RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Quarterback draft strategy is one of the easiest ways to gain an edge in fantasy football . In 2026, Josh Allen stands alone at the top for me, but I don’t want to pay the premium for the other elite quarterbacks. Instead, I’m building around three distinct approaches that give me plenty of paths to upside without forcing me to reach at the position.
Current rankings also have Allen at or near QB1, while Lamar Jackson, Drake Maye, Joe Burrow and Jayden Daniels make up the next group of elite options.
MORE: Fantasy Football quarterback rankings, 30 players ranked from first to worst
The Josh Allen build
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) smiles while warming up before the Buffalo Bills wild card game against the Denver Broncos at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Jan. 12, 2025. If I’m taking Josh Allen in the second or third round, I’m strongly leaning toward starting RB-RB.
Allen is good enough to provide a weekly advantage at quarterback, but selecting him that early means I’m sacrificing an opportunity to grab an elite running back or wide receiver. That’s why I want to make sure I build strength at running back immediately.
The goal isn’t simply to draft Allen and hope the rest of the roster works out. It’s to construct a team that can absorb the draft capital spent on quarterback. If I start Allen, I want two legitimate running backs before I start worrying about filling out the rest of the roster.
MORE: Fantasy Football running back rankings: 75 players ranked from first to worst
The four quarterbacks who can challenge Allen
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) signals a play in the first quarter of the NFL Preseason game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Detroit Lions at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026. If I’m waiting on quarterback, there are four players I believe have a legitimate chance to finish as QB2 overall behind Allen: Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye.
The consensus is certainly high on this group. Current fantasy rankings consistently have these quarterbacks near the top of the position, although the order varies from site to site.
That gives me flexibility. I don’t need to force a quarterback early if Allen is gone. I can wait and target one of these four if the draft room allows it.
The endless tier 3 quarterback collection
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) looks on during warmups before the game against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium. Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images This is ultimately my preferred strategy.
There is an enormous Tier 3 quarterback group with legitimate top-five upside, and that’s where I want to live in most drafts. Current rankings have players such as Justin Herbert, Caleb Williams, Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, Jaxson Dart, Trevor Lawrence, Brock Purdy and Jordan Love in this general range.
The beauty of this strategy is the sheer number of options. I can wait on quarterback, watch the draft unfold and still land someone with the potential to dramatically outperform his draft position.
It also creates endless stacking opportunities. If I draft a quarterback in this tier, I can look for his receiver or tight end later and potentially build a stack without spending premium draft capital.
More importantly, waiting allows me to build depth at running back and wide receiver while other managers are chasing quarterbacks.
For me, that’s the sweet spot: Allen if the build makes sense, one of the four elite challengers if the value falls, or wait and attack the massive Tier 3 group.
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