Fantasy Tiers: Running Backs | Wide Receivers | Tight Ends
We are inching closer to the start of the 2024 NFL season, so it’s time to look at fantasy positional “tiers.” Unlike my PPR player rankings, tiers group players of similar value. So, if you miss out on a particular player on a tier during your draft, you can see others on that same tier who are good alternatives.
Let’s start things off with the quarterbacks. As you’ll see, the position is very deep. That will allow fantasy managers to wait on one until the middle to late rounds and still get a solid starting option. Here's my full list of tiers.
Tier 1 – The Elite
Jalen Hurts, Eagles
Josh Allen, Bills
Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
Lamar Jackson, Ravens
Hurts has established himself as an elite fantasy quarterback, and he’s barely in the prime of his career. Allen, last year’s best fantasy field general, remains in the top three despite losing Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis. His production as a runner should overcome questions in the pass attack. Mahomes is coming off his worst fantasy year ever, but the addition of wideouts Marquise Brown and Xavier Worthy to Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice should help him return to the top five at the position. Coming off an MVP campaign, Jackson averaged more than 20 fantasy points per game in 2023. He’s a top-five option.
Tier 2 – Mid QB1s
C.J. Stroud, Texans
Anthony Richardson, Colts
Joe Burrow, Bengals
Dak Prescott, Cowboys
Stroud is coming off a tremendous rookie season, and he could be even better in Year 2 after the Texans added Joe Mixon and Diggs. Burrow is coming off a down campaign, but he’s back at 100 percent and still has a boatload of talent around him. I can see him getting back to his 2022 form when he scored 350.7 points. My top projected breakout quarterback this season, Richardson, has top-five potential. Prescott, last year’s QB3, should push for high-end value in an offense that will throw the ball absent of a top-notch running game.
Tier 3 – Low QB1s
Jordan Love, Packers
Kyler Murray, Cardinals
Brock Purdy, 49ers
Jayden Daniels, Commanders
Love busted out as the Packers starter last year, averaging nearly 19 fantasy points per game while finishing as the QB5. His offense is loaded with good, young weapons, and now he has Josh Jacobs in the backfield. Murray averaged over 18 points in his eight games last year, and now he has a potential superstar in rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. at his disposal. Purdy, the QB6 in 2023, should remain a strong option for fantasy managers. I’m high on Daniels, who could push for QB1 value in his first year with the Commanders based on his abilities as a passer and, more importantly, a runner.
Tier 4 – High QB2s
Kirk Cousins, Falcons
Jared Goff, Lions
Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars
Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins
Cousins is coming off a torn Achilles and will lead a new system, but he’s still on the QB1/QB2 borderline in what should be a high-scoring offensive attack. Goff has finished in the top 10 among quarterbacks in two straight seasons, and 14 of his 17 games this season will come in a dome. That’s an advantage. Lawrence has yet to live up to his collegiate hype, and his top wideout, Calvin Ridley, is in Tennessee. That’s pushed him down a bit in my initial rankings. Tagovailoa can put a big stat line at any time, but he can also be unreliable and struggles to record consistently good numbers on the road.
Tier 5 – Mid QB2s
Justin Herbert, Chargers
Caleb Williams, Bears
I have Herbert and Williams on one tier for two reasons. First, both could finish in the top 12 among quarterbacks. Second, I like them more than the four quarterbacks in Tier Six. Herbert lost Austin Ekeler, Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and Gerald Everett from a season ago, and new coach Jim Harbaugh loves to run the ball. All these changes to the offense move Herbert down into the high QB2 range. Williams, the top pick overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, could break out in a talented offense. Besides Allen and Everett, he’ll have D’Andre Swift, DJ Moore and Cole Kmet at his disposal.
Tier 6 – Low QB2s
Matthew Stafford, Rams
Aaron Rodgers, Jets
Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers
Deshaun Watson, Browns
Stafford had a slow start but a very strong finish to last season, and he has a great duo of wide receivers in Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp. Rodgers is entering his age-40 season and coming off a torn Achilles, but he has a lot of talent around him in Breece Hall, Garrett Wilson and Mike Williams. Mayfield, whose career totals are close (and in some cases better) than Lawrence, was the QB10 in 2023. Watson missed most of last year with a bum shoulder, but he did score 18-plus points in three of the five games he finished.
Tier 7 – High QB3s
Derek Carr, Saints
Russell Wilson, Steelers
Will Levis, Titans
Bryce Young, Panthers
None of this quartet will be regular fantasy starters to begin the new season, but Levis and Young have plenty of upside. Last year’s top NFL draft pick, Young has improved weapons in Jonathon Brooks, Diontae Johnson, and Xavier Legette. Levis is in a new offense that will put more emphasis on the pass, and the Titans added Tony Pollard and Ridley. Carr has a favorable schedule, but he’ll be a matchup-based starter at best. The same goes for Wilson, who will compete with Justin Fields for the top spot in Pittsburgh. Fields would be the more valuable asset in fantasy terms.
Tier 8 – Mid QB3s
Drake Maye, Patriots
Geno Smith, Seahawks
Daniel Jones, Giants
J.J. McCarthy, Vikings
Bo Nix, Broncos
This tier includes three rookies, Maye, McCarthy and Nix, who all have sleeper appeal on some level. That, of course, assumes each wins the starting jobs for their respective teams. Maye, who some have compared to Josh Allen, might be the best option. Smith and Jones are both coming off disappointing campaigns, but they’ll end up being drafted late in larger leagues.
Tier 9 – Low QB3s
Aidan O’Connell, Raiders
Justin Fields, Steelers
Gardner Minshew, Raiders
Zach Wilson, Broncos
I have both Raiders quarterbacks, O’Connell and Minshew, in this tier. Coach Antonio Pierce is giving O’Connell a chance to keep the job, but the eventual winner won’t be worth much in re-drafts. Fields could be a draft bargain if he can wrestle the starting job away from Wilson, but it’s tough to project him much higher until (and if) that happens. Most expect Nix to be Denver’s starting quarterback in Week 1, but Wilson could push him in training camp. Regardless, the 2021 NFL Draft bust has very little fantasy draft appeal.
Tier 10 – Don’t Draft
Sam Howell, Seahawks
Jake Browning, Bengals
Michael Penix Jr., Falcons
Kenny Pickett, Eagles
Mac Jones, Jaguars
This tier includes projected backups who won’t (and shouldn’t be) picked in most fantasy re-drafts. Howell could have value if he somehow unseats Smith in Seattle, but the rest of this group has no real chance at a starting role coming out of training camp unless injuries occur.
