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NFL timeshares to watch for 2021 fantasy football

August 14, 2021; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance (5) and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (10) warm up before the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The dreaded timeshare is something most fantasy football managers would prefer to avoid, but that's becoming harder and harder to do in today's NFL landscape.

Still, things change during the course of a season, and these work-split scenarios often reward fantasy drafters who take a riskier approach. Players who begin a season in a timeshare will take over bigger roles based on performance, experience and a number of additional factors.


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The following players will begin the 2021 NFL season as part of a timeshare but are candidates to seize starting jobs at some point this season.

All average draft position (ADP) info is sourced from Underdog Fantasy and Fantasy Data.

San Francisco 49ers Quarterbacks

Trey Lance: 105.6 ADP (QB10)
Jimmy Garoppolo: 215.3 ADP (QB34)

If fantasy managers got to choose San Fransisco's starting quarterback, the rookie would be out there from Day 1. There is a clear discrepancy here in ADP — Lance requires a much more significant investment than Garoppolo. Whether he represents value or not is a discussion for a different day, but as things stand now, Garoppolo is the team’s starting quarterback.

How long will Jimmy G last? Presumably not long. Lance could be named the starter any given day. Garoppolo was truly terrible last season — he only managed to score 69.3 fantasy points across six games, throwing for just over 1,000 yards and seven touchdowns against five interceptions.

There’s a reason the 49ers traded up to draft Lance. For fantasy purposes, he’s the exact kind of player we prioritize — as evidenced by his ADP. Lance has the legs and mobility to pose a legit two-way threat capable of securing 500-plus rushing yards and work near the goal line, in addition to a long average depth of target (aDOT).

Going back to his lone collegiate season with 40-plus attempts, Lance totaled 2,788 passing yards, 28 touchdowns and zero interceptions. He also chipped in an absurd 1,150 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground.

There is nearly no chance Garoppolo makes it through this entire season as the starter. Frankly, Lance looked solid in the preseason and built a case to be the team’s starting quarterback Week 1. The price is expensive, but Lance will start sooner than later and could be one of the exciting “Konami code” quarterbacks we all love.

Denver Broncos running backs

Javonte Williams: 62.2 ADP (RB23)
Melvin Gordon: 109.4 ADP (RB35)

There is obviously a theme developing here — fantasy drafters prefer the unknown, riskier option to the boring, proven one. We’ve seen it with the first timeshare on this list, and now we see it again with Williams’ and Gordon’s ADPs.

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