Does the University of Nevada’s Carson Strong have what it takes to be a long-term dynasty fantasy football asset? Strong’s career is off to a rough start after he went undrafted. However, he did latch on with the Eagles as a UDFA. Does he have any dynasty value?
Carson Strong’s dynasty fantasy profile
Strong comes from a Nevada program where he threw a ton of passes in college. With a bevy of experience, which factors could impact his long-term floor and ceiling?
Strengths
PFN colleague Ian Cummings has pointed out that Strong checks a lot of NFL boxes. His stature at 6’3”, 226 pounds, puts him in the “traditional QB” camp — a guy who stands tall in the pocket and shows good field vision. Strong also runs through his progressions fairly well, which stands out because Nevada’s offensive scheme has a lot of quick reads and screens.
As a pocket passer, Strong could start for an NFL team relatively quickly and at least carry himself reasonably well. He wasn’t more highly touted out of high school because of knee concerns. But mentally, at least on the surface, it didn’t phase him at all. Strong was recruited by a program that hadn’t won more than seven games in a season since 2010 (when Colin Kaepernick led them). He got better each season and left Nevada as a far more polished pre-professional quarterback.
Weaknesses
Strong sometimes gets into trouble staring down targets, drawing defenders’ attention. As he continues developing as a professional, Strong might learn how to manipulate defenders more effectively as part of his progression process.
We might also question whether Strong can translate his success from the Mountain West into the pros. Of course, the MWC has produced some notable NFL QBs, including Josh Allen and Derek Carr. And, of course, we’ve seen how Allen has progressed from a “we hope he’s a franchise QB” first-round pick to a “thank goodness we drafted him” elite player. But Allen is a complete anomaly. It’s exceedingly rare a quarterback has a sudden leap in ability the way Allen did.
Strong presumably is more Carr than Allen. He’s a more volume-dependent passer than playmaker. So, we might wonder if Strong has the skill set to serve as a franchise NFL quarterback.
Strong’s injury history
Strong suffered a significant knee injury in high school and underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair it. PFN Chief Draft Analyst Tony Pauline had stated that it “could be a red flag” heading into the draft, particularly given Strong’s less-than-stellar ability to escape defensive pressure.
Strong wore a bulky knee brace in college and was a complete statue. His knee also appeared to impact his ability to shuffle in the pocket, evading oncoming rushers to extend plays. While no one can guarantee he’s a higher-than-normal injury risk, Strong merits at least some concern if you’re planning to draft him in dynasty.
Strong’s dynasty value with the Eagles
I won’t sugarcoat this. There isn’t much hope for Strong. Guys like Kurt Warner, Warren Moon, and Tony Romo are the outliers. 99% of UDFA quarterbacks do not make it in the NFL.
Strong landed in a spot where he at least has a chance to make the team. Jalen Hurts is locked in as the starter with Gardner Minshew as the backup. Their third-stringer is currently Reid Sinnett.
The best Strong can hope for is to beat out Sinnett as the third guy. At the very least, Strong will get a chance to play in the preseason. Perhaps he can impress in limited action, and if the Eagles don’t keep him, earn himself a spot on someone’s roster.
Unfortunately, Strong should not be drafted in any dynasty rookie drafts, including superflex.