Expert Rankings

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: Allen led the quarterback position in fantasy points last season with all of his notable weapons returning. Allen trailed only Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson in rushing yardage as well. Patrick Mahomes losing Tyreek Hill is a worthy tiebreaker between Allen and Mahomes.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: Allen has been the No. 1 fantasy quarterback in back-to-back seasons, so he understandably will be the first signal-caller off the board in most leagues. But Brian Daboll's departure and the added risk of his running the ball 100+ times makes him a high risk/high reward option.

Ryan Weisse on May 23: With his combination of rushing upside and improved passing numbers, it's no wonder that Allen was the best fantasy quarterback the last two seasons and should be the top drafted quarterback in 2022. The rumors constantly swirl about him running less, but he's hit at least 400 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns every year he's been in the league. Until there is evidence that is going to change, you can bank on a safe floor and an enormous ceiling from Allen.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: Herbert is still on the upward trajectory and yet posted more than 5,000 passing yards and added more than 300 on the ground last season. Mike Williams returns and Keenan Allen and Austin Ekeler are stalwart elements. Gerald Everett provides potential upside from the tight end position from a matchup perspective Jared Cook hit-or-miss offered a year ago.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: Herbert built off a stellar rookie year and ascended into the truly elite, finishing as QB3. With all his key teammates returning, and coaching continuity, expect more of the same.

Ryan Weisse on Jun 1: I am fully bought into this Chargers offense for 2022 and that begins with Justin Herbert. We saw a nice step forward from year 1 to last season and that trend should continue. It's another year of growth with the same weapons and a better team around him overall. He is my QB2 and has a chance to steal the top spot if they cut him loose in 2022.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: Patrick Mahomes losing Tyreek Hill is a worthy tiebreaker between Josh Allen and Mahomes for the top quarterback spot.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: Mahomes has now finished outside the Top 3 for three years consecutively, but he's never finished worse than QB6. While some will worry about Tyreek Hill's departure, I suspect the Chiefs offense won't skip a beat particularly as the play-calling emphasizes a more balanced approach now.

Jeff Bell on Jun 26: The departure of Tyreek Hill and the ceilings of rushing quarterbacks ranked around him are legitimate concerns. The primary concern is the league seems to have caught up with him for the first time in his career. His last game was a complete breakdown against the Bengals; a first-half QBR of 98 dropped to a second-half 1.4. Mahomes set career highs in interceptions (13) and sacks (28), and despite seeing fewer blitzes, his pocket time of 2.3 was a career-low. The Chiefs need to show a counterpunch to combat coverage shifts that see teams dropping more defenders and Mahomes forcing throws, as his 18.8 bad throw percentage from ProFootballReference was a career-high.

Ryan Weisse on Jun 1: For the first time in his career, you have to consider risk when drafting Patrick Mahomes. His name will command far too much draft capital and this will be his first full season without Tyreek Hill. In limited games without Hill in the past, Mahomes has performed well, so I'm not too worried, but you have to think his touchdown numbers will regress, even just a small bit.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: Murray is one of the tougher to rank quarterbacks. Dynamic as a runner, Murray has largely been an average NFL passer to-date and loses Christian Kirk, saw minimal impact from Rondale Moore last season, and DeAndre Hopkins has devolved into a chain-mover as he ventures into his 30s. Murray needs to challenge for the NFL lead in quarterback rushing to challenge the top-six of the position.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: Murray only played 14 games last year, but his play remains consistent on a per-game basis. He's a very good fantasy quarterback, but he hasn't shown enough growth to be considered elite. With D. Hopkins suspended and C. Kirk gone, it's unclear whether the offense is capable of more.

Ryan Weisse on Jun 10: I was extremely high and very disappointed in Kyler Murray last year but we can't let that affect our 2022 ranking. The addition of Marquise Brown gives him one of the best receiving corps in the league and he still has major rushing upside. It was rocky last season and a drama-filled offseason for Murray and the Cardinals, but if he gets his head straight, he is still a top-5 fantasy quarterback.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: Lamar Jackson has more complication to his dynasty ranking than one specifically for 2022. Jackson offers the most rushing upside in the NFL for the position and 'win a fantasy team's matchup' potential any game. Losing Marquise Brown puts pressure on Rashod Bateman to pick up the slack, but Mark Andrews is Jackson's go-to option either way.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: Jackson only played 12 games last year and is embroiled in an unsettled contract situation. On a per-game basis, Jackson remains a must-start quarterback in every league format. But the durability and lack of progression as a passer are cause for concern.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: Brady will eventually become an NFL announcer by his record-setting broadcasting contract signed in the offseason. In the meantime, Brady returns to Tampa Bay after leading the NFL in completions, attempts, yards, and passing touchdowns in 2021. Chris Godwin is a question mark on his season start returning from injury and Rob Gronkowski potentially returning are the lone question marks for Brady.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: Another season, another year when Tom Brady can be had rounds cheaper than he should. Yes, he's 45 years old. Yes, he retired for thirty seconds this offseason. Who cares? He threw for 5,300 yards and 43 touchdowns last year, and all the key pieces return for another run at the Super Bowl.

Ryan Weisse on Jun 7: Pay special attention to Tom Brady. He was the No. 3 quarterback last season, and seems poised to finish Top 5 again. However, his draft cost is outside of the Top 10. You are getting him at his floor, and you want that value.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: A.J. Brown's addition is significant for Hurts, who has relied on his rushing prowess for quality fantasy finishes to-date. 10 rushing touchdowns is tough to repeat from a regression standpoint, but surpassing his 16 passing touchdowns from a year ago should be enough to compensate for Hurts.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: The Eagles fully committed to the run as the season progressed, and it turned their fortunes around. But then they traded for A.J. Brown and paid him $25 million per season. Will the coaches unleash Hurts and the passing attack this year? I'm not betting on it, but Hurts rushing prowess gives him a top-10 floor, if healthy.

Jeff Bell on Jun 16: Through the first half of last year, Hurts was running at QB3. In the second half, the team switched to a run-heavier approach, and Hurts suffered an ankle injury to slow down his pace but the ceiling is evident. In the offseason, the team added AJ Brown who will serve to shift DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert into favorable coverage situations. The stage is set for Hurts to carry his early-season production through the full year and exceed his ADP.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: Burrow does not add much as a runner to his fantasy tally and had a perfect storm of long touchdowns from JaMarr Chase in 2021 to fuel Burrow's top-10 finish. Burrow will have a tough task rising to the elite producers of the position.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: Burrow's pass attempts (520) were much lower than expected, but the recipe worked for the Bengals all the way to a Super Bowl appearance. The only fly in the ointment was a porous offensive line, but the front office spent a fortune on fixing that in free agency. Burrow's lack of rushing keeps him from having No. 1 overall ceiling, but he's firmly in the top-10 conversation.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: Prescott was a mid-QB1 in 2021 despite not having his rushing upside back from his injury, posting a mere 146 yards and a single touchdown on the ground. Double those numbers and Prescott challenges for QB3 a year ago. Prescott loses Amari Cooper, but Michael Gallup and Dalton Schultz notably return and (ideally) CeeDee Lamb takes a step forward.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: To hear some analysts, you would think the Cowboys offense was awful last year. Yet, they were No. 1 in points (530) and yards (6,919). Prescott put up monstrous numbers again (69% completion rate, 6.2% TD rate, 7.5 yards per attempt), and should be fine as long as Michael Gallup, Jalen Tolbert, and James Washington can approximate Amari Cooper and Cedrick Wilson's roles.

Ryan Weisse on Jun 10: Dak Prescott failing in fantasy drafts is puzzling to me. He was a top-7 option last year with weekly upside as the best quarterback in fantasy. Yes, he lost Amari Cooper but CeeDee Lamb and a high passing volume offense still remain. Prescott will be just fine and is a steal at his current ADP.

Andy Hicks on Jun 30: After 10 years in Seattle, the last with a seeming desire to move on, Russell Wilson got his wish by being traded to Denver. His career with the Seahawks is hall-of-fame worthy, but that means nothing for his Broncos career. One of his fantasy strengths was in noticeable decline last year with his lowest ever rushing numbers. At his age, you would not expect much from this crucial area for fantasy success. That leaves him as almost a pure passer, almost anachronistic in today's NFL. With Denver likely to lean on Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon III, Wilson will have time to learn a new offense and develop rapport with a good group of receivers. Wilson could push QB1 numbers, but I would be careful expecting this automatically.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: Wilson's pass targets going from Seattle to Denver and the 'let Russ cook' mantra might still be in the living room rather than the required kitchen for 2022 to unleash his volume. Wilson is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, but fantasy-wise there is a disconnect if Denver sticks with a two-back (and run-centric) attack this season.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: Wilson wasn't a top-10 fantasy quarterback last year, breaking an eight-year streak. But as we've seen from Tom Brady and Matthew Stafford, veteran quarterbacks can light it up immediately in new surroundings. The Broncos' supporting cast is capable of powerhouse productivity, and Wilson will be re-energized as he pushes for another title.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: Stafford was second in the NFL in passing touchdowns and gained Allen Robinson this offseason. However, a touchdown regression from Cooper Kupp is likely and the WR3, tight end, and running back spots are not highlights for fantasy upside. Stafford's perfect storm mid-QB1 finish last year projects lower in 2022.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: Could last season have gone any better? After toiling for years in Detroit and being labeled as a compiler who "couldn't win the big one," Stafford puts up elite fantasy numbers and leads the Rams to a Super Bowl title. Expect more of the same this year, as Allen Robinson is a more than adequate replacement for Robert Woods.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: Rodgers losing Davante Adams is a gut punch to his weaponry in 2022. Marquez Valdes-Scandling is another under-the-radar loss. Christian Watson is a developmental rookie, Amari Rodgers has shown little, and Robert Tonyan looked like a shell of his former breakout self in 2021. Outside of Allen Lazard rising to a top-20 receiver, there is plenty of reason for pessimism for Rodgers being a top-10 quarterback this season.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: Rodgers has delivered efficient, elite production over many coaching, system, and personnel iterations. While Davante Adams' departure hurts, it would be silly to discount Rodgers much lower than the end of the QB1 tier.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: Carr challenged for the top-10 in fantasy scoring among quarterbacks despite not having an outside wide receiver presence and Darren Waller missing time. Fast-forward to 2022 and Carr has Waller healthy and Davante Adams added to the passing game. Carr is a sleeper despite his lack of rushing upside.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: Carr will be the darling expert pick this year with Josh McDaniels taking over and Davante Adams acquired. While Carr is capable of a QB1 season, don't overvalue the offseason changes particularly because Carr offers nothing as a runner. Carr has never cracked the Top 10 in eight seasons; history doesn't offer many comparable QBs who break out in their ninth year as a starter.

Andy Hicks on Jun 20: Derek Carr has consistently rated near the middle of fantasy and NFL quarterbacks. With the arrival of Davante Adams, that should change. In his eight-year career, he only finished as a QB1 once. Last year and it was as the 12th ranked quarterback. Carr hasn’t always had the best of coaching groups around him. Josh McDaniels isn’t a sure-fire guy to change that, but he should bring an improved Offense. Carr is unlikely to break into the top six, but bottom-end QB1 easily outplays his draft slot.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: Cousins has posted 30 or more passing touchdowns in three of the past four seasons as one of the underrated fantasy quarterbacks. Justin Jefferson being a bright star has aided Cousins through Adam Thielen taking a step back over the past season or two. Irv Smith returns from injury, missing from the passing game in 2021.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: Cousins has been a top-12 quarterback in six of the last seven seasons, including a QB9 finish last year. No one seems to want him, but he always delivers in fantasy for a discounted draft cost.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: Lance's range of outcomes in 2022 includes an elite fantasy breakout into the top-10 of the position, but also Jimmy Garoppolo staying in San Francisco and starting most (or all) of the season. Lance is fine drafted as a fantasy team's QB2, but being all-in on Lance starting and succeeding is a risky team-building strategy.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: Most of us are assuming Lance will be the Week 1 starter, but the 49ers still have Garoppolo, so we need to let training camp give us guidance on how to value Lance in redrafts.

Jeff Haseley on Jun 17: Trey Lance has a Top-10 upside simply due to his rushing ability. If he can also assemble a decent, not great passing game, he should be a shoo-in for QB1 production. The best part of targeting Lance this year is that he has the opportunity to deliver high-end production with a QB2 price tag.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: No.1 overall quarterback selections are relatively immune to Year 1 decreasing their uptick probabilities for Year 2 and beyond. Subtract Urban Meyer and add Christian Kirk alone and Lawrence is a good bet to crack the top-20 quarterbacks, if not the top-15 with his rushing potential.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: Lawrence's rookie season wasn't bad, it was abysmal. Few rookies in NFL history have had that kind of season and amounted to more than a league-average starter for their careers. But the Urban Meyer effect cannot be discounted, and many will be tempted to give Lawrence a do-over. Caveat emptor, but don't completely rule out a comeback for the ages.

Jeff Haseley on Jun 17: I am not buying that Trevor Lawrence is a bust after one year of less-than-desirable production. We've seen time and again second-year quarterbacks take a big leap forward. Lawrence, under Doug Pederson, with an improved offense, has the tools and all-pro pedigree to take his talents to the next level. His rushing upside is also a reason to be optimistic. Even a slight or gradual increase in his passing prowess should elevate his standings in the quarterback rankings.

Ryan Weisse on May 24: I can't imagine that Lawrence could be worse than last year. On the plus side, the over 300 rushing yards last season is one positive. He and the Jags need more TDs and fewer interceptions, but Doug Pederson is the right coach to help. He worked with Carson Wentz in Philadelphia and Wentz was similarly bad as a rookie and a top-5 quarterback in year two. No guarantees that Lawrence makes that leap but an improvement from 2021 seems certain.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: This is the no excuses season for Tagovailoa. Miami has Jaylen Waddle entering Year 2, Mike Gesicki returns, and Tyreek Hill is a splash trade acquisition. Tagovailoa adds minimal on the ground and his 27 passing touchdowns over 23 games to-date will need a massive uptick to approach the top-12 of the position.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: While the Dolphins were allegedly machinating for everyone from Tom Brady to Deshaun Watson, the chips fell in favor of building around Tagovailoa. The team has given the young quarterback a loaded receiving corps, so no more excuses. It's put up or shut up in 2022.

Andy Hicks on Jun 30: For young quarterbacks to succeed, they need excellent coaching, strong targets, and development of their skills. Chicago decided to change head coaches and let Allan Robinson go. Justin Fields had a troublesome rookie season with only seven touchdowns and ten interceptions. His pass completion percentage was lower than that of Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, and Drew Lock. At the receiver, the Bears replaced Robinson with the fifth-string receiver from Kansas City and a rookie that was surprisingly selected several rounds ahead of expectations in Velus Jones Jr. Justin Fields does have elite rushing potential, but learning a second offense in two years is usually not the recipe for young quarterbacks to thrive.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: The Bears squandered the offseason opportunities to build around Fields like the Jets did with Zach Wilson. Fields has strong rushing upside, but he may challenge for the lowest passing total among starting quarterbacks again in 2022 with Darnell Mooney, Cole Kmet and little else in the passing game.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: On paper, the Bears have a terrible receiving corps and subpar offensive line. Is the new front office committed to building around the young signal caller? I'm not sure, and you shouldn't be, either. Draft Fields as a high-ceiling QB2, not as your starter.

Jeff Bell on Jun 16: Only eight rookie quarterbacks have topped Justin Fields' 420 rushing yards as a rookie and Fields did it while only playing 12 games. It would be hard to get thrust into a more difficult situation with Matt Nagy's management and playcalling and the lack of first-team offseason reps. Still, over his last five games, Fields showed signs of putting it together, with a 60% competition and 84 passer rating, in line with a player like Jalen Hurts. With Chicago in the midst of a rebuild, Fields will be put in a position to chase points on the scoreboard, a proven formula to harvest fantasy points.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: Winston had a career year through seven games in 2021 before injury. Sean Payton exits, but Michael Thomas is slated to return from injury and Jarvis Landry and Chris Olave are notable additions to the passing game. Winston is simmering with upside to crash the top-12 if Thomas is healthy and Landry and Olave provide anything of note this season.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: The front office seemed to reluctantly re-sign Winston after higher-end alternatives fell through, which isn't a resounding endorsement. He'll continue being a streaky player who's hard to trust in weekly lineups.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: Ryan inherits one of the best rushing attacks and offensive lines in the NFL with his trade to the Colts. Ryan's top-10 upside is sapped at this point in his career, but can be a sturdy QB2 for fantasy terms and a Superflex value.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: Few quarterbacks have been as erratic as Ryan. In 14 seasons, Ryan has as a top-3 quarterback twice, and outside the Top 10 six times. He's coming off a QB17 finish in Atlanta, but the team was bereft of talent and stuck in neutral. Now he's a Colt and should return to top-10 to 14 value if he stays healthy.

Jeff Bell on Jun 26: his inclusion as an overvalued player is a game theory concern. Ryan is a competent veteran, but he led the NFL in completions in 2019 and 2020 and was barely a fringe QB1. He will be tasked with a ball-control offense in Indianapolis that leans on Jonathan Taylor. Quarterbacks at this level should not be rostered in shallow bench leagues as their production is easily replicated.

Andy Hicks on Jun 20: There have been far too many Philip Rivers comparisons with the arrival of Matt Ryan to Indianapolis. Ryan is a couple of years younger than the former Charger, still throws a beautiful ball and will have a much better offense than what he got in Atlanta last year. Ryan has life left. With a young and improving receiver group and the likely number one running back in the NFL, Ryan is a steal in fantasy drafts. His draft price is his floor. It is worth noticing that seven of his 12 career rushing touchdowns are in the last four years. No risk here. At 37, he has maybe 2-3 years left so is still a viable dynasty option

Jeff Haseley on May 23: Matt Ryan is no stranger to 4,000-yard seasons, racking up 10 in his career. He is also extremely durable, missing only three games since he was drafted. The Colts are a run-first offense which means Ryan won't have to use his arm nearly as much as he did with Atlanta to win games. A top 20 finish is plausible given his history but a new offensive philosophy and an aging arm, may reverse the trend of what we've seen from him in the past.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: Jones has devolved in two seasons since a promising rookie year in 2019. Jones has rushing upside, but 21 passing touchdowns over his past 25 games requires a massive uptick to be worth the downside risk even as a fantasy team's QB2 considering the solid veterans available instead.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: Can Brian Daboll and his staff unlock Daniel Jones' potential? Don't count on it, particularly because Daboll has several unsuccessful stints as a play-caller on his resume before he had the privilege of coordinating an offense with Josh Allen.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: Tannehill lost his top receiver in A.J. Brown, a gut punch to his passing upside in 2022. Tannehill is also a regression candidate coming off his seven rushing scores on just 55 attempts last year. Tannehill will struggle to finish in the top-20 quarterbacks.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: Julio Jones and A.J. Brown weren't the dynamic duo some expected, and now both are gone. A recovering Robert Woods and rookie Traylon Burks will have trouble matching Brown and company's production, at least in 2022. Tannehill is on the downtrend but his rushing upside keeps him in the low-end QB1 tier until further notice.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: Wilson was arguably the weakest showing of the notable 2021 rookie quarterbacks. There are no excuses in 2022 with the team adding to Corey Davis and Elijah Moore with Garrett Wilson in the top-10 of the draft, splashing the backfield with Breece Hall, and bolstering the anemic tight end depth chart with C.J. Uzomah and Tyler Conklin. Wilson, still, will have to improve on his woeful 55% completion rate and more interceptions than touchdowns in a massive fashion.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: Zach Wilson's rookie season wasn't as bad as Trevor Lawrence's, but it wasn't good, either. When the likes of Josh Johnson are putting up better numbers in the system, we need to tread carefully.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: Wentz is tough to trust with his quizzical mistakes and turnovers at times but did enjoy a bounce-back 2021 season on paper for the Colts. Now with Washington, Wentz has quality weapons all around for a top-20 season.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: In a league that puts inordinate value on starting quarterbacks, it speaks volumes Wentz has been traded away twice in two seasons. The Commanders have intriguing skill players, so view Wentz as a QB2 with upside in advantageous matchups.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: Jones had a promising rookie season and now sees DeVante Parker and rookie Tyquan Thornton added as lid-lifting wide receivers to a passing game full of short and intermediate options. Jones will likely not have the volume or rushing upside to challenge for the top-10 but represents a solid floor and top-15 upside for appeal in premium formats.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: Mac Jones only threw 22 touchdowns in 17 games and offers next to nothing as a rusher. With the Patriots not having an offensive coordinator on staff, and only Devante Parker being added to the receiving room, Jones' doesn't have a top-10 ceiling even if things fall perfectly.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: Goff is an underrated veteran quarterback. D.J. Chark and (health-pending) Jameson Williams offers boosts to the wide receiver corps. Goff also did not log a rushing touchdown in 2021 for the first time in his six-year career to push down his fantasy finish. Goff is a sturdy QB2 for fantasy with modest upside.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: 19 touchdowns in 14 games and a QB24 ranking tell the story. The Lions aren't going to morph into a high-volume passing attack with Goff under center, but contractually they probably aren't willing to give up on him yet.

Ryan Weisse on May 24: As a fantasy quarterback, Goff is frustrating but his stats aren't terrible. They're also not great. Which perfectly describes Jared Goff. He protected the ball well on a team that would rather run. There is not likely to be enough volume to make him a top-12 quarterback again, but if he can up his touchdown production with a lot of new weapons, he could be a back-end Top-15 option,

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: The biggest variable with Watson is how many games he will play in 2022. The Browns have quality weapons around Watson and pairing Watson with a sturdy veteran is an optimal draft combination if diving into the upside possibilities of Watson.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: We'll know soon enough whether Watson will be disciplined in 2022 and for how many games. Assuming he misses between 6-8 games, he's worth drafting at the bottom end of QB1s, but make sure to prioritize a second quarterback quickly to carry you for the first month or two.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: Mills was given the vote of confidence by Houston in the offseason not notably adding to the position. The weapons are largely the same with coming-off-of-injury rookie John Metchie as one addition. Brevin Jordan being a potential breakout tight end would be another reason for optimism. Mills adds next to nothing as runner, making his top-12 probabilities low.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: Mills was an afterthought this time a year ago, but the Texans committed to him early and his rookie season panned out well. We don't yet know if he can elevate a team to playoff contention, but he's certainly unlikely to be a total whiff, either.

Ryan Weisse on May 25: For the most part, Mills is being embraced by the fantasy community, thought he obviously needs to improve to be fantasy relevant. The fact is that he took over a bad situation and didn't play all that poorly. More importantly, he didn't completely tank Brandin Cooks' value. Mills handled himself well with a better completion percentage, TD:INT ratio, and YPA than Trevor Lawrence. Like Lawrence, he needs to improve in year 2, but with the new weapons around him and defense that should have them playing from behind, there should be plenty of opportunity.

Jeff Haseley on May 23: In 13 games in 2021 Davis Mills quietly put forth typical rookie numbers passing for 2,664 yards with 16 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He added 44 yards on the ground on 18 carries. Looking deeper into his stats, he finished with four games of 300-plus yards passing and five games where he had multiple touchdowns. The last five games of 2021 saw him throw 9 touchdowns with 2 interceptions and an average of 251 yards passing. We normally see improvement from second-year quarterbacks, especially those who have moderate success in year one. Mills is one to watch as a player who could take a big leap forward in 2022.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: Mariota is a plus rushing option but has a concerning 32 passing touchdowns against 26 interceptions over the past five seasons. Mariota should have a longer leash considering Desmond Ridder was a Round 3 selection in this year's draft, but Atlanta is unlikely to go anywhere in the standings. Turning the page to 2023 may come earlier in Atlanta than any other NFL city.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: Mariota bided his time as the Raiders backup and looks to be an unexpected beneficiary of the quarterback carousel. When the dust settled, he was the best-available option for Arthur Smith and the Falcons. But Desmond Ridder will almost certainly be given a chance to win the job as the season progresses.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: After a reset season as Josh Allen's backup in Buffalo, Trubisky is projected as the Week 1 starter for the Steelers. The clock is ticking, however, with Kenny Pickett waiting for any falter by Trubisky to turn the page to the hometown rookie. Trubisky has quality weapons and rushing upside, but is more of an early-season play than one projected for a full season of starting opportunity, healthy or not.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: Is Mitch Trubisky the latest Matt Flynn? After backing up Josh Allen, Trubisky seemed to have won a new lease on life as the Steelers new starter. But then the team drafted Kenny Pickett and now Trubisky realistically has a few months to prove he can start elsewhere in 2023.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: Carolina passed on quarterback at No.6 overall in the draft, a boost to Darnold's chances to see starts, and plenty of them, in 2022. Darnold has been woeful, however, with 18 touchdowns and 24 interceptions over the past two seasons. Outside of Darnold's torrid start to 2021 with rushing touchdowns, Darnold has been forgettable.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: Darnold knows he's not wanted in Carolina, and yet the Panthers waited until the third round to draft the mercurial Matt Corral. No one believes Darnold will be the starter, yet for now, he seems the obvious choice.

Jeff Haseley on May 23: Only rookie, Zach Wilson (69.7) had a lower quarterback rating than Darnold (71.9) in 2021. The Panthers will battle Darnold with rookie Matt Corral in the preseason and the better, more refined option, will likely earn the role to start the season. If Darnold prevails, the starting job won't be safe unless he proves he can win consistently.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: Pickett's selection in Round 1 means the clock is ticking on expected Pittsburgh starter Mitchell Trubisky for his first bad game or a slow start to the season. Pickett does not project as a strong rushing option and the typical fantasy result for a rookie quarterback is already in the QB20-40 range historically.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: Mitch Trubisky is more than capable of starting, too, so the Steelers have the luxury of keeping Pickett on the bench until he's ready. Whether that's Week 1, Week 10, or 2023 remains to be seen.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: Lock is not even a lock to be the Seattle starter for 2022. Expect a battle with Geno Smith. Lock has 18 touchdowns and 17 interceptions spanning the past two seasons.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: The coaches said Geno Smith had the early edge on Drew Lock in minicamp. If the young signal-caller can't look better than Geno Smith in non-contact drills, he has almost no hope for fantasy relevance.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: The Falcons are projected to be one of the weakest teams in the NFL. Ridder should see time under center to evaluate the rookie ahead of the 2023 offseason. Marcus Mariota is one of least secure starters in the NFL to see 17 starts.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: Ridder is raw and there are no guarantees he'll evolve into a long-term starter. But the Falcons have no incentive not to give him a try later this season because Marcus Mariota certainly isn't the answer beyond a one-year stopgap.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: Garoppolo still resides in San Francisco and the options abound for the veteran quarterback, who could still be the 49ers starter this season, or off to another team as a starter or backup (for now). Garoppolo, fantasy-wise, does not have strong upside unless the situation is perfect around him.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: Garoppolo was expected to have a new home by now, but an injury clouded his market. There's no indication the 49ers are backing off plans to make Trey Lance the starter, but Jimmy G could still be the answer for a handful of needy teams in the coming months.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: Smith has a quality shot to be the Week 1 starter in Seattle, plus some rushing upside. The key question is if the Seahawks add a veteran via trade or being released from another team.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: The Seahawks may still be in the market for another veteran, but veteran Smith has the edge on the Week 1 starting job heading into training camp.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: Brissett is one of the watch list quarterbacks. Deshaun Watson's availability to open the season is a question mark with a possibility of suspension. Baker Mayfield is likely to be traded. That leaves Brissett as a spot starter in Cleveland under those conditions with a quality offense in tow.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: Brissett is an experienced backup and capable of at least keeping the Browns afloat in a run-heavy approach if Deshaun Watson is given a lengthy suspension.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: Landing with the Giants offers a shot to see starts in 2022 for Taylor, whether by poor play or injury to Daniel Jones. The collection of wide receiver talent (plus Saquon Barkley) would make Taylor QB2 viable in premium formats.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: Taylor is an experienced, steady presence and excellent locker room influence. Giants fans hope upon hope he won't see the field this year because that means Brian Daboll has given up on Daniel Jones.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: Huntley showed dynamic rushing and good enough passing in spot starts for an injury Lamar Jackson last season to be one of the most appealing backup quarterbacks in the NFL for fantasy.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: Even in the 'likely to be traded' quarterback bucket alone, Mayfield has competition with Jimmy Garoppolo in the marketplace. Mayfield has two quality seasons and two poor seasons under his belt in the NFL. He profiles as one of the best backups in the league or an uninspiring starter at this point.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: Minshew has a clarified backup role behind Jalen Hurts in a critical year considering the Eagles' added investment in A.J. Brown on offense. Minshew has one of the best backup quarterback profiles in the NFL for fantasy purposes if he gets under center.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: Sam Darnold has done little with Carolina to instill confidence of a successful season of starts in 2022. Corral has rushing upside but his Round 3 pedigree and fading in the draft are worrisome from a longer-term projection perspective.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: Andy Dalton is making a career out of being the guy looking over someone else's shoulder. Jameis Winston is hardly secure in his job, so don't be shocked if Dalton takes the field for New Orleans in 2022.

Chad Parsons on Jun 29: Willis is a longer shot to see significant time as a rookie outside of a Ryan Tannehill injury. Tennessee is in a win now window and Willis' passing floor is low.

Jason Wood on Jun 28:

Jason Wood on Jun 28:

Jason Wood on Jun 28: After years of holding a clipboard, we caught a glimpse of Rush's ability to manage the Cowboys offense last year, and he looked terrific.

Jason Wood on Jun 28: Love is still one Aaron Rodgers injury away from piloting a contender. But with Davante Adams gone, it's hard to imagine Love being fantasy relevant even if his number is called.

Jason Wood on Jun 28:

Jason Wood on Jun 28: Is he a quarterback or a tight end? And does it really matter for fantasy purposes?