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Conference Championship NFL playoffs fantasy football quarterback rankings (2026). Set winning lineups with our Conference Championship weekend rankings for fantasy football.
Just four quarterbacks remain in the quest for a Super Bowl title, and unfortunately, one backup will be called into action this Sunday. Either way, the position matters for fantasy and DFS, and we're back with our Conference Championship fantasy football quarterback rankings for 2026 to assist your calls. In the rankings table below, check out where Matthew Stafford, Drake Maye, Sam Darnold, and Jarrett Stidham rank for the third round of the NFL postseason.
Our quarterback fantasy football rankings for the Conference Championship are put together by Nick Mariano. Below the rankings, you will also find key fantasy football outlooks from our RotoBaller staff, as well as the "Who to Start?" tool. Also, be sure to check our fantasy football news for this week. There are always key injuries and developments to keep track of, so check back throughout the week for updates.
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Conference Championship Quarterback Rankings for Fantasy Football
| QB Tier |
QB Rank |
Player Name |
Pos. |
| 1 | 1 | Matthew Stafford | QB |
| 1 | 2 | Drake Maye | QB |
| 1 | 3 | Sam Darnold | QB |
| 2 | 4 | Jarrett Stidham | QB |
Conference Championship Quarterback Outlooks for Fantasy Football
Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said the plan with quarterback Sam Darnold (oblique) this week will be day-to-day to see how he's doing, according to Curtis Crabtree of FOX 13 Seattle. "Balancing making sure we get enough reps at the proper tempo, with the proper looks, you know, and getting Sam the reps that he needs," Macdonald said. Darnold played through a questionable tag in the Divisional Round win over the San Francisco 49ers after injuring his left oblique in practice on Thursday.
The 28-year-old wasn't needed all that much in the 41-6 blowout win, and he finished 12-for-17 passing for 124 yards and a touchdown. He will most likely be on the practice report this week and may not be full go, but it would be a surprise if he's not ready to play this Sunday in the NFC Championship versus the division-rival Rams. Darnold will most likely have to throw the ball much more in that one to keep up with L.A.'s potent offense.
Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford managed to lead his team to victory, but he did not have his most productive day in the NFC Divisional Round against the Chicago Bears. The 37-year-old completed 20 of 42 pass attempts for 258 yards (6.1 yards per attempt) without a touchdown. He also fumbled twice, although both were recovered by the Rams. Stafford is playing through a sprained right index finger that he suffered in the Wild Card Round, which could be negatively impacting his performance.
Still, his team will likely need more from him in the NFC Championship Game against the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle completely dominated San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy in the Divisional Round, holding him to 140 passing yards and holding the 49ers to just six total points.
However, Stafford had plenty of success against the Seahawks in the regular season, completing 44 of 77 pass attempts for 587 yards, five touchdowns, and zero interceptions across two meetings between the two NFC West foes. Fantasy managers may be wise to closely monitor reports on Stafford's injured finger heading into the NFC Championship Game.
Drake Maye, New England Patriots
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye completed 16 of his 27 pass attempts for 179 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. He also rushed for 10 yards, took five sacks, and lost two fumbles. Maye didn't have the cleanest game by any means, and his three turnovers made life more difficult for the Patriots.
Nevertheless, New England fended off the Houston Texans, who had one of their worst offensive performances in a while. Maye played better than his quarterback opponent, C.J. Stroud, and as a result, he'll survive another week. The former No. 3 pick moves on to face the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game next week. It'll be another tough matchup, as Denver allowed the ninth-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks during the regular season.
Jarrett Stidham, Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton praised quarterback Jarrett Stidham on Sunday. Stidham is "very accurate, and has a lot to his ball," said Payton. Stidham will start in the AFC Championship game vs. either the New England Patriots or the Houston Texans after Bo Nix (ankle) was ruled out for the remainder of the playoffs due to a broken bone in his ankle. Stidham has been under Payton's offensive system for three years and has shown great strength and mental aptitude.
The 29-year-old is a serviceable option for the Broncos with Nix out, but hasn't started a game since Week 18 of the 2023 season. Stidham would be a risky option in playoff leagues and a GPP play in DFS for Championship week, as he will face a brutal matchup against the Patriots or Texans, whichever team advances.
Who Should I Start Tool
Not sure who to start? Check out the Who Should I Start tool:
Compare up to four players and we'll tell you who to start...
Who Should I Start? Who Should I Sit? Some common Conference Championship fantasy football lineup decisions are regarding players like Matthew Stafford, Drake Maye, Sam Darnold, and Jarrett Stidham. But not to worry, we are here to help make these decisions and build winning lineups.
Conference Championship Player Decisions. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups for the Conference Championship. Our free Who Should I Start? tool will help make your fantasy football lineup decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell you who to start... all free! Get your winning lineups set, and make the right decisions.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player's name. In the second box, search for the second player's name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Start? button to see who the recommended starts are based on weekly fantasy football matchups.
Improvements For Who Should I Start? You may have noticed, we've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win your fantasy football matchups each week. You'll see NFL player tiles with headshots and bye weeks, enhanced search results with data to compare, and a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!
How It Works. Each week, our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy football rankings and projections based on their research. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked. If someone is out for the week, they will not appear in the search results.
Scoring Formats. Fantasy football managers play in various types of leagues, and this tool allows you to choose whether it's PPR scoring, Half-PPR scoring, or Standard (Non-PPR) scoring. The second thing you want to do is to select the scoring format. There are three small radio buttons (small circles), so click on the scoring format you prefer. The results may vary based on the scoring format you select.
Popular Conference Championship Searches. Curious to see some tough lineup decisions for the Conference Championship (2026)? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Start? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at this week. Click any of the links to see the result and recommendation.
Popular Conference Championship Searches - Start/Sit Player Comparisons
Below are some popular Conference Championship searches and comparisons from our 'Who To Start' tool:
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