It’s officially prospect season. Getting ahead on learning about the incoming rookie class is paramount for all dynasty fantasy football players. It’s important to understand the prospects as they go through the draft process so that you don’t get swayed too far in either direction based on athletic testing. Today, I’ll be revealing the top five names in my dynasty rookie quarterback rankings as we begin the offseason.
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2026 Dynasty Rookie Quarterback Rankings
1. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
The projected first-overall pick in the NFL Draft, Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza, is easily the safest quarterback in the class. Don’t mistake safety for a low floor, though. Mendoza is NFL-ready and can step in right away and produce for a team. Breaking out in 2025, Mendoza threw for 41 touchdowns to just six interceptions on only 382 attempts with an adjusted completion percentage of 79%. Standing 6’5” and weighing 225 pounds, Mendoza has prototypical size. Although he doesn’t have top-end arm strength like the Justin Herberts of the world, he can make every throw on the field.
The one real knock for Fernando Mendoza is that he won’t add much as a runner in the NFL, which does lower his fantasy ceiling. Still, with his advanced processing skills, Mendoza can step in day one and compete in the NFL. He may not have the ceiling some other top picks have had, but Mendonza has a higher chance of reaching his potential. We could see Mendoza being a mid-level QB2 in fantasy football sooner rather than later, making him a safe pick early in 2026 rookie drafts.
2. Ty Simpson, Alabama
Ty Simpson is a senior one-year starter from Alabama who played well until the very end of the season when the train went off the rails due to injury. During the College Football Playoffs, Simpson dealt with elbow bursitis and a cracked rib, which led to him throwing for less than 300 yards combined between two games, to go with only one touchdown and an interception. Despite that, Simpson still had good numbers for the season. He threw for over 3,500 yards, posted 28 passing touchdowns to only five interceptions, had a big-time throw rate of 6%, and recorded an adjusted completion percentage of 75.3%. He even added a little bit as a runner with nearly 300 yards and two touchdowns.
A former five-star prospect, Ty Simpson is essentially average to above average everywhere, but he has no real calling card. His arm strength is enough to get the ball where it needs to go, but he struggles with tight windows. He processes defenses well but doesn’t always throw with good timing and anticipation. He can escape the pocket, but he isn’t a dynamic runner. He has decent size for the position, but could add a few pounds. Perhaps his biggest strength is that he is mechanically sound at all times. Simpson is expected to be drafted in the first round and could play early for a team.
3. Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss
After four years at Ferris State, Trinidad Chambliss transferred to Ole Miss for a fifth collegiate season, where he quickly made a name for himself. In 2025, Chambliss threw for nearly 4,000 yards, ran for over 500 more, and had 30 total touchdowns while only throwing thre interceptions. Additionally, he recorded an adjusted completion percentage of 75.1% and a big-time throw percentage of 6.1%. Chambliss is on the small side, but he has good arm strength and can layer throws across the field. As a runner, Chambliss has real speed and shiftiness. He’s a true dual threat.
Trinidad Chambliss, though, is still learning the mental aspect of playing quarterback. He will occasionally stare down his first read, and he can be confused by a defense that changes its look after the snap. Additionally, he can be thrown by pressure too much at times. Chambliss has potential; the question is if he will reach it. His rushing gives him a fantasy floor, but he needs to improve as a passer to be given an opportunity in the NFL. Chambliss could produce for fantasy if given the chance, but that just may not be that likely. This makes him a high-risk/high-reward pick in dynasty rookie drafts (assuming he does end up heading for the NFL).
4. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
Getting his chance to be a starter as a redshirt junior in 2024, Garrett Nussmeier put himself firmly on NFL radars, throwing for 29 touchdowns and over 4,000 yards with an adjusted completion percentage of 71.4%. But now Garrett Nussmeier enters the NFL after a frustrating final season at LSU. In 2025, Nussmeier dealt with injuries, missed games, and saw his production suffer. He had a touchdown percentage of only 4.2%, down from 5.5% in 2024, and had his yards per attempt drop from 7.7 to 6.7. The physical tools that got people excited are still there, though.
Garrett Nussmeier has full confidence in his arm and is a pure pocket, gunslinging quarterback. His greatest strength is that he has a tight, quick release and makes decisions equally as quickly. He can diagnose a defense and a blitz better than most college quarterbacks, and his accuracy at all three levels is easily apparent. However, his arm strength isn’t great. This can be a problem since he has full confidence to make every throw, even when it’s not there. Nussmeier also adds nothing as a runner and is a bit on the small side, barely over 200 pounds and standing 6’1”.
5. Carson Beck, Miami
For a long time, Carson Beck was seen as the next big thing at quarterback. But after getting his chance to start for Georgia and having two good but not great seasons, he stayed for a fifth year and transferred to Miami. For the hype he had, you would have guessed he’d have made the jump to the NFL. He still had respectable numbers, though. For his career, Beck had an adjusted completion percentage of 77.9% and a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 2.7 to 1. However, his big-time throw percentage was only 4.1%.
Carson Beck has prototypical size for the position, standing 6’4” and weighing 220 pounds. He’s got an NFL arm, plays well in rhythm, and has above-average pocket presence. His problem is that he is more a product of the offense he’s in than being a talent raiser. He can confidently execute an offense and generally make the right decision, but he’ll rarely make the hard plays. Beck profiles as a really good backup quarterback who can fill in well when needed for small stretches.
Sleeper: Drew Allar, Penn State
There was a time when Drew Allar was widely considered a contender to be the best quarterback in his class. He has great size at 6’5″ and 235 pounds and is a good athlete for the position with elite arm talent — the kind that few have. Allar can put it anywhere on the field at any time. Whether he’s standing tall in the pocket or creating as a play breaks down, Allar has the entire field at his disposal. His problem is his inconsistency. Allar will at times show every aspect of quarterback play that you look for, but those times come too few and far between for what we’d like.
During his time at Penn State, Drew Allar‘s stats, both counting and advanced, reflected his inconsistency. Allar was always good, but not great. For his career, he had a 73.1% adjusted completion percentage and only a 3.8% big time throw rate. His career-high average depth of target was also only 9.1 yards, showing his lack of aggressiveness. Although his lack of aggressiveness may lead to one of his greatest strengths, which is ball security. In his four years, Allar threw only 13 total interceptions. If he lands in the right spot with coaches who can make the most of his physical traits, he could be one of the best in the class. But his inconsistency means he lands just outside the top five in my dynasty rookie quarterback rankings.
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