My Stidham Dynasty Story
Alright, let’s talk about Jarrett Stidham in dynasty fantasy football. It wasn’t exactly a grand plan, more like stumbling into something and seeing where it went. You know how it is in deep leagues, always digging for potential value at the end of your bench.
So, I first really noticed Stidham back when he was with the Patriots. Everyone was looking for the next guy after Brady. Didn’t cost much, maybe a late-round rookie pick swap or just grabbing him off waivers in shallower leagues. I figured, why not take a shot? Young QB, decent college tape, behind an aging legend initially, then in a murky situation. The cost was basically zero.
My process was simple:
- Acquisition: Scooped him up off waivers in one league, threw a 4th rounder in a deal for him in another superflex league. Super cheap.
- Hold and Watch: Just let him sit there. End of the bench guy. I wasn’t expecting immediate fireworks. Just kept an eye on Pats camp news, preseason snaps. Watched if he could maybe beat out Cam Newton or Mac Jones down the line. Didn’t happen, obviously.
Then he gets traded to the Raiders. Okay, interesting. New situation, maybe a better chance behind Carr? Still, mostly just sat on my bench. Didn’t really think much of it. Carr was the guy. But you hold onto these lottery tickets, right?
Then came the end of the 2022 season. Suddenly, the Raiders bench Carr, and Stidham gets the start! Man, I was actually a bit excited. Finally, a chance to see what the kid could do with real reps. He looked… alright? Flashed some moments against that tough 49ers defense. Put up decent fantasy points, especially for a guy I got for peanuts.
That little stint definitely boosted his value temporarily. People started talking. Was he maybe the Raiders’ bridge QB? Could he compete for a starting job somewhere?
The Denver Move and Reality Check
He then moves to Denver. Okay, following Sean Payton. Payton liked Taysom Hill, maybe he sees something tool-sy in Stidham he can use? Backing up Russell Wilson. Again, not a bad spot for a backup you’re holding onto. If Russ gets hurt or continues to struggle badly, maybe Stidham gets another shot.
But then reality kind of slapped me in the face. Wilson stayed healthy enough, and Stidham only got a couple of starts at the very end when the season was done. He looked okay, nothing special. And then this offseason, the Broncos draft Bo Nix really high. That pretty much slammed the door shut on any real Stidham upside in Denver for the foreseeable future.
So, where am I now with him? In the league where I traded a 4th, I actually managed to flip him plus another late pick for a slightly better prospect during that brief Raiders starter hype. Felt good about that one, got out at the right time.
In the other league where I got him off waivers? He’s still sitting there. Taking up a roster spot. Honestly, he’s probably close to being dropped. With Nix there, and maybe even Zach Wilson mixing in, Stidham’s path to playing time looks blocked again. The lottery ticket seems like it’s probably not going to hit.
It wasn’t some masterstroke strategy. It was just grabbing a cheap QB, holding him through different teams and situations, seeing a brief flash of potential, and now likely moving on. That’s the dynasty game sometimes, especially with these backup QBs. You take the shot, hope for the best, but know when to cut bait. My Stidham experiment is pretty much wrapped up, I think.
