Not many people are fortunate enough to get their desired quarterback during the fantasy draft. After seeing stars like Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts, and Patrick Mahomes go within the first five rounds, which quarterbacks are still available that could be league winners? Here is a list of signal callers to grab if you end up in this situation:
Honorable Mention: Russell Wilson
Ranking 30th of all NFL quarterbacks, Wilson heads into 2025 with a lot of questions surrounding how he will perform. Joining the New York Giants in the offseason, he will have a new arsenal of wide receivers, including Malik Nabers, Jalin Hyatt, Wan’Dale Robinson, and Darius Slayton.
Leading the charge for his new receiving crew is the star Nabers. In 2024, he performed exceptionally well as a rookie while having some of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL. The combination of Wilson and Nabers will be a sight to see in 2025 and could elevate this veteran quarterback to a dominant fantasy weapon.
Wilson will be undervalued and undrafted in many 2025 leagues, making him a potential steal in early-season free agency. He’s not a quarterback worth spending an early or middle-round draft pick on. He will be a solid backup option until he demonstrates what he can achieve with the new Giants offense.
5. Aaron Rodgers
After considering retirement for most of the offseason, Rodgers joined the Pittsburgh Steelers for one final shot at the Lombardi Trophy. In 2024, he had a successful season after returning from a season-long injury the previous year, throwing for 3,897 yards while recording 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
After the 2024 season, being ranked 22nd among all starting quarterbacks in a dysfunctional New York Jets organization proves that he still has some juice left. With the right team, he could become a valuable fantasy option again.
Heading to the Steel City might be the perfect fit for this veteran. Having a talented receiving corps made up of D.K. Metcalf, Robert Woods, Calvin Austin III, Pat Freiermuth, and Jonnu Smith provides him with a plethora of options, particularly at the tight end position, something he never had while in New York.
This may not be the dynamic duo of Davante Adams and Garrett Wilson, but it’s a more well-rounded offense with better coaching, which should lead to a prime performance from Rodgers. He is another quarterback that will be overlooked at the start of the season and will be a steal in the late rounds of the draft.
4. Matthew Stafford
The Los Angeles Rams and Stafford are looking to recreate their Super Bowl magic together in 2025, creating a new offensive look. Their former star receiver Cooper Kupp is no longer with the team; instead, three-time All-Pro Devante Adams will join Puka Nacua, Tutu Atwell, and Tyler Higbee. The addition of Adams is a significant upgrade over Kupp, who has had under 850 yards in the past three seasons due to injuries.
Quarterbacks
With an average draft position of 133, he is being underestimated for the upcoming season. With two dynamic star receivers in Nacua and Adams once again, it will create more opportunities in this offense, pushing this veteran into the top 15 of all quarterbacks. As an 11th-round pick in 12-man leagues, it is worth drafting him to compete with any quarterback in the league for your starting position in 2025.
3. Drake Maye
After a typical rookie season where he threw for 2,276 yards, with 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, Maye will aim to prove himself as a top quarterback in 2025. Showing some promise in 2024, most NFL analysts have him ranked within the top 20, while some have him all the way up to the top 14.
Not having the best season in 2024 might not be entirely the fault of this young signal caller, not having a true wide receiver one is tough to work with in the NFL. The new addition of Stefon Diggs will help change that in 2025. After not enjoying his stint in Houston due to not being the true WR1, he sought a new home. Joining New England is the perfect move. Diggs will be able to be the star of the show with a new young quarterback looking to prove he belongs.
Having a receiving room of Diggs, Hunter Henry, DeMario Douglas, and rookie Kyle Williams, he has all the options he needs to be a dominant QB in the league. Drafting him anytime after the ninth round is a steal and could lead to a fantasy championship.
2. Justin Fields
After temporarily starting as the Steelers’ quarterback in 2024, Fields demonstrated to the league that he can still perform at a high level. Starting in only six games but playing in ten, he threw for 1,106 yards with five touchdowns and one interception while also rushing for 289 yards and scoring five touchdowns.
Although these numbers may not indicate an elite quarterback, it’s important to consider the small sample size. Finally being with a team that had good options at wide receiver, unlike the Chicago Bears, he proved he can start in this league.
Joining the Jets in 2025 gives him the options he needs to succeed as a starting quarterback and the ability to win a fantasy league. Having his wide receiver corps built of Garett Wilson, Josh Reynolds, Allen Lazard, and Malachi Corley gives him plenty of options through the air, but also receivers that are able to make plays while he is on the run.
With the Jets ranking 26th in offensive lines, he will be on the run quite a bit and will need to rely on his dual-threat abilities. Consistently being ranked in the top ten of all fantasy quarterbacks this year, he will need to be drafted before the ninth round.
1. Bo Nix
After an impressive rookie season, Nix is aiming to build on the strong start to his career. In 2024, he threw for 3,775 yards, recording 29 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. In addition to his success in the passing game, he also rushed for 430 yards and scored four rushing touchdowns. Being an elite passer while also being able to move around in the pocket to create plays makes him, hands down, one of the top ten quarterbacks in the league.
There’s no question that he will be at the top of some people’s draft boards for starting quarterbacks. With a new elite pass-catching tight end, Evan Engram, joining an already dynamic receiving corps featuring star Corland Sutton, this Denver Broncos offense is set up for success with Nix under center.
Ranked among the top 100 players to draft according to FantasyPros, he should be picked before the eighth round to ensure you secure him. Outside of the top five fantasy quarterbacks, he is making a strong case for the sixth spot heading into the 2025 season and can lead to a fantasy championship.
End Of My Fantasy Quarterbacks Rant
Any one of these quarterbacks could be within the top five fantasy options at the end of the season. The two veterans, Wilson and Rodgers, have several variables that need to align for them to be considered starting material. If they can show promise early in the year, they could be steals late in the draft or free agency.
Stafford is a solid option to consider later in the draft and can provide significant depth to any fantasy roster. With the addition of Adams and Nacua, he now has reliable targets this season, which should lead to improved statistics compared to the previous three seasons with Kupp. Selecting him at the end of the draft, after picking another quarterback earlier, allows fantasy teams to choose their QBs based on matchups rather than relying solely on one player.
The best three options to grab in 2025 that aren’t ranked in the top five of starting quarterbacks are Maye, Fields, and Nix. These three players are all dual-threat quarterbacks with impressive receiving cores that feature numerous playmakers. Nix, in my opinion, is the best of the three. If he can be drafted after the ninth round, he is a steal that can lead your team to a fantasy championship.