The Buffalo Bills announced on Wednesday that rookie Nathan Peterman will take over the starting job at quarterback over Tyrod Taylor. He will start on the road against the Los Angeles Chargers.
This move brings fantasy implications with the different style that Peterman has than Taylor. Peterman is a more traditional pocket passer that could give more opportunities to his receivers such as Jordan Matthews, Charles Clay and newly acquired receiver Kelvin Benjamin. Taylor is a more mobile quarterback with mediocre passing ability.
Peterman had a decent preseason, but struggled more than strived. He only completed 54.4 percent of his throws with one touchdown in 79 attempts against second-team defenses. Of course he doesn’t have the ability to move in the pocket or the speed that Taylor has along with the arm strength. He could be somebody in dynasty leagues, but it’s hard to tell as we have to wait and see how he develops. He should help the players around him right away by increasing their targets.
A position that won’t change much is the running game. LeSean McCoy hasn’t played like the back he was in 2016, and the change in quarterback won’t do much helping him run the ball. Part of his struggles come from the lack of a passing game in Buffalo. With no passing game, it allows opponents to crowd the box.
However, McCoy could see some value in PPR leagues. To help Peterman get comfortable early, he could dump some short passes off to McCoy here and there to get going. Other than that, it’s hard to trust McCoy as a valuable asset even with the change. But this doesn’t mean he should be on the bench unless there are better options. He should be viewed as a RB2 from this point.
For the receiving corps, this could be a jumpstart with a more traditional passer.
Kelvin Benjamin and Jordan Matthews (Photo from newyorkupstate.com)
Kelvin Benjamin struggled in his first game as a Bill. He caught three passes for 42 yards against the New Orleans Saints while playing the entire game from behind. The 6-foot-5 receiver isn’t a guy that will create separation. Pairing him with Taylor doomed him from the start because Taylor never showed any willingness to throw in tight spots, even with Benjamin’s size.
Now with a new quarterback, this could be a win for Benjamin. With Peterman’s ability to sling it and Benjamin’s size, this could create some opportunity for more targets. Even though they will still run a balanced offense, his value should rise as a WR2 or a high-end flex option with Peterman rather then Taylor.
As for Jordan Matthews, it could go the same way as Benjamin. He has had a lackluster first season in Buffalo. Matthews is more of a slot receiver that can create more space than Benjamin, which can give him more looks.
But like Benjamin, he doesn’t have the speed. Either way, both have potential at gaining some value. For Matthews, he could be a nice pickup as he will likely be available in most leagues.
Charles Clay could be the one who benefits the most out of this move when all is said and done.
Charles Clay (Photo from buffalobills.com)
One thing Peterman did in preseason and against the Saints more than Taylor was utilize the middle of the field. That benefits the tight end.
Clay could become the No. 1 option for Peterman on third down and red zone opportunities. That could lead to a couple of big scoring games from a fantasy perspective during the stretch run of the regular season.
The tight end position has been one of the more lacking in fantasy football all season. Clay could cash in and be the tight end that dominates for the rest of the season if he’s healthy. He has missed three games with an injury and if injured again, backup Nick O’Leary could be on the radar.
It’s safe to say the Tyrod Taylor era in Buffalo has come to an end. He played his last game as a Bill unless Peterman is injured. Taylor even playing at that point isn’t guaranteed. There have been rumbles all season about whether or not he should be the starter and questions about his willingness to play in Buffalo. It was a surprise he even came back. Now he will likely be traded or cut at the end of the year.
Featured image from boltsfromtheblue.com.
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