Forget the early rounds, folks, because the real fantasy football gold in 2026 is hiding deep in your draft. We’re talking about players expert-ranked or with an average draft position after the sixth round in your standard 12-team, half-point PPR leagues , basically, anyone after pick 72 overall. The smart money isn’t on the guys everyone is hyping up; it’s on these undervalued picks, rookies to seasoned vets, who are poised to blow past their consensus rankings. You just gotta know where to look.
Why You Need to Scout These QB Steals
What exactly is a “sleeper” in fantasy football? It’s that player who delivers way more value than their draft slot suggests, the one who makes your league mates wonder how you pulled it off. This year, there are 26 such sleepers across all positions, but we’re zoning in on the signal-callers because getting a top-tier quarterback late can absolutely change your season. If you can snag a QB who performs like a top-10 guy in the seventh round or later, you’ve unlocked a massive advantage.
These Quarterbacks Are Going Late, But Playing Like Early Picks
First up, Jaxson Dart from the Giants, going at QB11 with an ADP of 88. This dude was the average QB8 in the back half of last season, racking up over 19 points per game. He’s a total cheat code with that running floor, and his price has somehow dropped to be super nice near the bottom of the QB1s. The only catch? He needs to stay on the field, especially with a healthy Malik Nabers back as his top receiver and a whole new Matt Nagy offense bringing revamped weapons. Plus, rookie Francis Mauigoa should give him better pass protection. This guy screams steal!
Then you got Matthew Stafford, the Rams’ veteran at QB13, ADP 99. Remember when he was totally undervalued before his MVP season and still finished as QB3? The man’s a pure pocket passer, slinging it to Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. Sure, he’s 38 now, and there were some injury concerns. It’ll be tough to hit that insane 46-touchdown season again, but even if he drops to 35 touchdowns, that’s still a QB7-8 finish if his wideouts are healthy. That’s pure value.
Brock Purdy, 49ers, QB15, ADP 106. Yeah, he missed some time last season and dropped to QB24 overall, but listen up: over nine games, he was averaging over 20 points, making him QB5! Their wide receiver and tight end injuries are a bit of a worry, but Mike Evans can still go off, and the depth looks way better with Deebo Samuel and Christian Kirk added, plus rookie De’Zhaun Stribling having a strong camp. And George Kittle? He’s gonna be back sooner rather than later to dominate as Purdy’s main target. Don’t sleep on him.
Jordan Love, Packers, QB19, ADP 133. He went from a solid QB1 in his first year to a bit of a letdown, but the guy is still durable and efficient in real life, especially with his yards per attempt and rating. The problem? Green Bay only threw 52 percent of the time! That HAS to go up now that they’ve paid Christian Watson, got Tucker Kraft back, and drafted Matthew Godlen in the first round last year. If his attempts get back to 500 or more, he’s a top-12 guy, a total bargain.
Last but not least, Tyler Shough for the Saints, QB20, ADP 154. This dude finished as QB12 on average in the second half of last season, right up there with Dart. He can also provide supplemental production with his game.
Keep these names locked in your brain for draft day, because grabbing just one of these guys could be the move that vaults you to the top of your league. Trust me, your competition isn’t looking this deep.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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