Startups. Startups. Startups. It is dynasty startup SZN! I know we all return to redraft fantasy football in the summer months, and the best ball streets are blazing, but this is also the time for dynasty startups. There are wonderful values to be had right now in startups, so let’s kick off the discussion of the best values at the quarterback position.
Before you enter another dynasty fantasy football startup, read up on my top five quarterback values and run a handful of startup mock drafts with our fantasy football mock draft simulator.
Dynasty Fantasy Football Draft Values: Quarterbacks
Let’s dive into my best dynasty startup draft values among quarterbacks.
With his new contract extension, Brock Purdy will be the 49ers’ starting quarterback for at least the next four seasons. Over the last two years, when available, Purdy has been a QB1 for fantasy as the QB10 and QB6 in fantasy points per game. We can discuss his real-life raw talent all day, but it doesn’t matter for fantasy.
We know at this point that when Purdy is out there, he will be commanding one of the best offenses in the NFL as a strong QB1. Per Fantasy Points Data, over the last two seasons, Purdy has consistently ranked inside the top 10 among quarterbacks in yards per attempt (third, first), completion percentage over expected (CPOE) — ninth, fifth — and fantasy points per dropback (10th, second). Those are not the numbers of a mediocre “system quarterback.” Purdy should continue to churn out QB1 seasons in the 49ers’ offense at a QB2 price tag in dynasty.
Baker Mayfield is coming off a career year with two more seasons under contract with the Bucs. He’s got a strong supporting cast of pass-catchers with Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Jalen McMillan, Emeka Egbuka and Cade Otton. Yes, Evans and Otton may be gone after the 2025 season, but the team could retain both of them. Tampa Bay has the 13th-most cap space next year.
Last year, Mayfield exploded as the QB4 in fantasy points per game. Yes, his 7.2% passing touchdown rate isn’t something we should expect him to repeat, but he had a 4.9% rate in the previous season and two years with the Browns, where he hit north of 5%. That passing touchdown rate will regress, but that doesn’t mean Mayfield isn’t supremely talented and can’t continue to roll along as a strong QB1. Last year, he ranked seventh in CPOE and yards per attempt while posting the second-best highly accurate throw rate in the NFL (minimum 200 dropbacks), per Fantasy Points Data.
I get why J.J. McCarthy is ranked so low, but I think it’s incredibly wrong. If you’re waiting to “see it,” aka see proven production with a player, you’ll likely be left behind. McCarthy is a player I’ve been high on since analyzing him as a prospect. Nothing has changed about that.
The infrastructure for Minnesota is about as good as it gets, with a proven offensive mastermind in Kevin O’Connell, excellent receiving options and an improved offensive line. We just saw Sam Darnold produce a QB9 season in fantasy points per game. And we are worried about McCarthy and are drafting him as a QB2 in dynasty? Naw, it won’t be me.
McCarthy is a more talented player and was a better prospect than Darnold. In his final collegiate season, McCarthy ranked inside the top 12 in passing grade, adjusted completion rate, yards per attempt, adjusted completion rate with deep passes, and when pressured, per Pro Football Focus (PFF). McCarthy is a screaming buy in every dynasty format.
Jaxson Dart is getting drafted as a basement-level QB2, and I don’t understand why. He got the first-round capital that many said he wouldn’t. He posted excellent numbers in his final collegiate season, and he has rushing upside, but the dynasty community is loudly saying…”Naw, we’re good. We don’t want to believe in Dart.”
OK, well, have fun with that. I won’t fade Dart. Instead, I’m investing everywhere I possibly can. In his final collegiate season, Dart ranked inside the top 12 of collegiate quarterbacks in passing grade, adjusted completion rate, yards per attempt, big-time throw rate and nearly every clean pocket efficiency metric you can find, per PFF. Across his last three collegiate seasons, Dart averaged 499 rushing yards. Dart is free money in dynasty. Enjoy.
If you are like me and you play dynasty in a 2-3 year window, you should love the value you’re getting with Justin Fields in startups. He’s a QB3 right now, per average draft position (ADP), which is insane. With his new contract with the New York Jets, I’ll be shocked if he isn’t their locked-in starter (assuming health) for the next two years.
Fields carries a $22 million dead cap in 2026. This team isn’t moving away from Fields unless he is objectively horrible. He has been a locked-in QB1 whenever he has been on the field over the last three seasons, finishing as the QB7, QB9 and QB5 in fantasy points per game.
We know about his rushing ability, but Fields also took some positive steps as a passer last season. Last year, among 47 qualifying quarterbacks, Fields ranked 10th in highly accurate throw rate and had the 13th-lowest off-target throw rate, per Fantasy Points Data. Getting QB1 production at a QB3 price tag in dynasty with a two-year starting window… sign me up.
*All data utilized in this article courtesy of FantasyPros, Fantasy Points Data, Pro Football Focus and PlayerProfiler unless otherwise specified. All ADP cited per DLF May Superflex ADP.
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