2026 Fantasy Football Quarterback Rankings: Should You Draft Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson

Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson remain fantasy football’s premier dual-threat quarterbacks, but only one deserves to be the first QB drafted in 2026.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) rolls out during the second quarter of an AFC Divisional Round playoff game against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Few draft decisions in 2026 fantasy football will shape roster construction more than choosing between Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson. Both quarterbacks offer elite weekly ceilings through their rushing ability, but differences in durability, supporting casts, and offensive stability make this debate much tighter than it appears on the surface.

Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

Josh Allen remains one of the most reliable fantasy assets in football, thanks in large part to his elite rushing production. Over the past three seasons, he has scored 41 rushing touchdowns while posting rushing lines of 111/524/15, 102/531/12, and 112/579/14, giving Buffalo a consistent red-zone advantage and fantasy managers an edge few quarterbacks can match.

Allen also posted a career-best 8.0 yards per pass attempt last season, an impressive mark considering the inconsistent production from his receiving corps. Buffalo’s wide receivers combined for just 180 catches, 2,107 yards, and 11 touchdowns on 270 targets, while the offense also dealt with increased pressure protection issues that contributed to 40 sacks, up sharply from 14 in 2024. Outside of Khalil Shakir, who led the group with 72 catches for 719 yards and four touchdowns on 95 targets, Buffalo received limited contributions from the rest of the room.

Keon Coleman failed to build on his rookie-year promise, finishing with 38 catches for 404 yards and four touchdowns on 59 targets. His role shifted closer to the line of scrimmage, which contributed to a decline in efficiency from 19.2 yards per catch as a rookie to 10.4 last season. Josh Palmer also struggled to make an impact, posting 22 catches for 303 yards on 37 targets without finding the end zone, while Elijah Moore contributed just nine catches for 112 yards on 17 targets.

Buffalo compensated by leaning more heavily on its tight ends, who combined for 97 receptions, 1,210 yards, and 12 touchdowns on 121 targets. That shift aligned with the Bills’ increasingly run-focused offensive identity.

Allen’s consistency over the last six seasons has been remarkable. He has produced 45, 42, 42, 43, 40, and 39 combined touchdowns during that span, cementing himself as both an elite NFL quarterback and fantasy cornerstone. While he finished last season with a career-low 3,668 passing yards and a career-low 460 pass attempts (down from 646 in 2021), he also posted a career-best 69.3% completion rate. His passing touchdown totals have declined in five straight seasons (37, 36, 35, 29, 28, and 25), but his efficiency and rushing upside have more than offset the drop in passing volume.

The Bills addressed their need at wide receiver by acquiring DJ Moore in early March, giving Allen a proven playmaker capable of creating after the catch and stretching defenses vertically. Buffalo also retained Coleman and added rookie receiver Skylar Ball in the fourth round, further investing in the supporting cast around its franchise quarterback.

DJ Moore to be traded to the Bills. pic.twitter.com/x2yCF5R1Hk

— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) March 5, 2026

Josh Allen 2026 Fantasy Football Outlook

Allen once again finished as the QB1 in four-point passing touchdown formats last season with 414.30 fantasy points, though that total was slightly below his 2024 mark (424.35) and his 2023 output (457.70). Buffalo’s offensive philosophy still revolves around a strong ground game, but Allen’s ability to convert rushing touchdowns near the goal line remains a major differentiator.

Dalton Kincaid showed encouraging development when healthy last season and is positioned to play a larger role in 2026, while Moore offers clear rebound potential in Buffalo’s offense. Allen remains the safest bet to be the first quarterback selected in fantasy drafts this summer, with realistic expectations of 4,500 combined yards and 40 touchdowns.

Last season, Allen produced three monster fantasy performances at home (42.70, 47.85, and 40.35 fantasy points) and scored at least 25.00 fantasy points in 10 of his 18 starts. Including the playoffs, he accounted for 27 of his 45 touchdowns at home while throwing just four interceptions in those games.

Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) reacts after a play against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium. | Peter Casey-Imagn Images

When the lights came on for the 2025 football season, Jackson looked locked in for another impact year. He gained 840 combined yards with 10 touchdowns (89.90 fantasy points in four-point passing touchdown formats), with an edge in his completion rate (72.0%) and yards per pass attempt (9.6). 

An early exit in Week 4 with a hamstring injury led to three missed stats, and lost luster over his final nine games (1,863 combined yards with 12 touchdowns and six interceptions). Jackson gained only 4.0 yards per rush, with a sharp decline in his completion rate (59.9%). His only other playable fantasy games came in Week 9 (27.60) and Week 14 (24.25). Late in the year, he battled ankle and back issues, resulting in him missing Week 17.

Over the past five seasons, Jackson has missed at least four games three times. He came out of 2025 with no rushes gaining 20 yards (67/349/2), after reaching that threshold 51 times over the previous seven years.

The Ravens lost TE Isiah Likely in the offseason while drafting five offensive skill players in the 2026 NFL Draft (WR Ja’Kobi Lane, WR Elijah Sarrett, TE Matthew Hibner, TE Josh Cuevas, and RB Adam Randall).

Lamar Jackson 2026 Fantasy Football Outlook

A new coaching staff and offensive system, added to a change in receiving options invites a learning curve for Jackson in 2026. Despite multiple question marks, he is still the second-ranked quarterback in the early draft season in the National Fantasy Football Championship with an ADP of 41 (six-point passing TDs). I have no interested in investing in Jackson at his current price point. A great player with a unique skill, so I’ll wait to see his summer reports before settling on ranking and potential this year.

Josh Allen vs. Lamar Jackson 2026 Fantasy Football Verdict

Allen enters 2026 with the safer floor, a more stable offensive environment, and unmatched touchdown equity near the goal line, making him the stronger choice as the QB1 in most formats. Jackson still offers league-winning upside, but his recent injury history, offensive changes, and declining rushing explosiveness introduce more risk at his current ADP. Allen is the clearly superior pick.