Ty Simpson Learning Behind Matthew Stafford, the QB1 in Our Rankings
The Rams rookie says four months with Stafford taught him more than four years of college. Stafford finished 2025 as our No. 1 fantasy QB with 370 PPR points.
Reigning QB1 with a clean pocket and no succession clock ticking yet.
- Stafford: our #1 fantasy QB, 370 PPR pts in 2025
- 2025 line: 4,707 yds, 46 TD, 0 INT over 17 games
- Rookie Simpson set for preseason debut Aug. 15 vs. Chiefs
- Simpson: learned more in 4 months than 4 college years
Rookie quarterback Ty Simpson isn't sweating the depth chart in Los Angeles — he's soaking up everything Matthew Stafford will teach him. Simpson told the Bussin' with the Boys podcast that his first four months alongside the veteran have been more educational than his entire college run, praising Stafford as cerebral and endlessly generous with his time. The kid who's sitting and learning gets his first NFL reps Saturday, Aug. 15, when the Rams open the preseason against the Chiefs.
For fantasy purposes, the headline here isn't the rookie — it's the guy doing the teaching. Stafford finished 2025 as our No. 1 fantasy quarterback, piling up 370 PPR points across all 17 games behind a stat line that reads like a video game on rookie mode: 4,707 passing yards, 46 touchdowns, and — read that again — zero interceptions.
That's the number that jumps off the page. A full season without a single pick is absurd, and it's the kind of efficiency that props up an entire fantasy offense. Stafford enters 2026 as our third-ranked player overall and the clear QB1, which tells you exactly how much the model trusts the arm and the situation.
Why Simpson's Words Matter
Simpson gushing about Stafford being nothing but nice is more than locker-room fluff for fantasy managers. It signals a clean mentor-mentee dynamic with no manufactured competition, no coordinator drama, no whispers about the veteran losing his grip on the job. Stafford is the starter, the offense runs through him, and the rookie is content to watch. That stability is fantasy gold.
It also plants a flag for the future. Simpson is being groomed as the eventual answer, but that's a multi-year runway, not a 2026 concern. Nothing about the current setup suggests Stafford's snap share is under threat this season.
The Fantasy Move
Treat Stafford as a rock-solid QB1 and buy low if a nervous manager in your league flinches at his age or the presence of a shiny rookie behind him. A quarterback who threw 46 touchdowns and zero picks last year, in a system that clearly loves him, doesn't get penalized for having an apprentice on the roster. Draft him with confidence, and file Simpson under long-term dynasty stash — not a redraft concern until Stafford's grip actually loosens.
