The NFL season is nearly upon us, and perhaps more importantly, that means fantasy football is here.
While new options like DraftKings Daily Fantasy Sports, Pick6, and plenty more continue to develop – there is still something special about having a season-long team to follow on a week-by-week basis.
Just as they will be leading their NFL team in the huddle on a week-by-week basis, it is important to have the right quarterback at the helm. The growth in dual-threat quarterbacks across the NFL has produced a ripple effect in the fantasy football world, making signal-callers as valuable as ever before.
Every league has slightly different scoring setups, which should be noted before making your draft selections. However, based on DraftKings standard scoring, the highest-scoring player was a quarterback last year for the second consecutive season.
In addition to Josh Allen leading all scorers, several quarterbacks finished the year within the top rankings. Jalen Hurts and Dak Prescott were also among the top six fantasy scorers. Seven of the top 11 scorers in all of fantasy football came at the quarterback position.
This can lead to a few different thought processes for how to draft.
The Top Picks
Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen has as high of a fantasy football floor as any player. The Bills star finished last season with 4306 passing yards and 29 touchdowns. While the interceptions are worth noting, throwing an NFL 2nd-worst 18 last season, he more than makes up for this with his impact on the ground. Allen added 524 yards with his legs last season and 15 touchdowns. This tied Jalen Hurts for the most rushing touchdowns among quarterbacks and trailed only Raheem Mostert for the most in the entire NFL.
There is a distinct advantage to having a quarterback who serves as the primary red-zone threat. Don’t expect this to change for the former Wyoming standout this season. Allen averaged 25.3 fantasy points per game last season which led all NFL players.
Allen’s biggest concerns this season are the loss of Stefon Diggs and uncertainty at the wide receiver position. However, he provides a baseline that should appeal to fantasy owners and is worth stepping up to be the first person to draft a quarterback.
Jalen Hurts, QB, Philadelphia Eagles
Jalen Hurts is another example of a quarterback whose dual-threat nature makes him dynamic. While the “tush-push” may be controversial among NFL circles, it counts as a rushing touchdown every single time in fantasy football. Despite battling a knee injury for a great deal of last season, Hurts still tallied 15 rushing touchdowns and 605 overall yards. Through the air, he added 3858 passing yards and 23 touchdowns.
Hurts ranked 5th among all fantasy football scorers last season. There should be some slight concern that adding Saquon Barkley could lead to a step back in touchdown production on the ground. In addition, Kellen Moore has taken over as offensive coordinator. It will be interesting to see if he relies on Hurts as the goal line as much as last year, but the Eagles have a dynamic receiving core regardless. Hurts has tallied at least 10 rushing touchdowns in the past three seasons and will still surely rank among the best fantasy football quarterbacks again.
Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs
Last year, the Chiefs truly tested Patrick Mahomes to see if he could still produce without much talent at the wide receiver position. This resulted in their second consecutive championship.
While Travis Kelce will continue to be leaned on as the primary weapon in the passing game, Kansas City did a nice job re-tooling the wide receiver core this year. Marquise “Hollywood” Brown signed with the team in free agency and they spent the 28th overall pick on WR Xavier Worthy. While he is still awaiting word on a suspension, Rashee Rice will also look to build off a successful rookie year.
What is most appealing about buying into Mahomes this year is that he is coming off a bit of a down season and will be cheaper this season. The two-time MVP ranked 14th among all fantasy scorers last year and 8th among quarterbacks. The 4183 yards and 27 touchdowns he threw for were each the lowest since 2019, and Mahomes failed to register a single rushing touchdown for the first time as a starting quarterback.
There may never be another time to buy the dip on the NFL’s most talented player. As a current third rounder in most fantasy football drafts, Mahomes could return signifcant value this season.
It should also be noted that unlike some of the quarterbacks we will talk about shortly, Mahomes fits the bill as a better NFL quarterback than a fantasy football quarterback at times. While he continually puts his team in positions to win on the field, it does not always translate as cleanly to fantasy football points.
The Middle Rounds
Outside of the true top picks, there is not as much room for separation among quarterbacks. There are fair reasons for belief or skepticism with each of these names. But each quarterback is worth feeling confident about in a starting role on your fantasy football team.
These names are ordered based on their fantasy production in 2023.
- Dak Prescott
- Lamar Jackson
- Jordan Love
- Brock Purdy
- Jared Goff
- Tua Tagovailoa
- C.J. Stroud
- Joe Burrow
While each guy has different pros and cons, you have a good feel for the production from each name above. There can be some concern for a sophomore slump for Stroud and Love, but both quarterbacks ended the season looking extremely sharp last year and have impressive weapons surrounding them.
There could also be a case to be made for Lamar Jackson to climb into the list above. The reigning MVP ranked 4th among all fantasy scorers last year and will be in his second season in the system he was so successful in. However, the addition of Derrick Henry hints that the offense will continue to become more run-dominant, which will likely hurt Jackson’s fantasy football outlook.
The Big Swings & Sleepers
Given how much talent there is at the quarterback position, there is value in waiting until late in the draft. These names are a bit more high-risk/high-reward but can give you the inside track on winning your fantasy football league if you get it right.
Anthony Richardson, QB, Indianapolis Colts
Unlike the other names on here, Richardson is not a player you will be able to get late in the draft. The former fourth overall pick in the NFL draft is going off the board as roughly the sixth quarterback in fantasy football drafts and within the top six rounds, almost universally.
So far in his NFL career, we have seen Richardson suit up for just four games and attempt 84 total passes. He also is coming off a season-ending injury to his throwing shoulder in Week 5 last year. This came shortly after he missed Week 3 with a concussion.
He is undoubtedly going to have his growing pains this season. But when Richardson is on the field, he will be a fantasy terror. His dual-threat nature and ability with his legs will keep him among the best fantasy football performers. In the brief period he did play last year, Richardson rushed for four touchdowns and added three through the air. The Colts will also be motivated to stick through his growing pains after investing so much in the young QB.
However, the risk/reward feels too steep with the young quarterback. If he can stay healthy, Richardson has a chance to end the year as one of the best fantasy football quarterbacks in the league. But his track record for staying on the field isn’t great, even dating back to his time at Florida. Scared money doesn’t make money, but paying the hefty draft cost to add Richardson will be a big risk.
Kyler Murray, QB, Arizona Cardinals
Kyler Murray has experienced a rapid fall from grace. The former No. 1 overall pick once looked like a bright rising star in the NFL but has seemingly been tossed to the side. The 27-year-old returned from an ACL tear to play the final eight games of the season last year in which he tallied 1,799 passing yards and 10 touchdowns. He also added 244 yards rushing and three touchdowns with his legs.
Murray carries a lot of the same dual-threat appeal without as much cost. The last time he played a fully healthy season, in 2020, Murray ranked as the fourth-best quarterback in fantasy football.
In addition, the Cardinals gave Murray the most dangerous weapon he has ever played with by drafting Marvin Harrison Jr. with the third overall pick. The Ohio State product is as NFL-ready as a prospect can come and will be a legitimate WR1 for Murray to lean on.
Look for Murray to get back to his Pro Bowl self and exceed expectations this year. Currently drafted around the seventh round in most leagues, Murray has the potential to outperform this in a major way.
Caleb Williams, QB, Chicago Bears
Caleb Williams is not your typical rookie, and the Chicago Bears do not share the same outlook as a typical team that drafted first overall. Williams has been labeled a can’t-miss prospect for quite some time and will be hungry to prove it.
Beyond Williams, the Bears have a dynamic receiving core. Keenan Allen, DJ Moore, and Rome Odunze provide him with some of the best group of receivers in the entire league and the chance to make a day-one impact.
Currently being drafted as the 14th quarterback in fantasy football drafts, don’t be surprised if Williams flashes bright all year. He may not be as dynamic of a dual-threat option as some of the other names, but he still tallied nearly 1,000 yards on the ground and 27 touchdowns at USC.
Don’t be afraid to take a chance on the Rookie of the Year favorite and buckle up for an entertaining season.
Justin Fields, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers
This pick is as high-risk/high-reward as they come. But if you miss out on several starters, Justin Fields could be worth a late-round stash.
The Steelers made a significant splash this summer bringing in Russell Wilson and Justin Fields to compete for the starting quarterback job. With the season inching closer, there still hasn’t been clarity on who will officially be the starting quarterback or how much separation there is. While Wilson has been referred to as being in the “pole position,” it feels like a much easier route to make the midseason switch to Fields than if the roles were reversed. The fact that the competition remains open is also fairly telling of the outlook on Wilson.
When Fields is under center, he is a terrific fantasy football quarterback. He finished the 2022 season as the seventh-best quarterback, even while playing just 15 games. The Ohio State product rushed for over 1,100 yards that season and has shown some flashes as a passer.
It will be interesting to see the route the Steelers go at the quarterback position. But taking a late flyer on Fields as a stash could make you look like a fantasy football genius among your league mates if things play out right.
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