If you’re drafting quarterbacks not for 2017 but long term – looking at the next 3-10 years – I think the No. 1 spot is pretty easy. Carson Wentz is really good, and he’s also only 24. He’s going to be great for a lot of years. But after Wentz, the decision-making gets a lot harder.
Do you go with Aaron Rodgers in the No. 2 spot? He’s about as good as they come, but he’s also moving into his mid-30s. How many big years does he have left?
Filling out the rest of my top 5, I went with Russell Wilson, Andrew Luck and Deshaun Watson, but those are all running quarterbacks who take a few more hits than the pocket passer types. Luck likely will be playing for a new coach and in a new offense.
In the bottom half of the top 10, I have lingering doubts with all of the guys – Matthew Stafford, Kirk Cousins, Jared Goff, Jameis Winston and Derek Carr. Winston and Carr, most notably, have to show they can do it. Winston has thrown too many interceptions, and Carr hasn’t shown he can make enough downfield throws.
Carr and Goff come with the handicap of being immobile. They won’t give you anything as runners, which will always work against their fantasy value. With Goff, however, you have to love that he’s joined at the hip with Sean McVay, who looks like he’s going to be one of the league’s top offensive minds for a lot of years.
Similarly, Jimmy Garoppolo has hardly even played, but it looks like he’ll be working with Kyle Shanahan for a lot of years, and that should another productive combo in that division.
I’m putting Cousins 7th, but he’ll be a free agent in the spring. Most likely he’ll continue to be working with Jay Gruden, whose offenses tend to rank in the top 10 in passing every year. But if Washington decides to let Cousins sign elsewhere (or pulls the plug on Gruden) Cousins’ production could go sideways. If Washington switches to Andy Dalton, I will have ranked the Red Rifle way too low.
Tom Brady is perhaps the hardest to grade. Good chance he’ll again be a top-5 quarterback in 2018, but he’s going to be 41 on opening day next year. Arguably still worth a top-10 pick, but those who draft him will need to transition before long to someone else.
I try and hit a dynasty position every weekend. To see other positions (done on previous weeks) click on the “past issues” link on the right side of the screen.
| DYNASTY QUARTERBACK RANKINGS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Rk | Tm | Player | Age |
| 1. | PHI | Carson Wentz | 24 |
| 2. | GB | Aaron Rodgers | 34 |
| 3. | SEA | Russell Wilson | 29 |
| 4. | IND | Andrew Luck | 28 |
| 5. | HOU | Deshaun Watson | 22 |
| 6. | DET | Matthew Stafford | 29 |
| 7. | WAS | Kirk Cousins | 29 |
| 8. | LAR | Jared Goff | 23 |
| 9. | TB | Jameis Winston | 23 |
| 10. | OAK | Derek Carr | 26 |
| 11. | DAL | Dak Prescott | 24 |
| 12. | ATL | Matt Ryan | 32 |
| 13. | SF | Jimmy Garoppolo | 26 |
| 14. | TEN | Marcus Mariota | 24 |
| 15. | CAR | Cam Newton | 28 |
| 16. | NE | Tom Brady | 40 |
| 17. | NO | Drew Brees | 38 |
| 18. | KC | Patrick Mahomes | 22 |
| 19. | CIN | Andy Dalton | 30 |
| 20. | LAC | Philip Rivers | 36 |
| 21. | PIT | Ben Roethlisberger | 35 |
| 22. | CHI | Mitchell Trubisky | 23 |
| 23. | BUF | Tyrod Taylor | 28 |
| 24. | MIN | Teddy Bridgewater | 25 |
| 25. | KC | Alex Smith | 33 |
| 26. | MIN | Case Keenum | 29 |
| 27. | NYJ | Josh McCown | 38 |
| 28. | NYG | Eli Manning | 36 |
| 29. | JAC | Blake Bortles | 25 |
| 30. | MIA | Ryan Tannehill | 29 |
| 31. | CLE | DeShone Kizer | 21 |
| 32. | CIN | AJ McCarron | 27 |
| 33. | MIN | Sam Bradford | 30 |
| 34. | BAL | Joe Flacco | 32 |
| 35. | BUF | Nathan Peterman | 23 |
| 36. | ARI | Blaine Gabbert | 28 |
| 37. | IND | Jacoby Brissett | 24 |
| 38. | DEN | Trevor Siemian | 25 |
| 39. | ARI | Carson Palmer | 37 |
| 40. | MIA | Jay Cutler | 34 |
| 41. | HOU | Tom Savage | 27 |
| 42. | SF | C.J. Beathard | 24 |
| 43. | DAL | Cooper Rush | 24 |
| 44. | GB | Brett Hundley | 24 |
| 45. | PIT | Landry Jones | 28 |
| 46. | UFA | Colin Kaepernick | 30 |
| 47. | TB | Ryan Fitzpatrick | 35 |
| 48. | NYJ | Christian Hackenberg | 23 |
| 49. | NYG | Geno Smith | 27 |
| 50. | DEN | Paxton Lynch | 23 |
—Ian Allan