What does Brock Purdy have to do to earn some respect? Yes, he wasn’t supposed to be good. No Day 3 pick is supposed to be good. But after four seasons, he should’ve completely shaken that stigma off by now. Yet, despite producing each and every time he steps on the field, the 49ers QB remains a value in fantasy football.
Should You Draft Brock Purdy in Fantasy Football?
Like every Day 3 QB in the history of the NFL, Purdy was never supposed to start, or matter at all. He was forced into action as a rookie after both Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance suffered injuries. Immediately, he proved to be better than both of them.
Since then, all Purdy has done is produce. Although injuries limited him to just nine games last season, Purdy averaged 19.7 fantasy points per game. In three full seasons as a starter, Purdy has never finished lower than QB10.
Purdy is viewed as mostly a pocket passer who has enough mobility to survive in the modern NFL. Last season, though, he really put that on display with 17.2% of his fantasy points coming via rushing.
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Over the past two seasons, Purdy is averaging 19.6 rushing yards per game. Add in his eight total rushing scores, and he’s giving fantasy managers just shy of an extra touchdown’s worth of production per game via the ground alone. Most impressively, Purdy does this despite playing on one of the slowest, most run-heavy offenses in the league.
Since 2024, the 49ers average a 54% neutral game script pass rate. That ranks 21st in the league over that span. They also average 29.9 seconds per play, the fourth slowest in the past two seasons combined.
Throughout his career as a starter, Purdy averages 29.6 pass attempts per game. He’s gotten by on efficiency, which tends to regress. However, Purdy has proven that due to the unique combination of the 49ers’ offense being high-powered, but slow-paced and run-heavy, that efficiency is sustainable. He’s posted a touchdown rate north of 7.0% in three of his four NFL seasons.
At this point, there should no longer be any questions about Purdy’s talent, or whether he is the 49ers’ long-term answer at quarterback.
Purdy’s Redraft Fantasy Football Value
In recent seasons, it’s been more viable to spent premium draft capital on a quarterback than during the 2010s. The rise of the mobile QB has resulted in the elite fantasy quarterbacks not only having higher ceilings, but being more predictable year over year.
Given how flat the wide receivers get once you get into the WR2 range, combined with running backs falling off a cliff around the fifth round, it’s more viable than usual to spend up for an elite QB. But the arguments in favor of late-round QB remain strong. Purdy is a reason why.
There are a number of quarterbacks relatively close in ADP, many of which have top-five upside, or close to it. Purdy probably doesn’t quite have it due to the lack of volume. But imagine a scenario where the 49ers fell apart defensively, and Purdy had to throw 35 passes a game. He absolutely has the ability and the supporting cast to get there.
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All of this is to say Purdy has enough to be a QB1 once again. Yet, he’s being drafted around QB13. Yes, the price is a product of the other quarterbacks and the fact that they also have upside. But it doesn’t change the reality that Purdy’s price is at a point lower than he’s ever finished. This isn’t a player being drafted at his floor. This is a player being drafted beneath his floor.
Preseason Fantasy QB Rankings
- Josh Allen | BUF
- Drake Maye | NE
- Lamar Jackson | BAL
- Jayden Daniels | WAS
- Joe Burrow | CIN
- Jalen Hurts | PHI
- Caleb Williams | CHI
- Justin Herbert | LAC
- Jaxson Dart | NYG
- Trevor Lawrence | JAX
- Dak Prescott | DAL
- Bo Nix | DEN
- Brock Purdy | SF
- Patrick Mahomes II | KC
- Matthew Stafford | LAR
- Jared Goff | DET
- Kyler Murray | MIN
- Jordan Love | GB
- Malik Willis | MIA
- Tyler Shough | NO
- Baker Mayfield | TB
- C.J. Stroud | HOU
- Sam Darnold | SEA
- Daniel Jones | IND
- Bryce Young | CAR
