2026 Dynasty Risers and Fallers at Quarterback

Photo of Aidan Weingartner Aidan Weingartner Follow on X Send an email July 7, 2026Last Updated: July 7, 2026
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2026 Dynasty Risers and Fallers at Quarterback

Welcome to our 2026 Dynasty Risers and Fallers at Quarterback breakdown.

Last summer, I did a Dynasty Risers and Fallers series here at Fantasy In Frames for you all, and this summer we are running it back. As you know, the NFL is always a rapidly changing environment, and factors such as trades, coaching/scheme changes, and overall offensive stability greatly reshape the Dynasty fantasy football landscape from year to year, in more ways than one. With that being said, let’s look at some QB players trending up and down in these formats, shall we?

Riser: Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans

Cam Ward was the #1 overall pick just one year ago, and it feels like everyone is just forgetting/discounting that right now. Sure, Ward didn’t have a very impressive rookie season overall, but he was working with a very bad offensive line and an extremely subpar set of weapons, and he also went through a midseason coaching change. No wonder he didn’t succeed…nobody would. Heading into year 2, though, things are absolutely looking up for the player.

Right off the bat, the Titans selected a top 5 WR in the 2026 NFL Draft in Carnell Tate, so that alone should get you excited. Tate fits this offense PERFECTLY, as he is a very dynamic and explosive deep threat, and Cam Ward is a QB who likes to hold the ball and run around in the pocket a bit until he finds an open receiver downfield for a big chunk play. Beyond the star rookie though, there are other legit long-term weapons here as well.

We have Gunnar Helm, a second-year TE who many people (including me) are cautiously optimistic about, and Wan’Dale Robinson, who has been one of the most prolific target earners in the NFL over the last two years and has a deep connection with new OC Brian Daboll.

Speaking of Brian Daboll… thinking about what he can do with Cam Ward is VERY tantalizing, if you ask me. He has a great track record of developing young QBs, as he did it with Josh Allen and Jaxson Dart, and now will very likely do it with Ward as well for years to come, hopefully. If we have concerns about the future of Tennessee’s RB room (which I do), now is the perfect time to lean fully into Cam Ward.

Riser: Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints

I think it is fair to say that Tyler Shough played better than anyone could’ve expected as a rookie last season, as all the odds were stacked against him. He was an older QB coming out of college, wasn’t a first-round pick, and couldn’t even beat out Spencer Rattler for the starting job in New Orleans at the start of last season. However, once Shough took over as the starter, he didn’t look back.

Amongst QBs with at least 300 dropbacks in 2025, he ranked 12th in passing yards per attempt, 13th in adjusted completion rate, and had the 7th lowest turnover-worthy throw rate. This is also a QB who loves to throw the ball downfield (6th in Deep Throw Rate last season), and now he has the means to do so for years to come with the additions of Jordyn Tyson and Bryce Lance in the 2026 NFL Draft. Oh, and Chris Olave is in line for a massive contract extension very soon, as he has been an unquestioned alpha for the Saints throughout his career.

The one thing that gets me most excited about Tyler Shough’s future is that he can attack all areas of the field on any given play this season. He has a couple of explosive deep threats in Chris Olave and Bryce Lance, a very high-level middle-of-the-field route runner in Jordyn Tyson, a couple of short-area YAC guys in Juwan Johnson and Oscar Delp, and a great checkdown option in Travis Etienne. The possibilities here are endless.

Faller: Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts

Before tearing his Achilles, Daniel Jones was legitimately one of the biggest surprises of the 2026 NFL season. I’m not letting that half season success sway my opinion on him in Dynasty though…I am still very concerned here going forward. Jones has now suffered three major injuries over the span of four years: a torn ACL, a broken foot, and a torn Achilles. Not good at all.

Let’s rewind a bit, as I don’t think people realize the wheels had already started to fall off for the veteran QB before he suffered the injury last season. In weeks 1-8, Jones ranked 3rd in completion percentage, 6th in passing yards per game, 3rd in yards per attempt, and 2nd in highly accurate throw rate. In weeks 9-13, however, he ranked 16th in completion percentage, 8th in passing yards per game, 11th in yards per attempt, and 26th in highly accurate throw rate. A clear downturn across all categories.

This is a player who derives the majority of his fantasy success from his rushing ability, as he totaled 5 rushing TDs in 13 games last season. Coming off a torn Achilles now, though, I HIGHLY doubt that he will be running NEARLY as much anymore, especially at the goal line like he was. My doubt here has nothing to do with the Colts’ weapons, as I actually like what they have to work with quite a bit.

Jonathan Taylor, Tyler Warren, Josh Downs, and Alec Pierce…a very good, well-rounded offense. It’s more about the QB himself. Everyone is clinging onto the first half of last season for Daniel Jones, but if you ask me, that’s just wrong. Not a sound process.

Faller: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

I know what you’re all thinking right now…I only hate Patrick Mahomes because I’m a diehard Bills fan. While that may be true at times, this take today is completely unbiased and fact-driven. I promise. Let’s start by looking at Mahomes’s immediate future. The veteran QB is coming off a torn ACL last season and will be 31 in a couple of months. His willingness to scramble around in the pocket and extend plays may not be there anymore going forward because of that.

In the long term, the set of true passing-game weapons is very lackluster, to say the least. Travis Kelce is almost assuredly going to retire after this season; I have expressed my massive concerns about Xavier Worthy many times this offseason, and Rashee Rice‘s constant legal issues speak for themselves (he’s a free agent next offseason, besides). There is also the fact that the Chiefs handed out a pretty hefty long-term deal to Kenneth Walker in free agency back in March, signaling a potential philosophical shift for this offense going forward.

I truly believe that Andy Reid wants to get back to being a very successful rushing offense, just like the franchise was in Kareem Hunt‘s rookie year in 2017 and that great stretch of play we saw from Jerick McKinnon a few years ago. Nobody wants to admit it, but Patrick Mahomes has not been throwing downfield nearly as much as he did early in his career and has become a checkdown machine in recent years. From 2023-2025, he ranked 16th, 28th, and 12th in Deep Throw Rate. Whether it’s the player himself or the surrounding circumstances, I would be looking to get out of the Patrick Mahomes business while his value is still high.

Thanks for reading my 2026 Dynasty Risers and Fallers at Quarterback article. Stay tuned for my next installment of 2026 Risers & Fallers, where I’ll be discussing Running Backs. To see our Dynasty Rankings here at FIF, click here.

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Photo of Aidan Weingartner Aidan Weingartner Follow on X Send an email July 7, 2026Last Updated: July 7, 2026
0 35 5 minutes read

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