Best Quarterbacks for Fantasy Football 2026

Quarterback scoring continues to evolve in fantasy football, with rushing upside, offensive efficiency, and weekly ceiling becoming increasingly important when identifying the best fantasy football quarterbacks in 2026.

While elite pocket passers still provide consistency, quarterbacks who can create fantasy points both through the air and on the ground continue to dominate fantasy football rankings. Whether you’re targeting an early-round elite QB or waiting for value later in drafts, understanding positional tiers and draft strategy can help you maximize value at quarterback in 2026 fantasy football drafts.

Best Quarterbacks Fantasy Football Picks of 2026

This article highlights the best quarterbacks for fantasy football in 2026 using expert rankings, projected upside, offensive environment, and draft value.

Best Fantasy Football Quarterbacks for 2026 at a Glance

Best Overall Fantasy QB Josh Allen
Safest Fantasy QB Jalen Hurts
Highest Upside QB Jayden Daniels
Best Value QB Justin Herbert
Best Late-Round QB Brock Purdy
Best Breakout QB Jaxson Dart

Best Fantasy Football Quarterbacks for 2026

Josh Allen (BUF)

Josh Allen is once again the consensus QB1 in fantasy. He finished QB1 in fantasy scoring last season for the fourth time in the last six years. After down years from Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts, the gap between Allen and other fantasy QBs seems to have widened. And yet, there are at least a few small gray clouds dotting Allen’s profile. In 2025, he hit a six-year low in passing yards per game (215.8), TD passes (25), and fantasy points per game (22.0). A lack of pass-catching weaponry has been a problem. Khalil Shakir led the Bills with 719 receiving yards in 2026, and Buffalo hasn’t had even a 900-yard receiver since Stefon Diggs left after the 2023 season. The Bills traded for D.J. Moore in March in an attempt to give Allen additional help. But what really anchors Allen’s fantasy value is his rushing. He ran for 579 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2025 – his third consecutive season with double-digit TD runs. Over the last five years, Allen has averaged 640 rushing yards and 10.8 TD runs.
– Pat Fitzmaurice

Lamar Jackson (BAL)

Injuries and a steep decline in rushing production cratered Lamar Jackson’s fantasy value in 2025. After finishing QB1 in fantasy scoring in 2024, Jackson plummeted to a QB20 fantasy finish last season and was QB16 in fantasy points per game at the position. Jackson lost three games to an early-season hamstring injury and one game to a late-season back injury. He also dealt with knee, ankle, and toe issues that may have contributed to the sharp drop-off in his rushing numbers. In his first six seasons as a full-time starter, Jackson averaged 10 rushing attempts and 63 rushing yards per game. In 2026, he averaged 5.2 rushing attempts and 26.8 rushing yards per game. Jackson has been an elite fantasy scorer at the position for so long that it’s reasonable to think better health will propel him to another high-end QB1 season. It’s worth noting, however, that Jackson will be working with a new offensive coordinator, 29-year-old Declan Doyle, a former assistant to Bears head coach Ben Johnson.
– Pat Fitzmaurice

Drake Maye (NE)

In only his second NFL season, Drake Maye finished QB2 in fantasy scoring, averaging 21.1 fantasy points per game. Maye was sublime as a passer last year, leading the NFL in completion percentage (72.0%), yards per pass attempt (8.9) and passer rating (113.5). Maye finished a close second in the MVP balloting behind the Rams’ Matthew Stafford. Aided by the tailwinds of a favorable regular-season schedule, Maye produced 4,394 passing yards and 31 TD passes. He also chipped in as a runner with 450 rushing yards and four TD runs – and his bountiful college rushing stats suggest there’s still more meat on that bone. Maye got a rude wakeup call in the playoffs, completing 58.3% of his throws and averaging 207 passing yards per game and 6.9 yards per attempt in a four-game run against the Chargers, Texans, Broncos and Seahawks – all among the best pass defenses in the league. Despite the sour ending, Maye’s second NFL season was a triumph. He’s a top-five fantasy quarterback moving forward.
– Pat Fitzmaurice

Joe Burrow (CIN)

Every year, it seems as if good health is the only thing standing in between Joe Burrow and a high-end QB1 season. The 29-year-old Burrow is unquestionably one of the best pure passers in the game, if not the best. His career completion percentage of 68.5% currently stands as the best of all time. He’s averaged 7.4 yards per pass attempt over his six NFL seasons, and he’s had at least 34 TD passes in all three seasons in which he played at least 16 games. Two seasons ago, Burrow completed 70.6% of his throws and led the NFL in completions (460), passing yardage (4,918), and TD passes (43). Burrow played only eight games in 2025, missing nine starts with a turf toe injury that required surgery. Burrow missed seven games with a wrist injury in 2023. And as a rookie in 2020, Burrow missed the last six games of the season after tearing his ACL, MCL, and PCL. The injury history is worrisome, and Burrow adds little fantasy value as a runner. But Burrow’s passing proficiency is indisputable, and he has one of the league’s best WR tandems at his disposal with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
– Pat Fitzmaurice

Jayden Daniels (WAS)

After a sublime 2024 rookie season in which he threw for 3,568 yards and 25 touchdowns, ran for 891 yards and six touchdowns, and was named Offensive Rookie of the Year, Daniels played only seven games in 2025 due to elbow, knee and ankle injuries. When he was healthy, Daniels was a far less efficient passer than he had been in 2024, averaging only 6.7 yards per pass attempt and completing 60.6% of his throws in 2025 (down from 7.4 YPA and a 69.0% completion rate as a rookie). Daniels still ran aggressively, averaging 8.3 rushing attempts per game after averaging 8.7 as a rookie. But his effectiveness as a runner waned, going from 6.0 to 4.8 yards per carry. Daniels’ running ability and his potential as a passer still make him a top-five fantasy quarterback, but he’s obviously a less appealing investment than he was a year ago, and the Commanders’ lack of proven pass catchers behind WR Terry McLaurin is cause for concern.
– Pat Fitzmaurice

Jalen Hurts (PHI)

After averaging at least 21 fantasy points per game from his first full season as a starter in 2021 to 2024, Jalen Hurts slipped to 19.1 fantasy points per game in 2025. A decrease in rushing production was largely to blame. Hurts’ 421 rushing yards last season marked a five-year low, and his streak of four straight seasons with double-digit rushing touchdowns was snapped, as Hurts had only eight TD runs in 2025. Kevin Patullo has been ousted as the Eagles’ playcaller, replaced by first-time NFL offensive coordinator Sean Mannion. As dysfunctional as the Eagles’ passing game seemed at times last season, the change in playcallers seems like a positive for Hurts. Philadelphia’s offensive line remains one of the league’s best, and Eagles GM Howie Roseman drafted two exciting new weapons for Hurts in WR Makai Lemon and TE Eli Stowers.
– Pat Fitzmaurice

Best Fantasy Football Quarterbacks for 2026: Positional Rankings

RK	TIERS	PLAYER NAME	TEAM	BEST	WORST	AVG.	STD.DEV	ECR VS. ADP
1	1	Josh Allen	BUF	1	2	1	0.2	0
2	1	Lamar Jackson	BAL	2	5	2.4	0.8	0
3	1	Drake Maye	NE	2	5	3	0.7	4
4	2	Joe Burrow	CIN	3	9	4.6	1.3	-1
5	2	Jayden Daniels	WAS	3	8	5	1	-1
6	2	Jalen Hurts	PHI	3	9	5.7	1.1	-1
7	2	Justin Herbert	LAC	6	15	8.4	2.1	2
8	2	Jaxson Dart	NYG	6	15	8.8	2.1	3
9	2	Caleb Williams	CHI	4	13	9.2	1.8	-3
10	3	Trevor Lawrence	JAC	7	13	9.8	1.5	0
11	3	Dak Prescott	DAL	7	13	10.1	1.5	-3
12	3	Brock Purdy	SF	9	16	11.8	1.3	1
13	3	Patrick Mahomes II	KC	10	18	13.6	1.7	-1
14	3	Matthew Stafford	LAR	7	18	14.1	2.2	1
15	3	Bo Nix	DEN	11	18	14.5	1.5	-1
16	4	Jared Goff	DET	10	20	16.6	1.9	0
17	4	Kyler Murray	MIN	14	23	17.7	2.6	0
18	4	Jordan Love	GB	15	21	18.2	1.7	0
19	4	Malik Willis	MIA	14	24	19.2	2.5	2
20	4	Baker Mayfield	TB	15	22	19.5	1.6	0
21	4	Tyler Shough	NO	15	24	19.5	2	-2
22	4	C.J. Stroud	HOU	18	27	22.5	1.6	2
23	4	Sam Darnold	SEA	19	27	22.8	1.7	0
24	4	Cam Ward	TEN	21	27	24.7	1.3	-2
25	4	Bryce Young	CAR	22	28	24.7	1.4	1
26	5	Daniel Jones	IND	21	29	25.5	1.7	-1
27	5	Jacoby Brissett	ARI	21	31	26.9	2.3	3
28	5	Fernando Mendoza	LV	26	37	29.1	2.4	-1
29	5	Geno Smith	NYJ	25	35	29.6	1.9	0
30	5	Michael Penix Jr.	ATL	27	37	31.2	2.4	3
31	5	Aaron Rodgers	PIT	25	36	30.3	2.6	-3
32	5	Shedeur Sanders	CLE	26	37	32.2	2.4	2
33	5	Tua Tagovailoa	ATL	29	36	32.5	1.6	-2
34	5	Kirk Cousins	LV	30	39	34.4	1.9	1
35	5	Ty Simpson	LAR	34	47	38.6	3.6	18
36	5	Deshaun Watson	CLE	30	40	33.6	2.4	-4

Best Fantasy Football Quarterbacks by Draft Strategy

Best Early-Round Quarterbacks

Josh Allen
Lamar Jackson
Drake Maye
Joe Burrow
Jayden Daniels

Best Mid-Round Quarterbacks

Jalen Hurts
Justin Herbert
Jaxson Dart
Caleb Williams

Best Late-Round Quarterbacks

Trevor Lawrence
Dak Prescott
Brock Purdy
Patrick Mahomes II

Best Rushing Quarterbacks

Josh Allen
Lamar Jackson
Jayden Daniels
Jalen Hurts
Jaxson Dart
Kyler Murray
Malik Willis

Best Fantasy Football Quarterbacks by League Format

Best QBs for Standard Leagues

Quarterbacks with rushing upside and touchdown equity continue to dominate standard fantasy football scoring formats.

Best QBs for Superflex Leagues

Quarterback scarcity becomes significantly more important in Superflex formats, increasing the value of elite dual-threat quarterbacks.

Best QBs for Best Ball Leagues

Aggressive downfield passers with spike-week potential become especially valuable in best ball tournaments.

How to Draft Quarterbacks in Fantasy Football 2026

Quarterback strategy remains one of the biggest decisions fantasy managers face during drafts. Some managers prefer securing an elite dual-threat quarterback early, while others wait for value in the middle or late rounds.

Fantasy managers can improve their quarterback draft strategy by using:

Understanding positional tiers is critical because quarterback scoring often flattens after the elite rushing quarterbacks come off the board.

View the Best Fantasy Football Team Names