2021 Fantasy Football: QB Rankings

It’s that time of year. The time of year when football fans young and old begin to study for one hallowed event, Draft Day. Yes, it’s time for fantasy football. Wanna have the bragging rights this season? If your answer is yes, read on as I break down my top 15 quarterbacks in terms of fantasy for this season.

*Note: Aaron Rodgers and Deshaun Watson are not featured on this list for obvious reasons. If either are confirmed to play this year, assume they’ll be QB1’s.

Featured image credits: The Japan Times

  1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

ESPN ADP: 20.4

Mahomes has been one of the most consistent fantasy performers since 2018. In 2020, he had just one game in which he scored under 19 points. Andy Reid’s scheme and the Chief’s playmakers boost Patty’s production. He’s the only QB that warrants a top-30 selection because he can basically guarantee you 20+ points per week. 

Patrick Mahomes could get NFL's first $200 million contract — and soon -  SBNation.com
Image from SB Nation
  1. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

ESPN ADP: 31.4

Allen enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2020. Using his immense size, unparalleled arm strength, and powerful legs, he was QB1 with a total of 406.2 points. Not a lot will change in Buffalo, as OC Brian Daboll returns. Allen’s connection with Stefon Diggs should only get better after they spend a full offseason working together, too. 

  1. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens

ESPN ADP: 50.1

Jackson didn’t come close to matching his 2019 numbers, but he dealt with COVID and other injury issues. At full health with an improved group of receivers that added Rashod Bateman and Sammy Watkins, I fully expect Lamar to be back at the top of the fantasy football ladder. Many people will forget that he’s just one season removed from his MVP campaign that saw him score over 28 points per game. Don’t be one of those people.

Lamar Jackson practice video is OK -- sometimes
Image from New York Post
  1. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals

ESPN ADP: 41.8

He may not run as much this year, but Kyler Murray is still a top-tier fantasy QB. Under Kliff Kingsbury, Kyler will throw the ball a ton, leading to huge fantasy performances. So, his scrambling ability is really just icing on the cake. 

  1. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

ESPN ADP: 53.3

Prescott was on pace for a historic season until he fractured his ankle. With a receiving corps of Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, and Michael Gallup, he was airing the ball out for big yardage every week. In fact, he was doing so out of necessity, as the ‘Boys’ defense gave up a ton of points. The Cowboys’ defense is largely unchanged, which is good news for fantasy owners that want to see Dak throw a high volume of passes. The only concern is that he may come out slow after his injury, but all reports say he should be fully ready for training camp.

  1. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers

ESPN ADP: 65.5

Herbert was outstanding in his rookie season. On the downside, he lost Hunter Henry at tight end, only for the Chargers to replace him with Jared Cook. Also, with new HC Brandon Staley at the helm, Herbert may not get as many passing attempts. However, I think already having one season under his belt will benefit this stud QB. 

Justin Herbert is the real deal
Image from The Comeback
  1. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks

ESPN ADP: 66.6

After a hot start to 2020, Wilson cooled down as the season progressed. His early production was largely a result of a weak schedule. This year will be completely different for him in that realm. According to FantasyPros, Seattle has the schedule with the toughest matchups for quarterbacks. His rushing upside will add value, but overall I don’t think Wilson will climb to the heights he reached last season.

  1. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams

ESPN ADP: 116.0

The Detroit Lions have finally let go of Matt Stafford, and they sent him to a very favorable situation. In Sean McVay’s quarterback-friendly offense with high-end receivers in Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp, Stafford should reach new heights. He’s one of my top sleeper picks at this position.

  1. Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans

ESPN ADP: 94.5

Tannehill is my second sleeper after Stafford. Tannehill produced well last season, but he still only threw 481 passes. This statistic can be attributed to the man Tannehill shares the backfield with, Derrick Henry. However, I expect the Titans to throw more often this year after adding Julio Jones to a group of receivers that already included A.J. Brown. On top of that, the Titans’ defense looks weaker than it did last season, meaning Tennessee’s offense will need to put up points quickly through the air. Plus, he’s an underrated runner, as he scored five rushing touchdowns in the final three games of the 2020 regular season.

  1. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles

ESPN ADP: 102.3

Hurts took over for Carson Wentz late last season, and his fantasy production was nothing short of great. He averaged over 23 fantasy points through his four starts. His running ability provides substantial upside, but his passing efficiency must improve, as his completion percentage was a meager 52.0% in 2020. If he can improve in that area, he could be a top-tier fantasy QB.

PFF ranks Jalen Hurts as the NFL's second-worst starting quarterback -  Bleeding Green Nation
Image from Bleeding Green Nation
  1. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars

ESPN ADP: 137.5

We saw Justin Herbert break out as a rookie in 2020, and I expect this trend to continue with Trevor Lawrence. Like Herbert, Lawrence has a big frame and a talented arm. He’ll likely have to throw a ton of passes for the Jags in his rookie year. Couple that with the fact that he has a solid stable of weapons and you have a QB who can put up big points.

  1. Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

ESPN ADP: 79.1

TB12 forges ahead into another season, one that should yield reasonable fantasy success. After a full offseason, his chemistry with his receivers should be even better than it was in 2020. If you’re scared off by his age, that’s understandable, but Brady is simply a different breed.

  1. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals

ESPN ADP: 118.4

Even though he’s coming off a torn ACL, I still expect Joe Burrow to be effective in terms of fantasy. He has a good, young group of receivers in Ja’Marr Chase, Tyler Boyd, and Tee Higgins. His ACL may limit him early, but down the stretch he’ll be a solid QB2.

  1. Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings

ESPN ADP: 165.2

Cousins quietly had a productive season in 2020. He passed for 4,265 yards and 35 touchdowns, landing him the QB11 slot. His numbers should be pretty similar this season, as youngster Justin Jefferson should only improve.

  1. Daniel Jones, New York Giants

ESPN ADP: 165.9

Finally, we have the ultimate sleeper, Daniel Jones. To me, he’s worth stashing as your QB2 because he has everything around him that he needs to succeed. The Giants revamped their receiving corps by signing Kenny Golladay, so he has a top target to lean on. Also, RB Saquon Barkley will come back from a torn ACL. Jones has the weapons and talent to be a productive fantasy quarterback, so if he’s available late in your draft, he’s worth a shot.

Daniel Jones might not be afforded much time for Giants to be patient with  him | amNewYork
Image from amNewYork

Running back rankings coming soon!!

Advertisement

Leave a Reply

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:

WordPress.com Logo

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Log Out /  Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. Log Out /  Change )

Connecting to %s