The 2026 fantasy football season is right around the corner, and if you’re not paying attention to the quarterback market, you’re already behind. This position is easily the deepest pool for managers, meaning there’s massive year-over-year variance, with late-draft QBs often rocketing into QB1 status by season’s end. Four Yahoo analysts,Hayden Winks, Joel Smyth, Justin Boone, and Ray Garvin,have dropped their top breakout candidates for the upcoming season, and the takes are spicy.
Love’s ADP Disaster Is Your Gold Mine
Seriously, what are fantasy managers doing with Jordan Love? It’s wild to think his WR1, WR2, WR3, TE1, and RB1 are all flying off draft boards *before* he is. Are we all taking crazy pills, or is Love just ridiculously underpriced? Hayden Winks is saying the latter, and I’m with him. Love is set to benefit big time. His skill group is absolutely sick, with Matthew Golden looking like a sleeper at cost and Tucker Kraft back a month before the season starts. Plus, the Packers are pushing the pace in practice, breaking the huddle and snapping the ball quickly in preseason action. More pace, more pass attempts, especially with Josh Jacobs’ status up in the air, means more fantasy points. Love has been efficient for years, but the Packers’ conservative approach has held him back from cracking the top 10. With their defense looking rough early without Micah Parsons and an early schedule featuring the Vikings, Jets, Falcons, Bears, Cowboys, Lions, and Panthers, Love is set up for a huge volume year.
Caleb Williams and Malik Willis: The Next Level Upside
Then there’s Caleb Williams, who finished as the QB9 in points per game last season and is now getting drafted as the QB8. For a Year 3 quarterback, that combo of floor and upside is incredible. Yeah, he had some missed throws downfield in his second season, but his natural playmaking and overall offense are just too good to ignore. This is only his second year in this offense, and we all know Year 3 is often when quarterbacks see their biggest growth. Williams has everything a fantasy QB needs: great coaching, a solid offensive line, top-tier weapons, scrambling ability, and an aggressive passing style. His offense, run by Ben Johnson, will either be in shootouts or, as Johnson loves, merciless blowouts. He was already a 20-PPG scorer in the second half of last season; he’s primed to explode even further.
Don’t forget Malik Willis, either. A breakout player, to me, is someone who hasn’t put a full fantasy star season together yet. Willis, at 27, has rediscovered his game as a backup for the Packers over the last two seasons. He made three relief starts during that time, posting rushing totals of 41, 60, and 73 yards, averaging a touchdown per outing on the ground. Unsurprisingly, he finished as a top-seven fantasy QB in two of those three contests. This dual-threat beast is exactly the kind of player who used to steam up draft boards.
So, as you gear up for your drafts, keep these names locked in. Identifying these breakout quarterbacks can be the difference between dominating your league and just watching from the sidelines. Who are you betting on to blow up in 2026?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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