(AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
The dynasty off-season is just getting underway and it’s time to start putting together some positional rankings. Now that we have a better understanding of these prospects, I’ll be adding them into this set of rankings and tiers. That said, below, I’ll be ranking the top 24 dynasty quarterbacks and putting them into tiers with what we know right now.
Tier 1
1. Josh Allen
I’ve been hesitant to put Josh Allen as my QB1 for years, but after another QB1 season, it’s time. Although I love betting on talent, especially at the quarterback position, Allen has outscored Patrick Mahomes three out of the last four years. Even if Allen doesn’t dominate for as long as Mahomes, I’d rather have the QB1 in fantasy who can be a huge difference-maker. You can go either way, but Allen has the best floor-ceiling combination in fantasy football.
2. Patrick Mahomes
It’s hard not to put the future GOAT at QB1, but that doesn’t take away from his greatness. Mahomes is the best real-life quarterback, but he doesn’t have elite rushing upside like Allen, Jalen Hurts, or Lamar Jackson. That’s not to say Mahomes can’t run, as he had 389 rushing yards, but even if he’s playing well in real life, his floor is much lower than those other rushing quarterbacks. At the end of the day, you’ll be overjoyed to get either of these tier-one quarterbacks on your roster.
Tier 2
3. Jalen Hurts
At QB3, I have my first unpopular opinion. According to KTC, Hurts is going as the QB5, which screams recency bias. There’s also fear of banning the tush push, but even if that happens, Hurts will still score a ton of rushing touchdowns. Hurts was the former QB1 last December, and many forget he’s an elite rushing quarterback with contract insulation until 2029. Let's not forget that Hurts was injured in 2023, and the Eagles did not live up to expectations. I’m not overreacting to a down year, and Hurts will remain my QB3.
4. CJ Stroud
CJ Stroud just put up one of the best rookie quarterback seasons of all time, and what’s not to love about him? The only concern I have with Stroud is that he doesn’t have the same rushing upside as the quarterbacks above him, and we saw this at Ohio State as well. I’m personally not buying Stroud because I believe QB4 is his ceiling, but based on his talent and production as a rookie, he’s proven he should be there right now. I wouldn’t call Nico Collins or Tank Dell elite, but both players should be attached to Stroud for the next few years which is a nice boost.
5. Lamar Jackson
Lamar Jackson just had a career passing year, and it’s like no one even cares. Not only did Jackson set a career-high in passing yards (3,678 yards), but he had 821 rushing yards, which was his most since 2020. After watching Jackson this season, I’m convinced he’s officially become a great passer, even if he doesn’t get a ton of passing volume. I’m all in on Jackson, as he’s a great passer, an elite runner and is under contract until 2028.
6. Justin Herbert
With the Jim Harbaugh signing, many will have Justin Herbert even higher than this. There’s a lot to love about Herbert, who broke out as a rookie, scoring 22.2 and 22.4 PPG in his first two seasons. Herbert has shown off his talent during his career, but poor coaching has held him back. Even with the coaching question mark fixed, Mike Williams and Keenan Allen won’t be around for much longer, which is a cause for concern.
7. Joe Burrow
The last player in tier two is Joe Burrow, who was the QB4 coming into the season. I know the 2023 season was bad for Burrow, but he was either injured or playing injured the entire season. Burrow will be attached to Ja'Marr Chase for the long run, and it’s being reported that the Bengals will likely franchise tag Tee Higgins. Burrow is a phenomenal pocket passer, and in a Superflex format, I’m willing to bet on him to be a cornerstone asset for years to come.
Tier 3
8. Caleb Williams
At pick eight, we have our first 2024 rookie, Caleb Williams. Williams should go number one overall to the Bears, which will be a good situation for the rookie quarterback. I also expect the Bears to either draft or sign an elite wide receiver to pair with DJ Moore and Cole Kmet. Williams also racked up over 350 rushing yards during his first two seasons, increasing his floor even if he’s not great right away. The talent is through the roof with Williams, and I don’t see him becoming a bust like many have dubbed him to be.
9. Anthony Richardson
Despite missing most of the 2023 NFL season, Anthony Richardson has maintained his value, which speaks to his talent. Williams has a ton of upside, but Richardson’s upside is on a whole new level because of his rushing ability. During his time at Florida, Richardson looked unbelievable running the football, and during his first two games in the NFL, he ran the ball quite efficiently. There are still some concerns surrounding Richardson, but I believe Shane Steichen and company can mold Richardson into a good quarterback.
Tier 4
10. Drake Maye
Drake Maye is our second rookie off the board and belongs in tier four. While I can’t put Maye up there with Richardson, he’s also a phenomenal talent with good rushing upside. Maye had 698 rushing yards in 2022 and 449 in 2023, which is massive considering he’s a likely top-five pick. Maye reminds me of a more well-rounded Trey Lance, and I believe Maye can live up to the crazy expectations Lance had.
11. Jayden Daniels
With what we know right now, I’m assuming that Jayden Daniels will be in the top five or top 10 pick in the NFL draft. The main concern with Daniels is how long he spent in school, but that’s become less of a concern due to NIL money and how many NFL teams rush their rookies into action. If Daniels gets top-10 draft capital, he’ll be given the starting job instantly, which makes him an elite fantasy quarterback from the jump because of his rushing upside. All you need to know is that Daniels just won the Heisman and ran for over 700 yards three years in a row. If the draft capital is there, Daniels is easily a top-12 dynasty quarterback.
Tier 5
12. Kyler Murray
Although KTC values Jordan Love and Trevor Lawrence over Kyler Murray, I don’t see it. Granted, they’re all in the same tier, but Murray has proven the most of the three and is the best runner. Murray should now be fully recovered from his ACL injury, and assuming the Cardinals take Marvin Harrison Jr, he should be in a good situation for quite some time. I expect Murray to bounce back to his 2021 self, where he was averaging 21.5 PPG.
13. Jordan Love
Despite being drafted 26th overall in 2020, this past season was Jordan Love’s first season as a starter. Love was fantastic, throwing for 4,159 yards, 32 touchdowns, to 11 interceptions, and he led the Packers to an upset playoff win against the Cowboys. My concern with Love is that he’s only proven himself for one season, and his floor is lower since he’s not a phenomenal runner (247 rushing yards in 2023). That said, Love is expected to get a massive contract this off-season, giving him long-term job security.
14. Trevor Lawrence
In the last three real money startup drafts I was in, Trevor Lawrence went at 1.09, 2.04, and 3.06. Lawrence is all over the place, and I’m slightly lower than consensus on him, even though he has the potential to be a top-five dynasty quarterback. Lawrence was dubbed as a “generational” prospect but has failed to score more than 18 PPG in his career. Lawrence will likely get a big contract, but it’s hard for me to project a massive jump in year four.
Tier 6
15. Tua Tagovailoa
I’ve gone back and forth with these next three quarterbacks and you can put them in whatever order but Tua Tagovailoa is at the top for now. Tagovailoa is the most talented passer in the group, and it’s expected that he’ll get a big contract this off-season, unlike the other two. Tagovailoa is in a great situation with Mike McDaniel, Tyreek Hill, and Jaylen Waddle. The issue with Tagovailoa is that he has no rushing upside (74 rushing yards in 2023) and has yet to score more than 18 PPG in his career.
16. Brock Purdy
In his first season as a full-time starter, Brock Purdy threw for 4,280 yards, 31 touchdowns, to 11 interceptions and ended up as an MVP candidate. I’m not someone who believes Purdy is a bad quarterback, but he is used in a game-manager role. That’s not an insult to Purdy, but I don’t think he can blossom into a superstar quarterback like the players ahead of him. Also, losing Super Bowl 58 wasn’t Purdy’s fault, but if the 49ers didn’t get over the hump, I wouldn’t be shocked if they let him go. After seeing the 49ers trade Trey Lance who they spent three first-round picks on, I’m worried about Purdy’s long-term security in San Francisco.
17. Dak Prescott
If your dynasty team is in a win now mode, I would much rather have Dak Prescott than any of these other players. Coming off a QB3 finish in 2023, Prescott will be a great fantasy quarterback for the next few years. Age isn’t everything, but it’s worth noting that Prescott is already 30 years old, which hurts his value. That said, Prescott is a proven quarterback who’s in a good situation, making him a very safe bet if you need points.
18. Justin Fields
Over the past few years I’ve watched a ton Justin Fields film, so I have some good insight into his film, which, unfortunately, is not good. Fields has a ton of potential, but he’s just too inconsistent with his throws, doesn’t possess good pocket presence, and his reads are too slow. Maybe Fields needs a change of scenery and can be coached up elsewhere, but even though his situation was bad, he wasn’t able to elevate his team. I’m still fine ranking Fields at 18 due to his potential and rushing upside, but there’s a real chance he won’t have a starting job in a few years.
Tier 7
19. Jared Goff
We know what Jared Goff is, and that’s a nice QB2. Goff is 29 years old and just put up 17 PPG in 2023, which is very respectable. The ceiling for Goff is low, considering his best season was in 2018, where he threw for 4,688 yards and only scored 19.4 PPG. Goff is a high-floor, low-ceiling quarterback, but I’d be happy to have him as my QB2.
20. Baker Mayfield
I almost put Bryce Young ahead of Baker Mayfield, but I just can’t do it after this past year. The former number-one overall pick had a great season and will likely receive a big contract this off-season. Mayfield scored a solid 16.1 PPG, and at 28 years old, I believe he’s put things together. Although Mayfield is going into year seven, he has the talent pedigree to where I believe he still has some room to increase in value.
21. Bryce Young
The 2023 season was a disaster for Bryce Young, and he only scored 9.8 PPG. At this rate, I see Young taking a similar path to Mayfield, where the only way he’ll be able to succeed is outside of Carolina. The Panthers trading their future away for Young was a mistake, and after that, I don’t think they’ll be able to surround him with talent. Young still has upside and great draft capital, but dropping him this far is warranted.
Tier 8
22. Kirk Cousins
To round things out, we have another contending quarterback, Kirk Cousins. It looks like the Vikings will try to bring Cousins back, which would be the best case scenario. Cousins is a pure pocket passer, but he’s averaged over 18 PPG in three of the past four years. Cousins doesn’t have much long-term value as he’s a 35-year-old quarterback coming off an Achilles injury, but he should be a high-end QB2 for a few more years.
23. Will Levis
Will Levis started his career with a bang, scoring 26.6 points in his first-ever NFL start. Unfortunately, the rest of Levis’s rookie season would go downhill, and he finished the year averaging 11.3 PPG. Levis has a ton of potential, and the firing of Mike Vrabel should allow him to throw the ball much more in year two. That said, it’s hard to project Levis out as a long-term starter after his poor 2023 season.
24. Daniel Jones
Daniel Jones doesn’t deserve the money the Giants paid him, but he should still have a place in the NFL as a starter. Jones is a game manager with a ton of rushing upside, which makes him valuable in fantasy. In 2022, Jones ran for 708 yards, propelling him to an 18.1 PPG season. If Jones has a starting job, his rushing upside makes him a borderline QB1.
