It’s that time of the year. Fantasy football has begun and we are all about a week away from heavy draft time. Today, we be going through Quarterback Rankings and tiers for the upcoming NFL season. If you don’t know or haven’t read my rankings and tiers rules in the past, these rankings are in the order of my personal preference.
If they are within the same tier, all should be around the same range from a fantasy point projections perspective. So, feel free to choose whomever you prefer. With that out of the way, let’s get right into the 2019 Quarterback Rankings and Tiers.
Tier 1 – The Elite
Patrick Mahomes – Kansas City Chiefs
Aaron Rodgers – Green Bay Packers
Matt Ryan – Atlanta Falcons
Drew Brees – New Orleans Saints
These are the guys that can carry your team at times during the season. You start them and don’t even think about it, regardless of the matchup. Rodgers is the best QB in the world, but the way Mahomes played last year was video game-like. As much as I’m not a fan of Ryan, he’s become a consistent fantasy performer with a bunch of weapons surrounding him. Brees is always in this top tier, but beware that he is starting to slow down, like Tom Brady did last year.
Tier 2 – Top 5 is Possible
Carson Wentz – Philadelphia Eagles
Andrew Luck – Indianapolis Colts
Jared Goff – St Louis Rams
Ben Roethlisberger – Pittsburgh Steelers
I’m as high on Wentz now as I was last year, which means I think if he stay’s healthy, he’ll definitely be a top 5, if not top 3 type of guy. Everyone knows how good is, but everyone also knows how much he has been injured the last couple year. He’s the ultimate big risk, big reward guy. Goff may drop a little in everyone’s mind because of Gurley not being the same, but he’s got a bunch of weapons and a great offensive minded coach. Big Ben always finds a way to end up near the top 5.
Tier 3 – Starters
Baker Mayfield – Cleveland Browns
Cam Newton – Carolina Panthers
Philip Rivers – Los Angeles Chargers
Russell Wilson – Seattle Seahawks
With Jarvis Landry and the newly acquired Odell Beckham Jr, Baker Mayfield has 2 starting WRs that could likely only be rivaled by the Vikings. He’s accurate and on the verge of blowing up. Newton appears to be healthy and before getting hurt, was on a pace to match his MVP year. Rivers is getting older, but no one pushes the ball deep and throws in the red zone more than Rivers. Wilson has a lack of top tier weapons, but he always ends up higher than projected.
Tier 4 – Great #2 QBs
Deshaun Watson – Houston Texans
Tom Brady – New England Patriots
Mitchell Trubisky – Chicago Bears
Kirk Cousins – Minnesota Vikings
Marcus Mariota – Tennessee Titans
Jameis Winston – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Watson was a top 5 QB last year, but I just have a hard time putting him high with that horrible offensive line. I know its blasphemy that I have Brady NOT as a starter, but he was 13th last year and you’re adding another year to that 42-year-old body. Expect Trubisky to make a jump this year with a catching RB in David Montgomery. Not a big fan of Cousins, but it’s hard not to rank someone too high when he has great players to throw to like Adam Thielen, Stefon Diggs, Kyle Rudolph, and Dalvin Cook.
The Titans drafted the dependable hands of AJ Brown, signed the dependable hands of Adam Humphries, and get back the dependable hands of Delanie Walker. No more excuses for Mariota, just needs to stay healthy and he could be an every week starter. Winston adds one of the best offensive minds in the game in Bruce Arians. He is also in a put up or shut up year. Great weapons surrounding him with Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and OJ Howard.
Tier 5 – Starters in 2 QB Leagues
Sam Darnold – New York Jets
Matt Stafford – Detroit Lions
Dak Prescott – Dallas Cowboys
Kyler Murray – Arizona Cardinals
Josh Allen – Buffalo Bills
Derek Carr – Oakland Raiders
Darnold has a big arm and likes to go deep. With the Jets adding Crowder and Le’Veon Bell, it gives him targets that keep the sticks moving. He has the potential to have a big year. Matt Stafford had a below average year and, in some leagues, finished outside the top 20. He still has enough leeway from coaching to throw a lot more than most QBs It’s about the total numbers people, not the efficiency. Prescott could have a lot of incentive to play well this year, 40 mil worth of incentives.
Murray may not be my choice if I was a GM of a football team, but his running ability is golden for fantasy football. If he can get good offensive line play, he could be right around the top 10. Very high upside. Allen is a good athlete with a huge arm and now the Bills give him the speedster in John Brown that could open things up for Allen and the Bills team. Carr is trending down, but when you have Antonio Brown, you’d have to think he can put up above average numbers overall.
Tier 6 – Draft these guys at your own risk
Jimmy Garoppolo – San Francisco 49ers
Lamar Jackson – Baltimore Ravens
Andy Dalton – Cincinnati Bengals
Nick Foles – Jacksonville Jaguars
Garoppolo is the forgotten man from last year. I would be very cautious with him. I like him as a player, but they 49ers need to get their offense more established. Jackson will be a better fantasy QB than real life QB. His legs will be big for fantasy owners. Dalton started off last year hot before reverting back to his average self. Foles is another guy I like as a QB, but I just don’t like the people he will be targeting with the Jaguars.
Tier 7 – Just stay away
Joe Flacco – Denver Broncos
Eli Manning – New York Giants
Ryan Fitzpatrick – Miami Dolphins
Dwayne Haskins – Washington Redskins
I would stay away from Flacco just because they Broncos drafted a young QB, early in round 2. Quarterbacks don’t get drafted in the 1st 2 rounds to just sit the bench. Manning will have a top 10 pick sitting behind him, that’s a worse situation than Flacco. Fitzpatrick is a placeholder and everyone, including him, knows it. Haskins will be given a big leash, my problem with him is the Redskins have like 8 RBs and still don’t have a WR that strikes fear in the hearts of the defense.
Tier 8 – Will likely start 1-2 games before the year is done
Daniel Jones – New York Giants
Josh Rosen – Miami Dolphins
Drew Lock – Denver Broncos
Ryan Finley – Cincinnati Bengals
Jones will be the reason you avoid Manning. He was drafted 6th overall and no matter what the Giants say, you don’t draft someone 6th to not play year one. Rosen was traded to the Dolphins and will be given every chance to show them what he can do. Lock is the reason Flacco is one to stay away from. Finley is someone not talked about. I feel if the Bengals get off to a bad start, they will want to see other options other than Dalton.
Tier 9 – May not start, but can be solid if they do
Ryan Tannehill – Tennessee Titans
Jacoby Brissett – Indianapolis Colts
Robert Griffin III – Baltimore Ravens
Teddy Bridgewater – New Orleans Saints
We all saw the ability of Foles in the playoffs last year. Fitzpatrick will start the season while Winston is suspended. If Luck continues his inability to stay healthy, Brissett showed he is an above average backup. I don’t expect the Ravens to be good, so at some point, I expect to see Jackson on the field. He still needs more time to develop, up his legs could produce instant fantasy points.
If you are in a 1 QB league, you can wait on a QB because it is extremely deep this year. Maybe even wait till round 9 or 10. If you are in a 2 QB league, just get 1 of the guys in the 1st 3 tiers and then 1 in the 4th or 5th tier and you’ll be happy. I suggest waiting on a QB, but make sure you get someone in the 1st 4 tiers. You don’t want to be starting Andy Dalton. With that said, next up, we move on to the TEs.
If you want fantasy advice during the season, you can reach me on twitter @pacman453323 or checkout my weekly fantasy podcast on youtube (information within my twitter).