Fantasy Football QB Drafting: Early or Late, your QB needs this!

When drafting Quarterbacks in fantasy football, there are several strategies. Each type of fantasy football QB can have its advantages. But what separates the top QBs from the middle of the pack?

Fantasy football leagues come in all shapes and sizes, from 1QB to SuperFlex, full PPR to .5 PPR, and all kinds of variable flexes. The one constant is trying to outscore your opponent each week, and the best way to do that is to have an advantage at each position. The right fantasy football QB can give you an advantage!

I evaluated the top QB scorers over the past 5 seasons and came up with differing types of QBs, along with what, if any, advantages they give you. If you’re drafting this weekend, then you’ll want to take a look and see which QBs you should be targeting for a maximum consistency advantage.

A few quick details on the analysis: 2020-2024 seasons, limited to QBs who played at least 10 games, each tier is made up of QBs who finished as QB1s (top 12) for their respective seasons, QB ranks are based on points per game, qualifiers are from the top 32 ranked QBs this upcoming season, and settings for QB scoring are as follows:

• Passing Touchdowns = 4 points
• Interceptions = -1 point
• Passing Yards = 1 point for every 25 yards
• Rushing Yards = 1 point for every 10 yards

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Fantasy Football QB Variants – 8/28/2025 Fantasy Football: Consistency

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Tier: Pocket Statues (< 10 Rushing Yards Per Game)

QB Qualifiers: Jared Goff, Matthew Stafford, Tua Tagovailoa, Aaron Rodgers, Joe Flacco

This tier of QB offers next to zero in the rushing department. Sometimes described as “pure pocket passers”. This group has averaged only 6 yards rushing per game over the past 5 seasons.

Out of 60 qualified QB finishes, 15 came from this tier (25%). Kirk Cousins, who is now the backup in Atlanta, heads this list, having achieved 4 QB1 finishes over the last 5 seasons. Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers are the only others to have more than 1 appearance in this tier.

QBs this tier who also qualified in a higher tier: Dak Prescott, Joe Burrow, Brock Purdy

In this tier, the average amount of touchdowns thrown was 34.7 per season. To put that into perspective, only 5 QBs hit that mark last season. All of them threw for career highs in TD passes last season: Burrow (43), Lamar Jackson (41), Baker Mayfield (41), Jared Goff (37), and Sam Darnold (35). Only Jackson and Burrow had hit the 35-touchdown mark before last season (both just one other time).

The average pocket statue QB had 37+ pass attempts and 2.4 touchdowns per game over the last 5 years. All five QBs last year needed career highs in touchdown passes to rank as QB1s. This is the volatility that this type of QB brings. There hasn’t been a QB to lead the league in TD passes in back-to-back seasons since 2011-2012, when Drew Brees led the league with 46 then 43 the following year. NO QB1 over the past 5 seasons has come from this tier (highest finish was 2021, Tom Brady as QB3).

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Tier: Play Extenders (10-14.99 Rushing Yards Per Game)

QB Qualifiers: Dak Prescott, Jordan Love, C.J. Stroud, Sam Darnold, Michael Penix Jr., Russell Wilson, Geno Smith,

The QBs in this tier are more pocket passers who can run if necessary, but are capable of avoiding pressure using their legs. This tier of fantasy football QB has averaged 12.88 yards rushing per game over the past 5 seasons.

Out of 60 qualified QB finishes, 5 came from this tier (8.33%). The averages in this tier are very similar to the pocket statues, only slightly lower. The 2.4 touchdown passes per game drops to 2.04 for this tier, but it’s still above the 2 mark.

QBs this tier who also qualified in a higher tier: Joe Burrow, Russell Wilson, Geno Smith

The highest finish from this tier was Joe Burrow, last season, when he finished as QB3. Dak Prescott and Jordan Love finished as QB4 and QB5 in 2023. Making three of the five seasons accounted for in this tier finished in the top 5.

These QBs sling the ball almost as often as the pocket statues (35+ to 37+ pass attempts on average per game) but add a little in rushing upside. All of the QBs here have good upside, but like the tier before them, they need close to career years in passing TDs to get into the top 5.

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Tier: Mobile Threats (15-19.99 Rushing Yards Per Game)

QB Qualifiers: Joe Burrow, Baker Mayfield, Brock Purdy, Justin Herbert, Trevor Lawrence, Daniel Jones, Bryce Young, J.J. McCarthy, Cam Ward

Now we’re starting to get into the heavy hitters and guys who have some upside. The mobile threats QBs have averaged 17.18 rushing yards per game over the past 5 seasons. They also average over 4 rushing touchdowns per season.

Several of these guys found themselves near the top of the list for Clutch Rate last season. Mayfield finished 2nd at 82% and Joe Burrow was 5th at 71%. Between the extra rushing yardage and touchdowns, this tier is capable of tacking on multiple fantasy points each week for your team.

QBs this tier who also qualified in a higher tier: Patrick Mahomes, Baker Mayfield, Brock Purdy, Daniel Jones

Justin Herbert finished as QB2 in 2021 and Burrow as QB4 in 2022. Mayfield, Purdy, and Daniel Jones have all had QB1 seasons where they appeared in the highest tier listed here by averaging over 20 yards rushing per game as well. The best finish among that group is Mayfield, who was QB3 last season.

The mobile threats make up 7 of the 60 qualifying QB1s over the past 5 seasons. They’ve challenged the next tier each year but have failed to take home the top spot. This tier’s upside is undeniable, and it almost seems impossible that Burrow has never had a QB1 finish.

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Tier: Konami Codes (20+ Rushing Yards Per Game)

QB Qualifiers: Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts, Jayden Daniels, Bo Nix, Patrick Mahomes, Caleb Williams, Kyler Murray, Drake Maye, Justin Fields, Anthony Richardson Sr.

The Konami Cheat Codes. This tier gives you a fantastic shot at a QB1 and even the top spot. Over the past 5 seasons, this tier of QB has averaged over 33 yards per game rushing.

Every QB1 overall has been from this tier over the past 5 years. Of the 12 QB1-QB3s over the past 5 years, 10 of them come from this tier (only Herbert and Brady in 2021 are outliers). Josh Allen (5), Lamar Jackson (2), Jalen Hurts (2), and Patrick Mahomes (2) all have multiple top 3 finishes during the time period.

QBs in this tier dominate QB1 rankings, making up 55% of all QBs in the last 5 years

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Surprised to see Patrick Mahomes in this tier? He has had 4 seasons with 20+ rushing yards per game over the last 5. Getting 20+ rushing yards per game tacks on several fantasy points, and this tier also averages 0.39 rushing touchdowns per game. Those additional points allow this tier to make up 33 of the qualifying 60 QB1 spots over the past 5 seasons!

Some players in this tier have boom potential but also have significant red flags. Two of those, Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones, were competing for the starting QB job in Indianapolis. For those guys, it’s best to pair them up with other later-round Konami Code QBs. When selecting my fantasy football QB, I am targeting the three second-year guys as my favorites: Bo Nix, Caleb Williams, and Drake Maye.

Getting an elite rushing QB gives you a higher floor and ceiling with less volatility than the pure passing QBs. Be BOLD in your drafts and pick out of the Konami Code tier! Be sure to follow me on X, @JKeasy, for more fantasy football goodness! Check out our consistency tools here on the site and click the banner above to buy the Consistency Guide by Bob Lung!

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