Training Camp is full in swing, preseason action is on the horizon, and real football is a mere month away. Though 85 and sunny outside, I’m spending my remaining summer vacation days as a melting puddle on my couch, churning out DraftWizards by the second, tugging to all the “best-shape-of-his-life” puff pieces, and watching every lineman sled drill of NFL’s Inside Training Camp Live. #TheGoodLife
Needless to say, fantasy preparation is at it’s absolute peak. Indeed, true Fantasy Wolves have been chugging away since the final whistle of the Super Bowl. Still, there’s plenty of time for you “August Sheep” to get caught up.
Start by checking out our FREE Fantasy Football Market report (monster update coming in 3 weeks). Be sure to follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. And, of course, pepper your favorite expert’s newly revived Twitter page with all your fantasy dilemmas and shred my soul into a 10 lb bag of sharp cheddar with all disagreements.
Quarterbacks haven’t seen an overwhelming change since OTAs, given they rarely face contact or risk injury. Nonetheless, some developments such as Andrew Luck‘s slowly recovering shoulder do carry serious weight.
Thus, we have updated Fantasy Football Quarterback Rankings and Stock Scores.
Note – if you don’t know what “Stock Score” means, pause and immediately go here. Understanding our Fantasy Stock Formula is absolutely crucial, and is our tool for providing the most in-depth and accurate rankings in the business.
2017 Fantasy Football Quarterback Rankings & Stock Scores
| Rank (ECR) | Name (Team) | Talent | Usage / Opportunity | Coaching Scheme | Surrounding Talent | Risk | Stock Score + Grade (/50) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 - The Elite (A+) | |||||||
| 1 (2) | Tom Brady (NE) | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 50, A+ |
| Summary: Who else but The GOAT and Jesus Reinacranted could top this list? With Rob Gronkowski returning to health + Brandin Cooks added to his arsenal, Brady is looking at his most stacked cast since 2007, and possibly ever. Though Patriots Insider Ryan Hannable may disagree with me (video linked here), I fully expect Brady to top 40 TDs, minimally, with an outside shot that he chases after Peyton Manning's record (55). 10 years after the near-perfect season, the Patriots have loaded up and will be going after history as Brady further cements his legacy. Ride the ensuing scoring tsunamis to fantasy championships. | |||||||
| 2 (1) | Aaron Rodgers (GB) | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 50, A+ |
| Summary: Ho hum, 4,500 total yards, 38+ total TDs. That's essentially Rodgers' floor, making him most experts' #1 guy. If Brady wasn't set up to chase history in 2017, even I'd slot Rodgers in as the no-brainer top fantasy QB given his absurd consistency. He's the premier physical QB talent in the league, plus adds sneaky value via his legs (only Tyrod Taylor and Colin Kaepernick outrushed him in 2016) -- somethng that may be utilized even further at the goalline with Eddie Lacy gone. Lock-in 25+ weekly points, and don't look back. | |||||||
| Tier 1.5 (A) | |||||||
| 3 (3) | Drew Brees (NO) | 10 | 10 | 9.5 | 9 | 10 | 48.5, A |
| Summary: Since Brees and Sean Payton began their aerial reign of terror 10 years ago, the Saints have never ranked outside the top-four in passing yardage and have finished #1 in that category five separate times (or 50% of last decade). This is the perfect combination of an offensive wizard maximizing the immense arm talent and smarts of an elite QB, year-in and year-out. The only room for caution here is the Saints have stacked their running back corps, particularly with Adrian Peterson, and rumors suggest they are trying to recreate the three-headed monster that sparked their 2009 Super Bowl run; Brees threw for his lowest yardage total since joining New Orleans that season. Still, that yardage low was highly impressive at 4,388 to go along with 34 TDs. With that kind of floor, Brees remains an elite fantasy asset. | |||||||
| 4 (6) | Matt Ryan (ATL) | 10 | 10 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 48.5, A |
| Summary: Calling Ryan's 2016 a major step forward would be the understatement of the century. The BC boy blew his career stats out of the water, throwing for 4944 yards and 38 TDs en route to his first MVP and a Super Bowl berth, while trailing only Aaron Rodgers in fantasy points at the position. Yet, he lost OC Kyle Shanahan who's play calling helped facilitate the massive season, and even though newcomer Steve Sarkisian has said the offense won't change outside maybe even more deep shots, there's still major concerns for regression -- Ryan hadn't finished above the QB7 in his previous eight seasons. Still, when you have Julio Jones, a powerful running game, and a sturdy line still in place, these regression concerns may be overstated. The fact Ryan is more consistently ranked below Andrew Luck is a joke, and he should continue dominating in 2017. | |||||||
| Tier 2 - High Upside QB2s (A-) | |||||||
| 5 (11) | Derek Carr (OAK) | 9.5 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 46.5, A- |
| Summary: Derek Carr's FantasyPros ECR as the QB11 might be the most baffling on their entire list. Carr is arguably a top-five QB in this league on talent alone, and has the added benefit of playing behind one of the sturdiest lines and throwing to one of the best receiving duos in the game in Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree. Now, the team adds Marshawn Lynch to make the running game even more effective, while stirring in athletic freak Jared Cook to provide a massive tight end upgrade. Plus, new OC Todd Downing has already talked about playing at a faster pace and giving Carr more control at the line of scrimmage. All signs point to Carr, and this offense as a whole, continuing their ascensions, and both were already bordering on elite. What am I missing here? | |||||||
| 6 (7) | Kirk Cousins (WAS) | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 46.5, A- |
| Summary: Thanks to Jay Gruden's pass-centric and creative attack, Cousins has been a yardage monster since entering the starting lineup. He chucked for over 307 yards per contest in 2016, just barely missing the 5,000 yard mark while finishing as one of only five QBs to top 300 FPs. Anyone pointing to the losses as Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson as major red flags should be fired, as the newly added Terrelle Pryor brings more athleticism to the table than either, and should be especially helpful in the red zone at 6'5" -- one of Cousins' few struggle areas. Meanwhile, Jamison Crowder should be able to flourish in their absence as well, Jordan Reed remains a top-three tight end in this league while on the field, and all reports have been glowing on last year's first rounder Josh Docston (also sizable with insane leaping abilities for some red zone backbone). Cousins should have no problem feasting with this crew, and his TDs seem destined to spike as he finally crosses the 5,000 yard mark. | |||||||
| 7 (8) | Marcus Mariota (TEN) | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 46, A- |
| Summary: Especially after adding red zone maven Eric Decker and the freakishly athletic Corey Davis this offseason, Mariota is among the most exciting 2017 QB picks. Even before bolstering his arsenal, this "Exotic Smashmouth" offense began really clicking in Week 5, and between that point and their Week 13 bye, Mariota was fantasy’s top scoring QB, averaging over 24 points per game. He was using his athleticism and gaining chunk plays on the ground, while displaying tremendous command and accuracy through the air, and the Titans were a mini offensive juggernaut. Unfortunately, injuries and a slew of nightmarish matchups derailed Mariota’s torrid pace, but a second year in the system + these new weapons help bolster this floor while increasing his elite ceiling even further. | |||||||
| 8 (9) | Jameis Winston (TB) | 8.5 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 10 | 8.5 | 46, A- |
| Summary: As discussed at length with Bucs Insider Trevor Sikkema (catch the full interview here), Dirk Koetter and Todd Munken finally have the right talents to maximize their creative and vertical scheme. DeSean Jackson, who's 17.9 YPC was best in the league last season, remains one of the league's best deep ball artist, and reports have him being used far more extensively and lining up all over the place. Meanwhile, OJ Howard is a freakish athlete. Jameis himself has the cannon-arm to score in bundles with these weapons, and seems destined for a massive third year leap. If he regains some of the rushing prowess from his rookie season to go along with a projected monster throwing campaign, Winston would truly push for top-five status. The upside is tantilizing. | |||||||
| 9 (12) | Ben Roethlisberger (PIT) | 9 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 8 | 45.5, A- |
| Summary: Ah, Big Ben... such a fantasy enigma. Largely due to health, Roethlisberger has only one top-10 fantasy finish in his past seven years. Nonetheless, Martavis Bryant's return is enormous, as in 22 games when both he and Bryant are on the field together, Roethlisberger has thrown for 7,287 yards (331 avg) and 43 TDs (1.95 avg). Additionally, Roethlisberger had a passer rating of 126.5 when targeting Bryant, along with a 11:1 touchdown to interception ratio. A 16 game pace would yield a whopping 5,299 yards and 31 TDs… a shoe-in top-three campaign. Along with having arguably the league's most explosive weaponry, Ben's line is in the top-five of the league, and Todd Haley loves chucking the rock in the red area. The health and very real road struggles make Ben a risk, but the upside is as high as any in the league. | |||||||
| 10 (15) | Philip Rivers (LAC) | 9 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 45, A- |
| Summary: Though Rivers may a ceiling quite equal to the rest of this tier, his floor is the highest. You're getting 4,300 yards and at least 28 TDs, and the ceiling for far greater exists with Rivers rolling out arguably the best supporting crew of his career. Keenan Allen returns, towering rookie Mike Williams hs been added, and a more refined Hunter Henry and Tyrell Williams are also in the mix alongside deep ball artist Travis Benjamin. Perhaps most importantly, the line has been beefed up with Russell Okung on the blindside and the punishing Forrest Lamp on the interior, giving Rivers the top front-five he's ever played behind. The only concerns here are Anthony Lynn's run heavy tendencies, and the poor health of his supporting cast. Should everyone remain on the field, Rivers may just have his best season yet. | |||||||
| Tier 2.5 - Lower Floor QB1s | |||||||
| 11 (10) | Cam Newton (CAR) | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 43, B |
| Summary: Injuries + Ron Rivera's comments about lessening Cam;s rushing usage had me way down on the enigmatic signal caller. Yet, this offseason has been very kind, as Cam is back to throwing well ahead of camp, and he now has his most diverse weapons cabinet of his career. Christian McCaffrey is one of our favorite talents around, while Curtis Samuel is extremely explosive; both are run-after-the-catch dynamos that give Newton ideal, quick-strike weapons to allow fewer hits and more high-percentage chunk plays. Sure, Cam may run less, but having these new toys alongside Greg Olsen and Kelvin Benjamin should keep the team around the goal line often, giving Cam plenty of chances to run across the stripe. The risk is obviously huge after such widely different 2015 and 2016 campaigns, but an improved offensive unit should keep Cam happier and more motivated, and thus closer to his monster campaign. THE perfect QB2 if the price is right. | |||||||
| 12 (13) | Dak Prescott (DAL) | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 9 | 8.5 | 43, B |
| Summary: Though I initially had Dak as high as QB6, he's hurt by our Fantasy Stock Formula. Indeed, the undeniably poised rookie dipped below 17 points only four times for a top-six fantasy finish in his impossibly impressive debut season. He's also reportedly hard at work on the field and in the film room, unsurprising given his reputable work ethic. Nonetheless, last season almost feels like a ceiling. His line has some bigger holes with Robert Leary and Doug Free departed, he plays in a run heavy scheme, and his value was really buoyed by six rushing scores, which could prove tough to repeat. Team's also now have film on Dak, and all the "fantasy factors" point towards a lesser campaign instead of another step forward. If the team ends up looking pass-happier or Dak is just undeniably impressive and clearly on another level in camp, he could shoot up still. | |||||||
| 13 (4) | Russell Wilson (SEA) | 9 | 8.5 | 8 | 7.5 | 8 | 41 B- |
| Summary: Our system reveals Wilson to be among the most overrated quarterbacks in all of fantasy. Yes, I know last season was his only outside the fantasy top-10 since he's entered the league. Sure, I've seen reports he's back to full health and moving around as well as can be. I still absolutely despise his offensive line, arguably the worst in football, as well as the team's plans to go run-heavy again. Outside of 2015, Wilson's earlier fantasy successes were all predicated on his running ability, and the team could be far more reluctant to dial his number after injuries. Yes, he has improved as a passer, and an ideal season would combine his passing stats of last year with his rushing averages of his previous seasons. I'm not sure this line allows it, and Wilson should be under duress all 2017. | |||||||
| 14 (4) | Andrew Luck (IND) | 9 | 9 | 9 | 7.5 | 6.5 | 41, B- |
| Stock Down: Luck was already among my Most Overpriced Players list, and his cloudy Week 1 status has him falling even further. Whether he's on the bench or shaking off rust, Luck's risk has gone up immensely, and he now belongs well below the majority of QB1 options who are far safer with similar ceilings. Summary: Luck is tricky to rank, but those who have him in the elite tier and above Matt Ryan (and even Tom Brady?!?) are insane. I recognize nearly all the ingredients -- from his own talent, to a pass-heavy and creative scheme, to some solid weapons -- are in place for a massive season. Yet, too many people act like there's no risk, and Luck's line remains weak, and his style of play leaves him very susceptible to hits, and thus injuries. Moreover, he cotninues to be inconsistent game-to-game and year-to-year, sometimes looking unstoppable, and othertimes making throws and decisions that are Bortles-esque. Sure, 2017 could be the year Luck truly cements his elite status for the next decade, but it feels equally likely he could confirm the opposite. I'll side with safer options that have equally high upside. |
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| 15 (16) | Tyrod Taylor (BUF) | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 41, B- |
| Summary: If I asked you to guess 2016’s QB8, how long would it take to nail down Taylor? Despite playing in only 15 games, Taylor bested the likes of the highly-touted Cam Newton, Russell Wilson, Ben Roethlisberger, while outscoring “breakouts” like Marcus Mariota and Derek Carr. Much of this can be attributed to his league-leading 580 rushing yards and 6 TDs, and Taylor’s athleticism remains a major fantasy draw. Now that he's locked in with Buffalo in essentially a contract year, his upside remains sky high. New OC Rich Dennison knows him well from their Baltimore days together, and plans to maximize his mobility by getting Taylor out on play-action roll outs; this will also allow Tyrod to flash his strong arm and chemistry with fellow contrct year wideout Sammy Watkins. Thus, Taylor is a fantastic late round QB option, and his Coaching Scheme and Usage get fair bumps. | |||||||
| Tier 3 - Ideal QB2s, but passable QB1s (B-) | |||||||
| 16 (18) | Eli Manning (NYG) | 6 | 9 | 9 | 9.5 | 7 | 40.5, B- |
| Summary: Manning looked flat out horrendous for much of 2016, and his 2017 will be a true test of whether all surrounding fantasy factors can truly sustain lesser talent. Everything outside his own ability come out in spades, as Eli has word-class weapons around him to go along with a pass happy coach in McAdoo who loves throwing in all downs and distances. Yet, if Eli continues his downwards spiral, none of these favorable factors will matter. | |||||||
| 17 (17) | Andy Dalton (CIN) | 8 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 9.5 | 8 | 40.5, B- |
| Summary: Sure, Dalton finished 2016 as the QB13 and was on pace for a QB8 finish in 2015 befoe going down. Maybe it's ginger bias, but I still can't get interested in him -- even with his weapons cabinet more stacked than it's ever been with John Ross' insane deep speed added. I'm nervous about Dalton's line after losing his blindside protector in Andrew Whitworth and the mauling Kevin Zeitler at guard. Plus, if Joe Mixon is as advertised, Dalton will be handing off far more often. He's a safe QB2 to balance out a riskier No.1, but hopefully you're not counting on him as an every-week guy. | |||||||
| 18 (14) | Matthew Stafford (DET) | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 7.5 | 40.5, B- |
| Summary: Last year's QB7 is similar to Dalton for me -- I just have no interest without a clear reason why. He did dip under 15 points in nearly half his games, and had his stats inflated by a few mammoth efforts where he was equally likely to be on your bench as in your lineup. Ameer Abdullah's return should be positive, as this offense was really humming through the running backs screen game. Even still, Stafford is little more than a high-floor QB2 target for Cam Newton / Dak Prescott / Russell Wilson investors. | |||||||
| 19 (19) | Carson Palmer (ARI) | 7.5 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 40.5, B- |
| Summary: In what many expect to be his final rodeo, Palmer is still in a highly valuable situation: his coach loves airing it out and he's throwing to a stacked cast of skill talent. Yet, for any of this to matter, Palmer will need to prove his arm is stronger than the flaccid and inaccurate noodle we saw last season. No one likes a flaccid, inaccurate noodle. | |||||||
| Tier 4 - QB2s worth drafting | |||||||
| 20 (20) | Carson Wentz (PHI) | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 39, C+ |
| Summary: Wentz is more than capable of a monster sophomore season: his line is among the tops in the league, Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith bring oodles of more explosiveness and overall talents to his previously horrendous receiving corps, and, as an Andy Reid "West Coast" disciple Doug Pederson enjoys throwing the rock, with the Eagles finishing 6th in pass attempts last season. Still, Wentz needs to take a fairly large step forward after he fizzled out to end 2016; plus, even if Peterson enjoys throwing, he's a disciple of Andy Reid's conservative "clock-control" "high-percentage" "quick strike" West Coast attack. There's certainly some upside here, but just as many roadblocks to overcome for it to be realized. | |||||||
| 21 (21) | Blake Bortles (JAC) | 6.5 | 7 | 8 | 8.5 | 7 | 37, C |
| Summary: For all the flak he caught, Bortles actually finished 2016 as the QB9 after his brilliant QB4 campaign the year prior. The main issue was his insanely frustrating inconsistency, with nearly zero fantasy production until the last three minutes of garbage time in only a handful of games. He did play far better in the final two weeks under now head coach Doug Marrone, topping 300 yards and tossing a score in each contest, and is reportedly hard at work on his fundamentals. Still, expect this to be a ground-and-pound attack in which Bortles' attempts drop by nearly 100. Without such absurd volume, Bortles will likely struggle again with inconsistency. | |||||||
Is Andrew Luck’s ranking criminally low? What about Russell Wilson, who’s 4th by the experts but 13th here? Are any unranked names deserving of more consideration?! Sound off below, or chirp The Wolf on his Twitter page here.
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