In advance of the NFL draft, Mike Clay is revealing his 2026 fantasy football rankings at each key offensive position, with profiles for each player. These rankings do not include rookies because we are unsure of their landing spot.
If you are seeking a breakdown of this year’s top NFL draft prospects, Mike has profiled the top 80 skill position players in his fantasy football rookie rankings.
NOTE: All references to player ages are as of the season opener on Sept. 9, 2026.
Allen enters his age-30 fantasy campaign having finished each of the past six seasons no worse than second among quarterbacks in fantasy points. Despite seeing less passing volume the past two seasons (14th or lower in pass attempts both years), the 2024 NFL MVP has finished in the top 10 in passing TDs six seasons in a row and remains a major threat with his legs (top five in carries and rushing TDs among quarterbacks all eight seasons of his career). Allen’s 21.4 fantasy points per game in 2025 was actually his lowest since 2019, but it was still enough to lead the position. With Joe Brady returning as playcaller and the Bills adding a No. 1 receiver in DJ Moore, Allen remains an elite fantasy quarterback.
Jackson, 29, is eyeing a rebound after a disappointing, injury-plagued 2025 campaign. Jackson started the season strong (26-plus fantasy points in each of his first three games) but left Week 4 because of an injury and wasn’t the same once he returned in Week 9 (13.5 fantasy points pre game in his final nine outings). Jackson’s overall rushing was down, but that was likely a product of him not being fully healthy, especially considering his scramble rate (8.4%) remained high. Jackson has a new coach (Jesse Minter) and playcaller (Declan Doyle), but his supporting cast is otherwise similar to a 2024 campaign in which he paced all quarterbacks in fantasy points. Assuming he’s back to full health, Jackson is a strong bet for a rebound and should be valued as a high-end QB1.
Daniels is looking to bounce back after appearing in only seven games due to injury last season. The 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year began his career with a bang, tossing 25 touchdowns and adding 891 yards and six scores with his legs in his first season. He wasn’t quite as dominant when healthy last season (16.3 points per game, compared to 20.9 in 2024), but he remained a major factor with his legs (58-278-2 in seven games, three of which were partial appearances). Daniels’ supporting cast is underwhelming and he’ll be working with a new playcaller (David Blough), but his dual-threat ability supplies the 25-year-old with elite upside. He’s a strong QB1 target.
Maye is entering his third NFL season and second full season as New England’s starter. The 2024 No. 3 draft pick is fresh off a breakout 2025 campaign in which he finished in the top five among quarterbacks in pass completions, yards and TDs, as well as rush attempts and yards. Maye, who led the league in completion percentage (72%) and yards per attempt (8.9), trailed only Josh Allen in fantasy points (351.9), fantasy points per game (20.7) and top-10 fantasy weeks (10). The NFL MVP runner-up will need to overcome a tougher schedule and a supporting cast that remains rather uninspiring, but the 24-year-old’s combination of passing talent and rushing ability have him well positioned for another top-five fantasy campaign.
Hurts enters his seventh NFL season and sixth as the starter in Philadelphia. The 28-year-old tossed a career-high 25 touchdowns last season, but his rushing production was way down (105-421-8 after delivering at least 139 carries, 605 yards and 10 TDs in each of the prior four seasons). Hurts’ fantasy production dipped, as his 18.7 points per game was his lowest as a starter and ranked eighth at the position after three straight top-five campaigns. Hurts’ supporting cast remains strong, and new playcaller Sean Mannion very well could add some juice back to the offense. Hurts’ fantasy stock is down a bit from years past, but his dual-threat ability locks him in as a midrange QB1.
Burrow will try to bounce back after injuries limited him to eight games in 2025. The 29-year-old has missed at least six games in three of his six pro seasons, including two of his past three. Burrow was still a starting-caliber fantasy quarterback when active last season (top-12 scorer in five of his final six games), but his ceiling was limited by a near complete lack of rushing (41 yards on 14 carries). Burrow was a top-five scoring quarterback in each of his past two full seasons, and coach Zac Taylor cut back a bit on his extreme pass-heavy playcalling last season, so Burrow is best valued as more of a midrange QB1 than an elite option.
Dart is a strong 2026 breakout candidate following an impressive rookie campaign in which he delivered eight top-10 fantasy weeks (tied for fifth most) despite playing the bulk of the snaps in only 12 games. Dart was solid as a passer but elite as a rusher, finishing in the top five at the position in rushing attempts, yards, TDs and carries inside the 5-yard line. Dart’s aggressive playing style raises concerns about his durability, but it also provides the 23-year-old with elite fantasy upside. With a new coaching staff led by John Harbaugh and a new playcaller in Matt Nagy, as well as an improved supporting cast that includes a healthy Malik Nabers and newcomers Isaiah Likely and Darnell Mooney, Dart is best valued as a midrange QB1 with a high ceiling.
Purdy enters his fifth NFL season looking to rebound after injuries caused him to appear in only nine games. The good news is Purdy played well, scoring 17-plus fantasy points in seven of the nine games, including 26-plus points in three straight games during Weeks 15-17. A highly effective passer and solid contributor as a rusher, Purdy has quietly finished in the top 10 in fantasy points per game in each of the past three seasons. With a good supporting cast led by Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle (once healthy) and free agent addition Mike Evans, Purdy is an underrated mid-to-back-end QB1 in 2026.
Lawrence is entering his sixth NFL season after a breakout 2025 in which he ranked no lower than seventh among quarterbacks in pass attempts, completions, yards and touchdowns, as well as top 10 in carries, yards and TDs. He reeled off seven consecutive top-10 fantasy outings to finish the season. Lawrence’s efficiency has been fine, at best, but he continues to generate big volume, having finished in the top 10 among QBs in pass and rush attempts in each of his four full seasons. With a strong, deep group of pass catchers and Liam Coen back as playcaller, the 26-year-old is well positioned for mid-to-back-end QB1 production.
Nix enters his third NFL season after finishing exactly seventh among quarterbacks in fantasy points during each of his first two campaigns. Nix’s passing efficiency has a ways to go (career 6.5 yards per attempt), but his dual-threat ability has kept him in the weekly QB1 mix. Nix has finished both seasons no lower than 11th in pass attempts, completions, passing TDs, carries, rushing yards and rushing TDs. Last season, he provided a solid floor (11 games with 15-plus fantasy points), but his ceiling was low (four top-10 weeks). In 2026, he’ll have a new playcaller in Davis Webb and an upgraded group of pass catchers with Jaylen Waddle added to the mix. The 26-year-old is a fine back-end QB1.
Williams enters his third NFL season after a solid rookie campaign in 2024 followed by a big leap forward in 2025. Williams finished last season no lower than 11th among QBs in pass attempts, completions, pass yards, passing TDs, carries, rush yards, rush TDs and fantasy points per game. While Williams’ completion percentage was one of the worst in the league (58%), his dual-threat ability and turnover avoidance (seven INTs both seasons) has led to solid fantasy output. The 2024 No. 1 draft pick has a good supporting cast in playcaller Ben Johnson and a trio of young pass catchers in Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III and Colston Loveland. Williams is a fringe QB1 with upside for another leap.
Prescott is entering his 11th NFL season following a successful 2025 campaign in which he led the NFL in completions and ranked no lower than fourth in dropbacks, pass attempts, passing yards and passing TDs. Prescott appeared in all 17 games and has now finished no worse than 11th in fantasy points during all seven seasons in which he has played at least 16 games. Last season, his nine top-10 fantasy weeks were tied for third most at the position. Prescott is no longer much of a threat with his legs, but he should continue to put up big passing numbers with CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens at his disposal. The 33-year-old is a fringe QB1.
The reigning NFL MVP, Stafford returns for his 18th NFL season and his fifth with the Rams. The 38-year-old is fresh off an elite season in which he led the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns, which allowed him nine top-10 fantasy weeks (tied for third most at the position). Stafford’s third-place finish in fantasy points per game was his first top-10 finish since 2019, and some regression is likely due to a complete lack of rushing (65 or fewer rushing yards in five straight seasons and one rushing touchdown since 2017). Stafford still has receivers Puka Nacua and Davante Adams and a strong offensive line at his disposal, so another big passing season is possible. That’s just enough to keep him in the fringe QB1 mix.
Mahomes is a bit of a wild card as he embarks on his 10th season. The two-time NFL MVP followed up a pair of disappointing fantasy seasons (2023-24) with an elite start to 2025 (24.5 points per game during Weeks 1-8) and a disappointing finish that included 15.0 points per game during his final six games and a torn ACL in Week 15. Mahomes’ efficiency has dipped the past three seasons, and while he made up ground as a rusher in 2025 (fifth among QBs in rushing yards and TDs despite three missed games), he might not be able to run as often this season as he recovers fully from the knee injury. Mahomes might be ready to play in Week 1, but even if he does, he hasn’t been a consistent fantasy QB1 since 2022. He’s a risky mid-to-late-round flier in drafts.
Jones re-signed with the Colts during the offseason and will return as the team’s starter. The 2019 No. 6 draft pick made a big leap in 2025 — his first season with Indianapolis — finishing no lower than seventh in completion percentage and yards per attempt. Despite the strong play, Jones was inconsistent as a fantasy option, averaging 18.8 fantasy points during 12 full games and posting three top-five weeks but no additional finishes better than ninth. Jones was effective through the air and scored five rushing TDs, but he didn’t run the ball as much as in years past and might do even less of that in 2026 after tearing an Achilles in Week 14. He’s likely to be ready for Week 1, but effectiveness is a concern, so he’s best viewed as a midrange QB2.
Herbert enters his seventh NFL season following a solid 2025 campaign in which he ranked just inside the top 10 quarterbacks in pass attempts, yards and touchdowns. Herbert added serious value with his legs, ranking fifth at the position in carries and second in rushing yards (career highs in both). He finished 10th among quarterbacks in fantasy points, but that’s a bit misleading, as his inconsistent production led to five top-five weeks but no other finishes better than 13th. Herbert has finished between 11th and 15th in fantasy points per game in each of the past four seasons, though it’s fair to expect a leap forward in 2026 with star tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater healthy and a new playcaller in Mike McDaniel. Herbert is safest as a QB2, but there’s upside for more.
Murray signed with the Vikings after spending his first seven seasons with the Cardinals. The change comes after a disappointing and injury-shortened 2025 season in which he failed to clear 18.3 fantasy points in any of his five appearances. Murray has settled in as an accurate but conservative passer and continues to add value with his legs (78-572-5 in 17 games in 2024). Prior to the 2025 dud, Murray had finished each of his first six NFL seasons as a top-12 fantasy QB (points per game). If he’s able to beat out J.J. McCarthy for Minnesota’s starting job, he’ll have the luxury of working with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson. Add that to his rushing ability, and the 29-year-old certainly could find his way into the weekly QB1 mix. Consider Murray in the middle to late rounds.
One of the surprise second-half breakout players of 2025, Shough scored 17-plus fantasy points in seven of his nine full games, including six straight to end the season. The 2025 second-round pick was a solid producer with his arm (250.1 passing yards per game) and his legs (19.3 rushing yards per game and three TDs). Shough didn’t show a high ceiling (he never reached 22 fantasy points in a game) and while some of that was related to an underwhelming/injury-plagued supporting cast, that group isn’t much improved for 2026. Of course, entering Year 2 (same as coach Kellen Moore), a leap is certainly possible, making Shough a viable late-round flier.
Mayfield is back for Year 4 as Tampa Bay’s starting quarterback. He has put together three consecutive top-12 fantasy campaigns, though his 2025 season (12th in total points, but 19th in points per game) was a big step back from 2024 (fourth overall and per game). Mayfield tossed 26 touchdowns (way down from 41 in 2024) and severely lacked upside, managing only four top-10 fantasy weeks. Granted, the 31-year-old was not fully healthy throughout the season and did still finish in the top 10 at the position in key categories, including passing yards, passing TDs and rushing yards. With a solid supporting cast and Zac Robinson as playcaller, Mayfield has some rebound potential and does just enough with his legs to make him an appealing QB2 target.
Goff is entering his 10th NFL season, including his sixth with the Lions. The 2016 No. 1 draft pick has been extremely successful through the air over the past three seasons (4,500-plus yards and 30-plus touchdowns in all three), which has helped him to fantasy finishes of seventh, sixth and ninth. Of course, there’s some survivorship bias here, as Goff’s per-game finishes during the span are 15th, seventh and 12th. The reason for the limited fantasy output is a lack of rushing, as Goff has never cleared 108 rushing yards in a season and was held to 45 yards in 2025. Playing at his absolute ceiling as a passer and still no more than a fringe QB1, the 31-year-old is just a solid backup/occasional streaming option in fantasy.
Willis signed with Miami during the offseason and is set to start after two successful seasons backing up Jordan Love in Green Bay. Willis, a 2022 third-round pick, has very little experience (155 career pass attempts), but he was outstanding in limited work the past two seasons, completing 70 of 89 passes for 972 yards, six TDs and zero INTs (12.1 yards per attempt, 86% completion rate), while also adding major value with his legs (42-261-3) during the span. Willis played at least 80% of the snaps in three games with Green Bay and averaged 23.3 fantasy points in those outings. Willis’ inexperience makes him risky and the Miami supporting cast is perhaps the worst in the NFL, but his dual-threat ability makes him a very fascinating late-round flier.
Love is back for his fourth season as the Packers’ starting quarterback. The 2020 first-round pick has emerged as one of the league’s best passers (he has finished ninth, fifth and third in QBR during his three seasons as a starter), but that hasn’t converted to much fantasy production as of late. After finishing sixth in fantasy points per game in 2023, Love has finished 17th and 21st the past two seasons. A dramatic dip in both passing (19th in pass attempts both years) and rushing (282 yards and one TD total during the two seasons) has been the culprit. Love, who produced just five weekly finishes better than 16th last season, has a limited ceiling in Matt LaFleur’s scheme. He’s best valued as a back-end QB2.
Ward is eyeing a Year 2 leap following an underwhelming rookie campaign, albeit under tough circumstances. The 2025 No. 1 draft pick was plenty busy as a rookie (eighth in the league in dropbacks and pass attempts), but he struggled to 5.9 yards per attempt and took a league-high 55 sacks. Ward was rarely a factor with his legs (more than 12 yards three times) and produced one weekly fantasy finish better than 12th. The good news is that a tough rookie year isn’t overly damning for a quarterback’s career trajectory, and he’ll be in a better spot in 2026 with new playcaller Brian Daboll and an improved supporting cast (newcomer Wan’Dale Robinson joins a now-healthy Calvin Ridley). Ward will need to run more to become an elite fantasy option, but Year 2 is the breakout season for many quarterbacks, so he’s well worth a late flier.
Stroud enters his fourth NFL season yet to emerge as a quality fantasy option and having seen his passing production dip during each season of his career. Stroud impressed as a rookie with 24 passing TDs, three rushing TDs and a ninth-place finish in fantasy points per game (18.4). During the past two seasons, he failed to clear 20 passing touchdowns, has a total of one rushing TD and averaged 13.8 points, ranking outside the top 20 both years. Stroud’s efficiency has been solid at best and thanks in part to Houston’s elite defense, he hasn’t needed to throw the ball (or scramble) very often. There’s little reason to expect much change in 2026, so even with a good, deep group of pass catchers, the 24-year-old is best viewed as a low-upside, fringe QB2 in 12-team leagues.
Darnold’s first season with the Super Bowl champion Seahawks couldn’t have gone much better from a real-life standpoint, but it simply didn’t translate to much fantasy success. Despite finishing fifth in the NFL in passing yards for the second season in a row, Darnold finished 27th in fantasy points per game. He was very boom or bust, delivering seven top-10 weeks but also nine finishes outside the top 20. Turnovers (15 INTs were second most in the NFL) and a lack of rushing were the culprits. The 29-year-old will have a new playcaller in Brian Fleury, but otherwise it’s roughly the status quo offensively. Darnold is no more than a fringe QB2 with a limited ceiling.
Young has yet to find his way to any sort of fantasy relevance during his first three NFL seasons. The 2023 No. 1 draft pick has yet to finish a season better than 20th in passing yards, 10th in rushing yards or 24th in fantasy points per game. Efficiency has been a problem, as last season’s career-high 6.3 yards per attempt was barely up from 2024 and still among the worst in the NFL. Young’s 47.6 QBR last season ranked 22nd among 28 qualified quarterbacks. Perhaps the 25-year-old will make a leap in top target Tetairoa McMillan’s second season and Brad Idzik’s debut as the offensive playcaller, but it will be asking a lot to expect QB1 production. Young is best viewed as a fringe QB2 in 12-team leagues.
Watson is expected to return to the field this season after a disastrous four years in Cleveland. A top-six fantasy QB (points per game) during each of his first four NFL seasons, Watson has appeared in a total of 19 games since joining the Browns, averaging a poor 13.1 fantasy points during the span. A torn Achilles suffered in Week 7 of 2024 (followed by tearing it again less than three months later) cost Watson all of 2025, and he’ll now compete with Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel for Cleveland’s starting job. Now 30 years old, without an inspiring supporting cast and having not been a factor since 2020, Watson is a long shot to return to fantasy relevance. He should be considered only in superflex formats.
Smith was traded to the Jets following an unsuccessful one-year stint in Las Vegas. Smith, who began his career as a second-round pick with the Jets in 2013, is in line to start, though he’s a long shot for consistent fantasy production. Smith peaked with a ninth-place finish in fantasy points per game with Seattle in 2022, but he has finished no better than 16th over the past three seasons. He paced the NFL in both interceptions and sacks in 2025 after finishing third in both categories in 2024 and is no longer much of a factor with his legs. The 35-year-old might bring some stability to the fantasy outlook of the team’s pass catchers, but we shouldn’t expect much more than that. Consider Smith only in superflex formats.
Brissett is back for his second season in Arizona and is currently positioned as the team’s probable Week 1 starter. One of the biggest fantasy surprises of 2025, Brissett reeled off nine consecutive top-12 fantasy outings spanning Weeks 6 to 15. He averaged 18.9 fantasy points across 12 starts, which was a big surprise considering his prior career high was 12.9 and that was way back in 2017. Brissett played solid ball, but he’s not a major contributor with his legs (260 yards is his career high for a season). He certainly benefited from the league’s pass-heaviest offense, a luxury he’s unlikely to have with Mike LaFleur now calling plays. Expect the 33-year-old to regress to fringe QB2 production, at best.
Tagovailoa signed with Atlanta during the offseason after spending his first six seasons in Miami. The 2020 first-round pick showed signs of life a few years ago, which included a 4,624-yard, 29-TD season in 2023, but his production and efficiency have declined since. The final straw was a rough 2025 in which he threw 15 INTs (second most in the league) in just 14 games and was benched. Tagovailoa is a nonfactor with his legs (fewer than 75 yards in four straight seasons, with zero TDs during the span) and has, in turn, never finished better than 10th in fantasy points per game (he was 33rd in 2025). Even if Tagovailoa starts in Week 1, he’s unlikely to be anything more than a fringe QB2 in fantasy and figures to eventually lose work to Michael Penix Jr. (recovering from a torn ACL). Tagovailoa is way off the fantasy radar.
Though he’s currently unsigned, Rodgers appears likely to return for his second season with the Steelers. If he does, the 42-year-old will reunite with his longtime head coach from Green Bay, Mike McCarthy. The duo will look to improve on a 2025 campaign in which Rodgers finished just outside the top 12 in passing yards and touchdowns while ranking 23rd among 28 qualified QBs in QBR. Even if Rodgers’ efficiency improves, he remains a nonfactor as a rusher (he last cleared 107 yards in 2020) and hasn’t been fantasy relevant since 2021 (25th, 18th and 25th in points per game in his past three full seasons). Even with a more pass-friendly playcaller and with Michael Pittman Jr. added to the wide receiver room, Rodgers is no more than a low-ceiling QB2.
McCarthy’s career is off to a slow start after the 2024 first-round pick missed his entire rookie season because of an injury then struggled through 2025. McCarthy appeared in 10 games and totaled 11 passing TDs and 12 interceptions while completing an ugly 58% of his passes. McCarthy added some value with his legs (including four TDs), but his production was extremely inconsistent (18-plus fantasy points in four games, but 6.7 per game in his other six outings). The 23-year-old still has plenty of time to develop, but that might come as a backup to Kyler Murray this season. McCarthy is worth considering in only superflex or dynasty leagues.
Sanders enters his second NFL season set to compete with Deshaun Watson and perhaps Dillon Gabriel for the Browns’ starting quarterback gig. Sanders made eight appearances during his rookie season and wasn’t overly productive, scoring eight all-purpose touchdowns, throwing 10 interceptions and completing 57% of his passes. The fifth-round pick produced one weekly fantasy finish better than 18th, though it was an impressive 364-yard passing game with four total touchdowns (33.5 points). Sanders added some value with his legs, including 20-plus yards in five straight games to end the season. The 24-year-old remains a wild card, and that’s enough to make him worthy of late-round consideration in superflex leagues.
Penix is no longer guaranteed a starting job entering his third season. The 2024 first-round pick has appeared in 14 games and has 14 total touchdowns, a 21% off-target rate and a 60% completion percentage to show for it. Penix has done well to avoid turnovers (six career INTs), but he’s a nonfactor with his legs (career 28-81-2 rushing) and failed to post a single fantasy outing better than 10th last season. Penix tore an ACL in Week 11, which further complicates his path to beating out newcomer Tua Tagovailoa for the team’s Week 1 starting gig. The 26-year-old might eventually emerge into a fine NFL starter, but even if he does, his lack of rushing will limit his fantasy output. He’s well off the fantasy radar.
After failing to lock down a starting gig with the Bears, Steelers and Jets, Fields was traded to the Chiefs and will move forward as Patrick Mahomes’ backup. That’s obviously unlikely to lead to much playing time, but with Mahomes recovering from a torn ACL, there’s a small chance Fields could get some early-season run in 2026. Should Fields start, he’ll find his way into the QB1 discussion because of his elite rushing ability (45.1 rush rushing yards per game last season and four-plus rushing TDs in four straight seasons). In seven full games last season, Fields averaged 19.2 fantasy points, including 25 points in three of those games. He averaged 18.9 points with Pittsburgh in 2024 and 19.3 during his final two seasons in Chicago. Roster Fields in only deep superflex leagues.
