You don’t want to be the fantasy owner who is unprepared and has to settle for a fantasy quarterback outside the top five in 2026.
Having only a few months before drafting begins, now is the ideal time to decide who you want at quarterback and when to draft them. With only a select few quarterbacks having enough fantasy value to dominate, it is crucial that you know who this year’s top stars will be outside the obvious top five.
If you miss your chance at a top-five-ranked signal caller, here are five others who can win your fantasy league in 2026, along with the ideal time to draft them.
Seeing Tyler Shough’s name on this list may come as a shock to some fantasy owners, but it is well deserved after his strong finish to his 2025 rookie campaign. Out of Shough’s last eight starts in 2025, he scored over 17.1 fantasy points, showcasing his ability to score through the air or on the ground.
In 2026, Shough is set up for success once again with some new additions to his offense. His returning crew includes well-known players Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave, and Juwan Johnson, but the new roster will also feature rookies Jordyn Tyson and Oscar Delp. Not only did the New Orleans Saints add rookies for Shough to utilize this year, but they also signed Travis Etienne, a fantastic dual-threat running back.
Shough’s opportunity for success this season looks amazing, but not many fantasy experts have bought in just yet. He currently ranks as the 20th best quarterback to draft and has an average draft position of 123rd overall.
This may be the last year that Shough is overlooked and is available late in the draft. If you’re someone who chooses to draft a quarterback late, he is the perfect choice for 2026, as he can still help you win your league.
It’s no shock to see Matthew Stafford on this list as a potential league-winning quarterback, but, surprisingly, he is ranked well beyond the top five to start the season. After another stellar fantasy performance from Stafford in 2025, when he scored 358.4 fantasy points, experts, for some reason, are low on the veteran in 2026.
Heading into this year, Stafford is surrounded by dominant skill players once again, including his favorite targets, Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. Not only are his two favorite targets healthy to start the season, but the Los Angeles Rams also drafted tight end Max Klare, adding to an already fantastic offense.
While fantasy experts don’t believe Stafford can continue his success at his young age of 38, this is the perfect opportunity to secure huge fantasy potential at a low cost. While it might not be the same level as the MVP 2025 season, he still has the chance to help secure a fantasy owner a championship season.
Currently, Stafford is ranked the 14th-best quarterback to draft and has an average draft position of 104th overall. Even if he has some regression compared to his MVP season, he will easily be a top-ten fantasy quarterback and potentially back in the top five.
Another great player to draft if you miss out on one of the top five fantasy quarterbacks in 2026 is Jaxson Dart. While some owners may still doubt how consistent Dart can be in fantasy given his small career sample size, that won’t be the case after 2026.
Dart heads into this season with a very different offense from the one he had as a rookie. With new head coach John Harbaugh adding a surplus of options, including fan favorite Odell Beckham Jr., he has no reason to stop excelling.
Having a mix of a great arm with the ability to run the ball when the pocket breaks down, Dart is the perfect fantasy quarterback. In 2025, he had multiple games with over 20 fantasy points, including five with over 25. While he may have had a few down weeks, he still averaged 17.3 fantasy points per game on a dysfunctional New York Giants team. With Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy running the offense, Dart will thrive in 2026.
Fantasy experts are split on ranking Dart heading into the season; he currently sits as the 13th-best quarterback to draft and has an average draft position of 100th overall. This leads to another great scenario for an owner who missed out on one of the top five to still secure a potential league-winning quarterback at a low cost.
The second- best option to draft if you miss your chance at a top-tier quarterback is Jalen Hurts. After a down season in 2025, Hurts is set up extremely well and ready to bounce back into the top five once again.
Last season, Hurts finished as the eighth-best fantasy quarterback, and while that is still a solid performance, he has shown his ceiling can be much higher. Comparatively, in 2023, he finished as the second-best fantasy quarterback, scoring 371.8 fantasy points, destroying NFL defenses through the air or on the ground. This year, with Sean Mannion as his new offensive coordinator, Hurts will try to revert to the elite signal caller he was a few seasons ago.
Not only does Hurts have Mannion to help address the Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive problems last season, but they also drafted two rookies who could make an immediate impact. In the first two rounds of the NFL draft, the Eagles went heavy on offensive skill players, selecting wide receiver Makai Lemon and tight end Eli Stowers.
With a new look to the Eagles’ offense, Hurts is set to excel this season, but fantasy experts still haven’t fully bought in. He is currently ranked as the seventh-best fantasy quarterback to draft with an average draft position of 71st overall. This gives any fantasy owner who drafts him an elite quarterback capable of helping them win their league.
The best quarterback to draft in 2026 who is outside the top five is Caleb Williams. It comes as no surprise seeing Williams on this list after his first two years as a Chicago Bear, but don’t miss your chance to draft this superstar.
In both 2024 and 2025, Williams has showcased his ability to sling the football all over the field while maintaining a low turnover ratio. In 2025, he was seventh in passing yards and, among the top ten, had the fewest interceptions, leading to 318 fantasy points. He is a reliable fantasy quarterback that any owner demands, and he has the proof to back it up, with a career average of 16.8 fantasy points per game.
This upcoming season, Williams is set up to easily secure another top-10 finish as a fantasy quarterback with a huge chance to push into that top five. Currently, fantasy experts rank him the sixth-best quarterback to draft with an average draft position of 70th overall.
Once Williams dominates NFL defenses for the third year in a row, he will be ranked within that top five and be harder to draft. This is the last season for any fantasy owner to secure him at a low cost while getting a quarterback who can easily help win your league.
While fantasy experts have Williams outside the top five, anyone can debate that he belongs ahead of Joe Burrow or Jayden Daniels after they return from injury-prone seasons. In the past two years, Williams has shown he can be a perfect fantasy quarterback, capable of making any throw on the field and running the ball whenever he wants. His fantastic touchdown-to-turnover ratio is exactly what any owner needs to lead their team and can help secure a championship. If you miss out on one of the top five quarterbacks, the safest bet is Williams.
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