Top 10 Fantasy QB Seasons of 2018
Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs had the number one fantasy quarterback season of 2018, scoring 415 fantasy points across 16 games for an average of 26 points per game. Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons finished second at 351 points, and Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers took third at 334. Mahomes led the position in both total points and per-game scoring, and his season stands apart from everything else on the 2018 board.
What Were the Top 10 Fantasy QB Seasons of 2018?
The 2018 quarterback board was defined by one outlier at the top. Patrick Mahomes posted 415 fantasy points for the Kansas City Chiefs, and no other quarterback in the top ten came within reach of that figure. His best week of 39 was the standard his season set week to week, and his 26 points per game led the position comfortably.
| Rank | Player | Team | Games | Points | Points Per Game | Best Week | | 1 | Patrick Mahomes | Kansas City Chiefs | 16 | 415 | 26 | 39 | | 2 | Matt Ryan | Atlanta Falcons | 16 | 351 | 22 | 36 | | 3 | Ben Roethlisberger | Pittsburgh Steelers | 16 | 334 | 21 | 37 | | 4 | Deshaun Watson | Houston Texans | 16 | 332 | 21 | 36 | | 5 | Andrew Luck | Indianapolis Colts | 16 | 324 | 20 | 34 | | 6 | Aaron Rodgers | Green Bay Packers | 16 | 307 | 19 | 41 | | 7 | Jared Goff | Los Angeles Rams | 16 | 304 | 19 | 39 | | 8 | Drew Brees | New Orleans Saints | 16 | 303 | 19 | 40 | | 9 | Russell Wilson | Seattle Seahawks | 16 | 297 | 19 | 28 | | 10 | Dak Prescott | Dallas Cowboys | 16 | 282 | 18 | 32 |
Where Did the 2018 Quarterback Field Break?
The table splits into three clear bands. Mahomes sits alone at the top. Matt Ryan then holds second place at 351 points, ahead of a tightly packed chase group: Ben Roethlisberger at 334, Deshaun Watson at 332, and Andrew Luck at 324. Those three finished within a narrow band of each other, which meant the middle of the board was settled by small margins.
The lower half compresses even further. Aaron Rodgers at 307, Jared Goff at 304, Drew Brees at 303, and Russell Wilson at 297 are separated by tiny amounts across four spots, and Dak Prescott closes the list at 282. Anyone holding one of those four quarterbacks in 2018 received nearly identical season-long production, a fact the per-game column confirms: Rodgers, Goff, Brees, and Wilson all averaged 19 points per game.
Which Best Weeks Stood Out in 2018?
Aaron Rodgers owns the single best week of the 2018 top ten at 41 points, which is remarkable given he finished sixth in total scoring. Drew Brees posted the second-highest best week at 40, with Mahomes and Jared Goff each reaching 39. The contrast with Rodgers's overall rank is the most striking best-week data point on the board: his biggest game outscored Mahomes's biggest game, yet Mahomes finished far ahead on the season.
At the other end, Russell Wilson's best week of 28 was the smallest peak among the ten, and Dak Prescott's 32 was next lowest. Wilson still finished ninth on the strength of steadiness rather than a single eruption, while his per-game average of 19 matched the players who finished directly ahead of him.
What Do the 2018 Numbers Say About Quarterback Depth?
Ten different teams placed a quarterback in this top ten, and the per-game column shows how deep usable starters ran in 2018. Prescott, in tenth place, still averaged 18 points per game. The distance from second place to tenth place in total points is modest compared to the distance from first to second, which tells the story of the season: one historic outlier, then a crowd of interchangeable starters behind him.
For draft purposes, the historical lesson of 2018 is that the gap worth paying for sat at the very top. Matt Ryan at 22 points per game was the only quarterback besides Mahomes to average more than 21, and the third through tenth spots delivered almost flat production.
Common questions
Who was the number one fantasy quarterback of 2018?
- Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs, with 415 fantasy points over 16 games, an average of 26 points per game, and a best week of 39. He led all quarterbacks in both total points and per-game scoring.
How many fantasy points did Matt Ryan score in 2018?
- Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons scored 351 fantasy points in 2018, averaging 22 points per game across 16 games with a best week of 36. That placed him second among all quarterbacks.
Which quarterbacks finished third through fifth in fantasy points in 2018?
- Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers was third at 334 points, Deshaun Watson of the Houston Texans was fourth at 332, and Andrew Luck of the Indianapolis Colts was fifth at 324. All three played 16 games.
Which quarterback had the biggest single fantasy week in 2018?
- Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers, with a best week of 41 points. Drew Brees was next at 40, followed by Patrick Mahomes and Jared Goff at 39 each.
Did every top 10 fantasy quarterback of 2018 play 16 games?
- Yes. Each of the ten quarterbacks on the list played 16 games, so the ranking reflects the full length of the 2018 season rather than partial availability.
Which teams had a top 10 fantasy quarterback in 2018?
- Ten different teams: the Kansas City Chiefs, Atlanta Falcons, Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Rams, New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks, and Dallas Cowboys.
What was the closest section of the 2018 quarterback top 10?
- Spots six through nine. Aaron Rodgers finished at 307 points, Jared Goff at 304, Drew Brees at 303, and Russell Wilson at 297, a near four-way tie in season-long production, and all four averaged 19 points per game.