6 Fantasy Football Sleepers Experts Draft: Quarterbacks (2026)

When preparing for your fantasy football drafts, knowing which players to target and others to avoid is important. The amount of information available can be overwhelming, so a great way to condense the data and determine players to draft and others to leave for your leaguemates is to use our expert consensus fantasy football rankings compared to fantasy football average draft position (ADP). In this way, you can identify players the experts are willing to reach for at ADP and others they are not drafting until much later than average. Let’s dive into a few notable fantasy football quarterback sleepers below. And check out all of the fantasy football sleepers experts love in our consensus sleeper rankings.

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Fantasy Football Sleepers Experts Draft: Quarterbacks

Here are fantasy football sleepers the experts love to target in drafts.

Who are Fantasy Football Sleepers?

Fantasy football sleepers are players who have a strong chance to exceed expectations and become surprise difference-makers for fantasy managers.

Fantasy Football Sleepers: Quarterbacks

Is Malik Willis in a tough spot in Miami? Sure. Could this offense outperform expectations in a number of ways? Absolutely. Greg Dulcich was outstanding on a per-route basis last year. Their receiver room is unproven and full of castoffs, but talented rookies like Chris Bell and Kevin Coleman Jr. could open some eyes in 2026 along with Willis. I know the starting resume for Willis is limited. I get it. What he have seen in limited doses over the last two years has been outstanding, though. Over the last two seasons, Willis has posted a 5.6% big-time throw rate (118 dropbacks, per PFF), 10.9 yards per attempt, and averaged 44.8 rushing yards per game. Last year, among all quarterbacks with at least 110 dropbacks, that big-time throw rate would have ranked eighth-best behind Caleb Williams, and his yards per attempt mark would have led the NFL. That rushing yardage mark per game over the last three years would have ranked first, fourth, and third among quarterbacks. Willis’s running prowess should have him flirting with QB1 production this year alone. If he and this offense surpass lowly expectations through the air, Willis would be a strong QB1 with upside in 2026.
– Derek Brown

After seven topsy-turvy seasons with the Cardinals, Kyler Murray will make a fresh start with the Vikings in 2026. Murray may or may not be in a quarterback competition with JJ McCarthy for Minnesota’s starting job, but it’s widely expected that Murray will be taking the snaps when the Vikings face the Packers in Week 1. Murray played only five games last season before sustaining a foot sprain that eventually landed him on injured reserve. Murray’s yearly finishes in fantasy points per game among quarterbacks with at least five starts: QB11, QB4, QB4, QB7, QB9, QB12, QB20. Murray steps into a good situation with Kevin O’Connell as his playcaller, and he’ll have Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and Jauan Jennings as his wide receivers. Murray has always added rushing value, having averaged at least 30 rushing per game in all seven of his NFL seasons. The perception might be that Murray is damaged goods, but he could be one of the better QB values in 2026 fantasy drafts.
– Pat Fitzmaurice

Baker Mayfield had a tough fall from grace in 2025 as the QB17 in fantasy points per game after a wondrous QB4 campaign in 2024. Mayfield dealt with injuries to his receiver room and his offensive line while also struggling with injuries himself. In 2025, Mayfield had a bruised and battered throwing arm while also suffering a sprained MCL/PCL, a bicep tendon strain, and left shoulder issues. Among 38 qualifying quarterbacks, he was 24th in yards per attempt, 35th in adjusted completion rate, 22nd in catchable target rate, and 11th-worst in turnover-worthy throw rate (per Fantasy Points Data). Assuming Mayfield sees better health in 2026, he should enjoy a bounce-back season. Yes, Mike Evans is gone, but Mayfield still has a deep cupboard of skilled receivers to toss to this season. His rushing production over the last two seasons (at least 378 rushing yards each year) has also been a nice bump to his fantasy ceiling and floor. I don’t expect that to go away. Mayfield could easily be a top 12 fantasy quarterback in 2026 that you’re drafting as a mid-range QB2.
– Derek Brown

Tyler Shough is a wonderful late-round quarterback who could be a QB1 in 2026. Last year, in Weeks 12-18, Shough was the QB6 in fantasy points per game while averaging 25 rushing yards per game. That rushing yardage mark per game would have placed him at 12th-best last year had he kept it up for the entire season. In Weeks 12-18, among 30 qualifying quarterbacks, Shough was 12th in yards per attempt and highly accurate throw rate, ninth in hero throw rate, and seventh in passing yards per game (per Fantasy Points Data). With Travis Etienne, Bryce Lance, Oscar Delp, and Jordyn Tyson added to the offensive firepower this offseason, I expect the Saints offense to take another leap this season if Shough is up to the task, which his strong finish to last season says he is primed for.
– Derek Brown