In the coming weeks, ZoneBlitz will feature rankings for each fantasy position in five scoring formats. The rankings will be accompanied by a brief article highlighting some of the big names, surprises and sleepers. Combined cheat sheets for each format will be available August 1 and constantly updated based on the latest news to keep you prepared for your drafts.

Editor’s Note: Quarterback rankings are the first of six rankings to be posted to ZoneBlitz.com. PPR rankings for quarterbacks are the same as Standard rankings, hence only four are listed for this position.

If you’re a fantasy football veteran, you know the routine by now. In most league formats, the stud running backs go off the board first. Whether there are one, two, four or seven RBs deemed stud worthy, they are the first dominos to fall. Then the draft strategy truly begins. Is there a borderline stud runner you’re confident in? Do you grab the top receiver? The best quarterback?  A decade ago, throwing a signal-caller on your roster to lead things off was at best a faux pas, and at worst a roster-crippling mistake. But in today’s NFL, aerial attacks are as potent as ever and quarterbacks are redefining the position. In doing so, some are consistently returning first-round value and have been for long enough that you should feel confident snagging one despite any historical aversions you may have experienced.

Photo credit: dbking via wikipedia

Photo credit: dbking via Wikipedia

So if you’re on the clock in the mid- to late-first round and have Drew Brees or Aaron Rodgers staring back at you as the best player available, don’t hesitate to pull the trigger. Scoring systems that weren’t weighted to mute QB points last year led to anywhere from five to seven quarterbacks landing in the top 10 in overall fantasy points. Please note: This doesn’t mean five quarterbacks should be off the board in the first round in 2013. Brees and Rodgers are consistently among the top three or four in quarterback scoring and have very little changing around them. It’s why you can be confident to take them early. Guys like Peyton Manning and Tom Brady won’t last much longer, and in larger leagues may in fact sneak into the first round as well, though as of early June only Manning had late-first/early-second status at Mock Draft Central.

Generally speaking, though, if you go RB/WR early in your draft, there’s still plenty to like at the quarterback position. In standard scoring I’m very confident in the guys all the way down through No. 8. From there questions arise, like Robert Griffin’s health, Matt Stafford’s schedule, Russell Wilson’s statistical upside, Tony Romo’s turnovers, Sam Bradford’s ability to raise his game to the next level, and so on. Griffin and Stafford both have the ability to put up top five fantasy numbers at the position, while have top 10 upside at best.

I expect Michael Vick to move up as training camp progresses once he’s officially named the starter and assuming he adapts well to Chip Kelly’s offense. Jay Cutler has fantasy starter upside if Chicago’s continued efforts to upgrade its offensive line pan out, and I’m very intrigued by Carson Palmer in Bruce Arians’ offense in Arizona with Larry Fitzgerald as his top target. No offense to Denarius Moore and Darrius Heyward-Bey. Well, maybe a little offense to them. The NFC West provides a brutal schedule that tempers my enthusiasm some, but Palmer could be a top 15 fantasy signal caller once the dust settles on 2013.

Andrew_Luck_Mark Susina via wiki

Photo credit: Mark Susina via Wikipedia

As for the rookies, in general I’d say don’t expect anything like 2012 for a very long time. A trio like Andrew Luck, Griffin and Wilson is incredibly rare. I don’t have a 2013 rookie rated even in the top 30, though I’d expect Geno Smith and E.J. Manuel to both settle in around No. 25 or so should either be named the starter in training camp.

Have a question? Take umbrage with any of my rankings? Want to discuss the topic further? Post in the comments section and let’s chat! And if enough questions trickle in through the course of the offseason and training camp, I’ll post a few mailbag stories. Thanks for reading. Now comment away!

  STANDARD YARDAGE-HEAVY TD-HEAVY DYNASTY  
  TM Player TM Player TM Player TM Player  
1 NO Drew Brees NO Drew Brees GB Aaron Rodgers GB Aaron Rodgers 1
2 GB Aaron Rodgers NE Tom Brady NO Drew Brees NO Drew Brees 2
3 DEN Peyton Manning DEN Peyton Manning DEN Peyton Manning CAR Cam Newton 3
4 NE Tom Brady GB Aaron Rodgers NE Tom Brady ATL Matt Ryan 4
5 ATL Matt Ryan ATL Matt Ryan CAR Cam Newton NE Tom Brady 5
6 CAR Cam Newton CAR Cam Newton ATL Matt Ryan IND Andrew Luck 6
7 IND Andrew Luck IND Andrew Luck IND Andrew Luck SF Colin Kaepernick 7
8 SF Colin Kaepernick SF Colin Kaepernick SF Colin Kaepernick WAS Robert Griffin III 8
9 WAS Robert Griffin III DET Matt Stafford WAS Robert Griffin III DEN Peyton Manning 9
10 DET Matt Stafford WAS Robert Griffin III SEA Russell Wilson SEA Russell Wilson 10
11 SEA Russell Wilson DAL Tony Romo DAL Tony Romo DET Matt Stafford 11
12 DAL Tony Romo SEA Russell Wilson CIN Andy Dalton DAL Tony Romo 12
13 STL Sam Bradford NYG Eli Manning DET Matt Stafford STL Sam Bradford 13
14 CIN Andy Dalton STL Sam Bradford NYG Eli Manning NYG Eli Manning 14
15 NYG Eli Manning CIN Andy Dalton CHI Jay Cutler CIN Andy Dalton 15
16 CHI Jay Cutler CHI Jay Cutler STL Sam Bradford CHI Jay Cutler 16
17 PHI Michael Vick HOU Matt Schaub HOU Matt Schaub HOU Matt Schaub 17
18 HOU Matt Schaub ARI Carson Palmer PHI Michael Vick SD Philip Rivers 18
19 ARI Carson Palmer TB Josh Freeman SD Philip Rivers TB Josh Freeman 19
20 TB Josh Freeman PHI Michael Vick ARI Carson Palmer BAL Joe Flacco 20
21 SD Philip Rivers SD Philip Rivers PIT Ben Roethlisberger PHI Michael Vick 21
22 PIT Ben Roethlisberger KC Alex Smith TB Josh Freeman TEN Jake Locker 22
23 KC Alex Smith PIT Ben Roethlisberger BAL Joe Flacco ARI Carson Palmer 23
24 BAL Joe Flacco BAL Joe Flacco KC Alex Smith PIT Ben Roethlisberger 24
25 TEN Jake Locker TEN Jake Locker TEN Jake Locker MIN Christian Ponder 25
26 MIN Christian Ponder OAK Matt Flynn MIN Christian Ponder OAK Matt Flynn 26
27 OAK Matt Flynn MIN Christian Ponder OAK Matt Flynn BUF Kevin Kolb 27
28 MIA Ryan Tannehill MIA Ryan Tannehill BUF Kevin Kolb KC Alex Smith 28
29 CLE Brandon Weeden CLE Brandon Weeden MIA Ryan Tannehill MIA Ryan Tannehill 29
30 BUF Kevin Kolb BUF Kevin Kolb CLE Brandon Weeden CLE Brandon Weeden 30
31 JAX Blaine Gabbert JAX Blaine Gabbert JAX Blaine Gabbert NYJ Geno Smith 31
32 NYJ Geno Smith NYJ Geno Smith NYJ Geno Smith BUF E.J. Manuel 32
33 NYJ Mark Sanchez NYJ Mark Sanchez NYJ Mark Sanchez PHI Nick Foles 33
34 BUF E.J. Manuel BUF E.J. Manuel BUF E.J. Manuel JAX Blaine Gabbert 34
35 PHI Nick Foles PHI Nick Foles PHI Nick Foles NYJ Mark Sanchez 35
36 JAX Chad Henne JAX Chad Henne JAX Chad Henne JAX Chad Henne 36
37 MIN Matt Cassel MIN Matt Cassel MIN Matt Cassel OAK Terrelle Pryor 37
38 TEN Ryan Fitzpatrick TEN Ryan Fitzpatrick TEN Ryan Fitzpatrick TB Mike Glennon 38
39 WAS Kirk Cousins WAS Kirk Cousins WAS Kirk Cousins PHI Matt Barkley 39
40 OAK Terrelle Pryor OAK Terrelle Pryor OAK Terrelle Pryor NYG Ryan Nassib 40

For Zoneblitz.com’s running back ratings, click here.
For Zoneblitz.com’s wide receiver ratings, click here.
For Zoneblitz.com’s tight end ratings, click here.
For Zoneblitz.com’s kicker ratings, click here.
For Zoneblitz.com’s defense ratings, click here.