It’s extremely early to be making predictions for the 2025 NFL season. There will certainly be a plethora of player movement over the off season, and each move has the potential of making an impact of the fantasy value on a number of players around those moves. Therefore, I will be making updates on these rankings throughout the off season all the way up to the start of the season. With that, here are my very early, 1st edition, top 10 predicted fantasy rankings as of now.
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1. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders – 2025 will be the NFL’s newest sensation’s 2nd season. Now there have been plenty of quarterbacks throughout history who suffered from the “sophomore slump” (see C.J. Stoud most recently). I do NOT think that will apply to Daniels. Teams will be scheming their defense around defending Daniels now that they have a full season of tape on him, but with his calm demeanor and unusual maturity as a rookie, I believe he will rise above the extra attention.
Daniels is your prototypical dream fantasy QB. He may have only passed for a 16th ranked 3,568 yards, but was second by only 26 yards to MVP candidate Lamar Jackson in rushing yards, with 891. Daniels passed for a respectable 25 TDs and rushed for 6 more, ranking him 5th among QBs in total fantasy points. I believe Daniels will improve upon those numbers and finish the 2025 season as fantasy’s QB1.
2. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens – You’ll hear me say again and again, it’s important to distinguish the difference between ranking players actually on the field, and in fantasy. I believe Jackson to be a far superior QB than Daniels at this particular point in their careers. But I also believe Daniels will out do Jackson slightly in fantasy numbers.
Entering his 8th season in the NFL, Jackson may start to run a little less, trying to mitigate the chance of injury. Assuming RB Derrick Henry returns to Baltimore, Jackson doesn’t need to run as often as he has in the past. That all takes away from potential fantasy points. Don’t get me wrong, I still have Jackson ranked 2nd, so I’m not expecting a major drop off or anything. Jackson is proving he can get it done however he needs to and his 4,172 passing yards and 41 TDs in 2024 was a testament to that.
3. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills – Allen will also be entering his 8th season in the NFL in 2025. It was apparent that Allen has already started to run slightly less in 2024, but still had 12 rushing TDs and 531 rushing yards, nonetheless. Allen has been ranked either 1st or 2nd in fantasy every year for the past 5 seasons. I’m dropping him down a notch though, because I think his running will continue to diminish slightly. He has proven he can pass for well over 4,000 yards, as he did it for 4 seasons in a row prior to 2024, but as of today, Buffalo lacks that #1 receiver that Allen had in those 4 seasons with Stefon Diggs.
4. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles – In week 16 of the 2024 season, Hurts took a big hit in the 1st quarter and came out for the remainder of the game. He ended up missing the next 2 weeks of the season as well, in concussion protocol. Prior to all of that, Hurts was averaging over 22 fantasy points per game, ranking him 2nd among QBs. Like the first 3 QBs listed, Hurts gets out and runs. Since 2021, Hurts has rushed for well over 600 yards per season and has had double digit TDs every year. He has a great cast around him and is certainly capable of ending up in the top 3 for fantasy.
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5. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals – Burrow might be the best QB on the field on this list so far. He led the league in passing yards (4,918) and passing TDs (43). Burrow is more of a traditional stay-in-the-pocket-type passer. He’s not going to get out and run nearly as often as the 4 QBs listed above. I believe Burrow should have been a top candidate for MVP, but the league uses the win/loss record as too much of a deciding factor for the award, as if the QB plays defense also. Regardless, I can see Burrow eclipsing 5,000 passing yards and possibly his 43 passing TDs, in 2025.
6. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Mayfield found a home and a resurgence in Tampa Bay, after being kicked to the curb in Cleveland and used as a bridge QB in Los Angeles when Mathew Stafford went down for the season. In 2024, Mayfield threw for a career high of 4,500 yards and 41 passing TDs, also a career high, all with Tampa’s WR2 Chris Godwin, out for most of the season. Rookie Jalen McMillan filled in nicely for Godwin, and rookie RB Bucky Irving came on strong late in the season. Mayfield is working with a very talented cast around him, so I’m expecting about the same or even better production from the veteran gunslinger in 2025.
7. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions – Goff is the ultimate “pocket passer” in the bunch. Your fantasy points come from passing yards and passing TDs with Goff. But with the high octane offense in Detroit right now, that’s not a problem. Goff passed for 4,629 yards and 37 TDs in 2024, and with Detroit’s receiving core, I can easily see Goff eclipsing those numbers. His only “downfall” is that Detroit’s run game is so good, it takes fantasy point scoring opportunities away from him.
8. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans – Stroud had a tough year in 2024, and I think a lot of that stems from expectations in Houston, from the NFL world.
With as well as Stroud did his rookie season last year, and the cast the Texans put around him, many people picked Houston to make a deep playoff run and possibly a Super Bowl appearance in 2024.
That’s a lot to put on a 2nd year QB. That was also assuming Stroud would improve upon his rookie campaign and improvement isn’t always linear. Houston dealt with a number of injuries on the offensive side of the ball, which was probably the main reason they fell short of some expectations.
Putting Stroud 8th will be contingent that he gets his guys back for training camps so they can get the offense cookin’ again.
9. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears – Williams was the #1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. The Bears’ front office recognized Williams wasn’t getting what he needed from the coaching staff to succeed, so they made changes mid-season, which seemed to be good for Williams.
Even with the season kind of circus, Williams still passed for a 17th ranked 3,541 yards and 20 TDs. He can get out and run a bit as well, rushing for 489 yards, a 6.0 yard per carry average.
I believe the Bears feel like they have a generational talent in their building and will try to do everything they can to help him succeed in 2025. I foresee him having a break out season, and might end up ranked even a bit higher than 9th in fantasy.
10. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos – Nix is the 3rd QB from the 2024 rookie class on my list. Nix had the benefit of having Sean Payton has his HC, which I’m sure was a big part of Nix’s success in 2024.
With little expectations from most people outside of the mile high city, Denver found themselves in a wild card play off game. Nix himself provided 3,775 passing yards and 29 TDs, along with 430 yards rushing and 4 TDs in the 2024 season, statistically out doing the #1 overall pick.
I believe he will go on to out do his own 2024 statistics in 2025, and make the top 10 list of fantasy QBs.
That’s a wrap on my predictions of the top 10 fantasy QBs for 2025. Thanks for checking it out! I will update periodically as changes are made in the NFL. Be sure to check out my predictions for wide receivers, running backs and tight ends as well. Peace.
This article offers a thoughtful and detailed look at the evolving landscape of fantasy football through the lens of quarterback performance. It not only breaks down each player’s strengths and potential weaknesses but also challenges us to think about how off-season moves and changing roles like the rise of Jayden Daniels or the shifting running styles of veterans can redefine fantasy value. The insights into how traditional stats blend with modern gameplay nuances remind us that fantasy football is as much about strategic foresight as it is about raw numbers. It leaves you pondering: In a game full of uncertainties, how do we balance past performance with future potential? This piece truly elevates the discussion and sets a high bar for thoughtful, data-driven predictions in the ever-evolving world of the NFL.
Hello Dan!
Thanks for stopping by and leaving some great insight! I think a large majority of the fun in fantasy football for fantasy nerds like me is watching what’s going on in the off-season to make predictions for the future seasons in this, as you correctly stated, ever-evolving world of the NFL.
This is a solid early look at the 2025 fantasy football quarterback rankings! I like the bold prediction of Jayden Daniels taking the QB1 spot. His rushing ability certainly gives him an edge, and if he takes another step forward as a passer, he could be an absolute fantasy monster. The top four rankings make a lot of sense, with Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, and Jalen Hurts continuing to be elite dual-threat options.
Joe Burrow’s placement at No. 5 is interesting—he’s an elite talent but lacks the rushing upside of those above him. If he puts up another near-5,000-yard passing season, though, he could easily crack the top three. I also like the inclusion of Baker Mayfield and Jared Goff in the top 10, as both have strong supporting casts and play in high-scoring offenses.
One of the biggest wild cards here is Caleb Williams. If the Bears build around him properly, he could be a fantasy breakout star. Overall, great analysis, and I’m looking forward to seeing how these rankings shift in the offseason!
Hey andrejs!
Nice to see you again. I appreciate you stopping by and leaving some thoughtful insight. I’m with you, Caleb Williams will be an interesting commodity in fantasy football. He has the potential to be a huge star, but it’s still an unknown at this point.
The 2025 NFL season is poised to showcase a dynamic lineup of quarterbacks, each bringing unique strengths to the field. Jayden Daniels of the Washington Commanders, entering his second season, combines passing proficiency with exceptional rushing ability, making him a dual-threat in fantasy leagues. Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens continues to be a top contender, though there’s speculation he may reduce his rushing attempts to minimize injury risks. Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills remains a consistent performer, but the team’s current lack of a standout wide receiver could impact his fantasy output. Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles offers a balanced attack, though injury concerns linger. Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals excels in passing yards and touchdowns, solidifying his status as a premier pocket passer.
Considering these projections, how do you anticipate the balance between rushing and passing performances will shift among top quarterbacks in the 2025 fantasy football season?
Hello Investor!
Thanks for checking out my quarterback predictions and taking the time to leave a note. Your question is an interesting one. In most leagues, a rushing TD is worth more fantasy points than a passing TD. Rushing yards are typically worth 1 point per 10 yards, while passing yards being worth 1 point per 25 yards. If a QB throws for a very respectable 300 yards and 1 TD, he’s got 16 fantasy points. If another QB passes for 150 yards and 1 TD, but rushes for 50 yards and a TD as well, that QB has 21 fantasy points. So the QB who runs is typically more valuable than the pocket passer. This is why I have Jayden Daniels ranked much higher than Jared Goff. And I believe the rushing QB is the future of the NFL.