Fantasy Quarterbacks deserve their respect. For years running backs were the currency of fantasy similar to how pitchers were the currency of baseball. With the way that quarterbacks are being used now, drafting the right one can be a huge cheat code towards winning that elusive championship. The key is to find QBs who have dual-threat ability. Ideally you want a guy who will consistently make plays with his legs and call his own number in the red zone. This is your Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts type. If you can’t get one of those guys QBs who have great arm talent and can extend plays with their legs when they have to and have a nose for the end zone in the red zone (Patrick Mahomes, Jordan Love, CJ Stroud) give you upside as well. Here are my top-10 QB’s for 2024.

📈= stock up, 📉= stock down, 🎯= draft target, 🏥= injury prone

1. Jalen Hurts 📈

Jalen Hurts remained a consistent force in fantasy football lineups, securing the QB2 spot in fantasy rankings for 2023. Despite the Eagles’ 2023 performance not matching their previous season, where they made it to the Super Bowl, Hurts still achieved remarkable success. While his average points per game slightly dipped from 25.6 to 21.6 FPPG, his passing yards increased. Although his touchdown rate dropped from 4.8 to 4.2 in 2023, I’m not overly concerned. 2023 was a down year for Hurts and the offense, but it won’t define Hurts. The absence of OC Shane Steichen, a key figure during their Super Bowl victory, notably impacted the team’s offensive consistency. Additionally, Hurts’ YPA regressed from 8.0 to 7.2 without Steichen.

The arrival of Saquon Barkley is a promising development for Hurts, as it will alleviate some of the play-making responsibilities from his shoulders. As evidenced by his 41 receptions for four touchdowns, Barkley’s receiving capabilities will undoubtedly enhance the passing game. While Barkley’s presence may reduce Hurts’ rushing touchdowns, I predict that he will compensate with more passing touchdowns, leveraging Barkley’s receiving prowess out of the backfield. With Hurts entering his fourth year as a starter, I anticipate improved passing efficiency. He’ll be able to hit Barkley on easy swing passes when no one is open downfield. Hurts hasn’t been known to throw to running backs in the flat that much, but he has one of the best in Barkley at his disposal now.

The return of AJ Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert gives Hurts comfortability and continuity that’s so important Add in new OC Kellen Moore, who was at the helm of the Cowboys when they ranked 1st and 4th in points in 2021 and 2022. I expect the Eagles to soar again in 2024, and we may see the best version of Jalen we’ve seen to date.

2. Josh Allen 📉

Remember this: Allen has been the top QB three times in the last four seasons, delivering high passing and rushing TD volume. Despite this, he’s not my number one QB this year due to some 2023 concerns. His passing yards have declined annually since 2020, and his interceptions have increased. With his lowest passing touchdowns since 2019 and losing his top two weapons, Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis, Allen might be in for a regression. Or, he will try to play hero ball, and his numbers may see a boost.

With Diggs and Davis gone, that’s 241 targets that are now up for grabs. Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox remain in the mix, and I see Kincaid having a monster year, making him Allen’s new top target. Expect a ton of 12 personnel early on in the season. Keon Coleman might have something to say about that. He’s had rave reviews in training camp and is the big-bodied contested catch receiver Allen hasn’t had yet in his career (Kelvin Benjamin does not count). They didn’t draft him in the 2nd round so that he could watch the game on the sidelines. Buffalo also brought in Curtis Samuel, who can be a Swiss army knife for Allen, giving him a security blanket when plays break down. Although it might be difficult to replicate his rushing touchdowns, you can still count on 4,000 passing yards, 500 rushing yards, and 24 touchdowns. If Keon Coleman hits the ground running, Even with fewer rushing touchdowns, this production will be exceptional for any quarterback, making him a worthy early draft pick.

3. Lamar Jackson

Lamar Jackson is one of the most electrifying football players I’ve ever seen. When he stays healthy, he wins MVP. His combination of speed and throwing accuracy is unmatched in the game today. The switch to Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken worked wonders for Lamar, leading to career-highs in pass attempts (457) and passing yards (3,678), completion percentage (67.2), and yards per attempt (8.0). Pair that with his elite rushing ability (821 yards), and that’s how you win MVP.

The increase in passing volume was the by-product of the best WR group Jacksons had in his career. Zay Flowers played a big part in that. He was an instant impact player and gained Lamar’s trust right off the rip. As a rookie, he got 108 targets from Jackson, and you can expect that number to jump up this year. As option 1A, Mark Andrews makes this team scary, but he dealt with the injury bug last season. The most impactful signing the Ravens made this year was the addition of Derrick Henry, solidifying the Ravens as a run-first team. I expect Henry to take away some rushing score opportunities from Jackson, whether they’re on breakaway runs or goal-line carries. Jackson surprisingly only threw 24 touchdowns, partly because Gus Edwards scored 13 touchdowns on the ground last year. You might’ve been able to talk me into TD regression for Lamar if his organization didn’t sign one of the best RBs of his generation. He will see slight improvements in his passing numbers from last season, but his true superpowers on the ground will be capped with the arrival of Derrick Henry.

4. Patrick Mahomes📈

Mahomes is the worst—the nerve of the guy. To have your worst season as a pro and still take home the Lombardi is some next-level shit. Mahomes played like a champion when it counted but did not have a banner year during the regular season. He set career lows in yards per attempt, yards per game, and QB rating. He finished with his lowest touchdown total in an entirely healthy season. It was a nightmare for Mahomes, who had Travis Kelce, Rashee Rice, and the team from your local Hy-vee grocery store to throw the ball to. Chiefs WRs led the league in drops (28) and refused to win down the field. A quarter of Mahomes’ attempts were at or behind the line of scrimmage, and two-thirds were within 10 yards of the line in 2023. The Chiefs neutered Patrick, to put it frankly. But this year, things are going to be different.

The Chiefs brought in Hollywood Brown from Arizona and Xavier Worthy in the draft to bring an element of their pass game they have lacked for years: the deep ball. Brown and Worthy are both burners and field stretchers, so teams won’t be able to sit in Cover 2 vs Mahomes anymore. Oh, and Travis Kelce hasn’t run away with Taylor Swift just yet. He’s back, and despite the legal trouble for Rashee Rice, there has been zero talk of a suspension for him. Mahomes may finally be getting his fastball back. If the Chiefs can stretch the field and have quick strike ability again, expect Mahomes to return to top 5 fantasy QB status. He is inevitable, after all…

5. Jordan Love – 🎯📈

2023: 4,159 passing 32 TD 11 Int|247 rushing 4 TD 2024: 4,320 passing 36 TD 12 Int|406 rushing 4 TD

Let me tell you from experience, I was ready to drop Jordan Love to waivers last year I was so done with him. He started off hot and I looked like a genius drafting him with the 6th pick in the 7th round. But he was wildly inconsistent and not very accurate in the first half of the season. He had a 11:8 TD:INT and a 78.2 passer rating in the season’s first eight weeks. Something for Jordan clicked after Week 9 though and he wound up throwing 21 TD passes to only 3 interceptions from that point on and led the Pack to the playoffs. Let’s hope that the light stays on for Love heading into this season. Everyone is back minus Aaron Jones, but the Packers brought in Josh Jacobs to man the backfield. He’s a younger, more durable than Aaron Jones. MarShawn Lloyd was drafted to be the new Aaron Jones. He’ll provide the lighting to Josh Jacob’s thunder. All Love’s receivers are back and I’m extremely bullish about this group. Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson and Jayden Reed can all have career years catching passes from a more confident and prepared Jordan Love. 4K passing yards and 28-35 TDs are very much in play. He also adds sneaky value with his legs with four rushing TDs and a long run of 37 in 2023. Don’t be surprised if Love is a mainstay in the top 5 for the next decade.

6. CJ Stroud – 🎯📈

2023: 4,108 passing 23 TD 5 Int|167 rushing 3 TD 2024: 4,863 passing 34 TD 8 Int|229 rushing 3 TD

Speaking of the next decade, get used to seeing and hearing this guys name. CJ Stroud was nothing short of brilliant in his rookie year. Which is ironic because all anyone could talk about last draft season was how poorly he scored in the S2 test that tests your cognitive abilities. After two games in the NFL that narrative proved to be extremely stupid. This is the part where I list out all the records he made in 2023. He had 191 passes before throwing his first interception (record). He threw for 470 yards (record for a rookie) in Week 9. His 8.2 YPA was the best mark for a rookie since 1970 and had the lowest interception percentage in the league (1.0%). Stroud loudly announced himself as the franchise QB and most importantly a culture changer. The Texans witnessed greatness and pushed all their chips in for 2024. They traded for Stefon Diggs and signed Joe Mixon to ease the play-making load off Stroud’s shoulders. He still has Nico Collins and Tank Dell to lean on as well. Stroud is set up for a special sophomore season and has a chance to vault himself into the top 5 QB range, even without his legs. His passing proficiency is that good. The biggest fantasy headache could be figuring out which one of his WRs is going to go off week to week. I can definitely see Stroud flirt with 5,000 yards this year which means Collins, Diggs and Dell could all reach 1,000 receiving yards. Ya’ll better get your popcorn ready.

7. Kyler Murray – 🎯📈

2023: 1,799 passing 10 TD 5 Int|244 rushing 3 TD 2024: 4,021 passing 28 TD 12 Int|672 rushing 9 TD

Last season, Kyler was widely discussed by analysts, albeit for the wrong reasons. He made a remarkable comeback from an ACL injury that sidelined him for the first half of the season. Despite doubts about his future as the Cardinals’ starting quarterback and concerns about his work ethic due to his heavy video gaming habits, Kyler showed tremendous resilience in the face of adversity. His swift recovery from knee surgery and his exceptional dual-threat ability further solidified his status of Arizona’s franchise QB, especially when supported by a strong cast of skill players. The Cardinals’ lacking talent beyond Hollywood Brown underscored the challenges Kyler faced last year. This season he gets one of the best WR prospects since Larry Fitzgerald in Marvin Harrison Jr. The bloodlines are legendary and the talent is tantalizing. He should walk into 100+ targets and 8-10 touchdowns from Murray right away. Zay Jones and Michael Wilson add depth to the WR room to go along with the emerging Trey McBride, a 2022 second round pick who broke out for 825 yards last season. Murray may need elite rushing production to see inside of the top-10 fantasy QBs but I like his chances of having a bounce back year if he can avoid those nagging injuries that always seem to find him. He’s a year removed from the ACL and he might be ready to unleash himself on the league once again. 4,000 yards is absolutely in play and I wouldn’t be surprise to see him flirt with 30 passing TDs. He has the upside to be a top-3 QB in fantasy if everything goes right for the Cardinals.

8. Anthony Richardson – 🎯📈🏥

2023: 577 passing 3 TD 1 Int|136 rushing 4 TD 2024: 3,403 passing 23 TD 14 Int|698 rushing 12 TD

What we all knew about Anthony Richardson last year was that he was a freak. What we didn’t know is if it would translate to the NFL. Well the cats out of the bag now, AR is a problem for any NFL defense and will be if he learns how to slide. He took unnecessary hit after unnecessary hit until it cost him his season. The Colts need Richardson to stay on his feet this season if they want any chance on him delivering on his enormous potential. This year I think he can. He has a year of experience knowing he can’t put himself in harms way in this league. We should see him duck out of bounds and slide with more regularity this year. Yes we want him to take off and run because it’s majestic but we also want him to unleash his rocket launcher that’s attached to his shoulder to Michael Pittman and rookie Adonai Mitchell. Jonathan Taylor would also receive a healthy boost to his numbers this fantasy season if Richardson can play in every game. Just don’t expect a lot of passing volume in this offense. Richardson is still working out the kinks as a passer. He’s like a pitcher that throws 100 mph but has to learn how to throw strikes. Gardner Minshew played 14 games with the Colts last year and averaged 32.2 pass attempts a game. Project that over a 17 game season and that’s 547 attempts. I would be very surprised if Richardson approaches that number in just his second season. All he has to do is average 200 passing yards and 1 or more TDs a game to be in the convo as a top-5 QB. Chances are if he plays a full slate of games, he will get there.

9. Dak Prescott 📉

Head Coach Mike McCarthy took over play-calling last season and we all thought the Cowboys would turn into the 2001 Ravens. Instead, Dak had 590 pass attempts and finished as QB3 in 2023. His numbers were out of control last season. 4516 passing yards (third amongst QBs) 36 TDs (first among QB’s). His 69.5 completion rate was the best mark of his career. I’m just not excited about drafting Dak this year. I didn’t like the Cowboys off-season as they didn’t add any new play makers to the offense. Losing All-Pro left tackle Tyron Smith will be felt. Tony Pollard had a down year in 2023 but still played a vital role in the pass and run game. That versatility will be sorely missed. Ezekiel Elliot is back even though I couldn’t tell you with a straight face that he’s still got juice left in the tank. As long as Ceedee Lamb and Brandin Cooks stay healthy Dak will be just fine. Jake Ferguson is a sleeper TE you can target towards the end of drafts. He caught 71 passes last season and will look to build off the 5 TDs he scored. It’s looking like Rico Dowdle is winning the RB battle currently in camp so stay tuned to see how that shakes out. Dak doesn’t run like he used to, so he will have to approach 600 pass attempts again to return good value. That’s why he’s closer to top-10 than top-5.

10. Joe Burrow 📈🏥

Burrow started the season sluggish battling a preseason calf injury. He crawled out of the fantasy gate with only two TDs by Week 4. He got on a heater after that slow start slinging 12 TDs and throwing for almost 300 yards per game in his next five weeks. He then suffered a wrist injury in Week 11 that subsequently ended his season. If I could trust Joe Burrow’s health he would be much higher on this list. But reports from Bengals camp are saying that coaches are not letting him throw two days in a row. Maybe they’re being cautious early on in camp and they will rev up his reps as we get deeper into the summer. The throws he is making have zip and look good, so there is reasonable hope that Joe will be ready for the season opener. When he’s healthy, he’s a top 5 fantasy QB. The offense will look different than what he’s used to. Joe Mixon was replaced by Zach Moss. Jermaine Burton was drafted in the third-round to replace Tyler Boyd. Jamar Chase isn’t going anywhere, but I’m looking for Tee Higgins to have a bounce-back year after only playing in 12 games. He demanded a trade in the offseason but the Bengals did not find a partner. Look for him to run it up and earn himself a new deal outside of Cincy by the end of the season. One thing to take note about with Burrow is his reluctance to challenge teams deep. In 2021 he threw deep at a 12.1 % (passes traveling more than 20 yards downfield are considered deep) clip. In 2022, that dipped down to 7.9 % and it dipped even lower last year to 6.8 %. Of course the injuries contribute to the low deep ball rates, but adding a lingering wrist injury into the equation doesn’t give me much hope that he will rediscover his deep ball. Even still, he’s an automatic 4,000 yards and 30 TDs if he plays 17 games.