Solid Backup QBs for your 2024 fantasy football team

The season has officially started with the Kansas City Chiefs getting the 27-20 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night. For those who have Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson, a decent number of points were racked up. However, where do you turn if your starting QB is injury-prone and ends up on IR for a bit? There’s a decent crop of quarterbacks who could help you out in this situation. Obviously, you won’t be pulling Josh Allen as a replacement, but here are a few options that could help your fantasy football team out.

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No. 1 Jayden Daniels – Washington Commanders

Fantasy Football Ranking - 81

This young rookie had a decent showing in the preseason, and he could end up being a good selection for the bench. He finished his time at LSU in 2023, where he had 236 completions out of 327 attempts. Daniels also ended with 3,812 yards, 11.7 yards per attempt, and 40 TDs on the season with just four interceptions. Daniels will be working with WR1 Terry McLaurin, who piled on the yards in 2023 and will be a great look for the rookie. He could end up really racking up the points this season.

No. 2 Caleb Williams – Chicago Bears

Fantasy Football Ranking - 95

Williams is another rookie preparing to start his career. He was the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, which could put some pressure on his back. Williams finished his time with USC with 266 completions out of 388 passes. He had 3,633 yards his final season, 9.4 yards per attempt, and 30 TDs with five interceptions. D’Andre Swift will be his RB1, and last season, he had a decent 214 receiving yards. His WR1 will be DJ Moore, who had 1,364 receiving yards last season. These two will definitely help boost Williams’ production and keep him steady during games.

No. 3 Gardner Minshew – Las Vegas Raiders

Fantasy Football Ranking - 243

Minshew will have his first chance to take the reins of the Raiders this season. His career has been the definition of up and down, and you never know what type of production you’ll get from him. However, on teams where he started, he showed consistency. Last season, he had a completion rate of 62.2% and had 3,305 passing yards with an average of 6.7 yards per pass. Minshew also racked up 15 touchdown passes, but he also threw nine interceptions and was sacked 34 times. He might not be the best choice as a starter for your team, but he’d make a decent backup.

No. 4 Bryce Young – Carolina Panthers

Fantasy Football Ranking - 170

Bryce Young had a decent rookie season with the Panthers in 2023. However, there is no telling what type of QB he’ll be yet. Last year, the team wasn’t set up for success as there were problems with the o-line. He was sacked 62 times, which is the second most sacks on a QB last season, just under Sam Howell’s 65. He still managed to throw for 2,877 yards with an average of 5.5 yards per pass attempt. His completion rating was 59.8%, and he threw 11 TDs and 10 interceptions. However, the team has put a lot of money into their offensive line this season, so Young could have a much more successful year.

No. 5 Sam Darnold – Minnesota Vikings

Fantasy Football Ranking - 179

Darnold has taken the reins of the Vikings after Kirk Cousins’ departure. Darnold played 10 games last season as a backup for the San Francisco 49ers with 28 completions and 297 passing yards. The former backup threw for two touchdowns and one interception. Early on, he had some injury issues, but now he seems steady. Justin Jefferson at WR1 could help give Darnold a great season passing-wise. The team’s o-line is also considered solid. The 27-year-old QB could finally get a chance to have a full regular season.

Article originally written by Elizabeth Della Piana