NFL Daily Fantasy Football 2015: Projecting Top DraftKings Performers at QB

The 2015 season may be seen as a changing of the guard at the quarterback position in fantasy football—at least from a partial perspective.

Over the past few seasons, it has been Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Peyton Manning at the top of the ratings, but this year marks the inclusion of Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck firmly in the No. 2 spot behind Rodgers.

We still include Brees in the top five but refuse to back Manning at this point in his career. It's not that he isn't healthy at the start of training camp, but we can't see him staying that way for more than a few weeks.

As a result, he's dropped quite a bit, and we can't recommend him over Rodgers, Brees, Luck, Ben Roethlisberger, Russell Wilson and Tony Romo.

Upside 

Aaron Rodgers is one of the most consistent quarterbacks in the NFL, and by the time his career is over, he could rank with Joe Montana, John Unitas, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady as one of the game's historical greats. His accuracy, know-how, intelligence, athleticism and resourcefulness give him an advantage over the opposing defensive coordinators who scheme against him on a weekly basis.

He is coming off a season in which he threw 38 touchdown passes, was intercepted just five times and had eight 300-yard passing games. He also ran for two touchdowns. 

He is 31 years old and has remarkable weapons on his team. There are no signs of Rodgers slowing down at all, and he should continue to reign as the top fantasy quarterback.

Downside

Rodgers played a full 16-game season last year, but he missed seven games in 2013 with a shoulder injury. The only negative on Rodgers' resume is a potential injury knocking him out for a good chunk of the schedule. There doesn't appear to be anything else to be concerned with this season, as the Packers seem to be a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

Bottom Line

There are many excellent quarterbacks in the game, but Rodgers is the best. This translates to sensational fantasy numbers thanks to his accuracy, strong arm, quick release and intelligence. His numbers should be as good or better as they have been in previous seasons.

2015 Projections: 360-of-545, 4,588 yards, 42 TDs, 7 interceptions; 238 rushing yards, 3 TDs

Upside

Andrew Luck has more than lived up to the hype since the Colts drafted him in 2012. He has the size, strength, physical abilities and intelligence to become one of the dominant players in the NFL as he enters his fourth season. 

Luck led the league with 40 TD passes last year, and he has been quite durable, as he has started 48 straight games to begin his career. He has proved he can take a physical beating, get up and punish the defense with his strong, accurate throws. 

Luck's accuracy has improved each season. After completing 54.1 percent of his throws in 2012, that figure improved to 60.1 percent in '13 and he completed 61.7 percent last year. That bodes well for the 2015 season, and his soft competition in the AFC South probably won't be able to do much to slow him down.

Downside

Luck is fully capable of taking the Colts offense and carrying it, but he is also capable of trying to do too much and can throw risky passes. He threw 16 interceptions last year after tossing just nine in 2013. His offensive line may not give him stellar protection, and that could lead to additional turnovers.

Bottom Line

Luck is already one of the premier quarterbacks in the game at the age of 25, and he should only get better from this point. He can't try to force passes that aren't there, and if he realizes this a bit more than he did last year, he may approach Rodgers' level of production.

2015 Projections: 388-of-590, 4,376 yards, 37 TDs, 13 interceptions; 311 rushing yards, 4 rushing TDs

Upside

The numbers took a bit of a downturn for Drew Brees in 2014, as the Saints failed to make the playoffs for just the second time in five years. 

However, the 36-year-old quarterback from Austin, Texas, still led the league with 4,952 passing yards (tied with Ben Roethlisberger) in a "bad" year. Brees simply got no help from the New Orleans defense, and his supporting cast was inconsistent. 

With any kind of bounce-back campaign, Brees should once again be among the most dynamic players in the league. His ability to read defenses gives him a huge advantage, and he will pick out the right play call on most occasions. Brees threw 33 touchdowns last year, and that should be a jumping-off point for him this year.

Downside 

Brees felt the heat last year and threw 17 interceptions, and this year he will not have tight end Jimmy Graham on his side. Brees will be able to develop an excellent rapport with wideouts Brandin Cooks, Nick Toon and Marques Colston, but it will take some time to adjust to life without Graham.

Brees also needs Mark Ingram and C.J. Spiller to help in the running game, because it is too much to ask him to carry the burden by himself at this point.

Bottom Line

Brees has been an indomitable quarterback throughout his brilliant NFL career. If he throws an interception or fumbles the ball, there may not be a better quarterback to bounce back and put the bad play out of his mind than Brees. Still, his team is coming off a poor year, and he has been taking shots for 14 years. It will not be easy.

2015 Projections: 422-of-636, 4,398 yards, 36 TDs, 13 interceptions; 76 rushing yards, 0 TDs

Upside 

Russell Wilson finally got the payday he deserved when he signed a four-year, $87.6 million contract extension with the Seahawks at the start of training camp, and that should ease some of his burden and allow him to play with a clear mind.

Wilson has been a brilliant leader in taking the Seahawks to two Super Bowls and winning one of them in the first three years of his career. He threw 20 touchdown passes last year and rushed for six more while throwing for a career-best 3,475 yards. 

Wilson is clearly a dual threat as a quarterback because of his outstanding running ability. He rushed for 849 yards last year, which makes him a very attractive fantasy option. So does the presence of Jimmy Graham at tight end. He gives the Seahawks a major threat at that position, and Wilson should have no problems finding him.

Downside

Wilson has been an overachiever in his first three years in the league, but that label is not going to do him any good at this point. Head coach Pete Carroll needs Wilson to continue to provide leadership and production at the most important points in the game. 

As a top-level running quarterback, Wilson is in the line of fire even more than most quarterbacks. While he has been able to avoid injuries at this point, it seems that a major injury could be around the corner.

Bottom Line 

Barring a major injury (we don't want to be morbid), Wilson is still on the upside of his career, and his passing numbers should only get better. The Seahawks remain a strong contender, and it's hard to see Wilson letting them down with his play.

2015 Projections: 285-of-432, 3,837 yards, 28 TDs, 9 interceptions; 676 rushing yards, 6 TDs

Upside 

It seemed that quite a bit of the burden placed on Tony Romo's shoulders got lifted last year, as the Cowboys won the NFC East and also delivered a playoff victory before being eliminated by the Green Bay Packers.

Romo was razor sharp throughout much of the 2015 season, and he benefited greatly from having the No. 1 rusher in the league in DeMarco Murray. The big question is whether Romo can have the same level of success now that Murray is in Philadelphia.

Romo threw a TD pass in all but one of his starts last year (34 for the season), and with weapons such as Dez Bryant and Jason Witten on his side, he should be able to do that again. 

Downside 

The loss of Murray could be a positive or a negative for Romo. The 35-year-old quarterback threw for 3,705 yards last season, and that's a figure that was exceeded by 13 other quarterbacks. Since Murray is gone, his yardage total may go up quite a bit.

However, if opponents don't respect the Dallas running game, they could turn the dogs loose and go after Romo without hesitation. Since he has been victimized by back problems over the years, that could be a season-altering issue.

Bottom Line

There are better quarterbacks in the NFL, but does anyone throw a more catchable ball than Romo? Very doubtful. He is talented, intelligent, gutsy and will leave it all on the field on a weekly basis. Last year's success should allow him to play with some degree of freedom.

2015 Projections: 325-of-478, 3,987 yards, 33 TDs, 11 interceptions; 50 rushing yards, 0 TDs

Upside 

Ben Roethlisberger is coming off a remarkable season in which he tied Drew Brees for the league lead with 4,952 passing yards. He also tied his career best with 32 TD passes.

Roethlisberger was in peak form when he threw six TD passes in Weeks 8 and 9, and he appeared to carry the offense on his substantial shoulders. One of the reasons for his success was his improved working relationship with offensive coordinator Todd Haley.

Another reason for his success was the continued development of explosive wide receiver Antonio Brown and the running of Le’Veon Bell. The Steelers’ “Triplets” gave them one of the most dynamic offensive attacks in the league.

Downside 

Few quarterbacks have taken more physical abuse over the years than the 33-year-old Roethlisberger. While his size and strength allow him to throw off would-be sackers better than nearly every other signal-caller in the league, one huge hit could force him to the sidelines. That is exacerbated by a Pittsburgh offensive line that has struggled.

Bottom Line 

The balance the Steelers have on the offensive side works in Roethlisberger's favor. He should be able to follow up on last season's success and put another high-level season together.

2015 Projections: 403-of-621, 4,834 yards, 33 TDs, 13 interceptions; 80 rushing yards, 0 TDs

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