When you start looking through the “Rest of Season” rankings here at Fantasy Life, you notice familiar names like Christian McCaffrey and Ja’Marr Chase still close to the top. There are guys who have leveled up like De'Von Achane, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and James Cook, but the question I have is, where is the love for the quarterbacks? You have to get to consensus player 24 before we see the first quarterback.

So the question of all questions remains: how important are quarterbacks in fantasy? Can you honestly say there are nine running backs you would take before you took Lamar Jackson; 10 running backs and 12 receivers you would draft before Josh Allen; 13 running backs, 13 receivers, and two tight ends you would grab before taking Patrick Mahomes? That feels strange when you consider how pivotal the position is in fantasy. Fantasy managers who have the consistent 20-plus-point scorers at quarterback are usually near the top of many league standings, and that is before we get to the consistently-rising popularity of superflex and two-QB leagues.

So with all of the injuries and lackluster performances at the position, I decided to take an exclusive look at the quarterback position this week in hopes of helping people navigate the changing landscape at that position for the rest of the season. We will check out the risers, fallers, and must-haves going forward.

Risers

Jaxson Dart, New York Giants

One thing has become clear during this Jaxson Dart tenure: he is going to find the endzone on the ground. That is one of the two keys to his fantasy relevance. He has recorded a rushing touchdown in five of his six starts this season. He has also rushed for over 50 yards in four of those six starts. That has buoyed his OK passing yards numbers, but he has also thrown passing touchdowns in every game he has played and multiple touchdowns in three of the six. The second key to his fantasy success has been fast starts. He has led the team to opening drive touchdowns in four of their six games. Two top three, one top seven, and a top 13 performance highlight the beginning of his tenure as the Giants' quarterback. The team may not be performing well, but he is establishing himself as a fantasy darling in his debut season.

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Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks

A lot of people wrote off Sam Darnold after his end-of-the-season and playoff collapse last season, but the truth is, none of that matters for fantasy. In most situations, we just need him to keep it together during the regular season. I may still not trust him in the clutch, but I trust him to get the ball to the weapons and let them go to work. That has resulted in a top-two finish in week five and a top-five finish in week nine. He also had two other top 10 finishes this season. Darnold has an offense he feels comfortable in, a deep threat receiver, multiple tight ends, and an emerging star to throw the ball to, and he is owned in less than half of leagues.

Joe Flacco, Cincinnati Bengals

Yolo Flacco is back! Since joining the Bengals and starting in week six, Flacco has been QB18, QB6, QB7, and QB2. There is no reason why the train has to end. He had three turnovers in week nine and still scored over 32 points in fantasy. The key to his success is simple: throw the ball to the two killers on the outside, and once everybody turns their attention to stopping them, throw to the wide-open guys before going right back to the stars. Instead of waiting for the perfect window or a wide-open receiver, he is trusting the receivers to get open. His lack of athleticism means he needs to get the ball out of his hands quicker. Where others may have tried to scramble to buy time, he knows he does not have much time left (in the pocket or in his career). Take advantage of it now.

Fallers

Jared Goff, Detroit Lions

Goff has not been bad, but he has not come close to his week two performance when he finished QB1. He has been far from his top 10 performances of 2024. This is not a situation where you are looking to move on from Goff unless you legitimately have other options, but it is a warning that it is time to recalibrate your expectations from the Lions' quarterback here in the second half of the season. He could have some spike weeks, but more often, he is going to get you anywhere between 12 and 17 points per game.

Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals

If I were the head coach in Arizona, the only way Kyler Murray gets back on the field this season is if Jacoby Brissett is unable to go. The entire offense has opened up with Brissett out there. This is not a situation where they are calling the game differently for Brissett; he is just making plays and getting the ball into the hands of the receivers that fantasy managers want to see excel. Marvin Harrison Jr. has been unleashed with Brissett; he looked like a flop with Murray. Trey McBride was a between-the-20s target with Murray; he can’t stay out of the endzone with Brissett. If you have Murray on your roster (like I do), you need to have Brissett as well. He just had his third straight 20-plus-point performance, and two were against really good defenses. I would call Brissett a "must-have," except I have no idea what they are going to do with Murray and all that money on his contract.

Must Haves

J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings

J.J. McCarthy put the “soft benching” rumors to bed once and for all with his return to the lineup. He looked elusive, decisive with the football, and he made plays all over the field. The yardage has not followed him yet, but the touchdown production is there. He has two passing and one rushing touchdown, just like he did in week one of the season. We do not care how you get there, just get there if you can, and he can (Did I just use a song reference? I did, and now I can’t stop singing it). McCarthy may be a little more touchdown-dependent than you would like, but at this point in the season, if you need a quarterback, he may be your best bet. He is only rostered in 25% of ESPN and 29% of Yahoo leagues. We obviously have not seen the best of McCarthy yet.

Marcus Mariota, Washington Commanders

Marcus Mariota is going to be the quarterback in Washington for probably the rest of the season. This is just my guess, but as a coach or a general manager, I need to be thinking long-term. Jayden Daniels has suffered three different injuries to three different parts of the body. He needs to improve his functional strength and flexibility to increase his durability in-game so that he can use all of the tools that make him great. Mariota has actually played well in his spot; he even recorded a QB6 finish. He is going to give you consistency from his performance, and he is only rostered in five percent of leagues. You are going to need a replacement for Daniels, and you may not have the answer on your roster.

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