Fantasy Index

header banner img
OUR FANTASY BASEBALL MAGAZINE IS BACK! PRE-ORDER NOW
Win here.

Dynasty Leagues

Long-term QB rankings

Is Watson still an elite fantasy quarterback?

What do we make of Deshaun Watson now? He’s been pretty terrible in his five games – the Browns were getting better quarterbacking when Jacoby Brissett was starting.

Through some combination of Watson being rusty, probably distracted by his off-field battles involving sexual misconduct charges made by over two dozen massage therapists, and fit in a different style of offense, Watson hasn’t been an effective quarterback.

Since his return, Watson has passed for fewer than 170 yards in four of his five starts. He’s completed only 57 percent of his passes, with 5 TDs and 3 interceptions. In the last five weeks, 30 quarterbacks have attempted at least 80 passes, and only four have lower passer ratings – Mike White and Tyler Huntley (who have been backups more often than starters), Davis Mills and Derek Carr.

PASSER RATING SINCE WEEK 13
PlayerComAttPctYardsTDIntRate
Jared Goff, Det.12718967%1,532120113.0
Brock Purdy, S.F.9514167%1,130103106.4
Sam Darnold, Car.6610662%93661105.7
Patrick Mahomes, K.C.12518069%1,463114104.9
Joe Burrow, Cin.11015571%1,100114103.7
Taylor Heinicke, Was.578865%69051102.9
Jalen Hurts, Phil.7210767%91252101.5
Trevor Lawrence, Jac.11116766%1,2468299.5
Josh Allen, Buff.7812662%8469298.8
Daniel Jones, NYG11315672%1,0405198.2
Andy Dalton, N.O.578270%6773296.4
Dak Prescott, Dall.12317570%1,33912896.3
Kirk Cousins, Min.13820966%1,56211595.8
Baker Mayfield, LAR6910367%7034195.2
Geno Smith, Sea.12318865%1,26710493.6
Justin Herbert, LAC14019970%1,4624391.7
Ryan Tannehill, Ten.548266%5603287.4
Aaron Rodgers, G.B.7912364%8084287.0
Tom Brady, T.B.16624667%1,55910786.4
Kenny Pickett, Pitt.579560%6093184.9
Mac Jones, N.E.10016860%9865183.6
Russell Wilson, Den.8112366%8725583.1
Justin Fields, Chi.569062%6004382.6
Tua Tagovailoa, Mia.6111653%9846580.5
Desmond Ridder, Atl.548564%4840078.7
Deshaun Watson, Cle.8014157%8725378.1
Davis Mills, Hou.6711359%6763277.9
Tyler Huntley, Balt.7511267%6582377.2
Derek Carr, L.V.6311853%7926766.8
Mike White, NYJ8114755%8770461.5

Statistics compiled using search tools at Pro-Football-Reference.com

The Browns haven’t gotten a lot of bang for their buck after giving him a $230 million fully guaranteed contract.

But I would expect they’ll get a lot of the issues figured out in the offseason. Watson has been productive in the past, and I expect he’ll get back to being more like that guy he was in Houston. I think he’ll be a top-10 quarterback in 2023, and if I were walking into a dynasty draft today, he would be one of the first 10 quarterbacks I would pick.

In a dynasty draft, I see five quarterbacks I would definitely pick before him – Mahomes, Burrow, Allen, Herbert and Hurts. After that, Watson would be in the discussion. Similar (if you’re willing to live with the off-field baggage) to guys like Trevor Lawrence, Lamar Jackson and Dak Prescott.

Each week through the regular season I have been turning my attention to dynasty leagues each Saturday, rotating through the four notable positions. I’m assuming a 12-team league, with each carrying about three quarterbacks and holding the rights to players indefinitely. In this kind of format, the 2023 season is the most important, but some weight is also given to what will be happening in future years. (Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady, for example, would rank higher if we were looking only at 2023.)

I’m assuming standard scoring, and rookies are tagged with black dots. To see past lists at other positions, use the “past issues” navigation tools.

DYNASTY LEAGUE QUARTERBACKS
RkTmPlayerAge
1.KCPatrick Mahomes27.3
2.CINJoe Burrow26.1
3.BUFJosh Allen26.6
4.LACJustin Herbert24.8
5.PHIJalen Hurts24.4
6.JACTrevor Lawrence23.3
7.BALLamar Jackson26.0
8.CLEDeshaun Watson27.3
9.DALDak Prescott29.4
10.CHIJustin Fields23.8
11.PIT• Kenny Pickett24.6
12.ARIKyler Murray25.4
13.MIATua Tagovailoa24.9
14.SEAGeno Smith32.2
15.GBAaron Rodgers39.1
16.MINKirk Cousins34.4
17.TBTom Brady45.4
18.NYGDaniel Jones25.6
19.DETJared Goff28.2
20.SFTrey Lance22.7
21.LVDerek Carr31.8
22.NEMac Jones24.3
23.DENRussell Wilson34.1
24.SFJimmy Garoppolo31.2
25.LARBaker Mayfield27.7
26.LVJarrett Stidham26.4
27.ATL• Desmond Ridder23.4
28.TENRyan Tannehill34.4
29.LARMatthew Stafford34.9
30.GBJordan Love24.2
31.PHIGardner Minshew27.6
32.CARSam Darnold25.6
33.BALTyler Huntley24.9
34.NOAndy Dalton35.2
35.NYJMike White27.8
36.NE• Bailey Zappe23.7
37.WASTaylor Heinicke29.8
38.MIATeddy Bridgewater30.2
39.CLEJacoby Brissett30.1
40.TEN• Malik Willis23.6

—Ian Allan

Fantasy Index