I want to talk about my Top 5 G5 QBs who are Outside John Laub’s Top 24 Players. My friend, John Laub, wrote an article, First Down: 2024 College Fantasy Football Rankings. In my introductory piece for Fantrax, I wrote about my love for the G5. Heck, I co-host a podcast called the G5 Hive. In this article, we’ll talk about my Top 5 G5 QBs who can be difference-makers for your teams and who are outside John Laub’s Top 24.
Top G5 QBs Outside John Laub’s Top 24
Note: The quarterbacks below will be listed in the order of John Laub’s rankings and include each player’s May CFF ADP and MAY C2C ADP. ADP is courtesy of Campus2Canton.com. Any PPG talk is assuming 6-point passing TD leagues.
(#25): Chandler Morris – North Texas (74/NA)
Chandler Rogers was the QB for North Texas in 2023. He averaged 34 pass attempts for 272 passing yards and added 28 yards rushing per game. That was good for 28.11ppg. Chandler Morris was a 3-star dual QB out of Dallas Texas. He won the TCU QB position in back-to-back years before losing the job due to injury each year. Two years ago he got injured and Max Duggan stepped in. The following year he got injured and Josh Hoover stepped in. Before Hoover stepped in, Rogers was averaging 23.5ppg. The concern with Morris is not the talent. It’s, can he stay healthy? If so, I like him being a Top G5 QB and what he brings to the Mean Green in 2024.
(#34): Jaylen Raynor – Arkansas State (98/166)
Jaylen Raynor burst onto the scene in 2023. As a true freshman, he averaged 24 pass attempts for 242 yards. What I like about him is what he provides with his legs. Last year he averaged eight rushing attempts for 58 yards. That is an extra 5.8 points per game. That can help you erase two INTs a game via him or another QB in your lineup. Butch Jones has some experience with a mobile QB. 2014-2016 he had Joshua Dobbs while at Tennessee. During that time Dobbs averaged 28.64ppg. Rayor was QB 38 and averaged 24.9ppg AS A FRESHMAN! Grab your sunglasses! The future is bright for this Top G5 QB, Jaylen Raynor.
(#36): Giovanni Lopez – South Alabama (132/NA)
Make this article three of three for writing about Giovanni Lopez. I can’t quit this guy! Last year Carter Bradley averaged 32 pass attempts and 269 passing yards per game. He was a zero in the running game and averaged 18.36ppg in 2023. Giovanni Lopez is not that! In the bowl game vs Eastern Michigan, Giovanni Lopez had 88 yards rushing and 3 TDs. Oh yeah, he also scored 40.48 points in the bowl game he didn’t even start. Head Coach, Major Applewhite, has had a QB lead or be second on the team in rushing in three of his seven seasons as a Head Coach. Applewhite’s QBs average 27.65ppg. Grabbing this Top G5 QB in your drafts could be a league winner.
(#48): E.J. Warner – Rice (172/314)
You want to shoot from deep? Typically you want QBs with rushing upside in fantasy, but hear me out here. E.J. Warner transfers to Rice from Temple. According to Pro Football Focus (PFF) in 2023, Warner had the most pressures/game (14) in the G5. His average time to throw the ball was 2.37 seconds. Rice, as a whole, returns 20 of 22 starters. One of those two gone is the left tackle position. My sources feel good about this O-Line. Last year the Rice O-Line gave JT Daniels 2.58 seconds to throw the ball.
In 2023, JT Daniels averaged 34 pass attempts and 294 yards passing per game. E.J. Warner averaged 45 pass attempts and 291 passing yards per game in 2023. Let’s do the math. E.J. Warner, son of NFL Hall Of Famer Kurt Warner, transfers from Temple to Rice. Rice brings back O-Line continuity. The strong defense could leave Warner with some short fields and ample touchdown opportunities. I can see a lot of upside for E.J. Warner in 2024.
(#NR): Devon Dampier – New Mexico (NA/NA)
If you thought the last one was deep. How about this Hail Mary? Devon Dampier. Last year, Dylan Hopkins averaged 26 pass attempts, 204 yards passing, and 21 yards rushing per game. Hopkins was QB 87 and averaged 13.4ppg. In nine games of action last year, Dampier averaged 3 pass attempts, 35 yards passing, and 34 rushing yards per game.
Bronco Mendenhall is the Head Coach, but his OC, Jason Beck, has been with him since 2013 (except for the two years Mendenhall was out of coaching in 2022 and 2023). It should be noted Beck has been a QB coach but got some OC experience in 2023 at Syracuse. Why do I bring this up? The OC Beck has been attached to since 2013 is none other than Robert Anae. I believe Beck had to have picked up something in all those years with Anae. When Beck had the OC job at Syracuse to himself, his QB averaged 20.76ppg.
I will put faith in Jason Beck due to his time around Robert Anae. Due to the lack of data with Jason Beck, let’s look at Robert Anae. Anae’s QBs average 36 pass attempts, 245 passing yards, and 37 rushing yards per game. Anae’s QBs average 25.87ppg. If Beck can replicate any of this, Devon Dampier is a STEAL in your drafts with no CFF or C2C May ADP.
There you have it. Those are my Top 5 G5 QBs outside John Laub’s Top 24. College Fantasy Football (CFF) and Campus2Canton (C2C) drafts are starting up. There is only one place to do your college fantasy football drafts, and it’s FANTRAX! Knowing G5 players can help give you edges in your drafts. The return on investment can be HUGE! Now, go use this information you learned here and crush your drafts in 2024! CFF and C2C leagues, to the moon baby!