It's never too early to look ahead, and we're already starting to plan for the 2025 Fantasy season. That's right, it's not even the Super Bowl yet, but we're already getting ready for the next Fantasy campaign.
With that in mind, here is the first look at our early 2025 quarterback rankings. We're well aware that a lot could change with free agency and the NFL Draft.
But based on what just happened with the 2024 season, as well as what we think could happen this offseason, here are the top 12 quarterback rankings for 2025 from members of our CBS Sports staff.
Jamey Eisenberg
2. Josh Allen
3. Joe Burrow
5. Jalen Hurts
7. Jared Goff
9. Kyler Murray
10. Brock Purdy
11. Sam Darnold
12. Caleb Williams
Toughest player to rank: Darnold is the toughest quarterback to rank because we don't know if he's staying with the Vikings, as well as the status of J.J. McCarthy. Darnold, if he leaves Minnesota, will likely not be a top-12 Fantasy quarterback. The Vikings scenario was close to perfect for him with Kevin O'Connell and elite receivers in Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. He could still be a capable Fantasy quarterback elsewhere, but I won't consider Darnold a starter if he's on another team.
Player who just missed the cut: Bo Nix and Justin Herbert are both No. 1 quarterbacks, but we can't fit 14 guys into the top 12. Nix had a standout rookie campaign, and I hope the Broncos add another receiver to complement Courtland Sutton and Marvin Mims. And Herbert showed plenty of progress as the season went as a Fantasy quarterback, and the Chargers could also add another receiving option to help Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston. I'll gladly wait for a quarterback on Draft Day if I can get Nix or Herbert with a late-round pick.
Dave Richard
1. Lamar Jackson
2. Josh Allen
3. Jayden Daniels
4. Joe Burrow
5. Jalen Hurts
6. Baker Mayfield
7. Patrick Mahomes
8. Jared Goff
9. Caleb Williams
10. Justin Herbert
11. Tua Tagovailoa
12. Sam Darnold
Toughest player to rank: Mahomes played well enough last year to win the Super Bowl and this year to put the Chiefs in the No. 1 seed. Is he going to average south of 21 Fantasy points per game for the third straight year, or will his bountiful receiving corps push his numbers back up into the top tier? I could see myself gambling on Mahomes and then backing him with another quarterback late in case he continues to skid.
Player who just missed the cut: Anthony Richardson. Sorry, I can't give him the benefit of the doubt anymore. He's got the skill set we love as Fantasy managers, but his accuracy remains a legit problem after two years of being part of the Colts. There's a chance he stinks in 2025, and if he does, then will he get permanently benched?
Heath Cummings
1. Josh Allen
2. Lamar Jackson
3. Jalen Hurts
4. Jayden Daniels
5. Joe Burrow
6. Patrick Mahomes
7. Jared Goff
8. Baker Mayfield
9. Brock Purdy
10. Jordan Love
11. Bo Nix
12. Justin Herbert
Toughest player to rank: Burrow is the most difficult player to rank at quarterback. Through 17 weeks he's QB2 with an average of 27.7 Fantasy points per game. But he's actually averaging more than 30 Fantasy points per game since Tee Higgins came back from injury in Week 11. Burrow could legitimately be QB1 if he, Ja'Marr Chase and Higgins are all together for 17 games next year. Of course, as of now, we don't even have any guarantee that Higgins is going to be a Bengal in 2025. Burrow will move up my rankings if Higgins re-signs.
Player who just missed the cut: Sam Darnold just missed the cut because we don't know what team he's going to be on next season. If he stays with the Vikings, he'll be ranked as a top-10 quarterback for me. But there is a big difference between this environment and just about any other team he could land on in the offseason. If Darnold gets a big payday from a bad franchise he may not even rank in my top 15.
Adam Aizer
1. Josh Allen
2. Lamar Jackson
3. Joe Burrow
4. Jalen Hurts
5. Jayden Daniels
6. Patrick Mahomes
7. Baker Mayfield
8. Jared Goff
9. Sam Darnold
10. Kyler Murray
11. Brock Purdy
12. Bo Nix
Toughest player to rank: Mahomes enters Week 18 averaging just under 21 points per game in six points for passing touchdown leagues, which makes him QB9 per game. That's basically exactly what he did in 2023, making him a low-end QB1 in consecutive seasons. Is that who he is now? The days of 300-plus passing yards per game and 38-plus passing touchdowns could be gone. But, he's Patrick Mahomes! Surely, he still has that upside, right? If he doesn't rediscover that form then ranking him as QB6 is a reach.
Player who just missed the cut: Caleb Williams entered Week 18 averaging the same amount of Fantasy points per game as Aaron Rodgers in six points for passing touchdown leagues, which is gross. Williams' rookie season was disappointing, but I'm hopeful that a new coaching staff can change his fortunes. There is a lot to like for Williams: incredible arm talent, only six interceptions, 489 rushing yards, talented receiving corps. It's really just the touchdowns that are missing. He could be a steal in 2025.
Dan Schneier
1. Lamar Jackson
2. Josh Allen
3. Jalen Hurts
4. Jayden Daniels
5. Joe Burrow
6. Patrick Mahomes
7. Jared Goff
8. Brock Purdy
9. Kyler Murray
10. Sam Darnold
11. Jordan Love
12. Drake Maye
Toughest player to rank: I thought about putting Darnold and Maye in this post as they are difficult to rank given the uncertainty of their surroundings, but Love is the answer here for me. We keep waiting for the flashes of brilliance to translate to the Fantasy success he found for stretches in 2023, but this might just be a more run-heavy team than expected with Josh Jacobs and an improved defense. That's what happened down the stretch in 2024. The Packers provide a strong environment for quarterbacks, but without the rushing upside, Love feels like he could be next year's version of 2024 C.J. Stroud.
Player who just missed the cut: Justin Herbert just missed the cut for me. If the Chargers can add Tee Higgins or a big-time playmaker to the mix, he will jump into my top 12. The talent is obvious, and the fit with Jim Harbaugh was like a glove. But in 2024, he didn't have enough weapons around him to produce massive passing numbers. The hope is that in 2025 he can find more Fantasy success with an improved cast.
Jacob Gibbs
1. Lamar Jackson
2. Josh Allen
3. Jaden Daniels
4. Jalen Hurts
5. Joe Burrow
6. Jared Goff
7. Bo Nix
8. Justin Herbert
9. Drake Maye
10. Patrick Mahomes
11. Anthony Richardson
12. Brock Purdy
Toughest player to rank: Maye's Fantasy points per drop-back rate (0.50) was nearly identical to Mahomes (0.51) with one of the most barren receiving corps I can remember. I don't trust New England as an organization to bring in offensive talent to surround Maye with, but things certainly could be better in 2025. His rookie season was impressive enough to warrant pursuing him aggressively in Fantasy drafts. The rushing upside is immense.
Player who just missed the cut: Baker Mayfield certainly feels like he belongs in the top 12 after the season that he just turned in when he finished as QB5 and averaged more Fantasy points per drop-back than Joe Burrow. So why is he not in the top 12? Well, Mayfield never threw 30-plus touchdowns in a season prior to 2024, and he blew that out of the water, which feels just a tad fluky. In my mind, Mayfield is in the same tier as Nix and the quarterbacks that I ranked directly below him. Any one of them could rise or fall based on offseason changes. If the Bucs and Liam Coen run it back for another year, Mayfield will be in my top 12 for 2025.
