Fantasy Football Quarterback Breakouts For 2026 - Sneaky Candidates To Claim QB1 Status

April 17, 2026

Andy discusses quarterback fantasy football breakouts, sleepers that are sneaky candidates to be a QB1 in 2026. Who will finish as a top-12 fantasy football QB?

Every fantasy football season, managers see under-the-radar players emerge as must-start options. Entering the 2025-26 campaign, Trevor Lawrence was viewed as a real QB2 with upside but was a league-winner in relation to his preseason ADP.

In this piece, we will spotlight six QBs who have the skill set to follow a similar trajectory. These signal-callers carry QB2 redraft prices, but will eventually emerge as reliable weekly options with high-end upside.

Let's take a look at six "way-too-early" quarterback sleepers who could emerge as weekly must-start QB1s in 2026. Be sure to also check out my sleeper running backs to finish as an "RB1", sleeper wide receivers to finish as a "WR1", and sleeper tight ends to finish as a "TE1" in 2026!

Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints

Tyler Shough opened the season as the team's No. 2 option but looked impressive once he took over the starting job. He replaced Spencer Rattler as the QB1 in Week 8 and endured some growing pains, but caught fire down the stretch. In his first four NFL games (Week 8 through Week 12), Shough averaged a modest 14.2 PPR points per game while posting a 3:3 TD:INT.

However, over his last six contests (Week 13 through Week 18), Shough looked like an entirely different quarterback, averaging 23.2 PPR points per game while scoring 10 total TDs (seven passing) and throwing just three interceptions. Among quarterbacks during this designated stretch, Shough was the QB4 in total points, trailing only Lawrence, Matthew Stafford, and Joe Burrow.

While he does not have the same track record as those names above, he holds just as much upside from a fantasy perspective and could take another step forward after a full offseason as the team's No. 1 QB. Earlier this offseason, the Saints reaffirmed their stance on Shough, declaring him the team's clear starter heading into 2026.

Additionally, the Saints made some important moves on offense, which should help the entire offense. In 2025, New Orleans' run game was one of the worst in the league, as they averaged a low 94.3 rushing yards per game, the sixth-lowest in the NFL. The Saints recognized this problem and attempted to rectify it by bringing in Travis Etienne Jr.

While Etienne had a rough showing in 2024, when he ran for only 558 yards, he bounced back in a major way in 2025, totaling 1,107 yards with seven rushing scores. Through the air, he added another six touchdowns with 292 yards.

Shough also has one of the game's premier WR1s in Chris Olave. Olave has struggled to stay on the field, but when active, he is a borderline superstar, as shown by his 100-catch, 1,163-yard, nine-touchdown effort last season. Shough has the potential to emerge as a fantasy star due to his dual-threat ability, which will be a recurring theme on this list.

Shough it, run it - 34 YARDS TO THE HOUSE!#Saints | 📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/rNofdNPgJ6

— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) December 7, 2025

Kyler Murray, Minnesota Vikings

Kyler Murray has seen his fantasy value take a massive hit. After being a bona fide QB1 in 2020 and 2021, Murray suffered a major injury and has yet to return to the same level since. In 2025, Murray appeared in just five games for the Cardinals and threw for 962 yards with a 6:3 TD:INT. On the ground, the former first overall pick totaled a low 173 yards with one score.

However, just a year prior, Murray was the QB10 in total PPR points, throwing for 3,851 yards (the second-highest of his career) with 21 passing scores, and adding another 571 yards and five scores with his legs.

This offseason, the Cardinals opted to move off of Murray and instead rely on Jacoby Brissett and newly acquired Gardner Minshew to lead the QB room. Murray was quickly picked up by the Vikings and is slated to compete for the QB1 job.

While his odds of becoming a fantasy mainstay again are entirely dependent on him winning this job, given that the Minnesota roster is more than capable of competing, Murray gives them the best chance to win in 2026 than J.J. McCarthy.

In his "debut" season (he missed his actual rookie season with a torn meniscus), McCarthy was far from productive as he totaled just 1,632 yards with a rough 11:12 TD:INT in 10 games. Over his final two outings, McCarthy averaged just 145 passing yards per game and did not throw a single touchdown pass.

With high-end pass catchers on its roster like Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, Murray is poised to enjoy a career resurgence, similar to what has happened with Baker Mayfield in Tampa Bay. Murray was a QB1 when playing with prime DeAndre Hopkins. He now joins an offense with the most firepower he has ever had, and one of the most talented offensive minds in the game, Kevin O'Connell.

Targeting discounted dual-threat QBs like Murray is key to finding a fantasy league winner.

Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts

Daniel Jones nearly finished as a QB1 if he hadn't suffered a season-ending injury. Jones was no longer a career resurgence in Indianapolis as the Colts looked like legit Super Bowl contenders for most of the first half. From Weeks 1 through 13, Jones was the QB7 in total fantasy points while averaging an elite 22.8 PPR points per game.

During this stretch, Jones scored 24 total touchdowns with five of them coming on the ground. While he threw a rather high total of interceptions, his efficiency near the red zone kept his fantasy value high. However, in Week 14, his post-hype breakout season would come to a crashing halt as he suffered a broken left fibula against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

This paved the way for Philip Rivers to enjoy a "second" retirement tour as he attempted to salvage their season.

In the offseason, the Colts signed the former Duke standout to a two-year extension, making him the clear QB1 heading into the 2026 campaign. Fantasy managers should monitor his status in camp as he may face some limitations, but he should be a full-go ahead of the regular season.

Given that the Colts did not attempt to bring in any reliable veteran option, as Anthony Richardson Sr. is still the No. 2 option on the depth chart, it suggests they view Jones as both their short and potentially long-term option at the position.

In 2024, Jones appeared to be nearing the end of his time as an NFL starting QB, posting a 10:7 TD:INT over 10 games with the Giants. While the Colts lost Michael Pittman Jr. in the offseason, which could hinder Jones' output, he still has many high-end pass catchers around him, including recently extended Alec Pierce, Tyler Warren, Josh Downs, and one of the game's premier running backs, Jonathan Taylor.

Jones was playing the best football of his career in this system and should be well-positioned to return to his low-end QB1 form in 2026.

DANNY DIMES DEEP BALL TO ALEC PIERCE.

ATLvsIND on @NFLNetwork
Also streaming on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/offSgAe7ul

— NFL (@NFL) November 9, 2025

Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans

While the top-3 have a clear path to returning to fantasy stardom, let's spotlight some deeper sleepers to round out our list. Cam Ward's rookie season was far from impressive, but he could be poised to take a step forward in Year 2. First, the Titans brought in a reliable pass-catching option in Wan'Dale Robinson.

Robinson is coming off his second-straight 90-catch campaign, and tallied a season-best 1,104 yards last season. While he isn't the flashiest player, he is a steady option in the slot and will provide a major boost to this passing attack. He will be joined by second-year wideouts Chimere Dike and Elic Ayomanor, who both showed some promise during their rookie campaigns.

The wild card in this room will be veteran Calvin Ridley. Ridley agreed to restructure his contract with the Titans in 2026 but took a major step back in 2025, catching just 17 passes. In 2024, Ridley tallied 1,017 yards and four scores during his first campaign in Tennessee. Additionally, young tight end Gunnar Helm is a name to watch and could emerge as a reliable option in the middle of the field.

However, Ward could take a massive step forward in Year 2 because the Titans hold the fourth overall pick and have been linked to top prospect Jeremiyah Love. Love was named All-American as a senior and totaled 35 rushing scores over his last two college seasons while averaging 6.9 YPC. Adding a difference maker to this offense will ease some pressure off Ward, as Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears were far from effective in 2025.

It is also worth noting that Ward showed some signs of steady growth in the second half. Over his first nine games, the former Miami standout averaged just 12.5 PPR points per game. However, over his last eight, he averaged 16.7 PPR points per game while posting a 12:1 TD:INT, compared to a 5:6 TD:INT in the first nine games.

Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers

The third former first overall pick we will spotlight on this list is Bryce Young of the Panthers. Young was trending towards bust territory after his first two NFL seasons, but showed major signs of growth in Year 3. In 2025, Young led the Panthers back to the postseason and posted career-high numbers across the board.

Over 16 games, Young threw for 3,011 yards with a 23:11 TD:INT. On the ground, he added another 216 yards with two touchdowns.

Similar to Ward, Young showed major signs of growth in the second half, which makes him an intriguing name to keep an eye on for the 2026 campaign. Through his first nine games, Young averaged only 168.2 passing yards per game while totaling a low 14.9 PPR points per game. However, from Weeks 11 through 18, Young totaled a much higher 20.3 PPR points per game with 213.9 passing yards per game.

During this stretch, Young was the overall QB11 in total points, putting him just inside the top-12 of the position. While his track record may suggest this production is unsustainable, the Panthers are building a solid offensive foundation, which could set up Young to take another step forward in his fourth year.

Top wideout Tetairoa McMillan was named Offensive Rookie of the Year last year as he tallied 1,014 yards while averaging an elite 14.5 YPR. The team's No. 2 WR, Jalen Coker, enjoyed his long-awaited breakout game in their Wild Card loss to the Rams, catching nine passes for 134 yards and a score. If Coker can develop into a true No. 2 WR, Young could flirt with a top-10 QB season.

Malik Willis, Miami Dolphins

Rounding out our list will be another major free agent acquisition at the position. The Dolphins signed Malik Willis to a three-year deal worth $67.5 million, suggesting they not only see him as a viable QB1 but also see him remaining in this role for the foreseeable future.

Willis began his career with the Titans but never truly found his footing, appearing in just 11 games over two seasons. In 2024, he made some spot starts with the Packers and showed promise, averaging 20.8 PPR points per game across his two starts, during which he logged more than 55 offensive snaps.

However, he took another step forward in 2025, which earned him the starting job in Miami. In 2025, Willis started one game and came in relief of Jordan Love in another, but made a major impact, totaling 25.4 PPR points per game with two passing scores and two rushing scores. He averaged 52 yards with his legs and threw for 204.5 yards in the air.

While the Miami offense is far from formidable, especially after the trade that sent Jaylen Waddle to Denver, Willis' rushing upside makes him the prime sleeper target. The Dolphins still have one of the game's most effective three-down backs in De'Von Achane and have been linked to one of the top wide receivers in the class.

If they were to add a Makai Lemon or Carnell Tate to this offense, Willis could average close to 20 PPR points per game due to his high-end rushing floor. He faces minimal competition on the depth chart and should be given ample opportunities to work out any struggles.

MALEAP WILLIS

📺: Peacock pic.twitter.com/lTWMKDJhuR

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) December 28, 2025

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