Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.
Is it cliché? Of course it is, but that doesn’t make it wrong.
I don’t think you have to have your 2026 fantasy football rankings fleshed out right now, but being generally aware of where things stand will give you an edge on your competition: having a frame of reference is critical and allows you to tweak things as the offseason progresses as opposed to playing catch up in the days leading into your draft.
So let’s get started with some way-too-early quarterback rankings!
2026 Way-Too-Early Redraft Quarterback Rankings
1) Josh Allen | Buffalo Bills
2) Drake Maye | New England Patriots
3) Joe Burrow | Cincinnati Bengals
4) Lamar Jackson | Baltimore Ravens
5) Jalen Hurts | Philadelphia Eagles
6) Jayden Daniels | Washington Commanders
7) Jaxson Dart | New York Giants
Is this 2018 Deshaun Watson?
Not the version you remember in recent years, but the second-year star with plus-mobility and a singular pass catcher who can elevate his passing numbers in a major way.
Watson was QB4 on a per-game basis that season (20.7, behind only Patrick Mahomes, Matt Ryan, and Ben Roethlisberger) thanks to 23.8% of his production coming with his legs and a 32.2% target share for DeAndre Hopkins.
Dart averaged more fantasy points per carry as a rookie than Watson did in 2017. Scoring at the position is a bit different now than it was nearly a decade ago, but the skill set is similar and the team construction isn’t much different either. We got 20.1 fantasy points per game in his starts last season, and that could have him pushing for the top of this second tier at the position.
Players Ranked 8-11
8) Justin Herbert | Los Angeles Chargers
9) Dak Prescott | Dallas Cowboys
10) Patrick Mahomes | Kansas City Chiefs
11) Trevor Lawrence | Jacksonville Jaguars
Has Trevor Lawrence been fully unlocked?
His production down the stretch was reflective of his pedigree, and the Liam Coen impact can’t be overstated. Lawrence is going to be a hot-button player this draft season and for good reason: he didn’t have a positional finish better than 15th last September and only had two QB1 finishes in the first half of the season.
The passing upside is clear. We saw him refine his game after the Jakobi Meyers trade, and with a minimum of three plus-receivers (we will see how this team handles the offseason, but depth at the position will be a strength regardless) and versatility at both RB/TE, counting on him sustaining his growth is more likely than not.
Trevor Lawrence on his growth this season:
“I took a bunch of steps in the right direction: consistency, accuracy, pocket movements, extending plays… I think as the season went on, some of those things got a little sloppy.
I gotta continue to put the work in.”
(@JStCyrTV) pic.twitter.com/wNzesgkD7k
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) January 15, 2026
On top of that is the type of athletic profile that, as we saw last season, can elevate a good fantasy season into a great one. He’s one of three quarterbacks to appear in 10+ games and run for 3+ touchdowns in each of the past four seasons. Josh Allen and Jalen Hurts are the others.
You’re drafting Lawrence because you liked what you saw during the second half of 2025 and know that there is room for even more. He’s not part of a two-for-one QB strategy: you’re drafting the leader of Duval and counting on him in a major way.
Players Ranked 12-15
12) Brock Purdy | San Francisco 49ers
13) Caleb Williams | Chicago Bears
14) Bo Nix | Denver Broncos
15) Baker Mayfield | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
