Late-Round QB Targets For Early Fantasy Football Drafts: Give Deshaun Watson One Last Chance

Go ahead and be the first manager to draft a quarterback in your upcoming fantasy draft.

While you're celebrating your shiny new passer, the rest of your league is loading up on running backs and wide receivers. Those extra picks can create depth, flexibility and trade assets that help carry a roster through injuries and bye weeks.

That's not to say quarterback isn't important. It's one of the most valuable positions in fantasy football. But the gap between overall QB1 Josh Allen and QB10 was just 4.5 fantasy points per game last season.

Sure, that edge can swing a matchup, but was it worth passing on players like Kyren Williams or Travis Etienne, both of whom finished as top-10 running backs?

That's where the edge comes from. Build strength at the skill positions early, then target quarterback value later. So, which late-round quarterbacks should fantasy managers target in 2026?

Late-Round QBs For 2026 Fantasy Football

Deshaun Watson | CLE

With the former Defensive Player of the Year now in Los Angeles, Cleveland's defense may not be able to carry the team the way it did a season ago. That could lead to more pass-heavy game scripts and additional opportunities for Deshaun Watson.

According to Mary Kay Cabot, the Browns are expected to name a starting quarterback sooner rather than later due to a new offensive system and the addition of two rookie wide receivers. Cabot also noted that Watson has looked sharp during OTAs, displaying improved arm strength and footwork.

Fantasy managers have little recent production to evaluate from Watson, making his supporting cast especially important when projecting his outlook for 2026. The Browns added Harold Fannin Jr. and invested heavily at wide receiver with first-round pick KC Concepcion and second-round selection Denzel Boston, while veteran Jerry Jeudy returns after a productive season.

Fantasy managers aren't drafting Watson to anchor a lineup. They're drafting him because the price leaves plenty of room for profit. His rushing ability gives him access to spike-week production, while the Browns' upgraded supporting cast raises the ceiling.

At QB33, Watson doesn't need to be a weekly starter. A handful of spike weeks could be enough to outperform his draft cost and provide meaningful value.

Kyler Murray | MIN

Looking for upside? Few quarterbacks being drafted outside the top tier can match Kyler Murray's ceiling.

Currently priced as QB16 in best ball drafts, Murray gives fantasy managers access to top-five upside at a significant discount. He enters the season with one of the strongest groups of pass catchers of his career, and the Vikings strengthened the offense by adding Jauan Jennings as another reliable red-zone weapon.

Kevin O'Connell's arrival adds another layer of intrigue to Murray's fantasy outlook. Murray's dual-threat ability gives him multiple paths to fantasy production each week, and few quarterbacks outside the elite tier can match his combination of passing and rushing upside.

Injuries remain the primary concern, but that risk is already reflected in his draft cost. As a QB2 in superflex and best ball formats, Murray offers the type of ceiling that can help fantasy managers separate from the field and outperform his QB16 price tag.

Cam Ward | TEN

Cam Ward's rookie season failed to deliver the fantasy impact many managers may have expected, but Tennessee spent the offseason building a better environment around its young quarterback.

New offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, who considers Ward a "young professional," wasted little time reshaping the offense. One of the more notable additions was Wan'Dale Robinson, a receiver familiar with Daboll's system whose ability to win underneath could provide Ward with a reliable outlet when pressure arrives. The pairing also creates an intriguing late-round stack for best ball managers.

Tennessee also added Carnell Tate, an advanced route-runner capable of creating separation at all levels of the field and making catches like this.

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The running game offers additional reasons for optimism. Tony Pollard remains a capable veteran in the eyes of the Titans, while rookie Nicholas Singleton brings explosive upside once he returns from a Jones fracture. If Singleton develops as expected, opposing defenses may find it difficult to focus solely on stopping Ward.

For the first time in his young career, Ward enters a season with a coaching staff actively building around his strengths. If the offensive line improves, he has the supporting cast needed to outperform his current draft cost and deliver valuable QB1 weeks throughout the season.