Fake Teams Consensus QB Rankings

We culminate our QB coverage on Fake Teams this week with our consensus QB rankings.  Generally these ranks will come out on Fridays but due to wifi issues at the Courtyard in Baltimore this week we publish on Saturday instead.  Our QB coverage this week has included detailed QB ranks and tiers from Brad Duffendack.  We have given you Busts and Sleepers. Armando has given you a draft strategy for your 2 QB leagues.  And now we unveil our first pass at ranking the signal callers for 2014.

QB is one of the most interesting positions in fantasy football.  The position is loaded with fantasy talent.  It is also, as a group, the highest scoring position in fantasy football.  While some might suggest to grab one a tier one guy (Manning, Brees, Rodgers) right off the bat, others would suggest waiting on that talent until later rounds and grabbing a QB like Cutler, Romo, Foles or Brady.  The individual aspects of your league will play a major role in how and when you draft a QB.  Outside of whether or not you are playing in a PPR or a Standard league, no other position carries as much scoring variability as the QB.  Does your league award 4 points for a passing TD or 6 points?  Are interceptions penalized at minus 2 points or minus 1 point?  Are you in a two quarterback league?  Can you use your QB in the flex spot?  These are all questions you need to answer before you decide on when and what round to draft your quarterback.

Below are each analyst's ranking plus the consensus ranking of the group.  We all thought it would be good for Fake Teams readers to know how we individually think and rank players.  Underneath the rankings are our comments where applicable.

ARMANDO:  Cam Newton - lost Steve Smith, Brandon LaFell and Ted Ginn.  They really didn't bring anyone in to help.  While I like Kelvin Benjamin, I think it is a bit too much to ask a raw rookie receiver to come in and take over.  I also don't think he will rush for as much yardage as this offense is currently one dimensional.  His passing yards and his rushing yards took a dip last season.  I predict similar passing yardage, less rushing yardage and less overall TDs.

COUSTAN:  I love Cam.  I actually think the receivers may be better this year than last year.  Losing Steve Smith hurts, but Jerricho Cotchery and Jason Avant should cancel out LaFell and Ginn.  Benjamin may be raw but he will be a red zone monster in this offense.  If Greg Olsen can step up his game Cam will finish a top 5 QB this year as he has EVERY YEAR he has been in the league.

CABLE:  (On Jay Cutler) - Looking over my ranks I probably wished I put him a spot or two higher but having missed several games the past couple of years he is not the kind of guy I would want to take as a top 10 QB off the board.  Injury risk coupled with the fact that I'm a big fan of RG3, Foles and Brady this year pushes him down the board a little bit for me.

DUFFENDACK:  I am very high on Carson Palmer this season in the second year of the Bruce Arians high flying system.  The supporting cast - a small but dynamic starting RB, the speedy additions of Ginn and Brown, and two stud WRs in Fitz and Floyd - along with a weaker defense indicate this team will be very pass happy.  The offensive line is coming together.  Palmer will continue to throw plenty of INTs but his production in the system will be enough to outweigh that.  It would not surprise me if he finished the season as a low end QB1.

COUSTAN:  If you believe in comebacks then you believe that Eli Manning has a bounce back year.  Last year was a disaster for the New York Giants.  Eli's year melted down during an 0-6 start.  The Giants fought hard and never gave up but still stopped short of the playoffs.  Eli was seemingly out of sync with his WRs all year and losing Victor Cruz at the end of the season and both RBs didn't seem to help his cause.  This year the emphasis is on the short passing game and high percentage throws.  Remember, Eli is a two time Super Bowl MVP.  The talent is there to succeed.  I am not suggesting you go out and draft Eli as your number one QB, but in a 2 QB league I wouldn't bury him in the Giants Stadium end zone just yet.  Out of any QB ranked 20 or below, Eli has the best shot to be a top 10 QB.

ARMANDO:  I am liking Joe Flacco's situation a lot.  He has a healthy Dennis Pitta and has added Steve Smith and Owen Daniels.  Yes - both Daniels and Smith are past their primes, but they are two veterans - one of which is very familiar with Kubiak's playbook.  Flacco has a big arm and now he has two TEs that will need attention in the middle of the field.  This leaves two fliers on the outside (Torrey Smith and Steve Smith)  If Matt Schaub was productive in Kubiak's offense, I don't see why Flacco wouldn't be as well.

ARMANDO:  Andy Dalton finished in the top 5 in ESPN Standard scoring last year.  He lost his offensive coordinator but there is enough weapons in this offense to still have faith.  TE Tyler Eifert should continue to grow in his second year catching passes from Andy.  They also have Giovani Bernard, A.J. Green and Jermaine Gresham.  Those are lots of weapons to ignore what Dalton is capable of doing.  While I don't think he finishes in the top 5 again, I do think he will put up solid numbers once again.

So there is our take on the 2014 QBs.  Next week we take on the RBs, followed by WRs and TEs in consecutive weeks.  As always, feel free to leave comments below and our writers will answer.  For individual comments or fantasy football questions you can hit me at iambradstrong@gmail.com or find me @iambradstrong on Twitter.  Good luck in your drafts!