In the coming weeks, ZoneBlitz will feature rankings for each fantasy position in five scoring formats. The rankings will be accompanied by a brief article highlighting some of the big names, surprises and sleepers. Combined cheat sheets for each format will be available August 1 and constantly updated based on the latest news to keep you prepared for your drafts.
Editor’s Note: Quarterback rankings are the first of six rankings to be posted to ZoneBlitz.com. PPR rankings for quarterbacks are the same as Standard rankings, hence only four are listed for this position.
If you’re a fantasy football veteran, you know the routine by now. In most league formats, the stud running backs go off the board first. Whether there are one, two, four or seven RBs deemed stud worthy, they are the first dominos to fall. Then the draft strategy truly begins. Is there a borderline stud runner you’re confident in? Do you grab the top receiver? The best quarterback? A decade ago, throwing a signal-caller on your roster to lead things off was at best a faux pas, and at worst a roster-crippling mistake. But in today’s NFL, aerial attacks are as potent as ever and quarterbacks are redefining the position. In doing so, some are consistently returning first-round value and have been for long enough that you should feel confident snagging one despite any historical aversions you may have experienced.
So if you’re on the clock in the mid- to late-first round and have Drew Brees or Aaron Rodgers staring back at you as the best player available, don’t hesitate to pull the trigger. Scoring systems that weren’t weighted to mute QB points last year led to anywhere from five to seven quarterbacks landing in the top 10 in overall fantasy points. Please note: This doesn’t mean five quarterbacks should be off the board in the first round in 2013. Brees and Rodgers are consistently among the top three or four in quarterback scoring and have very little changing around them. It’s why you can be confident to take them early. Guys like Peyton Manning and Tom Brady won’t last much longer, and in larger leagues may in fact sneak into the first round as well, though as of early June only Manning had late-first/early-second status at Mock Draft Central.
Generally speaking, though, if you go RB/WR early in your draft, there’s still plenty to like at the quarterback position. In standard scoring I’m very confident in the guys all the way down through No. 8. From there questions arise, like Robert Griffin’s health, Matt Stafford’s schedule, Russell Wilson’s statistical upside, Tony Romo’s turnovers, Sam Bradford’s ability to raise his game to the next level, and so on. Griffin and Stafford both have the ability to put up top five fantasy numbers at the position, while have top 10 upside at best.
I expect Michael Vick to move up as training camp progresses once he’s officially named the starter and assuming he adapts well to Chip Kelly’s offense. Jay Cutler has fantasy starter upside if Chicago’s continued efforts to upgrade its offensive line pan out, and I’m very intrigued by Carson Palmer in Bruce Arians’ offense in Arizona with Larry Fitzgerald as his top target. No offense to Denarius Moore and Darrius Heyward-Bey. Well, maybe a little offense to them. The NFC West provides a brutal schedule that tempers my enthusiasm some, but Palmer could be a top 15 fantasy signal caller once the dust settles on 2013.
As for the rookies, in general I’d say don’t expect anything like 2012 for a very long time. A trio like Andrew Luck, Griffin and Wilson is incredibly rare. I don’t have a 2013 rookie rated even in the top 30, though I’d expect Geno Smith and E.J. Manuel to both settle in around No. 25 or so should either be named the starter in training camp.
Have a question? Take umbrage with any of my rankings? Want to discuss the topic further? Post in the comments section and let’s chat! And if enough questions trickle in through the course of the offseason and training camp, I’ll post a few mailbag stories. Thanks for reading. Now comment away!
STANDARD | YARDAGE-HEAVY | TD-HEAVY | DYNASTY | ||||||
TM | Player | TM | Player | TM | Player | TM | Player | ||
1 | NO | Drew Brees | NO | Drew Brees | GB | Aaron Rodgers | GB | Aaron Rodgers | 1 |
2 | GB | Aaron Rodgers | NE | Tom Brady | NO | Drew Brees | NO | Drew Brees | 2 |
3 | DEN | Peyton Manning | DEN | Peyton Manning | DEN | Peyton Manning | CAR | Cam Newton | 3 |
4 | NE | Tom Brady | GB | Aaron Rodgers | NE | Tom Brady | ATL | Matt Ryan | 4 |
5 | ATL | Matt Ryan | ATL | Matt Ryan | CAR | Cam Newton | NE | Tom Brady | 5 |
6 | CAR | Cam Newton | CAR | Cam Newton | ATL | Matt Ryan | IND | Andrew Luck | 6 |
7 | IND | Andrew Luck | IND | Andrew Luck | IND | Andrew Luck | SF | Colin Kaepernick | 7 |
8 | SF | Colin Kaepernick | SF | Colin Kaepernick | SF | Colin Kaepernick | WAS | Robert Griffin III | 8 |
9 | WAS | Robert Griffin III | DET | Matt Stafford | WAS | Robert Griffin III | DEN | Peyton Manning | 9 |
10 | DET | Matt Stafford | WAS | Robert Griffin III | SEA | Russell Wilson | SEA | Russell Wilson | 10 |
11 | SEA | Russell Wilson | DAL | Tony Romo | DAL | Tony Romo | DET | Matt Stafford | 11 |
12 | DAL | Tony Romo | SEA | Russell Wilson | CIN | Andy Dalton | DAL | Tony Romo | 12 |
13 | STL | Sam Bradford | NYG | Eli Manning | DET | Matt Stafford | STL | Sam Bradford | 13 |
14 | CIN | Andy Dalton | STL | Sam Bradford | NYG | Eli Manning | NYG | Eli Manning | 14 |
15 | NYG | Eli Manning | CIN | Andy Dalton | CHI | Jay Cutler | CIN | Andy Dalton | 15 |
16 | CHI | Jay Cutler | CHI | Jay Cutler | STL | Sam Bradford | CHI | Jay Cutler | 16 |
17 | PHI | Michael Vick | HOU | Matt Schaub | HOU | Matt Schaub | HOU | Matt Schaub | 17 |
18 | HOU | Matt Schaub | ARI | Carson Palmer | PHI | Michael Vick | SD | Philip Rivers | 18 |
19 | ARI | Carson Palmer | TB | Josh Freeman | SD | Philip Rivers | TB | Josh Freeman | 19 |
20 | TB | Josh Freeman | PHI | Michael Vick | ARI | Carson Palmer | BAL | Joe Flacco | 20 |
21 | SD | Philip Rivers | SD | Philip Rivers | PIT | Ben Roethlisberger | PHI | Michael Vick | 21 |
22 | PIT | Ben Roethlisberger | KC | Alex Smith | TB | Josh Freeman | TEN | Jake Locker | 22 |
23 | KC | Alex Smith | PIT | Ben Roethlisberger | BAL | Joe Flacco | ARI | Carson Palmer | 23 |
24 | BAL | Joe Flacco | BAL | Joe Flacco | KC | Alex Smith | PIT | Ben Roethlisberger | 24 |
25 | TEN | Jake Locker | TEN | Jake Locker | TEN | Jake Locker | MIN | Christian Ponder | 25 |
26 | MIN | Christian Ponder | OAK | Matt Flynn | MIN | Christian Ponder | OAK | Matt Flynn | 26 |
27 | OAK | Matt Flynn | MIN | Christian Ponder | OAK | Matt Flynn | BUF | Kevin Kolb | 27 |
28 | MIA | Ryan Tannehill | MIA | Ryan Tannehill | BUF | Kevin Kolb | KC | Alex Smith | 28 |
29 | CLE | Brandon Weeden | CLE | Brandon Weeden | MIA | Ryan Tannehill | MIA | Ryan Tannehill | 29 |
30 | BUF | Kevin Kolb | BUF | Kevin Kolb | CLE | Brandon Weeden | CLE | Brandon Weeden | 30 |
31 | JAX | Blaine Gabbert | JAX | Blaine Gabbert | JAX | Blaine Gabbert | NYJ | Geno Smith | 31 |
32 | NYJ | Geno Smith | NYJ | Geno Smith | NYJ | Geno Smith | BUF | E.J. Manuel | 32 |
33 | NYJ | Mark Sanchez | NYJ | Mark Sanchez | NYJ | Mark Sanchez | PHI | Nick Foles | 33 |
34 | BUF | E.J. Manuel | BUF | E.J. Manuel | BUF | E.J. Manuel | JAX | Blaine Gabbert | 34 |
35 | PHI | Nick Foles | PHI | Nick Foles | PHI | Nick Foles | NYJ | Mark Sanchez | 35 |
36 | JAX | Chad Henne | JAX | Chad Henne | JAX | Chad Henne | JAX | Chad Henne | 36 |
37 | MIN | Matt Cassel | MIN | Matt Cassel | MIN | Matt Cassel | OAK | Terrelle Pryor | 37 |
38 | TEN | Ryan Fitzpatrick | TEN | Ryan Fitzpatrick | TEN | Ryan Fitzpatrick | TB | Mike Glennon | 38 |
39 | WAS | Kirk Cousins | WAS | Kirk Cousins | WAS | Kirk Cousins | PHI | Matt Barkley | 39 |
40 | OAK | Terrelle Pryor | OAK | Terrelle Pryor | OAK | Terrelle Pryor | NYG | Ryan Nassib | 40 |
For Zoneblitz.com’s running back ratings, click here.
For Zoneblitz.com’s wide receiver ratings, click here.
For Zoneblitz.com’s tight end ratings, click here.
For Zoneblitz.com’s kicker ratings, click here.
For Zoneblitz.com’s defense ratings, click here.
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