As I update my Dynasty rankings for 2024, I thought it would be fun to take a look at the top-five players in my Dynasty rankings who are in the playoffs. While we don't often look at playoff numbers when projecting future years, and they don't count towards career statistics, performance in these high profile island games certainly shapes perception. The funny thing at quarterback is that the top five quarterbacks left in the playoffs are also the top five quarterbacks in my Dynasty rankings. Maybe that's not surprising, but none of the quarterbacks ranked 6-10 in the rankings below are playing this weekend.
By the way, if you dispute the order of this top five I wouldn't blame you. I have very little separating these guys and they'll all be tiered as Tier 1 QBs in my updated Dynasty Tiers that come out later this month.
1. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Allen didn't have his best year as a passer, but 15 rushing touchdowns more than made up for that. He's now finished first or second in total Fantasy points amongst QBs four seasons in a row. He's also still just 27 years old, so he should have a long bright future in front of him. If there is a concern it would be that so much of his Fantasy production is tied up in his rushing and that generally does not age as well as passing production. Also, if the drop off we saw from Stefon Diggs at the end of this year continues into next season, then Allen's weapons may be the worst of this group.
2. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
Hurts was QB1 as recently as a week ago, that is how close these guys are. He's two full years younger than Allen and has better weapons. But an even larger portion of Hurts' value comes on the ground, specifically from the tush push. He had the same number of rushing TDs as Allen this season, but it was no anomaly for him. If the tush push gets banned this offseason it could cost him a point per game at least. Hurts' passing efficiency regressed hard in 2023 so a loss in rushing production would be harder to make up for. Still, Hurts' age and production the past two seasons justifies this ranking. But that could change in the playoffs.
3. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans
Speaking of the playoffs, the fact that Stroud just led the Texans to the playoffs as a 22-year-old rookie and finished the season as a top-10 Fantasy QB tells you all about why he's shot up in the rankings so quickly. His performance in Week 18 with the playoffs on the line was one that could shift opinions of him all by itself. He already has a good, young WR duo in Nico Collins and Tank Dell, and the Texans may not be done providing him weapons. If Stroud puts up big numbers in a deep playoff run and then the Texans add another pass catcher, there will be a legitimate debate about whether he should be QB1 in Dynasty leagues.
4. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Any concerns about Jackson have been answered in the last 12 months. He's agreed to a longterm contract, he excelled in a new offensive system, and he seems almost certain to lock down his second MVP award. He just turned 27 years old and now owns a 98.0 career passer rating with 125 touchdowns to just 45 INTs. I don't think anyone would call him a running back after this season. There is still one minor concern left from a real football perspective; that 1-3 record in the playoffs. If Jackson's Ravens flame out this year and he doesn't perform well I could see that having some impact on his perceived value. It won't impact my Dynasty ranking of him.
5. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Mahomes is the biggest faller of the season, at least amongst QBs who still rank in the top five. He's the oldest QB on this list and just had by far his worst Fantasy season, finishing the year at QB11, averaging just 20.9 FPPG. Travis Kelce has finally started to show his age and it's fair to wonder how much Mahomes misses Eric Bieniemy. Like I said at the top, this group of five quarterbacks is all very close in value for me. So much so that if the Chiefs flip a switch in the playoffs Mahomes could rebound in a hurry.
Here are my fully updated Dynasty quarterback rankings:
