Biggest Fantasy Football Surprises of 2024: Quarterbacks

2024 saw passing numbers drop for many quarterbacks as defensive coordinators sold out to stop a surging NFL passing game by committing to a two-high safety scheme. Running backs reaped the benefits, but several quarterbacks suffered as a result.

On the flip side, a few quarterbacks landed in perfect situations that allowed them to exceed expectations, and frankly, they excelled. One can only hope for more excellence moving forward and an ability for quarterbacks to adjust to new-look defenses.

While it is never too early to look forward to the next season, sometimes it is prudent to look back on the season that just ended and reflect on the good and the bad. Let's jump in and take a look at the quarterbacks who surprised us for various reasons in 2024.

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1. Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings

Sam Darnold demonstrated to the NFL community that he is and has been, worthy of a starting job in the right situation. Darnold found himself in the starting role for the Vikings this season after a preseason injury sidelined rookie first-round pick J.J. McCarthy. Darnold would go on to throw for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns.

Darnold's talent has always been undeniable, but starting stops in New York and Carolina did not exactly nurture those talents. Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell brought the best out of Darnold.

Perhaps the biggest surprise about Darnold was how dominant he was. From Week 11-on, Darnold only tossed two interceptions.

Darnold has played himself into a hefty contract. Whether the Vikings give it to him is another story. Should Darnold move on, his value will likely drop in fantasy. Should Darnold stay in Minnesota, we should see another season similar to 2024.

2. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans

Contrary to Darnold, C.J. Stroud was one of the biggest disappointments in 2024. Stroud was electric as a rookie, tossing 23 touchdowns and just five interceptions. He followed that up by throwing for 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in two extra games in 2024.

Stroud's offensive line did him no favors, and the poor play-calling resulted in the Texans' dismissal of offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik. However, Stroud did not look himself throughout the season and was starkly different from the poised rookie we saw a year ago.

Hopefully, with some investments along the offensive line, Stroud can return to form. This is a quarterback more than ready to join the 30-touchdown club.

Stroud was certainly overdrafted in fantasy in 2024, but he could be a steal in 2025 if the Texans fix their offense.

In the Super Bowl last night, Patrick Mahomes was pressured on 38.1% of dropbacks, the 5th highest pressure rate he's faced in his NFL career. Leading to his 2nd worst performance by EPA in his career (-19.3).#Texans' QB CJ Stroud had an AVERAGE pressure rate of 39.4% this… pic.twitter.com/xQsihNBGDh

— シcal (@nestagraphics) February 10, 2025

3. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

No Dave Canales, no problem. With the Buccaneers switching to Liam Coen as their offensive coordinator in 2024, Mayfield did not skip a beat. He went on to have a career year throwing for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns.

The question is whether or not this season is repeatable for Mayfield. For starters, he lost Coen to the Jaguars' head coach position. Stud wide receiver Mike Evans is a year older, and while Jalen McMillan showed promise as a rookie, his touchdown rate was unsustainably high.

Mayfield's own touchdown rate was also unsustainably high. Mayfield threw a touchdown on 7.2 percent of his passes. For perspective, if Mayfield keeps that up for the next decade, he will be considered an all-time great.

Despite all the stats that suggest this may have been a one-off magical season from Mayfield, we did just watch him throw for 4,044 yards and 28 touchdowns a season ago. It feels like Mayfield could settle somewhere in the middle as the Buccaneers continue trying to build around him.

Kinda hard not to support Baker Mayfield with the Bucs 🫡 pic.twitter.com/4YxONltWAC

— Football’s Greatest Moments (@FBGreatMoments) February 16, 2025

4. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers

Jordan Love seemed poised to ascend into the next stratosphere after an exciting ending to the 2023 season and a great playoff run. Injuries to Love and the lack of a stud No. 1 wide receiver forced the Packers to lean heavily on the running game in a tough NFC North.

Love was a solid quarterback in real life in 2024. He finished fifth in QBR while only throwing for 3,389 yards and 25 touchdowns in 15 games. Love's issue for fantasy purposes is that he is a pocket passer. A season ago, he threw for 30 touchdowns while adding 247 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. His various ailments in 2024 kept his running in check, and his touchdowns did not stick.

Since we have seen Love cross the 30-touchdown threshold, we know he is capable of doing so. However, unless your name is Joe Burrow or, in some seasons, Patrick Mahomes, touchdowns are difficult to predict. Fantasy studs make magic happen with their legs, and that may not be something we can consistently rely on from Love.

Still, Love is a solid NFL quarterback. Should the Packers make a splash amongst their wide receiving corps, Love's fantasy prospects could become much more interesting.

5. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders

Let's get back into the positive realm with rookie sensation Jayden Daniels. Given Daniels' running ability, it is no surprise that he was good for fantasy purposes. The surprise stems from just how good Daniels was for both real life and fantasy.

Daniels finished fourth in QBR and ran for a rookie quarterback record 891 yards. He accounted for 31 total touchdowns and over 4,000 total yards. He was unstoppable in 2024.

Daniels was unflappable under pressure. He seemed to always be in control with varying levels of pressure in his face. He was also an incredibly smart player this season. He rarely made crucial mistakes that cost the Commanders the game. In fact, Daniels would often make the very play that won the game.

The Commanders have an incredible amount of cap space this season and are likely to invest heavily in their offensive line and weapons. Daniels should pick up where he left off as a rusher and only continue to ascend as a passer in 2025.

Every rookie QB with 4,000+ Total Yards, 30+ Total TDs and 10+ Wins in NFL History:

🪖 Jayden Daniels

End of list. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ko8oOFzWub

— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) February 16, 2025

6. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers

Bryce Young did his part to dispel the negativity surrounding him with a strong finish to the 2024 season. Young finished the season with 15 touchdown passes and nine interceptions in 14 games. That included a five-total touchdown season finale against the Atlanta Falcons.

While the Panthers' offensive roster did not look like one that any quarterback could succeed in this past season, Young and head coach Dave Canales seemed to find something in their first season together. Young improved across the board, particularly by bumping his QBR up by 20 points.

The Panthers have plenty of room to make significant roster improvements this offseason. Young should be given the chance to display he is the surgeon we all saw at Alabama. While he may not reach the heights of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL, Young has a chance to become a quality starter.

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