The NFL QB Tier List: How Good is Each Team's Quarterback Situation? (Ep. 2062)

The FantasyPros crew—Joey, Derek Brown, and Andrew Erickson—spent an episode of The Tailgate doing something that sounds simple but is actually a minefield: ranking every NFL starting quarterback into tiers based on who you would want to lead your franchise for the 2026 season. The exercise quickly revealed how thin the line is between "franchise guy" and "something to prove," and how much context, health, and supporting cast warp any attempt at a clean list.

The Franchise Tier: Who Gets the Keys?

The group started by naming the quarterbacks they consider true franchise players—guys you hand the keys to without hesitation. Josh Allen was the unanimous number one. From there, the list grew to include Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Patrick Mahomes, Jaden Daniels, Jalen Hurts, Justin Herbert, Dak Prescott, Matthew Stafford, and Brock Purdy. The most contentious addition was Purdy. Andrew Erickson argued that Purdy is a product of the 49ers' system, saying, "Brock Purdy also plays in an environment that is very, very beneficial, especially when you can drop Mac Jones and he throws for 300 yards in games." Derek Brown pushed back, and the tie went to Purdy. The group also included Drake Maye, which raised eyebrows. The logic was that if you are building a franchise for 2026, Maye’s youth and upside put him ahead of veterans with longer track records.