1. Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts
2014 Stats: 4,761 passing yards, 40 touchdowns, 16 interceptions, 273 rushing yards and three touchdowns
Not only was Luck the second-best fantasy quarterback last season, he also ranked second in consistency—meaning that the former No. 1 overall pick put up either 300-plus yards and/or three touchdowns in 69 percent of his starts last year. With a renewed running game after adding Frank Gore and a top-end veteran receiver in Andre Johnson, it wouldn't be too surprising to see Luck perform at an even higher level in 2015. The reason he's a notch ahead of Aaron Rodgers here is due to the fact that Luck's upside is higher than the ceiling we've seen from Rodgers, at least from a fantasy perspective. It also doesn't hurt that Luck finished with just three-less fantasy points than his counterpart in Green Bay last season.
2. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
2014 Stats: 4,381 passing yards, 38 touchdowns, five interceptions, 269 rushing yards and two touchdowns
Fantasy football owners should know by now that being the best quarterback in the NFL doesn't necessarily equate to being the best fantasy quarterback. Rodgers is in a league of his own when it comes to on-field performance right now, but his potential as a fantasy player is maxed out. The same can't be said for Luck, who now has the best supporting cast of his career.
In reality, Rodgers is that quarterback you can expect 4,000-plus passing yards and a minimum of 35 touchdowns from on an annual basis. Last season saw him rank first among fantasy quarterbacks while putting up the third-best consistency rating. That's elite stuff right there. The issue here is that Green Bay trended more towards a balanced attack with Eddie Lacy last season. If that trend continues in 2015, Rodgers won't be given the same opportunities as others to put up mind-boggling numbers.
3. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
2014 Stats: 4,952 passing yards, 32 touchdowns and nine interceptions
Flush with one of the most-talented receiver groups in the NFL, Big Ben put up the best statistical season of his Hall of Fame-worthy career in 2014. Not only did he put up career highs in passing yards and touchdowns last season, Roethlisberger put up just nine interceptions in the process. With Antonio Brown emerging as one of the top receivers in the game and a ton of other young pass catchers, there's no reason to believe that Big Ben won't be able to put up similar numbers in 2015. In fact, he could even perform at a higher clip. That's going to depend on the progression of Martavis Bryant and Markus Wheaton behind Bryant.
4. Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos
2014 Stats: 4,727 passing yards, 39 touchdowns and 15 interceptions
Manning did struggle a great deal towards the end of last season, throwing just 10 touchdowns compared to eight interceptions in his final seven starts. Though, that can be chalked up to a torn right quad he suffered in December. With a new offensive system—one that will be run-based under Gary Kubiak—it will be interesting to see how Manning's overall numbers are impacted. Last year saw him finish as the fourth-best fantasy quarterback with the best overall consistency mark. That's probably Manning's ceiling in 2015.
5. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
2014 Stats: 4,942 passing yards, 33 touchdowns and 17 interceptions
The loss of Jimmy Graham will definitely hurt here. Though, Brees has some capable pass catchers to fill the tight end's void. Brandin Cooks returns for his second season in this scheme. C.J. Spiller will be Brees' best pass-catching running back since Reggie Bush was in his prme. The Saints are also expecting big things from young tight end Josh Hill. Brees hasn't finished outside of the top-10 among quarterbacks in fantasy points in nearly a decade. There's no reason to believe that's going to change in 2015. The issue here is whether you believe his ceiling is as a top-five player. Without knowing how his new tools will play, that's a question better answered after a small sample size. For now, suggestions are that Brees will be on the lower end of the elite fantasy threshhold.
6. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys
2014 Stats: 3,705 passing yards, 34 touchdowns and nine interceptions
Last season could have been more of an outlier for Romo than anything else. With a dominant running back, the Pro Bowler attempted his fewest passes since his first season as a starter back in 2006. He also finished outside of the top-10 among fantasy quarterbacks since 2008. Now with DeMarco Murray in Philadelphia, there's a good chance Romo will be asked to pass more in 2015. That's only magnified by the lack of a top-end running back on the roster. While Romo's interceptions will likely increase, his overall fantasy output will improve a great deal.
7. Ryan Tannehill, Miami Dolphins
2014 Stats: 4,045 passing yards, 27 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, 311 rushing yards and one touchdown
Tannehill had the quietest top-seven fantasy season in recent history last year. Putting up nearly 4,400 total yards and 28 touchdowns, this former first-round pick made the most of a supporting cast that was lacking big time. Now with the likes of Jordan Cameron, Greg Jennings and Kenny Stills joining Jarvis Landry and rookie DeVante Parker, the Dolphins have one of the best skill-position groups they've had since the Dan Marino days. Whether this means Tannehill will improve a great deal from a fantasy standpoint remains to be seen. He did, however, rank 19th in consistency last year. That's something that he can improve on with a better receiving group.
8. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks
2014 Stats: 3,475 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, seven interceptions, 849 rushing yards and six touchdowns
Wilson finished as the third-best fantasy quarterback last year. That probably leads you to believe that this ranking is too low. While it may very well be, we have to realize that Seattle's offensive scheme is still largely run-first. That's not going to change with Jimmy Graham on the roster. With limited opportunities and teams looking to sheme against Wilson on the ground, it's hard to imagine his fantasy performance remaining consistent from a season ago. In no way does this mean that Wilson won't put up a great season on the field. It's just the reality of the situation from a pure fantasy standpoint. Remember, the Super Bowl-winning quarterback ranked 27th in consistency last season. This means that he put up huge games a few times while laying duds more often than not.
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