Just as selecting the right quarterback is vital for fantasy football success in 2025, knowing which ones to avoid is equally important. Selecting the quarterback bust can cause you to have one that doesn’t separate himself from the large majority of the others at his position, or worse, one that you must drop because of their lack of production. Today, I’ll be highlighting my fantasy football QB fades for 2025.

 

 

 

Quarterback Fades for the 2025 Fantasy Football Season

Jared Goff, QB Lions

Jared Goff had a great 2024, scoring the second-highest PPG of his career with 19.8 and setting a new career high in passing touchdowns with 37. The Lions’ offense in 2024 was nearly unstoppable, and Goff was a big part of the reason why. 2025 brings change, though. Ben Johnson is now in Chicago, and Frank Ragnow, who was one of the best centers in the league, has retired. Now, we must question whether Jared Goff and the Lions can maintain their offensive proficiency. For a pocket quarterback like Goff, he needs passing efficiency to be a valuable fantasy player. Betting on Jared Goff for 2025 is threading a thin needle. This is still Dan Campbell’s team, and I expect them to keep their identity of keeping a high pace while being aggressive on fourth downs. But it will be hard for Goff to repeat his 2024 efficiency, so he is a quarterback fade for the 2025 fantasy football season. 

Justin Fields, QB Jets

Justin Fields’ career has been a little messy. Since entering the NFL, he’s ridden the fine line between average NFL starter and potential franchise quarterback, all while producing for fantasy with his rushing ability. Over the last three years, when starting, Fields has averaged between 18.4 and 20.5 PPG. Now, after signing a two-year $40 million contract with the Jets, Fields is looking to take the next step and solidify himself as their quarterback of the future. It used to be that any high-volume rushing quarterback was a near lock for QB1 status with a high chance to be top five, even without having average passing statistics. But we’re in a new era of fantasy football. Now we have a crop of quarterbacks like Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Kyler Murray, and more who both run and are efficient passers. Now, it’s much harder for a rushing quarterback to have realistic top-five upside if they aren’t good passers as well. When I draft a top 12 quarterback, I want them to have a chance to finish that high. 

Jordan Love, QB Packers 

In his first full season as a starter in 2023, Jordan Love was a pleasant surprise. The gunslinger made a habit of making big throws, finishing with 32 passing touchdowns and 19.4 PPG. Needless to say, expectations were high for Love entering 2024. Unfortunately, his season didn’t go as planned. Love finished with just 16.3 PPG, 16th at the position, while the Packers had one of the lowest pass rates in the league. But, it’s worth noting that Love dealt with two different injuries during the season. First, he sprained his MCL in week one. Then, he suffered a groin injury in week eight. Heading into 2025, the one major change the Packers made was drafting Matthew Golden in the first round, who essentially replaces Christian Watson, who’s likely out for the entire season due to injury. With his draft capital, Golden represents more potential than the other pass catchers on the roster. That could help Love get back to his 2023 form. The real question for Love, however, is where the Packers will land on the pass rate spectrum?.

C.J. Stroud, QB Texans

Like Jordan Love, C.J. Stroud entered 2024 with high expectations after a stellar 2023. Stroud burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2023, scoring 18.7 PPG, which was seventh among quarterbacks, and led all quarterbacks in passing yards per game. Stroud also led all quarterbacks in interception percentage with just 1% after throwing only five interceptions for the season. Stroud’s fantasy football stock exploded going into the 2024 season, and his ADP became quite aggressive. Unfortunately, with his offensive line playing horribly and all three of his main wide receivers dealing with injuries throughout the season, Stroud finished with just 13.7 PPG for the season. This offseason, the Texans actually traded away Laremy Tunsil, their left tackle and best offensive lineman. The Texans have made a few moves to try and upgrade the line since the trade, but none inspire too much confidence.

Tua Tagovailoa, QB Dolphins

It was a tough year for Tua Tagovailoa in 2024. It marked the fourth season out of the five that Tagovailoa has been in the NFL which he hasn’t played the whole season. Tagovailoa played in just 11 games after dealing with another concussion and a hip injury as well. When healthy, Tagovailoa had to play behind one of the league’s worst offensive lines. The Dolphins had to change the way their offense ran, focusing on less efficient quick-hitting passes to try and hide the offensive line’s weakness. Tagovailoa averaged just 17.1 PPG for the season and had his lowest Yards Per Attempt of the last three years. The Dolphins have done little to upgrade their offensive line for 2025, so the concerns for it remain. Additionally, they traded out Jonnu Smith for Darren Waller, who’s coming out of retirement, which is easily a downgrade. It’s hard to see Tagovailoa improving under what is potentially a worse situation, and he will always have the concussion concerns. 

 

 

 

Why These Quarterbacks Are Risky Fantasy Picks

  • Jared Goff: If he doesn’t keep up his 2024 efficiency, he won’t be able to separate himself from not only the quarterbacks drafted near him but many drafted after him as well. 
  • Justin Fields: It’s much harder for a rushing quarterback to have realistic top-five upside if they aren’t good passers as well.
  • Jordan Love: Without knowing the type of offense the Packers will have in 2024, it’s hard to be confident in him separating himself from the other quarterbacks drafted around him. 
  • C.J. Stroud: With Stroud playing behind a poor offensive line, he could be under constant pressure as he was in 2024, when he was sacked 52 times and had a sophomore slump.
  • Tua Tagovailoa: Like CJ. Stroud, Tagovailoa is playing behind one of the league’s worst offensive lines. In 2024, the Dolphins’ offense had to change and became less efficient because of it.

 

 

 

Key Stats Signaling Potential Regression

  • Jared Goff: With Ben Johnson gone, the Lions’ offense and Goff could see regression. It will be tough for Goff to repeat his 6.9 touchdown percentage from 2024. 
  • Justin Fields: The only time Fields finished as a top 5 quarterback in PPG, he had a historic rushing season with nearly 1,200 yards and 8 touchdowns. Fields must become a better passer or repeat his historic season to do it again.
  • Jordan Love: Where the Packers will land on the pass rate spectrum? In 2024, the Packers were 30th in Pass Rate over Expectation. In 2023, they were 13th.
  • C.J. Stroud: As a rookie in 2023, Stroud’s Yards per Attempt was a fantastic 8.2. In 2024, it fell all the way down to 7.0 2023.
  • Tua Tagovailoa: With Mike McDaniel as head coach, Tagovailoa saw his yards per Attempt jump to 8.9 in 2022. Since then, it’s fallen each year to 8.3 in 2023 and 7.2 in 2024.

 

 

 

Draft Cost vs Expected Production

  • Jared Goff: Being drafted as QB11, Goff must finish as a top 12 quarterback to not fail and finish in the top 8 to be a value. 
  • Justin Fields: Fields is being drafted as the QB12 currently. With someone as risky as Fields, he needs to supply a near top 5 finish to be worth his cost.
  • Jordan Love: As of now, Love is the QB16 in drafts, meaning when drafted, you’re hoping he can crack the top 12 at his position. 
  • C.J. Stroud: Currently being drafted as QB18, Stroud would be expected to provide occasional top 12 weeks at his position, but likely finish just outside that for the season.
  • Tua Tagovailoa: Drafted as the QB20, Tagovailoa has a similar outlook to C.J. Stroud for the 2025 season.

 

 

 

Safer QB Alternatives to Target Instead

  • Jared Goff: Draft Dak Prescott instead, who has a better history of production, is in a pass-heavy offense, and just gained another great weapon in George Pickens.
  • Justin Fields: Go with Drake Maye. The ascending quarterback is one of the few quarterbacks who could rival Fields’ rushing and is already a much better passer.
  • Jordan Love: Instead, draft JJ McCarthy, who’s playing in a much better environment under Kevin O’Connell and has a better group of weapons.
  • C.J. Stroud: Draft Trevor Lawrence. He has a similar situation to Stroud, but is a better runner, which will help eliminate the risk they share. 
  • Tua Tagovailoa: Cameron Ward is a better alternative. Drafting Tagovailoa is signing up for a streaming quarterback ceiling. Take a shot on the higher upside instead.

Draft Better in 2025

Knowing the proper quarterbacks to fade will help you make your 2025 fantasy football season a success. Following these key stats will make it easy for you to avoid drafting a quarterback bust.

 

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