Outlook: It was another monster season for the Kansas City offense and Patrick Mahomes in 2020. The fourth-year QB finished sixth among all quarterbacks in fantasy points, but jumped all the way to second in points per game among QBs who started at least six games. This boost happened because he and the Chiefs had already locked up the top seed in the AFC heading into Week 17 and opted not to play their starters.

Kansas City led the league with 414.7 yards of offense per game this past season and while the Chiefs were widely considered the best team in the league, they defied conventional wisdom by continuing to rely heavily on their passing game even after having drafted Clyde Edwards-Helaire with their first round draft pick in 2020. They passed the ball seventh-most in the league despite defeating their opponents by an average of nearly seven points per game. This isn't an aberration either, as the Chiefs have been doing this every year since Mahomes became the starter. They're really the only team in football that continues to pass at a high rate even when they're comfortably ahead on the scoreboard, and that's a big, yet often neglected part of what's led to the video game-like numbers from this offense.

There was obvious concern when the Chiefs offensive line struggled to protect Mahomes in their Super Bowl loss, but no one can deny that they took serious steps to address that issue by trading for Orlando Brown, as well by signing Austin Blythe, Joe Thuney, and the previously-retired Kyle Long. In addition, they used a second-round pick on center Creed Humphrey. This bolstering of the offensive line just adds to what is already a stacked offense and it makes an even stronger case for Mahomes being the safest player in all of fantasy football this season.

Quarterbacks are almost always drafted too high in home fantasy football leagues, but if you're going to reach on a QB, you could do a lot worse than Patrick Mahomes.

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Outlook: Allen lived up to his 2020 preseason breakout hype with a monster season in which he posted career-highs across the board, including a 69% completion percentage, 4,544 passing yards, and 37 passing touchdowns. He also continued to be a dominant force on the ground, with eight rushing touchdowns and 421 rushing yards.

As you would expect, a breakout season of that magnitude catapulted Allen squarely into top-3 QB contention along with Mahomes and Kyler Murray. No longer is Allen an upside player you can get later in drafts. If you want Allen on your team, you are going to have to pay a premium and forgo other elite players at WR, RB, and TE in the first five rounds.

Those who predict negative regression for Allen will point to a significant jump in touchdown efficiency and completion percentage, with Allen going from a league average of 4.3% in 2019 to 6.5% in 2020. By comparison, Aaron Rodgers has a career TD rate of 6.3%, with fluctuations from 4.6 in 2019 to 9.1 in 2020. 6.5% is not impossible to repeat, but he would be in elite company to do it in back-to-back years.

The fact that the Bills did not bring in an elite free-agent running back or draft someone who poses a threat to Allen's rushing attempts in the red zone is positive regarding Allen's rushing outlook. Assuming he does regress somewhat in his touchdown passing efficiency, the stable rushing production will keep him within the top-5 at the position.

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Outlook: A relatively quiet second half of the 2020 season makes it easy to forget that Russell Wilson was the best quarterback in all of fantasy football through the first seven weeks of the season. Wilson threw for at least three touchdowns in all but one of the Seahawks' first eight games and that incredible start allowed him to finish as a top five fantasy QB for the year even though he surpassed two touchdown passes in just one of the Seahawks' final nine games.

While there is reason to have some concern about Wilson's second half, there's some hope to be had when you consider that the team prioritized the passing game this April when they used their only draft picks in the first three rounds on wide receiver D'Wayne Eskridge. Say what you will about Eskridge as a prospect, but the point is that the Seahawks seemed to clearly identify that they needed to get deeper at pass catcher even though they had one of the league's top duos in 2020 with DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.

It's hard to believe that Pete Carroll will ever truly allow the Seahawks to maintain a modern, pass-happy offensive approach for an entire season, but Wilson's efficiency numbers are truly other worldly so he's been able to perform as a solid QB1 for fantasy even in years when his pass attempts have been relatively low. We do have to expect that his rushing totals will dwindle down as he nears his mid-30s but Wilson did finish the 2020 season with 513 rushing yards, which was a good step up from what he had in both 2019 (376 rushing yards) and 2020 (342 rushing yards).

For Wilson to finish as a top five QB again this season, he will need to continue to be both a plus-contributor in the rushing game while also maintaining his place as one of the league's most highly efficient passers, both of which he has done throughout his career. A boost up in pass attempts and we could be talking about Wilson competing for the crown of fantasy football's highest scorer this season. Wilson is one of the safest quarterbacks on the board once again.

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Outlook: 2019's No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick gave us glimpses of greatness during his rookie season, but really broke out in his second year in the league. Kyler Murray made improvements in practically every single statistical category, catapulting him to being the second-highest scorer in all of fantasy football this past season. Now that his cost has risen to the point that he'll be one of the first three QBs taken in almost every draft. Murray is no longer a "sleeper" at the position, but he's someone who fantasy managers can legitimately build their team around, just like the Cardinals are doing down in Arizona.

Murray was on a record pace in 2020 prior to injuring his shoulder in the Week 11 loss to the Seahawks. This unfortunate injury surprisingly led to him running a bit less down the stretch, which really limited his fantasy output on the ground. After scoring a whopping 10 rushing touchdowns through his first nine games, Murray was held to just one rushing score from Week 10 on and he reached 35 rushing yards on the ground just twice in his final seven games.

Not only did the shoulder injury affect his willingness to run the ball, but he was also significantly less productive as a passer. Murray had thrown for an average of 264 yards per game through his first nine games, but that average fell to 228 yards per game in his final seven games. Worse yet, Murray was held to just one or fewer total touchdowns in four of those seven contests. Still, despite the major statistical cliff-dive, Murray had amassed enough fantasy points that he finished as an elite option at his position, as the No. 2 highest-scoring QB in 2020.

A full offseason to recover should allow Murray to hit the ground running to start the 2021 season, but there's some concern that the Cardinals will actually ask him to run less. We've seen an example of running quarterbacks being asked to run the ball less as they get older with Russell Wilson, who started off as one of the league's top runners at the position but has been noticeably less apt to run in recent years. In fact, Murray himself recently said that he hopes to run less in 2021. That could just be a throwaway comment, but it doesn't exactly inspire confidence about Murray duplicating the 67 rushing yards per week, touchdown-per-game runner that we saw prior to his shoulder injury. Still, even if we saw a staggering 30 percent drop in rush attempts, similar to what Russell Wilson experienced in 2016, Murray's rushing numbers would still be around 100 attempts. Only three other quarterbacks (Lamar Jackson, Cam Newton, Josh Allen) even reached 100 rushing attempts in 2020 and that high of a number, combined with more pass attempts, would still allow Murray to contend for fantasy football's top scorer at the position.

One of the most exciting offseason moves for the Cardinals has been their investment in pass catching weapons. Say what you will about A.J. Green, but he's a veteran presence who's dominated when he's been healthy throughout his career. We can't expect that he's going to step in and produce monster numbers, but it's hard to believe that he wouldn't be an upgrade to Larry Fitzgerald. Arizona also added rookie Rondale Moore in the second round of the NFL Draft, whose athleticism jumps off the charts, and has been called a perfect addition to the Kingsbury offense.

Arizona has embraced the theory of a high play rate, but they've actually run the ball more frequently than most expected. Their recent investments at wide receiver do imply, however, that they may be looking to lean at least a bit more on their passing game, which would theoretically help Murray reach closer to his passing ceiling.

Look for Murray to run the ball a bit less often in 2020, but even a slight shift to a more pass-focused offense could do wonders for the Cardinals' offensive production, which would in turn lead to more touchdowns overall, most of which are going to involve Murray. He participated in 37 total touchdowns in 2020 and that number would've almost certainly been even better if he was able to stay healthy throughout the season. He's one of the most reliable weekly options at the position given his rushing floor and the sky is truly the limit for him as a passer. If the Cardinals can improve as a team, Murray might not only be in the running for fantasy football MVP, but also a potential NFL MVP in 2021.

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Outlook: It's no secret that there's been a slow burn in the NFL for the better part of the last decade. A combination of college offenses making the transition to the NFL, better athletes playing the position and a degradation of offensive line play have contributed to make the dual-threat quarterback almost necessary in today's NFL. We know that guys like Brady and Brees were the exception, but they would be all time greats in any era, so let's instead focus on the poster boy of the modern NFL quarterback, Lamar Jackson.

In his short career Jackson has done things never before seen in the NFL. He's been the sole focus of defenses for the better part of the last two seasons and still managed to win an MVP award in 2019 and his first playoff game in 2020. It's been established that he's the best running quarterback the league has ever seen, but in order to take the next step, he simply has to become more of a threat in the pocket. The discussion about whether or not he can do that, determines if he's a solid QB1, or a guy who can again win you a fantasy title by himself.

The Ravens know they've got to get more out of the passing game to get deeper into the playoffs, and they signaled that with their off-season moves. Baltimore invested cash in Sammy Watkins, and 1st round draft capital in Rashod Bateman and they seem intent on utilizing the running backs on routes more often. Can Greg Roman, who was never able to elevate Colin Kaepernick's game after he ran the 49ers to the Super Bowl in 2012, adjust the offense enough to help Jackson and the Ravens get over the hump? My gut says no. The 2019 season is likely to be Jackson's best, and while he's got the highest QB floor in fantasy due to his legs, the position is just too deep to go all in on Jackson too early in your draft. He'll be fantastic, don't get me wrong, but not worth busting your draft for.

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Outlook: A season-ending broken leg against the Giants in Week 5 cut short what could have been a monster fantasy season for Dak Prescott. Before his gruesome leg injury, Dak was on pace to be the number one fantasy quarterback, with three consecutive games of over 400 passing yards as the Dallas defense continued to for Prescott and the offense to throw heavily to stay in games.

In addition to the season-ending injury to Dak, the Cowboys lost three starting pro-bowl offensive linemen, leaving the remaining skill position players to suffer with a backup quarterback in Andy Dalton and a rag-tag group of backup linemen in what proved to be a massively disappointing first year under head coach Mike McCarthy.

Dak is back, and it appears that Zack Martin, Tyron Smith, and La'el Collins are back and will be ready for the season opener. With an elite offensive line and a deep collection of skill potion players, Dak is primed to build off 2020 and ascend to elite status among fantasy quarterbacks.

The one negative to keep in mind is the improved defensive moves made by Jerry Jones, and the front office should limit the need for Dak to pass and the ridiculous levels we saw in 2020. This does not mean that Dak cannot be a top-5 QB, but it does mean a likely reduction in pass attempts.

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Outlook: This may be stating the obvious, but there's little reason for fantasy owners NOT to like Tom Brady heading into 2021. His 2020 stat line (401 comp-610 att-65.7%-4633 Yds-40 TD) represents some of the best numbers of his career. In his first season in Tampa, he put up the 2nd-most completions and 2nd-most passing TD's of his career. His 610 attempts were the 6th-most of his career, while his completion percentage tied for his 6th-best. The 4,633 passing yards were the 5th-most he's ever thrown, and his seven 300-yard games tied for 3rd-most on the back of his football card. He also averaged 7.6 yards per attempt and 289 passing yards per game. All of that was good enough to rank 7th among QB's here on FFToday's 2020 rankings.

There's more good news, too. There's reason to believe Brady will be even better this Fall. While on the surface everything came out peachy, some of you may remember Brady struggled early in the season. Anyone remember that opener in the Superdome? How about the following week against Carolina, or the second meeting with the Saints? There was a span in November when Brady threw seven picks in three games against New Orleans, the Rams, and Kansas City. Brady admittedly had a hard time grasping the complexity of Bruce Arians' terminology and playbook. But as the season went on, this offense transformed, and it started looking a whole lot more like the offense Brady ran in New England. The run game was featured more, and the deep shots downfield took a back seat to -more of a possession game that used more short and intermediate routes and more receptions out of the backfield (oh, and by the way, kept Brady off the ground ). As he and Arians found a balance (Interpretation: The Bucs started doing more of what Brady wanted to do), things improved, and we all know how it ended. So there's no way, no matter what you hear from anyone in Tampa, that the genie is going back in the bottle.

The even better news is that everyone - let me say that once more with feeling - EVERYONE is back. It's unheard of for a defending Super Bowl champion. Gronk is back. Antonio Brown is back on a one-year deal. Postseason darling Leonard Fournette is back, and in case he gets banged up, Giovani Bernard, another strong receiver out of the backfield, has been added to the mix. Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Scotty Miller, Cameron Brate, all back. Even O.J. Howard is healthy and expected back for camp. Brady has his offense, and now he has all his guys in place.

Finally, Brady is healthy. That's no small consideration for a man who will turn 44 in August. Brady felt like the knee pain that was hopefully addressed in the surgery he underwent this February really held him back, and he's looking forward to improving other parts of his game now that the knee stuff is behind him. To top it off, the Bucs open against Dallas, which featured one of the five worst secondary's in the game in 2020.

So, in short (too late for that now!), Brady should be stronger and healthier, will be surrounded by talent, will have a better grasp of the offense from day one, and should get off to a fast start. He could be better than he was last year, which will have him fighting for Top 5 Fantasy QB status in 2021.

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Outlook: Rookie sensation Justin Herbert was shoved into a starting role just moments before Week 2 when a freak accident by a member of the Chargers' medical staff knocked starter Tyrod Taylor out of the game. While he and the Chargers fell just short against the then-defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs in that game, Herbert's 311 passing yards, including both a touchdown as a passer and as a runner, immediately drew the media's attention. Herbert went on to break practically every notable rookie passing record, including touchdowns (31), completions (396), and yards per game (289.1). He finished just 38 total passing yards behind Andrew Luck's rookie record set back in 2012, but it's worth noting that Herbert probably would've broken that as well if he had been the starter in Week 1. He also finished just shy of Dak Prescott's record for single season completion percentage by a rookie.

His passing game production and efficiency was undeniable, but Herbert also proved that he is a contributor in the running game. He's not going to give you many 50-plus yard rushing days and in fact he exceeded 25 yards on the ground just twice as a rookie, but he was willing to run when it counts-near the end zone-as he added five touchdowns as a runner.

While the traditional "teams throw more when they're behind" concept certainly still applies, it's also interesting that Herbert was more productive when the Chargers were winning games. He threw multiple touchdowns in all but one game that the Chargers won in 2020 and he averaged 304 passing yards per game in those victories.

To piggyback off of that, things are looking up for the Chargers heading into 2021. The team won their final four games of the regular season, although Week 17's contest against the Chiefs saw Kansas City bench most of their starters. In addition, running back Austin Ekeler missed about half of the season which definitely didn't help the passing game, as the other backs in Los Angeles are not nearly as productive as pass catchers. Having him back at full strength, hopefully for an entire season, should give a bit of a boost to Herbert.

LA also invested heavily in their offensive line by adding former Green Bay center Corey Linsley. Linsley has been an elite performer as an entire offensive lineman and should immediately add stability to one of the most important positions on the line. In addition, the Chargers bolstered the unit by selecting Tackle Rashawn Slater with their first round draft pick at 13th overall. These were necessary additions as Herbert was under pressure constantly as a rookie. Rookie offensive linemen don't always step in and make an immediate impact, but it seems fairly likely that Linsley and Slater will give Herbert more time, and thus more confidence, to hold onto the ball and sling it down the field for big plays.

It would've been nice to see Los Angeles invest a bit more into pass catchers this off-season as they've been missing in the draft for a few years now. There were some quality free agent receivers available who would've been a nice compliment to Keenan Allen, but the team instead opted to stick with what it had for the most part, adding only wide receiver Josh Palmer in the third round and swapping out Hunter Henry in exchange for Jared Cook at tight end.

Still, Herbert is a legitimate candidate for MVP this season if the Chargers can improve as a team. His combination of talent and poise made him an elite rookie and it'll be fun to see what he can do with a full offseason of preparation as the official starter. He's not going to cost as much as some of the top QBs will in seasonal leagues, but he's someone who should absolutely be a target in Superflex and dynasty leagues this year.

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Outlook: Ryan Tannehill was a Top 10 fantasy QB in 2020 - 9th in total fantasy points (391.5), 10th in fantasy points per game (24.5), 8th in TD passes (33). But while he completed over 65% of his passes, he threw for less than 4,000 yards and had only four games with at least 35 pass attempts, ranking 15th in passing yards, 17th in completions and 18th in the NFL in attempts. That's thanks in large part to the presence of all-world RB Derrick Henry. Make no mistake, as long as Henry is healthy, he's going to get his touches, and he's going to get his short yardage goal line runs. That's the base of the Titans offense, creating serious fantasy limitations for Tannehill.

A new OC usually means some level of transition, but the hiring of former TE coach Todd Downing from within should create some continuity for Tannehill after the departure of Arthur Smith. The arrival of WR's Julio Jones and Josh Reynolds has been seen as a positive for the passing game, as they will line up opposite fellow stud WR A.J. Brown. But TE Jonnu Smith and WR Corey Davis have both departed, and there are some questions along the offensive line, particularly in pass protection.

In the end, a fantasy analysis of Tannehill feels like a whole lot of, "eh." He proved us wrong in 2020, and he has some new weapons to work with. But roster losses and the production cap imposed by the presence of Henry, along with the process of working with a new coordinator could signal a slight step back in 2021. Tannehill is still a borderline QB1 who will likely be fine most weeks, but only great on occasion.

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Outlook: Hurts enters his second season as the unquestioned starter with the benefit of an entire offseason to prepare with his new coaching staff and players. The Eagles overhauled their coaching staff and wide receiving corps in favor of two young WRs in first-round picks, DeVonta Smith and Jalen Reagor (2020 first-rounder).

In his four games as a starter in 2020, Hurts had mixed results throwing the ball, with a 52% completion percentage and just six passing touchdowns compared to four interceptions. While those numbers are certainly pedestrian, it should be noted that the Eagles were decimated with injuries to the offensive line and wide receiving corps, which made things difficult for both Hurts and the departed Carson Wentz.

The ability to create with his legs is what makes Hurst attractive for fantasy owners, as he is projected to run for nearly 800 yards and six rushing touchdowns in 2021. Assuming he can get his completion percentage up closer to 60% and improves his touchdown efficiency, the added production on the ground should make Hurts a top-12 QB with excellent upside.

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Outlook: A devastating knee injury and the dominance of Justin Herbert stole the spotlight on what was shaping up to be one of the better rookie quarterback seasons in recent memory. The Bengals played fast and loose on offense as Burrow averaged over 40 attempts per game, which placed him right at the top of the NFL with Ben Roethlisberger. This style of play was forced upon the rookie as the run game couldn't get much going, and the defense wasn't reliable. Eventually the leaky line played a part in Burrow's knee getting mangled and the Bengal season came to a crashing end.

It was only a 10 game sample, but it was clear to anyone watching that Burrow has the makings of something special. He showed toughness and grit, was accurate (65% completion percentage) and careful with the ball (13-5 inception-to-touchdown ratio). He was able to elevate the players around him, and become a team leader.

The health of Burrow's surgically repaired knee is the only question mark coming into the 2021 season. The Bengals added Ja'Marr Chase to an already loaded receiving corps, and with the return of a healthy Mixon, Cincinnati could have the most talented young skill position players in the NFL. They have bolstered their offensive line with new coaching additions, veteran signings, and through the draft (2nd round pick Jackson Carman is expected to start). If 2019 1st rounder Jonah Williams can stay healthy and play to his potential, Burrow should see immense improvement in the blocking this season. Look for the Bengals to play an up-tempo offense with 3 receivers who are capable of beating the defense on any given play. This offense, with Burrow at the helm, will be exciting to watch. If the knee keeps him in the pocket more, Burrow will likely top out a low end QB1, but has upside to finish near the top-10.

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