Quarterbacks, Tier 1
1. Josh Allen, Buffalo
2. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore
3. Jayden Daniels, Washington
4. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia
A new name enters tier 1 of our 2025 fantasy football quarterbacks, with the Commanders’ signal caller Jayden Daniels joining a troika of QB who have built houses at or near tier 1 for the last several seasons. Josh Allen remains the top option, with Lamar Jackson close behind. Jalen Hurts will comfortably clear double digit rushing TDs, and otherwise finds himself at the end of this group just due to having slightly less passing prowess than the other options.
For leagues where passing points are heavy (i.e. 5+ points for passing TDs), round 2 makes sense for this duo. For more standard scoring (i.e. 4 points per passing TD), round 3 serves as the sweet spot. For leagues with two QBs starting however, gotta grab this group in round 1.
Quarterbacks, Tier 2
5. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati
6. Patrick Mahones, Kansas City
Tier 2 contains the best QB in the league and arguably the number two option. But they’re not the best fantasy QBs, as they lack the rushing yards that the tier 1 group provides. So instead, Joe Burrow and Patrick Mahomes share the next tier down. Burrow returns the best WR duo in the league, while Mahomes will have an upgraded WR core to work with, health and potential suspensions (Rashee Rice) permitting.
Rounds 4-5 feel appropriate for Jackson and Mahomes, depending on your league’s scoring structure. Adjust as necessary consistent with the information above for tier 1.
Quarterbacks, Tier 3
7. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay
8. Bo Nix, Denver
9. Kyler Murray, Arizona
10. Justin Fields, NY Jets
11. Caleb Williams, Chicago
12. Brock Purdy, San Francisco
Tier 3 doesn’t fall too far behind its predecessor tier. Bucs’ QB Baker Mayfield threw for 4,500 yards and 41 TDs in 2025 – and now adds rookie sensation Emeka Egbuka to an already strong receiving corps. Bo Nix had a solid rookie season with the Broncos, throwing 29 TDs while falling a bit short of the 4k passing mark. Nix also amassed 430 rushing yards and 4 TDs on the ground, so he provides a notable ground element with his game.
Cardinals’ QB Kyler Murray is one of the tougher ranks to make this season. Murray disappointed his fantasy owners in 2024, finding the end zone only 26 times the entire season (21 passing and 5 rushing), and otherwise hasn’t had an explosive fantasy season since 2021 due to injuries or uninspired performance. The Cardinals return Marvin Harrison Jr. and Trey McBride, so here’s hoping that with those weapons – especially with MHJ’s potential to ascend in his sophomore campaign – Murray will post a season reminiscent of his glory days.
The next two options come with great upside. Justin Fields may or may not be a long-term NFL starter, but he’s got the reigns this season with the Jets – and boy can he run. If you’re a QB and have 1) elite rushing ability and 2) a starting NFL job, then you’re fantasy relevant. Moving to Caleb Williams, 2025 brings upon him a monumentally upgraded offensive system and offensive line. Williams may have the highest ceiling among this group, though he will simultaneously need Rome Odunze to take a leap this year to reach his potential.
The 49ers rewarded Brock Purdy this past offseason with a major extension, while the debate lives on as to whether he’s a good QB or a product of Kyle Shanahan’s system. How about both? Purdy has averaged over 4,000 yards passing over the past two seasons, and last season he navigated a depleted skill position group among other hurdles. It’s easy to envision a 20 TD season (2024) becoming closer to a 31 TD season (2023) this year, with better health of his weapons.
If you pass on the top 2 tiers of QBs, no need to panic – you can win your league with a tier 3 starter. Rounds 6 – 9 fit for this group.
Quarterbacks, Tier 4
13. Justin Herbert, LA Chargers
14. Dak Prescott, Dallas
15. Jordan Love, Green Bay
16. JJ McCarthy, Minnesota
17. Drake Maye, New England
18. CJ Stroud, Houston
19. Jared Goff, Detroit
20. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonvillle
Tier 4 presents familiar names, starting with one of the best real life QBs in Justin Herbert. The reason Herbert doesn’t join his other top 5 real life QB mates in tiers 1 and 2 – combination of lesser weaponry and functioning in a run-preferred offense. On the flip side, Cowboys’ QB Dak Prescott will be in a pass centric offense – now with WR George Pickens flanking stud WR CeeDee Lamb. Prescott missed half of the 2024 season with injury, but don’t forget his 4,500 yard / 36 TD season just a year earlier.
Packers’ QB Jordan Love has settled into a solid NFL QB, both real life and fantasy. He has a multitude of weapons in the passing game, but none that scream “the guy”. His fantasy upside remains somewhat limited as a result. Conversely, JJ McCarthy has been handed the keys to an offense with Justin Jefferson as its centerpiece, which makes McCarthy an intriguing, high upside play this year. As he has yet to throw an NFL pass in regular season play, McCarthy comes with considerable risk.
The Patriots’ didn’t take too long to find Tom Brady’s long term successor. Maye showed incredible poise last year while suiting up with perhaps the worst group of 10 players around him in the league. With Stefon Diggs and promising rookie WR Kyle Williams joining him in 2025, Maye has the upside to jump a tier by next year. CJ Stroud showed top 10 fantasy QB ability in his 2023 rookie season, only to get battered behind an abysmal offensive line last year. Questions about how improved his line will be in 2025 do factor into his ranking here.
Jared Goff has taken the Lions to new heights as their starting QB, though the Super Bowl has continued to evade them. Goff has elite weaponry at his disposal but with no rushing game generated from Goff himself, tier 4 remains his ceiling. Trevor Lawrence closes out the tier 4 group, still with attractive potential though with some shine having warn off after four lackluster seasons. How dual WR / CB Travis Hunter will factor in on offense remains to be seen, as Hunter together with Brian Thomas Jr. give Lawrence a potentially elite WR combo…which could be what it takes to finally elevate his performance into where he was prognosticated on his NFL draft night.
Tier 4 runs quite deep, with their rankings likely to quite different across fantasy draft boards. You should target these QBs from rounds 10 and onward.
Quarterbacks, Tier 5
21. Geno Smith, Las Vegas
22. Bryce Young, Carolina
23. Matthew Stafford, LA Rams
24. Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta
25. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami
26. Cameron Ward, Tennessee
We’ll do a quick run through the tier 5 group, as these QBs should serve as backups in your league…or spot starters at best. Geno Smith leaves the Seahawks to join Pete Carroll with the Raiders. Note that Smith has played well in domes since reincarnated as a starting NFL QB, and he sits behind a significantly better offensive line than he ever did with the Seahawks. Bryce Young deserves credit for pivoting from an NFL bust path to legitimate starting NFL QB. It didn’t look good for a while. How high of a ceiling Young has remains another matter.
Matthew Stafford comes with health risks, now in the twilight of his career. If he can stay upright, having Davante Adams and Puka Nucua as weapons makes him an interesting option. Michael Penix Jr rightfully has the starting gig in Atlanta, while possessing one of the best arms in the NFL. His upside sits high.
Tua Tagovailoa has two terrific WRs, a strong ground game and friendly offensive scheme. You can argue he deserves to be ranked higher. How much longer WR Tyreek Hill will remain an elite option remains to be seen, as he’s at that age where declining speed becomes inevitable. We end with the first overall pick in the NFL draft, Cam Ward. The rookie QB doesn’t have a lot to work with in terms of skill players, so don’t expect a Jayden Daniels’ type season for him. But he may outperform his ranking here.
This last group of QBs should be selected towards the end of your drafts, as backups to your starting QB.
Draft Strategy:
The typical strategy for QBs has been to wait until you’ve at least fortified your RB and WR positions before snagging your QB, due to great depth at the position and the fact that you only start one QB (with the obvious exception in 2 QB leagues). For the 2025 season, take a two pronged approach. In case your draft board lines up and you have a chance to take one of the QB options in tier 1, go for it. Otherwise if you miss out on the tier 1 QBs, it’s all good – snag one of the options in tier 3 or (or tier 2 if you’re presented with good value) without panicking. If you wait until tier 4 for your first QB, make sure to grab two from that group – including one with upside.
In case you play in a league which starts two QB’s, ignore the paragraph above. For two QB leagues, do your best to grab one of the tier 1 or 2 QBs – they will be first rounders there. From there, grab another QB among the tier 3 through 4 group. If you miss out on the tier 1-2 QBs, then make sure to lock down at least one tier 3 QB, if not two.
Personal Note
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