5 Fantasy Football Quarterbacks You Must Draft in Dynasty Leagues (2026)

May 11, 2026

Austin Swaim's sleepers and must-draft quarterbacks for 2026 fantasy football, including his top QB target for dynasty leagues this upcoming season.

If you are an avid fantasy football fan and want to play year-round, starting a dynasty league might be a great idea. You will be able to compete for a fantasy football championship every year while also getting to make trades in the offseason and draft incoming rookies each spring. Dynasty leagues are really one of the best formats for those who love participating in fantasy football.

If you have an upcoming dynasty startup draft, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will look at five quarterbacks everyone should select in dynasty leagues. Nailing your quarterback spots in these leagues that are predominantly superflex formats can give you tremendous flexibility and upside in building out the rest of your team.

So, which five quarterbacks should dynasty managers draft in superflex startups? Let's dive in and find out. 

Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers

Justin Herbert's average draft position (ADP) on Sleeper is near the late second round in 10- or 12-team leagues, but Herbert undoubtedly has upside to be one of the best fantasy quarterbacks in the NFL this year.

As the primary play-caller, new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel produced QB15 and QB9 seasons from Tua Tagovailoa before the former Miami quarterback's health precipitously declined. The Dolphins were 11th and third, respectively, in points per game (PPG) in those seasons as well.

It might be even easier to unlock Herbert and a talented L.A. Chargers cast of weapons, including running back Omarion Hampton, wide receivers Ladd McConkey and Tre' Harris, and emerging tight end Oronde Gadsden II. Herbert was QB10 in fantasy PPG a year ago in Greg Roman's offense despite the Chargers offensive line ranking 30th in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF).

Part of Herbert's fantasy ascension came from a career-high in rushing yards (498) -- a total which quietly ranked second among all quarterbacks in 2025.

GM Joe Hortiz went to work addressing the offensive line in the NFL Draft, spending four of eight picks on added depth. Jake Slaughter will start at guard, and a big-bodied Travis Burke will be tackle depth that the team lacked a year ago in the wake of Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater's injury woes.

The arrow is undoubtedly up on a quarterback who many have believed to be a top-5 talent in the sport for years. He also just turned 28 in March, signaling he's just entering his prime in dynasty formats.

Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans

Cam Ward's dominant 2024 campaign at Miami made him a Heisman Trophy finalist and the No. 1 overall pick. He learned quickly that the NFL can be a significantly less comfortable environment.

Tennessee failed its prized rookie quarterback last season by inviting back Brian Callahan -- on the hot seat -- just to fire him after a loss in Week 6. The team's starting receivers were 30-year-old Calvin Ridley and 33-year-old Tyler Lockett. The Titans' retooled offensive line was still just the league's 23rd-ranked unit, per PFF.

Well, they've made major investments in the quarterback who showed elite flashes.

WE GOT 5 ON IT‼️ @Cameron7Ward to @elicayomanor for their first career TDs!

📺: #LARvsTEN on @NFLonCBS & NFL+ pic.twitter.com/eQANrmlUCo

— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) September 14, 2025

Regarded as one of the best play-callers in the league, who helped develop Josh Allen and Jaxson Dart, Brian Daboll comes over from the New York Giants. The team drafted Ohio State's Carnell Tate with the No. 4 overall pick in the draft and also signed Wan'Dale Robinson, who caught 92 passes for Daboll's G-Men a year ago.

Though you can't totally erase a season where he posted a lower expected points added per dropback (EPA/db) than Geno Smith and Dillon Gabriel, the situation has dramatically improved for a passer who has few concerns in terms of traits or intangibles. He just needs to cut down on an 8.90% sack rate.

Kyler Murray, Minnesota Vikings

Kyler Murray and the Minnesota Vikings both have a golden opportunity to erase challenging 2025 campaigns together.

It might be shocking, but Murray is just 28 as he enters this new phase of his career, which could become a permanent home if he has a successful year under Kevin O'Connell's tutelage.

He wouldn't be the first; O'Connell's quarterbacks have averaged the following marks in fantasy PPG in his tenure since the start of 2022: 18.0, 19.3, 18.8, and 13.7. J.J. McCarthy represents the final mark, which might be why Murray was brought in this offseason.

At one time, Murray opened his Arizona Cardinals tenure with at least 3,700 passing yards and 420 rushing yards per season in three straight campaigns. We've still seen glimpses of that guy in recent years, plagued by injuries and other general oddities.

Kyler Murray hit a max speed of 19.86 MPH on this 12-yard scramble for the TD, per @NextGenStats 🔥

Watch live local games on #NFLPlus
Blackout restrictions may applypic.twitter.com/E2Pnq6sKyF

— NFL+ (@NFLPlus) October 5, 2025

Only time will tell whether Murray's precipitous decline since a late 2023 knee injury had more to do with the player than the organization. It's still hard to bet against O'Connell's system and this squad's usual complement of weapons, including Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson.

Malik Willis, Miami Dolphins

Turning 27 later in May, Malik Willis is a physically gifted, dual-threat quarterback being given his first true shot to start in the NFL, and he's coming off a year in which he led the NFL in EPA/db (+0.73) on a small sample. It's unreal that he could be available outside the first 25 signal-callers in a dynasty startup.

If I had an analogy for his situation, it would be Sam Darnold at a nearly identical age a year ago. There, concerns about Darnold's previous shortcomings and his new system outweighed his physical talent and the successful small sample we knew was present. Darnold's roster in Seattle was much more complete, but this job is Willis' if he has a decent year, per the $45 million guaranteed in his contract.

Jon-Eric Sullivan and Jeff Hafley handpicked him after being around the Packers for his entire tenure, and it's probably because it's hard to find what Willis can bring with his legs in terms of extending plays and running the ball. He's fifth in the NFL in yards per carry among quarterbacks since the start of 2024 (6.9).

The true concern with the Dolphins is an unappealing supporting cast of pass-catchers, but the team invested in its offensive line with Kadyn Proctor in the first round of the NFL Draft, and De'Von Achane is an explosive chain-mover.

I think some are comparing Willis to Justin Fields as a mobile flameout with the Jets. Fields, though, never had the prolonged sample of success that Willis has shown as a passer. He had a passer rating of at least 118.0 in five of his six extended appearances with Green Bay.

Shedeur Sanders, Cleveland Browns

Fading conventional wisdom at quarterback in dynasty leagues can bear incredible fruit. Baker Mayfield was left for dead. Bryce Young was a bust.

Most drafters feel like the Cleveland Browns will be drafting a quarterback in 2027, but there are still two other realistic paths. The team does have Deshaun Watson under his fully guaranteed deal.

That long shot wouldn't require much investment, as Watson is a forgotten man in dynasty circles and likely will be unless he's officially named the starter. Even then, he's probably just a streaming option.

The other path this QB situation could take? Well, if we're really taking scouting pros at face value, Shedeur Sanders was a top-35 prospect on Dane Brugler, Mel Kiper Jr., and Todd McShay's boards a year ago. Does the fact that the Browns got him in the fifth round entirely matter at this point?

If Sanders can play, he'll play -- especially with a ravenous fan base that will be hard to shed if we see more efforts like a four-touchdown effort against the Titans in Week 14.

Final stat line for former #CUBuffs star QB Shedeur Sanders today:

23-42 passing for 364 yds, 3 TDs, 1 INT
3 carries for 29 yards (led the team) and 1 TD

He scored all 4 Browns touchdowns today in a 31-29 loss to Cam Ward and the Titans. pic.twitter.com/aVFZkXqGVD

— Tyler King (@King_TylerB) December 7, 2025

That game was a pretty undeniable example of Sanders' talent. The final stats for a tanking Browns squad -- including an 8:10 TD-to-INT ratio -- were unsightly, but so was the supporting cast.

Cleveland has had perhaps the best offseason around its quarterback of any team by totally revamping the offensive line and drafting a pair of talented receivers, KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston, in the first 40 picks of April's draft.

Importantly, the acquisition cost for both Watson and Sanders is so low at this point that any sort of dice roll that the latter turns into a viable asset in dynasty is a small gamble. The 2027 NFL Draft seems to be loaded with quarterback talent to acquire a different name as a QB2 or QB3 next spring if this current Browns duo doesn't pan out.

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