Top 40 Fantasy Football Quarterback Rankings for 2024

June 10, 2024 Jimm Sallivan

Most fantasy football drafts are a couple of months out, but the arrival of the summer means it’s time to start preparing. And step one in that preparation is getting your rankings down.

SI’s Michael Fabiano has released his initial fantasy football rankings for every position, and now it’s time to dig deeper into each individual position.

Quarterback has been a tricky position in fantasy football over the years. It’s used to be highly valued until the “late-round quarterback” approach took hold. An influx in rushing production and overall elite play over the last few years has caused yet another shift. So let’s take a deeper look at the quarterback rankings, as well as who some of the top values and busts are for 2024.

Rank	Player	Team	Bye Week
40	Mac Jones	JAX	12
39	Kenny Pickett	PHI	5
38	Micahel Penix Jr.	ATL	12
37	Jake Browning	CIN	15
36	Sam Howell	SEA	10
35	Zach Wilson	DEN	14
34	Gardner Minshew	LV	10
33	Justin Fields	PIT	9
32	Aidan O’Connell	LV	10
31	Bo Nix	DEN	14
30	J.J. McCarthy	MIN	6
29	Daniel Jones	NYG	11
28	Geno Smith	SEA	10
27	Drake Maye	NE	14
26	Bryce Young	CAR	11
25	Will Levis	TEN	5
24	Russell Wilson	PIT	9
23	Derek Carr	NO	12
22	Deshaun Watson	CLE	10
21	Baker Mayfield	TB	11
20	Aaron Rodgers	NYJ	12
19	Matthew Stafford	LAR	6
18	Caleb Williams	CHI	7
17	Justin Herbert	LAC	5
16	Tua Tagovailoa	MIA	6
15	Trevor Lawrence	JAX	12
14	Jared Goff	DET	5
13	Kirk Cousins	ATL	12
12	Jayden Daniels	WAS	14
11	Brock Purdy	SF	9
10	Kyler Murray	ARI	11
9	Jordan Love	GB	10
8	Dak Prescott	DAL	7
7	Joe Burrow	CIN	12
6	Anthony Richardson	IND	14
5	C.J. Stroud	HOU	14
4	Lamar Jackson	BAL	14
3	Patrick Mahomes	KC	6
2	Josh Allen	BUF	12
1	Jalen Hurts	PHI	5

Now that we’ve seen the rankings, let’s look at who the biggest quarterback values you should draft are based on who is ranked significantly ahead of their average draft position (ADP) from FantasyPros.

Jayden Daniels (Ranked QB12, ADP QB17)

The biggest value on the list is rookie Jayden Daniels. As the QB17 by ADP, he’s not even being selected as a high-end backup. In reality, he’s ranked as a low-end starting option (for 12-team leagues), and his upside is much higher than that. Fantasy value for young quarterbacks typically comes from rushing production, and that’s something Daniels offers in spades. There’s a chance he turns into a bust, of course, but when you’re drafting him in a spot where league mates are taking guys like Trevor Lawrence and Aaron Rodgers, that’s not a risk that would come back to burn you anyway.

Kirk Cousins (Ranked QB13, ADP QB18)

Kirk Cousins’ ADP makes him the perfect complement for a riskier quarterback like Daniels. Assuming everything ends up clear on the injury front, Cousins should be a pretty safe high-floor kind of player. He’s not going to suddenly blossom into a top-end QB1 the way Daniels could, but he could save you when injuries or bye weeks hit. Ignoring quarterbacks early and pairing Daniels and Cousins in the later rounds is a great approach to capitalize on this value.

Jalen Hurts (Ranked QB1, ADP QB2)

A one-spot difference is not as significant as the gaps we see for Dainels and Cousins, but one spot is significant when it’s the top spot at the position. If your draft approach is to try landing the year’s best quarterback, you can afford to wait a little longer than you might typically. Allen is going as the first quarterback off the board, and if you’re in a more casual league you could even see Hurts falling to the QB3 or QB4 spot because of the name value Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson carry.

On the other side of the coin, these are quarterbacks you should not be drafting. They’re ranked significantly behind their ADP as of our last update.

Tua Tagovailoa (Ranked QB16, ADP QB13)

The 2023 NFL passing yards leader, Tua Tagovailoa is missing a couple of key factors for being a top-end fantasy option in 2024. First, he doesn’t offer any rushing upside (74 yards and 0 touchdowns in 2023). Second, his huge passing upside last year skewed heavily toward the start of the season, not offering much consistency or value when the fantasy playoffs rolled around. For his final eight games of the fantasy football season (weeks 9 through 17), he ranked just 26th at the position in per-game fantasy scoring, averaging just 14.3 per game.

Caleb Williams (Ranked QB18, ADP QB14)

On the other side of the rookie coin, first-overall pick Caleb Williams offers none of the exciting value Jaylen Daniels does. Williams is in a great spot for real-world success as a rookie, for sure, but he’s not the rusher that Daniels is, and the Bears offense also doesn’t figure to be nearly as pass-heavy as the Commanders’.

Jared Goff (Ranked QB14, ADP QB12)

Jared Goff isn’t a horrible pick, being taken two spots ahead of where we have him ranked, but when you’re looking at the difference between QB12 (a low-end starter) and QB14 (a high-end backup), that does matter. Goff was the QB15 in fantasy scoring on a per-game basis last season, and not much has happened with the Lions’ roster this offseason to signal he’s due for a jump. His high-floor production is very replaceable with players going later in the draft, and if you’re taking one of the first 12 quarterbacks off the board in your league, you want it to be one with way more upside.

6 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

2024 Fantasy Football Tight End Tiers: Sam LaPorta Laps Travis Kelce

More Fantasy Tiers: Quarterbacks | Running Backs | Wide Receivers

The 2024 NFL season is fast approaching, so it’s time to look at fantasy positional “tiers.” Unlike my PPR player rankings, tiers group players of similar value. So, if you miss out on a particular player on a tier in your draft, you can see others on that same tier who are good alternatives to select.

I’ve covered quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers, and you can read about all three by clicking the links above, so now it’s time to look at the tight ends. This is probably the least important position in fantasy football, so most managers will wait to fill it rather than take one of the top-end options. As a result, tiers will be uber valuable.

Tier 1 – The Elite

Sam LaPorta, Lions
Travis Kelce, Chiefs
Mark Andrews, Ravens
Trey McBride, Cardinals

This is the first time in years that Kelce isn’t either in his own tier or the top player at tight end. That’s due to a “down” statistical year by his high standards, coupled with LaPorta’s breakout and the fact that Kelce is entering his age-35 season. Andrews should remain a top-five option, and I’ve also included McBride in this tier. He finished seventh in points last season, and that came despite seeing just 10 targets in his first five games. He’s a big breakout candidate.

Tier 2 – Mid TE1s

Dalton Kincaid, Bills
George Kittle, 49ers
Evan Engram, Jaguars
Kyle Pitts, Falcons

Kincaid, like McBride, showed flashes of potential last season and is in a great position to bust out in the stat sheets. Kittle’s points-per-game averages have dropped each of the last six years, but he’s still a surefire top-10 option. Engram, last season’s third-best tight end, could see some regression but remains a starter in fantasy leagues. Could this finally be the year we see Pitts reach his fantasy potential? With Kirk Cousins at the helm, he hasn’t had this good of a chance to be a fantasy asset since he joined the league.

Tier 3 – Low TE1s

David Njoku, Browns
Jake Ferguson, Cowboys
Brock Bowers, Raiders
Dallas Goedert, Eagles

Njoku had a career-best season, but his numbers were far better with Joe Flacco under center than Deshaun Watson. That could be a concern. Ferguson continued the trend of Cowboys tight ends making a fantasy impact, posting a top-10 finish. Bowers is one of the best tight-end prospects to come out of college since Pitts, so he’ll be a popular sleeper even as a rookie. Goedert’s stats have decreased lately, but he’s still a viable fantasy starter.

Tier 4 – High TE2s

Dalton Schultz, Texans
Pat Freiermuth, Steelers
Cole Kmet, Bears

This is where the tight-end position starts to fade in terms of reliable options. Schultz was the TE10 last season, but you must wonder how much Stefon Diggs will eat into his targets. Freiermuth was a fantasy dud last season, but I’m expecting him to rebound, at least at some level, with Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. Kmet, last season’s TE8, will struggle to regain that level after the Bears added Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze and Gerald Everett.

Tier 5 – Mid TE2s

Hunter Henry, Patriots
Luke Musgrave, Packers
T.J. Hockenson, Vikings
Taysom Hill, Saints
Cade Otton, Buccaneers

This tier includes two sleepers in Musgrave and Otton, while Henry and Hill (it’s not a Goodfellas reference) will be matchup-based starters in most leagues. Hockenson is the most difficult player to project. He’s established himself as an elite player and would be in Tier 1 had he not suffered a late-season ACL tear. With no real timetable for when he’ll be back, Hockenson is tough to recommend as more than a risk-reward, No. 2 tight end.

Tier 6 – Low TE2s

Daniel Bellinger, Giants
Chigoziem Okonkwo, Titans
Ben Sinnott, Commanders
Juwan Johnson, Saints
Tyler Conklin, Jets

There are some deep sleepers in this tier, including Bellinger, Sinnott and Johnson. You could also throw Okonkwo into that category, though target share could be an issue with Calvin Ridley, DeAndre Hopkins, Treylon Burks and Tyler Boyd all in the Titans' offense. Sinnott will have to contend with Zach Ertz, but the rookie has great upside and is worth a late flier. Johnson, who showed flashes of potential late last year, could also outplay his draft position.

Tier 7 – High TE3s

Tyler Higbee, Rams
Mike Gesicki, Bengals
Hayden Hurst, Chargers
Zach Ertz, Commanders
Noah Fant, Seahawks

There are a number of players who have had past fantasy success in this tier, but there’s not a whole lot of upside. Higbee is coming off an injury, so his stock has taken a nosedive. Gesicki is in a crowded Bengals pass attack. Hurst hasn't been a fantasy-relevant player in several seasons. Ertz could be limited in Washington’s offense with Sinnott on the roster. Fant is a matchup-based option at best.

Tier 8 – Mid TE3s

Jonnu Smith, Dolphins
Isaiah Likely, Ravens
Tucker Kraft, Packers
Jelani Woods, Colts
Josh Oliver, Vikings

Fantasy managers in deeper leagues could be looking at this group as late-round flies, but in reality there’s not a ton of value. Smith is a strong pass catcher, but the Dolphins offense doesn’t feature the tight end. Likely’s value is limited with Mark Andrews ahead of him on the Baltimore depth chart. Green Bay is loaded with good, young weapons, which will hurt the value of Kraft, who I have behind his teammate Musgrave in the rankings. Woods could be a worthwhile, deep-league flier, while Oliver could have some appeal in Minnesota while T.J. Hockenson is recovering from a torn ACL.

13 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Zero RB Strategy: Why It’s Now a Viable Fantasy Football Draft Approach

I have been a running back truther for as long as I can remember playing fantasy football. My first-ever draft pick came back in 1998 when I took Terrell Davis. I later traded for then-rookie Fred Taylor. Can you say championship?

Since then, I’ve focused my early-round picks on runners. From Emmitt Smith, Barry Sanders, Marshall Faulk, and LaDainian Tomlinson in the past to the likes of Christian McCaffrey and Breece Hall in more recent years, getting a few stud runners was always at the forefront of my fantasy roster build.

So, when the “Zero RB Strategy” was introduced by Shawn Siegele back in 2013, I scoffed. This philosophy is based on completely avoiding running backs in the first five rounds. Instead, fantasy fans load up on wide receivers, a tight end, and a quarterback before turning their attention to the running back position. To me, it made zero sense. After all, backs have long been the lifeblood of fantasy football!

Why the hell would I avoid that?

In my opinion, the Zero RB strategy required a lot of luck. You had to hope at least a few of the backs you drafted after the first five rounds panned out, and many times those lottery tickets ended up in the waiver wire garbage. If you didn’t land a breakout or sleeper runner on the wire either, well, your backfield was likely trash. In this scenario, a bad backfield was a fantasy death sentence.

Then, the 2022 season happened.

A few of the running backs we’ve leaned on for years, like Alvin Kamara, Ezekiel Elliott, Dalvin Cook, and Leonard Fournette (to name a few), saw their totals decline at some level. The top overall pick, Jonathan Taylor, finished as the RB32, making it the third straight year the consensus top pick was a runner who failed to meet expectations. We also saw a further increase in the number of backfield committees emerge around the league.

At the same time, wide receivers thrived.

Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase, and CeeDee Lamb were among the young wideouts who were rising up. A.J. Brown, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jaylen Waddle and Devonta Smith (to name a few) also thrived for fantasy fans. And while the position isn’t completely clear of injuries (Cooper Kupp), it’s far less likely a receiver will suffer a long-term ailment compared to a running back. That’s part of the reason we are seeing so many runners holding out over current contractual issues while No. 2 and 3 wide receivers are getting their bags.

This has been the perfect storm of sorts, and it’s created a huge shift in the importance of wideouts. In the high-stakes world of the NFFC, where some of the best fantasy players play for oodles of dough, eight of the top 12 overall picks are wideouts. What’s more, 17 of the first 36 picks (top three rounds) are receivers. It’s a different world, folks.

When we include these factors, plus the emergence of the top-tier quarterbacks and tight ends as top-50 overall choices, we’re now seeing running backs getting pushed down draft boards. It’s created a scenario where (I can’t believe I’m saying this), the Zero RB Strategy is a more viable approach. In fact, I have even used it in the last two years.

Do I use this all the time? No. I prefer an altered version where I draft three wideouts in the first four rounds. The other two picks are likely running backs. I’ve also used the “Hero RB” philosophy, which has managers grab a running back in Round 1 and then go with wide receivers in each of the next three rounds. It all depends on where you’re drafting and the flow of the draft, but I’ve pushed runners down in my top 200 regardless.

That doesn’t mean I’m avoiding the position altogether, of course. Besides CMC, I’d love to get Bijan Robinson, Breece Hall or Jahmyr Gibbs in the first round this yaer. But when you look at the ADP data, there are more elite runners on the board later in drafts.

Right now, you can draft productive running backs like Kamara, Rhamondre Stevenson, James Conner and D’Andre Swift outside of the top 50. Breakout/sleeper runners, who used to go in the top 50 when managers would reach at the position, are also on the board much later. This season, that list includes the likes of Zamir White, Jonathon Brooks and Zack Moss, who are all available outside the top 80 based on the current ADP data at the NFFC. Heck, you can even get Nick Chubb outside of the top 90. I know he’s coming off a gruesome knee injury, but he’d have been picked much higher in past years.

This strategy isn’t for everyone. Heck, I’ve even said I don’t follow it to a tee. It might be my long love affair with running backs that keeps me from avoiding the position with each of my first five picks. With that said, I am far more likely to have three and maybe four wide receivers on my roster with my first five picks than I would have five years ago.

Don’t be afraid to make that switch to your draft strategies either. Offenses around the NFL have evolved, and fantasy managers should follow. I did. Much like Jedi master Yoda told Luke Skywalker in The Empire Strikes Back, “you must unlearn what you have learned.”

30 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Eight Wide Receivers To Beware in 2024 Fantasy Football Drafts

Success in fantasy drafts is all about projecting which players are on the verge of a big season, and knowing who might take a step back in the numbers. It’s those players, who have been labeled as “busts” in the past, who can be the most detrimental to a fantasy manager’s chances at winning a title.

That might not be truer at a position than wide receiver.

The reason is simple: wideouts have emerged as the single most important position in all fantasy football. That means missing out on a high-end receiver can be tough to overcome. Case in point … fantasy managers who whiffed on Cooper Kupp last season probably had some major issues at the position, unless they picked up his teammate, Puka Nacua.

Most folks probably weren’t so fortunate, however.

With that in mind, here are eight receivers who will be high draft picks or are big names who could struggle to produce as prominent starters.

1. Davante Adams, Las Vegas Raiders

I had Adams listed as a player to beware last season, and he went on to post decreased totals in almost every statistical category. He still finished in the top 10 in points among wideouts, but he was wildly inconsistent. Adams scored fewer than 13 points in nine games, including five with single digits.

The Raiders don’t have an attractive quarterback situation with Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew and the team drafted tight end Brock Bowers in the first round. That could affect Adams’ target share, at least to some degree. So, for those thinking Adams could return to elite fantasy status or that he’ll be more consistent, you might want to think again.

2. Stefon Diggs, Houston Texans

Diggs is coming off a disappointing second half of last season, which resulted in him averaging just 16.1 points per game. That was his lowest total with the Bills. Now in Houston, he joins a super-talented core of receivers that includes Nico Collins, who broke out last season, and Tank Dell, who was on his way to busting out before getting hurt. The team also boasts Noah Brown, Dalton Schultz and a new running back in Joe Mixon. Diggs will be hard-pressed to see anywhere near the target share he enjoyed in Buffalo. Unless injuries occur on the roster, Diggs can’t be trusted to retain his previously elite status.

3. Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams

I know, listing Kupp as a bust candidate after he was a bust last season is low-hanging fruit. And, honestly, part of me wants to put Nacua in the article. After all, we could be (and likely are) drafting him based on a magical, ceiling season in the stat sheets. But the truth is, Kupp has only played in 13 games in the last two years due to injuries, and he’s entering his age-31 season. That makes him a hard fade as a No. 1 wideout, and he’s even a risk as a No. 2.

4. Calvin Ridley, Tennessee Titans

Ridley was a top-20 fantasy wideout last year, but he was anything but reliable. He scored fewer than 12 points 10 times including nine where he scored single digits. Now in Tennessee, the veteran will be catching passes from a young quarterback in Will Levis and contending for targets with DeAndre Hopkins, Treylon Burks and Tyler Boyd. The Titans also have two good backs in Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears, so Ridley could be hard-pressed to see high target totals consistently. To me, he’s only a No. 3 wideout.

5. Keenan Allen, Chicago Bears

Allen was putting up monster numbers last year, but injuries cost him what might have been a career-best campaign. However, an offseason trade to the Bears makes him a lot less attractive from a fantasy standpoint. Their offense is led by a rookie quarterback in Caleb Williams, and it’s loaded with talent that includes DJ Moore, rookie Rome Odunze, D’Andre Swift, Cole Kmet and Gerald Everett. That’s a lot of mouths to feed, making it unlikely that Allen will see 150-plus targets. If you do draft him, it should be as a No. 3 receiver.

6. Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks

Lockett is coming off a down season that saw his reception, yardage, and touchdown totals decrease compared to 2022. What’s more, his 11.9 point-per-game average was his lowest since 2017. Entering his age-31 season (he’ll turn 32 in September), I see Lockett falling behind teammate Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the pecking order. That idea is playing out in drafts, as JSN is going ahead of Lockett based on average draft position. With the statistical arrow pointing downward, he shouldn’t be picked as more than a No. 4 option in drafts.

7. Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers

Watson was considered a breakout player last year, but he went on to miss eight games due to injuries and was held to fewer than 12 points in all but two of the nine games he was active. His absence opened the door for teammates Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks to emerge into viable options for Jordan Love and fantasy managers. I’m not opposed to taking him in the later rounds as a No. 4 wideout, but I’m otherwise out on Watson.

8. Adam Thielen, Carolina Panthers

Thielen was one of the best wide receivers in fantasy football in the first half of last season, averaging 20.2 points in his first seven games. The wheels fell off after that, however, as he dropped to 8.9 points in his final 10 contests. Aside from that, Carolina traded for Diontae Johnson and drafted Xavier Legette, so Thielen will struggle to see such a high target share again. Entering his age-34 season, he isn’t worth more than a late-round selection.

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