March 29, 2026
The NFL Network's Mike Garafolo thinks that Cleveland Browns quarterback
Deshaun Watson (Achilles) is in the "pole position" to be the team's starter for Week 1 of the 2026 regular season.
Shedeur Sanders finished his rookie season as the Browns' starter under center, but he was very inconsistent down the stretch and has plenty to prove after dropping into the fifth round in the 2025 NFL draft. On the flip side, Watson, 30, missed all of last year while recovering from multiple surgeries to fix a torn Achilles tendon. Due to injury and suspension, the three-time Pro Bowler has played in just 19 games since he joined Cleveland in 2022. Watson will be competing with Sanders in training camp this summer, but there's still the possibility the Browns add another signal-caller in the draft or via trade/free agency. If Watson were to enter training camp fully healthy and win the starting job outright, he'd be a low-end QB2 with upside and plenty to prove to fantasy managers.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Mike Garafolo
March 28, 2026
Former Arizona Cardinals quarterback
Kyler Murray's (foot) fantasy football value in dynasty/keeper leagues was trending down in recent years and fell to a low point in 2025, when he appeared in just five games due to a sprained foot. The 28-year-old former first overall pick in 2019 out of Oklahoma threw for just 962 yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions while rushing for 173 yards and one touchdown on the ground. Despite injury-riddled seasons in two of the last three years, Murray should enter training camp this summer as the slight favorite to win the starting duties in Minnesota over
J.J. McCarthy. If Murray stays healthy and plays up to his abilities (primarily as a rusher for fantasy purposes), he will have the weapons in Minnesota to become a favorite for Comeback Player of the Year in 2026. A fresh start in a new city could be just what the doctor ordered for Murray, a two-time Pro Bowler in 2020 and 2021, especially with a QB guru as head coach in Kevin O'Connell. If Murray ends up winning the QB job, he'll have QB1 upside in single-year fantasy leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
March 28, 2026
After back-to-back first-team All-Pro selections in 2023 and 2024, Baltimore Ravens quarterback
Lamar Jackson struggled through an injury-marred down year in 2025. The 29-year-old missed four games due to back and hamstring injuries and finished the year with 2,549 passing yards, 21 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. Perhaps due to his injury issues, Jackson also had the least productive rushing season of his career, totaling 349 rushing yards and two touchdowns on just 67 attempts. However, Jackson should be fully healthy heading into 2026. When he's on the field, the two-time MVP remains perhaps the most dangerous dual-threat quarterback in the NFL. Across 17 games in 2024, Jackson threw for 4,172 yards and 41 touchdowns while rushing for 915 yards and four scores. Jackson still profiles as an elite quarterback option in dynasty formats heading into 2026.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
March 28, 2026
Indianapolis Colts quarterback
Daniel Jones (Achilles) continues to work his way back from injury. He recently signed a two-year extension to keep him in Indianapolis through 2027, but he's not a lock to start Week 1 this upcoming season. Depending on how his recovery goes, Jones could miss the early portion of the season, leaving
Riley Leonard in line to start. Managers likely won't have much clarity on his timeline until the middle or end of the summer, leaving plenty of questions about his fantasy value for 2026. When healthy last year, Jones was a legitimate QB1 in fantasy football. He ranked as the overall QB9 before getting injured, averaging 253.4 passing yards, 13.3 rushing yards, and 2.0 total touchdowns per game. Jones' ADP might end up pricing him as a top-10 quarterback, meaning you'll have no choice but to draft him as a QB1. If that happens, spending a draft pick on a decent QB2 is imperative, since you might be without Jones for the first few weeks of the season. When he does return, though, he should offer consistent production as a weekly fantasy starter.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
March 28, 2026
Buffalo Bills quarterback
Josh Allen had a second straight season of under 4,000 passing yards in 2025, but he more than made up for it with his rushing prowess to finish as the QB1 in fantasy football. In 17 regular-season starts, the 29-year-old four-time Pro Bowler and former MVP threw for 3,668 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions while adding 112 rushing attempts for a league-high 579 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground. The next closest QB in rushing TDs,
Jalen Hurts, had only eight. Allen had surgery to fix a broken bone in his right foot in late January, but he should be all systems go in time for the start of the 2026 regular season this fall, and he should be the first quarterback off the board early in fantasy drafts. Allen's passing numbers leave plenty to be desired, but he could be more efficient through the air next season after the addition of receiver
DJ Moore, who was acquired from the Chicago Bears. Allen's rushing upside is what puts him above the rest of the QBs in the league. He has over 100 carries in all but one of his eight NFL seasons, and that was his rookie year in 2018, when he had 89 rushing attempts.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
March 28, 2026
Detroit Lions quarterback
Jared Goff was unable to lead the Lions back to the postseason in 2025, but he did plenty to help his fantasy managers, throwing for 4,564 yards, 34 touchdowns, and only eight interceptions in 17 starts. The 31-year-old veteran has been the picture of consistency in his last four years in Detroit, throwing for over 4,000 yards each year and 30-plus touchdown passes in three of the four seasons. Goff has been a Pro Bowler in three of the last four years, as well as the Lions continue to employ a pass-happy approach on offense under head coach Dan Campbell. In fantasy football, Goff finished last season as the QB6 overall, and he should remain a safe bet to be a top-10 signal-caller again when all is said and done in 2026. Detroit's offensive line in front of him could be a question mark, but Goff still has elite weapons in the passing game in
Amon-Ra St. Brown,
Jameson Williams,
Isaac TeSlaa, and
Sam LaPorta (back), plus one of the best running backs in the league behind him in
Jahmyr Gibbs. New offensive coordinator Drew Petzing was with the Cardinals last year when they led the league in passing attempts, so expect Goff to continue to throw the football with regularity.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
March 28, 2026
Former Arizona Cardinals quarterback
Kyler Murray injured his foot in Week 5 of the 2025 season and never played again after that, opening the door for veteran signal-caller
Jacoby Brissett to have the best year of his 10-year NFL career. The 33-year-old veteran played 14 games (12 starts) and completeed 64.9% of his pass attempts for 3,366 yards, 23 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He went just 1-11 as a starter for the lowly Cardinals, but there's no question that he elevated Arizona's offense from what Murray had shown in the first five games. In a pass-happy offense with the Cardinals often finding themselves down big early, Brissett racked up the passing attempts and aired the football out to finish as the QB15 in fantasy scoring. Murray is now gone, and although the Cardinals signed
Gardner Minshew at the position, the expectation is that Brissett will remain the starter in 2026. The Cardinals led the NFL in pass attempts last year, but under new head coach Mike LaFleur, the Cardinals should be a much more run-heavy offense, which means that fantasy managers probably won't be able to count on Brissett putting up similar numbers over a full season in his second year in the desert.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
March 27, 2026
San Francisco 49ers quarterback
Mac Jones ended up playing in 11 games and making eight starts in his first year in the Bay Area in 2025 due to injuries to starter
Brock Purdy, and he was impressive when on the field. Jones went 5-3 as a starter for the Niners, going 201-for-289 passing (69.6% completion percentage) with 2,151 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, and six interceptions. The 27-year-old former 15th overall pick in 2021 by the New England Patriots out of Alabama has garnered plenty of trade interest this offseason after signing a two-year, $8.41 million contract with the 49ers in March of 2025. The 49ers reportedly have an astronomically high asking price tag on Jones, though, so it seems unlikely he'll be dealt this offseason. Unless Jones is traded to a team that will give him a chance to start in 2026, he'll merely be an experienced, low-ceiling QB stash in dynasty leagues for depth at the most important position in football.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
March 27, 2026
The Atlanta Falcons think that quarterback
Michael Penix Jr. (knee) will be healthy "at some point" during training camp this summer, according to Cameron Wolfe of the NFL Network. Not only will Penix be coming off a torn ACL, but he'll have his work cut out for him to win the starting QB job as he enters his third NFL season. The Falcons will have an open QB competition this summer between Penix and former Miami Dolphins QB
Tua Tagovailoa, who will have a head start under new head coach Kevin Stefanski. Wolfe says that Tua has a "real chance" to win the job over Penix if he can bounce back from the worst year of his career in 2025. Atlanta's new coaching staff and front office want to give Penix a "kick in the butt, and Wolfe says it's not Penix's job to lose when he's healthy. Along with extreme durability concerns -- Penix has now had three ACL surgeries, dating back to college -- the University of Washington product could open 2026 as a backup. His dynasty/keeper stock is falling quickly.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Cameron Wolfe
March 27, 2026
The New York Jets had two of their top decision-makers, general manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn, at their private workout with Alabama quarterback
Ty Simpson on Friday, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN. Offensive coordinator Frank Reich and quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave were also present. The Jets also had dinner with Simpson on Thursday night to get to know him on a personal level. With all that said, Cimini said he would "be a little surprised" if the Jets take Simpson at No. 16 overall in next month's NFL draft because they have so many other needs. New York has three first-round picks in the 2027 draft, so the Jets "do not feel like they are pressured" to take a signal-caller this year.
Justin Fields was a free-agent failure in 2025, and he's already been traded to the Chiefs.
Geno Smith, who was acquired from the Raiders via trade, will most likely end up being a bridge QB before the Jets look to find their next franchise signal-caller in 2027. Simpson, who is considered the second-best QB prospect in this year's class behind Indiana's
Fernando Mendoza, is expected to come off the board in the first round in April.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN New York - Rich Cimini
March 27, 2026
Across 11 games (eight starts) in 2025, Washington Commanders quarterback
Marcus Mariota completed 65.2% of his pass attempts for 1,695 yards, 10 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. The 32-year-old also remained a productive player with his legs, rushing for 297 yards and a touchdown on 50 attempts. Mariota was forced into more playing time than Washington would have liked in 2025, as star quarterback
Jayden Daniels played in just seven games due to knee, hamstring, and elbow injuries. Still, Mariota profiles as one of the better backup quarterback options in the NFL, and the Commanders re-signed him to a one-year deal for the 2026 season in early March. When Mariota gets a chance to play, his dual-threat ability makes him a quality streaming option for fantasy managers, especially in two-quarterback formats. Given Daniels' durability question marks, Mariota should at least be on the radar of deep-league managers entering 2026.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
March 27, 2026
Alabama quarterback
Ty Simpson finished his collegiate career with a limited body of work, but his athleticism, pocket presence, and leadership ability have been enough to impress several teams. He has spent most of the pre-draft process as the consensus number two quarterback in the class, with the biggest question being how much later than presumed number one overall pick
Fernando Mendoza he will slide. With the NFL Draft less than a month away, Simpson has regularly found himself mocked in the back half of the first round. Three of his most common landing spots have been with the Rams, Jets, and Steelers, with whom he could be thrust into his earliest starting role, depending on how the
Aaron Rodgers saga plays out. If Simpson does earn first-round NFL capital, he will likely slot into the late first round of dynasty rookie drafts as well.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
March 26, 2026
Green Bay Packers quarterback
Jordan Love didn't quite live up to expectations during his third season as the team's starter in 2025. Love played 15 games, and his 3,381 passing yards and 23 touchdowns both represented his lowest marks since he took over for
Aaron Rodgers after the 2022 campaign. On a positive note, he kept turnovers to a minimum with just six interceptions and two fumbles. Love exploded as the overall QB5 in 2023, but he has been QB15 or lower in each of the last two years. This pattern has solidified Love as a top-18 fantasy option, but he's no longer a reliable top-12 quarterback. He should not be drafted as your primary quarterback in single-QB leagues next year, nor should he be targeted in offseason dynasty trades. He's merely a "hold" in most dynasty leagues for now.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
March 25, 2026
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback
Patrick Mahomes (knee) posted a video on Wednesday of himself in a training session where he dropped back and threw the ball, according to ESPN's Nate Taylor. It's the first public footage of him doing anything football-related since he had surgery in December to fix the torn ACL and LCL in his left knee. "Day by Day!" Mahomes wrote his Instagram story. "Felt Great being able to throw the ball around today!" Based on the video clip, Taylor writes that the Chiefs are "optimistic" that Mahomes is on track to take part in the team's voluntary offseason practices, which are expected to start in May. The 30-year-old six-time Pro Bowler and three-time Super Bowl MVP had surgery exactly 100 days ago and said a month after the surgery that he hoped to be in uniform for the season opener in September. It's still early in the offseason, but it's a positive development for Mahomes to be ready for the start of the 2026 campaign. The question now is whether he has already peaked in KC's offense after failing to reach the 4,000-yard passing mark in each of the last two years. It hasn't been fruitful to bet against Mahomes, but coming off a serious knee injury, he needs to be knocked down to the low-end QB1 tier going into 2026 fantasy drafts.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Nate Taylor
March 25, 2026
Alabama quarterback
Ty Simpson is scheduled to hold a private workout with the New York Jets on Friday, according to Field Yates of ESPN. The Jets traded for veteran QB
Geno Smith this offseason, but they are very much in the quarterback market heading into this year's NFL draft and hold the No. 2 and No. 16 overall picks in the first round. Simpson threw for a large contingent of NFL personnel at his school's pro day on Wednesday and was "razor sharp," per Yates. "His accuracy and tempo stood out." Indiana QB
Fernando Mendoza is expected to go first overall to the Las Vegas Raiders, but it remains to be seen if the Jets like Simpson enough to pull the trigger at No. 2 overall. In his first year as a starter for the Crimson Tide in 2025, Simpson looked great, leading the SEC in completions (305) and pass attempts (473) while throwing for 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns, and only five interceptions in 15 games played. He has quickly become the consensus No. 2 overall QB prospect in this year's draft class, with ESPN's Dan Orlovsky going as far as to say that Simpson could end up being a better franchise signal-caller than Mendoza.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Field Yates
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