Quarterback is deeper than ever in fantasy football, which gives managers more flexibility when building their rosters. Rather than spending an early-round pick at the position, waiting allows you to load up on running backs and wide receivers before targeting a quarterback with a realistic path to QB1 production. The key is identifying players whose upside extends well beyond their current draft cost.
This year’s late-round quarterback pool features several proven veterans being undervalued and young players positioned to take meaningful steps forward. Jared Goff, Tyler Shough, Kyler Murray, and Cam Ward all carry different levels of risk, but each has enough surrounding talent and fantasy upside to outperform his price.
Quarterback is deeper than ever in fantasy football, which gives managers more flexibility when building their rosters. Rather than spending an early-round pick at the position, waiting allows you to load up on running backs and wide receivers before targeting a quarterback with a realistic path to QB1 production. The key is identifying players whose upside extends well beyond their current draft cost.
This year’s late-round quarterback pool features several proven veterans being undervalued and young players positioned to take meaningful steps forward. Jared Goff, Tyler Shough, Kyler Murray, and Cam Ward all carry different levels of risk, but each has enough surrounding talent and fantasy upside to outperform his price.
Jared Goff, QB, Detroit Lions
Jared Goff remains one of the most consistently undervalued quarterbacks in fantasy football despite finishing as the QB10, QB7, QB6, and QB9 across his last four seasons in Detroit. Even during what was considered a down year for the Lions’ offense in 2025, Goff threw for 4,564 yards and 34 touchdowns while turning the ball over only eight times through the air. He has now surpassed 4,400 passing yards and 29 touchdowns in four consecutive seasons, establishing one of the safest statistical floors among pocket passers. Goff has also been exceptionally durable, missing only five games over the last nine years and none since 2021. His lack of rushing production limits his path to becoming the overall QB1, but his combination of volume, efficiency, and availability continues to make him a reliable fantasy starter.
The supporting cast remains one of the strongest in football. Detroit returns both of its 1,000-yard receivers, Sam LaPorta should be healthier, and Jahmyr Gibbs is positioned for an even larger role in the offense. The Lions also hired Drew Petzing after he helped Jacoby Brissett produce at a QB5 pace across 12 starts in Arizona last season, creating optimism that Detroit’s passing attack can rebound after adjusting to life without Ben Johnson. Nine of the Lions’ 11 offensive starters are returning to a unit that has not finished outside the top five in yards per game since 2021. Goff is currently being drafted closer to QB16-QB18 despite never finishing outside the top 10 during a healthy Detroit season. For managers waiting at quarterback or using a platoon approach, he is one of the safest values available in the later rounds.
Tyler Shough, QB, New Orleans Saints
Tyler Shough quietly finished his rookie season playing some of the best football of any quarterback in the league, yet his fantasy football ADP still sits outside the top 100 picks. From Weeks 12-18, Shough averaged 18.6 fantasy points per game and ranked as the QB5 over that stretch while showcasing legitimate dual-threat upside. He averaged 25 rushing yards per game and added three rushing touchdowns, providing the type of production on the ground that can elevate a late-round quarterback’s weekly floor. Shough also showed substantial development as a passer, ranking ninth in hero throw rate and 12th in yards per attempt among qualifying quarterbacks during that closing stretch. His 333-yard, two-touchdown performance against Tennessee offered a glimpse of the ceiling he possesses when the offense is operating effectively.
New Orleans made a clear effort to improve the environment around him this offseason. The additions of Travis Etienne, Jordyn Tyson, Oscar Delp, and Bryce Lance give Shough a much deeper collection of playmakers entering Year 2. His strong finish suggests he was already beginning to process the game faster and become more comfortable within the offense, and another offseason of development could lead to a significant jump. The rushing production makes him more than a traditional pocket-passing sleeper, while the upgraded supporting cast gives him a better chance to sustain the efficiency he flashed late last year. Shough has already produced like a QB1 over a meaningful sample, and his current price does not fully account for the possibility that his second-half breakout carries into 2026.
Kyler Murray, QB, Minnesota Vikings
Kyler Murray enters 2026 as one of the easiest late-round quarterbacks to bet on because his fantasy ceiling has not disappeared despite his falling draft price. Every fully healthy season of Murray’s career has resulted in a QB10 finish or better, largely due to rushing production that very few quarterbacks can match. He has averaged at least 30 rushing yards per game in seven consecutive seasons, creating one of the strongest weekly floors at the position whenever he is healthy. Injuries limited Murray to only five games last season, and his passing efficiency was poor during that small sample, but those concerns are already heavily reflected in his ADP. Fantasy managers are now drafting a quarterback with a long track record of QB1 production outside the top 100 picks.
Minnesota gives Murray arguably the strongest supporting cast of his career. Justin Jefferson remains the best wide receiver in football, while Jordan Addison and Jauan Jennings give the offense multiple options capable of winning downfield. Kevin O’Connell has consistently created quarterback-friendly passing attacks, and the Vikings project to have the second-easiest schedule for fantasy quarterbacks this season. There will naturally be durability concerns after another injury-shortened year, but the offensive environment is considerably better than what Murray dealt with in Arizona. If he simply returns to his career norms, he should comfortably outperform his current price. If O’Connell helps unlock more consistency as a passer, Murray still possesses the rushing upside and supporting cast necessary to finish as a high-end QB1.
Cam Ward, QB, Tennessee Titans
Cam Ward’s rookie season was difficult, but his final numbers do not tell the entire story. The first overall pick finished as the QB22 after completing 59.8% of his passes for 3,169 yards, 15 touchdowns, and seven interceptions while adding 159 rushing yards and two scores. He also lost seven fumbles and was sacked a league-high 55 times behind one of the NFL’s worst offensive lines. The combination of poor protection, limited receiving talent, and an ineffective offensive system made consistent production nearly impossible. Even so, Ward began to show meaningful progress late in the year. Over his final eight games, he completed 62% of his passes while producing a 10-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio, and he scored at least 15 fantasy points in every week of the fantasy playoffs.
Tennessee has made a concentrated effort to improve Ward’s situation entering Year 2. Brian Daboll arrives as offensive coordinator after previously helping oversee Josh Allen’s development in Buffalo, while the Titans added Carnell Tate with the fourth overall pick and signed Wan’Dale Robinson to provide a reliable underneath target. Calvin Ridley should also return from injury, with Elic Ayomanor, Chimere Dike, and Gunnar Helm giving Ward a young collection of complementary weapons. The supporting cast is still unproven, but it is considerably more talented and better suited to his skill set than it was last season. Ward is currently being drafted around QB24, which leaves very little downside at cost. If his late-season improvement carries over and Daboll can improve his accuracy and decision-making, Ward has a realistic path to becoming one of the biggest quarterback values in fantasy football.
