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Who will finish as the #1 overall fantasy football quarterback in 2026? Andy discusses seven sneaky breakout quarterback candidates to finish as QB1 in 2026.
The quarterback position can often be the difference between winning and losing your league. If you strike gold and draft a top-3 QB, your team will have a much greater chance to win on a weekly basis due to the upside that position possesses.
In 2025, we saw Josh Allen take the QB1 crown once again, totaling 375.4 FPTS with 22.0 FPTS/G. This is the second time over the past three seasons in which Allen led the position. Now it's time to turn our attention to 2026 and look into our crystal ball to project the next QB1.
However, a small disclaimer: we will not view Allen, the No. 2 and No. 3 options (per PPR points per game), Drake Maye, and Matthew Stafford as candidates. Instead, let's dig deeper and find the 2026 QB1. Be sure to also check out our top-six candidates for the RB1, candidates for WR1, and candidates for TE1 in 2026!
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Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Before we dive into the actual six candidates, let's get the obvious one out of the way. Lamar Jackson had an injury-plagued 2025 season, which resulted in the worst fantasy output of his entire NFL career.
Through 13 games, the former MVP threw for just 2,549 yards with a 21:7 TD:INT. On the ground, added 349 yards with only two rushing scores.
However, in the 2024 season, Jackson was a league winner, throwing a career-best 41 passing scores with 4,172 yards and only four interceptions. He added an impressive 915 rushing yards with another four touchdowns. His rushing upside provides him with one of the highest floors and ceilings in all of fantasy football.
Given Jackson's elite track record (QB1 finish in 2024 and QB3 finish in 2023 on a PPG basis), he stands clearly in a tier above the other six candidates. It would come as little surprise if Jackson reclaimed the QB1 title, even with an entirely new coaching staff.
A healthy Jackson would face little trouble finishing as a top quarterback in 2026 and is the clear favorite to overthrow Allen, Stafford, and Maye for the top-3 slots at the position.
Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
Next on our list will be the No. 1 overall pick from the 2024 NFL Draft. As a rookie, Williams struggled to find consistency due to his poor offensive environment. In 2024, the former USC standout would throw just 20 passing scores with 3,541 yards. On the ground, he would add 489 yards but would not punch in any touchdowns.
On a per-game basis, he would only eclipse the 25.0 PPR point mark in six total games. He was also sacked a hefty 68 times, the most in the entire league.
However, with Ben Johnson taking over HC duties, the entire Chicago Bears team did a complete 180 in 2025. Williams and the Bears marched to an 11-6 record and claimed the top seed in the NFC North.
Through 17 games, Williams tossed 3,942 yards with a 27:7 TD:INT through the air. With his legs, Williams added an additional three touchdowns and totaled a similar 388 yards on 77 attempts.
He enjoyed a hot start that fueled his breakout season. From Weeks 1 through 10 (nine games), Williams averaged a strong 20.7 FPTS/G, which tied him for seventh at the entire position. However, over the back half of the season (Weeks 11-18), Williams took a bit of a step back, posting a lower 17.4 FPTS/G.
Despite his drop on the surface, Williams faced many tough matchups during this stretch and was without his lead wideout, Rome Odunze, for some time. In these final eight games, Williams faced five defenses within the top-12 in fewest FPTS allowed to opposing QBs and only had two "plus" matchups, against the Steelers (Week 12) and Lions (Week 18).
Against the Steelers, he looked like his former self, throwing 239 passing yards with three scores.
Additionally, Williams' elite offensive surroundings make him a prime option to emerge as the QB1. In the second half, Williams saw his tight end, Colston Loveland, emerge as a legit playmaker, and second-round rookie Luther Burden III carve out a role as the team's WR3.
With his rushing upside and elite supporting cast, Williams is in a great position to make a push for the QB1 crown.
NO WAY. CALEB WILLIAMS HEAVES IT ON 4TH DOWN.
LARvsCHI on NBC
Stream on @NFLPlus + Peacock pic.twitter.com/JJymsDhen2— NFL (@NFL) January 19, 2026
Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
Daniels entered the 2025 season as a popular pick to lead the position but had a very disappointing sophomore season, primarily due to injuries. After finishing as the QB5 in total points as a rookie, Daniels would finish as the QB34 as a sophomore, as he was limited to just seven games.
He looked like his typical self in Weeks 1 and 2, totaling 19.9 FPTS/G with three passing scores and 258.5 total yards per game. However, following Week 2, Daniels was diagnosed with a knee injury. He would eventually return in Week 5, but would suffer a hamstring injury in Week 7 during their loss to the Cowboys.
Daniels would see the field again in Week 9, but would then face another lengthy absence, this time with an elbow injury, and would play his final game of the campaign in Week 14 against the Vikings. Overall, his sophomore season was nothing short of a disaster as the Commanders won just five total games.
However, given the upside he showed as a rookie, the former LSU product should be set up well for a bounce-back. Daniels will have his top wideout, Terry McLaurin, fully healthy, as he also battled his own string of injuries in 2025. In 2024, the pair were among the best QB/WR duos in football, as McLaurin set a career high with 13 touchdowns and 1,096 yards.
Additionally, the Commanders enter the offseason with the seventh overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and the fifth-most projected cap space per Spotrac.com. They are in a great position to either add an elite prospect (Jeremiyah Love, Makai Lemon, Carnell Tate) or make a big splash in free agency.
Nonetheless, Daniels was the QB5 with a limited rushing attack and a weak WR room outside of McLaurin (Noah Brown and Olamide Zaccheaus). Washington is primed to make massive upgrades to its team and should put Daniels in a prime position to return to his 2024 form.
Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Justin Herbert nearly ran away with the QB1 title in the first half of the season. Through Weeks 1 through 9, Herbert was looking like an MVP candidate, averaging an elite 21.8 FPTS/G, which placed him second at the position, only behind Patrick Mahomes.
During this nine-game stretch, Herbert totaled 19 touchdowns (18 passing and one rushing) and was quite effective as a rusher, averaging 33.9 rushing yards per game, which was on pace to make a career high. Additionally, during this stretch, the Oregon standout averaged 36.1 attempts per game and tallied 265.6 passing yards per game.
Unfortunately, from Weeks 10 through 17, Herbert totaled a much lower 14.8 FPTS/G and scored just nine total TDs. He was playing through a hand fracture for most of the second half, which completely hindered any upside he possessed.
However, with a clean slate and a new OC, Herbert should quickly return to his first-half level of production. In the offseason, the Chargers parted ways with run-heavy OC Greg Roman in favor of Mike McDaniel, the former Miami Dolphins HC. While Miami has struggled the past two seasons, it was a top-5 unit in terms of yardage in 2022 and 2023.
herbo + Q >>>>>
📺 | @nflonfox pic.twitter.com/62udb60dVx
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) December 21, 2025
During those seasons, Tua Tagovailoa averaged 4,086 yards per season with 27 passing scores. Herbert has shown plenty of upside in his career and could take off in this system with an illustrious playmaking cast of Omarion Hampton, Ladd McConkey, Oronde Gadsden II, and Quentin Johnston.
If that wasn't enough to convince you, Herbert spent nearly the entire season with an undermanned offensive line as Joe Alt played in just six games, Rashawn Slater missed the entire season, and guard Trey Pipkins missed a handful of games. Buy Herbert with confidence in 2026 drafts.
Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
Trevor Lawrence finished the season as QB4 and nearly reached the top three after his incredible second half. From Weeks 9 through 17, Lawrence was the overall QB2 and trailed the QB1 (Josh Allen) by just 0.5 FPTS/G.
During this incredible run, Lawrence totaled 24 touchdowns while throwing just seven interceptions. However, seven of his touchdowns came with his legs, which could be a bit unstable over the course of a full season.
From a yardage standpoint, Lawrence totaled 236.9 passing yards per game with 26.1 on the ground.
Even though he nearly matched Allen last season, Lawrence could reach a new level in 2026. During this noted stretch, the team's "No.1" WR, Brian Thomas Jr., totaled just 48.8 yards per game and even missed three games. Thomas was inconsistent during his sophomore season, battling a lingering wrist injury and never able to get on the same page as Lawrence.
If Thomas can return to his 2024 level of production (16.4 PPR points per game), Lawrence could add a legit deep threat to an already potent WR room with Jakobi Meyers and the emerging Parker Washington.
The wild card to Lawrence's 2026 season is Travis Hunter. Hunter had the best game on the offensive side of the ball in Week 7, when he caught eight of his 14 targets for 101 yards and a score. However, he would then suffer a season-ending knee injury in practice and was unable to build off of it.
With a healthy Thomas and Hunter at his disposal and an increase in rushing attempts down the stretch, Lawrence could establish himself as a mainstay high-end QB1 for the foreseeable future.
Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
The 2024 QB3 will hold the next spot on our list. When he's on the field, Joe Burrow is a high-end QB1, but he is rarely available for a full season. In 2024, managers finally saw him on the field for 17 games, and he was a league winner.
In 2025, Burrow appeared in just eight games but looked like his former self. Once he returned from the Grade 2 turf two he suffered back in Week 2, Burrow would average an elite 20.6 FPTS/G, placing him No.3 at the position, trailing only Lawrence and Stafford.
During this stretch, Burrow would hold a 15:5 TD:INT while throwing an elite 270.0 passing yards per game. He would eclipse the 300-yard mark in two of his last three and even throw four touchdown passes in two of these six games.
With an elite WR duo of Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins and a high-end pass-catching running back in Chase Brown, Burrow is well-positioned to continue this trajectory in 2026. The only concern will be his health.
Given the Bengals' defense remains one of the league's worst, Burrow and company will continue to be in high-scoring affairs, which only makes him more enticing for fantasy purposes.
Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Dallas' Dak Prescott will conclude our list. Unlike the other names, Prescott was within the top-3 at the position for the vast majority of the season but fell out of favor down the stretch.
From Weeks 1 through 14, Prescott was QB3 in total points, averaging an elite 20.7 FPTS/G, trailing only Allen and Mahomes. His 26 passing scores (during this stretch) placed him behind only Stafford, and his 3,657 passing yards led the entire league.
4th touchdown pass of the night for Dak Prescott!
DALvsLV on ESPN/ABC
Stream on @NFLPlus and ESPN App pic.twitter.com/tPLwSGtHGf— NFL (@NFL) November 18, 2025
However, from Weeks 15 through 17, Prescott would total just 18.0 FPTS/G which pushed him to the overall QB6 by the end of the regular season.
Even with CeeDee Lamb missing eight games and posting his lowest yardage total since his rookie campaign, Prescott turned in one of the best seasons of his career. Much of this was credited to George Pickens, who enjoyed a breakout season in Dallas. Pickens would catch a career-high 93 passes for 1,429 yards and nine scores, serving as the focal point of the offense.
Tight end Jake Ferguson was also a force in the red zone, catching a career-best eight touchdown passes.
With the Cowboys already resigning Javonte Williams and expecting to place the franchise tag on Pickens, Prescott should be in a very similar situation in 2026. The difference is that Lamb will be fully healthy and will provide Prescott with another high-end pass catcher.
Prescott is shaping up to be a prime "late" option at the position in 2026 drafts, if you choose to fade the bigger names.
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