This is the third part of the four part series of fantasy rankings that will be coming out in the Power Rankings Digest. The last will be tight ends. We are not here for them, though. We are here, today, for the quarterbacks.
The value of QBs in fantasy can very greatly. Traditionally, leagues usually use a point system that has passing touchdowns at four points. In my home league, passing TDs count the same as any TD, six points. This adds a lot of value to the QB.
For the purposes of these rankings, touchdowns will be four points. Let’s get it!
1. Patrick Mahomes: Mahomes’ floor is so high. He is going to throw the ball a lot and has already shown he can put up video game numbers. If he is healthy for 16 games, I expect a massive year from him. Mahomes also has the ability to rush a little, which is huge for QBs.
2. Lamar Jackson: Speaking of rushing, Lamar Jackson is the best running QB the NFL has ever seen and I don’t think that is a hot take. The Baltimore Ravens have done a tremendous job tailoring their offense to fit Jackson’s skills. I think that NFL defenses will get better in defending him, but he is such a tremendous athlete that he should finish towards the top of fantasy QBs again this year.
3. Dak Prescott: Prescott is another QB that has good rushing production. He finished the year with three rushing touchdowns and that was the lowest he has had since he entered the league. Dallas has plenty of weapons around him and he should produce another good fantasy year.
4. Kyler Murray: I considered Murray for the third spot, but Prescott barely edged him out. One of the best things that Murray has going for him is he is playing in an offense that is going to run a ton of plays and a lot of them are going to be pass plays. He is going to be a star in the NFL and big things are coming for him in 2020. He has outstanding arm talent and like the previous guys, also has the ability to add a rushing upside.
5. Deshaun Watson: Watson lost his number one target to the guy ahead of him on this list, but he is still so talented he should find himself in the top five to ten range once again in fantasy. Like the previous QBs, he is a very good passer, but also adds the rushing threat to make him a great fantasy play.
6. Carson Wentz: If Wentz can stay healthy and his supporting cast can stay healthy, Wentz could have a sneaky great year. He played all 16 games last year, but his supporting cast was ravaged with injuries lat year and he was still able to throw for over four thousand yards and 27 touchdowns. He doesn’t run a ton, but he has the ability to, which, if you couldn’t tell, is a big plus.
7. Russell Wilson: Wilson is the best QB in the NFL not named Patrick Mahomes. He unfortunately plays in a high run offense. However, he still finished with over four thousand years and 31 touchdowns. Wilson and Tyler Lockett at WR may be one of the most underrated duos in the NFL.
8. Josh Allen: Allen is never going to be an elite passer in the NFL. He is a below average thrower, but in fantasy he makes up for it with his rushing upside. He finished the year with nine rushing touchdowns. That is going to be hard to duplicate with the Bills drafting Zack Moss. Moss could poach goal line touches from Allen, as he had one of the highest broken tackle rates in all of college football last year.
9. Matt Ryan: Ryan is so consistent that people seem to get bored with him, kind of like his teammate and number one target Julio Jones. Ryan will finish with over four thousand yards and 28 plus touchdowns and it’ll be just like every other year. The loss of Austin Hooper does hurt him some, but the addition of Todd Gurley as a pass catcher out of the backfield should help him.
10. Tom Brady: This may be the best supporting cast Brady has ever had. Bruce Arians loves to throw the football and Brady now has Gronk back and a more athletic Julian Edelman in Chris Godwin. While Brady isn’t the QB he used to be, the volume he has in front of him sneaks him inside the top 10.
11. Drew Brees
12. Ben Roethlisberger
13. Daniel Jones
14. Matt Stafford
15. Aaron Rodgers
16. Gardner Minshew
17. Cam Newton
18. Baker Mayfield
19. Joe Burrow
20. Drew Lock
21. Kirk Cousins
22. Jared Goff
23. Ryan Tannehill
24. Jimmy Garoppolo
25. Derek Carr
Two of the sneaky names that didn’t make the top 10 are Daniel Jones and Gardner Minshew. I could see both of these guys finishing higher than their rankings. They are playing on teams that are going to be behind in most games and have to throw and they both have rushing upside.
Minshew had 67 rushing attempts in just 12 games a year ago. He runs a sneaky amount, which was very surprising to me.
Jones was just behind him with 45 attempts in 12 games. I would be on the lookout for these guys late in drafts. They offer some great value later on.
Mahomes is the cream of the crop once again. One of the interesting things to watch will be how the lack of OTAs practices and preseason games impacts these guys. A team like the Kansas City Chiefs who are returning all but one of their starters from the Super Bowl and all their coaching staff should be a significant advantage to teams that have had turnover in both players in coaches.
