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2019 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterbacks

Can Patrick Mahomes retain his 2018 QB1 Throne?

By NHB
NFL: Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Rams Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

2019 could very well be the Year of the Quarterback. Whether you prefer a Boom or Bust guy like Mitchell Trubisky or the safety of Philip Rivers, the upcoming season has exactly what you’re looking for. Our rankings give you the info you need to understand exactly who you’re drafting, with a tiered ranking approach and a brief explanation of what to expect from each starter.

2019 QB Rankings

Rank Player Team High Floor/High Ceiling QB1s
Rank Player Team High Floor/High Ceiling QB1s
1 Deshaun Watson HOU Toughest schedule of 2019 per Warren Sharp. However, Evan Silva noted that Watson's passing, and rushing, yards per attempt both increase by roughly 1.5 yards when trailing, contrary to most QBs.
2 Patrick Mahomes KC Last year's QB1 could easily finish there again in 2019.
3 Andrew Luck IND Frank Reich's efficient and effective analytics-based playcalling pairs well with the deepest receiving corps of Luck's career.
4 Cam Newton CAR Fully healthy, an improved throwing motion, and a solid group of pass catchers.
5 Aaron Rodgers GB The ousting of Mike McCarthy frees Rogders and his Hall of Fame talent.
6 Baker Mayfield CLE The marriage of Air Raider Todd Monken and new head coach Freddie Kitchens bodes well for Mayfield's 2019 -- adding ODB to the mix is just unfair.
7 Carson Wentz PHI Fully healthy for the first time since 2017, expect Wentz and the Eagles' analytics-fueled offense to bounce back in a major way. Expect heavy usage of 12 personnel.
8 Dak Prescott DAL Warren Sharp projects the Cowboys to face an exceptionally easy slate of pass defenses in 2019. We'll try to figure out if he's working in-house for Jerry again this year.
9 Kyler Murray ARI The Cardinals will likely lead the NFL in 4 and 5-WR sets. Kliff Kingsbury is going to unleash Kyler Murray.
10 Matt Ryan ATL Matt Ryan continues to be underrated yet currently boasts the strongest receiving corps he's had since the 2011-2013 trio of Julio Jones, Roddy White, Tony Gonzalez.
11 Jameis Winston TB Bruce Arians is back and we should all be investing in his offense. Winston will throw interceptions, to be sure. But he's got a shot to lead the league in passing yards & touchdowns.
12 Ben Roethlisberger PIT It's fair to worry about the absence of Antonio Brown and Le'Veon Bell. This offense is still as loaded as ever though and many of the newer faces haven already proven themselves in Pittsburgh and elsewhere.
Rank Player Team High Floor/High Ceiling QB2s
13 Russell Wilson SEA Wilson buoyed his 2018 season with an improbable passing touchdown rate while failing to score a rushing touchdown for the first time in his career. Expect the rushing production to return in 2019, keeping him on the QB1/2 border.
14 Lamar Jackson BAL Lamar Jackson can easily finish as a Top 5 quarterback this season -- we're just being cautious with his placement. With a full offseason of 1st-team reps and an improved receiving corps, Jackson is primed for a monster 2019 fantasy season.
15 Josh Allen BUF Josh Allen posted three Top 5 fantasy finishes through Weeks 12-16 and was the overall QB1 during that timespan. Similar to Jackson, we're being cautious with his ranking for now. Although shaky, finishing as the overall QB1 in 2019 is within his range of possibilities.
16 Jimmy Garoppolo SF Another candidate to fly up the rankings in 2019, Garoppolo could put up serious numbers. The Shanahan system and a loaded receiving corps are boons to any quarterback -- especially one as talented as Jimmy G.
Rank Player Team Highest Ceiling/Lowest Floor QB2
17 Mitchell Trubisky CHI Trubisky's shoulder injury threw a wrench into his otherwise outstanding 2018 fantasy season. Points-wise, his rushing production smashes any concern over his scattershot accuracy. Consider Trubisky a higher variance version of both Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen
Rank Player Team High Floor/Capped Ceiling QB2s
18 Philip Rivers LAC Philip Rivers finished as the QB11 in 2018. His lack of rushing production limits him but the return of Hunter Henry will work wonders in the touchdown department, making a similar finish possible in 2019.
19 Drew Brees NO Brees is as low as he is on this list due to one factor: volume. After averaging 40 or more passing attempts per game from 2010 to 2016, his attempts dropped substantially in 2017 and 2018 to 33 and 32 attempts per game, respectively.
20 Tom Brady NE Brady should retain his middle-of-the-pack fantasy status, a year older yet an improved receiving corps.
21 Jared Goff LAR Sean McVay's system will keep Goff afloat.
22 Kirk Cousins MIN Minnesota will continue its foray into being a run-first offense. Cousins will be efficient but lacks the required volume to be an every week fantasy starter.
23 Sam Darnold NYJ In the end this will all come down to the speed of the Gase offense (and the play of the offensive line). Not for lack of trying, Gase has been unable to get his teams' play count up, even to the league avearge.
Rank Player Team High Floor/Low Ceiling QB2
24 Matt Stafford DET Stafford's a week-in, week-out mediocre fantasy starter under Matt Patricia. The latter wants to grind games out, not win through the air.
Rank Player Team QB3s
25 Derek Carr OAK Carr and Stafford are likely one in the same here. Both suffer from poor offensive schemes, yet are surrounded by talent.
26 Nick Foles JAX Ditto, Foles. He'll be a moderately effective streamer from time to time. Keep an eye out for matchups against defenses with paltry slot defense -- Dede Westbrook is going to eat this year.
27 Andy Dalton CIN The multi-week loss of A.J. Green is devastating but Zac Taylor's offense should be more efficient than what Cincinnatti's had in years past.
28 Joe Flacco DEN Like Foles, expect Flacco's slot receiver, Daesean Hamilton, to feast.
29 Marcus Mariota TEN 2019 might be Mariota's final gig with Tennessee.
30 Ryan Fitzpatrick MIA Get ready for 400 passing yards, 1 touchdown, and 4 interceptions.
31 Dwayne Haskins WAS The only thing that's going to be harder to watch is Eli Manning.
32 Eli Manning NYG Expect Daniel Jones to wrench the controls away at some point this season.

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