When it comes to fantasy football drafts, people have different philosophies about positional value. Some like to use a straight list of rankings and stick to those rankings, while others prefer a tiered-based approach.
One of the best positions for this is QB fantasy tiers, especially in 1QB leagues, where the draft board is somewhat slow to develop.
The concept of the tiers approach is that you look at all positions and work out where the drop-off in talent occurs. Then, you can look at your draft board and see which position is most likely to drop off a tier next. That allows you to prioritize based on both position value and player value throughout the draft.
Which Quarterbacks Fall Into Which Tiers for Fantasy Football in 2024?
Tier 1: Elite
- Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
- Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
- Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
- Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Tier 2: Potentially Elite
Tier 3: Solid 1QB League Starters
- Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
- Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
- Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
- Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
- Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
- Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Tier 4: Potential 1QB League Starters
- Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons
- Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
- Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
- Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
Tier 5: Superflex Starters
- Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
- Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets
- Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns
- Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
- Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks
Tier 6: Superflex Spot Starters
- Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
- Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings
- Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints
- Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Will Levis, Tennessee Titans
- Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
- Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
Tier 7: Desperation Starters
- Gardner Minshew II, Las Vegas Raiders
- Daniel Jones, New York Giants
- Drake Maye, New England Patriots
- Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers
Tier 8: Deep League Bench Stashes
- Aidan O’Connell, Las Vegas Raiders
- Jacoby Brissett, New England Patriots
- Justin Fields, Pittsburgh Steelers
- Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons
- Kenny Pickett, Philadelphia Eagles
What Are Tiers in Fantasy Football?
Fantasy football tiers are simply a different way of looking at fantasy rankings.
As opposed to a straight list, players are grouped based on their talent level relative to one another. Players who are expected to provide a similar value to one another will be in a tier together. Where that value drops off, there is a tier break, and then we start again.
For example, in 2024, we expect Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts, and Lamar Jackson to be elite fantasy options and a clear step above the next group of QBs available in drafts. Therefore, they go into the top tier, and then the next level makes up the second tier.
How To Use Tiers in Fantasy Football
If you are familiar with the horizontal board concept when discussing the NFL Draft, then tiers are a very similar proposition. Essentially, we look for the drop-off in talent at each position and use those groups to decide which players to prioritize at each stage of the draft.
For example, if only one QB remains in the starter tier, but there are still five WRs in the WR3 tier, you may decide to draft the QB and wait on WR. The reasoning is that it is more likely a player from the WR3 tier falls to your next pick in the following round than someone in the starting QB tier.
How To Create Your Own Fantasy Tiers
Probably the toughest part of creating tiers is getting the initial rankings together. However, once you have a rough ranking, tiers can save you from overthinking who should be your second or third-ranked QB.
If you feel that Hurts and Allen are essentially the same, then you put them together in a tier.
Naturally, if both are on the board when you are on the clock, you will have to choose between them. But setting tiers allows you to determine the limits of where you are comfortable with a certain group at that position.
To create the tiers, all you have to do is go down your rankings and draw a line between players where you feel there is a drop-off in expected output.
When you create your own tiers, you can do whatever you want with them. If you feel only one player is “Elite,” then put him in a tier by himself. If you think all of the top six QBs should be tiered together, that is completely up to you.