Fantasy Football Quarterback Rankings For 2026: Lamar Jackson and Jayden Daniels Primed To Bounce Back
Ian Hartitz reveals his top-12 QBs for the 2026 fantasy football season.
Yeah, celebrating Cinco De Mayo with tacos and margaritas is cool, but have you ever read a breathtaking 1,433-word synopsis on the upcoming fantasy season's top-12 quarterbacks in my fantasy football rankings?!
As always: It's a great day to be great.
Join Our Newsletter
Trusted by 400,000+ fantasy football players. Get access to Fantasy Life's free award winning newsletter and tools, all in one step.
By registering or logging in, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Fantasy Football QB Rankings For 2026: The Top 12
QB1: Josh Allen
- 2025 finish: QB1 in fantasy points per game
- 2026 ADP: QB1
Key Question: Is Allen the best fantasy QB … ever?
He has a good case for it: Allen has finished as THE QB1 in fantasy land four times in the last six seasons. He also ranks first … ever … in career fantasy points per game (22.1). There's little reason to doubt the 30-year-old signal-caller ahead of 2026 thanks to a potentially improved receiver group (shoutout DJ Moore) and continued scheme continuity with OC-turned HC Joe Brady. The latter variable has helped Allen rack up an asinine 41 rushing touchdowns over the past three seasons—more than any human being not named Derrick Henry.
QB2: Lamar Jackson
- 2025 finish: QB16 in fantasy points per game
- 2026 ADP: QB2
Key Question: How concerning was Jackson's down year in 2025?
Jackson's ceiling might as well be the moon: The two-time MVP is responsible for two of the position's top-six highest-scoring single seasons … ever. However, 2025's QB16 finish in fantasy points per game featured the 29-year-old veteran averaging career-low marks in rushing yards (26.8) and attempts (5.2) per game. Hamstring, toe, knee, ankle and back injuries certainly didn't help matters; just realize QBs generally run less as they get older—it's possible Jackson's best years are in the rear-view mirror.
QB3: Drake Maye
- 2025 finish: QB2 in fantasy points per game
- 2026 ADP: QB7
Key Question: Should we expect some regression from the runner-up MVP?
Credit to Maye for leading the NFL in completion rate (72%) and yards per attempt (8.9) during his breakout 2025, although, as you may have heard roughly 6,000 times last winter, the Patriots' lackluster schedule didn't exactly force this offense into many tough situations. On the one hand, dealing with a first-place schedule could lead to some level of reduction in the passing efficiency department. On the other hand, there's also potential for Maye to be more comfortable than ever entering year two in Josh McDaniels' offense—especially if the team winds up adding a certain stud Eagles WR in the next few weeks.
QB4: Jayden Daniels
- 2025 finish: QB17 in fantasy points per game
- 2026 ADP: QB4
Key Question: How rough was Daniels in 2025?
It wasn't great—Marcus Mariota largely outperformed Daniels in most relevant efficiency metrics, but at the same time, Daniels' lackluster numbers are skewed a bit by him (unfortunately) leaving early due to injury on three separate occasions. Overall, the 2024 Rookie of the Year managed to post top-10 per-game fantasy numbers during the first seven weeks of the season, and Daniels still joins Mike Vick, Justin Fields and Lamar Jackson as the only QBs in NFL history to average north of 40 career rushing yards per game. Even if Daniels struggles to replicate his 2024 real-life magic, fantasy fireworks are still expected thanks to his dual-threat playstyle.
QB5: Jalen Hurts
- 2025 finish: QB7 in fantasy points per game
- 2026 ADP: QB5
Key Question: Why did Hurts' fantasy production plummet last season?
Many contributed Hurts' down 2025 to less tush push usage, but that wasn't exactly the case.
- 2021-2024: Eagles used the tush push on 84% of Hurts' snaps from the one-yard line. Only the Lions had more total snaps from the one-yard line than the Eagles.
- 2025: Eagles used the tush push on 89% of Hurts' snaps from the one-yard line, but they only had 10 such plays—tied for the 18th-highest mark in the league.
With the tush push back and new OC Sean Mannion hopefully getting more out of this still-talented group, it's reasonable to believe Hurts can get back to top-five fantasy heights. My only real concern here is for the potential of rookie Cole Payton to become the team's tush-push option—this would turn Hurts from an elite to average fantasy QB in a hurry.
QB6: Joe Burrow
- 2025 finish: QB15 in fantasy points per game
- 2026 ADP: QB3
Key Question: Does any QB project for more passing production than Burrow?
Nope! Just one season removed from throwing for an NFL-best 4,918 yards and 43 touchdowns, Burrow leads the way in projected passing touchdowns in our fantasy football projections thanks to his elite duo of receivers and ever-tumultuous defense.
QB7: Caleb Williams
- 2025 finish: QB8 in fantasy points per game
- 2026 ADP: QB6
Key Question: Is a massive year-three leap incoming for Williams?
Yes, Williams has struggled to make the easy look easy during his two years leading the Bears. Also, yes, his mixtape of best plays is up there with anyone at the position, and another step forward following an improved 2025 could suddenly have the 2024 NFL Draft's No. 1 overall pick breaking into the position's top-five *fantasy* conversation. This offense is oozing with pass-catcher talent at wide receiver and tight end alike; I'm betting on the 24-year-old putting his best foot forward in year two with wunderkind Ben Johnson.
QB8: Jaxson Dart
- 2025 finish: QB14 in fantasy points per game
- 2026 ADP: QB11
Key Question: Just how good was Dart as a rusher in 2025?
The man only trailed Josh f*cking Allen in fantasy points per game *from rushing* in 2025. It'd be a lot cooler if the OC here was anyone other than Matt Nagy, and this receiver depth chart is underwhelming outside of Malik Nabers, but man: 31 of 34 QBs to rack up 100-plus rush attempts in a season since 2014 posted top-12 fantasy numbers on a per-game basis. That's a 91% hit rate! It's tough to see Dart sinking too far in fantasy land thanks to his penchant for running the damn ball—and there's a HIGH ceiling here should this passing game find a way to mesh.
QB9: Dak Prescott
- 2025 finish: QB9 in fantasy points per game
- 2026 ADP: QB8
Key Question: Is Dak basically just a discount Burrow?
Pretty much! Fantasy Life Projections actually have Dak throwing for more yards (4,249 vs. 4,102) than Mr. Burrow. Their overall fantasy projections are within five points of each other. While it'll be tough for either to catch the top-ranked dual-threat aliens capable of rushing for 10 touchdowns, weekly overall QB1 upside persists for both pocket assassins thanks to their respective stud top two receivers and dogshit defenses.
QB10: Brock Purdy
- 2025 finish: QB6 in fantasy points per game
- 2026 ADP: QB13
Key Question: Where is the damn respect for Purdy?
At some point, the world needs to accept the fact that Mr. Irrelevant puts up numbers on par with the league's best QBs. The No. 1 QB in the Super Bowl era in yards per attempt, passer rating and passing success rate, those who want to call Purdy a system QB are wrong. But even if they were right, who cares when the system is literally producing one of the most efficient passing games ever?
Accordingly, the fantasy returns have been pretty nice as well:
- 2022 (after taking over in Week 13): 18.1 fantasy points per game (QB11)
- 2023: 18.7 (QB7)
- 2024: 18.1 (QB13)
- 2025: 20.4 (QB4)
Purdy is presently being priced far closer to his floor than ceiling and goes off the board after 44 WRs and 34 RBs are getting drafted. Yes, please.
QB11: Justin Herbert
- 2025 finish: QB10 in fantasy points per game
- 2026 ADP: QB10
Key Question: Are we sleeping on Herbert leaping back into the position's top-five?
Herbert is a near-consensus top-five real-life QB who returned that caliber of numbers in fantasy land earlier in his career and could now perhaps unlock peak form under new OC Mike McDaniel. Throw in newfound rushing heights in 2025 (career-high 498 yards on the ground), and the potential for better health from the team's pair of stud tackles, and Herbert very much has a top-five finish inside his range of outcomes ahead of 2026
QB12: Trevor Lawrence
- 2025 finish: QB5 in fantasy points per game
- 2026 ADP: QB9
Key Question: Just how great was T-Law down the stretch of 2025?
Pretty damn great! Lawrence posted top-12 numbers in nine of his final 10 starts of last season despite a constantly evolving receiver room. While we shouldn't expect Lawrence to score nine rushing touchdowns every season, the reigning top-five fantasy producer has a verifiably high ceiling in an offense that could very well still be ascending. Like Herbert, there's very real high-end upside here despite the mid-tier price tag.
Join Our Newsletter
Trusted by 400,000+ fantasy football players. Get access to Fantasy Life's free award winning newsletter and tools, all in one step.
By registering or logging in, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
