1. Josh Allen, QB, BUF
Six straight seasons with a top-two finish. In the midst of his prime, there’s no reason not to rank and/or draft Allen as the QB1.
Josh Allen is good at football. Sometimes, it really is that simple.
2. Drake Maye, QB, NE
Drake “Drake Maye” Maye is the only player in the conversation for 2025 MVP alongside Matthew Stafford. The former Tar Heel ended the regular season ranking first in completion percentage, yards per attempt, and passer rating, and threw the third-most touchdowns (behind Stafford and Jared Goff). Maye also has a bit of wiggle, adding 450 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns. Depending on the scoring format, Maye finished second to Josh Allen by around 10 points. If any quarterback’s going to knock Allen from the QB1 pedestal, it’s going to be Maye.
3. Lamar Jackson, QB, BAL
It’s been said ad nauseam that Lamar Jackson never looked the same after an early-season hamstring injury stalled his scorching hot start to the season. But in the words of Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle, it’s true, it’s true. With the shocking news of John Harbaugh‘s firing came the revelation that Jackson and the offensive coordinator were rumored not to even be on speaking terms. Even in a “down” year, Jackson scored 23 total touchdowns in just 13 games. He’ll have a new head coach for the first time in his career and a new offense, but he’ll be heavily involved in the decisions on both. Jackson is still one of the elite fantasy quarterbacks, and any sort of discount offered would be free money.
4. Joe Burrow, QB, CIN
It was another lost season for Joe Burrow due to injury, and he was visibly frustrated with the state of the team toward the end of the season. He made a valiant effort to lead Cincy to an unlikely playoff berth and looked every bit the top-tier thrower of the football upon his return. Burrow heads into 2026 with arguably the best duo of receivers in the league, and it wouldn’t be a shock to see the team do whatever Burrow wants this offseason to appease him. He’ll once again be an elite fantasy option at quarterback as long as he’s healthy.
5. Jayden Daniels, QB, WAS
Considering he dislocated his throwing elbow in an injury that looked much worse than it was, Jayden Daniels’ season could have been much worse. Daniels scored multiple touchdowns and gained 250+ total yards in every game he started and finished. Offensive Coordinator Kliff Kingsbury departed the team, much to the chagrin of Daniels. But Washington hired David Blough (whom Daniels has a close relationship with) to replace him, and it’s expected Washington will maintain a similar style offense as Daniels’ first two seasons. Daniels’ stature and propensity to take big hits have some concerned about his long-term viability in the league. But at least for 2026, Daniels has a full offseason to get healthy and gain stability in the offensive system despite his new offensive coordinator, David Blough. That name again is Mr. Blough.
6. Jaxson Dart, QB, NYG
It seems the New York Football Giants finally have their quarterback of the future in Jaxson Dart. What could have been for the Giants if he had started from day one and Malik Nabers had stayed healthy? Dart set multiple records in his rookie season: the first rookie quarterback with multiple games of 240+ passing yards, 60+ rushing yards, and two or more total touchdowns; the first quarterback to accumulate 1,800+ passing yards, 400+ rushing yards, and 20+ total touchdowns in his first nine career starts; and the first quarterback to score a rushing touchdown in five consecutive games. Oh, and new head coach John Harbaugh is expected to bring Todd Monken to New York to be his offensive coordinator. He’s the perfect guy to help Dart improve as a passer. Monken helped Lamar Jackson win his second MVP in 2023; Lamar also had his only two seasons with 3,500+ passing yards from 2023-2024, and reached 41 passing touchdowns with Monken in 2024. Dart will need to work on protecting himself from big hits, but as long as he stays on the field, he’s a borderline QB1 with QB1 overall potential.
7. Trevor Lawrence, QB, JAC
Trevor Lawrence finally put it all together and had the best season of his career under Liam Coen. Lawrence recorded 38 touchdowns and threw downfield a butt ton, ranking second in deep attempts and first in deep yards per game. He has a loaded receiver room with Jakobi Meyers, Brian Thomas Jr., Parker Washington, and Travis Hunter. Coen seems to have finally unlocked Lawrence, helping him achieve his first top-five fantasy season, and nothing suggests he’ll slow down in 2026.
8. Jalen Hurts, QB, PHI
Jalen Hurts seems like a great guy. He’s a fantastic fantasy quarterback. But he’s not the best passer of the football. There have been rumblings during the offseason about drama in the Philly locker room, driven by the coaching staff and front office failing to criticize Hurts and his shortcomings. There’s even talk that the Eagles could draft or add a quarterback this offseason to motivate him. How much of that is true is hard to say, but often in these situations where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Hurts remains a QB1 in fantasy thanks to his legs, but especially if the Eagles trade A.J. Brown, his top-five fantasy days may be over.
9. Justin Herbert, QB, LAC
Justin Herbert came out of the gates blazing, throwing 16 touchdowns in his first eight games. But as the already suspect offensive line began to drop like flies due to injury, Herbert had less and less time to throw, and eventually ended up with a broken hand. Herbert had only two games with multiple touchdown passes after Week 9, but he still finished as a QB1. If the Chargers can shore up the o-line and give Herbie some time without pressure, there’s potential for a push into the top five.
10. Patrick Mahomes II, QB, KC
Patrick Mahomes looked like “Showtime” Mahomes (the worst nickname ever) through about Week 8, but the Chiefs’ offense sputtered from Week 9 until his season-ending ACL injury. Even if Mahomes can rehab quickly enough to return by Week 1, as he hopes, he could be without Travis Kelce (possible retirement), Rashee Rice (possible suspension), and Hollywood Brown (Unrestricted Free Agent). I firmly believe Mahomes has multiple elite fantasy seasons left in him. But given that he’ll be returning from an ACL injury, possibly have a new offensive coordinator, and have multiple new pass catchers, 2026 may be the calm before the storm of a late-career surge a la Tom Brady.
11. Dak Prescott, QB, DAL
It turns out that having two stud receivers and a porous defense is a recipe for fantasy success. Dak Prescott finished as QB9 in points per game, was in the top ten in yards per attempt and quarterback rating, and was just outside the top ten in completion percentage. George Pickens is a free agent, and should he return, Dak is an easy QB1 who should come at a value. If Pickens leaves, Dak’s upside would be capped.
12. Brock Purdy, QB, SF
It’s hard to judge Brock Purdy on a season as broken as his. While he missed plenty of time due to injury, he also went thermonuclear in the fantasy playoffs and helped at least a few managers win titles. Purdy didn’t push the ball downfield a ton, but he made it count when he did, finishing first in deep throw completion percentage (63.3) and second in yards per deep throw attempt (17.87). His receivers likely look different in 2026, with Jauan Jennings a free agent, George Kittle dealing with a torn Achilles, and Brandon Aiyuk lost in the Upside Down. But in Shanny’s system, Brock is a purdy good (I’m so, so sorry) option if you wait on quarterback.
13. Caleb Williams, QB, CHI
Caleb Williams had his struggles, but man, when he was on, he was unstoppable. He rarely turns the ball over, but his sub-60 completion percentage is among the worst in the NFL. You could see how he progressed throughout the season, showing that Ben Johnson is working his magic on him. Even through the struggles, Williams finished as QB7 in points per game. He should be in the top ten quarterbacks off the board in 2026 and possesses QB1 overall upside, even if it’s a slim chance.
14. Matthew Stafford, QB, LAR
So we can all agree that Matthew Stafford‘s “back issue” in the preseason was a bunch of hogwash, right? What caused so many of us to fade him (including me) hurts that much more since he’s having arguably his best season and is likely to win the MVP. Stafford led the league in touchdowns and passing yards per game, and if he returns for another season, he’s still a QB1 for fantasy purposes. Considering his age, you run the risk of him falling off the cliff, but in Sean McVay‘s offense, I highly doubt that happens.
15. Jordan Love, QB, GB
Jordan Love threw the deep ball at the second-highest rate in the league and completed about the league average of 41%. It didn’t help that he was without one of his top deep threats for most of the season, as Christian Watson and Jayden Reed both missed significant time. But Love had some big games against poor defenses. Love played decently, but with the Packers’ running game and defense, Green Bay didn’t get into many shootouts. Love is a borderline QB1 who’s fine as your starter, but I don’t know if he’ll ever have to pass the ball enough to become an elite option.
16. Bo Nix, QB, DEN
Bo Nix had himself another top-10 season for fantasy purposes, but was much more volatile than you’d like from your QB1. He did have a couple of four-touchdown games, but threw for one or zero touchdowns in 11 games and was under 250 passing yards in 11 games as well. He suffered a broken ankle on the second-to-last play of the Broncos’ victory over the Bills in the playoffs, but will be a full go before training camp.
17. Jared Goff, QB, DET
Jared Goff didn’t need Ben Johnson after all. Well, at least not to put up fantasy points. Goff brushed off the haters and threw for 34 touchdowns, second only to Matthew Stafford‘s 46. He finished as a QB1 again and enters 2026 as a near must-start, as long as he’s indoors.
18. Baker Mayfield, QB, TB
My fears about Baker Mayfield came to fruition, as touchdown regression pushed him right back to fringe fantasy starter status. Mayfield isn’t afraid to sling the rock, and even with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin potentially out of the picture, he still has plenty of talent at the receiver position. 2024 was an aberration, but he’s still a serviceable starter.
19. Sam Darnold, QB, SEA
Sam Darnold proved his Minnesota resurgence wasn’t a fluke, finishing as QB14 in total points and leading the Seahawks to the #1 seed in the NFC. My gripe with Darnold from a fantasy perspective is that he’s not very good when he faces pressure, which is still true. But the Seahawks’ rebuilt offensive line made major strides and more often than not kept Darnold upright. Darnold faced pressure on just 31.7% of his dropbacks, fourth-lowest among quarterbacks who played at least 10 games. Darnold had some low-volume games that keep him from being a consistent starter, but he’s a borderline QB1 who’s perfect to pair with another quarterback to mix and match based on opponent.
20. C.J. Stroud, QB, HOU
C.J. Stroud seems like a really good guy, but man, he’s fallen off hard since his rookie season. He missed a few games with a concussion and returned to play shaky football, throwing just eight touchdowns in his final six games. The upside is still there, but he’s more of an upside QB2 than an every-week starter in fantasy.
21. Tyler Shough, QB, NO
For a quarterback known for his deep ball, it’s disheartening to see Tyler Shough have the third-worst deep throw completion percentage at 28.6% (min 25 attempts). As of now, it seems the Saints consider Shough their short-term/long-term answer at quarterback. While he was serviceable for fantasy purposes, temper expectations. He threw multiple touchdown passes in just three of 10 starts, posting a 10:6 touchdown-to-interception ratio, and threw for fewer than 250 yards in 50% of his starts.
22. Cam Ward, QB, TEN
After struggling for nearly the entire season, Cam Ward began showing signs of life down the stretch. Ward failed to throw multiple touchdowns in a game until Week 13, but did so in his final four starts and began making flash plays like these.
What a drive for Cam Ward. Dropping dimes down the field. How bout that for deep accuracy!
6/7 for 69 yards and a touchdown on the drive, including completions of 25 and 30 yards. pic.twitter.com/tWPBis8rjE
— Justin Graver (@titansfilmroom) December 21, 2025
The Titans cleaned house and hopefully brought in a staff that will build the offense around Ward and give him time to throw. If you subscribe to the “Late Round QB” draft strategy, Ward could be worth a dart throw in 2026. But he’s not someone you’ll want to depend on.
23. Kyler Murray, QB, ARI
Kyler Murray‘s once sky-high ceiling has fallen all the way to the ground floor. The expectations that come with being the #1 overall pick are a tall order, and Murray just hasn’t been up to it. He appeared to be head and shoulders above the competition in the first two seasons in the league, but he’s thrown 15 or fewer touchdowns in three of the last four seasons, in part due to injury and also due to this year’s “soft benching.” It would be a knee-high narrative to say his career is finished; his peak may just happen to be at waist-level. Nothing official has been said, but the Cardinals are ready to move on this offseason. Murray is likely wearing another uniform in 2026. He’s also short.
24. Bryce Young, QB, CAR
Bryce Young is one of the oddest fantasy quarterbacks I’ve ever seen play the game. He had nine starts with one or fewer touchdown passes, but added a couple of three-touchdown performances, including one game with over 400 passing yards! The Panthers have exercised his fifth-year option, so he’ll be back in Carolina at least for one more season. But I’m avoiding him in anything outside of Superflex leagues.
25. J.J. McCarthy, QB, MIN
The best thing that J.J. McCarthy did for us this season was give us the “Nine” meme.
McCarthy can be summed up in one stat: he led the NFL in off-target percentage. Literally, over 20% of his pass attempts were off target. The dude is responsible for making Justin Jefferson a WR3. There were a couple of late-season starts where McCarthy looked serviceable, but it remains to be seen whether he’ll be the starter for Minnesota next season. I expect the Vikings to at least bring in a capable veteran backup.
26. Malik Willis, QB, GB
An unrestricted free agent, Malik Willis nearly led the Packers to an overtime victory over Chicago in relief of an injured Jordan Love and totaled 300 yards and three touchdowns in a spot start against the Ravens. Willis played himself into an opportunity to compete for a starting job if he wants it this offseason.
27. Michael Penix Jr., QB, ATL
Michael Penix Jr. has a long road to recovery ahead, but I really like the Kevin Stefanski hire for his development if he can get back on the field healthy.