick.
Taylor, however, has less experience than Tebow and Vick as a starter. He’s thrown 27 NFL passes since being taken by the Baltimore Ravens in Round 6 of the 2011 Draft, and he’s never thrown a touchdown pass. While Taylor is an obviously gifted runner—he ran for more than 2,000 yards as a QB at Virginia Tech—it is difficult to imagine him overtaking Manuel, whom the organization invested a first-round pick, without a shockingly good preseason.
Fantasy Upside: B-
Prediction: Manuel has the strongest claim in terms of both recent resume and pedigree.
Cassel has the “game-manager” label, but in reality he’s a replacement-level QB. He is a fine backup, but going into the year with playoff expectations and Cassel at the helm is counter-productive. Taylor has intriguing speed, but zero track record.
Manuel has really been more average than awful, and he has never been given the opportunity to go out, play, and make mistakes young players make without looking over his shoulder. Ryan will soon realize that’s the best route to take, because franchise QBs don’t grow on trees. If Manuel can settle in at above-average, this Bills team can do damage.
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