The 2022 season isn't over yet with the NFL playoffs about to begin, but we're already looking ahead to next year. We want to make sure you're more than ready for the 2023 Fantasy Football campaign.
With that in mind, here's an early look at our top 12 Fantasy quarterbacks for 2023. This is based on six points for passing touchdowns, and it's very much subject to change. We know a lot is going to happen between now and the start of training camp -- coaching changes, free agency, the NFL Draft, etc. -- and we will adjust our rankings accordingly.
But for now, here's the first look at the top 12 quarterbacks for 2023 from Adam Aizer, Heath Cummings, Dave Richard, Chris Towers and myself. Start your prep work now -- and hopefully win a championship this season.
Adam Aizer
1) Josh Allen
2) Patrick Mahomes
3) Jalen Hurts
4) Joe Burrow
5) Justin Herbert
6) Trevor Lawrence
7) Justin Fields
8) Deshaun Watson
9) Lamar Jackson
10) Kyler Murray
11) Tua Tagovailoa
12) Dak Prescott
Heath Cummings
1) Patrick Mahomes
2) Josh Allen
3) Jalen Hurts
4) Justin Fields
5) Lamar Jackson
6) Joe Burrow
7) Justin Herbert
8) Deshaun Watson
9) Trevor Lawrence
10) Dak Prescott
11) Kyler Murray
12) Tua Tagovailoa
Jamey Eisenberg
1) Patrick Mahomes
2) Josh Allen
3) Jalen Hurts
4) Joe Burrow
5) Justin Fields
6) Justin Herbert
7) Trevor Lawrence
8) Lamar Jackson
9) Deshaun Watson
10) Kirk Cousins
11) Dak Prescott
12) Kyler Murray
Dave Richard
1) Patrick Mahomes
2) Josh Allen
3) Jalen Hurts
4) Joe Burrow
5) Justin Fields
6) Trevor Lawrence
7) Lamar Jackson
8) Justin Herbert
9) Kirk Cousins
10) Dak Prescott
11) Deshaun Watson
12) Kyler Murray
Chris Towers
1) Josh Allen
2) Patrick Mahomes
3) Jalen Hurts
4) Joe Burrow
5) Lamar Jackson
6) Justin Fields
7) Justin Herbert
8) Trevor Lawrence
9) Dak Prescott
10) Kyler Murray
11) Kirk Cousins
12) Tua Tagovailoa
The debate over who should be the No. 1 quarterback will be fun all offseason, as three of us (Heath, me and Dave) are backing Mahomes, while Adam and Chris say Allen. Mahomes (28.3 Fantasy points per game) finished No. 1 in 2022, with Allen right behind him (26.4). In 2021, Allen (27.9) was better than Mahomes (25.6), but Mahomes was better in 2020 (29.9 to 29.3). As you can see, I don't think you can make a wrong choice by a significant margin with either quarterback.
Hurts comes in at No. 3 for all of us, and he was the No. 2 quarterback in 2022 (26.8 Fantasy points per game) in his breakout season. He led all quarterbacks in rushing touchdowns (13) while finishing fourth in rushing yards (760), and his dual-threat ability makes him a star.
Burrow is No. 4 for all of us but Heath, who has Fields in that spot. For the season, Burrow finished fourth in points per game (24.7), and I love his upside because of his receiving corps of Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd.
As much as I love Fields -- he's No. 5 for me and Dave, No. 7 for Adam and No. 6 for Chris -- I want to see what Chicago does to support him in 2023. He could use some receiving and offensive line help, and that should only increase his Fantasy stock. In 2022, his breakout campaign, Fields ran for 1,143 yards and eight touchdowns, while passing for 2,242 yards, 17 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. With improved passing production, Fields could make a leap in his third season, much like Hurts did this past year.
Adam and I both have Herbert and Lawrence next in our rankings, and these two quarterbacks also have top-three upside. For Herbert, he was expected to be a top-three quarterback in 2022, but he struggled, going from 26.8 Fantasy points per game in 2021 to 17.2 points per game this past season. He dealt with a rib injury early in the year, and Keenan Allen and Mike Williams also struggled with injuries. But I'm expecting a huge bounce-back campaign in 2023, and the later you can draft him the better.
The same goes for Lawrence, who closed the season with at least 24 Fantasy points in four of his final eight games, but that doesn't tell the whole story. He looked in complete command of Doug Pederson's offense, and Lawrence is getting an added boost of Calvin Ridley joining the Jaguars in 2023.
The first wild card at quarterback is Jackson, who is No. 5 for Heath and Chris. When healthy, he has top-three upside, but he hasn't been able to finish the past two seasons due to injuries. He's also in a contract year, so there's a chance he could leave Baltimore, meaning his Fantasy outlook could change. But despite a down year in 2022, he still averaged 21.3 Fantasy points per game and ran for 764 yards in 12 games. Hopefully, he's healthy for a full season in 2023.
The second wild card at quarterback is Watson, and he could return as a top-tier Fantasy quarterback with a full offseason of work. He didn't look great overall in his six games following the suspension, but he did score 27 and 21 Fantasy points in his final two outings of the year. He could be a steal with a late-round pick.
And then we have Murray, who suffered a torn ACL in Week 14 and might not be ready for Week 1. If healthy, he could still be a top-five Fantasy quarterback, but we have to wait on his rehab. And the Cardinals will have a new coach and general manager, and we'll see what other changes happen in Arizona. Of all the quarterbacks in the top 12, Murray makes me the most nervous.
Cousins and Prescott feel like safe options you can settle for on Draft Day. Cousins only averaged 19.1 Fantasy points per game for the season, but he closed the year with at least 29 points in three of his final five outings. And playing with Justin Jefferson gives him an advantage that most quarterbacks don't have.
Prescott missed five games with a thumb injury and averaged only 18.9 Fantasy points per game. But he also scored at least 22 Fantasy points in six of his final 10 outings, and he averaged at least 24.5 Fantasy points per game in his three previous years prior to 2022. He can easily get back to that level again.
The last quarterback any of us have ranked is Tagovailoa, who is No. 11 for Adam and No. 12 for Heath and Chris. He will likely crack my top 12 as well if he's healthy for next season, but the multiple concussions he suffered this season make me nervous about his long-term health. I hope he's fine, but we'll see what happens this offseason.
