The quarterbacks are up first as we begin our initial tour of the 2015 fantasy football position rankings. Let's take a look at how this peanut stands sees it.
1. Andrew Luck: Tough call between Luck and Aaron Rodgers but the former Stanford star wins by a nose due to his durability.
2. Aaron Rodgers: Standard excellence here from Rodgers who pilots an insane offense with Eddie Lacy, Jordy Nelson, Reggie Cobb, and Davante Adams all ready to help light up the NFL.
3. Peyton Manning: The next tier down starts with Peyton Manning who went bust last December due to a calf injury. The fastball is not there anymore from Manning but he is still as efficient and smart as they come. We think Manning can put forth one more 35-40 TD season but there is no denying the risk is as high as ever.
4. Drew Brees: The trends are all going in the wrong direction for Brees whose TD's have gone from 43 to 39 to 33 the last three seasons and now he goes into 2015 without top targets Jimmy Graham and Kenny Stills. Sean Peyton will continue to throw it all day though and Brees' extreme durability counts for something extra at the draft table.
5. Ben Roethlisberger: From Brees all the way through Tony Romo, you can rank these guys in any order given how close they are in ability. The Steelers have now become a firm pass-first offense and the offensive line is getting better which lessens the injury risk. With Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant, Roethlisberger has a tremendous set of wideouts at his disposal.
6. Russell Wilson: I am still not on board here like the rest of the fantasy football community as Wilson only three 452 passes in 2014 which puts a lot of pressure on his raw TD totals. Where Wilson makes hay is on the ground where he ran for 849 yards and 6 scores in a RB 2 performance at QB.
7. Matt Ryan: The pass-happy offense of Dirk Kotter is now in Tampa Bay but Ryan will still be permitted to throw it all game with Roddy White and Julio Jones out wide. Over the last three seasons Ryan has thrown for 32, 26, and 28 touchdowns while going for 4,500 yards or more in each. All of this was accomplished despite some of the worst offensive line play in the league. The best part is that Ryan's draft price is still not reflected in his numbers. Will likely end up on my roster again.
8. Eli Manning: Manning is a guy who is radioactive to many due to the high amount of interceptions he has thrown in his career but there is no denying the amazing arsenal of weapons he has for 2015 with Odell Beckham Jr. and Victor Cruz being joined by PPR gem Shane Vereen. The value could be tremendous here.
9. Tony Romo: Despite DeMarco Murray and the run game putting up all types of numbers last season for the Dallas Cowboys, Tony Romo had his most efficient QB season ever in tossing 34 scores against only 9 picks. He will have to throw it a whole bunch more in 2015 now that Murray is in Philadelphia and like with Matt Ryan, Romo is annually one of the best bang-for-your-draft-bucks passers.
10. Ryan Tannehill: I had Tannehill as a prime sleeper heading into 2014 and the result was a career-high total of 27 touchdowns and 4,045 yards. Tannehill now gets pass-catching tight end Jordan Cameron and Kenny Stills joining the developing Jarvis Landry to form a potent passing attack that could net 30 scores.
11. Tom Brady: The four game Deflategate suspension is still in play as of this writing and even if it gets chopped to two games, the fact you are already down two starts from Brady is a sizable negative. Despite being 38, Brady was still at the top of his game in 2014 in tossing 33 touchdowns and 4,109 yards. The value will be there since many will turn away due to the suspension but you ideally want to draft a guy who will be ready to go Week 1 in order to get your team off to a good start.
12. Philip Rivers: Not sure why some continue to knock Philip Rivers since he has tossed 32 and 31 touchdowns over the last two seasons in a rejuvenated San Diego offense. The fact you can get Rivers for the price of a QB 2 makes him the perfect guy to target if you stock up early on backs and receivers.
13. Matthew Stafford: Two of the last three years Matthew Stafford has earned the wrath of his owners in throwing less than 25 touchdowns, while also tossing his share of picks. Stafford tends to throw into coverage way too often and panics easily when the rush gets to him. Also has shown a tendency to melt down in December which is when you need your QB at his best. Not for me.
14. Cam Newton: Like with Russell Wilson, Cam Newton is a guy I can't ever get behind. In fact it is even more stark for Newton who has a dearth of pass receiving weapons in Carolina and comes off a 2014 disaster when he threw only 18 touchdowns and 3,127 yards. Even with a nice contribution on the ground, you can't live with those numbers from your starter.
15. Jay Cutler: There is not a QB in all of fantasy football who elicits more disgust than the veteran Cutler whose penchant for turnovers is well-documented. He actually got benched in favor of Casey Clausen of all people toward the end of last season despite statistically one of his best seasons with 28 touchdowns. Still Marc Trestman took his pass-happy offense to Baltimore and in his place is the run-loving John Fox.
16. Sam Bradford: Coming off yet another serious injury, Sam Bradford would be a non-story if not for the fact he gets to operate the Chip Kelly-led Philadelphia Eagles offense. This is the same offense that turned mediocre talents like Nick Foles and Mark Sanchez into QB 1's in fantasy football and the same is likely in play for Bradford in 2015 if he can stay in one piece. Could be the biggest value among all QB's under that scenario.
17. Teddy Bridgewater: It was a very nice rookie debut for Teddy Bridgewater in 2014 as he threw 14 touchdowns and 12 interceptions for an improving Minnesota Vikings offense. We say improved because the team gets back one Mr. Adrian Peterson to take pressure off of Bridgewater, plus the addition of field-stretching Mike Wallace.
18. Robert Griffin III: Now a pariah in many fantasy football circles, the physically-challenged RG3 is looking to salvage his fledgling career in 2015. His head coach doesn't trust him which is already a major issue and GRiffin's athleticism has not been on par since his knee injury as a rookie.
19. Joe Flacco: 27 touchdowns is never anything to sneeze at but the veteran Flacco has been a longtime example of a better real-life QB than a fantasy football one.
20. Andy Dalton: With run-loving Hue Jackson in town as the OC, Dalton's numbers cratered last season and won't likely go back up in 2015. Throws way too many interceptions as well to be trusted as anything but a backup guy.
21. Nick Foles: It was a very quick descent for Nick Foles as he went from the 2013 QB darling to a 2014 complete bust. Chip Kelly threw in the towel on Foles in dealing him to St. Louis and the new locale is a bad fantasy football matchup due to the run-loving ways of Jeff Fisher.
22. Derek Carr: Like with Teddy Bridgewater, Derek Carr was very good as a rookie in 2014 with 21 TD's and 12 INT's. He gets a new and maybe spectacular toy in rookie WR Amari Cooper but Carr needs to improve on his ugly 5.46 YPA.
23. Carson Palmer: A second torn ACL has Palmer a major question mark for 2014 but on the surface the veteran has a terrific trio of wideouts in Larry Fizgerald, John Brown, and Michael Floyd to help him build off his very good start to last season before he got hurt.
24. Colin Kaepernick: It was another step back for Kaepernick in 2014 as he showed no ability to throw the football consistently and go through is progressions. The 49ers will continue to run all day long and when combined with the passing shortcomings, Kaepernick is nothing but a speculative backup.
25. Alex Smith: With no passing scores to a wideout last season, there really is no other stat that tells you not to own Alex Smith in almost any format.
26. Blake Bortles: The strong-armed Bortles was one big turnover last season for the Jacksonville Jaguars as a rookie but he gets Julius Thomas and the return of Allen Robinson to help him take another step in his development in 2015.
27. Marcus Mariota: Never rely on any rookie QB in fantasy football and that includes the speedy Mariota. If you are so inclined to do so, Mariota is more of an asset than Jameis Winston due to his running ability.
28. Jameis Winston: There will be growing pains for sure but Jameis Winston has two top receivers in Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson to help speed up his rookie learning curve.
29. Geno Smith: Right there as one of the worst passer in the NFL. Stay far away.
30. Ryan Mallett: Has a ton to prove before we even look at the guy as a backup option this season.
1. Andrew Luck: Tough call between Luck and Aaron Rodgers but the former Stanford star wins by a nose due to his durability.
2. Aaron Rodgers: Standard excellence here from Rodgers who pilots an insane offense with Eddie Lacy, Jordy Nelson, Reggie Cobb, and Davante Adams all ready to help light up the NFL.
3. Peyton Manning: The next tier down starts with Peyton Manning who went bust last December due to a calf injury. The fastball is not there anymore from Manning but he is still as efficient and smart as they come. We think Manning can put forth one more 35-40 TD season but there is no denying the risk is as high as ever.
4. Drew Brees: The trends are all going in the wrong direction for Brees whose TD's have gone from 43 to 39 to 33 the last three seasons and now he goes into 2015 without top targets Jimmy Graham and Kenny Stills. Sean Peyton will continue to throw it all day though and Brees' extreme durability counts for something extra at the draft table.
5. Ben Roethlisberger: From Brees all the way through Tony Romo, you can rank these guys in any order given how close they are in ability. The Steelers have now become a firm pass-first offense and the offensive line is getting better which lessens the injury risk. With Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant, Roethlisberger has a tremendous set of wideouts at his disposal.
6. Russell Wilson: I am still not on board here like the rest of the fantasy football community as Wilson only three 452 passes in 2014 which puts a lot of pressure on his raw TD totals. Where Wilson makes hay is on the ground where he ran for 849 yards and 6 scores in a RB 2 performance at QB.
7. Matt Ryan: The pass-happy offense of Dirk Kotter is now in Tampa Bay but Ryan will still be permitted to throw it all game with Roddy White and Julio Jones out wide. Over the last three seasons Ryan has thrown for 32, 26, and 28 touchdowns while going for 4,500 yards or more in each. All of this was accomplished despite some of the worst offensive line play in the league. The best part is that Ryan's draft price is still not reflected in his numbers. Will likely end up on my roster again.
8. Eli Manning: Manning is a guy who is radioactive to many due to the high amount of interceptions he has thrown in his career but there is no denying the amazing arsenal of weapons he has for 2015 with Odell Beckham Jr. and Victor Cruz being joined by PPR gem Shane Vereen. The value could be tremendous here.
9. Tony Romo: Despite DeMarco Murray and the run game putting up all types of numbers last season for the Dallas Cowboys, Tony Romo had his most efficient QB season ever in tossing 34 scores against only 9 picks. He will have to throw it a whole bunch more in 2015 now that Murray is in Philadelphia and like with Matt Ryan, Romo is annually one of the best bang-for-your-draft-bucks passers.
10. Ryan Tannehill: I had Tannehill as a prime sleeper heading into 2014 and the result was a career-high total of 27 touchdowns and 4,045 yards. Tannehill now gets pass-catching tight end Jordan Cameron and Kenny Stills joining the developing Jarvis Landry to form a potent passing attack that could net 30 scores.
11. Tom Brady: The four game Deflategate suspension is still in play as of this writing and even if it gets chopped to two games, the fact you are already down two starts from Brady is a sizable negative. Despite being 38, Brady was still at the top of his game in 2014 in tossing 33 touchdowns and 4,109 yards. The value will be there since many will turn away due to the suspension but you ideally want to draft a guy who will be ready to go Week 1 in order to get your team off to a good start.
12. Philip Rivers: Not sure why some continue to knock Philip Rivers since he has tossed 32 and 31 touchdowns over the last two seasons in a rejuvenated San Diego offense. The fact you can get Rivers for the price of a QB 2 makes him the perfect guy to target if you stock up early on backs and receivers.
13. Matthew Stafford: Two of the last three years Matthew Stafford has earned the wrath of his owners in throwing less than 25 touchdowns, while also tossing his share of picks. Stafford tends to throw into coverage way too often and panics easily when the rush gets to him. Also has shown a tendency to melt down in December which is when you need your QB at his best. Not for me.
14. Cam Newton: Like with Russell Wilson, Cam Newton is a guy I can't ever get behind. In fact it is even more stark for Newton who has a dearth of pass receiving weapons in Carolina and comes off a 2014 disaster when he threw only 18 touchdowns and 3,127 yards. Even with a nice contribution on the ground, you can't live with those numbers from your starter.
15. Jay Cutler: There is not a QB in all of fantasy football who elicits more disgust than the veteran Cutler whose penchant for turnovers is well-documented. He actually got benched in favor of Casey Clausen of all people toward the end of last season despite statistically one of his best seasons with 28 touchdowns. Still Marc Trestman took his pass-happy offense to Baltimore and in his place is the run-loving John Fox.
16. Sam Bradford: Coming off yet another serious injury, Sam Bradford would be a non-story if not for the fact he gets to operate the Chip Kelly-led Philadelphia Eagles offense. This is the same offense that turned mediocre talents like Nick Foles and Mark Sanchez into QB 1's in fantasy football and the same is likely in play for Bradford in 2015 if he can stay in one piece. Could be the biggest value among all QB's under that scenario.
17. Teddy Bridgewater: It was a very nice rookie debut for Teddy Bridgewater in 2014 as he threw 14 touchdowns and 12 interceptions for an improving Minnesota Vikings offense. We say improved because the team gets back one Mr. Adrian Peterson to take pressure off of Bridgewater, plus the addition of field-stretching Mike Wallace.
18. Robert Griffin III: Now a pariah in many fantasy football circles, the physically-challenged RG3 is looking to salvage his fledgling career in 2015. His head coach doesn't trust him which is already a major issue and GRiffin's athleticism has not been on par since his knee injury as a rookie.
19. Joe Flacco: 27 touchdowns is never anything to sneeze at but the veteran Flacco has been a longtime example of a better real-life QB than a fantasy football one.
20. Andy Dalton: With run-loving Hue Jackson in town as the OC, Dalton's numbers cratered last season and won't likely go back up in 2015. Throws way too many interceptions as well to be trusted as anything but a backup guy.
21. Nick Foles: It was a very quick descent for Nick Foles as he went from the 2013 QB darling to a 2014 complete bust. Chip Kelly threw in the towel on Foles in dealing him to St. Louis and the new locale is a bad fantasy football matchup due to the run-loving ways of Jeff Fisher.
22. Derek Carr: Like with Teddy Bridgewater, Derek Carr was very good as a rookie in 2014 with 21 TD's and 12 INT's. He gets a new and maybe spectacular toy in rookie WR Amari Cooper but Carr needs to improve on his ugly 5.46 YPA.
23. Carson Palmer: A second torn ACL has Palmer a major question mark for 2014 but on the surface the veteran has a terrific trio of wideouts in Larry Fizgerald, John Brown, and Michael Floyd to help him build off his very good start to last season before he got hurt.
24. Colin Kaepernick: It was another step back for Kaepernick in 2014 as he showed no ability to throw the football consistently and go through is progressions. The 49ers will continue to run all day long and when combined with the passing shortcomings, Kaepernick is nothing but a speculative backup.
25. Alex Smith: With no passing scores to a wideout last season, there really is no other stat that tells you not to own Alex Smith in almost any format.
26. Blake Bortles: The strong-armed Bortles was one big turnover last season for the Jacksonville Jaguars as a rookie but he gets Julius Thomas and the return of Allen Robinson to help him take another step in his development in 2015.
27. Marcus Mariota: Never rely on any rookie QB in fantasy football and that includes the speedy Mariota. If you are so inclined to do so, Mariota is more of an asset than Jameis Winston due to his running ability.
28. Jameis Winston: There will be growing pains for sure but Jameis Winston has two top receivers in Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson to help speed up his rookie learning curve.
29. Geno Smith: Right there as one of the worst passer in the NFL. Stay far away.
30. Ryan Mallett: Has a ton to prove before we even look at the guy as a backup option this season.