Many of us eagerly anticipate our fantasy football drafts each year, whether live or online. Trash-talking, crowning a new champion, and laughing at the last-place teams are all part of the fun. Before drafting, having a plan and being familiar with your league mates and settings are essential. One enjoyable way to prepare is by looking at rankings lists and comparing them to your own. Here are my top ten quarterback rankings for 2023.
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Fantasy Football Quarterback Rankings: The Top 10 For 2023
1. Patrick Mahomes
It is no surprise that Patrick Mahomes is atop the fantasy football quarterback rankings in 2023. Even with the loss of his teammate Tyreek Hill last season, Mahomes achieved a career-high of 5,250 passing yards, throwing 41 touchdowns and securing his second Super Bowl victory. It is without a doubt that Mahomes should be the first quarterback drafted in any fantasy football league.
It is crazy to think that the Chiefs were in the wrong formation. Patrick Mahomes noticed and switched the play on the fly to the other side to hit a wide-open Skyy Moore! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/dnTlKAq223
— Brad Henson Productions (@BradHensonPro) August 14, 2023
2. Josh Allen
One of the most dominant quarterbacks in the NFL is the 6′-5″, 240-pound Buffalo Bills leader Josh Allen. Allen’s passing yards did go down last season, but so did his pass attempt by 79. What makes Allen so special? His rushing ability last season, he was one yard shy of his career high with 762 rushing yards. With his big frame, he is always an excellent bet for rushing touchdowns, as he has never had less than six rushing touchdowns in a season. Coach McDermott stated that he wants Allen to run less this season to prevent injuries, but we’ll believe that when we see it.
3. Justin Herbert
When looking at Justin Herbert this year in fantasy drafts, do not look at last year. Keep the past in the past, and this not only holds true in life but in fantasy football too. Justin Herbert’s present and future are looking very bright. First, he’s healthy he also has Kellen Moore as his offensive coordinator. This will be a fun offense to watch with the skill level of Herbert matched with a talented offense coordinated by someone that actually believes in the forward pass. Herbert will have a resurgence this season. His injuries last season hindered his rushing ability, and if you look at his rookie season, he had five rushing touchdowns, which his new offensive coordinator will help unlock.
4. Jalen Hurts
Jalen Hurts was on fire like a heat-seeking missile in his second season and earns a high spot in the fantasy football quarterback rankings because of it. The Eagles did a great job getting him weapons to help Hurts succeed with the likes of A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith. The rest was history, and Hurts notified everyone early in the season. Jalen not only displayed the talent he had throwing to his weapons, but his whopping thirteen rushing touchdowns put him in an elite category only behind Cam Newton for the most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a season. Now, will Hurts get as many rushing touchdowns in 2023? That’ll be a tall task, but the realm of possibilities is definitely eight to ten rushing touchdowns in this stout offense.
Jalen Hurts talks about Preseason Game 1. pic.twitter.com/2rjO2JV5XD
— 2022 Eagles (@2022birds) August 12, 2023
5. Lamar Jackson
After years of frustration, Lamar Jackson finally has weapons and an improved offensive coordinator. The last two seasons were disappointing for Jackson due to injuries and a predictable offense. There were doubts about his future with the Ravens, but Jackson has renewed hope with the signing of Odell Beckham and the drafting of Zay Flowers. He now gets to work with offensive coordinator Todd Mocken and has the potential to surpass his 2019 MVP season. He could be a valuable addition to your fantasy team if he stays healthy.
6. Trevor Lawrence
The Urban Meyer disaster was effectively Trevor Lawrence’s redshirt season, making 2022 his rookie year. Lawrence made great strides for fantasy owners, increasing his passing yards by 472 while decreasing his interception percentage by 50%. He also doubled his passing touchdowns from 12 to 25. However, he needs to work on his fumbling issues. Last year Lawrence had nine lost fumbles. This is almost double from his rookie season of five. The Jags coaching staff believes in Lawrence, who had 584 pass attempts in 2022 and now has Calvin Ridley in his arsenal. His current average draft position is 55, making him a good choice for those waiting to draft a quarterback.
7. Joe Burrow
Joe Burrow showed last season that not only was he not a one-hit-wonder, but the dreaded Super Bowl hangover was not in his vocabulary either. His pass attempts increased from 520 to 606 from 2021 to 2022. But his numbers stayed stagnated or decreased a bit last season. There were issues with health from his weapons which played a part in his number dip. Burrow is not known to have much rushing upside, but last season he did have five rushing touchdowns and the most yards 257 since being in the league. During training camp, Burrow injured his calf, and while he doesn’t always rely on his mobility, it’s worth noting that calf and other soft tissue injuries can be problematic. Burrow is a fantastic talent and is as cool as a California ocean breeze, but the uncertainty surrounding his health caused him to take a bit of a plunge in these fantasy football quarterback rankings.
8. Justin Fields
Justin Fields, an outstanding dual-threat quarterback, has already amassed more than 1,100 yards rushing in his promising career. The team made a savvy move in March by trading for DJ Moore from the Panthers, who is expected to be the final piece of the puzzle. Fields must throw more often to take his game to the next level, as he only averaged 21 attempts per game last season. Some have attributed this to a lack of offensive weapons or concerns with the pass-blocking from the offensive line. However, Fields and the coaching staff have been working to address these issues during training camp and this offseason. The confidence in their progress is evident. Draft Fields with confidence in your fantasy drafts as well.
9. Deshaun Watson
Deshaun Watson is an absolute must-have for any fantasy football team this season. With an average draft position of 82 in a 12-team quarterback league, he is a top pick for good reason. Thanks to one of the best offensive lines in football, a solid group of receivers, and Nick Chubb in the backfield, Watson is primed for success. Not to mention, his impressive rushing ability gives him a significant edge over the competition. Investing in Watson is a no-brainer, and those who pass on this opportunity will surely regret it.
10. Dak Prescott
Talk about a player with an inconsistent career so far. In the previous season, Prescott played twelve games and threw fifteen interceptions. The Cowboys lost Kellen Moore as their offensive coordinator but gained a new weapon in Brandin Cooks this offseason. Prescott and Ceedee Lamb have an excellent connection and provide a tremendous quarterback-wide receiver stack for fantasy football enthusiasts. If Prescott can stay healthy, this will be a bounce-back year for him. At his current average draft position of #84, Prescott is a perfect candidate for waiting on the quarterback and loading up on more positional talent.
Main Photo: Cheryl Evans – USA Today Sports
