Hello readers! Enjoying the World Cup? So am I. But like many of you, I’m counting down the days until another type of football takes center stage.
Today’s column begins my 2026 Fantasy Football redraft rankings and tiers. RB, WR, and TE will follow, and I’ll update them in August, when season-long redraft season kicks in. Hopefully, these initial looks at each major position will help as you start to consider player values and draft strategies.
You can link to all my preseason fantasy content here, including all the rankings and tiers (once they’re posted), and much more.
Before we get to the rankings, tiers, and commentary, here are three quick observations about the quarterback position in 2026. The first two are largely copy and paste jobs from last year.
- Quarterback is loaded! I’ve been playing fantasy for 30-plus years and can’t recall this much quality and depth at the position. Look down the rankings and you’ll see what I mean. There are names well past QB12 that are very appealing starters for fantasy. All that depth means you can wait longer on QB, even in 2-QB formats like Superflex, if you choose to pass on the elite options at the position. It also means it’s not difficult to grab two good starting QBs in a Superflex format.
- Dual-threat quarterbacks are fantasy gold! I’ve written a lot in the past about the emergence of the running QB and how it’s changed fantasy. An elite dual-threat is almost like having two players in one. With a point awarded for every ten rushing yards and six points per rushing TD, mobile signal-callers can pile up points more easily than pocket passers. A QB who runs for 500 yards and 5 TDs on the season is getting on average 4-5 more fantasy points per game (FPPG) than a QB who doesn’t run. There are more mobile QBs now than at any time in the past, and you’ll see how they’re favored throughout my rankings.
- Youth is serving! There was a time not so long ago when the QB landscape was dominated by guys in their 30s. That script has flipped in the last decade. The 2018, 2020, and 2024 QB classes were special. 13 of the 32 projected opening day starters will be from just those three stellar draft classes. Nine more are from the other draft classes since 2019. Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen, who are inarguably two of the game’s very best, have hit 30, but still, only four projected opening-day starters are 35 or older: Aaron Rodgers (42), Matt Stafford (38), Kirk Cousins (will be 38 in August), and Geno Smith (35). QB should stay strong and deep (for fantasy, anyway) for quite a while.
I’ve arranged the QB rankings into tiers, as I do at every position. You should too. I’ve written a lot in the past on why it’s smart to use tiers for your draft board. Everyone wants to roster the best players, and...
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