Every fantasy season, quarterbacks with league-winning upside slip far past where they should in drafts. You don’t need to pay up for an early-round option when late-round value can offer similar production at a fraction of the cost. Here are three quarterbacks who check the boxes for upside, affordability, and the chance to outperform their ADP in 2025.
Kyler Murray, QB – Arizona Cardinals
ECR: 79th overall (PPR), QB9 (Blitz Rankings)
As much as QB Kyler Murray’s inconsistent 2024 season still stings, his current ADP at the turn of the 9th-10th rounds presents tremendous value. Murray’s limitations as a passer are obvious — he averaged a paltry 7.1 yards per attempt, finished 20th in highly accurate throw rate, and managed to complete just 3 passes over 40 yards last season. That said, his rushing production cannot be ignored.
Murray averaged almost five rush attempts per game, piling up 572 yards on the ground (QB4) and five touchdowns (QB7), with his legs contributing 29% of his fantasy production in 2024. In addition, since returning from an ACL injury in 2023, Murray leads 83 qualifying players with at least 100 rushes in YPC at 7.5.
While injuries have been a bit of a concern for Murray so far in his 6-year career, the 4 years where he has played in 14 games or more, he has finished within the top 10 fantasy QBs, finishing as high as QB3 in 2020. The Cardinals also have the easiest fantasy strength of schedule in 2025, according to ESPN, after having one of the toughest last year, adding even more intrigue to a repeat top 5 performance.
The Cardinals have emphasized wanting Murray’s mobility to become an even bigger focus of the offense this summer, and if he can stay healthy, Murray should easily finish within the top 8 at his position.
Justin Fields, QB – New York Jets
ECR: 92nd overall (PPR), QB10 (Blitz Rankings)
Jets quarterbacks be damned, I’m targeting QB Justin Fields in almost every fantasy draft. While his limitations as a passer are apparent, his rushing upside is as real as it gets. The 5-year veteran is one of only two active QBs to crack 900 yards on the ground in a single season, and his 1,123-yard campaign in 2022 sits second all-time at the position.
In three years as a starter, he’s been a top-10 QB in fantasy points per game, and in six starts last year, he averaged 9.2 carries and 38.5 rushing yards. History tells us volume like that doesn’t miss—only three quarterbacks with 100+ carries in a season have failed to finish inside the top 12 fantasy QBs.
The passing game is still an obvious concern. Fields has a career 61.1% completion rate and now runs an offense in New York that hasn’t exactly been QB-friendly. But he did make strides in 2024, ranking top-12 in accuracy and turnover avoidance across his six starts. Surrounded by WR Garrett Wilson, RB Breece Hall, and a better overall supporting cast than he’s ever had, Fields just needs to be an average passer for his fantasy upside to go through the roof.
Preseason glimpses have been encouraging—his first series with the Jets ended in a 79-yard touchdown drive, capped by a 13-yard scramble to the house. There’s apparent risk with Fields, but an 11th-round price tag is tough to pass up — he’s exactly the kind of QB1 you want to gamble on late and let the upside play out.
J.J. McCarthy, QB – Minnesota Vikings
ECR: 116th overall (PPR), QB12 (Blitz Rankings)
QB J.J. McCarthy steps into 2025 in about as good a spot as a rookie quarterback could ask for. HC Kevin O’Connell’s offense has a long track record of elevating whoever is under center—QB Sam Darnold just finished as QB9 last year, and even QB Nick Mullens and QB Josh Dobbs had QB1 weeks in 2023. Minnesota throws at a high rate, ranking top-10 in both neutral pass rate and pass rate over expectation last season, so volume won’t be an issue.
McCarthy is an accurate and poised passer—he finished top-12 among FBS quarterbacks in multiple passing metrics at Michigan, including downfield efficiency and performance under pressure. He’s not a statue either, with 237 rushing yards and three scores in his final college season, McCarthy has just enough mobility for potential rushing upside.
His supporting cast is elite. WR Justin Jefferson remains one of the best wideouts in football, Jordan Addison adds juice once he’s back from suspension, and TE T.J. Hockenson is a proven difference-maker over the middle. Add in RB Aaron Jones and an upgraded offensive line, and McCarthy has all the pieces around him to hit the ground running.
Sure, he’ll have a learning curve, but the ceiling here is undeniable. The market is starting to catch on, but I’m happy to reach and chase the upside in the mid-late rounds. McCarthy looks like a rookie who can deliver a potential top-12 finish in his first season as a starter.
