A subset of the fantasy community plays in the dynasty format, looking not just at this season, but 2022, 2023 and beyond. With those folks in mind, we turn our attention to long-range rankings each Saturday, rotating between the four major positions. We’re starting this season with the quarterbacks.

There are six notable movers from Week 1 – players who are at least 4 spots higher or lower in the rankings. And I’ll touch briefly on those.

Jalen Hurts climbs from 22nd up to 14th. There has been discussion and optimism about Trey Lance and Justin Fields, the hope being that those rookies can develop into pass-run threats. You get those kind players going, and they can put up top-10 fantasy numbers. But while I like those guys just fine, Hurts is one of those guys right now – today. So if I’m picking between those guys right now, I’ll take the one who’s already producing.

Hurts had slipped down into 20s on my board out of fear he wouldn’t be a good enough quarterback. The Eagles had been linked with Deshaun Watson, and were he to be traded to the Eagles, Hurts would be on the bench in a hurry. But I don’t think that’s happening. Hurts looks fine, and could be a really nice fantasy option for the 2021 and 2022 seasons.

Lance will be good, but it’s looking like we’ll have to wait for him. I imagine he’ll get into the starting lineup at some point this year (maybe in a month or so). But it probably won’t be until next year that he starts paying fantasy dividends. So I’ve got Lance falling from 10th to 15th on my board.

The other most notable movers are in Washington, with Ryan Fitzpatrick (hip) out for at least half the year. He’s 38, and we may have seen the last of him as a fantasy relevant player. Taylor Heinicke, meanwhile, takes that job, and he gets the opportunity now to show what he can do; he held up well on Thursday.

In the chart below, some players have black dots in front of their names. Those are the rookies. The players who moved at least five spots are in bold. Final column shows where they ranked in our final dynasty rankings in the preseason.

For these rankings, I’m assuming it’s a 12-team league, which each team starting one quarterback and carrying perhaps three. So once you’ve got the starting spot filled, you’re thinking about guys who might be really good in 2022 or 2023. I’ve got Deshaun Watson at 11th, figuring he probably won’t be a factor this year but could be a top-5 quarterback in a bunch of the next five years (so he’s more valuable, I think, than guys like Joe Burrow and Baker Mayfield, even if they’ll be more productive this season).

DYNASTY RANKINGS (QUARTERBACKS)
RkTmPlayerAgePrev
1.KCPatrick Mahomes261
2.BUFJosh Allen252
3.LACJustin Herbert233
4.DALDak Prescott284
5.SEARussell Wilson325
6.ARIKyler Murray 246
7.BALLamar Jackson247
8.JAC• Trevor Lawrence219
9.GBAaron Rodgers378
10.LARMatthew Stafford3312
11.HOUDeshaun Watson2611
12.TBTom Brady4413
13.CINJoe Burrow2414
14.PHIJalen Hurts2322
15.SF• Trey Lance2110
16.CLEBaker Mayfield2615
17.CHI• Justin Fields2216
18.LVDerek Carr3018
19.NE• Mac Jones2319
20.TENRyan Tannehill3317
21.NYJ• Zach Wilson2220
22.MINKirk Cousins3321
23.NOJameis Winston2726
24.GBJordan Love2224
25.MIATua Tagovailoa2323
26.NYGDaniel Jones 2429
27.INDCarson Wentz2828
28.ATLMatt Ryan3625
29.DENTeddy Bridgewater2833
30.CARSam Darnold2427
31.DETJared Goff2632
32.PITBen Roethlisberger3930
33.SFJimmy Garoppolo2938
34.WASTaylor Heinicke2845
35.PHIGardner Minshew 2634
36.HOUTyrod Taylor3239
37.INDJacob Eason2335
38.DENDrew Lock 2436
39.WASRyan Fitzpatrick3831
40.NOTaysom Hill3137
41.HOU• Davis Mills2241
42.BUFMitchell Trubisky2740
43.LVMarcus Mariota2742
44.MIN• Kellen Mond2243
45.ARIColt McCoy3550
46.CLECase Keenum3349
47.CHIAndy Dalton3344
48.UFACam Newton3246
49.BALTyler Huntley2347
50.LACEaston Stick 2648

Next week: Running backs.

—Ian Allan