Welcome to the first entry of my fantasy football rankings for the 2023 NFL season. These are my own personal rankings, as we enter crunch time of the fantasy drafting season!
Do you agree with my rankings, or is there someone you think I’ve got it all wrong about? Let me know!
PS – Stick around to the end to see how you can win a free NFL jersey of your choosing!
All rankings are based on 0.5PPR scoring, 6pt rushing/receiving touchdowns, 1 point per 10 rushing/receiving yards, 4pt passing touchdowns and 1 point per 25 passing yards.
Let’s talk Quarterbacks!
1 – Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
There is a QB who is more likely to throw 4,500 yards than Josh Allen is, and there is a QB who is more likely to rush for 10 TD’s than Josh Allen is. There are multiple QB’s who are more likely to rush for 850 yards than Josh Allen is. However, nobody is as likely to do all three of those. That is what I love about Josh Allen. One of the best arms in the league, one of the best rushing QB’s in the league, and a real knack for rushing it in himself when they’re on the goalline.
Josh Allen is my fantasy QB1.
He has proven over the last three years that he is just an unstoppable fantasy football force, finishing as the QB1, QB1 and QB2 in 2020, 2021 and 2022 respectively.
The Buffalo Bills are one of the best teams in the NFL, and their star quarterback will have a major role to play in their journey to a Super Bowl. Unfortunately for Allen, there’s one team that might get in the way of them winning the AFC…
2 – Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
If we weren’t talking about fantasy football, this man would be #1 and it wouldn’t be close. Patrick Mahomes is one of the greatest throwers of a football that has ever lived, and he just so happens to also be a great improviser and an underrated athlete. His head coach is also a locked and loaded Hall of Famer, and his TE is, too.
Mahomes is practically a lock to throw 4,750 yards and 35 TD’s in a healthy season, which is ridiculous to say, but it’s true. He is an elite player at the position, and could very well be the QB1 when the season ends. The only thing that makes me edge Josh Allen slightly over the Kansas City superstar is that rushing gets you more fantasy points than throwing does – as you will gauge is the case in a few more places throughout this top 12.
3 – Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
As I said, rushing is worth more points than passing. Jalen Hurts is a very solid quarterback, and his arm shouldn’t be disrespected, but his rushing (especially near the goal-line) is what lands him this high up. In 2022, the Eagles QB scored a ridiculous 13 rushing touchdowns, and the year before that he had 10. Hurts’ 13 scores tied him in second place alongside Austin Ekeler and Derrick Henry last year. That’s impressive company.
So, you draft a quarterback, who is probably going to throw 3,000+ yards and 20+ TD’s, and you get to tack on a running back who can realistically run for 750 yards and 10+ TD’s – using up just one roster spot. Plus, Jalen Hurts is on an upward trajectory as a passer of the ball, so the sky really is the limit for his fantasy production.
4 – Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
One of my personal favourites, Joe Burrow is one of the biggest superstars in the league. With a young duo of star receivers in the form of Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, Burrow is set for another big season. He suffered a minor setback in the preseason with a calf strain, but he’ll be firing on all cylinders come week 1. The Bengals have established themselves as a perennial contender, and their young core isn’t going anywhere. I consider Burrow the second-best passer in the NFL, behind Mahomes and expect him to put up his third straight 4000+ yard and 30+ TD season.
5 – Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
As I said earlier when discussing Jalen Hurts, a top-tier rushing QB can feel like having two players in one roster slot at times. Lamar Jackson is the epitome of that. He averages 6 yards per carry over his career, and he rushes a lot. In a season where Jackson plays every game and stays healthy, I would bet on him putting up 1,000 rushing yards and scoring 5+ TD’s. And that’s just his rushing. Add a modest 2,750+ passing yards and 25 TD’s, to consolidate his spot as a top fantasy QB. Plus, new offensive co-ordinator Todd Monken will encourage him to let loose his arm in the passing game more – which, although nothing is guaranteed – increases his ceiling even more.
We’ve seen that Jackson’s ceiling is unbelievable already, with his ridiculous MVP campaign in 2019. Jackson has proven to us that he’s capable of insane fantasy production, so let’s see if he can do it again. Plus, it’s really fun being able to watch him break off a 70-yard run and say ‘that’s my QB.’
6 – Justin Fields, Chicago Bears
Everyone loves running backs in fantasy football. So, why not draft an extra one!? Last year in 15 starts, Justin Fields rushed 160 times for a whopping 1,143 yards and 8 TD’s. His passing has a lot of room to improve, and the team he plays for is not good at all. However, he has already proven he can single-handedly win fantasy matchups for his owners, and I would expect to see him improve again this year. The addition of D.J. Moore is a huge benefit to the young QB, having a talented WR1 to work with and improve his balance of rushing and passing, so that defenses can’t treat him as a rushing-only threat. Plus, as we saw this preseason, Moore is an expert at yards-after-the-catch, which will help produce big yards from easy throws.
7 – Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Justin Herbert is a ridiculously skilled football player, with one of the most talented arms in the league. In terms of consistency, there isn’t much more you can ask of the Chargers QB. In his three-year career, he is averaging 286 yards and 1.9 touchdowns per game. With the scoring rules we’re using, that’s good for 22.84 fantasy points. Not a bad average! I am excited to see what dimension the rookie Quentin Johnston brings to the offense, working alongside fantasy fan-favourites Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. As a final cherry on top, Austin Ekeler is an incredible pass-catching running back, which all leads to points for Herbert.
I expect positive touchdown regression, and the yards will always be there. So, he has a huge ceiling, if he puts it all together. The Chargers franchise QB doesn’t rush as much as the QB’s ahead of him, but if you play in a league that in any way buffs passing (ie 6pt passing TD’s or 1 point for every 20 passing yards) you can boost him up past the two rush-first, throw-second QB’s above him.
8 – Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
One of the greatest college QB’s of all time, Trevor Lawrence hasn’t had the easiest transition to the NFL. In his rookie season, he completed 60% of his passes, throwing 3,641, 12 TD’s and 17 INT’s. Last season, however, he took a really positive step. In the same number of games, the Clemson-alum completed 66% of his passes for 4,113 yards and 25 TD’s, with just 8 INT’s. While that isn’t a world-shattering statline, his progression from year one to two is very encouraging.
If he continues to improve and forms a good rapport with the extremely talented new weapon Calvin Ridley, he could be looking at a Burrow-esque 4,000-yard, 30 TD campaign. The problem is that if he doesn’t reach the ceiling that we all know is there, his floor is much lower than the likes of Herbert and Burrow, and his team is much weaker. If you don’t want to spend up for a top 3 player at the position, but still want the upside for a really good QB, Lawrence’s value at the end of the fifth or early sixth round is great.
10 – Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
I think that sometimes people take Tua for granted. They are willing to draft Tyreek Hill in the first 5 picks and Jaylen Waddle in the first two rounds, and yet they don’t think that their quarterback is worth a pick. If the Miami wideouts are going to continue to dominate as we suspect, a healthy Tagovailoa will almost certainly be a QB1. The only problem is that his health is a question mark. After multiple head injuries in 2022, Miami will have to look after their quarterback, but as long as he can stay on the field, I think the Alabama graduate will have a great season. Obviously, if he gets hurt again, you’ll have to stream QB’s off the waiver wire for a while.
11 – Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings
Let me refer back again to my previous point. If we’re drafting Justin Jefferson as the literal #1 overall pick in fantasy this year, let’s not disrespect his QB. Kirk Cousins has some of the best weapons in the NFL. Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson and talented rookie Jordan Addison. I think that with that trio, he is poised for a great year. The Vikings defense isn’t the best, either, so they’ll be throwing constantly – perhaps even more so without Dalvin Cook.
People will always think of Kirk Cousins as a safe, boring pick (probably because he’s a fairly safe, boring person) but he has week-to-week upside, due to the unreal talent around him. Your opponent might not be scared when they see him in your lineup, but he gives you a consistent floor and has the upside for a big week, without spending an early pick. My type of fantasy QB.
12 – Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts
This pick might surprise some people but let me explain why I’ve put Anthony Richardson at the tail end of my QB1’s. If you haven’t read my fantasy advice before you may not know this, but I am a firm believer in taking a late QB. Unless it’s a superflex league (where you can start two quarterbacks) I will almost always get mine in the 8th round or later. The reason for this is because it’s the position that has the least dramatic drop off. The difference between the RB5 and the RB15 is astronomical, but the same jump for QB’s is nowhere near that level.
If you pay the price for Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes, you’re missing out on a top-tier RB or WR, and if they don’t absolutely dominate, that’s a wasted pick. However, if you draft a QB late it’s a win-win. If they’re bad, cut them. If they’re average, you haven’t lost much. And, if they dominate, you can win the league on their back. An example of this is Jalen Hurts last season.
This year’s Jalen Hurts – for my money – is Anthony Richardson. The Colts rookie has ridiculous upside (think MVP-season Cam Newton), and if he reaches that ceiling. He could genuinely win you your fantasy league. His athletic ability and raw arm talent are just that good. If he gets it right, that 10th or 11th-round pick could turn the tides of your season. But, if things don’t go to plan, just pick up a QB off waivers and stream the position. Simple.
Think you’ve got what it takes?
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