Bye weeks shouldn't be a major concern when selecting a fantasy quarterback, but you should keep them in mind to avoid being left empty-handed when your QB1 is unavailable.
Consider this an early cheat sheet. It shows which quarterbacks you should target on the waiver wire in the weeks leading up to your starter's bye.
We took into account how the potential replacements should fare in 2024, how opposing defenses performed against fantasy quarterbacks last year, and how those defenses may improve heading into this season.
Week 5
Bye
Top Replacements
Jalen Hurts
Deshaun Watson at WAS
Jared Goff
Geno Smith vs. NYG
Justin Herbert
Baker Mayfield at ATL
Will Levis
Bryce Young at CHI
Drake Maye vs. MIA
Daniel Jones at SEA
Week 6
Bye
Top Replacements
Patrick Mahomes
Deshaun Watson at PHI
Tua Tagovailoa
Will Levis vs. IND
Matthew Stafford
Baker Mayfield at NO
J.J. McCarthy
Russell Wilson at LV
Bryce Young vs. ATL
Drake Maye vs. HOU
Daniel Jones vs. CIN
Derek Carr vs. TB
Week 7
Bye
Top Replacements
Dak Prescott
Geno Smith at ATL
Caleb Williams
Deshaun Watson vs. CIN
Baker Mayfield vs. BAL
Will Levis at BUF
Bryce Young at WAS
Drake Maye at JAX
Daniel Jones vs. PHI
Derek Carr vs. DEN
Week 8
No byes
Week 9
Bye
Top Replacements
Brock Purdy
Deshaun Watson vs. LAC
Russell Wilson
Geno Smith vs. LAR
Baker Mayfield at KC
Will Levis vs. NE
Drake Maye at TEN
Bryce Young vs. NO
Daniel Jones vs. WAS
Derek Carr at CAR
Week 10
Bye
Top Replacements
Jordan Love
Baker Mayfield vs. SF
Deshaun Watson
Will Levis at LAC
Geno Smith
Bryce Young vs. NYG
Gardner Minshew
Russell Wilson at WAS
Daniel Jones at CAR
Drake Maye at CHI
Derek Carr vs. ATL
Week 11
Bye
Top Replacements
Kyler Murray
Deshaun Watson at NO
Baker Mayfield
Will Levis vs. MIN
Bryce Young
Geno Smith at SF
Daniel Jones
Russell Wilson vs. BAL
Drake Maye vs. LAR
J.J. McCarthy at TEN
Bo Nix vs. ATL
Week 12
Bye
Top Replacements
Josh Allen
Geno Smith vs. ARI
Joe Burrow
Baker Mayfield at NYG
Kirk Cousins
Deshaun Watson vs. PIT
Trevor Lawrence
Will Levis at HOU
Aaron Rodgers
Daniel Jones vs. TB
Derek Carr
Bryce Young vs. KC
Russell Wilson at CLE
Drake Maye at MIA
J.J. McCarthy at CHI
Week 13
No byes
Week 14
Bye
Top Replacements
Lamar Jackson
Geno Smith at ARI
C.J. Stroud
Baker Mayfield vs. LV
Anthony Richardson
Deshaun Watson at PIT
Jayden Daniels
Will Levis vs. JAX
Drake Maye
Bryce Young at PHI
Bo Nix
Daniel Jones vs. NO
Derek Carr at NYG
J.J. McCarthy vs. ATL
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