The first week of the fantasy football season saw many top quarterbacks struggle. Only six quarterbacks scored more than 20 points, and none of them were consensus top-4 options heading into the week. This week’s quarterback rankings see most of the early-round quarterbacks still at the top.
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Week 2 Fantasy Football Quarterback Rankings
Tier 1: Week Winners
- Patrick Mahomes
- Jalen Hurts
- Justin Herbert
- Josh Allen
Patrick Mahomes finished as the QB7 last week throwing to a weak supporting cast. Travis Kelce is likely to return in Week 2, which should help Mahomes return to form. He sits atop the quarterback rankings for the second week in a row. Jalen Hurts did not have a big day against the New England secondary in Week 1. However, Minnesota has a lesser defense that Hurts may be able to pick apart.
Week 1 saw Justin Herbert put up a QB4 stat line despite Los Angeles attempting just 33 passes in a game where the Chargers running backs ran effectively. Tennessee will likely force Herbert to air out the football. Josh Allen had a nightmare first game, but a good matchup with the Raiders as well as his talent keep him an elite option at the quarterback position.
Tier 2: Solid Starters
- Trevor Lawrence
- Lamar Jackson
- Tua Tagovailoa
- Joe Burrow
Trevor Lawrence looked great against the Colts, and the addition of Calvin Ridley seems to have given him a true alpha wide receiver. Jacksonville will likely be in a high-scoring battle against the Chiefs, giving Lawrence the opportunity to put up points. Lamar Jackson scored just 7.6 fantasy points in Week 1, but the former MVP is a dynamic runner and will likely have a better game against the Bengals.
Reigning QB1 Tua Tagovailoa gets a tough matchup against the New England secondary in Week 2, but with all of Miami’s weapons, the Patriots may struggle to slow him down. He won’t have another 450-yard performance but looks like he may be one of the most productive quarterbacks in the league. Joe Burrow had just 82 passing yards against the Browns, sending him plummeting down the weekly quarterback rankings. However, he’s a good quarterback and has two great wide receivers.
Tua Tagovailoa to Tyreek Hill for the lead with 1:45 remaining.
THIS GAME RULES.pic.twitter.com/hNA51tTB1p
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 10, 2023
Tier 3: Back-end QB1s
- Anthony Richardson
- Justin Fields
- Jared Goff
- Deshaun Watson
First-round pick Anthony Richardson had a great debut against the Jaguars, providing value both through the air and on the ground. He might have an even better day against the Houston defense. Justin Fields provides great running but does not seem to have improved much as a passer. Tampa Bay has a good defense, but Fields’ rushing upside keeps him in this tier of quarterback rankings.
Jared Goff was solid in Week 1, and Seattle didn’t do very well against Matthew Stafford. Detroit has better skill position players than Los Angeles, and Goff might be able to take advantage of the Seahawks defense. He wasn’t great through the air, but Deshaun Watson rushed for a touchdown. The floor provided by his running as well as his potential passing ceiling make Watson a startable option at quarterback.
Tier 4: Streaming Options
- Brock Purdy
- Kirk Cousins
- Daniel Jones
- Dak Prescott
- Geno Smith
- Jordan Love
- Russell Wilson
- Mac Jones
- Derek Carr
Brock Purdy continued his impressive run at the helm of the 49ers offense. He is efficient but doesn’t throw for much volume and has a limited ceiling, keeping him from making the jump to the next tier of quarterback rankings. Kirk Cousins had a serviceable game in Week 1 but turned the ball over three times and faces a tough Philadelphia defense. Daniel Jones has a great matchup against the Cardinals but scored just 6.5 points last week. Geno Smith started last week well but finished the game with just 112 passing yards.
The Jordan Love era in Green Bay got off to a great start. However, the young quarterback is still unproven. Russell Wilson played mistake-free football against the Raiders but completed mostly short passes that didn’t score many fantasy points. Mac Jones had a big day, but 54 pass attempts is surely an outlier for a Patriots offense that was expected to be run-heavy. Derek Carr had a solid game but threw just one touchdown.
Tier 5: Dart Throws
- Matthew Stafford
- Baker Mayfield
- Sam Howell
- Jimmy Garoppolo
- Ryan Tannehill
- Kenny Pickett
- C.J. Stroud
- Bryce Young
- Desmond Ridder
- Zach Wilson
- Joshua Dobbs
The next tier of quarterback rankings is headlined by Matthew Stafford. Stafford had a good game, but San Francisco is a tough matchup and Cooper Kupp is still on the IR. Baker Mayfield had two touchdown passes in Week 1 and faces a Bears defense that couldn’t slow down Jordan Love. However, Love only had 173 yards. Sam Howell plays a good Denver defense and did not provide much value in Week 1 aside from his rushing touchdown.
Jimmy Garoppolo had 16.6 points, a decent day for a waiver-wire quarterback. He will probably struggle to repeat that performance in Week 2 against the Bills defense. The Tennessee Titans lost as Ryan Tannehill threw three interceptions and just 198 yards. Kenny Pickett turned 46 pass attempts into only 232 yards, and while he threw for a touchdown, he also was picked off twice. C.J. Stroud had 10.7 points in his debut, a number that includes a catch he made on a pass he threw.
Bryce Young showed flashes of talent but isn’t yet ready to be relied on for fantasy football purposes. Atlanta threw just 18 passes, making it hard for Desmond Ridder to score many points. Zach Wilson will replace the injured Aaron Rodgers, but he has a career average of 181 yards per game and has thrown more interceptions than touchdowns. Joshua Dobbs had only 132 yards and did not score a touchdown. For the second straight week, he finds himself at the bottom of the quarterback rankings.
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Main Photo: Mike De Sisti – USA Today Sports
