Fantasy Football Superflex Draft Strategy: When Should You Draft Your Quarterbacks?

Superflex Changes the Way You Should Draft

Most traditional fantasy football leagues require you to start one quarterback. Because there are usually enough productive quarterbacks available for everyone, fantasy managers have historically been told that they can wait to draft the position.

A Superflex league changes that strategy completely.

In this example, your weekly starting lineup is:

• 1 Quarterback
• 2 Running Backs
• 2 Wide Receivers
• 1 Tight End
• 1 Flex - RB, WR or TE
• 1 Superflex - QB, RB, WR or TE
• 1 Kicker
• 1 Defense

The important position is the Superflex. Although you technically can put a running back, wide receiver or tight end there, in most situations you want to start a quarterback.

That effectively turns the league into a two-quarterback league.

In a 12-team league, as many as 24 quarterbacks could be starting every week. Suddenly quarterbacks are no longer plentiful. They become one of the scarcest resources in the draft.

Why Are Quarterbacks So Valuable in Superflex?

The reason is simple: quarterbacks generally score more fantasy points than the running backs and wide receivers you would otherwise put into the Superflex position.

Imagine that your second quarterback averages 18 fantasy points per game while the running back you would use in that position averages 11 points. That is a seven-point advantage every week simply because you were able to start another quarterback.

Over a full fantasy season, that can become an enormous difference.

There is also a supply problem.

The NFL only has 32 starting quarterbacks. In a 12-team Superflex league, 24 of those quarterbacks could be in starting fantasy lineups. Once fantasy managers begin drafting backup quarterbacks, almost every NFL starter can quickly disappear from the draft board.

This is very different from a normal one-quarterback league where several usable quarterbacks may remain available after the draft.

That doesn't mean you should automatically draft quarterbacks with every early pick. It means you need to understand that waiting too long at quarterback carries considerably more risk than it does in a traditional fantasy league.

How I Would Approach the First Five Rounds

I don't like going into a fantasy draft with a rigid rule such as "I must draft a quarterback in Round 1." The players available at your draft position still matter.

However, in a Superflex league I would normally want at least one quarterback within my first two selections.

Rounds 1-2

Elite quarterbacks deserve legitimate consideration in the first round. This is especially true near the beginning of the round where you have an opportunity to secure one of the highest-scoring quarterbacks in fantasy football.

But an elite running back or wide receiver can still be the correct selection if the value is significantly better.

A very comfortable start might look like:

• QB - RB
• QB - WR
• RB - QB
• WR - QB
• QB - QB

The important thing is that you are watching the quarterback supply throughout the first two rounds.

Rounds 3-5

This is where I become increasingly concerned if I still only have one quarterback.

I generally want my QB2 secured somewhere in this range rather than watching another ten or twelve quarterbacks disappear while I continue drafting running backs and wide receivers.

If I already drafted two quarterbacks, however, I am usually concentrating heavily on RB and WR during these rounds.

The goal is balance. Two good quarterbacks are extremely valuable, but they cannot compensate for a roster that has weak starting running backs and wide receivers.

Don't Get Trapped by a QB Run - Watch the Draft Instead of Following a Formula

Superflex drafts can produce some dramatic quarterback runs.

You might see four or five quarterbacks selected within a handful of picks. When that happens, it is easy to panic and draft the next quarterback on your list even when another position offers much better value.

Don't automatically chase the run.

If the quarterbacks remaining have fallen into a lower tier while an elite running back or wide receiver is available, the skill-position player may be the better choice.

At the same time, you need to understand how many teams still need quarterbacks.

If you have one quarterback and eight teams behind you still need their QB2, waiting another full round could be dangerous.

This makes Superflex drafts more interesting than traditional drafts. You aren't simply ranking players. You are also watching positional supply and predicting what the other teams are likely to do before your next selection.

Drafting a Third Quarterback - Should You Draft Three Quarterbacks?

In most Superflex leagues, I would prefer to leave the draft with three quarterbacks who have a reasonable opportunity to start NFL games.

Your third quarterback serves several purposes.

• He covers your quarterback bye weeks.
• He protects you against injuries.
• He gives you another matchup option.
• He can become valuable trade inventory if another fantasy team loses a quarterback.

However, I normally would not sacrifice several starting RB and WR positions just so I can aggressively draft three quarterbacks early.

Ideally, I want two starting quarterbacks first and then look for my QB3 after the core of my starting roster has been established.

The size of the league matters considerably here.

In a 10-team league, only 20 quarterbacks are needed to give every team two starters, so there is more room to wait.

In a 12-team league, 24 quarterbacks are needed.

In a 14-team league, 28 quarterbacks would be needed just for every fantasy manager to start two.

The larger the league becomes, the more valuable every NFL starting quarterback becomes.

RB, WR, TE and Flex Strategy - Don't Forget That You Still Need a Complete Team

Quarterback gets most of the attention in Superflex strategy, but championships are still won with strong overall rosters.

Running Back

You need two starting running backs, and an RB can also occupy your regular Flex position. That makes quality running back depth extremely useful.

I still like targeting high-volume running backs early when the value is there, particularly players who contribute as receivers and aren't completely dependent on touchdowns.

Wide Receiver

Wide receiver depth is extremely important because you need two starters plus potentially another WR in your Flex position.

After securing my quarterbacks, I am usually looking aggressively for receivers throughout the middle rounds.

Tight End

Tight end strategy depends heavily on tiers. If I can get a difference-making TE at a reasonable price, I am interested. Otherwise, I am usually comfortable waiting while building QB, RB and WR depth.

The Regular Flex Position

Your regular Flex should usually be filled by the best RB or WR option on your roster. This makes depth at those positions even more important.

The Superflex Position

Your Superflex position should normally be occupied by your second quarterback.

An RB, WR or TE is your emergency alternative when your quarterbacks have a bye, are injured or have lost their starting job.

Kicker and Defense - Don't Let Kicker or Defense Cost You a Valuable Player

Superflex makes late-round roster spots even more valuable because quarterbacks disappear so quickly and backup running backs and wide receivers can become important during the season.

Because of that, I am even less interested in drafting a kicker or defense early.

In most drafts, I want these to be two of my final selections.

There will usually be several reasonable defenses and kickers available late. The difference between them is generally much smaller than the potential value of finding a starting quarterback, breakout running back or emerging wide receiver several rounds earlier.

I would rather use the middle and late rounds accumulating useful offensive players and address kicker and defense near the very end.

A Simple Superflex Draft Blueprint

Every draft develops differently, but this is the general structure I would be trying to build:

This isn't a rule that should force you into bad selections. Think of it as a roadmap.

If everyone aggressively drafts quarterbacks, good running backs and wide receivers will fall to you.

If your league waits on quarterbacks, take advantage and build an excellent quarterback room.

The best fantasy managers adjust to what the draft gives them.

The Biggest Superflex Rule: Don't Wait Too Long at Quarterback

The biggest adjustment when moving from traditional fantasy football to Superflex is understanding that quarterback scarcity is real.

In a normal league, waiting for quarterback can be a perfectly reasonable strategy. In Superflex, waiting too long can leave you choosing from NFL quarterbacks with uncertain starting jobs while your opponents are starting two productive quarterbacks every week.

My preferred approach is straightforward:

• Get at least one good quarterback early.
• Try to secure your second quarterback within the first several rounds.
• Don't panic during quarterback runs.
• Continue building strong RB and WR depth.
• Try to roster a third playable quarterback.
• Wait on kicker and defense.

You don't necessarily need the best quarterback combination in your league to win a Superflex championship.

But you don't want to enter the season desperately searching for a second starting quarterback either.

The winning strategy is usually somewhere in the middle: secure enough quarterback production to take advantage of the Superflex position while still assembling a deep, balanced fantasy football roster.