Matthew Stafford Is Being Undervalued In Fantasy Football

The Rams have their sights set on winning the Super Bowl in 2026. They bolstered their defense, acquiring Myles Garrett in a trade with the Browns. Their offense will once again be one of the more potent units in the league with Matthew Stafford at the helm. Despite his stellar numbers last season, Stafford is being undervalued in many fantasy football leagues.

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MVP Performance

Stafford was named NFL MVP in 2025, beating Drake Maye for the award. His 46 touchdown passes were the most he recorded in any season of his career, topping his total of 41 that he set in 2011. Prior to last year, he combined for 44 touchdown passes over the previous two seasons.

It wasn’t just his stellar touchdown total that helped Stafford stand out in fantasy. He threw for 4,707 yards, which was his highest total since 2021. He took more deep shots, posting an average target depth of 9.3 yards. He had identical average target depths of 8.0 yards the previous two seasons. Another plus was that he took care of the ball, throwing only eight interceptions in 597 pass attempts. Add it all together, and he finished as QB3 in fantasy football, per 4for4’s Fantasy Points Browser.

Familiar Faces On Offense

Garrett wasn’t the only big addition that the Rams made on defense. They also added cornerback Trent McDuffie to bolster their secondary. While their defense will look different, their offense remains largely unchanged. Kyren Williams and Blake Corum will lead their backfield, which is a good thing because the duo helped the Rams rank fifth in explosive rush rate last year, per 4for4’s NFL Team Stat Explorer. The Rams’ passing attack was just as potent, ranking sixth in explosive pass rate. The offense’s average of 38 yards per drive was third in the NFL, while their 2.5 points per drive was second.

The arrival of Davante Adams last year presented Stafford with an excellent red zone option. Adams finished with 32 red zone targets, 16 of which came from within five yards. That helped him finish with 14 touchdowns, marking the seventh season of his career in which he posted double-digit scores. Puka Nacua hauled in 10 touchdowns of his own last season, while also setting career highs in targets (166), receptions (129), and receiving yards (1,715). As Stafford’s favorite option, Nacua had a 30.3% market share of the team’s targets, per 4for4’s Air Yards App.

The Rams don’t have a star tight end, but they have quality depth at the position with Colby Parkinson and Tyler Higbee in the fold. Injuries have limited Higbee to a total of 13 games over the last two years, but he has finished with at least 500 receiving yards in a season four times. In a leading role at tight end for much of last season, Parkinson hauled in eight touchdowns over his 43 receptions.

Getting No Respect

Matthew Stafford might be the Rodney Dangerfield of quarterbacks in fantasy football this year. He can’t get no respect. According to 4for4’s Multi-Site ADP, his ADP of 95 makes him QB13. That means he’s not even being drafted as a starter in some 12-team leagues. It’s not often that you see something like that with a player who just won the MVP award.

It’s difficult to expect Stafford to produce so many touchdowns again this season. However, the Rams like to pass the ball when they get in close. Adams, Nacua, and Parkinson combined for 69 red zone targets last year. Of those, 42 came from within 10 yards. Williams and Corum combined for 80 red zone rushing attempts, 46 of which came from within 10 yards. When Stafford struggled to produce touchdown passes in 2023 and 2024, Adams wasn’t a member of the Rams. With him now in the fold, it would be a surprise if Stafford finished with fewer than 30 touchdown passes in a healthy season.

The downside with Stafford is that he doesn’t contribute anything with his legs. He finished with one rushing yard last season. That’s right, he ran 29 times for a total of one yard. He also has just one rushing touchdown since 2017. Still, he has plenty left in his arm at 38 years old, and he has a ton of talent around him. For those who decide not to pass on the likes of Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and Maye earlier in drafts, Stafford should be a target who can provide excellent value in the later rounds.

The Bottom Line

• Matthew Stafford set a career high with 46 touchdowns on his way to being named NFL MVP last year.
• The Rams return the same top weapons on offense, with Puka Nacua and Davante Adams leading the way at wide receiver.
• According to 4for4’s Multi-Site ADP, Stafford has an ADP of 95 and is QB13.
• Los Angeles likes to throw the ball when they get in close, which should afford Stafford plenty of opportunities to rack up touchdowns again. For fantasy football managers who want to avoid selecting a quarterback early, Stafford can provide excellent value later in drafts.