The upcoming season for the NFL will be awkward for the quarterback position for several reasons in dynasty. Some of the best quarterbacks in the world missed the playoffs last year (Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, etc.). Dynasty owners will have to make tough calls on who to hold on to and who to let go. On the other hand, the quarterbacks out of the elite group almost all regressed. Tua Tagovailoa, Michal Penix Jr., Geno Smith, and others seemed to take a step backward. Dynasty owners should expect lots of movement in their next draft, and it should be a big opportunity for younger guys at quarterback.
Tier 1: Elite Dynasty Anchors
The number one hold candidate on dynasty players’ minds should be Matthew Stafford. Most quarterbacks get worse at the age of 38, but that didn’t apply to the Rams quarterback, who threw for 46 touchdowns on the season. Josh Allen is another quarterback who remains in the elite category due to his performance in the regular season. The frustrating hold candidate would be Joe Burrow, who would be a great option if he could stay healthy on the field. Some owners may be moving him, but generally, he should be kept just because of his massive upside when he is healthy.
Tier 2. Near-Elite/Ascending Stars
There are plenty of quarterbacks in this category who are looking for redemption. Despite a poor performance in the playoffs, Justin Herbert still put points on the board during the regular season. C.J. Stroud couldn’t live up to the promise that came with his 2024 season, but he can still turn it around if they can get anyone in Houston who can block for him. An interesting member of this club would be Caleb Williams, who not only improved a ton this season but is working with an elite offensive coach and is surrounded by newfound weapons like Colston Loveland and Rome Odunze.
Tier 3: Solid 1’s with questions
Jaxson Dart is one guy that dynasty players are looking at heavily. He can be a solid option, provided that the Giants resign Wan’dale Robinson and they keep Malik Nabers healthy at all costs. Daniel Jones looked like he was going to take the Colts to the playoffs before he got injured. That is a potential QB 1 that might be available in a few leagues. Regardless of whether he stays in Arizona or leaves, Kyler Murray will always be in this category as well, just because of what he can do with his legs.
Tier 4: 2’s with Upside
While not many fans paid attention last season, Tyler Shough did put together a nice run while he started for New Orleans. It might be worth putting him on a roster just in case he pops off again. Another QB2 hoping to build off of last year is Bryce Young. He has the weapons, he has the running game, he just needs to stay consistent to be worth a roster spot. Any players who really don’t care who fills their second quarterback slot should think of just grabbing Aaron Rodgers, since he should at least have a couple of games next season with high yardage.
Tier 5: Depth, Streamers, and Stashes
One stash that makes sense for anyone who owns Jordan Love is to take Malik Willis. He might be on another team, but if he stays in Green Bay, he tends to perform well when Jordan Love sits out. The same would go for Brock Purdy owners: stashing Mac Jones away makes sense since he still managed to have a top 10 QB rating last season. One streaming option to consider would be Shedeur Sanders. Regardless of how people feel about him personally, he can fling the football and would be good to play on a one-week basis if the Browns have a good match-up.
Rookie and Prospect Watch
This should come as no surprise, but Fernando Mendoza can sure play football. He will be a huge asset to whichever team lands him (most likely the Las Vegas Raiders). In general, the rookie pool for quarterbacks isn’t as appealing beyond Mendoza. Ty Simpson will certainly get a job somewhere despite Alabama not going undefeated like they usually do. Garret Nussmeier is another prospect that should be drafted relatively early. This upcoming season should be more about streaming secondary options, more so than putting faith in rookie quarterbacks aside from Mendoza.
Buy/Sell/Hold Recommendations
This may sound surprising, but a buy candidate for the offseason could be Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs missed the playoffs for the first time in what seems like ages, and Rashee Rice might be suspended for the beginning of next season. This might cause some owners to just let Mahomes go, but he is still a QB 1, and there are rumors that Tyreek Hill might come back to Kansas City. Even if he doesn’t, the Chiefs’ front office should bring in another top receiver no matter what.
Several quarterbacks are coming off bad seasons that would make good hold candidates: C.J. Stroud should have a bounce-back year, Burrow will hopefully stay healthy, and the Buccaneers as a team regressed slightly, but Baker Mayfield still had a great season. One guy who would definitely be a sell candidate is Tua Tagovailoa, as the Dolphins are likely moving on to a new quarterback.
Strategy Implications and Beyond
Usually, streaming backup quarterbacks can be a cheap way to get through some weeks while saving space on the bench in fantasy. This might be a good year to start stashing secondary quarterbacks, though, especially in dynasty. Most drafts are going to see fights over those mid-tier players like Kyler Murray and Bryce Young. Stashing the right QB2 could make the difference between winning and losing some weeks.
