QB Rankings

Mahomes had an erratic season in 2021. In the first six games, he had 18 TD passes but eight interceptions, more than he had in either of the previous two years. In the next six games, he had just seven TDs — five of which came in one game. But in his last five games, he went on a 12/1 TD/INT run to finish QB4 in fantasy. Mahomes’ YPA dropped to a career-low 7.4 (13th) as his average target depth fell to 7.3, 25th in the league, but he helped his fantasy value with a career-high 381 rushing yards (and two scores). He might need to pad his stats with rushing production again this year after playmaker Tyreek Hill was traded to the Dolphins. The Chiefs signed JuJu Smith-Schuster, who likely becomes the new No. 1 WR. Smith-Schuster is not a burner but should thrive with a QB who can actually throw downfield. The new deep threat is Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who had his moments in Green Bay but also had a knack for untimely disappearances and dropped passes. MVS joins fellow speedster Mecole Hardman, still looking to break out heading into Year 4. The Chiefs also added more speed in the draft, picking Skyy Moore in the second round. The group isn't without potential, though TE Travis Kelce might need to take on an even larger target share than usual. While Hill is undoubtedly a big loss, Mahomes still has an excellent coaching staff and offensive line, and he's talented enough to remain top 5 in fantasy even if it's a committee effort to replace his favorite receiver.

Allen’s efficiency regressed last season, but passing volume and rushing production were enough to make him the first quarterback since Daunte Culpepper (2003-04) to lead the position in fantasy scoring in back-to-back years. After taking a huge leap the year before, Allen’s on-target rate fell by five percentage points and his completion rate by six points last season, contributing to a decline of more than a yard in YPA (6.8, 24th). He ranked fourth in pass attempts, though, which helped him top 4,000 passing yards and 35 TDs for the second year in a row. And with triple-digit rushes (for the third consecutive year), a league-high 6.3 yards per carry and six rushing touchdowns, Allen separated himself from the pack in QB fantasy scoring. Coach Sean McDermott said his franchise QB might run less frequently this season, but 48 of Allen’s 122 rushes last year were scrambles (3rd), so even if the Bills limit designed runs he'll find opportunities to use his legs. The Bills return their main playmakers, including wide receivers Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis, and they signed Jamison Crowder to replace slot receiver Cole Beasley, giving Allen one of the league’s better WR trios. In the red zone, TE Dawson Knox is an effective target when Allen doesn't throw to Diggs or Davis or run it in himself. Allen is the rare dual-threat QB with upside for 600-plus pass attempts and strong per-pass efficiency, giving him a shot to become the first player since Brett Favre (1995-97) to lead the position in fantasy scoring three consecutive years.

Hurts made laudable improvements in accuracy last season, but it didn’t exactly turn him into a good passer. He increased his on-target rate by nearly 20 percentage points compared to 2020 (55.4 to 73.8 percent) but finished only 26th in the league in completion percentage (61.3). Perhaps most concerning, Hurts threw five interceptions and only two TDs on attempts 20-plus yards downfield, magnifying the pre-draft concerns about his arm strength. Despite that, he finished QB9 in fantasy thanks to incredible rushing production. He led quarterbacks in rushing yards (784) and became the ninth QB all-time with double-digit TDs on the ground. His rushing output, including a league-high 50 scrambles, likely will regress a bit this season, and for his passing to pick up the slack he probably needs more attempts. Hurts ranked 29th last season with 28.8 attempts per game, as the Eagles finished last in passing percentage (48.8) following their mid-year switch to a run-heavy offense. The only quality wideout was rookie DeVonta Smith, so Hurts largely relied on Dallas Goedert (76 targets) and his running backs (105 targets). The Eagles responded by trading for A.J. Brown on draft day, giving Hurts a game-changing No. 1 receiver to pair with Smith and Goedert. If Hurts throws more passes and continues to improve his accuracy with the help of an improved receiving corps, he can become a top fantasy QB even if he runs a bit less than last year.

Burrow came back from a major knee injury that ended an impressive rookie year to lead the Bengals to the Super Bowl last season. But whereas in his first year Burrow put up numbers on the back of 40.4 pass attempts per game (a league-high through Week 11), he put up big numbers last season as perhaps the league's most efficient passer. Averaging only 32.5 attempts per game (17th), Burrow led the league in on-target rate at 80.6 percent with an 8.1- yard average target depth (10th). That propelled him to a 70.4 completion percentage and 8.9 YPA - both tops in the league. Burrow capitalized on downfield throws, ranking fourth in on- target percentage (59.0), third in YPA (17.0) and first in touchdowns (11) on attempts of 20-plus yards, getting an instant boost from rookie receiver Ja'Marr Chase, with whom he teamed for a league-high six 50-yard completions and 22 20-yard completions (4th). Chase returns with Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins, giving Burrow the league's best WR trio. Joe Mixon gives the offense a returning 1,200-yard rusher, and after allowing 55 sacks (and an NFL-record 19 in the playoffs), the Bengals remade their offensive line in a big way by signing center Ted Karras, right guard Alex Cappa and right tackle La'el Collins. The only problem is that Burrow doesn't run much, which could keep him from finishing as a top-5 fantasy QB even if he's excellent for the Bengals again. He's also set to miss a large portion of training camp while recovering from a late-July appendectomy, though it's less of an issue given that the Bengals have continuity on offense everywhere besides the O-line.

Jackson had a lot going against him last year. He lost running backs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards to season-ending injuries before Week 1, followed by LT Ronnie Stanley in the opener, and then later in the year Jackson himself missed five games (and most of a sixth) to illness and injury. It’s too bad, because his per-game numbers were strong. In his 11 full games, Jackson averaged a career-high 260.5 passing yards, while 69.3 rushing yards per game topped the previous year’s pace. Prorated to 17 games, those numbers would vault him into the top 5 of fantasy QBs, even with his downturn in total touchdowns (18). His completion percentage (64.4) matched the previous year, and his 7.5 YPA (8th) was slightly improved on a 9.3-yard average target depth (3rd). The biggest issue was a career-high 13 interceptions with his 3.4 INT rate second highest in the league. In any event, a year of good health is most important — for Jackson, the running backs and second-year WR Rashod Bateman, who was limited to 12 games in an otherwise promising rookie season. Bateman is the new No. 1 after Marquise Brown was traded on draft day, leaving the Ravens with only TE Mark Andrews as a sure thing among their pass catchers. The offensive line got help with first-round pick Tyler Linderbaum, one of the best center prospects in years, and the Ravens seem to be gearing up for a return to their run-first ways after attempting 611 passes (ninth most) last season. As the league’s best running quarterback, it won’t take much for Jackson to bounce back into the top 5 at the position again, even if Baltimore’s passing game is a work in progress.