In most fantasy football leagues, running backs and wide receivers are king. Outside of leagues with unique scoring settings, quarterbacks are not usually all that important due to depth at the position. For that reason, quarterbacks can sometimes be an afterthought.
While quarterbacks certainly may not be as important as hitting on your early-round fantasy football draft picks, they can certainly lose otherwise great teams their leagues. So, with quarterbacks simply needing to tread water on already solid teams, the best options are those that you can simply “start and forget.”
For those of you who have busy lives, you can kick back and relax because, at FlurrySports, we’ve already done all the heavy lifting for you. You can find our 2021 fantasy football consistency rankings here. Our tool measures how often a player is a “boom,” “starter” or “bust” at their position (the finish for each category varies based on position and is explained on the tool’s page). This tool is as in-depth as you’ll find out there, as it looks at 100 WRs, 75 RBs, 60 TEs, 40 QBs, and even it takes into account every team’s defense as well.
Using our tool and looking at 2021 results, who does the data tell us can be relied upon to steer your team to a championship? Here were your most consistent 2021 fantasy football QBs.
Most Consistent 2021 Fantasy Football QBs
Jalen Hurts (Startable 73.3% of his games)
Jalen Hurts may only have been QB8 this past season, but he was the most consistent quarterback in all of fantasy football who started more than 10 games. Hurts was a “starter” (Top-12) in 11 of his 15 starts last season. While his completion percentage was ugly and he only threw for more than 250 yards four times, his ability in the running game propelled him to the top of our consistency rankings.
Hurts had his down weeks admittedly, as he was a “bust” (Outside of Top-18) in 20% of his games. While that may seem like a lot, that is less than quarterbacks such as Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Tom Brady and Joe Burrow, just to name a few. Seeing the additional receiving weapon the Philadelphia Eagles landed this year in receiver A.J. Brown, it seems Hurts can only go up. Hurts looks poised to repeat as one of the most consistent quarterbacks in fantasy for 2022.
Justin Herbert (68.8%)
You don’t get to be an elite fantasy football quarterback without consistency. Justin Herbert finished as QB3 thanks in part to being a “starter” just under 69% of the time. Add in that Herbert was a “bust” just over 18% of the time and a “boom” (Top-3) 25% of the time, and it’s easy to see why Herbert was one of the top quarterbacks last year.
Not much has changed on the offensive side of the ball for the Los Angeles Chargers, which should spell continued success for Herbert. With the Denver Broncos adding Russell Wilson at quarterback, all AFC West games should be tight, leading to the need for the Chargers to throw the ball the entire game. With running back Austin Ekeler continuing to serve as a nice safety net and receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams ready to run it back, Herbert is as reliable as they come in 2022.
Patrick Mahomes (68.8%)
Finishing not too far behind Justin Herbert stands Patrick Mahomes’ fantasy value. Mahomes had his struggles in the middle of the season, but he found his groove and turned it up late. While Mahomes was a “bust” for 25% of games, he was a “boom” in 25% of his starts as well. Tied with Herbert for starter percentage and offering one of the higher “boom” percentages among quarterbacks, Mahomes was much more reliable than not
Mahomes lost top receiver Tyreek Hill this past offseason, which has some worried about his elite-level production. While Hill will certainly be missed, the additions of JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and rookie Skyy Moore can’t go unmentioned. Mahomes still has his favorite option with tight end Travis Kelce and has more than enough talent in the wide receiver room to continue to produce.
Aaron Rodgers (66.7%)
Being able to rely on Aaron Rodgers for fantasy football is nothing new. In every season he has played 10 or more games, Rodgers has been a top-10 quarterback. It wasn’t much of a surprise when he finished as QB7 and a “starter” over 66% of the time. While Rodgers may not be viewed as a “flashy” quarterback for fantasy, he was a “boom” more than quarterbacks such as Joe Burrow and Jalen Hurts.
The loss of receiver Davante Adams will undoubtedly make his job a little tougher. At the same time, this is Aaron freaking Rodgers we’re talking about. Adams helped tremendously, but he wasn’t the sole reason Rodgers has won two straight MVPs. This season may get off to a slow start for Rodgers, but in a weak division, he should not be taken lightly.
Dak Prescott (66.7%)
Believe it or not, the fifth-most consistent fantasy football quarterback last season was Dak Prescott, not Josh Allen. With an absolute juggernaut of an offense, it was no surprise that Prescott was a steady option last season. Although Dak did put up some absolutely horrendous games, he was still a “starter” over 66% of the time. Prescott was a “boom” 20% of the time as well. While Prescott was a “bust” over a third of the time, he was at least a “starter” in every other game.
The Eagles have improved, but the division is still weak and the Dallas Cowboys are still stacked. While Dallas shipped off receiver Amari Cooper to Cleveland, the Cowboys are still bursting at the seams with offensive talent. Looking ahead at Dallas’ schedule around the fantasy playoffs, the Cowboys play Houston, Jacksonville, Philadelphia, Tennessee and Washington. All signs point to Dak at least being a reliable starter for the fantasy playoffs and during the playoff hunt.