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    Fantasy football rankings: Joe Burrow, Matt Stafford among top QB sleepers in 2024

    By Ayrton Ostly, USA TODAY,

    10 hours ago

    The 2024 fantasy football season is in full swing. The stink of last year's busts and injuries have worn off and have been replaced by optimism for the upcoming season.

    You likely won't see a lot of quarterbacks going in the first round or two of your fantasy draft, but they're an integral part of your team. Quarterbacks score more than any other position, regardless of format or platform, and an MVP-level season from a quarterback can provide the consistency needed to take home your league title.

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    Big names like Josh Allen , Patrick Mahomes , Jalen Hurts , and Lamar Jackson will all be off the board early. Their dual-threat game makes all four fantasy darlings. But they're far from the only quarterbacks to be excited about. Here are four quarterbacks going in later rounds who could be sleepers in 2024.

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    Fantasy football 2024: Quarterback sleepers

    Average draft position (ADP) and position ranking sourced from FantasyPros data.

    Joe Burrow , Cincinnati Bengals (ADP61, QB7)

    • 2023 stats (10 games): 244-of-365, 2,309 yards, 15 touchdowns, six interceptions, 88 rushing yards | 153.2 fantasy points

    QB7 isn't much of a sleeper but Burrow could be a league-winner at quarterback in 2024. It's understandable to be weary of an AFC North quarterback; Cleveland , Baltimore , and Pittsburgh boast top-10 defenses.

    But the rest of the Bengals schedule makes him a worthwhile choice. Cincinnati plays New England , Washington , Carolina , the New York Giants , Las Vegas , Tennessee , and Denver . Either rookie Amarius Mims or Trent Brown is an upgrade at right tackle from last season. Cincinnati used a lot more play action during the preseason than in years past, something that could boost Burrow's efficiency if carried over into the regular season.

    Kyler Murray , Arizona Cardinals (ADP64, QB8)

    • 2023 stats (eight games): 176-of-268, 1,799 yards, 10 touchdowns, five interceptions, 244 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns | 151.4 fantasy points

    Like Burrow, Murray at QB8 isn't too much of a sleeper. But he's entering the season healthy for the first time since 2022. He also has a Pro Bowl-level wide receiver if Marvin Harrison Jr. plays up to expectations early. The last time Murray was healthy and had a wide receiver of that caliber for a full season was in 2020 when 16 games with DeAndre Hopkins powered him to QB2 status. A stronger supporting cast this season and a rising playcaller in Drew Petzing could see a strong 2024 season in the top four or five at the position.

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    Caleb Williams , Chicago Bears (ADP97, QB13)

    • 2023 stats (college): 266-of-388, 3,633 yards, 30 touchdowns, five interceptions, 142 rushing yards, 11 rushing touchdowns

    The Chicago Bears' top pick could make a difference in year one. This is a new-look Bears offense with multiple skill sets at wide receiver. DJ Moore , Keenan Allen , rookie Rome Odunze , and tight end Cole Kmet make for the best supporting casts among starting rookie quarterbacks this season. Chicago plays plenty of good offenses in 2024 and the Bears may need Williams and company to produce at a high level to keep up.

    Matthew Stafford , Los Angeles Rams (ADP142, QB20)

    • 2023 stats (15 games): 326-of-521, 3,965 yards, 24 touchdowns, 11 interceptions | 254.3 fantasy points

    Stafford was QB15 in 2023 despite missing top wideout Cooper Kupp for five games. Kupp is back and healthy to start the season alongside last year's fantasy breakout Puka Nacua . Los Angeles reinforced the interior offensive line by signing guard Jonah Jackson from Detroit.

    On defense, Los Angeles lost Hall of Famer Aaron Donald and coordinator Raheem Morris. It'd be surprising if they didn't take a step back from being the 19th-ranked defense. Because of that, they'll need to put up points at a high clip in 2024. Stafford, with these weapons and one of the top play callers in the NFL in Sean McVay, could be a low-cost quarterback who helps you win your league.

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    Will Levis , Tennessee Titans (ADP166, QB22)

    • 2023 stats (nine games): 149-of-255, 1,808 yards, eight touchdowns, four interceptions, 57 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown | 106.1 fantasy points

    This is another low-cost bet at quarterback. Levis is a dual-threat quarterback who couldn't ask for much better of an offseason. Tennessee hired longtime Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan as their new head coach. Callahan subsequently brought on his father Bill - widely regarded as one of the best offensive line coaches in the league - to coach the Titans' offensive line. Tennessee then signed free agent wide receivers Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd before drafting JC Latham as their new starting left tackle. The Titans' offense is a vastly better place than in 2023, and Levis should benefit from his skill set.

    This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fantasy football rankings: Joe Burrow, Matt Stafford among top QB sleepers in 2024

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