Whether you’re playing in a traditional 1QB league or a SuperFlex league, you’ll want the best quarterback you can get at ADP.
We all know that Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts, and Patrick Mahomes are elite. But who is the best pick? Depending on your build, that “best” pick could be any number of quarterbacks.
For the purpose of this article, I have highlighted picks that present the best value at various stages of your draft.
Remember, be sure you check your scoring. Are passing touchdowns worth four or six points? Are there bonuses for first downs? What are the penalties for interceptions?
Let’s take a look at some signal-callers that should be on your radar.
Best Overall Fantasy Football Quarterback
Lamar Jackson, Ravens
I’m going to admit something: I have never drafted Lamar in fantasy football. Is that insane? Probably. But somehow, the value has never been there for me to take the shot.
That has changed for me this year. I find myself drafting Lamar often - especially in SuperFlex Leagues. I think Lamar could easily finish as the QB1 overall, yet he’s often the fourth QB off the board.
There's a reason Lamar won the 2023 MVP. He ran for 821 yards and five rushing touchdowns while also passing for 3,678 yards with a 102.7 passer rating and 24 touchdowns through the air. Jackson combined for 29 total touchdowns - two more than Patrick Mahomes. In his second year of Todd Monken’s offense, that should only improve.
As a fantasy quarterback, Jackson finished QB4 overall and QB3 on a per-game basis, with an average of 20.7 PPR points per game. If you include the postseason, those numbers would be even higher. Lamar scored 27 PPR points per game in his two postseason matchups.
Lamar has trimmed down in the off-season, and with the threat of Derrick Henry in the run game, we should continue to see Jackson use his wheels while the passing game is also opened up. As a passer, he should only continue to thrive with a healthy Mark Andrews (Andrews missed half of last season) and Zay Flowers. That should add up to plenty of fantasy success.
Best Value Fantasy Football Quarterback
Brock Purdy, 49ers
So much Brock Purdy disrespect! Forget what you saw in the preseason. It’s preseason and that’s the time to work things out.
Purdy will be protected in Kyle Shanahan’s system, which will feature stud runner Christian McCaffrey, and two elite wide receivers. And does it matter if it's “the system” if your QB puts up these kinds of stats?
Purdy’s 113 passer rating was the best among qualified starters in 2023, and his 69.4% completion rate was second only to Dak Prescott. Purdy’s 9.6 yards per pass attempt and 13.9 yards per completion also led the NFL.
Maybe Purdy won’t be quite as good as last season, but as the QB11 off the board, he should still return value. Brandon Aiyuk is finally signed, and Purdy will have all his favorite weapons at the ready. Purdy finished as the QB6 in fantasy last season.
Best Sleeper Fantasy Football Quarterback
Jayden Daniels, Commanders
I love Jayden Daniels as a fantasy sleeper this season. He has the accurate passing and mobility that can pay dividends for fantasy managers, even if the Commanders don’t win a lot of games. He’s also a skilled deep-ball passer.
Daniels rushed for a whopping 1,134 yards in his last collegiate season while also passing for 3,812 yards and 40 touchdowns on his way to the Heisman. The second overall pick in the draft should play well in Kliff Kingsbury’s offense, and with experienced pass-catchers Terry McLaurin, Austin Ekeler, and Zach Ertz, Daniels could return strong value as the QB13 off the board.
Best Deep Sleeper Fantasy Football Quarterback
Geno Smith, Seahawks
I think we are sleeping on the Seahawks' offense in general, and I’m grabbing Smith as a third QB in all my Superflex leagues. Ryan Grubb will push the ball downfield, and Smith has tons of offensive talent surrounding him.
In the final preseason game, Smith marched the team quickly downfield on the opening drive, completing four of five passes for 62 yards with one touchdown. We should see some positive regression in touchdowns and rushing from Smith.
Best Breakout Fantasy Football Quarterback
Anthony Richardson , Colts
Anthony Richardson was on his way to a dominant rookie season before he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in Week 5. Richardson averaged more than 18 points per game across his four starts.
His accuracy needs improvement, but that won’t matter much to fantasy managers as Richardson is an exceptional mobile threat. On 14 designed runs in 2023, he averaged 7.0 yards per rush, leading all NFL quarterbacks. Richardson scored four rushing touchdowns across his four starts, and now he has the benefit of a healthy Jonathan Taylor to help with the rushing attack.
We saw what Shane Steichen did with Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia, and Richardson, with his elite size/speed combo, could also put up big fantasy numbers in Indianapolis behind the top-ranked offensive line.
The biggest concern for Richardson is his play style. If Richardson, Steichen, and the O-line can make sure their quarterback stays healthy, Richardson could finish Top 5 at the position.
Honorable Mentions for value: Jared Goff, Tua Tagavailoa, and, in deeper leagues, Sam Darnold.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Top 5 Best Quarterbacks for Fantasy Football 2024 .
