2026 Fantasy Football: Power of the Mobile Quarterback

With fantasy football drafts on the horizon, draft strategy becomes a paramount subject. League format, number of teams, and scoring rules all play a major role in how to approach seasonal managed leagues. Before we saunter into the meat and potatoes of the how and why of strategy, let us bring up one of the most important things to know before you draft: league scoring settings. Know thy scoring settings, so let it be written, so shall it be done. That being said, the major difference for quarterback scoring is whether you get four or six points per passing touchdown.

The quarterback position is often the primary point scorer on a weekly basis. Last season, only Christian McCaffrey (+42.1) and Puka Nacua (by a mere 0.5 fantasy point) outscored Josh Allen. (Full PPR scoring)

In this article, we are going to look through some historical data as well as current draft data to help identify how to approach the quarterback position. We will also have a focus on the power of a mobile quarterback and what that means for fantasy teams in the upcoming season.

Let’s dive right in.

Power of the Mobile Quarterback

Proof in Numbers

The top twelve quarterbacks (3,897.2) outscored the top twelve running backs (3,708.8) and wide receivers (3,086.6) in PPR scoring formats last season. That equates to 4.9% higher than running backs and 20.8% higher than wide receivers. (It was not close enough with tight ends to bring into the discussion, sorry TE enthusiasts.)

Of the top-twelve scoring quarterbacks from the 2025 season, only two of them had fewer than 100 rushing yards on the season. Matthew Stafford, who finished with precisely one rushing yard, and Jared Goff, who somehow scrambled to 45 yards on the ground. Matthew Stafford led the league in passing yards and touchdowns. Any guesses as to who finished second in both of those categories? Yep, it was Goff. It took gaudy numbers for those two mobile-challenged signal callers to climb that high on the stat sheet.

Josh Allen led the position in total fantasy points, despite finishing with 1,039 fewer passing yards and seven fewer touchdowns than Stafford. All in all, 38.9% of Allen’s fantasy points came from rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. Again, worth mentioning that even in four-point passing touchdown leagues, quarterbacks still get six for rushing scores.

Likewise, 20.2% of Drake Maye’s fantasy production came from his legs. It was 26.1% for Trevor Lawrence, largely on the back of his nine rushing scores. In his MVP 2019 season, 39.7% of Lamar Jackson’s fantasy production was based on rushing. In his phenomenal rookie season, Jayden Daniels accrued 35.8% of his fantasy production from rushing.

Draft Strategy: Single Quarterback

As we head into draft season for 2026, the quarterback position is deep enough to warrant waiting with a focus on mobile quarterbacks. In the early rounds, focus on top-tier running backs and wide receivers in combination prior to shifting focus to quarterbacks.

In current single-quarterback, 12-team, full PPR leagues, here is how the top 15 stack up at the time of this writing.

Courtesy of FantasyPros.com

Each quarterback until Matthew Stafford has mobility and varying degrees of rushing upside in their toolbox. The market is talking, and what it is saying is that there is fantasy power in the mobile quarterback.

This list does not include some other mobile options for those willing to truly wait and stack up on the other skill position players. For example, Kyler Murray is going 11.05, Tyler Shough at 13.02, and Malik Willis, whose entire possible upside is related to his legs, at 13.12.

For those who draft a Stafford or a Goff, it is not a terrible idea to pair with a mobile option, like the aforementioned Murray or even Willis. In 12-team, single-quarterback leagues, there is no need to draft backup quarterbacks, unless looking at forgone eventual starters like Fernando Mendoza.

Draft Strategy: Superflex / Two Quarterback

First of all, allow a moment to clear up the difference between Superflex and Two Quarterback leagues. In Superflex, there is one starting quarterback and another potential quarterback slot that can honestly be filled by any other skill position player. Two quarterback requires two quarterbacks to complete a starting roster.

Those leagues alter the ADP as well as potential draft strategy. When QB runs occur during the draft, they are heavy and intense. In these formats, it is best to prioritize getting a quarterback within the first few rounds and adding a second one before the starters dry up. With 32 starting quarterbacks per week, it is highly advised not to wait too long on selecting the second quarterback to fill out the roster.

It also changes the ADP significantly due to making the position more scarce. For example, Josh Allen goes, on average, as pick 1.03; Jackson as 1.10. For those new to the format, it marks significant changes at quarterbacks, and focuses highly on the mobile ones. In this format, having a gunslinger as a second is far more profitable than in single-quarterback leagues. In other words, taking Drake Maye at 12.6 makes Jared Goff in the 11th far more attractive.

For more great fantasy football rankings and analysis, make sure to check out the 2026 FantraxHQ Fantasy Football Draft Kit!

Conclusion

The quarterback position is high-scoring on a weekly basis. Having a good one is pivotal in overall team success. Adding the mobility option can add anywhere between 4-7 or 7-10+ (elite) fantasy points per week.

There will be weeks where the mobile quarterbacks win the week for their managers. Smart drafting is getting one early enough to make a weekly impact without the sacrifice of losing out on top-tier skill players in the process.