Training camp positional battles: Quarterbacks

August 12, 2008 @ 13:11:17

By Bryce McRae
Edited by Herija C. Green and Cory J. Bonini

With training camps around the league underway, dozens of battles are already being fought for the right to playing time when the real games begin in September. Each of these battles is unique and varies in its fantasy impact. We have highlighted some of the important competitions taking place in August with a brief analysis giving our take on the situation.

Quarterbacks

Arizona Cardinals: Matt Leinart vs. Kurt Warner

Arguably known more for his off-the-field antics than his on-field work, Leinart enters a potential make-or-break year. The 10th-overall pick in the 2006 draft, he enters camp as the starter and should be more comfortable after appearing lost in the offense during head coach Ken Whisenhunt's first year in 2007. He competed in just five games last year (647 yards and two touchdowns), ending the season sidelined by an injury, just as he did during his rookie year. On the other hand, Warner discarded his "washed-up" label and turned in a commendable performance, tossing for 3,417 yards and 27 touchdowns through the air. Leinart remains the starter, though likely on a much shorter leash than most other young quarterbacks. He should be considered a backup with upside and paired with a solid No. 1 quarterback for fantasy purposes. Warner is nothing more than a potential waiver wire pickup down the line.

Projected Winner: Matt Leinart

Baltimore Ravens: Troy Smith vs. Kyle Boller vs. Joe Flacco

The retirement of quarterback Steve McNair has left the Ravens with a sizable hole to fill. Smith appears to be the early front-runner as he makes fewer mistakes and reportedly has the support of the locker room. He threw for 370 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions over his final two games in 2007. With another year of training camp, albeit under a new coach, Smith is the expected winner at this early stage. Boller has all the physical tools that the team is looking for, as well as the most experience of the group. However, he has a tendency to turn the ball over and has looked shaky in offseason workouts. Boller started their preseason opener, completing 11 of 15 passes for 102 with an interception, but don't read into it. Flacco is the future for the team at the position, but they might not rush him. Even if he indeed wins the job, don't count on him for fantasy purposes. Our best guess is that Boller's experience paves the way for the starting job early on, but don't be surprised if Smith gets the nod.

Projected Winner: Kyle Boller

Chicago Bears: Rex Grossman vs. Kyle Orton

In the battle to hand the ball off to running back Matt Forte, Grossman and Orton have been splitting time with the first-team offense in camp. Orton appears to be the safer choice, but he doesn't offer Grossman's potential. Orton competed in three games last year, completing 43 of his 80 passes (53.8 percent) with three touchdowns and two interceptions. For his part, Grossman completed 54.2 percent of his 225 passes but was intercepted seven times, including six in his first three games. The Bears are looking to win with defense, special teams and a resurgent running game - all traits they possessed during their 2006 Super Bowl run. For that reason, Orton might be the better choice to lead this team. Neither man is worth a draft choice at this time, though Grossman would at least be worth watching were he to win the job given what he did in 2006.

Projected Winner: Kyle Orton

San Francisco 49ers: Alex D. Smith vs. Shaun Hill vs. J.T. O'Sullivan

This appears to be Smith's (shoulder) last shot in San Francisco. He regressed during his third campaign, engaged in a public feud with head coach Mike Nolan and ended the season on Injured Reserve. Thus far, reports from training camp have indicated he's struggling to pick up new offensive coordinator Mike Martz's system. This has opened the door for Hill and O'Sullivan. Hill won both of his starts last season and threw five touchdowns to just one interception. O'Sullivan could be a dark horse. He has picked up Martz's offense quickly - they spent a year together in Detroit - and has looked the best early in camp, earning the start in the team's first preseason contest. However, selecting any of these players is not recommended despite Martz's track record of making household names out of unheralded signal callers.

Projected Winner: Alex D. Smith

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Bryce McRae
Bryce McRae is a Managing Editor with KFFL and has been involved in fantasy sports since 1999. He joined KFFL as a volunteer writer in March 2005 before becoming a Hot off the Wire Analyst in March 2006. He began working in his current capacity in September 2008. His work has appeared on fantasy sports sites such as Yahoo! and CBS Sportsline as well as in print. He graduated from the University of British Columbia in 2008 with a B.A. in History and U.S. Studies.

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