Quarterback Rankings #1-12 for Fantasy Football Drafts - Aaron Rodgers, Trevor Lawrence, Tua Tagovailoa, more

There are only five more Sundays without football. It seems like the draft is barely in the rearview, and already the regular season is rapidly approaching. Soon we will find out if Russell Wilson or the Cleveland quarterback is worth their massive contracts, or if it has become a young man’s game with the emergence of Trevor Lawrence and possibly Justin Fields.

I am here to discuss the quarterback position. I will be sharing my top-12 QBs for this upcoming season with a brief description of the factors that went into my evaluation. 

I will be releasing my QBs ranked from 13-24 later this week so be sure to stay tuned! You can also check out my video player profiles on TikTok @FiresideFantasy_FF. 

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12. Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets

Can Rodgers return to his top-tier fantasy production? Honestly, I have no idea, but he certainly has a chance on his new team. With new weapons and the best defense he's played with since his Superbowl-winning team in Green Bay, this could be a great fantasy season for Rodgers. It's always a big ask to predict the success of an aging player on a new team, but if anyone is going to pull it off, it will be Rodgers this year.

11. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins

Unfortunately, you can't talk about Tagovailoa without addressing his health. After bulking up this off-season and taking lessons on how to fall properly, we're hoping he's healthy for all 17 games. What's interesting is that the health caveat can be made for all of the QBs on this list, however, concussions appear to be more likely to repeat. As a result, we have to state "if he is healthy" whenever we mention his name.

Regardless, when he is on the field, we have seen what he can do with these weapons. However, there is an inherent risk to selecting him this early, pushing him down to my QB11 this season.

10. Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings

Over the last three years, Cousins has finished as the QB11, QB11, and QB8, respectively. Despite all the talk about how he can't get it done, he always seems to come through for fantasy. The team has added first-round WR Jordan Addison, who possesses inhumane speed and crisp route running. I mean, Addison has been known to reach 140 miles per hour when there's a speed limit of 50. All jokes aside, his addition alongside Justin Jefferson, K.J. Osborn, and T.J. Hockenson will help Cousins' weekly production.

Plus, this team lost some key defensive pieces as well as losing their star running back Dalvin Cook. Although Alexander Mattison could surprise, it's hard to see the run game being as strong as it has been previously. Lock Cousins in for a surprisingly good season in 2023.

9. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars

Finally, the best QB prospect since Andrew Luck looked the part last season. Lawrence is rock solid for fantasy and has a great supporting cast to repeat his success. Furthermore, this team's defense is not projected to be great, hopefully forcing Lawrence into better game scripts.

The team also added wild-card receiver Calvin Ridley, who has been a walking highlight reel in training camp so far. If Ridley can step up as the true alpha receiver we have seen in the past, along with the underrated group of Christian Kirk, Evan Engram, and Zay Jones, Lawrence should have an excellent season. He's a rock-solid QB, however, I struggle to see him cracking the top five this season.

8. Daniel Jones, New York Giants

Quietly coming in as the QB9 last season, Jones deserves more respect from the fantasy community. Although he possesses an underrated rushing ability, he will most likely need to pass for more than the 15 touchdowns he threw last season to replicate his fantasy success. Thankfully, the team bolstered their passing weapons by drafting Jalin Hyatt, signing Parris Campbell, Cole Beasley, and Darren Waller, as well as bringing back Darius Slayton and Sterling Shepard.

Now that Saquon Barkley is for sure going to play this season, the team is wildly improved from last year. Think about it, Jones was the QB9 in 2022 with Slayton, Isaiah Hodgins, and Daniel Bellinger as his top receiving weapons. No disrespect to those guys but this season provides him with the supporting cast to take another step forward. He might not be sexy, but he has a steady shot at building on his fantasy production from last season.

7. Justin Fields, Chicago Bears

Honestly, I'm skeptical of Fields' passing ability. I know we saw it on display in college, but we have barely seen glimpses of his accuracy at the NFL level. Despite my love for Lamar and his passing ability, I have not seen enough from Fields to project the same development that has Jackson sitting in the top five of my rankings.

Although D.J. Moore helps this offense a lot, his rushing ability is what ranks him here. The real question is can he pull a Hurts and have double-digit rushing touchdowns? If he does, he's elite. However, his ceiling will depend on if he can also surpass the 20-passing TD mark.

6. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals

Joe Shiesty slides in as not only the coolest QB on the list but also the sixth for fantasy purposes. Burrow carries all the ability of the top five but is limited due to his lack of rushing. He has the best WR core in the league and the Bengals continue to bolster their offensive line.

Additionally, this team lost their two starting safeties to free agency and has unproven draft capital filling the void. Although it may not translate to NFL success, this team could replicate the Lions' shootout mentality of 2022. Only instead of Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and D.J. Chark, we have Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins. If that doesn't get you excited for this passing game, I am not sure anything will. Even with the calf sprain, he suffered early in camp, he should be 100% when the season starts. As a result, he's a locked-in top-10 QB for fantasy purposes and could easily crack the top five. 

5. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles

Jalen Hurts is basically Josh Allen Lite. You can argue he is the more dynamic runner but lacks the arm talent of Allen. Having said that, he is a prolific passer and has a plethora of weapons to work with. These weapons somehow improved as the elite rushing ability of Rashaad Penny and the dual-threat explosiveness of D'Andre Swift were added to the mix.

Plus, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are always among the best in the league at their position. The only reason I have him down at five is that I don't expect him to score 13 rushing touchdowns again. That means he'll have to pass for more than last year's 22 touchdowns to crack the top three once again.

4. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens

Despite not finishing in the top five since 2019, LJ received a massive contract and will have his best-supporting cast yet. With three first-round receivers surrounding him, along with arguably the second-best TE in the game, and a healthy J.K. Dobbins, the sky is truly the limit for Lamar.

Now that Todd Monken has taken the offensive reigns, the passing volume will likely increase. Jackson will also be among the top of the position for rushing, and if he can add consistent passing volume, he may be unstoppable for fantasy. In fact, over his last two years, in games he's passed for over 200 yards, he has averaged 24.5 fantasy points. That's the same as Mahomes in 2022, and that doesn't include Jackson's MVP season.

3. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

He's magic. I don't think there is another word to describe how incredible Mahomes is. Lock him in for nearly 5000 yards and 35 touchdowns, which slots him in as my QB3 for this season. Over the last three years, Mahomes has not scored fewer than 360 fantasy points. For perspective, Joe Burrow scored 350 last season and was the QB4.

2. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

Arguably the most consistent QB for fantasy, Allen is my QB2 for 2023. Over the last three years, he has finished as the QB1, QB1, and QB2, respectively. His rushing upside paired with his cannon of an arm, gives him a rock-solid floor and a limitless ceiling.

Now with the addition of Dalton Kincaid, he has another weapon to help maintain his top-tier fantasy finishes. This defense also lost a few key pieces and his division just gained a first-ballot Hall of Fame player in Aaron Rodgers, creating more shootout potential for this Bills team. He's as safe as it gets in fantasy and has the rushing upside to single-handedly win you any week. 

1. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers

After a disappointing 2022 campaign, I'm projecting a massive bounce back for the young gun-slinger. With the addition of first-round WR Quentin Johnston, alongside Mike Williams, Keenan Allen, Austin Ekeler, and Gerald Everett, his weapons rival any offense.

Now with Kellen Moore calling the shots, his passing game should spike in efficiency and volume compared to last year. Kellen Moore was the brains behind the Cowboys' offense that ranked first and fourth in points scored over the last two respective seasons. Herbert is primed for a massive year and he is my pick to be THE QB1 and potentially league MVP.

Thank you for reading. I'll be back next week with my Quarterbacks #13-24!

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