Throw the ball down the field, run for positive yardage, and pick up touchdowns both through the air and on the ground. It’s that simple. That’s all we require from our quarterbacks. No, it’s far from that simple. As we look to evaluate the quarterback position for the 2026 fantasy football season, let’s take a dive through some advanced statistics and metrics. Whether or not it uncovers hidden value or simply validates our current beliefs, there is some clear value.
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Upside Metrics: Quarterbacks
Malik Willis, Miami Dolphins
Entering his fifth NFL season, Willis still has not attempted more than the 61 passes he did in his rookie season. His first two seasons in Tennessee did him no favors, but that does not mean he lost the talent that followed him into the NFL in 2022. Joining the Green Bay Packers and working as the backup to Jordan Love helped to both save and likely jumpstart Willis’ career.
In Week 17 last year, Willis completed nine of 11 passes for 121 yards and a touchdown. He followed that up with 288 yards in Week 18 while going 18 of 21 on his pass attempts with a touchdown. Of more importance, and of overall attention, Willis carried the ball 19 times for 104 yards and a touchdown. Now that he is starting in Miami, that is where the focus truly is.
However, even though the sample size is limited, we should give Willis some credit for what he has done through the air. And here are two metrics that highlight that:
- Bad Pass Rate – 2.9%
- Average Target Depth – 9.8 Yards
Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
While he did not throw for the 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns he did two years ago with the Minnesota Vikings, Darnold still had a pretty solid 2025 season in Seattle. He finished with 4,048 yards and 25 touchdowns, and while he greatly benefited from the presence of Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Darnold should get some credit as well.
The overall situation in Seattle has proven to be beneficial to Darnold. In deeper leagues, or as a bench or streaming option, the metrics do support continued success from Darnold. Let’s take a look at why:
- Average Target Depth – 8.4 yards
- Sack Rate – 5.4%
- Average Receiver Yards After Catch – 5.7 yards
Darnold having time to throw continues to pay huge dividends. Not only can he look downfield, but he has been able to get the ball to his receivers in position for them to then do damage downfield.
Drake Maye, New England Patriots
After mixed results in his rookie season, Maye surpassed any and all expectations last year. Forget about a sophomore slump. Instead, Maye took the Patriots right to the Super Bowl.
Maye finished with 4,394 passing yards and 31 touchdowns compared to just eight interceptions. He also gained 450 yards on the ground, along with four touchdowns, and while that is a large part of his value, the focus here is on the passing game. Will the addition of AJ Brown bring Maye closer to, or past, 5,000 passing yards?
Brown is highly motivated in his new home, and we know that Maye has no issues throwing the ball downfield. Along with that, it is also important that he is still efficient despite the emphasis on looking for the big play:
- Bad Pass Rate – 14%
- Average Target Depth – 9.5%
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