There’s no higher-scoring position than quarterback in fantasy football, but that doesn’t mean you should take a QB as the first player in your draft.
When it comes to fantasy football, it should be little surprise that quarterbacks are the highest-scoring players. It makes sense, right? They’re the catalysts for their offenses and they touch the ball more than anyone else.
But that doesn’t mean they're always the first players taken in fantasy drafts. In fact, QB draft strategy varies wildly based on your league’s format and scoring settings and whether your league is a redraft league (starting from scratch every season) or a dynasty league (you keep your team from year to year and operate it more like a true general manager); a traditional flex league or a superflex league; and a 1-QB league or a 2-QB league.
Everything in this article is contingent on those factors. So consider that disclaimer for everything you read in this space as you learn more about how to craft your draft-day QB strategy.
How Many QBs You Should Draft
As it relates to standard leagues where you can only start one QB, you can get away with only drafting one — especially if he’s an elite option that you are never going to sit despite tough matchups. When it comes to that QB’s bye week, you can stream a backup from the waiver wire.
If you’ve waited a bit to draft your QB, which is a perfectly acceptable strategy, then you should consider drafting a backup as well. That will give you flexibility over who to start on a weekly basis, which you may need since your top option is not necessarily going to be someone you’re comfortable starting each game.
In leagues where you can start more than one QB, then at the absolute minimum you’ll be drafting two. The size of your league also is a factor. With there being only 32 starting QBs in the NFL at a given time, that leaves a finite number of starters to draft. In a 12-team league, no more than eight teams will be able to draft three QBs (unless backups are being picked as well for some reason).
What Round to Draft a QB in 1-QB Leagues
This question depends on whether you want to sacrifice your chances to take as many top-tier running backs and wide receivers as possible for the right to land one of the top-ranked QBs on the board. As with most draft decisions, there are pros and cons to both.
Drafting a QB in the first few rounds
The risk with opting for an early-round QB is that, depending on the season, those high-ranked options are not so far and away better than the rest of the competition that it could wind up hurting you elsewhere on your squad. There’s an opportunity cost that comes with going with a QB in the first three rounds. Nevertheless, it can pay off, especially if you’re prudent with the rest of your draft.
Should You Draft a QB Early? 3 Benefits
- Barring injury, your QB decision each week will be set-it-and-forget-it. If you’re taking one of the top QBs, it would take an awful lot for you to lose faith in that player to the point you’d stream another in his place.
- You can get away with drafting just one QB, as taking a backup for the sake of a single bye week (or guarding against an injury) would not be the best use of your finite roster space.
- If expectations are met, you’ll be able to count on a hefty point total from the position on a weekly basis. There’s something to be said for reliability and predictability.
Drafting a QB in the later rounds
If you’re willing to dip down to the second tier and below, then consider taking your starting QB in the fifth or sixth round. And if you’re willing to bet that the difference between QB6 and QB12 in your draft is not going to be that significant, then wait even longer and load up on other positions instead. It’s a common strategy, and for good reason.
Should You Wait Until Later to Draft a QB? 3 Benefits
- In most leagues, wide receivers and running backs are the lifeblood of teams’ success. If you wait on taking your QB, you can load up on those studs and feel at ease about not having to take players who, on the surface, are less of a sure thing.
- The “elite” QBs don’t always equate to big returns. For reference, in 2023, the difference in average fantasy points per game between the QB1 and QB16 was 6.5. That’s not insignificant over the course of a whole season, but it’s also a number that you can theoretically make up for elsewhere on your roster, with better WRs and RBs.
- How often do preseason rankings or ADP actually wind up reflecting reality? There are regularly late-round QBs that wind up striking it big in fantasy terms, so instead of stressing about landing a high-ranked signal-caller, realize that you can take a risk, pivot with waiver-wire fodder (or a backup option that you have also drafted late) if you need to and enjoy a stronger and more balanced squad.
It should be noted that if passing touchdowns are worth six points and passing yards are valued higher than the standard amount, then QBs will be more valuable in your league, and you should act accordingly in your drafts. As we’ve been alluding to all along, check your league’s scoring and roster settings before crafting your QB strategy.
What Round to Draft a QB in 2-QB/Superflex Leagues
After everything laid out above, there’s less of a discussion to be had if this is your setup. In leagues where you either can or are required to start two QBs, you’ll want to consider taking one in the first round.
We’ll stop short of saying that’s a mandate, because you also can’t afford to completely disregard the other skill positions, and if a top RB or WR falls your way, then you should consider all of your options. But, generally speaking, in leagues where QBs are so heavily valued, you have no choice but to go big at the position.
Going QB-QB in the first two rounds is a likely a bridge too far, as the value of your QB2 won’t be worth the cost of having lower-tier RBs and WRs in your top slots for those positions, but landing a reliable QB1 should be a top priority.
3 of the Best NFL QBs to Draft in Fantasy Football
The nominal “best” QBs in the NFL aren’t always the best when it comes to fantasy football. Patrick Mahomes is currently the undisputed QB king, for instance, and he has been an absolute fantasy stud in the past, but his regular season stats in 2023 and 2024 (so far) have been rather middle-of-the-pack.
Meanwhile, QBs who rack up the rushing yards can be tremendous fantasy assets, considering that rushing yards and rushing TDs are usually weighted more heavily than passing yards and passing TDs in most scoring systems. At the very least, they can secure a safer floor than a QB who is more run-averse.
Beyond that, any QB who is effectively putting up competitive numbers for a running back while also padding the stats through the air can be a league-winner. Here are three of the best in the business as of 2024:
Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Jackson has been a dual-threat dynamo ever since he entered the NFL in 2018, and he’s on pace to smash Michael Vick’s record for career rushing yards by a QB (6,109).
The two-time NFL MVP has two seasons with over 1,000 rushing yards, and he averaged just under five rushing TDs per season through his first six seasons in the league. He limits his interceptions and is always a threat for a blowup game with either his arm or his legs. And in the cases when it happens with both? Congrats on winning your week.
Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Like Jackson, the Bills star has been a regular threat to take off with his legs since his rookie season in 2018, and he has proven to be even more of a threat with his monster of an arm.
Entering 2024, Allen had compiled four straight seasons with at least 4,283 passing yards, and in his first six years in the NFL, he rushed for 53 touchdowns. His 15 rushing TDs in 2023 set a new single-season record (along with the Eagles’ Jalen Hurts) for a QB.
If there’s a knock on Allen, it’s his propensity for throwing interceptions (78 in his first six seasons), but the pros vastly outweigh the cons.
Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
The Heisman winner out of LSU entered the NFL with a bang, and he looks like the real deal with both his arms and his legs.
The passing stats only figure to grow as he gets more comfortable in the league (and the starting point has been pretty darn good), and his ability to escape trouble and dazzle on designed runs will be keeping defenses honest for years. In his first five games in the NFL, he averaged 60 rushing yards per contest and ran for four TDs.
In dynasty leagues especially, which have a forward-looking view, he’s one of the top QB assets out there.
Further reading:
Frequently Asked Questions
Should you draft a QB, RB or WR first?
As we’ve been saying, it all depends on your league’s format and scoring settings. If it’s a league where QB value is immense, then go QB. If it’s one where QB value is not as high, then pivot to where the positional scarcity is a bigger deal.
How many QBs should I draft in a Best Ball league?
In Best Ball leagues, you don’t set a starting roster. You simply have a squad of players, and the best-performing players each week at each of the “starting” positions are the ones whose fantasy points count. You’ll want at least two QBs on your squad to improve your chances of having a game-breaking performance at the position, and it’s not outrageous to consider having three if you’ve waited until later to pick your QB1.
Which QB has the best fantasy season ever?
Patrick Mahomes threw for 50 touchdowns and over 5,000 yards in 2018. He also added 272 rushing yards and two TDs on the ground. In all, he posted 417.1 fantasy points by traditional scoring – and that was in a 16-game season. The numbers are hard to fathom.
Become the QB of Your Own Fantasy Team With Sleeper
There’s plenty to consider when it comes to drafting QBs for your fantasy teams. With everything from which ones to target and when to target them, the decision is one that can alter the course of your season. Fortunately for you, Sleeper offers free season-long fantasy leagues of all formats, which allows you to test out all sorts of strategies like the ones discussed above.
You can take the helm of your own fantasy team either by signing up on the Sleeper website or downloading the app to start enjoying the unique customization and ad-free experience.
If you’d prefer to tackle QBs in the Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) space, then try your hand at Sleeper Picks. You can maximize your winnings up to 100X by choosing whether players will either exceed or fall short of their weekly stat projections.
