FANTASY FOOTBALL RANKINGS: The expert consensus on the top 20 quarterbacks of 2019
- Fantasy football season is almost here.
- To help you prepare, we've put together a consensus quarterback ranking based on the predictions of fantasy experts from several different outlets.
- There's no wrong way to draft your team, but a bit of guidance from experts never hurts.
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Football season is fast approaching and with it, comes fantasy football.
With the help of Fantasy Pros, we gathered the rankings of 21 experts from Yahoo! Sports, The Action Network, FantasyPros, The Athletic, Walter Football, The Fantasy Footballers, The Washington Post, CBS Sports, theScore, and Sports Illustrated in order to put together a consensus ranking of 2019 fantasy football quarterbacks from experts across the sports world.
This year, the quarterback position is wildly deep - Tom Brady isn't amongst the top 20 according to our expert consensus. For some fantasy players, it might mean it's a good year to wait on quarterback and focus on other positions at the top of the draft. For others, the depth could be a sign to be sure a scoop up one of the few players you can be sure will be elite.
Whatever your strategy may be, take a look below and find the right quarterbacks for your team.
20. Kirk Cousins
Average rank: 18.9
2018 stats: 4,298 passing yards, 30 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, 282.1 fantasy points
One thing to know: Kirk Cousins' first season in Minnesota came to a disappointing end, but from a fantasy perspective, he was quite solid. Seeing him as the 20th quarterback on this list is further proof as to how deep the position is this year. For two-quarterback leagues or teams looking to swap out their starter based on matchups, he'll be a valuable asset.
19. Josh Allen
Average rank: 17.4
2018 stats: 2,074 passing yards, 10 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, 208.1 fantasy points
One thing to know: Josh Allen led all quarterbacks with eight rushing touchdowns through the 2018 season despite starting just 11 of the Bills 16 games. After returning from a mid-season injury, Allen ended the year by rushing for more than 95 yards in four of the Bills final six games. For fantasy owners, Allen's potential as a threat of the ground offers a lot of upside.
18. Mitch Trubisky
Average rank: 17.2
2018 stats: 3,223 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, 263.0 fantasy points
One thing to know: Mitch Trubisky is a popular pick for a breakout season amongst NFL intelligentsia this year. He'll have another year in the Bears offense under his belt, and a talented corps of receivers and backs to support him.
17. Philip Rivers
Average rank: 17.0
2018 stats: 4,308 passing yards, 32 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, 285.0 fantasy points
One thing to know: If you're planning on taking a riskier quarterback earlier in the draft, Philip Rivers is a great option to consider as your backup after the rest of the league has selected their signal caller. Rivers is no slouch, having thrown for at least 4,200 yards in each of the past six seasons, and as a compliment to your starter or a matchup-based play, could be a valuable addition to your fantasy team.
16. Lamar Jackson
Average rank: 15.9
2018 stats: 1,201 passing yards, 6 touchdowns, 3 interceptions, 157.5 fantasy points
One thing to know: Lamar Jackson took over for the Ravens mid-season and led the team to win six of their final seven games to sneak into the playoffs. The former Heisman winner averaged nearly 80 yards a game rushing during his stretch as the starter, and is expected to continue to be a dual-threat this year.
15. Dak Prescott
Average rank: 14.5
2018 stats: 3,885 passing yards, 22 touchdowns, 8 interceptions, 285.9 fantasy points
One thing to know: After a disappointing start to the season, the Cowboys offense came to life in the second half of the season after the acquisition of wide receiver Amari Cooper. Through the final six games of the season, Dak Prescott averaged 291 yards and two touchdowns per game while leading the Cowboys to a 5-1 record and a playoff berth.
14. Ben Roethlisberger
Average rank: 14.2
2018 stats: 5,129 passing yards, 34 touchdowns, 16 interceptions, 340.9 fantasy points
One thing to know: Ben Roethlisberger will be without two of his best weapons this year with the departures of Antonio Brown and Le'Veon Bell in the offseason. That said, their nominal replacements — JuJu Smith-Schuster and James Conner — have already proven their potential as elite players in the league.
13. Jared Goff
Average rank: 12.3
2018 stats: 4,688 passing yards, 32 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, 310.3 fantasy points
One thing to know: Jared Goff is the only quarterback in the NFL with three receivers — Cooper Kupp, Brandin Cooks, and Robert Woods — ranked in the top 50 overall players in fantasy football this year. While the Rams offense looked stagnant in the Super Bowl, for the majority of the 2018 season they were dominant.
12. Kyler Murray
Average rank: 12.3
2018 stats: N/A
One thing to know: Kyler Murray was an undeniable star through his season at Oklahoma in 2018, but how successful he'll be as a rookie remains to be seen. While we've seen multiple young quarterbacks step immediately into the starting role over the past few years, Murray's supporting cast in Arizona is far from ideal.
11. Jameis Winston
Average rank: 12.2
2018 stats: 2,992 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, 14 interceptions, 195.8 fantasy points
One thing to know: Jameis Winston might be playing for his career this year, as he is set to become a free agent in 2020. That motivation, combined with new head coach Bruce Arians guiding the Buccaneers offense, could potentially set Winston up for quite a season.
10. Drew Brees
Average rank: 11.2
2018 stats: 3,992 passing yards, 32 touchdowns, 5 interceptions, 304.0 fantasy points
One thing to know: You know it's a stacked year at quarterback when Drew Brees is falling to 10th on the list. While age (40) is certainly something to keep in mind, Brees completed a career-high 74.4% of his passes in 2018, and showed no signs of slowing down.
9. Russell Wilson
Average rank: 10.4
2018 stats: 3,448 passing yards, 22 touchdowns, 8 interceptions, 298.4 fantasy points
One thing to know: Russell Wilson is another option for fantasy players looking for a reliable quarterback they can slot in for every game. With at least 34 touchdowns in three of the past four seasons while keeping interceptions at a minimum, Wilson may not win you your league, but he certainly won't lose it.
8. Carson Wentz
Average rank: 8.7
2018 stats: 3,074 passing yards, 21 touchdowns, 7 interceptions, 192.7 fantasy points
One thing to know: Carson Wentz's biggest problem the past two years has been staying on the field, as ill-timed injuries have forced him to miss the final stretch of the regular season — the fantasy postseason. Still, when he is healthy, he is one of the top quarterbacks in the league, and this year he'll have a new target deep with DeSean Jackson returning to the Eagles.
7. Cam Newton
Average rank: 8.1
2018 stats: 3,395 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, 282.6 fantasy points
One thing to know: Cam Newton is a fantasy standout for his ability to beat opponents with his arm and with his feet. Over the past five years, Newton has averaged six rushing touchdowns a season, a boon to both fantasy owners and the Carolina Panthers.
6. Matt Ryan
Average rank: 7.3
2018 stats: 4,924 passing yards, 35 touchdowns, 7 interceptions, 354.0 fantasy points
One thing to know: Matt Ryan might not be the flashiest name in your fantasy draft, but he's as consistent a player as you'll find if you're looking for solid numbers, having thrown for more than 4,500 yards or more in six of the past seven seasons.
5. Baker Mayfield
Average rank: 6.4
2018 stats: 3,725 passing yards, 27 touchdowns, 14 interceptions, 240.1 fantasy points
One thing to know: The NFL world has high expectations for Baker Mayfield after his impressive stretch of play through the second half of 2018. Over the final eight games of the season after the Browns shuffled their coaching staff, Mayfield threw 19 of his 27 touchdowns on the year and completed nearly 70% of his passes. With the addition of Odell Beckham Jr., the Cleveland offense should be even more fearsome this year.
4. Aaron Rodgers
Average rank: 3.4
2018 stats: 4,442 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, 312.6 fantasy points
One thing to know: The relationship between Aaron Rodgers and former Packers head coach Mike McCarthy seemed to boil over last season, leaving Green Bay fans doubting who was in charge. Incoming coach Matt LaFleur comes from an offensive background and will hopefully be able to get the most out of Rodgers while he is still one of the most talented quarterbacks in the league. That said, when 4,400 yards and 25 touchdowns to just two interceptions can be considered something of a disappointing year, you know you're in good hands with Rodgers on your fantasy team.
3. Andrew Luck
Average rank: 3.4
2018 stats: 4,593 passing yards, 39 touchdowns, 15 interceptions, 326.9 fantasy points
One thing to know: Andrew Luck missed the entirety of the 2017 season with a shoulder injury, but bounced back with a career year in 2018, throwing for 4,500 yards and 39 touchdowns. Indianapolis' focus on improving the offensive line in Luck's absence has paid dividends, and this year he'll likely once again be one of the best-protected quarterbacks in the league.
2. Deshaun Watson
Average rank: 2.7
2018 stats: 4,163 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, 9 interceptions, 331.7 fantasy points
One thing to know: After an injury derailed his rookie season, Deshaun Watson exceeded expectations in his sophomore year as the Texans starting quarterback, throwing for more than 4,100 yards and completing and impressive 68.3% of his passes. With one of the most talented receivers in the league in DeAndre Hopkins as a target, Watson will be an early pick in fantasy drafts once again this year.
1. Patrick Mahomes
Average rank: 1.3
2018 stats: 5,097 passing yards, 50 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, 417.7 fantasy points
One thing to know: In his first full year as a starter, Patrick Mahomes had about as good a year as a quarterback could hope for, winning MVP and becoming just the second quarterback in NFL history to throw for 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns. While those numbers might be tough to replicate, there's still good reason to believe he'll once again be the top quarterback in fantasy once the season is done.
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FANTASY FOOTBALL RANKINGS: Here's the expert consensus on the top 50 players >