The 2023 Fantasy Football Deep Dive: Quarterbacks

Fantasy Football draft season is upon us! Get the best analysis from the Desai Guys!

Follow all of our Fantasy Football Content and the Desai Guys Football Forum Podcast

Quarterback Fantasy Football Rankings: Who’s Ranked #1?

Patrick Mahomes, QB – Kansas City Chiefs

  • This dude could make anyone look like a good receiver
  • He’s only scored less than 39 touchdowns once in his career
  • It’s obvious but he’s hands down the best quarterback in the league
  • Last season, we all wondered what he would do without Tyreek Hill in the offense
    • Well, he finished as the best QB in fantasy leagues, so that answers how good he was.
    • In five seasons as a starter in the NFL, Mahomes has finished in the top-5 at the position four times
      • This includes two first-place finishes and the one season he didn’t finish top-5, he came in 7th
  • He relied heavily on Travis Kelce last season, but he also threw a touchdown pass to 11 different receivers last season
  • As long as Andy Reid is leading this team and Mahomes is under center, this offense is going to be just fine

Quarterback Fantasy Football Sleepers

NFL: NFC Wild Card Round-New York Giants at Minnesota Vikings
Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings

  • Last season in Kevin O’Connell’s system for the first time, Kirk Cousins had a career-high 643 passing attempts
    • He threw for over 4,500 passing yards for the second time in his career
    • Cousins also was fifth in the league in passing yards and passing touchdowns
  • The team has also improved in the passing game by upgrading from Adam Thielen to the dynamic rookie out of USC, Jordan Addison.
  • Currently ranked outside the top-10 at the position but has the potential to finish inside the top-5
    • Let’s not forget that this is Cousins’ contract year and he’s hoping for one more big payday before he decides to hang ‘em up

Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins

  • He threw for 25 touchdowns despite missing four games
  • The Dolphins are still the favorites in Tad’s book to land Dalvin Cook
  • Tad thinks a lot of people are going to shy away from him due to injury concerns.

Quarterback Fantasy Football Busts

NFL: Indianapolis Colts at New York Giants
John Jones-USA TODAY Sports

Daniel Jones, New York Giants

  • The Giants showed a lot of faith in him by signing him to a $160 mil contract
  • A lot of people are going to take that contract as a sign that they can trust him
    • Don’t do it! Darren Waller is the biggest name he has to throw to and he may be past his prime
    • Other than that he’s throwing to a great group of #2 receivers
  • He had seven rushing touchdowns which helped him finish at 9th, but is that sustainable especially if Saquon Barkley remains healthy?
  • How many times has he thrown for over 25 touchdowns? ZERO! He hasn’t even thrown for over 20 since 2019!

Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

  • Kellen Moore is now calling plays for Justin Herbert and the Chargers and that will affect how this Cowboys offense will operate now
    • Mike McCarthy has said that they will run the ball more instead of leaning on the pass as they did under the play-calling of Moore
    • First three seasons without Moore as the OC – 6th, 11th, and 10th place finishes
    • Four seasons with Moore as the OC – 2nd, 30th (Dak was hurt), 7th, and 19th (hurt again)
  • It’s not like he’s going to be the worst quarterback in fantasy football this coming season, just other quarterbacks will be better
    • Herbert with Moore calling the plays should crack the top 10
    • A healthy Lamar Jackson will finish in the top 10 again
    • Aaron Rodgers with his bevy of weapons should be back in the top 10
    • A healthy Tua Tagovailoa can slip into the top 10
    • Jared Goff finished 10th and has a chance to stay in the top 10
  • Dak Prescotts weapons are a little more questionable than in past seasons

Quarterback Fantasy Hot Takes

Syndication: Arizona Republic
Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

Jalen Hurts throws for over 4,000 passing yards and scores 45 total touchdowns

  • There’s a lot of talk about how good this team looks on defense, but let’s not forget how good they are on offense
  • Hurts was in the conversation for winning the MVP award and the Offensive Player of the Year award
    • 3,701 passing yards and 22 passing touchdowns
    • 760 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns
  • He had an outstanding season last year, but he could take it another step forward as he continues to build his career in the NFL
  • With the turnover at running back from Miles Sanders to D’Andre Swift and Rashaad Penny, the Eagles may experience injuries in the backfield
    • Swift missed three games and Penny missed 12 games last season
  • This could be a sign that the Eagles rely on Hurts to lead this offense a little more through the air and of course, he’s a dependable runner as well
  • If he accomplishes this feat, this should put him in the conversation to finish as the QB1 in fantasy football leagues

Jared Goff will throw for over 35 touchdowns