Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins (4,917 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, 12 interceptions) is still negotiating a contract extension to remain with the team.
Although the Redskins lost DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon in free agency, Washington signed former Cleveland Browns breakout receiver Terrelle Pryor (1,007 receiving yards, 4 touchdowns). Assuming the contract extension talks continue through the 2017 season, Cousins’ value should skyrocket especially with a receiving that is relatively strong with Pryor and Jamison Crowder (847 yards, 7 touchdowns).
If fantasy football players want to go on stats alone, Cousins recorded almost as many passing yards as the 2016 NFC Champion Atlanta Falcons Quarterback Matt Ryan (4,944 passing yards, 38 touchdowns). It is possible to build a championship caliber fantasy football team with Cousins at quarterback.
Most players may choose other quarterbacks who lead the most electrifying offenses in the NFL. It is normally too easy to admit that Ryan, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger are the no brainer picks at quarterback.
Why would a perennial champion take a chance on Cousins as opposed to the top 4 choices?
Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys may be a great option with Dez Bryant, Terrance Williams and Ezekiel Elliot to throw screen passes to. While Cousins doesn’t have the bevy of dump-off/checkdown options that Prescott has, he does have a deadly vertical and intermediate West Coast offense, that he has proven to be a master of at his proverbial fingertips to command.
Some chances are worth taking. Champions can get creative with their rosters and wait on quarterbacks in favor of the select few running backs that are worthy of first round selections. Most fantasy football champions will argue against this by stating this is based on an old, obsolete strategy that lost its effectiveness.
However, as a seven time champion, I would not go against this strategy at all.