It is yet again that time of year when NFL fans worldwide begin to do their research and make some tough predictions to try and ensure that they are the top dog at the Thanksgiving table this year.
When most people think about who they are going to draft and what positions they will target, quarterbacks are either at the very top of their list or the complete opposite. Though QBs don’t usually rack up points the same way guys like Tyreek Hill and Christian McCaffrey do, they are still an integral part of every fantasy football roster.
This rankings list will not only show which QBs I think are the best of the bunch or bottom feeders, but it will also place each of the quarterbacks in a tier that ranges from one to six. These rankings are ranked with 4-point passing touchdown scoring in mind.
Tier 1:
#1: Josh Allen, BUF, Bye Week: 12
Josh Allen has been the top QB off the board in most drafts over the last couple of years, and I don’t see that changing this season, either. Though the Bills have lost a lot of offensive firepower during the offseason, Allen still has the perfect playstyle to be a top QB yet again in fantasy football.
#2 Jalen Hurts, PHI, Bye Week: 5
Jalen Hurts is not far behind Allen in my rankings at all. Hurts is surrounded by more offensive talent this season than ever before, with the addition of Saquon Barkley to the team's backfield. The only reason I gave Allen the first-place nod over Hurts is that Jalen will be playing tough defenses during the fantasy playoffs compared to Buffalo's slightly easier schedule.
#3 Patrick Mahomes, KC, Bye Week: 6
No, I’m not ranking Mahomes as the third-best quarterback in the league, but for the sake of fantasy football, this is where he belongs. Mahomes is always in the upper echelon of almost any ranking you can make for the Quarterback position. With his amazing arm talent, pocket awareness, and scrambling ability, it’s hard to think of a world where he is ranked outside of the top three.
Tier 2:
#4 Lamar Jackson, BAL, Bye Week: 4
Yes, this is right. I have last season’s NFL Most Valuable Player ranked outside of the Top-3. Though Jackson has displayed great playmaking ability in passing and the ground game, he has shown a lot of inconsistency in fantasy football over the last couple of seasons and suffered multiple late-season injuries. If Jackson can stay healthy and consistent, he is a potential steal for many users.
#5 C.J. Stroud, HOU, Bye Week: 14
After a historic rookie season, C.J. Stroud has done everything possible to earn his spot in the top five. Not only is Stroud’s amazing play the reason why he is so high on this list, but also the amount of firepower that has been added around him with the additions of Stefon Diggs and Joe Mixon. Stroud is bound to build off his already successful career.
#6 Anthony Richardson, IND, Bye Week: 14
This is the first ranking that may confuse those who are new to fantasy football. Richardson has only played a small sample size due to his injury-riddled rookie season, but he showed immense upside in the fantasy world because of his ability to make plays in and out of the pocket. Don’t be shocked if Richardson is ranked even closer to the top next season if he can remain healthy.
#7 Joe Burrow, CIN, Bye Week: 12
This ranking feels really low whenever I think of Joe Burrow’s skill level, but with the inconsistencies and injuries that he has struggled with over the last few seasons, this spot just feels right for him. However, if Burrow can get back to his old form consistently, he could definitely be a steal in any draft you are in.
Tier 3:
#8 Jordan Love, GB, Bye Week: 10
In Jordan Love’s debut season as the Packers starter, he showed enough to make himself the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL. Though his season started off rough, as soon as he was given more freedom to run the offense, he started to break out and show everything he learned from Rodgers over the last couple of seasons.
#9 Dak Prescott, DAL, Bye Week: 7
Now we have the rumored future highest-paid quarterback in the league, Dake Prescott. Though the Cowboys are becoming professionals at having extremely disappointing ends to their seasons, Prescott still does enough during the regular season to get recognized as a top-10 QB in fantasy football.
#10 Kyler Murray, ARI, Bye Week: 11
The Cardinals' down year last season showed just how much Murray means to the team and their offense. When Murray played in the last eight games of the season last year, fresh off of recovery, he put up great scoring weeks in fantasy football, which earned him the last spot in the top 10.
Tier 4:
#11 Brock Purdy, SF, Bye Week: 9
#12 Tua Tagovailoa, MIA, Bye Week: 6
#13 Kirk Cousins, ATL, Bye Week: 12
#14 Jayden Daniels, WAS, Bye Week: 14
#15 Jared Goff, DET, Bye Week: 5
#16 Caleb Williams, CHI, Bye Week: 7
#17 Trevor Lawrence, JAX, Bye Week: 12
Tier 4 is full of surprises, which are bound to start some arguments, and it is the first appearance of this year’s rookie class.
The first surprise may be Kirk Cousins being ranked so highly, but with him being placed into an offense full of firepower and him having a huge fire under him with his team drafting Michael Penix Jr. in the first round, he is bound to have a big comeback season.
The other big surprise is likely Commanders rookie Jayden Daniels, who is ranked above not only the No.1 pick in the draft, Caleb Williams, but also established veterans Jared Goff and Trevor Lawrence. Daniels’ ability to make plays through the air and on the ground is the main reason why I am so high on him for his rookie season.
Tier 5:
#18 Justin Herbert, LAC, Bye Week: 5
#19 Deshaun Watson, CLE, Bye Week: 10
#20 Matthew Stafford, LAR, Bye Week: 6
#21 Baker Mayfield, TB, Bye Week: 11
#22 Aaron Rodgers, NYJ, Bye Week: 12
There aren’t many more surprises left as we head deeper into the rankings, but Tier 5 includes one of the biggest ADP droppers in the quarterback position and a player who could become the steal of the draft.
If you’re new to fantasy football, the big surprise is Justin Herbert's ranking of 18th. Though he is one of the most skilled quarterbacks in the NFL, Herbert lost a lot of offensive firepower and was placed into a new run-heavy offense with the hiring of Jim Harbaugh. This is going to have to be another year where Herbert proves everyone wrong.
And the potential steal of the draft, if he stays healthy and consistent, is going to be Deshaun Watson. Though it has been hard to draft Watson over the last couple of seasons, let alone start him, he is undoubtedly one of the best bang-for-your-buck picks you can make this year. In the games he did play this season, he put up fantasy football numbers that equal that of a weekly starter.
Tier 6:
#23 Will Levis, TEN, Bye Week: 5
#24 Geno Smith, SEA, Bye Week: 10
#25 Bryce Young, CAR, Bye Week: 11
#26 J.J. McCarthy, MIN, Bye Week: 6
#27 Derek Carr, NO, Bye Week: 12
#28 Drake Maye, NE, Bye Week: 14
#29 Russell Wilson, PIT, Bye Week: 9
#30 Daniel Jones, NYG, Bye Week: 11
At this point in your draft, you are either extremely desperate because you forgot the quarterback position existed or looking for a player with a high ceiling.
If you are looking for someone who you would sadly have to consistently start every week then you probably want to look at veterans like Geno Smith and Derek Carr.
But if you are just looking for a backup quarterback with a ton of upside, you don’t have to look much further than Will Levis and Bryce Young. Both QBs are coming off of their rookie seasons and will likely want to solidify their spots as the team’s future at the position.
(Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images)
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