2026 FANTASY FOOTBALL QB RANKING
Easiest And Toughest Roads This Season.
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RedzoneHQ rankings have been developed using three inputs: (i) historical performance data from previous seasons, (ii) the projected defensive rosters of opposing teams following the draft, (iii) and each team’s proven ability to handle (or exploit) the defenses they will face. Together these give a complete and accurate picture of how a QB’s season is likely to play out.
Schedule of Strength is a tiebreaker. When two QBs are equal on talent, the one with the easier road wins on your scoreboard. This guide scores all 32 starters 0–100 using opponent-adjusted data, so you know exactly who to trust and who to avoid before your draft clock starts. RedzoneHQ rank has also been given with each QB ranking.
Tier | Label | Score | What It Means |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Easiest | 75–100 | Green light. Start every week. |
2 | Favorable | 55–74 | Solid draw with minor speed bumps. |
3 | Neutral | 40–54 | Middle of the pack. |
4 | Tough | 25–39 | Proceed with caution. Have a backup. |
5 | Brutal | 0–24 | A weekly problem for your lineup. |
Tier 1 — Easiest Roads (75–100)
| Schedule Rank / QB | SOS / RZHQ | Fantasy PPG | Schedule Takeaway |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Jalen Hurts Philadelphia Eagles | 98/100 RedZoneHQ #6 | 2025: 23.1 pts/g 2026: 22.7 pts/g | Elite QB, elite schedule. Lock and load every week. |
| 2. Kyler Murray Minnesota Vikings | 94/100 RedZoneHQ #17 | 2025: 21.7 pts/g 2026: 22.1 pts/g | Had issues with the Cardinals but now in a new system. Schedule has major upside. Huge draft value. |
| 3. Jared Goff Detroit Lions | 91/100 RedZoneHQ #19 | 2025: 21.4 pts/g 2026: 22.8 pts/g | Playing inside the dome most weeks with a very easy schedule. Elite weapons. Start him. |
| 4. Jaxson Dart New York Giants | 88/100 RedZoneHQ #8 | 2025: N/A — Rookie 2026: 16.4 pts/g | Soft landing for a rookie. Dynasty buy, deep-league flier. |
| 5. Trevor Lawrence Jacksonville Jaguars | 83/100 RedZoneHQ #10 | 2025: 18.1 pts/g 2026: 19.5 pts/g | Golden bounce-back setup. Exploit this schedule. |
| 6. Jordan Love Green Bay Packers | 79/100 RedZoneHQ #22 | 2025: 20.1 pts/g 2026: 20.6 pts/g | Safe, productive, consistent. Solid weekly starter. |
Tier 2 — Favorable Roads (55–74)
| Schedule Rank / QB | SOS / RZHQ | Fantasy PPG | Schedule Takeaway |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7. Michael Penix Jr. Atlanta Falcons | 73/100 RedZoneHQ #35 | 2025: 14.2 pts/g 2026: 17.8 pts/g | Comfortable draw stepping in. Competing with Tua Tagovailoa (#32). Monitor early. |
| 8. Sam Darnold Seattle Seahawks | 70/100 RedZoneHQ #25 | 2025: 16.5 pts/g 2026: 17.2 pts/g | Good QB2 or streamer. Schedule helps. |
| 9. Geno Smith New York Jets | 67/100 RedZoneHQ #28 | 2025: 22.1 pts/g 2026: 18.5 pts/g | Friendly draw. Outperforms ADP if the Jets click. |
| 10. Daniel Jones Indianapolis Colts | 64/100 RedZoneHQ #18 | 2025: 15.9 pts/g 2026: 18.0 pts/g | Rushing upside gives him a safe floor at low cost. |
| 11. Shedeur Sanders Cleveland Browns | 61/100 RedZoneHQ #33 | 2025: N/A — Rookie 2026: 16.8 pts/g | Soft start to his NFL career. Low-cost watch candidate. |
| 12. C.J. Stroud Houston Texans | 58/100 RedZoneHQ #24 | 2025: 22.4 pts/g 2026: 23.5 pts/g | Elite talent, friendly schedule. Safe with upside. |
| 13. Malik Willis Miami Dolphins | 55/100 RedZoneHQ #21 | 2025: 11.2 pts/g 2026: 18.2 pts/g | Explosive system, decent schedule. Keep a close eye. |
Tier 3 — Neutral Roads (40–54)
| Schedule Rank / QB | SOS / RZHQ | Fantasy PPG | Schedule Takeaway |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14. Cam Ward Tennessee Titans | 53/100 RedZoneHQ #23 | 2025: N/A — Rookie 2026: 16.1 pts/g | Average draw helps the rookie settle in. Nothing flashy. |
| 15. Tyler Shough New Orleans Saints | 51/100 RedZoneHQ #16 | 2025: 14.3 pts/g 2026: 15.2 pts/g | Deep leagues only. Check matchups weekly if rostered. |
| 16. Joe Burrow Cincinnati Bengals | 50/100 RedZoneHQ #5 | 2025: 24.6 pts/g 2026: 24.9 pts/g | Schedule is neutral but talent is elite. Still a top pick. |
| 17. Josh Allen Buffalo Bills | 47/100 RedZoneHQ #1 | 2025: 28.3 pts/g 2026: 27.5 pts/g | Middle of the pack schedule, but he scores the most fantasy points year after year. Must-start regardless. |
| 18. Bo Nix Denver Broncos | 44/100 RedZoneHQ #12 | 2025: 16.8 pts/g 2026: 17.5 pts/g | Average all the way. Reliable QB2/Superflex filler. |
| 19. Lamar Jackson Baltimore Ravens | 41/100 RedZoneHQ #2 | 2025: 27.8 pts/g 2026: 25.3 pts/g | Tough schedule but a generational talent. Rushing keeps him elite. Start him every week. |
Tier 4 — Tough Roads (25–39)
| Schedule Rank / QB | SOS / RZHQ | Fantasy PPG | Schedule Takeaway |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20. Matthew Stafford Los Angeles Rams | 38/100 RedZoneHQ #15 | 2025: 17.8 pts/g 2026: 17.4 pts/g | Use as a streamer only. Tough road most weeks. |
| 21. Caleb Williams Chicago Bears | 35/100 RedZoneHQ #11 | 2025: 19.8 pts/g 2026: 23.2 pts/g | Hard adjusted draw. Temper sophomore expectations. |
| 22. Drake Maye New England Patriots | 32/100 RedZoneHQ #4 | 2025: 17.9 pts/g 2026: 20.3 pts/g | Tough physical slate. Wait for the offense to click first. |
| 23. Justin Herbert Los Angeles Chargers | 29/100 RedZoneHQ #14 | 2025: 20.3 pts/g 2026: 21.0 pts/g | Run-first system plus tough schedule caps his ceiling. |
| 24. Baker Mayfield Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 27/100 RedZoneHQ #20 | 2025: 18.6 pts/g 2026: 18.1 pts/g | Hard to trust as a weekly starter. Tough defensive slate. |
| 25. Dak Prescott Dallas Cowboys | 25/100 RedZoneHQ #9 | 2025: 18.4 pts/g 2026: 17.9 pts/g | Team in transition, brutal schedule. Start only if no good alternatives. |
Tier 5 — Brutal Roads (0–24)
| Schedule Rank / QB | SOS / RZHQ | Fantasy PPG | Schedule Takeaway |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26. Jayden Daniels Washington Commanders | 22/100 RedZoneHQ #3 | 2025: 26.4 pts/g 2026: 25.8 pts/g | Elite rusher saves him. Still expect rough weeks. |
| 27. Aaron Rodgers Pittsburgh Steelers | 19/100 RedZoneHQ #29 | 2025: 16.1 pts/g 2026: 15.2 pts/g | 42 years old, AFC North gauntlet. Fade. |
| 28. Patrick Mahomes Kansas City Chiefs | 17/100 RedZoneHQ #13 | 2025: 19.2 pts/g 2026: 19.8 pts/g | Name alone isn’t enough. Only draft him if he falls past his ADP. |
| 29. Jacoby Brissett Arizona Cardinals | 15/100 RedZoneHQ #31 | 2025: 12.4 pts/g 2026: 13.8 pts/g | Avoid outside of emergency Superflex. |
| 30. Bryce Young Carolina Panthers | 12/100 RedZoneHQ #26 | 2025: 14.1 pts/g 2026: 15.0 pts/g | Elite defenses every week. Look elsewhere. |
| 31. Fernando Mendoza Las Vegas Raiders | 11/100 RedZoneHQ #27 | 2025: N/A 2026: 14.5 pts/g | Bottom of the barrel. Custom/deep leagues only. Do not target. |
| 32. Brock Purdy San Francisco 49ers | 10/100 RedZoneHQ #8 | 2025: 20.8 pts/g 2026: 21.2 pts/g | Hardest schedule in the NFL. Massive caution on draft day. |
Fantasy Playoff Quick-Reference — Weeks 15–17
Championships are decided here. Check your QB's December path before draft day.
Favorable Playoff Layouts | Challenging Playoff Layouts |
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5 Things to Remember on Draft Day
Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts and Joe Burrow are elite talents. Doesn’t matter which tier they are in — just start them.
Goff is a bargain. Top-3 schedule, dome, elite weapons. Cheap price. Take him.
Lamar is safer than raw data suggests. Adjusted model moves him to the middle of our list. Rushing carries him.
Be careful with Williams and Mahomes. Harder adjusted schedules than sites show. Don't overpay.
Always check December. Purdy's home stretch can wreck your playoffs.
Full rankings at RedzoneHQ →Every QB. Every factor. Updated all offseason.