These 2010 Fantasy Football Quarterback Rankings will be updated often throughout the summer, so make sure you check back from time to time. Also, be sure to check out my other 2010 Fantasy Football articles, which will include sleepers, busts, tons of 2010 Fantasy Football mock drafts and other material.
MISSING
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Kevin Kolb, QB, Eagles. Bye: 8.
AUG. 28 UPDATE: Kevin Kolb went 11-of-25 for 103 yards and an interception at Kansas City. Now, a couple of excuses can be made for this. First, Kolb should have had a touchdown to Jeremy Maclin, but there was an uncalled pass interference. DeSean Jackson also left the game in the first quarter with a neck strain. More troubling, Kolb was constantly pressured by Kansas City’s defensive front.
However, Kolb made a number of mistakes. His pick was carelessly heaved into double coverage as he escaped pressure. Kolb also should have thrown two more interceptions; Eric Berry was half a step away from a pick-six at the beginning of the game, while linebacker Demorrio Williams had a ball go through his hands in the third quarter.
I have to downgrade Kolb in my 2010 Fantasy Football Rankings. After an impressive showing against the Jaguars, he has regressed in each succeeding game. I still like him to post big numbers because of all of his weapons, but my expectations have been curbed.
AUG. 21 UPDATE: I guess you could say that Philadelphia’s first preseason game was a bit of a mirage. Jacksonville’s defense has the potential to be epically bad this year, so playing Cincinnati was more of a test for Kevin Kolb. Kolb was pretty average. He made some great throws, particularly to DeSean Jackson. However, Kolb missed some open wideouts, including two in the end zone. The most disconcerting thing was that Kolb was frequently pressured, as his offensive line had problems keeping a four-man pass rush out of the backfield. In total, Kolb went 11-of-17 for 126 yards in one half of play.
AUG. 14 UPDATE: Kevin Kolb didn’t show any jitters early on during the preseason opener, firing a 26-yard dart to DeSean Jackson on his first attempt. On the next series of downs, Kolb scrambled for a first down. Toward the end of the drive, he tossed a perfect throw into Brent Celek’s arms, but the tight end couldn’t come up with the touchdown catch. Kolb went 6-of-11 for 95 yards. He had a couple of poor passes, but as mentioned, he could have had a score added to his stat line. Eagles fans should be very encouraged by what they saw on Friday night.
PREVIOUS UPDATES: Kevin Kolb has started two games in his career. The first was pretty rocky, but he battled the eventual champion Saints and posted 391 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions. The following week, he torched the abysmal Chiefs for 327 yards and two scores.
Kolb may be inexperienced, but he’s very accurate and fits really well into Philadelphia’s West Coast offense. Plus, he has three dynamic targets (DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, Brent Celek) at his disposal. It’s safe to draft Kolb as a QB1. I’ll be pretty surprised if he has a poor season.
Projected 2010 Fantasy Stats: 4,050 passing yards. 23 passing TDs. 16 INTs. 130 rushing yards. 1 rushing TD.
Projected 2010 Fantasy Points (ESPN Scoring): 241.
Projected 2010 Fantasy Points (QB Friendly): 327.
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Donovan McNabb, QB, Redskins. Bye: 9.
AUG. 23 UPDATE: It’s only been two preseason games, but the Donovan McNabb era looks very promising in Washington. McNabb went 11-of-26 for 206 yards and an interception against the Ravens in just one half of action. The completion percentage seems awful, but not if you consider that McNabb endured a whopping five dropped passes by various targets. The pick was his fault though, and he should have thrown a second interception that was dropped by Ravens safety Dawan Landry. All in all, however, McNabb’s performance was encouraging. He should be able to post solid numbers in Washington this season.
AUG. 14 UPDATE: Fortunately for the sanity of everyone in the D.C. area, Donovan McNabb was really sharp in the exhibition opener. McNabb was 5-of-8 for 58 yards and a touchdown. He had a few goofy passes – which you know he’s prone to if you’ve ever watching him with the Eagles – but overall, Redskins fans have to be thrilled with their new quarterback.
PREVIOUS UPDATES: Donovan McNabb goes from DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and Jason Avant as his receivers to Santana Moss, Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly. Blah. Then again, McNabb did throw for 3,365 yards and 21 touchdowns in a season when his wideouts were Charles Johnson, Torrance Small and Na Brown.
The good news is that McNabb has two very talented tight ends at his disposal (Chris Cooley, Fred Davis). Mike Shanahan is an offensive genius and will get the most out of McNabb. And don’t forget that McNabb has a huge chip on his shoulder in the wake of being discarded by the Eagles.
Projected 2010 Fantasy Stats: 3,650 passing yards. 22 passing TDs. 10 INTs. 150 rushing yards. 2 rushing TDs.
Projected 2010 Fantasy Points (ESPN Scoring): 241.
Projected 2010 Fantasy Points (QB Friendly): 321.
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Eli Manning, QB, Giants. Bye: 8.
And now we know what happens when Eli Manning doesn’t have a good defense and is forced to throw more often than he’s used to. Manning tallied 4,021 yards, 27 touchdowns and 14 interceptions despite playing on a bum toe in the middle of the season. The defense hasn’t improved, so Manning should still be a low-end QB1 – especially when you consider the rapport he’s undoubtedly developing with Hakeem Nicks.
Projected 2010 Fantasy Stats: 3,900 passing yards. 25 passing TDs. 13 INTs. 30 rushing yards. 1 rushing TD.
Projected 2010 Fantasy Points (ESPN Scoring): 239.
Projected 2010 Fantasy Points (QB Friendly): 328.
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Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Steelers. Bye: 5.
AUG. 30 UPDATE: Ben Roethlisberger played exactly one quarter – Mike Tomlin took him out in the middle of the drive. Big Ben was very sharp, going 4-of-6 for 67 yards. He’s well worth owning as a QB2. Pick him up if he’s available in Round 10 or later.
AUG. 14 UPDATE: According to beat writer Ed Bouchette, Ben Roethlisberger is enjoying the best training camp of his career. I thought Roethlisberger would struggle amid all the rape allegations, but he apparently has focused on football this offseason. He deserves a ton of credit for that.
PREVIOUS UPDATE: Ben Roethlisberger has been suspended for 4-6 games. It may seem like a good idea to draft him as a backup so you can use him in the middle of the year or in the playoffs, but keep in mind that this whole sexual assault case probably has limited Big Ben’s time to work out and watch film. He also won’t have Santonio Holmes at his disposal this year.
Projected 2010 Fantasy Stats: 3,000 passing yards. 21 passing TDs. 12 INTs. 75 rushing yards. 2 rushing TDs.
Projected 2010 Fantasy Points (ESPN Scoring): 199 (16.6 fantasy ppg; 16-game projection: 265).
Projected 2010 Fantasy Points (QB Friendly): 271.
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Brett Favre, QB, Vikings. Bye: 4. 
AUG. 25 UPDATE: Brett Favre has just lost his No. 1 receiver until Week 9-10 at the very earliest. With Rice’s hip and Percy Harvin’s migraine issues, Favre will have major problems matching last year’s numbers.
AUG. 18 UPDATE: Here’s a math problem: If Brett Favre leaves on a plane from Mississippi and travels north to Minnesota at 540 miles per hour, how many times can he annoy the hell out of us with his wishy-washy retirement crap? Favre’s back, and there should have never been any doubt from anyone that he would play this year. Shame on the media for falling for this ridiculous charade.
PREVIOUS UPDATE: No one should be surprised if Brett Favre finishes as a top-five fantasy quarterback this year; he compiled 4,202 yards, 33 yards and seven interceptions last season when many people, including myself, doubted him. Having said that, there is a considerable amount of risk in making Favre your QB1. Favre turns 41 in October and just had surgery on his injured ankle. At 41, Favre won’t heal very quickly.
The bottom line is that I feel as though Favre’s risks outweigh his rewards, especially considering that there are 13 legitimate QB1s in fantasy this season. At some point Favre has to break down or regress, right? Why take an unnecessary risk?
Projected 2010 Fantasy Stats: 3,900 passing yards. 27 passing TDs. 14 INTs. 0 rushing yards. 0 rushing TDs.
Projected 2010 Fantasy Points (ESPN Scoring): 236.
Projected 2010 Fantasy Points (QB Friendly): 329.
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Jay Cutler, QB, Bears. Bye: 8. 
AUG. 30 UPDATE: Jay Cutler went 10-of-20 for 129 yards and two ugly interceptions against the Cardinals. He also took four sacks in two-and-a-half quarters, bringing that total to nine in the past two contests. The offensive line was responsible for some of those sacks (left tackle Chris Williams couldn’t block Calais Campbell), but Cutler held on to the ball too long on other occasions.
AUG. 23 UPDATE: This is going to be a long season for Jay Cutler if Saturday’s game is any indication. Cutler went 7-of-15 for 99 yards and a touchdown, which is actually really impressive if you factor in that he was under pressure on almost every play. Cutler was sacked a whopping five times in the first half alone. Kamerion Wimbley had four of those sacks, as he beat left tackle Chris Williams twice. Thanks to Mike Martz’s idiotic/non-existent pass protection schemes, there’s a good chance Cutler will get hurt sometime this year.
PREVIOUS UPDATES: As crappy as Jay Cutler was last year, he managed to throw for 3,666 yards and 27 touchdowns. The 26 picks obviously hurt, but Cutler was still a decent fantasy option. Now, Cutler will be coached by new offensive coordinator Mike Martz, who once managed to turn Jon Kitna into a 4,000-yard passer. Sure, Cutler may toss 30 interceptions and get sacked 50 times this year, but he’s going to post monstrous fantasy numbers (unless he has to go on IR after being sacked so much that his organs pop out).
Projected 2010 Fantasy Stats: 4,000 passing yards. 26 passing TDs. 27 INTs. 140 rushing yards. 1 rushing TD.
Projected 2010 Fantasy Points (ESPN Scoring): 230.
Projected 2010 Fantasy Points (QB Friendly): 322.
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Carson Palmer, QB, Bengals. Bye: 6.
AUG. 31 UPDATE: Carson Palmer played decently in his limited action at Buffalo, going 9-of-11 for 95 yards and two touchdowns in one quarter of action He was very accurate, but still failed to demonstrate the zip he once showed prior to all of his injuries. Still, given the weapons he has, he’s going to post solid numbers. He’s a fine high-end QB2.
AUG. 9 UPDATE: Carson Palmer did not look good against the Cowboys. He was just 2-of-5 for 18 yards, and was sacked twice. He looked like the same guy who struggled in 2009 – a quarterback with minimal arm strength.
JULY 29 UPDATE: Amid all of the Terrell Owens hoopla yesterday, I forgot to upgrade Carson Palmer. It’s unclear if Palmer is anywhere close to 100 percent – there are tons of mixed reports about this, so we’ll just have to see during the preseason – but his numbers will undoubtedly see a bump with Owens, Antonio Bryant and Jermaine Gresham upgrading Laveranues Coles, Andre Caldwell and J.P. Foschi respectively.
PREVIOUS UPDATES: It’s now or never for Carson Palmer. With Antonio Bryant, Jermaine Gresham and Jordan Shipley joining Chad Ochocinco, there are no more excuses. Palmer didn’t appear 100 percent last year, but he didn’t have anyone to work with besides No. 85. If Palmer can bounce back physically – and that’s a huge IF – he can be a low-end QB1.
Projected 2010 Fantasy Stats: 3,600 passing yards. 24 passing TDs. 13 INTs. 75 rushing yards. 1 rushing TD.
Projected 2010 Fantasy Points (ESPN Scoring): 227.
Projected 2010 Fantasy Points (QB Friendly): 311.
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Vince Young, QB, Titans. Bye: 9.
AUG. 24 UPDATE: Vince Young played really well against the Cardinals, going 9-of-13 for 128 yards. He also had one carry for 10 yards. He’s a solid QB2 this season.
PREVIOUS UPDATES: Vince Young is an erratic passer playing in a run-first offense, so he’s not a consistent fantasy producer. His rushing yards sometimes make up for his pedestrian passing numbers, but that’s not something you can count on.
Projected 2010 Fantasy Stats: 2,850 passing yards. 16 passing TDs. 11 INTs. 450 rushing yards. 4 rushing TDs.
Projected 2010 Fantasy Points (ESPN Scoring): 225.
Projected 2010 Fantasy Points (QB Friendly): 285.
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Josh Freeman, QB, Buccaneers. Bye: 4. 
AUG. 24 UPDATE: The big news coming out of the Buccaneers-Chiefs game was that Josh Freeman injured the thumb on his throwing hand when he hit it against an opposing player’s helmet. Freeman’s thumb will be in a splint in the next 2-3 weeks, but he’s expected to be ready for the opener. I’m giving Freeman a stock downgrade because he’s young and needs the preseason reps, but if you liked him as a high-upside QB2, don’t let this injury deter you from drafting him in the final couple of rounds.
AUG. 15 UPDATE: Josh Freeman was perfect in the preseason opener, hitting all four of his passes for 53 yards and a touchdown to Sammie Stroughter. He also looked good when scrambling out of the pocket. Freeman is a million miles ahead of where he was last year.
PREVIOUS UPDATES: Josh Freeman had a very frustrating rookie season. At times he showed brilliant flashes – 205 yards, 3 TDs against the Packers; 250 yards, 2 TDs at Atlanta. But on other occasions, he was horrific – 93 yards, 3 INTs against the Jets; 5 INTs at Carolina; 174 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs against the Falcons.
Freeman, now in his second season (and first as a full-time starter), will be more consistent. The Buccaneers added two physically talented rookies in Arrelious Benn and Mike Williams, which should also help Freeman. The offensive line is still an issue and the running game is a huge question mark, but Freeman should be a solid QB2 in 2010.
Projected 2010 Fantasy Stats: 3,600 passing yards. 20 passing TDs. 15 INTs. 210 rushing yards. 1 rushing TD.
Projected 2010 Fantasy Points (ESPN Scoring): 221.
Projected 2010 Fantasy Points (QB Friendly): 297.
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Chad Henne, QB, Dolphins. Bye: 5.
AUG. 28 UPDATE: Chad Henne was 10-of-22 for 123 yards and an interception against the Falcons. He suffered two drops, but the pick was his fault; he simply didn’t see linebacker Mike Peterson in the end zone, who tipped Henne’s pass into the arms of Erik Coleman. Henne has been pretty disappointing in two of three games this preseason.
AUG. 24 UPDATE: Chad Henne was brilliant at Jacksonville, going 11-of-14 for 151 yards and two touchdowns. He was nearly flawless, as he suffered two drops from Davone Bess and Brandon Marshall. Henne remains a high-upside QB2 with Marshall starting to come on.
PREVIOUS UPDATES: I really like Chad Henne as a high-upside QB2. In his first year as a starter, Henne totaled 2,878 yards, 12 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 13 starts. Henne is a skilled quarterback with a big arm, but the reason he’s a deep sleeper of mine is because of Brandon Marshall. According to my fantasy quarterbacks with new receivers article, Henne is projected to throw for 3,948 yards, 23 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. I could certainly see that happening.
Projected 2010 Fantasy Stats: 3,750 passing yards. 23 passing TDs. 16 INTs. 30 rushing yards. 1 rushing TD.
Projected 2010 Fantasy Points (ESPN Scoring): 219.
Projected 2010 Fantasy Points (QB Friendly): 302.
MISSING
More 2010 Fantasy Football Articles:
2010 Fantasy Football: Home
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings:
2010 Fantasy Football Playoff Rankings - 1/5 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Week 17 Fantasy Rankings - 1/2 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterbacks - 8/31 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterbacks - 6/6 (Steve)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Running Backs - 9/6 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Running Backs - 7/3 (Steve)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Wide Receivers - 9/7 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Wide Receivers - 7/14 (Steve)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Tight Ends - 8/31 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Tight Ends - 7/20 (Steve)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Kickers - 6/10 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Defenses - 6/11 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Auction Values - 9/2 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: IDP Defensive Linemen - 8/3 (Steve)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: IDP Linebackers - 8/7 (Steve)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: IDP Defensive Backs - 8/14 (Steve)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Team-by-Team - 6/7 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Dynasty Rookie Rankings - 4/30 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Rookie Rankings - 4/29 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheets:
2010 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 150 Traditional - 9/6 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 150 PPR - 9/6 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 150 Touchdown League - 9/6 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Downloadable Spreadsheets - 9/7 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Mock Drafts:
2010 Fantasy Football Draft: WF.com Free League - 9/7 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Draft: Real Traditional Draft - 9/1 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Draft: Real PPR Draft - 8/26 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Draft: Real PPR Draft - 8/18 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Draft: Real Experts PPR Draft - 8/12 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Experts Mock Draft - 8/12 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Draft: Pros vs. Joes - 7/28 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: PPR Draft with AKA - 7/20 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Mocking ESPN's Fantasy Mock Draft - 7/7 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: The Four-Man PPR Fantasy Draft - 7/1 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Articles:
2010 Fantasy Football Injury Reports: Week 17 - 1/2 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Start Em, Sit Em - 12/29 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Add/Drop - 12/20 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Stock Index - Week 8 - 10/29 (John)
2010 Fantasy Football Buffet: Week 8 - 10/28 (Steve)
2010 Fantasy Football Stock - 9/7 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Preseason Stock - 9/3 (Walt)
2010 NFL Preseason Recap, Fantasy Football Notes - 9/3 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: High-Upside Late-Round Sleepers - 8/25 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Top 12 Players to Avoid - 8/25 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Undervalued Players - 8/13 (John)
2010 Fantasy Football: Buy Low - 8/6 (Walt)
ESPN's 2010 Fantasy Football Magazine Errors - 8/3 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Defense Strategy - 8/2 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: My Round-by-Round Strategy - 7/27 (Walt)
Lack of 2010 Fantasy Depth: Blame the 2008 NFL Draft Class - 7/26 (John)
2010 Fantasy Football: Why You Should Pass on Chris Johnson - 7/14 (John)
2010 Fantasy Football: Draft Strategies - 7/13 (John)
2010 Fantasy Football: Wide Receiver Scarcity - 6/30 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Sleepers (Late-Round) - 6/2 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Sleepers (Mid-Round) - 6/1 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Busts - 5/31 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Mailbag - 5/29 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Quarterbacks with New Receivers - 5/1 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: 2010 NFL Draft Stock Up - 4/29 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: 2010 NFL Draft Stock Down - 4/29 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Free Agency Stock Up - 4/15 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Free Agency Stock Down - 4/12 (Walt)
Running Backs with Most Carries - 4/10 (Walt)
NFL Picks - Dec. 15
2025 NFL Mock Draft - Dec. 11
NFL Power Rankings - Dec. 9
2026 NFL Mock Draft - Nov. 29
Fantasy Football Rankings - Sept. 4
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