With training camps getting underway, I'm going through the four cornerstones of fantasy football -- quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end -- and providing tiered rankings for each position heading into the 2025 NFL season. It's an easy and efficient way to organize draft thoughts. Savvy? Let's take a look at today's subject matter: QBs.
Tier 1
- Josh Allen is an easy selection for me as the top quarterback on this list. The reigning league MVP is the only player in NFL history to have 25-plus passing touchdowns, 10-plus rushing touchdowns and fewer than 10 interceptions in a season.
- The rushing floor is so inviting for Lamar Jackson here -- with at least 700 rush yards in each of his last six seasons -- but he's criminally underrated as a passer. With 41 pass TDs and four INTs in 2024, he became the first player in NFL history with at least 40 pass TDs and fewer than five picks in a season.
- Every year, I believe the Eagles will shy away from the Brotherly Shove. They might use it even more this year out of spite after the proposal to ban the play did not pass this offseason -- which is great for Jalen Hurts, who's put up double-digit rushing touchdowns in four straight seasons, including 14 in 2024.
- Last season's league leader in pass attempts (652), completions (460), pass yards (4,918) and pass TDs (43), Joe Burrow had seven games with at least 24 fantasy points. The Bengals retained the quarterback's best weapons in the passing attack, and he might have to throw Cincinnati back into games again this year -- that defense didn't improve much on paper.
Tier 2
- Jayden Daniels had three games with more than 30 fantasy points last season. Determined to help their quarterback build on his 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign, the Commanders added more weapons (Deebo Samuel) and protection (Laremy Tunsil) for him in 2025.
- Bo Nix was so consistent as a rookie, notching nine games with at least 19 fantasy points. I'd think about letting others in your league take the quarterbacks ranked above Nix on this list, and then consider landing a great value for Denver's second-year passer.
- Patrick Mahomes is still a great quarterback despite having one of the worst statistical performances of his career in 2024. By the way, the Chiefs still won 15 games and made the Super Bowl. If Mahomes falls far enough, I'm in.
- Don't overlook Baker Mayfield, who had 12 top-10 finishes last season and averaged more than 28 points per game in the fantasy playoffs.
Tier 3
- I'm buying into Justin Fields reaching his full potential with the Jets this year. The veteran QB has the pieces around him to succeed, and Fields' play is likely to make OC Tanner Engstrand a highly sought-after coaching candidate.
- Believe it or not, Kyler Murray struggled a lot when he was forcing the ball to Marvin Harrison Jr. last year. Everything out of Arizona indicates that won't be a problem this season.
- Yes, I'm trying to temper my own personal expectations for Caleb Williams this year. But it's hard not to be totally confident.
- I mean, I appreciate the Chargers drafted another wide receiver (second-rounder Tre Harris) for Justin Herbert, but come on. The dude needs more to work with in the pass game.
- Brock Purdy is good, people. Let them sleep.
- Drake Maye had at least 17 fantasy points in six of his last 12 starts last year. Curious to see what happens with Mike Vrabel as his head coach, a retooled offensive line and more talent at the skill positions.
- This might be it for Trevor Lawrence for me. I want to believe. Liam Coen seems like a perfect coach for him. I just have to see it.
- I'm not going to be shocked if Dak Prescott ends up among the top five fantasy QBs this season after an injury-marred 2024 campaign. He has a new play-caller in head coach Brian Schottenheimer, and CeeDee Lamb has a new running mate in George Pickens.
Tier 4
- When you look at this tier, you understand why you could absolutely wait on a quarterback in your drafts and still be good this year -- especially when it comes to the top of this grouping, where Jordan Love (16th among QBs in fantasy points last season), Jared Goff (sixth) and C.J. Stroud (17th) reside.
- One player I plan to have on my roster for sure this season is J.J. McCarthy. To me, the floor for the 2024 No. 10 overall pick in his debut campaign as a starter is what Brock Purdy put up last season (17.79 fantasy points per game and ranking of 13th in total points). The ceiling is what Bo Nix accomplished last year (18.66 fantasy points per game, ranking seventh in total points).
- I'm also very interested in Cam Ward. Miami fans keep telling me he's better than Jayden Daniels.
Tier 5
- All four teams in this tier have multiple options to start at QB, but I limited myself to ranking the four that I think are most worth paying attention to for fantasy purposes.
- It seems likely that Russell Wilson is going to start the season as the Giants' QB1, but their schedule looks quite daunting; thus, I don't see him as a streamable option and haven't ranked him here. I would take a flier on Jaxson Dart as a stash for the second half of the season.
- What a difference one year has made for Anthony Richardson, who was coming off the board as the QB3 overall in some spots last year and now will have to fight for his job against Daniel Jones.
- I'm not planning to take a chance on Tyler Shough, unless I'm in an extreme circumstance or rolling the dice in a dynasty league. I'm even less enticed at this point by Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders in Cleveland, so I stuck with Joe Flacco as my last-resort placeholder to finish off this exercise.
