August is winding down, and before we know it, you’ll be sitting down at your live or online draft and putting together a team. One position fantasy football players are always looking for value at is quarterback.
My favorite example is from last season. New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye was the fantasy QB16 in preseason average draft position (ADP). He finished as the QB2. This article highlights three signal-callers in the QB2 range with top-five upside. For clarification, a QB2 is a quarterback with a current ADP of QB13 or later.
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Fantasy Football QB2s With Top-5 Potential
Kyler Murray (QB – MIN)
I’ve been pounding the table for Kyler Murray all offseason, and I’m not letting up. He’s officially been named the starting quarterback for the Vikings, and I think he’s in for a massive year.
First, he has a lifetime completion percentage over 67%. A boon in Kevin O’Connell’s system with weapons like Justin Jefferson, Jauan Jennings, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson.
Not only that, but Murray can run. In 2024, when he played all 17 games, he ran for 572 yards and five touchdowns.
Murray was the fantasy QB11 (from Weeks 1-17) in 2024. Now, he’s in an unbelievably better situation with an offensive-minded former quarterback as his head coach.
I cannot wait for him to have a career resurgence this season.
Malik Willis (QB – MIA)
OK, I’ll say that this might be a bit of a stretch. That said, Malik Willis has the skill set to be a top-five quarterback in fantasy football.
We saw it on display in his lone start last season in Week 17 versus the Baltimore Ravens — 18-of-21 for 288 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions, plus nine carries for 60 yards and two touchdowns.
Joining the Dolphins and head coach Jeff Hafley, who was the defensive coordinator of the Packers last season, Willis doesn’t have many options at his disposal, unfortunately. He’ll have running back De’Von Achane, but his wide receivers include Malik Washington, Jalen Tolbert, Caleb Douglas and Chris Bell.
I believe Bell is a future star, but he’s coming off a torn ACL in November.
Willis will be an excellent runner, and if he can reach double-digit rushing touchdowns and be efficient as a passer, I believe he could climb the quarterback rankings quickly despite the poor weapons around him.
Patrick Mahomes (QB – KC)
Patrick Mahomes has an ADP of QB14, and if anyone can bounce back, it’s Mahomes. From Weeks 1-14 last season, he was the QB2 in fantasy, averaging 21.1 points per game.
Mahomes’ rushing numbers (422 yards and five touchdowns) from last season might come down with the addition of Kenneth Walker III to overhaul the running game, but he’ll still have Rashee Rice to throw to.
And, not to sound cliché, but there is something to be said about Patrick Mahomes being Patrick Mahomes. I wouldn’t count him out, even coming off the injury and with minimal weapons aside from the addition of Walker.
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