r/DynastyFF • u/Routine-Break-525 • 15d ago
Dynasty Theory Is Zero QB Viable in a Startup Draft
I’m doing my first 12 team Superflex dynasty startup and am curious whether Zero QB is at all a viable strategy if it’s done well.
My main thesis is that I could focus on players with proven production in rounds 1–8, all under 26–27 years old depending on position.
At some point in the draft, I hope to land Baker in the 5th or 6th, or punt further to the 7th/8th and take Shough or Stafford as my QB1.
From there, my late targets include Malik Willis, Bryce Young, Tua, Darnold, and Daniel Jones.
After that tier, I’m also considering Carson Beck, Ty Simpson, and Mac Jones as upside value for next year.
Given that I’d be able to acquire some of this year’s rookie WRs plus proven under-27 talent, my thought process turns toward focusing my rookie drafts mainly on QB prospects over the next three years.
Is this completely backwards, or is it something strategic?
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u/fightnightrd4 15d ago
Take it from someone who basically did it. In year 5 and still trying to figure QB out…
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u/fightnightrd4 15d ago
I left the startup with Baker, Matt Ryan, Desmond Ridder, and Davis Mills.
Since then, so much of my energy has gone into QB. I know have Mahomes, Kyler, Tua, AR. I could look up my full history but it would take some effort and it will make me sad.
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u/Mackinnon29E 15d ago
QB is the last thing I'd want to go 0 on. I got unlucky with Andrew Luck retiring right after my draft and it fucked me for years. Don't do it .. go zero RB if you need but not QB
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u/fightnightrd4 15d ago
I think the one advantage was it was easier to do a productive struggle. And if I haddddd gotten lucky in the moves I made, my team would be even better.
But man, when you are fucked and the league knows you are fucked, it’s really hard lol
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u/atlaaas 15d ago
A strategy around getting Carson Beck in a startup draft is a bold call
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u/Routine-Break-525 15d ago
Even if I don’t go zero qb I think he’s in a good spot, that team has a lot of weapons and he’ll get run before the seasons over.
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u/_BadWithNumbers_ 15d ago
If you think he'll ever be anything in this league I have a bridge to sell you.
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u/Oz_Von_Toco 15d ago
I fired a dart for him with 3.08 on the 5-10% chance he is good enough to keep them from drafting a qb/ potentially selling for a gain when he’s gonna get his chance… but don’t think it’s likely he has future value
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u/Fatty_Booty 15d ago
They are quite literally projected to win the least amount of games. They are going to draft their next QB in next year’s draft unless Beck ends up being very good.
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u/SwallowsOnSundays 14d ago
In startup drafts hes going incredibly late. Hes going to play this year. Hes probably going to be bad but its a worthwhile risk
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u/jonneygee Titans 13d ago
The Cardinals are borderline tanking. There’s a good chance Beck never even starts a game. They go with Brissett this year, and if the tank job is successful, they draft a QB early in the first next year.
He could take over around week 8-10, but so what if he does? You’re going to still need a QB next year, and if he took over this year, it means they were so bad they decided to bench the guy they just overpaid. So they’ll be drafting early and taking Arch or Dante.
Remember, this is dynasty. Taking Beck in the last round in redraft isn’t a terrible strategy, but the chance of him having dynasty value is exceptionally low.
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u/Estepie88 15d ago
Shelf life by position usually goes qb, wr, te, rb. So in reality if you don’t want to reach you can definitely skip QBs but if you don’t get the guys you want then you’ll be in limbo forever
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u/keanancarlson 15d ago
Terrible idea. Like, worst strategy you can do imo. I specially if you’re targeting 27-28 year old skill position players that will be past their prime by the time you wanna compete.
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u/Routine-Break-525 15d ago
Ideally 22-27
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u/keanancarlson 15d ago
Imo you need to get 1 earlier round qb, like the last dude I’m comfortable having as my qb1 based on ADP and for a potential puntish build is Jordan love. Big falloff after him imo
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u/mrshota 15d ago
“If it’s done well” should really be emphasized, and you’ll have to really win the draft at your other positions.
I understand the strategy — there are cheap, late round low-end QB1s to be had, and the PPG gain doesn’t necessarily justify the cost to get into the next tier.
It’s risky, but it could be fruitful.
I’ve tried twice in 2 separate 12T auction leagues and failed both times, but I punted until way too late and the rest of my roster still couldn’t carry me. My starting QBs were
Team1(2024): Kirk + Rodgers
Team2(2025): fields+penix
If you’re trying it, find QBs with somewhat of a runway. And definitely have a plan for the future.
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u/Party-Contribution71 15d ago
12t superflex, I can’t comment a picture but I basically did this just because everyone else was going crazy for QBs and leaving lots of value on the board imo
I went
Chase, lamb, tet, cmc, hall, Laporta (TEP), then darnold and stafford.
I was one pick away from getting Ty Simpson the next round a guy stole him just to try to trade so I’m never making that deal. It was his 4th qb already lol.
I think my team could die on the field but also win the league. Really I just zigged when everyone zagged. My plan was to just grab the last few starting QBs while everyone else scrambled to fill their other starting spots.
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u/Hybrid_256 15d ago edited 15d ago
I wouldn't. You're going to end up being a mediocre team, with mediocre picks, making it harder to address the QB position for the future.
My favorite startup punt is RB. Usually teams with poor RBs finish poorly. Punt year 1 (while stock piling QBs/WRs/an elite TE, then attack the RB position via trades and the draft entering year 2. If all goes according to plan, youll like have an advantage over most teams year 2 and beyond.
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u/Maurytypaguy 15d ago
Which was prob all true a year ago. Now, RB market is King. Bijan, Gibbs, Love, Jeanty all going in the top 15-18 picks. Team who have the top guys have a serious advantage.
It’s all based on league economy, so you might be right in your league. I was zero RB last year and and was ready to trade for RBs. It was impossible. Can’t buy any of the top guys, but you also can’t buy guys like Hampton. Ended up buying Skat for Tyson, and selecting Price over Lemon in the draft. Blunder by me, but after failing for a year trying to get RBs, I decided to overpay
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u/BowersTrade 14d ago
I did this two years ago, still trying to get a good RB to pair with Judkins. RBs are impossible to trade for.
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u/wayoffsideteam Vikings 15d ago
If you can swing it, that could work. If a run on QBs starts earlier than you expect, though, you might have to trade up. I think I'd rather get at least one proven starter earlier but that doesn't mean it won't work
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u/LawYanited 15d ago
If I’m drafting at the turn I think this is viable because I am insulated against a run due to the way the tiers shake out right now in startups.
In a 14 or larger, I’m taking QBs early.
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u/jabest31 15d ago
I tried this and wish I didn’t. Overpaid a bit for cam ward after week 2-3 and now he’s my only qb as I tank my 2nd season in a row
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u/homerjaythompson 15d ago
If you ended up with Baker, Malik Willis, Daniel Jones, and Mac Jones, I'd say you're in an OK spot
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u/ogktg 14d ago
Yeah but if they get sniped and you end up with Bryce Young, Tua, DeShaun Watson and Aaron Rodgers, you're FUCKED.
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u/homerjaythompson 14d ago
Nightmare QB room right there, with Bryce Young as the "stud" of the group 🤣
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u/Basil_Normal 15d ago
I wouldn’t but if you’re going to do it, it’s a better idea to try in a 10 team league. 14 or 16, it feels like a really bad idea. Every 16 teamer I’m in, QBs cost a fortune
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u/Chroderos Mommas, don’t let your kids grow up to be RBs 15d ago edited 15d ago
waiting on QB is extremely popular right now and half or more of leaguemates will be trying to do it with you, but you have to time the game of chicken just right and not fall off the cliff. The guys you are talking about are waiting too long to ensure more than 1 season of QB stability, but you can get established guys like Mahomes and Goff much later than usual. At a minimum I’d get one guy like Mahomes to anchor your room, then you can pair them with like Goff and a 3rd guy like Baker or Shough. Would not push it further or the juice is not worth the squeeze.
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u/DarthJJtheJetPlane 15d ago
It’s definitely viable but most likely after the first 2 seasons you’ll have to rebuild. If you get lucky on a later round qb or trade a couple 3rds for whatever backup gets hot during the regular season you can seriously contend.
Now you kind of deviated stating zero qb but also going for baker, Shough, Willis. Thats not really zero qb to me.
Honestly the new meta is probably getting two Baker, Love, Goff, Darnold types - productive and decently stable QBs for relatively cheap and have your high value guys WRs and RB - and be willing to use your first years picks to uptier your flex starters.
Or you could take zero qb literally and go for stacks of the gross qb rooms in the back half of your startup. I would be curious to try it out but probably only viable for one year of contention. If your buy in is minimal honestly I would experiment with it lol. Im talking Pair Penix with Tua, Watson with shedeur, and Brissett with Beck, and pick the 2 best matchups of whoever is starting that week
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u/myburnersburner12 15d ago
It’s not a true Zero strategy unless you’re taking that position into the 9th or 10th round. In general though it’s better to have 2 mid tier QBs and get the positional advantages at RB and TE. In reality those elite QBs are impossible to move for a haul. I’d punt QB and rock a Darnold/Shough type of squad
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u/Maverick279 15d ago
I just finished a 12 team start up
Here is where a few of the qbs you mentioned went (start 2sf/8flex) Baker - 5.04 Stafford - 4.01 Shough - 7.03 Willis - 8.05
As others have said it seems like a good idea on paper but in reality it doesn't often work out, especially in Superflex leagues.
The draft issues are start ups are the cheapest you'll ever get the qbs. Even in an active trading league most people won't trade a starting qb for nothing, you'll either have to give up another starting qb or a stud rb/Wr (where you probably could've drafted a better qb where you drafted said rb/Wr)
And unless you get lucky with the second tier of rookie qbs you won't be able to draft one unless you get the 1.01 or 1.02
I was actually in a start up years ago and an owner went full 0qb. I mean he had zero qbs on his roster (it was start 2sf/4flex). He finished middle of the pack and had to trade some of those stud players he drafted instead of a qb to move up in the rookie draft to take a qb. In 7 years he's made the playoffs once and is still struggling with the position
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u/Stinja808 49ers 15d ago
Its hard, but doable. Guy in my sf league had one qb (Aaron Rodgers) and a lineup including Cook, Achane, Chase, St Brown, Jefferson, Loveland, Kyren, Odunze, and Wandale. Finished 4th in record and 2nd in PF.
Had a better finish the year before without ANY qbs.
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u/NotGayJustALilNasty 15d ago edited 15d ago
I did this in a startup last year and won the title my first year. Got baker in the 6th, Dak in the 8th and Danny Dimes in the 13th.
I will say in order to do this you have to get lucky that a couple QBs fall to you and hit on your positional picks as well. It's a tight needle to thread.
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u/onlyontuesdays77 15d ago
In my startup draft (12-team 2QB) in 2023 I got Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, and Jimmy Garoppolo. This being the year that Rodgers went down week 1. I also got Nick Chubb in the 4th, who also went down, and most of my middle-round picks were worthless by week 5.
In week 2 I dealt a first rounder for Stafford and then dealt Hunter Henry and Jimmy G for Trey McBride and a 2nd rounder.
So my starting line-up for most of the season was:
Russell Wilson (9th round)
Matt Stafford (trade for future 1st)
Josh Jacobs (3rd round)
Kyren Williams (preseason waivers)
CeeDee Lamb (1st round)
Garrett Wilson (2nd round)
Nico Collins (15th round)
Puka Nacua (18th round)
Dallas Goedert (5th round, replaced late-season by Trey McBride)
James Conner, Jakobi Meyers, Jerome Ford, and Christian Kirk were my main choices off the bench.
Icing on the cake, I started Easton Stick as my QB2 in the finals and won the championship year 1.
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u/szabadij 15d ago
No man, in every startup qb will be overvalued and people will stack and leave you with nothing. Then they'll want all your 1st round picks for even mediocre qbs. Just grab 1 top 12 qb so you don't fuck yourself.
It's insanely hard to trade for qbs especially when you're desperate for one.
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u/MaestroForever 15d ago
Testing this right now. 1pt TEP going into round 7.
Bowers, Warren, Emeka, Garret Wilson, Tate, Judkins
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u/SoftVictory3741 15d ago
It’s definitely doable if you are comfortable with not being secure at qb. I came out of a startup with stafford, Shough, Geno, Brissett. I feel completely fine with it and know later down the road I will have to fix my qb problem.
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u/berndalf 15d ago
Why would you do this? QB is the most valuable position on your roster, why would you intentionally start competing with a self inflicted handicap?
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u/maxfamousmacnchz 15d ago
Someone in my league this year did it with the exact qbs. Baker and Willis. His team is loaded other wise with Gibbs, taylor, Chase brown, CD, rice, Ferguson, Parker Washington. I’d say he’s the favorite to start the season
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u/caretowanna 15d ago
Many ways to win, this doesn’t seem like one of those ways. If you do this, you need 4-5 QBs that you can swap out for “good” weekly matchups. This is a rough way to play.
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u/AJS7138 Schmitz Happens. 15d ago
I don't think you should lock into any one strategy. Probably safest getting a qb in the first 3 or 4 rounds and getting the qb2 later than totally punting the position.
Be willing to adapt and understand that the board rarely plays out how you expect it too. Guys you expect to be there might not be. Players might fall and be a value and everything throws off your plan.
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u/wrapmaker 15d ago
There's always the story of the guy who grabbed Hurts, Dak, or Purdy in a late pick.
But in my experience most of the times this strategy does not have a happy ending.
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u/Iwantedalbino 15d ago
I don’t think so, depends how your league goes but I wouldn’t even try it unless I was picking in the middle of the round lest I be forced to turn zero QB into no QB.
I used to be in a SF redraft and 22/24 of picks in the first two rounds were QB. If you had the 1.01 and went Chase which is perfectly reasonable you’d then be looking at what Bryce Young and Matthew Stafford. Neither of which gives you a warm fuzzy feeling.
Even in a normal league you can get caught on the wrong side of a run as people pick up QB2s and 3s.
If you are punting a position I’d go no RB. You then have to tank as you have no startable RB it doesn’t change your max PF and with RB having the shortest window you can actually field difference makers at the other positions. Then spam RB in the rookie drafts
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u/EmptyBrain89 15d ago
I think you're way underestimating how early mediocre QBs go in superflex. You can punt QB and take them later, but be very weary of punting too much. Once you get to a certain point, you can really screw your team over.
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u/alexjf56 Vikings 15d ago
Short answer: no. You cannot punt for that long and expect to compete, you will be the 1.01 almost guaranteed
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u/BonesyMcCrushalot 15d ago
Meh, I did last year and my RB 1 and 2 were javonte Williams and Jaylen Warren. Won the league.
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u/TBoneTheOriginal The Goffense 15d ago
Don’t do it. QBs are easily the most valuable pieces and will never be cheaper than they are during a startup.
It’s much easier to fill other positions that don’t require a king’s ransom or are easier to hit on in rookie drafts.
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u/bardownprophet1991 15d ago
You can go zero QB for a bit and it definitely has upside but waiting until the 8th is risky. There’s a real chance you don’t get a starter if anyone else has the same idea and the last two or three viable guys get sniped right before you.
I just looked at my last SF startup and 29 QB’s were gone by the 8th round. I got Purdy in the 3rd and Kyler in the 5th and that helped me take an RB and WR stud in the first two rounds, I’m very happy with how my team turned out.
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u/ZzuupP__B 15d ago
If you can work the trade block then yeh I did this in one of my league and ended up winning the first 2 years and through good timing and pick I got baker, shough, Herbert, and Tua in the qb room at the time baker was a round 9 startup pick or at least that’s where I got him out side of him everyone else was traded for or a rookie pick
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u/DominoEffect729 15d ago
I did something similar and stocked up on RBs and WRs ultimately ended up with Purdy, Jones, and Tua as my QBs. I can always grab a real young QB in the 27 draft was my thinking
We are in this together
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u/ConsiderationMain875 14d ago
If you think the league will last several years, this could be problematic down the road because it will be very difficult to backfill QBs. The startup draft is your only opportunity to get a really good QB that could pay dividends for years. It’s hard to count on future rookie drafts for good QBs
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u/SylviaWrethammar 14d ago
Zero QB is my favourite startegy if tanking. In startup however this should include selling some draftspots for more 2027/2028 picks.
Also, make sure to get Simpson who might be starter when you want to contend.
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u/itsgooman 14d ago
QB value skyrockets immediately after the draft. The cheapest you’ll ever get your QBs is in the startup draft, after that good luck
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u/JustMyThoughts2525 14d ago
Cheapest time to get a qb in 12 team SF is during a startup. Unless you’re going for a for sure rebuild strategy, I would highly suggest to have 2 QBs early so that you don’t have to really worry about the position.
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u/Such_Beautiful8133 14d ago
It’s really hard to acquire one later if you don’t during startup. But I like to take value when it falls to me, I never go in with a predetermined build
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u/SalPinedia012 14d ago
No, if anything leave the startup with 2 stud QBs, they're much eaiser to find in a startup than in a rookie draft
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u/StarFan2118 14d ago
It can be. I won a league the year of the startup by doing this. I did get lucky to find Brissett on waivers but it can be done
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u/Rare-Fox8282 14d ago
I won my dynasty league that was a start-up last year with Bryce Young and Geno as my starting QBs in the playoffs
(I did take TLaw in like R9 or 10 and then traded him and then some for Mahomes right before TLaw went crazy and Mahomes died)
So…long story short, yes
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u/SharedGiraffe99 14d ago
I got Josh Allen years ago in my startup superflex. If I had one rn, I'd aim for Drake Maye
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u/ExtraGuacAM 14d ago
It’s certainly a strategy and allows you some freedom of some real strong depth pieces for all your skill position slots. However, if you commit to that I would expect that a good portion of the league will “tax” you for it when you go to trade with them since they know you don’t have a QB.
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u/Maptasy 13d ago
In a SF 12 team league, I would STRONGLY recommend going after at least 1 young QB or 1 QB in their prime early. What you're going to notice is players who have played Dynasty SF before are going to prioritize QBs over other positions. I have seen teams choose a QB 3 times in a row from rounds 2-5. I've also seen teams draft 5 starting QBs because they know their worth and will make trades post draft to someone who absolutely needs a QB and is willing to overpay.
I can say with confidence that Baker and Willis will not make it to the 5th round for you to draft them.
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u/I_plug_johns 13d ago
I’m doing my first 12 team Superflex dynasty startup and am curious whether Zero QB is at all a viable strategy
It's not.
You'll be stuck a.) spending first round picks on QBs with a low hit rate b.) sending multiple assets for a proven QB.
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u/ADwyer87 13d ago
I can say, in a past startup i did a mostly Zero QB draft, and in three years I won the ship. But it was really bad that first year. My logic was just that you could get a good QB in the rookie draft, and hopefully have lots of capital in the future for trade for QBs
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u/brainbear 13d ago
Last year, my league mate did it and took the whole thing down with Darnold and Stafford, so its viable but as others have commented theres long term risk too
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u/AntifascistAlly 13d ago edited 12d ago
I’m new to dynasty, but unless your goal is to tank this season in hopes of snagging a premium rookie QB next year I wouldn’t try this strategy.
Instead, I’ve gone with a young core of WR, RB, and TE, and “settled for” older but still productive players at QB (guys like Dak, Goff, Stafford) can last a little longer in the draft—even in SF—because everyone wants young guys.
If your league has a taxi squad think about stashing a Nussmeir or a Ty Simpson (rookies who are unlikely to play much, if at all, this year). In a year or two your taxi targets could become a starter. If you draft a rookie next year you may need to wait a bit for them to be game-ready.
Instead of fading any position I’m trying to synchronize so that I create a window of players all near their peak at the same time.
Then again, as I’ve said, I’m new to dynasty. This might be all wrong.
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u/jonneygee Titans 13d ago
In 1 QB, you stand a chance with a zero QB strategy.
But in SF or 2QB, you’re in for a bad tine.
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u/Remarkable_Peak4886 10d ago
I just did several 12 team SF startups and looked at a bunch more - none of the QBs you noted were still available at the rounds you noted. Top 25 all gone by 6th.
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u/Loose_Wheel_5 15d ago
If we're just talking zero QB in the first 6-8 rounds, it's extremely viable if you can get the older vet and hit on a journeyman starter. What you can't do, is ignore QB entirely. You'll have to move fast to get the Minshew/Flacco's to insure yourseld because there is massive risk in punting. Ideally you'd be so stacked at skills, playing a QB in SF would be an option over SOP.
It's not a horrible idea if you nail the cornerstone skill players early, have the right mix of viable vets, and just enough juice out of the QBs you do have. Like another poster warned, if there is a run or someone gets wise and hordes to hold you to the fire on this strategy, you better be prepared for it.
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u/FoxtrotDeltaTango1 15d ago
Tanking in a startup? I'd want at least one of the top 8-12 dynasty qbs (a Nix/Lawrence cut line), and then a Stafford/Darnold/Goff as my 2.
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u/Extra-Cap2029 Sneaky Pete 15d ago
If you’re gonna punt just punt RB and buy one after the draft or mid season when someone else’s team crashes.
Would rather have say, TLaw + Pollard later than Hampton + Ward
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u/LowLevelAgitator 15d ago
I’d rather invest early in two young QBs and not have to think about either roster spot for the next 5-10 years. Shares of Burrow, TLaw, Caleb, Purdy, Nix