ESPN’s most popular fantasy football analyst, Matthew Berry, recently released his 2015 fantasy football QB rankings, with Aaron Rodgers earning the number 1 spot Johnny Manziel rounding out the group at number 35.
Full 2015 fantasy football QB rankings by Matthew Berry is below:
QB's Ranked 20 - 35
35 - Johnny Manziel
34 - Mark Sanchez
33 - Ryan Mallett
32 - Josh McCown
31 - Matt Cassel
30 - Jimmy Garoppolo
29 - Nick Foles
28 - Marcus Mariota
27 - Derek Carr
26 - Blake Bortles
25 - Joe Flacco
24 - Andy Dalton
23 - Geno Smith
22 - Alex Smith
21 - Robert Griffin III
20 - Jay Cutler
Analysis:
How exactly can a QB who will only start 3 games in 2015 (Garoppolo) be ranked above the two guys battling for the #1 spot in Cleveland (Manziel & McCown)? Perhaps Berry is ranking Garoppolo in the 30th spot given his dynasty potential? Either way, if you need a plug and play QB for the first few weeks in 2015, Garoppolo should serve as a decent option.
The biggest surprise his QB rankings is how far Joe Flacco dropped in 2015. Berry projected Flacco to finish as the 25th ranked fantasy football QB, despite finishing ’14 as the 13th ranked QB. The Ravens lost Torrey Smith, but their offense remains largely unchanged.
We completely agree with Mariota’s pre-season ranking of 28. There are many questions about his ability to succeed right away in the NFL, which is why we’re passing on him in all drafts (except Dynasty leagues).
We’re also not sure how Geno Smith was ranked above Joe Flacco, Blake Bortles or Derek Carr. The addition of Brandon Marshall is certainly something to consider, but given how ineffective Smith has been in the NFL (25 TD, 34 INT and a QBR of 35.7), we don’t think he’ll hold the starting job for all of 2015.
QB's Ranked 10-19
19 - Jameis Winston
18 - Sam Bradford
17 - Teddy Bridgewater
16 - Carson Palmer
15 - Colin Kaepernick
14 - Matthew Stafford
13 - Phillip Rivers
12 - Eli Manning
11 - Tom Brady
10 - Ben Roethlisberger
Analysis:
Jameis Winston, the rookie gunslinger from Florida State University, is projected to finish as the 20th ranked QB according to Matthew Berry. Winston has Andrew-Luck-upside, and has a TON of talent around him, and we’re not surprised to see the unproven rookie ranked in the top 20. If Winston can stay out of trouble off the field, he has a chance to be the best pick of your fantasy draft (given his current ADP of 128).
If Sam Bradford can stay healthy, which we’re not betting on, we think Berry is spot on with this projection. Bradford’s fantasy value will see a pretty big boost playing under Chip Kelly and his fast-tempo offense.
We think that Colin Kaepernick may be ranked a bit high at number 15. Kaepernick has been a pretty disappointing player from a fantasy perspective over the last few years, and his current ADP of 139 is more telling than Matthew Berry’s projection.
As the 11th ranked fantasy football QB in 2015, Tom Brady could be a great pickup. Despite missing a few games to start the season, Brady will be a huge asset to your fantasy team when the playoffs begin. We think he’s a bargain in the 6th round, and given his current ADP of 64, that’s right where you can get him.
Eli Manning is a borderline fantasy football starter, although Berry has him ranked #12. The emergence of Odell Beckham Jr helped Manning finish as the 10th ranked QB in ’14, and we anticipate Manning will crack the top 10 again in ’15.
QB's Ranked 1-9
9 - Tony Romo
8 - Ryan Tannenhill
7 - Cam Newton
6 - Matt Ryan
5 - Drew Brees
4 - Russell Wilson
3 - Peyton Manning
2 - Andrew Luck
1 - Aaron Rodgers
Analysis:
At first glance, I was shocked to see Russell Wilson ranked higher than Drew Brees. After looking at the numbers a bit more closely, Matthew Berry was spot on with his top 5 rankings. Drew Brees finished as the 6th ranked QB in ’14 and also lost his favorite target this off-season. Although this will bode well for the fantasy value of Brandin Cooks, the overall value for Brees certainly drops a bit.
His first year in the league, Wilson was known more as a game manager rather than a fantasy QB stud. After racking up a total of 312 points in ’14 (standard ESPN league), Wilson has emerged as a second round gem. Currently Russell Wilson has an identical ADP as Peyton Manning, but we prefer Wilson in ’15.
Peyton Manning failed to eclipse 15 points / game during the final 5 regular season games in ’14, and many critics are questioning his health. Despite words of encouragement from Duke head coach David Cutcliffe, “He looks good and he's strong where he needs to be strong”, it’s hard to tell how his health will hold up the entire season. With CJ Anderson emerging as a top fantasy RB and a new offensive scheme with Gary Kubiak in town, Manning’s fantasy value has certainly taken a hit.
There is no question that Andrew Luck and Aaron Rodgers are the top 2 fantasy QB’s entering 2015. Both players are being drafted in the early second round, and you can’t go wrong with either player. If you’re planning on implementing the Zero RB Draft strategy in 2015, it would be wise to pick up Luck or Rodgers in the first round, followed by a stud WR like Odell Beckham Jr or Antonio Brown.