Fantasy Football 2024: Ranking Top QBs Heading into the Season

Fantasy football doesn't require elite quarterback play the way the NFL does, but it's still hard to win without at least a good signal-caller.

The question fantasy managers must tackle leading up to draft season is how good they want this position to be.

Some fantasy analysts will say you can wait to address this position and should focus on finding top-tier running backs and receivers first. Others will advise you to actually spend one of your first picks on someone like Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts or Lamar Jackson, players capable of posting monster numbers with both their arms and their legs.

Only you can decide what your team needs. We're just here to provide an overview of the position by laying out our top 20 rankings before detailing one breakout candidate to target and a bust to avoid.

Top 20 Quarterback Rankings

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BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JANUARY 28: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens rushes with the ball against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game at M&T Bank Stadium on January 28, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

1. Josh Allen, BUF

2. Jalen Hurts, PHI

3. Lamar Jackson, BAL

4. Patrick Mahomes, KC

5. Anthony Richardson, IND

6. C.J. Stroud, HOU

7. Joe Burrow, CIN

8. Kyler Murray, ARI

9. Dak Prescott, DAL

10. Tua Tagovailoa, MIA

11. Jordan Love, GB

12. Brock Purdy, SF

13. Jared Goff, DET

14. Jayden Daniels, WAS

15. Caleb Williams, CHI

16. Justin Herbert, LAC

17. Trevor Lawrence, JAX

18. Kirk Cousins, ATL

19. Aaron Rodgers, NYJ

20. Matthew Stafford, LAR

Breakout: Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts

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WESTFIELD, IN - JULY 27: Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) runs through a drill during the Indianapolis Colts training camp practice on July 27, 2024 at the Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield, IN. (Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Injuries limited Anthony Richardson to just four appearances as a rookie.

That was all the time he needed to flash his elite fantasy potential.

He only finished half of those contests and still found his way to four rushing touchdowns and three touchdown passes (against a single interception). He actually produced more fantasy points per snap than Josh Allen—or any other quarterback who handled 100-plus snaps, per FantasyPoints.com.

Richardson could lead this position in rushing production and post explosive numbers in the passing game. There's a non-zero chance he's in the QB1 discussion this time next year.

Bust: Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

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ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - JUNE 12: Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills passes during the Buffalo Bills mandatory minicamp on June 12, 2024 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Bryan Bennett/Getty Images)

If you think of busts as holding bottom-out potential, then you're probably shocked to see Josh Allen here. Barring injury, he's almost guaranteed to post some of the strongest stats at the position.

We define busts differently, though. In this case, it's someone who won't deliver fantasy value at their draft cost.

Allen will be the first quarterback taken in your draft. He'll be selected inside of the first two rounds. That's just too great of a premium to pay at this position, which is far deeper than running back or receiver—the spots that should have your attention in the opening rounds.

It's also worth noting Allen's numbers weren't the same last year. His 15 rushing touchdowns (an absolute outlier based on his track record) salvaged his fantasy season, but his 253.3 passing yards per game and 29 passing touchdowns were both his lowest in four seasons. His 18 interceptions, meanwhile, were the most of his career.

Tack on the fact Buffalo jettisoned its top two receivers this offseason (Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis) and replaced them with a second-round rookie (Keon Coleman) and a fairly forgettable veteran (Curtis Samuel, 22 touchdown catches in 91 career contests), and it's fair to worry about the state of his passing game.