With the 2020 NFL season drawing near, and with that fantasy football season, it's time to take a look at the top players from each position on the fantasy side. First up are the top fantasy football quarterbacks.
The quarterback position has changed a lot in recent years, especially in fantasy. While running backs are still usually the top picks in most standard leagues, quarterbacks have been rising in prominence and draft stock over the past few years, with some arguing it's worth taking a top dual-threat quarterback at No. 1 overall over the top running back. I'm not here to decide whether that is true or not.
These rankings are for a standard full season league.
Let's get on with the top fantasy football quarterbacks for the 2020 NFL season.
15. Cam Newton
After a tumultuous final two seasons in Carolina with the Panthers, including a 2019 season in which he only played in two games, Cam Newton finds himself on a brand new team and a bit lower than he's used to on the top fantasy football quarterbacks list. That team, though, is the New England Patriots.
With the likes of Julian Edelman and Mohamed Sanu surrounding him and with Bill Belichick's offense, Newton is primed for a rebound season for the ages. If Newton is to have the season he is capable of, he needs to do three things. First and foremost he needs to stay healthy. If he's able to stay on the field he then needs to show that he still has the athleticism he had earlier on in his career to be a dual-threat, and he needs to show that he can adapt to Bill Belichick's offense and he can build chemistry with his new teammates.
If he can do all three of these things then this could be one of the biggest comeback seasons of all time.
14. Ben Roethlisberger
Another quarterback who is coming off of injury, Big Ben doesn't have as much of a seismic shift between this season and the last time he suited up for the Steelers.
One of the big changes that should help him, if Ike Hilliard is to be believed, is that the offense will have more weapons surrounding Big Ben. These added threats should help the 17th year Steeler get Pittsburgh back to its winning ways and help the veteran stay healthy and productive.
13. Matthew Stafford
Yet another quarterback who is coming off of a season-ending injury, Stafford was sidelined due to a non-displaced fracture in his upper thoracic spine in week 10.
One of the most underrated quarterbacks in the NFL, Stafford became the fastest quarterback to reach 40,000 passing yards last season before being sidelined.
With the Lions re-signing Danny Amendola and signing Geronimo Allison, the wide receiver corp looks to be strong around Stafford, which should help him have a good bounce-back season and potentially climb higher on the list of top fantasy football quarterbacks.
12. Josh Allen
Following a breakout 2019 season, Allen looks to do even better in 2020. In 2019 Allen threw for over 3,000 yards, 20 touchdowns and only nine interceptions. He is a dual-threat guy, as well, rushing for nine touchdowns last season.
One thing Allen does have to work on is fumbling the ball. Allen fumbled 14 times last season. Allen has some added help this season as well, with Stefon Diggs coming over to the Bills via a trade that sent a 2020 first, fifth and sixth round pick and a 2021 fourth round pick to the Vikings.
With the Bills looking to win their second straight AFC East title, Allen looks to continue his rise through the league.
11. Aaron Rodgers
I can already hear the naysayers on this one: “He has nobody to throw to.” Yes, this is true, his wide receiver corp is lacking, with Devante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling leading the charge for the Pack. But there is one thing that the Packers' naysayers are not thinking about.
All of this talk of the organization not helping Rodgers out and essentially looking ahead towards replacing him by drafting Jordan Love in the first round will motivate Rodgers to be his very best this season. Whether he admits it publicly or not, Rodgers sees what's going on in the organization because he experienced it himself on the other end with Brett Favre.
As a result, Rodgers will fight as hard as he can to prove that he still has what it takes to be an elite quarterback in the NFL and will come into 2020 with a chip on his shoulder. On top of that Rodgers has a similar gift to Tom Brady in being able to make average wide receivers look amazing.
Those two things should lead to a great season up in the frozen tundra for the 16th year pro.
10. Carson Wentz
Like with Cam Newton, the key to whether Carson Wentz can live up to his potential as one of the top fantasy football quarterbacks is his health. Last year Wentz was able to stay on his feet and play all 16 games and had the best season of his career.
If Wentz can continue playing in the way he did last season, passing the ball very well while at the same time still being able to run when he needs to, he could be in for another big season.
9. Drew Brees
As we head into the upper echelon of the top fantasy football quarterback ranks, three similar quarterbacks start our single-digits.
First up is Drew Brees. Heading into his 20th season in the NFL, Brees is coming off of an injury-shortened season, missing out on six games due to a torn ligament in his thumb. In spite of missing over a quarter of the season Brees still almost threw for 3.000 yards last season, which just shows how dominant he is when he's on the field.
With one of the best, if not the best, receiver on his side in Michael Thomas, Brees does not show any sign of slowing down any time soon, as long as his body holds up.
8. Tom Brady
How many times have you heard this: “This is the year Tom Brady finally shows he's mortal,”? Analysts have been anticipating Brady's demise for almost a decade now, but Brady, even after some injury issues, has continued playing at an elite level. Now he looks to replicate his success in a new environment, taking his talents to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
With the Buccaneers he has more passing options, being surrounded by the likes of Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, O.J. Howard, and bringing his old reliable Rob Gronkowski out of retirement to further solidify his passing options. Look for Brady to come out strong this season with a more powerful offense around him and a more offensive-minded coach.
Just look at what Jameis Winston did with this offense last year! Take that, minus the interceptions, add a few more wins, and you have Tom Brady.
7. Matt Ryan
Another veteran who has been consistent throughout his career, Matt Ryan's numbers dipped a little bit between 2018 and 2019, but he still threw for almost 4,500 yards, as well as 26 touchdowns.
While he may not get back up to his 2018 numbers, even a mediocre year for Ryan is great for just about any other quarterback, so he is always a reliable, consistent, if not flashy pick for someone who wants reliability with one of the top fantasy football quarterbacks.
6. Kyler Murray
Now we go from the veteran pocket passers to the younger dual-threat guys at the top of their class. Murray is the lowest of these guys as he has not proven himself completely yet.
In his rookie season, he threw for 3,722 yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He also ran for 544 yards, 4 touchdowns and 5 fumbles. These numbers will have to improve if he wants to be a top-five fantasy quarterback and if he wants to help the Cardinals have a better record than 5-10-1.
Can he do it? Potentially, but I'm not as sold on him as others are, and that is why he misses out on my top five.
5. Dak Prescott
Dak gets some extra help this season with the Cowboys drafting CeeDee Lamb in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. This will further help his game by giving Prescott even more options in the passing game than he already has.
Let's not forget that he can use his legs as well, albeit not as much as some of his contemporaries. With him not getting a long term contract this offseason that also gives him added motivation to play well this season.
Look for a big season from Dak in 2020.
4. Russell Wilson
After becoming the highest-paid player in the NFL (eclipsed this offseason by a man we'll be talking about in a bit), Russell Wilson had a very good 2019 season, passing for 4,110 yards and 31 touchdowns while also running for 342 yards and three touchdowns.
After losing to the Packers in the divisional round, Wilson will be focused on getting beyond that and proving he is still one of the elite quarterbacks in the league after seemingly being eclipsed in the national discussion by two players we will be talking about shortly.
3. Deshaun Watson
Now to the top three; the cream of the crop. Deshaun Watson starts it off. Like the rest of the top five, he is a dual-threat quarterback who can get you points through either his arm or his legs.
In 2019, he threw for 3,852 yards and 26 touchdowns, which was the same amount as he threw in 2018. On the rushing side he rushed for 413 yards and seven touchdowns, the most he's had in his career.
He did fumble the football 10 times, the most in his career as well, which fantasy owners would love to see drop, but either way, he is still a high pick for any owner.
2. Lamar Jackson
While in the overall view of the season the ending leaves a sour taste in everyone's mouth, nobody can deny the numbers Jackson put up in 2019. While his passing numbers weren't earth-shattering, only passing for 3,127 yards, his strength and biggest threat are his legs.
He was SIXTH in the ENTIRE LEAGUE in rushing last year. Here are some RUNNING BACKS who were below him, who were probably drafted way higher than him in many drafts last season: Leonard Fournette, Joe Mixon, Dalvin Cook. All of those guys were ranked well higher than Jackson on most draft rankings, and he rushed for more yards than all three of them.
Jackson is a player that can help win a championship on his own, as can the top guy on this list.
1. Patrick Mahomes
What more can you say about Mahomes that hasn't been said already? Now some may say that his numbers will drop now after being paid half a billion dollars this offseason, but that shouldn't be the case. Mahomes is not motivated by money, he is motivated by being the best.
While not having the rushing yards that Jackson has, he is a more balanced dual-threat quarterback, scrambling as a way to extend plays while still looking to pass. He has shown over the last two seasons that he is the future of the NFL. While you can't go wrong with either I give Mahomes with the slight edge over Jackson due to his consistency and reliability.
So there you have it, the top 15 fantasy quarterbacks for 2020. Good luck to everyone in their drafts and the 2020 fantasy season.