Fantasy Football QB ESPN Draft Rankings
Last update .
Sep 05 .
06:50 PM EDT
| # | Player | TM | BYE | FF Pts | ADP12 | ADP10 | ↑↓ | GC | DIF | Comp | Att | PaYdsPassing | PaTD | INT | Pa1D | RuAtt | RuYdsRushing | RuTD | Ru1D | Fum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jalen Hurts
Draft Note
Jalen Hurts finished as the QB2 (behind Josh Allen) in 2023 after finishing as the QB3 (behind Patrick Mahomes and Allen) the year before, though he had the highest per-game average (26.4) in 2022. A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert all return, and Saquon Barkley replaces D’Andre Swift at running back. There’s an argument that Barkley could eat into Hurts’s rushing touchdowns, but with 10, 13, and 15 rushing touchdowns for Hurts in the last three years, that doesn’t seem likely. He’s still their best option at the goal line.
| PHI | 5 | 348 | 3.07 | 4.01 | 2 | 1 | 331 | 500 | 3841 | 23.6 | 12.1 | 185.5 | 136 | 576 | 12.1 | 37.5 | 3 | |
| 2 | Josh Allen
Draft Note
Josh Allen finished as the QB1 last year after finishing QB2 in 2022. He’s currently the first quarterback off the board, which is a bit surprising since he’s lost both Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis this offseason. They have been replaced by Curtis Samuel and second-round pick Keon Coleman, so it looks like a downgrade in the receiver room. The other variable is Joe Brady as offensive coordinator. In nine games under Brady (including two playoff games), Allen averaged 233 yards and 1.56 touchdowns, with 47 yards and 1.22 touchdowns as a runner. This works out to 26.8 fantasy points per game thanks to those eye-popping rushing numbers. His averages in the first 10 weeks under Ken Dorsey: 260 yards and 1.90 touchdowns, with 25 yards and 0.70 touchdowns as a runner. That works out to 22.5 fantasy points per game. Under Brady, his rush attempts were 9.2 per game compared to 4.8 per game under Dorsey, so it’s clear that his rushing floor is pretty high heading into 2024.
| BUF | 12 | 345 | 3.03 | 3.07 | 1 | -1 | 331 | 507 | 3881 | 28.1 | 16.0 | 186.9 | 120 | 539 | 10.2 | 35.1 | 3 | |
| 3 | Patrick Mahomes
Draft Note
After a QB1 finish in 2022–his first season WITHOUT Tyreek Hill–Patrick Mahomes had a disappointing QB7 finish last year. It was actually a bit worse than that as he had just the 14th-highest per-game average at his position. Obviously, the Chiefs went on to win their second consecutive Super Bowl, but his fantasy managers probably felt a bit jilted as Mahomes posted four-year lows in passing yards, touchdowns, and rushing touchdowns. It remains to be seen if this is a blip in his career or the start of a trend, but the Chiefs did try to shore up the receiving corps, replacing Marquez Valdes-Scantling with the productive Hollywood Brown and the speedy Xavier Worthy. Rashee Rice is facing some offseason trouble, but the Chiefs now have appealing depth in the receiver room. Mahomes should bounce back with a top-five season.
| KC | 6 | 318 | 3.08 | 4.02 | 3 | 0 | 394 | 590 | 4378 | 32.8 | 14.0 | 213.8 | 77 | 375 | 1.4 | 24.4 | 3 | |
| 4 | Lamar Jackson
Draft Note
Lamar Jackson finished as the fantasy QB3 in 2023 and had the third-highest per-game average. He missed some time in both 2021 and 2022, but had the eighth-highest and the fifth-highest per-game averages, respectively. His best season was back in 2019 when he finished as the QB1. Odell Beckham has moved on, but the Ravens are expecting Rashod Bateman to pick up the slack. HC John Harbaugh singled Bateman out as a player he expects to make a leap in 2024. Jackson should be a rock-solid top-five option at the position, but appears to lack the rushing touchdown upside with only 10 rushing scores in the last three seasons. Derrick Henry is now in the fold, so the Ravens don’t have much incentive to expose the 215-lb Jackson around the goal line.
| BAL | 14 | 316 | 4.06 | 5.02 | 4 | 0 | 294 | 442 | 3454 | 24.6 | 9.8 | 166.2 | 141 | 798 | 4.2 | 52.0 | 3 | |
| 5 | C.J. Stroud
Draft Note
As a rookie, C.J. Stroud finished as the fantasy QB12, though he missed a couple of games. It was the ninth-best fantasy performance by a rookie quarterback since 2000. Stroud’s 4,108 yards were the third-highest by a rookie in that span and his 23 touchdowns tie for fifth-highest. Stroud is primed for another starter-caliber season, though they lost a good pass-blocker in tackle George Fant, who was replaced by second-round draft pick Blake Fisher. Stefon Diggs joins breakout stars Nico Collins and Tank Dell in the receiver room, so Stroud has plenty of weapons to throw to. He may be able to crack the top five.
| HOU | 14 | 313 | 5.04 | 6.02 | 6 | 1 | 339 | 518 | 4466 | 28.0 | 7.0 | 209.1 | 41 | 182 | 4.0 | 11.8 | 3 | |
| 6 | Anthony Richardson
Draft Note
The rookie only played two full games and was knocked out of two other games before halftime, but he still showed flashes of fantasy superstardom accounting for seven touchdowns in roughly 2.6 games worth of action. He posted the highest fantasy point per attempt (passing + rushing) in the league. The Colts re-signed Michael Pittman and drafted another weapon, Adonai Mitchell, and should have a healthy Jonathan Taylor in tow. Only time will tell if Richardson is more of an injury risk than other quarterbacks, but studies have shown that mobile quarterbacks aren’t injured at a higher rate than “pocket” quarterbacks.
| IND | 14 | 311 | 5.06 | 6.04 | 5 | -1 | 307 | 516 | 3525 | 19.6 | 7.7 | 170.7 | 114 | 560 | 9.7 | 36.5 | 3 | |
| 7 | Kyler Murray
Draft Note
Kyler Murray sat out the first nine games after tearing his ACL late in the 2023 season. From Week 10 to Week 17, he was the fantasy QB10. That mirrored the QB8 production he provided in the 10 games prior to his injury in 2022. He was the QB10 in 2021 but had the fourth-highest per-game average that year. Hollywood Brown has been replaced by Marvin Harrison Jr., which looks like an upgrade. Murray also has other competent weapons like Trey McBride, Michael Wilson, and Greg Dortch. Murray’s rushing was down a little when compared to pre-injury 2022, and he should be fully healthy heading into the 2024 season. He’s a solid QB1.
| ARI | 11 | 302 | 6.06 | 7.06 | 7 | 0 | 330 | 497 | 3778 | 22.4 | 10.3 | 183.1 | 90 | 532 | 5.9 | 34.6 | 3 | |
| 8 | Dak Prescott
Draft Note
Last season, Dak Prescott finished as the fantasy QB4 and had the fifth-highest per-game average. He missed some time in 2022, but had the 13th-highest per-game average, and he was the QB9 in 2021. So he has a long history of starter-level numbers. The Cowboys return most of Prescott’s weapons, losing Tony Pollard and Michael Gallup to free agency. The key receivers–breakout star CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks, and Jake Ferguson–are all back. Dallas lost some talent along the offensive line, but they used premium draft capital to shore up the unit. Prescott should have another solid season.
| DAL | 7 | 300 | 6.10 | 7.10 | 9 | 1 | 374 | 553 | 4293 | 33.4 | 15.1 | 207.9 | 49 | 221 | 1.4 | 14.4 | 3 | |
| 9 | Joe Burrow
Draft Note
Joe Burrow was the QB17 through 10 weeks, before he suffered a season-ending wrist injury in Week 11. After a very rough start–Burrow was the QB31 through the first four weeks!–he settled in and was the QB6 from Week 5 to Week 10. This production was more in line with his QB4 finish in 2022 and his QB6 finish in 2021. We can probably write off those early-season struggles as an aberration. The Bengals lost Tyler Boyd in free agency, but added the talented Jermaine Burton in the Draft. At tight end, they replaced Irv Smith with Mike Gesicki, who will join mini-breakout Tanner Hudson and Drew Sample in the tight end room. Burrow should post solid QB1-type numbers in 2024.
| CIN | 12 | 295 | 6.07 | 7.07 | 8 | -1 | 387 | 573 | 4170 | 29.6 | 12.2 | 205.3 | 80 | 255 | 2.6 | 16.6 | 3 | |
| 10 | Jordan Love
Draft Note
Jordan Love was the fantasy QB15 through the first nine weeks, which wasn’t a bad start considering he was the QB26 in 2023 ADP. From Week 10 to Week 17, he was the fantasy QB2 behind only Dak Prescott. He finished with 4,159 yards and 32 touchdowns, adding a solid 247 yards and four touchdowns as a runner. That made him the QB5 in fantasy and the best draft day value at his position. While his receiving corps lacks star power, it is arguably the deepest receiver room in the league, with Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks, and Bo Melton providing timely and productive play whenever called upon. Love also has a couple of talented young tight ends in Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft. As this group grows together, Love is a good bet for another top-10 finish and has proven top-five upside.
| GB | 10 | 295 | 7.04 | 8.06 | 10 | 0 | 345 | 544 | 3841 | 31.0 | 11.0 | 187.5 | 45 | 248 | 3.3 | 16.1 | 3 |
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What is a QB in Fantasy Football?
The quarterback is the player who lines up behind the center. They are the most important player on their NFL team. They are responsible for communicating with the head coach, audibling at the line of scrimmage, and getting everyone in the right spot. There is no more crucial position in all of sports. In years past, fantasy managers have largely decided to wait on this position because of how many quality passers there in the league, but with the increase in how many quarterbacks can run, the elite guys on top are becoming more and more valuable because they possess week-winning upside.
Who is the best Fantasy QB?
Josh Allen is largely viewed as the best passer in fantasy football. He has the most overall talent in regards to his ability as a pocket passer and his rushing skillset. He is set to once again lead one of the most explosive offenses in the league and has been the No. 1 fantasy quarterback in back-to-back seasons.
How important is a QB in fantasy?
The quarterback position had been devalued in the past and fantasy managers have often been told to wait on the position because there are so many quality players to choose from. However, in recent seasons, the elite quarterbacks have such a high ceiling that it's becoming more reasonable to target some of these elite passers. Guys like Allen, Herbert, Mahomes, Murray, and Jackson offer weekly upside of 35+ and those types of performances can easily sway fantasy contests.
Should you have 2QBs in fantasy?
It all depends on who your starter is. If you've used a premium draft pick on one of the top five passers in fantasy football, it may not be necessary to roster two quarterbacks. However, without rostering one of these passers, it makes sense for fantasy managers to target a high-upside passer, such as Justin Fields because of his elite rushing ability. The bench is for upgrading our starting lineup. That can come in many different ways.
Are 2QB and Superflex Leagues Different?
There is a difference between two-quarterback leagues and Superflex leagues. In 2 quarterback leagues, fantasy managers are required to start two quarterbacks each week. In Superflex leagues, you'll be required to start one quarterback. The option to start two quarterbacks is always there and most often, it'll make sense to start two quarterbacks, but it is not a requirement. Fantasy managers can start any other positional player in their superflex spot, which also includes a second quarterback.
What is Streaming QB?
Streaming quarterbacks is the practice of using a new quarterback in your starting lineup on a weekly basis. This practice tends to involve playing the right matchups and looking at which defenses typically struggle to slow down quarterbacks. Other things fantasy managers should look for when streaming the position are games with a high implied point total.
What Should I look for when drafting a QB?
There are several things to consider when looking at quarterbacks. To determine just what their ceiling is, fantasy managers will need to look at how many rushing attempts they have and what their skill set is on the ground. If they're not rushing quarterbacks, it's important to consider the pace of play of their offenses, how many pass attempts they'll have, the talents of their pass catchers, offensive line, and coaching staff.
When Should I Draft a QB?
In one quarterback leagues, fantasy managers shouldn't be looking to draft a quarterback until at least round five. The first four rounds offer so many quality positional players, that it's hard to pass on these options for a quarterback because as great as the elite passers are, there still are plenty of quality options. Once you enter round five, fantasy managers can begin considering drafting some of the top-six passers. This includes Allen, Herbert, Mahomes, Jackson, Murray, and Hurts. If you miss out on these signal-callers, fantasy managers shouldn't be afraid to wait on the position for a while before finally drafting someone like Aaron Rodgers, Derek Carr, or Kirk Cousins. These three players provide a safe floor and a cheaper draft cost. If taking this route, it makes sense to then target some later passers such as Justin Fields who is a konami code passer and presents significant upside.
In Superflex and two quarterback leagues, their value grows immensely. Fantasy managers will need to be prepared to use first and second-round draft picks for the elite quarterbacks. If it's a 6-point passing touchdown league, this can be a viable strategy because they are the most valuable position.
M/U = 4for4 matchup ranking (Schedule-Adjusted Fantasy Points Allowed). 1 = Worst Matchup, 32 = Best Matchup
