The month of May means a lot of things to many sports fans, including the Kentucky Derby, NBA and NHL Playoffs and NFL mini-camps for rookies. For me, it means I get to work on helping out some Fantasy Football magazines, and putting together my first look at 2017 Fantasy Football QB rankings.
This week alone, I have to turn in all of my position rankings to one magazine, “The Fantasy Football Draft Guide,” so that we can prepare to write our player profiles. Plus, for the “Athlon Sports Fantasy Football Draft Guide 2017,” I’m taking part in my first Fantasy Football mock draft of the year.
The 2017 NFL Draft just ended this past weekend, which sends Fantasy sites scurrying to figure out where to place these rookies into their rankings, and which veterans should move up or down because of the addition of these first-year players.
Over the next week or so, I’m going to share my personal rankings that are essentially knee-jerk reactions to the incoming rookies. And while these rankings will likely shift in spots going forward, I don’t think there will be much change in the end, as some veterans I like/dislike more, and until I read/hear news that changes my mind, they’ll stay where they are.
Something else I want to point out is that we’ve added some videos below from FNTSY, the Fantasy Sports Network. I now work with these guys as a Senior Editor, and I hope to help get more eyes on their great work.
First Look: 2017 Fantasy Football QB Rankings
Looking at my 2017 Fantasy Football QB rankings, I can’t help but notice how ridiculously deep this position is. I mean, we’ve always been aware that the quarterbacks position is one you should wait on because there are good players available late, but just take a look at last year’s stats. Eighteen different quarterbacks posted over 300 Fantasy points (three over 400), compared to 10 over 300 five years ago (2011) and just six over 300 10 years ago.
Yes, we all know the NFL has turned into this incredible passing machine, but the middle-of-the-road players are now putting up great numbers, and that should affect how you draft quarterbacks going forward.
- Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
Not sure how you can have someone else at this spot, although, I get that some think the improvement in their running game will take opportunities away from him. Even so, who are you ranking ahead of him?
- Tom Brady, New England Patriots
He’s not suspended. Gronk is healthy. Brandin Cooks is now in the red, white and blue. What is: Three reasons why Brady could be in for one of his best Fantasy seasons ever?
- Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts
- Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons
As you might already know, I’m skittish on Julio Jones (foot) being ready to start the season, which means I’m also bearish on Ryan’s ability to duplicate last year’s insane numbers.
- Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
He loses Cooks and he gains Adrian Peterson, which are a couple reasons to think Brees will have fewer scoring chances, but when was the last time he wasn’t a top-five quarterback? 1974?
- Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks
- Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers
- Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
I already feel like I have Big Ben too low, as he’ll be adding Martavis Bryant back to his huddle this year, along with rookie Juju Smith-Schuster (who really shouldn’t have much of an impact, but I felt compelled to add him).
- Derek Carr, Oakland Raiders
- Jameis Winston, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
I’m a Bucs fan, and this isn’t to say I think Winston is a top-10 NFL quarterback yet, but the additions of rookie TE O.J. Howard and veteran free agent WR DeSean Jackson tells me Head Coach Dirk Koetter has plans to throw the ball more in 2017.
- Marcus Mariota, Tennessee Titans
- Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Without question, he’s a great talent, but he’s not surprising defenses this year.
- Philip Rivers, Los Angeles Chargers
- Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals
Too high? Adding speedster John Ross on the other side of A.J. Green, plus another backfield threat in Joe Mixon, means this offense should explode this year.
- Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions
- Kirk Cousins, Washington Redskins
I feel like I might be penalizing Cousins too much for losing his best wide receiver in Jackson. I can see this guy rising, but I need to be convinced.
- Carson Palmer, Arizona Cardinals
- Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles
How upset would you be if Wentz was your starting Fantasy quarterback? Not very upset at all, really. The Eagles brought in Alshon Jeffery, along with deep threat Torrey Smith.
- Eli Manning, N.Y. Giants
- Blake Bortles, Jacksonville Jaguars
- Tyrod Taylor, Buffalo Bills
- Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens
- Ryan Tannehill, Miami Dolphins
- Sam Bradford, Minnesota Vikings
- Alex Smith, Kansas City Chiefs
- Trevor Siemian, Denver Broncos
- Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans
In spite of the staff likely choosing Tom Savage to star the season under center, there’s no way Watson isn’t in by the end of Week 4.
- Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams
- Josh McCown, N.Y. Jets
- Brian Hoyer, San Francisco 49ers
- Mike Glennon, Chicago Bears
- Paxton Lynch, Denver Broncos
- Deshone Kizer, Cleveland Browns
Sure, Cody Kessler and Brock Osweiler are currently ahead of the rookie on the depth chart, but the Browns will want to start developing their future signal-caller as fast as possible.
- Tom Savage, Houston Texans
- Mitch Trubisky, Chicago Bears
As you can see, there’s quite a dropoff after the top 20 and then after the top 25, but I think that’s more testimony to depth chart battles than absence of passing talent.
So come back throughout the week, as we go through all of my early rankings. I hope you enjoyed our First Look at 2017 Fantasy Football QB Rankings, and that this position treats you well in the coming autumn!
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