Cash Game QB Consistency Vs. Upside

Hi everyone, first time poster here. I was wondering how you guys go about choosing a QB for your 50/50 leagues and H2H matchups? I know consistency is key to cash games but how much do you guys consider upside? Personally I like to find cheaper options at QB who have good matchups and can produce 15-20 points such as Tyrod Taylor, Derek Carr, Carson Palmer (first 2 weeks) and load up on WR with decent RB given that receiving and rushing TD's are worth more than a passing TD. I'm leaning more towards the cheaper options in Derek Carr or Andy Dalton this week. I'm not looking for 400 yards and 4 TD but just solid performances maybe 250 yards 1 or 2 TD to get between 15-20 points which seems possible vs the Chiefs and the Bears. I know this is probably a totally noob (which i am lol) strategy but I've been winning about 70% of my H2H matchups like this and recently came in 38th/5700 in a $5 tournament last week. So I guess my question is whether there is a point where you would rather save money by not taking the star QB to get a better matchup and basically go against Colossus?

Welcome!

I tend to go value or mid range, especially the way things have gone this season. Those three names you mentioned have been the popular cheap plays, and should continue to be. I don't really come into each week with the same strategy, the slate of games usually helps determine how I am going to set my cash game lineups. The first few weeks here have been value QB, and pay up elsewhere. This week, there are a lot of value running backs, which makes it easy to pay up for Aaron Rodgers and a few big name wideouts. I also don't have an issue with guys like Derek Carr, because I have shares of him as well.

To answer your question, there is. Looking at the sample size of the 2015 season, the options seem to be go value, or pay up for Aaron Rodgers. Other QB's, I feel like I can get Matt Ryan style numbers from someone cheaper than his price, and same with Russell Wilson, etc. The guys who are priced just above that next tier.

Congrats on the success so far, and my best advice is to just take each week as it comes. There will be some weeks to pay up, and some weeks to not.

I tend to go value for QBs as well but believe it is personal preference. I just feel the difference between a superstar WR and value WR is that much greater than differences between QBs.

It really depends on the week for me. If there is a high over/under total with a small point spread featuring a quarterback like Rodgers, I'm going to be tempted to use him since there is a diminished risk of the Packers blowing the opponent out and salting the game away on the ground. It also depends on what the value looks like across the other positions. For instance, with Shady out and Karlos Williams in at running back, he's a lock at RB or flex in DK games at $3,400. If the weather proves not to be treacherous in the PHI/WAS game, Jordan Matthews makes for an excellent mid-tier wide receiver option in the absence of DeAngelo Hall and as Bradford's preferred target in the passing game. All things being equal, though, I do tend to prefer paying down at quarterback and paying up at wide receiver and/or running back.

I agree with Josh, it totally depends on the week. There are some weeks, like the early weeks this season where Tyrod was almost too good of a play to spend up, while if you look at a site like FD this week, there's almost no one even playable under $7k.