The 2019 fantasy football season is already wrapping up, so here’s a look ahead at the 2020 season. A lot could (and will) change between now and the time you lock in your 2020 fantasy roster, but here’s a preliminary look at who the 10 best quarterbacks in fantasy football could be next season.
1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Mahomes missed some time due to injury this past offseason but has still managed to succeed in fantasy football with a respectable average of 20.5 fantasy points per game, good for fifth out of all quarterbacks. Other than Tyreek Hill, Mahomes’s receivers aren’t extremely flashy, but the 2018 MVP knows how to get the ball to the right receivers at the right time to put his team in a good situation. His 2020 campaign should be more of the same as he progresses towards being the face of the NFL on the heels of a Super Bowl victory.
2. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks
While his average of 20.5 fantasy points per game ranked fifth out of all eligible quarterbacks, Wilson still deserves consideration for a top-three spot and it does seem fair to rank him at No. 2, especially considering his total points ranked third. When looking at his forecast, his young core of receivers will be returning and likely growing, giving him an even easier job and allowing him to have more options, thus more time to throw and more reliable wideouts, which means more fantasy points.
3. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson took the league by storm in 2019 as he changed the sport’s future by showing a running quarterback can have success. That success translated directly to fantasy football, as his 1,206 yards not only topped all quarterbacks but many of the league’s best running backs, too. Rushing yards and touchdowns translate nicely to fantasy, so Jackson finished in the No. 1 spot with a whopping 27.7 points per game average. The rest of the league will begin to figure out Jackson in 2020 so while he won’t come down to earth immediately, he may begin a slow descent.
4. Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans
Deshaun Watson is basically a slightly weaker version of Russell Wilson. He has the ability to heave a football deep downfield and while his running ability isn’t Lamar Jackson level, he can still use his legs to scramble and create separation for both him and his targets. Watson’s 21.3 points per game were the second-highest (6.4 points behind Jackson) and he is due for another big year in 2020 as his O-line and offensive weapons are fortified.
5. Jameis Winston, TBA
Oh, Jameis. The Bucs’ quarterback stunned the league with 30 touchdowns in 2019 … and pleased opposing defenses with a miserable 30 interceptions. He finished the year with the fifth-most fantasy points and the eighth-best average, so just imagine what his fantasy stats could have looked like if he didn’t throw as many interceptions. Less picks means fewer points lost as well as fewer drives cut short, leading to more long drives with the opportunity for more yards and more touchdowns. Winston should see success with whichever team he signs with this offseason.
6. Dak Prescott, TBA
Another free agent, Prescott’s 2020 status is a bit more up in the air, which is why he is positioned at No. 6 despite a 2019 season that saw him put the second-highest points total (337.8) and the third-highest average (21.1). He should attract many teams if he makes it out of Dallas without a new deal or franchise tag, but even if he returns, he could be without the aid of a talented receiver as Amari Cooper hits free agency. Likewise, if Prescott walks, he could be snatched up by a team with weak receivers which means fewer fantasy points in 2020. A lot more needs to be known before we make a firm decision on Prescott in 2020.
7. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Allen spent 2019 in the underrated department, snagging over 3,500 yards of total offense and 29 touchdowns, good for 288.8 points and an average of 18 per game. Allen has been lacking a solid receiving core for a while but we got a glimpse of what should bring optimism as Cole Beasley and John Brown formed a surprisingly-scary duo out wide. However, the tight end unit is still weak as Dawson Knox showed flashes of potential but isn’t “there” yet. One big offseason full of spending could put Josh Allen into the top five.
8. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
Another underrated quarterback, Murray spent 2019 throwing to a bunch of different receivers, none of them being stars. Larry Fitzgerald is always reliable for catches here and there and Christian Kirk is a valuable threat who cannot stay healthy, and so the running back unit was the busiest unit in Arizona last season. Nonetheless, Murray was named Offensive Rookie of the Year and finished with 285.3 total points (eighth-best) and an average of 17.8 points (10th). Arizona is trending up and their mobile quarterback should see continued success in 2020.
9. Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco 49ers
Garoppolo is fresh off a Super Bowl appearance that came two weeks after an NFC Championship clash in which he relied on his running backs for nearly the whole game. The jury is still out on Garoppolo as 2019 saw him in a similar close to Lamar Jackson, except this time, it was the running backs helping out their quarterback so he could move around without the threat of the blitz and find his targets who had already gained separation. The first six weeks of the 2020 season should tell us all we need to know about Garoppolo.
10. Ryan Tannehill, TBA
Ryan Tannehill wasn’t on my initial draft of this list and putting him at No. 10 still prompts a bit of uncertainty, but he deserves to be here … probably. Tannehill burst onto the scene after the benching of Marcus Mariota and turned the team around, which led to them snatching the sixth Wild Card spot which they used to upset the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens before falling to the Chiefs in an AFC Championship nail-biter. It is hard to determine what clicked for Tannehill between Miami and Tennessee, but his 18.7 fantasy points per game are nothing to scoff at and he should be able to succeed in 2020.
