If you've played Fantasy Football for a while you've probably heard about how deep quarterback is from year to year. But by comparison, this year's group is notably deeper than the past three seasons or so.
And every other position you'll pick is at least a little less deep, which is why we'll see the best draft-day values come at quarterback. Again.
Where does the depth come from? It's a crossroads of great veteran players still going strong and a new breed of young quarterbacks with awesome potential.
By my count there are sixteen quarterbacks I'd be okay starting in Week 1 in one-QB leagues this year and another five I'd love to have on my bench in hopes of a breakout season. You should come up with your own count as part of your pre-draft preparations.
Some positional notes:
- Fourteen quarterbacks averaged at least 20 Fantasy points per game (six-point pass TDs) in 2025 and four others were above 19.
- Patrick Mahomes has the longest active streak of consecutive seasons with 20-plus Fantasy points per game with eight. Josh Allen has had at least 24 points per game in six straight years, Jalen Hurts has at least 21.8 points per game in five straight years.
- Between eight and 10 of the top 12 quarterbacks in each of 2021-25 were on playoff teams. Want a good Fantasy QB? Make sure he's on a playoff contender.
- Between five and six of the top 12 quarterbacks in 2023-25 were also in the top 12 the previous year. So there is some turnover there -- just like there's turnover in who's in the playoffs every year.
Tier 1
Rounds 3-5
Josh Allen QB BUF Buffalo • #17
Age: 30 • Experience: 9 yrs. 2025 Stats PAYDS 3668 RUYDS 579 TD 39 INT 10 FPTS/G 24.4 
Lamar Jackson QB BAL Baltimore • #8
Age: 29 • Experience: 9 yrs. 2025 Stats PAYDS 2549 RUYDS 349 TD 23 INT 7 FPTS/G 19.7 
Drake Maye QB NE New England • #10
Age: 23 • Experience: 3 yrs. 2025 Stats PAYDS 4394 RUYDS 450 TD 35 INT 8 FPTS/G 24.3 
Joe Burrow QB CIN Cincinnati • #9
Age: 29 • Experience: 7 yrs. 2025 Stats PAYDS 1809 RUYDS 41 TD 17 INT 5 FPTS/G 21 There will be people in your home leagues that take quarterbacks before Round 3. Let them. Don't panic. Don't reach. The demand for quarterbacks in one-QB leagues is naturally limited, and the supply for good quarterbacks is strong in 2026.
That said, all four of these quarterbacks have potential to finish as the best QB in Fantasy. It would not be a big mistake to target whoever is available last among these four, provided it's at a value. Just don't get mad at yourself if you don't get any of them.
All four will be very early Round 1 picks in Superflex/two-QB leagues.
Tier 2
Rounds 6-7
Jalen Hurts QB PHI Philadelphia • #1
Age: 28 • Experience: 7 yrs. 2025 Stats PAYDS 3224 RUYDS 421 TD 33 INT 6 FPTS/G 21.9 
Jayden Daniels QB WAS Washington • #5
Age: 25 • Experience: 3 yrs. 2025 Stats PAYDS 1262 RUYDS 278 TD 10 INT 3 FPTS/G 18.6 I'd expect Hurts and Daniels to be the next quarterbacks off the board after those first four. Both have the built-in edge with their rushing, and both could improve their passing numbers with new playcallers. They represent good value since they have some outstanding upside and can be had rounds after the first four.
This will also be the tier for any quarterback that generates a lot of buzz in training camp. I could easily see any of the three quarterbacks in the next tier leaping up here.
Both of these quarterbacks will be top-15 picks (probably top-12 picks) in Superflex/two-QB leagues.
Tier 3
Round 8
Justin Herbert QB LAC L.A. Chargers • #10
Age: 28 • Experience: 7 yrs. 2025 Stats PAYDS 3727 RUYDS 498 TD 28 INT 13 FPTS/G 21.2 
Dak Prescott QB DAL Dallas • #4
Age: 33 • Experience: 11 year 2025 Stats PAYDS 4552 RUYDS 177 TD 32 INT 10 FPTS/G 22 
Caleb Williams QB CHI Chicago • #18
Age: 24 • Experience: 3 yrs. 2025 Stats PAYDS 3942 RUYDS 383 TD 31 INT 7 FPTS/G 21.9 
Trevor Lawrence QB JAC Jacksonville • #16
Age: 26 • Experience: 6 yrs. 2025 Stats PAYDS 4007 RUYDS 359 TD 38 INT 12 FPTS/G 23.3 Expect a surge in quarterback drafting starting in Round 8 in those home leagues. And these are the four to bank on being off the board first -- in any order. They all have good upside without too much downside.
Between the four QBs there have been just three seasons below 19 Fantasy points per game in the past three years (Caleb Williams' 2024 rookie year, Dak Prescott's eight-game 2024 season, Trevor Lawrence's injury-shortened 2024). Yes, that means Herbert has averaged at least 19 Fantasy points for the entirety of his six-year career, and now he's mind-melding with savvy playcaller Mike McDaniel. That sounds good.
I'd also expect any quarterback in the remaining tiers to get fired up into this tier if the preseason reports suggest great things.
These quarterbacks will be top-24 overall picks in Superflex/two-QB leagues.
Tier 4
Rounds 9-11
Patrick Mahomes QB KC Kansas City • #15
Age: 30 • Experience: 10 yrs. 2025 Stats PAYDS 3587 RUYDS 422 TD 27 INT 11 FPTS/G 23.6 
Matthew Stafford QB LAR L.A. Rams • #9
Age: 38 • Experience: 18 yrs. 2025 Stats PAYDS 4707 RUYDS 1 TD 46 INT 8 FPTS/G 26.1 
Jaxson Dart QB NYG N.Y. Giants • #6
Age: 23 • Experience: 2 yrs. 2025 Stats PAYDS 2272 RUYDS 487 TD 24 INT 5 FPTS/G 19.4 
Jared Goff QB DET Detroit • #16
Age: 31 • Experience: 11 year 2025 Stats PAYDS 4564 RUYDS 45 TD 34 INT 8 FPTS/G 21.5 
Brock Purdy QB SF San Francisco • #13
Age: 26 • Experience: 5 yrs. 2025 Stats PAYDS 2167 RUYDS 147 TD 23 INT 10 FPTS/G 24.2 The depth of the quarterback position shows itself in the fourth tier. A pretty simple case can be made for each of these names to exceed their Draft Day value, and the downside for them isn't that terrible save for injury-related issues.
Kinda makes me want to focus on this group rather than any of the previous tiers.
Just keep in mind that waiting on quarterback isn't a bad option, especially if you keep finding players at other positions you like in the first eight rounds.
Another option is to take two of these quarterbacks (or one of these quarterbacks and one of the quarterbacks in Tier 5). This especially makes sense in 14-team leagues, but not in smaller 10-or-fewer-team formats. The more quarterbacks available on the waiver wire, the less important it is to carry two. I'd lean against carrying two quarterbacks in a 12-team league unless the value on one or both QBs is impossible to pass up.
These quarterbacks will be top-50 picks in Superflex/two-QB leagues.
Tier 5
Rounds 11+
Jordan Love QB GB Green Bay • #10
Age: 27 • Experience: 7 yrs. 2025 Stats PAYDS 3381 RUYDS 199 TD 23 INT 6 FPTS/G 18.7 
Bo Nix QB DEN Denver • #10
Age: 26 • Experience: 3 yrs. 2025 Stats PAYDS 3931 RUYDS 356 TD 30 INT 11 FPTS/G 20.8 
Malik Willis QB MIA Miami • #2
Age: 27 • Experience: 5 yrs. 2025 Stats PAYDS 422 RUYDS 123 TD 5 INT 0 FPTS/G 14.3 
Tyler Shough QB NO New Orleans • #6
Age: 26 • Experience: 2 yrs. 2025 Stats PAYDS 2384 RUYDS 186 TD 13 INT 6 FPTS/G 16.2 
Kyler Murray QB MIN Minnesota • #1
Age: 29 • Experience: 8 yrs. 2025 Stats PAYDS 962 RUYDS 173 TD 7 INT 3 FPTS/G 17.9 
Baker Mayfield QB TB Tampa Bay • #6
Age: 31 • Experience: 9 yrs. 2025 Stats PAYDS 3693 RUYDS 382 TD 27 INT 11 FPTS/G 19 
Jacoby Brissett QB ARI Arizona • #7
Age: 33 • Experience: 11 year 2025 Stats PAYDS 3366 RUYDS 168 TD 24 INT 8 FPTS/G 19.5 
Daniel Jones QB IND Indianapolis • #17
Age: 29 • Experience: 8 yrs. 2025 Stats PAYDS 3101 RUYDS 164 TD 24 INT 8 FPTS/G 20.3 
C.J. Stroud QB HOU Houston • #7
Age: 24 • Experience: 4 yrs. 2025 Stats PAYDS 3041 RUYDS 209 TD 20 INT 8 FPTS/G 17.6 
Cam Ward QB TEN Tennessee • #1
Age: 24 • Experience: 2 yrs. 2025 Stats PAYDS 3169 RUYDS 159 TD 17 INT 7 FPTS/G 12.7 
Sam Darnold QB SEA Seattle • #14
Age: 29 • Experience: 9 yrs. 2025 Stats PAYDS 4048 RUYDS 95 TD 25 INT 14 FPTS/G 16.8 
Bryce Young QB CAR Carolina • #9
Age: 25 • Experience: 4 yrs. 2025 Stats PAYDS 3011 RUYDS 216 TD 25 INT 11 FPTS/G 16.5 
Geno Smith QB NYJ N.Y. Jets • #7
Age: 35 • Experience: 14 yrs. 2025 Stats PAYDS 3025 RUYDS 109 TD 19 INT 17 FPTS/G 14.1 
Aaron Rodgers QB PIT Pittsburgh • #8
Age: 42 • Experience: 22 yrs. 2025 Stats PAYDS 3322 RUYDS 61 TD 25 INT 7 FPTS/G 17.2 The only reason why this list is as long as it is is because of two-QB leagues. You can make a case for any of the first six names to be worth rostering in a one-QB league pretty easily; the rest not so much.
I can't stress enough how deep the quarterback position is. Everyone from Love to Mayfield has top-12 potential. In fact, if you read just this list of names and see four or more QBs you'd be okay starting, then you should definitely wait on drafting the position.
The first six names will be wiped out by pick 80 in Superflex/two-QB leagues.
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