The 2026 rookie quarterback draft class is less than impressive, to say the least.
Just one player, Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, is projected to be anything more than a backup in his rookie year and even he might start the season second on the Raiders’ depth chart behind Kirk Cousins, assuming he’s the top pick in the NFL draft.
Just one other quarterback, Alabama’s Ty Simpson, is projected as a potential first-round pick. He’s been tied to the Jets and Cardinals in either the first or second rounds. Beyond that duo, fantasy fans are looking at a list of signal-callers who are unlikely to make a first-year impact and might not make a fantasy impact in their career.
Here’s my look at the top 10 rookie quarterbacks heading into the 2026 NFL draft.
2026 Fantasy Rookie Quarterback Rankings
Rk
Player
Pos
TM
Bye
1
Fernando Mendoza
QB
IND
22
2
Ty Simpson
QB
ALA
23
3
Garrett Nussmeier
QB
LSU
24
4
Drew Allar
QB
PSU
22
5
Carson Beck
QB
MIA
23
6
Taylen Green
QB
ARK
23
7
Cade Klubnik
QB
CLE
22
8
Cole Payton
QB
NDST
23
9
Diego Pavia
QB
VAN
24
10
Behren Morton
QB
TXT
24