Fantasy Football way too early QB rankings: Part 2

C.J Stroud, Houston Texans

Stroud finished as the 11th overall QB with two fewer games than almost every player above him.  If he played in those games and racked up even his average statistics, we are probably looking at a borderline top 5 finish as a rookie for the former Ohio State Buckeye.  

The primary reason I love Stroud going into 2024 is the elite duo of young receivers Nico Collins and Tank Dell at his disposal.  The Texans could use help at running back, but even without that, Stroud is poised for a big sophomore campaign.   The only thing holding back Stroud is a top rushing attack from a better overall offensive output.  

Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

Prescott finished as the QB 3 last season and led the position with 36 touchdowns.  How did he throw for all of those touchdowns? Well, Tony Pollard did him several favors due to his inability to be effective in the red zone.  This led to the Cowboys being extremely pass-heavy (4th most passing attempts) in almost all situations.  

While Prescott should be treated as a top option at the position, I would not be surprised if Jerry Jones goes out to acquire a top running back for his team.  If the Cowboys were to do this, expect Prescott’s touchdown total to drop, but not by much.   

Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets

Did we all forget about Aaron Rodgers?  After playing only four snaps in his Big Apple debut, the Jets season quickly went into despair as they turned their season over to Zach Wilson.  With a healthy Aaron Rodgers, the Jets can re-focus themselves and hopefully reach their playoff dreams.  

From a fantasy perspective, Rodgers is paired with one of the best young wide receivers in football, Garrett Wilson, and one of the league’s best running backs, Breece Hall.  I also expect the Jets to target a strong receiver to pair with Wilson, as that was an alarming problem in 2023.

Rodgers should be heavily discounted in 2024, making him well worth the investment.  Don’t forget Rodgers won consecutive MVPs not too long ago and should easily be able to reclaim fantasy stardom.  

Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers

Brock Purdy is a very efficient QB who has superstars on his offense.  As a result, this raises his fantasy ceiling dramatically.   This is not to discredit Purdy, as he finished as the sixth overall quarterback in 2023.

Purdy will not be the playmaker as the names above him and even below him on this list can be.  Instead, Purdy will play to his strengths and dissect a defense from the pocket.  

A low rushing output lowers his ceiling, but last season proved that if his pass catchers remain elite and dominate after the catch, Purdy is a safe bet to finish in the top 12 once again. 

Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers

Jordan Love had a rough start to 2023 but caught fire at the right time and eventually finished as the fifth overall QB.  Over this second-half stretch, Love threw for 18 scores and just under 270 yards per game with only one total interception.  

While some may argue that this is when Love finally hit his stride and should be projected to do this quite often in 2024, I am a tad more hesitant, just because we only saw Love play at a top level for half of a season.  I feel more comfortable putting Love towards the back end of this list than towards the front half.  

Caleb Williams, Rookie

Rounding out this list is the soon-to-be top overall pick in the NFL Draft.  Caleb Williams is considered one of the best quarterback prospects since Trevor Lawrence.  

One concern I do have with Williams is the team he might go to.  If the Chicago Bears draft him with the first selection, he does have a very good receiver in DJ Moore but a very weak running game.  However, if the Washington Commanders were to trade up to the top selection, I would feel much better knowing Williams will have one of the better receivers in the game in Terry McLaurin.  

Despite this, the prospect pedigree, and unquestioned talent, Williams should be considered a top-12 option in all re-draft leagues next year and could easily finish much higher on this list if he fits in well with the team that drafts him. 

Honorable mention:

Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts

The former Flordia Gator took the league by storm in the opening month.  He averaged 24.4 fantasy points in the games he saw a majority of snaps in (excluding his Week 5 start, where he left the game early due to a season-ending injury) as a rookie.

His ability to carry the ball is great for fantasy but can be detrimental to his career.  The injury concern is there, but his ceiling is almost unlimited at this point.   The elite combination of rushing and passing can be a fantasy cheat code.  

Suppose Richardson shows during the offseason that he is clearly healthy, and I will gladly slot him into the top 12.  However, at the current moment, he is on the outside looking in