Young quarterback superstars have officially taken over the top tier of fantasy quarterbacks in 2023. The likes of Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady have given way to the new crop of signal callers with playmaking ability both through the air and with their feet.
Expect the top three quarterbacks to go off the board earlier in fantasy drafts this season as their scoring potential provides a positional advantage over the traditional pocket passers found later in the rankings.’
Below are my 2023 fantasy football quarterback rankings and tiers.
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2023 Fantasy Football Quarterback Rankings
- 1. Patrick Mahomes II, Kansas City Chiefs
- 2. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
- 3. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
- 4. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
- 5. Justin Fields, Chicago Bears
- 6. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
- 7. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
- 8. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
- 9. Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns
- 10. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
- 11. Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings
- 12. Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos
- 13. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
- 14. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
- 15. Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts
- 16. Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets
- 17. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
- 18. Daniel Jones, New York Giants
- 19. Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks
- 20. Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints
Tier 1 Quarterbacks
- 1. Patrick Mahomes II, Kansas City Chiefs
- 2. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
- 3. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Since becoming the Chiefs starter in 2018, Patrick Mahomes II has averaged at least 20 fantasy points per game every season. Last season, he led the NFL with 5,250 passing yards, 41 touchdown passes, and a 77.6 QBR. Aside from being the best passer in the game, he consistently adds 300+ rushing yards and scored a career-high four rushing touchdowns last season.
Nobody will be overlooking Jalen Hurts this season, especially fantasy owners. Hurts elevated himself to an elite fantasy option in 2022 with the highest points per game at the position. His 13 rushing touchdowns easily led all quarterbacks and he added 600 yards and six touchdowns to his passing stats from 2021. With the Eagles narrowly losing the Super Bowl, expect the offensive strategy to stay the same in Philadelphia. Hurts has the highest upside of all quarterbacks and the number two ranking may end up being too low.
Josh Allen rounds out the top tier of quarterbacks. His numbers over the last three seasons are steady in the mid-4,000 yard range with 35-37 passing touchdowns. He has finished in the top-3 in fantasy points per game each year. The Bills added rookie tight end Dalton Kincaid to give Allen another offensive weapon in the middle of the field. Until another rushing threat can be established in the Buffalo backfield, Allen should continue to rack up 700+ rushing yards and near double-digit rushing scores.
Tier 2 Quarterbacks
- 4. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
- 5. Justin Fields, Chicago Bears
- 6. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
- 7. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
- 8. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
The second tier of quarterbacks provides a mix of high-end upside and consistent production. Justin Fields and Lamar Jackson are both magical with their legs. If they can make improvements in the passing game, they have the potential to elevate into the top tier at the position.
Fields rushed for an incredible 1,143 yards in 15 games last season. The addition of DJ Moore and an offseason with Chase Claypool should give him better weapons in the passing game, but he still has a lot to prove.
With the contract issue behind them, the Ravens have gifted Jackson some additional pass catchers in free agent Odell Beckham Jr. and rookie Zay Flowers. If Jackson plays all 17 games, he has number one fantasy quarterback potential, but injury risk has to be baked in after only playing 12 games each of the last two seasons.
The next three young signal callers have shown excellent passing prowess, but lack the rushing ability to generate elite fantasy production. Joe Burrow has similar passing numbers as Josh Allen over the last two seasons, but nearly 500 less rushing yards.
Trevor Lawrence added nearly 500 passing yards and 13 touchdowns from his 2021 numbers with Doug Pederson at the helm in Jacksonville last season. Another similar jump in production could jump him up the rankings.
Finally, Justin Herbert remains in the second tier of fantasy quarterbacks despite a down year in 2022. His touchdowns plummeted to 25 on the season and he laid a goose egg in rushing touchdowns. Quintin Johnston added to the Chargers’ arsenal and Austin Ekeler returning to the team should lead to a bounce-back performance for Herbert.
Tier 3 Quarterbacks
- 9. Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns
- 10. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
- 11. Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings
- 12. Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos
- 13. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
The biggest boom-or-bust play among QB1 options may reside in Cleveland. Deshaun Watson enters his first full season back in the NFL with a lot of questions to answer. In six games last season, Watson posted a career-low 79.1 QBR and 58.2% completion rate. Just a few years back he finished top-5 at the position in fantasy points per game in both 2019 and 2020.
The next three quarterbacks fall into the capped ceiling category. The backfields in both Dallas and Minnesota could be shaken up with Ezekiel Elliott already cut and Dalvin Cook potentially facing the same fate. Dak Prescott and Kirk Cousins consistently put up top-10 fantasy numbers, but their lack of rushing potential limit their upside. Maybe they see an uptick in passing volume with the uncertainty of their rushing attack.
One of the largest disappointments of the 2022 campaign, this may be a buying opportunity on Russell Wilson with the addition of Sean Payton at the helm. Prior to the new batch of exciting young quarterbacks, Wilson’s consistent production near 4,000 passing yards, 34-35 touchdowns, and 300+ rushing yards put him near the top of the quarterback fantasy leaders. The game has changed quickly, but Wilson can still produce mid-QB1 level numbers if he and Payton can mesh in Denver.
Jared Goff was a sneaky top-10 fantasy quarterback last season. The Detroit Lions are one of the most exciting young teams in the league and the additions of Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery, and Sam Laporta should only boost his upside potential.
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