5 Late-Round Quarterbacks to Draft (2025 Fantasy Football)

Let’s examine the late-round quarterback fantasy football draft strategy by dissecting what happened to quarterbacks in 2024 and see what lessons we can learn. We’ll also look to 2025 and identify late-round quarterbacks to draft this fantasy football season.

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Late-Round Quarterback Fantasy Football Draft Strategy

Evaluating 2024 Quarterback ADP

There is a lot we can learn by looking at quarterback data from 2024, both in terms of where quarterbacks were drafted and where they finished the season. In recent seasons, the rushing quarterbacks have dominated both the top spots in average draft position (ADP) and fantasy points per game rankings, but there is always plenty of value outside the elite, dual-threat quarterbacks.

In general, quarterback fantasy scoring has been on the decline, despite increased passing throughout the NFL. In 2019, eight quarterbacks finished with at least 20 fantasy points per game. In 2020, that number was 11. For the 2024 season, seven quarterbacks averaged at least 20 fantasy points per game, and that number was just four in 2023 (minimum five games played).

This means it’s more important to guess right at the position, especially if you are not reaching in the first five rounds to grab one of the elite options. Here is how the scoring and ADP broke down in 2024.

Not on this list because they fell outside of the top 20 quarterbacks in fantasy points per game or missed too many games due to injury? C.J. Stroud (2024 ADP of QB5), Dak Prescott (QB10), Caleb Williams (QB13), Trevor Lawrence (QB16) and Kirk Cousins (QB19).

Here are the key takeaways from this top-20 list, including the four names listed above that did not make the cut:

• Eight of the top 10 quarterbacks by 2024 ADP failed to pay off their investment in terms of fantasy points per game. Some saw small drops (e.g., Josh Allen: ADP QB1, finished QB2), while others saw massive drops from their draft position (e.g., both C.J. Stroud and Dak Prescott finished outside the top 10 in points per game).
• Looking at the 2024 top 10 quarterbacks in fantasy points per game, eight finished higher than their ADP, highlighted by Baker Mayfield (ADP QB21), Jared Goff (QB15), Bo Nix (QB23) and Sam Darnold (QB31).
• Only six of the quarterbacks in the 11-20 fantasy points per game range finished higher than their ADP.
• Five of the top 10 quarterbacks by ADP finished outside of the top 16 quarterbacks in ADP.
• Five of the top 14 quarterbacks by fantasy points per game were drafted QB15 or later.
• Four of the quarterbacks taken in the QB21-QB32 range finished in the top 15 of quarterbacks in 2024.

2025 Late-Round Quarterback Draft Strategy Targets

After seeing the data from the 2024 season, fantasy players can feel confident that there will be late-round options who rise to the top again this year. Late-round quarterback isn’t necessarily the definitive correct strategy, but it certainly is a viable one. Injuries, offensive scheme changes, personnel, team defense and a host of other factors can contribute to a quarterback’s success.

Taking one of the top-five quarterbacks like Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, or Jayden Daniels will likely yield intended results. But late-round options always have a strong chance of hitting. There is no reason not to expect a similar outcome this upcoming season.

Let’s look at five quarterbacks with an ADP outside of the top 14 to target this upcoming season.

Justin Fields (QB – NYJ) | ADP: QB15

Justin Fields has certainly had an adventurous first four years of his NFL career. He was atrocious for the Chicago Bears in his 2021 debut, completing just 58% of his passes for seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 12 games. He also took 36 sacks and had a QB Rating of just 31.4. Then in 2022-2023, he developed into a competent (but not great) passer and an elite rushing option. Fields averaged 2,400 passing yards, 16.5 passing touchdowns, 900 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns in those two seasons.

The Bears decided to cut bait when they had the chance to draft Caleb Williams, and Fields went to Pittsburgh, where he began the season as the starter, but Russell Wilson replaced him after just six starts. However, in those six starts, he was unbelievable with his legs, finishing eighth among quarterbacks with 28.9 rushing yards per game. And he was sixth with five rushing scores.

Now with the New York Jets, the closest thing Fields has in terms of competition is the ancient Tyrod Taylor. Fields has an uber-talented wide receiver in Garrett Wilson and running back Breece Hall as safety valves. And the new coaching regime for the Jets under Aaron Glenn should let Fields run wild. That’s why he is as high as QB15 in drafts right now. While it may be a roller coaster ride with his passing in 2025, the rushing floor should make him fantasy-relevant every week.

Drake Maye (QB – NE) | ADP: QB19

Week 6 of 2024 is when Drake Maye officially took over the New England Patriots’ starting quarterback job. From that point forward, Maye was QB15 among all quarterbacks who played at least eight games from that point to the end of the season. Perhaps most importantly, Maye never had a game with fewer than 10 fantasy points. So, unlike quarterbacks in this range like Justin Herbert, Tua Tagovailoa or Russell Wilson, Maye never completely buried you if you ran with him last year.

The primary issue for Maye was a lack of offensive weapons. The Patriots’ top three wide receivers — DeMario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte and Kendrick Bourne — were WR72, WR83 and WR101 in fantasy points per game. Coming into 2025, the Patriots brought in boat enthusiast Stefon Diggs and drafted Washington State receiver Kyle Williams, who dominated in 2024 with 1,198 yards and 14 receiving touchdowns. He should immediately compete for the No. 1 WR role in New England.

With Hunter Henry still leading the tight end room and rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson now on the roster, this offense should improve as a whole. That fact, along with how Maye played when he was the starter in 2024, means his QB19 draft position is already too low.

J.J. McCarthy (QB – MIN) | ADP: QB20

For J.J. McCarthy, I could just throw up a graphic of all of Sam Darnold‘s success last season as evidence of what McCarthy could become. Kevin O’Connell took Sam freaking Darnold and turned him into a quarterback who averaged 18.8 fantasy points per game, including eight games over 20 points. Despite that success, Minnesota said “See ya later!” to Darnold and let him go to free agency because of how much faith they have in 2024 first-round pick McCarthy.

We are already aware of the offensive weapons in the Minnesota arsenal. Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson and Aaron Jones are one of the most potent four-man groups in the NFL. Minnesota passed on 57% of their plays in 2024, including 59% on first down, ranking 10th in the NFL. The Vikings’ scheme also produced the sixth-highest yards per pass attempt last season.

And if that wasn’t enough, there is a rushing component to McCarthy’s game that could develop throughout the season. McCarthy rushed for over 500 yards and eight rushing touchdowns in his final two collegiate seasons.

Bryce Young (QB – CAR) | ADP: QB24

Here are the top five quarterbacks from Weeks 15-18 in fantasy points per game last season: Lamar Jackson, Baker Mayfield, Jared Goff, Jayden Daniels and Bryce Young. Yes, you read that right. With 23.6 fantasy points per game in the last four weeks of the season, Young was better than quarterbacks with the names Allen, Mahomes, Burrow, Hurts and Love, to name a few.

After a disastrous first season and a half, where he was inevitably benched for Andy Dalton, Young started to mature in the second half of 2024. In Weeks 12-18 last season, Young averaged 226 passing yards, 1.6 passing touchdowns, 25.4 rushing yards and 0.7 rushing touchdowns per game. His six rushing touchdowns last season are an overlooked part of the Young experience, and something that should continue to grow.

The Panthers gave Young a major new weapon in rookie Tetairoa McMillan, and the third-year quarterback is on a short list of players who could jump into the top 12 quarterbacks with a positional ADP of 20 or below.

Anthony Richardson (QB – IND) | ADP: QB28

Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, well, you know the rest. Anthony Richardson has fooled fantasy managers twice now, teasing us with his tantalizing ability with his legs and his bazooka cannon of an arm. But with the Indianapolis Colts last season, Richardson completed a horrific 47.7% of his passes, he asked out of a key game against the Houston Texans and was benched for Joe Flacco for several games. After coming off the board as the QB6 last year, it’s no wonder he has tumbled down to QB28 in early 2025 drafts.

In addition, the Colts brought in Daniel Jones as competition for Richardson, so there is not even a guarantee that Richardson starts the majority of the Colts’ games in 2025. But, hear me out on this one, what if, after all the foreplay, we finally get a mediocre passing season combined with a full year of Richardson rushing the ball? Wouldn’t that be worth more than his QB28 draft cost?

In just 11 games in 2025, Richardson rushed for 499 yards, which ranked sixth among all quarterbacks. He was third in rushing yards per game behind only Jayden Daniels and Lamar Jackson, and his six rushing scores were tied for third in the NFL. Assuming he wins the job, the rushing floor should remain. Better health for Michael Pittman and the addition of rookie tight end Tyler Warren can only help Richardson in the passing game.

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