Fantasy Football Quarterback rankings

The NFL season is finally here, and that means it's time to make headache-inducing start/sit decisions for fantasy football lineups. While wide receivers and running backs typically shape the majority of teams, making the right decision at quarterback can be the difference between a win and a loss in any given week.

Last year, Buffalo Bills signal-caller Josh Allen topped the fantasy football quarterback rankings with 410.6 total PPR points. Philadelphia Eagles star and “Tush Push” master Jalen Hurts was the runner-up, with 371.8 points. While Allen is primed for another effective season, he may have a hard time defending the top spot without Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis on his side. The Wyoming alum will now have a questionable wide receiver core led by rookie Keon Coleman as well as veterans Curtis Samuel and Khalil Shakir.

Meanwhile, Kansas City Chiefs football wizard Patrick Mahomes is in the opposite boat. The three-time Super Bowl champion was just eighth in the fantasy football quarterback rankings last year, largely due to a weak group of receiving targets outside of famous “Swiftie” Travis Kelce. However, the Chiefs drafted Texas wideout Xavier Worthy in the first round and brought in Marquise “Hollywood” Brown in free agency, which should help Mahomes make more big plays down the field again. Second-year receiver Rashee Rice is also a candidate to have a breakout season, pending his legal situation.

Of course, there's also the grand return of New York Jets graybeard Aaron Rodgers, after he lasted just four plays before rupturing his Achilles tendon last season. The 40-year-old is one of the biggest wildcards at the position, as he could range from a broken-down has-been to an MVP-caliber player.

Who are the top options, sleepers, and potential busts for fantasy football quarterbacks in Week 1?

Top Fantasy Football Quarterbacks Week 1

Josh Allen smiles in Bills jersey while holding a football

While Allen may have lost his two top wideouts, the Arizona Cardinals are hardly an imposing matchup in Week 1. For starters, Arizona has the worst-ranked fantasy defense this season, via Yahoo Sports. The Wyoming alum shouldn't have trouble finding second-year tight end Dalton Kincaid over the middle, as well as rising running back James Cook on dump-offs. Additionally, he should have plenty of running room against such a leaky unit, which is how he gets a large chunk of his fantasy production. Remember, the “Potato Cannon” rushed for 15 scores last year, tied with Hurts for the most among quarterbacks. Expect him to top the fantasy football rankings at the position group this week.

Speaking of Hurts, he should have a quality night against the Green Bay Packers on Friday. While the Packers are much better defensively than the Cardinals, the Alabama alum still has a loaded supporting cast at his disposal. Future Hall-of-Fame center Jason Kelce departed, but the Eagles retained AJ Brown and Devonta Smith, as well as the newly acquired Saquon Barkley in the backfield. Green Bay has a decent secondary, as they're ranked eighth in the league, via PFF. However, the mixture of Barkley and Hurts' rushing ability should open up opportunities in the passing game. Expect more “Tush Push” action at the goal line, as well.

Houston Texans second-year signal-caller CJ Stroud rounds out the top three. After being an afterthought in most fantasy drafts last year, the Ohio State alum finished QB11 without a big-name supporting cast, outperforming fellow rookie Bryce Young. Add in Diggs and tailback Joe Mixon to the equation, and Stroud is primed for a successful season, starting in Week 1 against the Indianapolis Colts. Houston is traveling to Indianapolis for the game, but the Colts' average-at-best defense isn't enough to rank the promising youngster out of the top three.

Mahomes and Baltimore Ravens dual-threat playmaker Lamar Jackson come in at four and five, respectively. The Chiefs and Ravens face each other to kick off the season Thursday night, and while both teams have solid defenses, these two signal-callers are matchup-proof lineup locks.

Top Sleeper Fantasy Football Quarterbacks Week 1

The two top quarterbacks in this past NFL draft are easy sleeper choices for this week. Former Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams has a filthy supporting cast to work with on the Chicago Bears, including Keenan Allen, D'Andre Swift, Rome Odunze, DJ Moore, and Cole Kmet. The Tennessee Titans are at the bottom of the barrel defensively, so expect Williams to hit the ground running.

Daniels doesn't have a star-studded support group on the Washington Commanders, but his dynamic rushing ability should make up for that. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers aren't much better than the Titans on defense, so expect the LSU alum to run wild.

Top Bust Quarterback Week 1

Anthony Richardson has a lot to prove on the Indianapolis Colts this season, and he may get off to a rough start. Richardson only played four games last year before going with a season-ending injury, and he still needs to prove he can produce consistently. Furthermore, the 22-year-old only completed 59.5% of his passes with three touchdowns in his four starts last year, so it's best to proceed with caution before anointing him as a fantasy savior.