5 Late-Round Quarterbacks to Target (2026 Fantasy Football)

There is simply too much value at running back and wide receiver early in fantasy football drafts to spend those picks on a quarterback. Throw in the juicy quarterback value available later, and waiting on the position becomes an easy decision.

Since 2024, with the additions of Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Bo Nix, Jaxson Dart and Jayden Daniels, the league has changed. Capable dual-threat quarterbacks are becoming the norm, not the exception. This raises the fantasy scoring floor at the quarterback position while giving us the chance to land a top-five signal-caller late in drafts.

Fantasy Football Late-Round Quarterback Targets

My philosophy for targeting late-round quarterbacks revolves around rushing upside and offensive play-callers. Unless you are in a six-point passing touchdown league, the path to a top-five finish is finding a quarterback that runs the ball.

Trevor Lawrence (QB – JAX)

Liam Coen, directly from the Sean McVay coaching tree, unlocked the Jaguars’ offense and Trevor Lawrence‘s potential. In 2025, the Jaguars ranked in the top 10 in motion rate and play-action rate on offense, per the Fantasy Points Data Suite. These are two of the best ways to create easier looks for a quarterback.

From Week 10 forward, Lawrence finished as the QB1 with 23.4 fantasy points per game (PPG). During that window, he was also one of the better rushing quarterbacks. He had 222 rushing yards (QB4), 43 rushing attempts (QB4) and five touchdowns (QB2). While some regression on the ground is likely, the key takeaway is that he is capable of doing it.

The Jaguars also have arguably one of the best and deepest pass-catching rooms in the NFL. Brian Thomas Jr., Jakobi Meyers, Parker Washington, Travis Hunter and Brenton Strange give Lawrence plenty of options.

Lawrence has an elite offensive head coach, a solid offensive line, a high-quality pass-catching room and one of the easier schedules for quarterbacks. He is one of the safer late-round quarterbacks and carries plenty of upside.

Jaxson Dart (QB – NYG)

In 2025, Jaxson Dart averaged 0.649 fantasy points per dropback, ranking QB3 behind only Josh Allen and Drake Maye. He did this while head coach Brian Daboll was being fired. His only pass-catching weapon was Wan’Dale Robinson after Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo suffered season-ending injuries. From Week 4 forward, once Dart became the starter, he had 84 rushing attempts (second), 487 rushing yards (first) and nine rushing touchdowns (second), trailing only Josh Allen in attempts and touchdowns.

Entering 2026, Dart has an upgraded offensive line, and Nabers and Skattebo are on track to play in Week 1. While the Matt Nagy hire isn’t exciting, Greg Roman was hired as the offensive assistant. The Roman’s hire is notable. In his first year with Lamar Jackson, when Jackson was named the NFL MVP, the Ravens quarterback averaged seven designed runs per game, per Pro Football Focus (PFF). As long as Nagy doesn’t completely kill this offense, Dart’s talent and rushing ability are worth betting on.

Brock Purdy (QB – SF)

Kyle Shanahan is one of the best offensive play-callers in the NFL. We have seen it year in and year out. He has led a top-15 offense with nothing more than third-string players and, at times, a backup quarterback. This alone gives Brock Purdy a safe floor as a top-10 signal-caller in the later rounds.

In 2025, when Purdy returned from injury in Week 11, he averaged 21.3 PPG (QB3). In 2024, through the first 11 weeks of the season prior to injury, he averaged 19.5 PPG (QB6). In 2023, Purdy finished with 19.2 PPG (QB8). You get the idea. He is a top-10 quarterback who has rarely played with a healthy team.

If Shanahan and the Niners’ offensive weapons can stay healthy, Purdy could have an MVP-esque season. That group includes newly signed Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel, a healthy Christian McCaffrey, a recovering George Kittle and second-round rookie De’Zhaun Stribling. The upside is 2025 Matthew Stafford. The downside is an electrical substation ruining another season for the Niners.

Malik Willis (QB – MIA)

This is the easiest click in almost every single draft. At his current average draft position (ADP), Malik Willis is practically free. Of all the quarterbacks I have mentioned, he carries the most upside at cost. While it is a ridiculously small sample size, over the past two years, he has averaged 6.2 yards per carry, a 32% rush rate and a 15% scramble rate. For comparison, in 2022, when Justin Fields finished QB4 in PPG, he averaged 7.14 yards per carry, a 33.5% rush rate and a 15% scramble rate, per PFF.

While his offensive environment is easily one of the worst in the NFL, Willis has weekly QB1 upside simply because of his rushing ability. If he somehow finds a way to be successful through the air, you could be looking at a league-winning top-five quarterback you landed in the last round of your draft. While this might sound like hopium, it is within the realm of outcomes, no matter how small the chance.

Kyler Murray (QB – MIN)

Kyler Murray injured his foot in Week 5 against the Tennessee Titans last season and eventually lost his starting job, but he is still a significant upgrade over J.J. McCarthy. In 2025, McCarthy had a catchable throw rate of 68%, ranking 42nd among 44 eligible quarterbacks.

In Murray’s five games, he finished with a 76% catchable throw rate, ranking 13th, according to the Fantasy Points Data Suite. He enters 2026 with one of the best pass-catching rooms of his career, with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson and Jauan Jennings to throw to. He has a good play-caller in Kevin O’Connell, who two years ago revitalized the career of Super Bowl-winning quarterback Sam Darnold.

Beyond the passing upside, the real reason I like Murray is because of his rushing ability. In 2025, through those first five weeks, he had 29 rush attempts (QB3) and 173 rushing yards (QB5). He has a legitimate path to a QB10 finish or better.

The one glaring concern is that McCarthy might eventually take over if the Vikings can’t find a way to win games. Murray is only on a one-year, $1.3 million deal. He doesn’t have the luxury of losing games and playing Call of Duty if he wants a career in the NFL.