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Quincy Milton's dark-horse candidates to finish as a fantasy football QB1 in 2026. Target these five quarterbacks with league-winning upside.
Josh Allen has owned the quarterback position in fantasy for the last several years. He has finished as the QB1 or QB2 for six straight seasons. An impressive streak, to say the least. He is virtually untouchable because of his unbelievable rushing touchdown volume and elite passing skills. However, there tends to be a rotating cast of characters behind him.
Finding a top-5 quarterback in fantasy can be a major advantage. Alternatively, having a quarterback that consistently performs outside the top 10 can be a major disadvantage. You need a consistent producer at the position whether you stream quarterbacks or draft one you believe in. Luckily, there are several quality quarterbacks in the NFL right now who could finish as a QB1 in 2026.
With so many quarterbacks running the football effectively these days, there are a lot of fantasy points to be scored. Additionally, there are several young players in line to take a big step forward. Let's jump in and see who you could be overlooking as a potential QB1 in 2026.
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Kyler Murray, Minnesota Vikings
FFPC ADP: QB17 (125.15)
Kyler Murray finishing as a consistent top fantasy option feels like a distant memory, but this is a player who has finished as high as QB3 in the past and has delivered multiple other top-10 seasons when healthy. However, Murray has just one top-10 finish to his name since 2022, which has depressed his draft value in 2026.
Murray is turning over a new leaf in Minnesota this season. Head coach Kevin O'Connell has done well to rehabilitate quarterbacks in the past or increase the production of established quarterbacks. Sam Darnold was the QB9 under O'Connell in 2024, and Kirk Cousins was an MVP candidate and top-10 fantasy quarterback in 2022 and 2023 before he tore his Achilles.
Murray is different from any quarterback O'Connell has had in the past in that he can be an elite runner. Reports this offseason suggest that the Vikings are leaning more heavily into the running game this season. A run-first scheme can very much benefit from a running quarterback and vice versa.
From a passing perspective, this will be by far the best infrastructure Murray has ever had. Justin Jefferson is elite, and Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson are quality secondary options. Not to mention, Jauan Jennings will be a great safety valve for Murray.
Murray has a lot to prove with his next contract on the line. He could easily finish inside the top 10 this season. Even if Murray's days of top-5 upside are gone, it feels silly to draft him in the QB17 range.
Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints
FFPC ADP: QB18 (131.11)
I have been beating the drum for Tyler Shough all offseason. If you extrapolate his stats from his nine starts in 2025 over a 17-game season, he would have thrown for 4,261 yards, rushed for 328 yards, and scored around 24 total touchdowns. He averaged 17.6 fantasy points in those games.
Shough's yardage totals were exactly what we want to see in fantasy. His touchdowns were lacking, but that is to be expected from a rookie quarterback. Touchdowns will start to flow as Shough gets more comfortable. Additionally, Chris Olave was Shough's only reliable pass catcher on the outside last season. The team has gone to great lengths to make major upgrades in that department.
Tyler Shough called his own number for the game-winning TD 🙌 @visa pic.twitter.com/3a749oxzLU
— NFL (@NFL) December 11, 2025
The best part about Shough is that he turned the ball over at a relatively low rate. He recorded just seven turnovers in his nine starts. If that sticks, he will not deliver too many negative fantasy points in 2026.
Overall, this offense should take a massive step forward this season. The team is clearly committed to attempting to build around Shough. He was able to ramp up against a relatively soft schedule in 2025. Hopefully, he can take the next step against tougher opponents in 2026. Either way, Shough is being way under-drafted, close to QB20.
Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
FFPC ADP: QB19 (135.03)
It seems silly to have to include Baker Mayfield in this article, but the Buccaneers' downfall in 2025 is fresh in everyone's mind. Mayfield has slipped into the 14th-round range of fantasy drafts after turning in a QB12 finish in 2025. Sure, Mayfield's QB4 performance in 2024 was not repeatable, but the Buccaneers still have the infrastructure for Mayfield to put up big numbers.
Most encouraging from Mayfield's 2025 season was his rushing numbers. After rushing for 378 yards in 2024, Mayfield turned around and rushed for 382 in 2025. It seems as though he may be using his legs more than he used to, as his previous career high in rushing yards was 165. If the rushing continues, Mayfield will have a great baseline.
Baker Mayfield to Kameron Johnson for 6!
SFvsTB on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/wekh9o5I5q
— NFL (@NFL) October 12, 2025
Former offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard did not seem to have a great plan for this offense last season. After storming out to a 6-1 start, the offense completely crashed. Mayfield began turning the ball over consistently, with nine of his 11 interceptions coming after Week 10. The team was out of sorts as a whole.
Zac Robinson is entering the fold as the offensive coordinator in 2026. Robinson is out of the Sean McVay coaching tree, and he had some success as Atlanta's offensive coordinator considering that team's quarterback situation, or lack thereof. He should bring a more stable play-calling tactic and scheme to this offense this season.
Additionally, the Buccaneers should be healthier in 2026. Mayfield was without top wideout Mike Evans for nine games last season, Chris Godwin missed eight games, and Jalen McMillan missed 13 games. Evans is gone this season, but the team should get a second-year jump from Emeka Egbuka and enter the year with a healthy stable of wide receivers.
With a healthy receiving corps in place and a better offensive scheme, Mayfield should easily finish as a QB1 this year.
Malik Willis, Miami Dolphins
FFPC ADP: QB21 (141.85)
Malik Willis is not amongst my targets at quarterback, but the path to a top 10 season is clear. Willis is a fantastic runner. He consistently gets out of the pocket with ease as a scrambler, and he is the type of player you can design runs for as well. His athleticism gives him a legitimate chance to push for 700-plus rushing yards.
Rushing numbers in that range are a cheat code for quarterbacks in fantasy. We have seen players such as Justin Fields put up massive fantasy points with pedestrian passing numbers but running back-level numbers on the ground. However, the elephant in the room is: what will Willis' passing numbers look like?
Willis has visibly improved this offseason. His preseason action suggests that he is comfortable in the offense, and he has looked far more accurate than he was early in his career. Additionally, his time in Green Bay helped him protect the football. He never threw an interception when he was filling in for Jordan Love.
The Dolphins' pass catchers leave a lot to be desired, which is where some of the concern for Willis comes from. He is also playing behind a not-so-great offensive line. Willis may record huge rushing numbers, but he will still need a boost in passing numbers to be a consistent top-10 quarterback. If he puts it all together with this rag-tag cast of characters, Willis could have a massive season.
Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans
Yahoo ADP: QB25 (238.96)
Cam Ward is a deep sleeper, and his potential to finish as a top-10 quarterback is based primarily on the improved infrastructure around him.
Ward was pretty much awful throughout most of his rookie season. He did not throw for multiple touchdowns in a game prior to Week 14, and he was sacked 48 times in that same time span. He looked lost with no elite weapons and an incompetent offensive regime. However, Ward turned a corner in Week 14.
From Weeks 14 through 17, Ward threw eight of his 15 touchdown passes with just one interception. He only lost one fumble and only took seven sacks during that stretch. The game seemed to slow down for him, and we finally got a look at his true talent. That is exactly the progression you want to see from a rookie quarterback. He ended the year with a bang.
This throw by Cam Ward is ridiculous 🔥
KCvsTEN on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/OA2smyrPjp
— NFL (@NFL) December 21, 2025
The case for Ward in 2026 starts with new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll. Daboll was responsible for Allen's rise in Buffalo; he revived Daniel Jones for a stretch in New York, and he was making things happen with Jaxson Dart in New York last season before he was fired. Daboll has a clear track record of getting the most out of his quarterbacks.
While not a major runner, Ward adds a little bit of value with his legs. If he can score a few touchdowns on the ground and take a second-year passing leap, there is a path for Ward to finish in the top 10 at the position in 2026.
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