The Quarterback position is always a question mark in fantasy football, as everyone knows they need RB’s and WR’s, but when to take a QB is often overlooked. Here I go over my Top 12 Half PPR Rankings for Quarterbacks.
Tier 1 – The Elite
1. Josh Allen
Allen has been the number one fantasy football quarterback over the last two seasons. In a Buffalo Bills offense that’s based around him and primed to make a Super Bowl run, he’s an electric difference maker at the QB position. However, to get him you will likely be paying a second-round price.
2. Justin Herbert
Herbert is becoming one of the best QB’s in the NFL. He finished last year as the QB 2 in fantasy football. If you saw his 2020 season and believed in the talent you saw (like I did), then you were able to get him cheap in 2021. The difference now, is that you will likely be paying a third or fourth round draft pick if you want to get him on your team.
3. Patrick Mahomes
Mahomes has been a fantastic NFL quarterback, winning a Super Bowl and bringing in fantasy points and championships for a few years now. Like the two players before him, he has shown incredible arm strength and talent, while also having great rushing ability when needed. The worry for some is the loss of his number one Wide Receiver Tyreek Hill. Together they had game-breaking chemistry allowing for clutch plays to win close games. With Hill gone, the Kansas City Chiefs had to bring in multiple WR pieces to replace his production. Mahomes could be fine, but there is an uncertainty in KC’s offense that has me putting him at number three.
4. Lamar Jackson
Jackson has been a great fantasy asset for years now since he exploded onto the scene and won an NFL MVP award. Lamar had an off year last year due to the Baltimore Ravens experiencing an absurd number of injuries to their roster. Even with all the turmoil, in the 12 games that Jackson played he put up 2882 passing yards, and 767 rushing yards. If you expand those yards per game to a 17-game season, he would have had 4080 passing yards and 1086 rushing yards. That would be his most passing yards ever, and second most rushing yards ever. You should be in on Lamar and the Ravens this year!
Tier 2 – The Potential
5. Jalen Hurts
Hurts is an interesting conundrum. On one hand, we have seen flashes of the fantasy weapon he could be, and on the other hand, we’ve seen him play so poorly on the NFL field that there were worries for his job. He is a great runner, and the Philadelphia Eagles have added an elite weapon of A.J. Brown to the receiving core, complimented by DeVonta Smith. An upgraded passing game coupled with Jalen’s rushing ability could make him fantasy league winning. If you are drafting Hurts, you are drafting for upside. The uncertainty with him, is why he could be a great value in fantasy right now.
6. Kyler Murray
Murray is going into his fourth season in the NFL. He has shown some good play and put-up good numbers. However, this is an important year for him. Kyler has made his desire for a new contract public, and the Arizona Cardinals have not given one yet. This means he has a lot to play for in 2022. Like number 5, above, Murray has a great rushing upside in an offense that just traded to upgrade their Wide Receiving room by acquiring Marquise Brown. When Arizona gets DeAndre Hopkins back from a 6-game suspension their offense could be phenomenal!
7. Joe Burrow
Burrow almost won the Super Bowl in 2021. The one thing that held him back was an offensive line that crumbled. PFF now has the Cincinnati Bengals projected as the eight best offensive line in the NFL for 2022. The Bengals boast three impressive receivers and two running backs capable of catching the ball. Burrow will have everything he needs this year. Mixon threatening to break off big runs, and Chase threatening to break off big passing plays will have defenses struggling. Burrow had the sixth most passing yards and eighth most passing touchdowns of QB’s in 2021. With the upgrades to the O-line, Burrow and the Bengals could rack up fantasy points in 2022.
Tier 3 – The Good
8. Tom Brady
Brady feels like the opposite of an upside swing. And yet, he finished as the QB 3 for fantasy in 2021. He will be consistently overlooked in every draft, allowing you to get him in the late rounds. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have just added Russell Gage to replace Antonio Brown in the offense for 2022. Rob Gronkowski has just retired, so that might cause some people to shy away from him further. However, Tampa’s offense should be just fine, and at the price you pay, Brady is great value.
9. Russell Wilson
Wilson is a question mark. He could be the biggest steal on draft day if he comes back fully healthy from his finger injury. Wilson is a great QB, who is now on a strong Denver Broncos team that felt it was one QB away from competing for a Super Bowl. He is in the hardest division in the NFL and will have to “cook” to compete in the AFC West. I believe that Sutton, Jeudy, Patrick, with his RB’s of Williams and Gordon, will be enough offensive power to compete in the division. There may be a lot of high-scoring games and I think Russell Wilson can elevate his weapons into a strong NFL offense.
10. Dak Prescott
Prescott is a good NFL QB. Whether he is elite or great is still up to some debate. The Dallas Cowboys offense lost some key pieces. Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup and La’el Collins were all valuable contributors to the Cowboys success in 2021. There has been rumors of Dak running the ball more again in 2022, as there was a steep decline in his 2021 rushing. Dak will be relying heavily on his Tight End, Running Backs, and CeeDee Lamb to catch passes and make this offense work. It’s all about whether you think Prescott can elevate the talent around him, as Dallas has lost some of it.
11. Matthew Stafford
Stafford was QB three in 2021. His connection with Cooper Kupp was incredible. He has shown himself able to elevate the talent around him, while still performing himself. He doesn’t have the rushing up-side of other QB’s but if the LA Rams are able to have Cupp, Van Jefferson, Beckham Jr., and Running Back Cam Akers all healthy, they could be a very strong offense again in 2022. Stafford will be a QB you can get late in the draft, allowing you to fill out your more volatile roster spots.
12. Aaron Rodgers
Rodgers has immense talent that has gotten him four MVP awards. His team, the Green Bay Packers, also just lost one of the best Wide Receivers in the NFL. While other QB’s on this list are adding weapons, Rodgers just lost his most important one.
These are my Top 12 Half PPR Rankings for Quarterbacks in 2022. If you play in a 14-team fantasy league, then my honorable mentions would be Derek Carr and Kirk Cousins, who can also be Top 12 Half PPR Quarterbacks. Which QB you draft often depends on how the draft goes, and your strategy. If you want to pay for an early QB with number one potential, there are options. If you want to stack other positions and save QB for later, there are options as well. Good luck in your drafts!
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