Stop Paying the Quarterback Tax | Mid-Round QBs Set to Shatter ADPs

by Dillon Fitzgerald · Featured
Mid-Round QBs Superflex

If you play superflex fantasy football, you already know the quarterback position is king. Here’s the problem: everyone knows it. That means fantasy managers routinely burn premium draft capital on quarterbacks simply because, well, they’re quarterbacks.

While there’s nothing wrong with grabbing an elite signal-caller early, there is another way to build a monster superflex roster: load up on elite running back and wide receiver talent early, then attack quarterback in the middle rounds. You don’t necessarily need to pay a premium to get a solid ROI.

The goal is simple: find quarterbacks who can produce like high-end starters without costing you a first or second round pick, and that’s where the four below come in.

We’re counting them down, and if you play in a superflex format, you should have these names circled on your draft board.

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Wait, then Smash these ADP-Busters in the Middle Rounds of Superflex

4 Tyler Shough | New Orleans Saints

Let’s start with the biggest swing. Tyler Shough is the quarterback here who could make you look like an absolute genius in 2026.

Shough took over the Saints’ starting job in Week 9 of his rookie season and quietly put together a very interesting fantasy stretch. Across 11 games and nine starts, he completed 67.6% of his passes for 2,384 yards and 10 touchdowns, while adding 195 rushing yards and three rushing scores. From Week 9 through the end of the season, he averaged enough fantasy production to rank QB12 on a per-game basis.

Now he enters 2026 with something he didn’t have when he first took over: an entire offseason as the unquestioned starter, and that matters. New Orleans has also tried to surround him with weapons, giving him legitimate avenues to rack up passing production while his mobility adds another layer to his fantasy floor.

Shough doesn’t need to become Patrick Mahomes for this pick to hit. He needs to be competent, aggressive, and consistently involved in an offense that can create fantasy opportunities.

The biggest appeal in superflex is the cost. If you’re taking the collegiate journeyman in the middle rounds while other managers are spending their premium picks on quarterbacks early, that is exactly the kind of roster construction that can win a superflex league. There is risk here, as he isn’t a proven NFL star yet, and the Saints’ offensive line has already taken a hit with Dillon Radunz suffering a season-ending ACL injury. That’s exactly why he’s a mid-round target rather than an early-round selection.

The ceiling is significantly higher than the price tag. If he takes the expected second-year leap, this could be the quarterback who makes everyone wonder why they spent so much draft capital early on the position.

3 Baker Mayfield | Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Somehow, Baker Mayfield continues to get treated like he’s “just a guy.” At this point, that’s fantasy football malpractice. Mayfield has already proven he can produce as a fantasy quarterback, and Tampa Bay continues to surround him with enough offensive firepower to make him incredibly appealing in superflex formats. The offense remains loaded with playmakers, and Tampa Bay’s current offensive construction gives Mayfield multiple ways to generate fantasy points.

The team has also continued adding weapons, while Mayfield himself has been vocal about wanting to bounce back from a disappointing 2025 season, and that’s exactly what makes him interesting. No one is drafting the Oklahoma product because they’re hoping he suddenly discovers how to play quarterback. You’re drafting him because he already knows how.

Mayfield’s fantasy value comes from volume, passing touchdowns, and his ability to create points when the offense is rolling. He doesn’t need massive rushing totals to provide value when he’s throwing the football aggressively. In superflex, that consistency is incredibly valuable.

The Buccaneers have a strong collection of offensive weapons between Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin, and Bucky Irving. The addition of rookie Ted Hurst (GAST) gives Tampa another intriguing piece for their quarterback to work with.

The other reason I love Mayfield in this range is that you are buying stability. Where Shough is the upside bet, Mayfield is the “I know this dude can produce” bet.

If you can walk out of the middle rounds with Mayfield as your QB2 while spending your premium picks on players like elite wide receivers and running backs, you’ve accomplished exactly what this strategy is supposed to accomplish. Don’t chase quarterback names. Chase fantasy points.

2 Jared Goff | Detroit Lions

This one might be the easiest pitch of them all. Jared Goff is boring, right? That’s exactly why fantasy managers should want him. The fantasy community is obsessed with rushing quarterbacks. We want 40-yard rushing games, rushing touchdowns, and highlight-reel scrambles. Goff provides none of that. What he does give you, however, is production.

The former No. 1 overall pick (2016) has thrown for at least 4,400 yards and 29 touchdowns in each of the last four seasons, and he’s finished among the top 10 fantasy quarterbacks in each. He also finished as the QB6 overall in 2025 after throwing for 4,564 yards, 34 touchdowns and only eight interceptions. You read that right: Four straight seasons of 4,400-plus passing yards and 29-plus touchdowns. Most fantasy managers still don’t want him, which is perfect. Let them keep passing.

Detroit gives Goff exactly what a pocket passer needs: an aggressive offensive system, elite pass-catching talent, and a coaching staff that isn’t afraid to let him throw. WR1 Amon-Ra St. Brown remains one of the league’s premier receivers, while Detroit’s offensive structure continues to create opportunities through the passing game.

Goff’s lack of rushing ability caps his upside compared with elite dual-threat quarterbacks. However, if Goff gives you another 4,500-yard, 30-touchdown season while your early picks are putting up WR1 and RB1 numbers, you have squeezed enormous value out of your draft capital. That’s the entire point of waiting. Goff gives you one of the safest mid-round quarterback floors in fantasy football.

1 Brock Purdy | San Francisco 49ers

If you’re waiting on quarterback in superflex, Brock Purdy is the guy to want most. Frankly, I’m not sure the fantasy community has caught up yet.

Purdy’s 2025 season was derailed by injuries, limiting him to 9 regular-season starts. But when he played, the production was excellent: 2,167 passing yards, 20 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, along with 147 rushing yards and 3 rushing scores. 23 total touchdowns in nine starts, while also completing 69.4% of his passes.

The injury-shortened season has created a massive discount, and we’ll gladly take it because when healthy, Purdy has already demonstrated that he can be a fantasy difference-maker. 

The environment is key. He has head coach Kyle Shanahan, Christian McCaffrey, and a loaded offensive ecosystem. At wide receiver, the team added Mike Evans and brought back Deebo Samuel. Tight end George Kittle is attacking his Achilles rehab, and the preseason breakout of De’Zhaun Stribling is upon us; it gives Purdy an assortment of weapons to dominate every time he takes a snap. 

More importantly, he’s proven he doesn’t need elite rushing production to generate fantasy points. He wins through efficiency, touchdowns and volume. In superflex, that’s exactly what you’re looking for from a quarterback you’re not paying an exorbitant price for.

The Bottom Line

Superflex doesn’t mean you need to panic every time a quarterback run starts. In fact, sometimes the smartest move is just to let it happen while your leaguemates spend early picks chasing the big names. You scoop up the elite running backs and stack your wide receivers. Then, you attack the middle rounds with quarterbacks who can dramatically outperform their draft cost.

  • Tyler Shough is the upside swing.
  • Baker Mayfield is the proven veteran value.
  • Jared Goff is the boring but deadly consistency play.
  • Brock Purdy is the guy to want most if intentionally waiting.

The objective isn’t to find the quarterback who scores the most fantasy points; it’s finding the quarterback who gives you the most fantasy points relative to what you paid for him. If these four quarterbacks are still sitting there while your league is burning premium draft capital at QB, don’t panic. While they are paying the quarterback tax, you’re building the rest of your roster into a league-winning squad.


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