So why publish a fantasy football site focusing only on 2QB and Superflex leagues?
Basically for the same reason that I wouldn’t start a magazine about stage coaches: 2QB and Superflex leagues are the future of fantasy football. Starting only one QB devalues the most important position in football, the quarterback.
QB Value – 1QB vs 2QB
Most leagues are comprised of 10-12 teams, meaning in start 1QB leagues only 10-12 QBs are legitimate starters, meaning outside of the top 4-5 QBs there is very little meaningful differentiation between the 6th-best starter and the 12th. And there are roughly 20 backups that are almost as good as the bottom half of the starters.
Accordingly, the most important position in actual football becomes an afterthought for most drafters. If guys like Ryan Tannehill and Matt Stafford are available in double-digit rounds or via the waiver wire, getting the position right during the draft isn’t going to have a huge determining impact on your team’s competitiveness throughout the season.
The Realism Argument
One of the main arguments against 2QB leagues is that they don’t reflect the reality of the game. No team regularly uses two QBs in the course of a game.
While there are teams that field two or even three running backs, in fantasy the focus is filling out the RB slots with starters who get the majority of carries on their real-life teams. Very few teams ever distribute carries evenly between three backs.
Point being that fantasy football has always been an evolution of a game based on a game. NFL scores do not reflect yardage, only touchdowns. Way back when, most leagues were touchdown-only scoring, but players quickly figured out that giving a wide receiver with 120 yards and 0 touchdowns 0 points didn’t make the game reflective of that players contribution, and certainly didn’t make it very fun.
Starting two QBs is a departure from the actual game, but is a huge leap in advancement for fantasy football, which is, after all, a fantasy.
Ideal Setup: Redraft and Dynasty
One of the big topics in 2QB fantasy is how to avoid rewarding QB hoarding, which makes leagues less fun and weights drafts toward QBs.
In redraft, the solution is fairly simple: only allow 2QBs per team, and make the second slot Superflex. This ensures 8 viable QBs available via the waiver wire, and allows for teams to fill the second QB slot on bye weeks.
In dynasty, where long-term team building is the focus, I’d advise against roster position limits. While this will allow a team that focuses on the position to hoard, the long-term nature of dynasty usually allows QB needy teams to restack via the draft and of course includes future picks as trade-bait.
Balanced Scoring
Since the QB position is usually the dominant one in terms of fantasy scoring, 2QB leagues need to adjust scoring of other positions to come close to QB production for its top performers.
You’ll know you have the scoring right when you see only 2-3 QBs go in the first round of redraft leagues. I have been in a 2QB redraft league for almost 20 years and rarely do you see more than 2-3 go in the first round.
This can easily be accomplished via variable scoring per position and yardage and big-play bonuses for all skill positions. Starting QB bonuses at 250 yards and skill position bonuses at 80 yards is a good framework.
The Journey
We hope that you come along with us in the journey towards fantasy football’s future and have fun along the way. On this site we will focus on angles pertinent to 2QB leagues that will hopefully give you an advantage whether you are new to the 2QB bandwagon or have been bumping along for years. Thanks for reading.