Fantasy Football 2019 QB Rankings, Targets, Fades

Fantasy Football: QB1 Rankings / Targets / Fades

#7 Cam Newton

Fade: I am a huge Matt Ryan supporter. However, there comes a time when you realize that Matt Ryan is not going to finish at the top of fantasy QB’s at the end of the year. He was the 2016 MVP and put up monstrous fantasy numbers, but that is not the norm.

Ryan is a tremendous game manager, and he needs a supporting cast around him to achieve fantasy upside. Julio is the best WR in the league when he is fully healthy, but it has been years since Julio laced it up 100% 16 games.

I think Ridley will be an excellent WR2 this year, but he is not yet ready to fill Julio’s shoes if Julio misses time.

The Falcons upgraded the offensive line in the draft, picking a OG and OT in the first 2 rounds. Along with getting Devonta Freeman back from injury, this Falcon’s offense will be good. However, good does not win you a trophy.

#8 Drew Brees

Fade: I love Drew Brees, but father time is undefeated. Plus, the arsenal of weapons needs restocked (or at least added to). Yes, Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara are two of the best fantasy options in the game.

However, after those two players, the cupboard is bare. The Saints brought in Jared Cook and Latavius Murray to account for free agency departures. Does that make that offense any better?

They did not have a first pick and spent their 2nd rounder on an offensive lineman to keep Brees upright, which was smart. But there just are not enough weapons around Brees to make me think that he could drastically move up in these rankings by the end of the year.

#9 Baker Mayfield

Target: Baker does not do anything exceptionally that would make me think that he had the potential to become a top-10 QB in this league. That does not mean he cannot be a tremendous fantasy QB in this league. (Look at Jameis Winston‘s fantasy stats if you do not understand what I meant by that statement)

When anyone except for Zach Mettenberger is throwing the ball to OBJ and Jarvis Landry, good things are bound to happen. Antonio Calloway is also an intriguing WR3 and David Njoku is an athletic freak.

Most people forget that the Browns also added Kareem Hunt, who will be serving an 8 game suspension before joining Chubb and Duke Johnson in the backfield. The Browns are thin at the offensive line position, which is the only thing that prevented me from ranking Mayfield higher.

#10 Ben Roethlisberger

Fade: Big Ben had a superb season a year ago, finishing 3rd in points among fantasy QB’s. He did not have LeVeon Bell last year. He will not have LeVeon Bell this year either. He will also not have Antonio Brown, who finished as the 4th ranked fantasy WR.

James Conner and Juju Smith-Shuster stepped up huge in that offense, and will again be asked to play a crucial role. James Washington has been inconsistent, but has the talent to be a viable option.

At the end of the day, I cannot see Big Ben putting the team on his back the way that Antonio Brown often did. Ben is a gunslinger that had a security blanket that was always open. He no longer has that.

#11 Jared Goff

Target: I am a Jared Goff truther. He is not as talented as the pieces around him. However, when those pieces are a Sean McVay lead Todd Gurley, Brandin Cooks, Robert Woods, and Cooper Kupp, things are looking up.

Goff shined with Cooper Kupp in the lineup, and will be greatly helped by the return of his security blanket. Todd Gurley may not be the same Todd Gurley that we are used to, however he is still an elite running back if he can get right.

I am hoping that the tough loss in the Super Bowl made Goff hungrier to be great. Because there was a lot to his game that was lacking in the second half of the 2018-19 season.

#12 Philip Rivers

Fade: Rivers had an excellent season a year ago, finishing 10th in points among fantasy QB’s. Keenan Allen played in 16 games last season (although 2 of those were cut short), the most games he has played in during an NFL season.

Melvin Gordon missed 3 games. I cannot see a scenario in which those two studs play as much of the 2019-20 season as they did last year. Injuries and holdouts will force the hand of the Philip Rivers and the Chargers.

There is just not enough talent around Rivers to warrant paying up for the 37 year old quarterback. I see Mike Williams having a very productive year, but there are too many unknowns from Hunter Henry to Austin Ekler and the other names I have listed.

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