• Josh Allen The top players in 2024 will be: Even without last year's top receiver option, Allen is still an elite fantasy option this season.
• Two rookie quarterbacks in the top 12: High expectations Caleb Williams and Jayden Danielsand they should see results in year one.
• Get an early start on fantasy football: use PFF Fantasy Football Mock Draft Simulator Get ready for your live draft by creating a real live mock draft simulation.
Estimated reading time: 9 Minutes
Breaking fantasy football rankings into tiers can help fantasy managers understand the differences between each grouping and how to assess the value of players at each position this season, so let's take a closer look at quarterback rankings and tiers heading into the 2024 fantasy football season.
Tier 1: Fantasytastic Four
Josh Allen Get a little advantage Jalen Hurts He enters this season having finished last year averaging 24.3 fantasy points per game (1st) as the QB1 and 0.63 fantasy points per dropback (1st), both slightly higher than Hurts. The biggest question mark for Allen this season will be regarding his receiving weapons, as he will lose his WR1. Stefon DiggsThis isn't as much of a concern for Allen, who relied on his top receiver for just 19.2% of his fantasy points, well below average and ranking 24th out of 28 quarterbacks. Allen will be fine without Diggs this season and is worthy of leading this top tier.
Both hurt Lamar Jackson He offers the best combination of rushing volume and passing ability, averaging more than eight rushing attempts per game last season. Justin FieldsAllen, Hurts and Jackson were also the only quarterbacks to average more than six rushing attempts and 225 passing yards per game. This high-end rushing ability produces big upside each week and is one of the most consistent quarterback metrics year after year, solidifying both players as top-tier options.
Patrick Mahomes His 2023 fantasy season was less than expected, as he finished 10th among QBs in points per game (18.8), but he's only just one year removed from being the No. 1 QB overall in fantasy. Marquise Brown and Xavier WorthyThis gives him more passing potential and a more capable option on the other end of the pass. Betting on Mahomes having another relatively quiet year in fantasy just doesn't feel optimal, all things considered, which is why he remains in this top tier.
Tier 2: Overall upside to QB1 per week due to rushing ability or elite offensive weapons.
CJ Stroud Stroud led the second tier with a very promising rookie season in which he averaged 273.9 passing yards (3rd) and only generated 12.1% of his fantasy production as a runner. Stroud's passing volume and effectiveness will be key to him topping this tier, along with Diggs, Nico Collins and Tank Del That's leading the way. Stroud averaged 19.1 fantasy points over the course of the season as a rookie without Diggs and Dell, and a year of further development and taking full advantage of elite passing options should give fantasy managers more confidence that he can provide a big return on this investment.
Anthony RichardsonRichardson's rookie year in 2023 was significantly shortened by injury, but in the time he was on the field, he hinted at elite fantasy upside thanks to his rushing ability. Richardson appeared in four games with only the runner and scored 9.4 fantasy points per game, which was higher than Hurts (8.8) and Allen (8.4). He also recorded the highest fantasy points per dropback (0.73) in a small sample size last season. Richardson is prone to taking big hits, so he is at risk of getting injured again, but betting on his potential and pairing it with a safer bet later in the draft is the optimal strategy if you are betting on him this early.
Joe Burrow He had a disappointing 2023 season due to injuries, but he's in great form. Candidate for revival When he's been able to stay healthy this season, Burrow has averaged just 15.5 points in 10 games, but when he was seemingly healed from a calf injury (Weeks 5-11), he averaged 19.9 points and was QB9 during that span. Burrow has shown he can be an elite passer in the NFL, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins His biggest asset is that he'll likely bounce back in 2024.
both Kyler Murray and Dak Prescott Both have flourished as high-end fantasy starters, with Murray offering great rushing potential and Prescott being extremely effective as a passer last season, and both will no doubt continue to showcase their skill sets in 2024.
Tier 3: The chances of an overall QB1 upside week-to-week are slightly lower, but certainly there.
There are two rookie quarterbacks in this third tier who are ranked in the top 12 at their position. Historically, the odds are low to bet on them, but if you dig into the historical comparisons and expectations between the two, Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels (here), they should feel pretty comfortable about their chances of delivering in Year 1. As the No. 1 overall pick, Williams has the talent to hit the ground running, which will only be helped by one of the best offensive situations in the NFL. Keenan Allen, DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, Cole Kmet and D'Andre Swift Distribute the balls.
Daniels has some good receiving options, but his rushing potential is arguably among the best in the league. He has scrambled 14.0% of his collegiate dropbacks, the second-highest mark among quarterback prospects since 2017. He has been the No. 1 pick for the second straight season. LSU There he recorded at least 1,000 yards rushing and 10 rushing touchdowns, which should be a key part of his game in the NFL, making him a very attractive fantasy prospect.
Jordan Love and Brock Purdy Both were among the top fantasy quarterbacks last year, which came as a surprise to some as both were drafted well outside the top 20 at their positions last offseason. Both players came off breakout seasons in which they averaged over 19.0 fantasy points each and are expected to continue their success in 2024.
Tier 4: Solid, reliable options aiming to finish in the top 12 every week
There are safer quarterback options in this fourth tier who will have the occasional big-producing week, but when averaged over the course of a season, are much more likely to hover just above or below the top 12 at their position.
other than that Trevor Lawrence (15th), both of these quarterbacks ranked in the top 10 in PFF passing grade last season and averaged over 240 passing yards per game. Their passing volume and ability will continue to be key to their success in 2024, making them some of the best QB2 options in fantasy football this season.
Tier 5: Less consistent options that don't rank in the top 12 often
This tier is made up of some of the lower-tier backup quarterback options for 2024, but any of them could have a case to be considered higher on this list if they didn't have question marks.
for Matthew Stafford and Baker MayfieldBoth players are averaging just over 16.5 points per game, which isn't to say they're outstanding fantasy options in 2023. What works in their favor is that they have some very good wide receivers between them to throw passes to. Puka Nacua, Cooper Kupp, Mike Evans and Chris GodwinBut neither quarterback has finished in the weekly top 12 at their position just five or fewer times in 2023, so they don't necessarily offer a high enough chance of being QB1 prospects.
Will Revis He plays just nine games as a rookie and has real question marks over him as he was the most dependable quarterback in the league to get fantasy points from his top receivers. DeAndre Hopkins (43.4%). Luckily for Revis, Hopkins is back, but his weapons are Calvin Ridley, Tyler Boyd and Tony PollardThe Tennessee Titans have also placed a premium on strengthening their offensive line, giving Revis every opportunity he needs to succeed, which could lead to a breakout season in 2024.
Deshaun Watson Since joining the Cleveland Browns, he has not played more than six games in a season. Aaron Rodgers He has played less than six snaps since joining the New York Jets. But each has potential upside that could at least shine on any given week, even if it seems far from his current status. For Watson, relying on his rushing prowess would be a big help and would seem much more likely to contribute to fantasy success than recapturing his top-three passing form from 2020. Rodgers is not far from his second consecutive MVP season, but as a 40-year-old quarterback just coming off an Achilles injury, he is much more of a risk going forward and will not be called upon as much in fantasy this year.
Level 6: Low floor/low ceiling option
This tier contains all of the remaining projected starters heading into this season, and there aren't many in this group who have a shot at cracking the top 12. It's not impossible to get there in any given week, but you'll be choosing from a mostly proven low ceiling/low floor crowd.
Fantasy managers have a pretty good idea of what they're getting from veterans at this level, so betting on a rookie is probably the most appealing bet. J.J. McCarthy, Drake May and Bo Nix They have shown incredible strength and have the potential to have a strong season. Jordan Love or CJ Stroud Last year, even if it was a more unlikely outcome.
Tier 7: Backups who may one day see the field
Finally, a small group of backup quarterbacks round out our rankings for deeper leagues. This group is ranked by a combination of fantasy upside room and overall likelihood to take the field in 2024, whether due to injury history or inexperience of the starter. Justin Fields He is the only player to start ahead of him (Russell Wilson) doesn't meet that standard, but he has the overwhelming fantasy advantage of the group and comes out on top.
