Ideal Quarterback Draft Strategy Fantasy Football 2025

Strategy 2: Take a QB in the Middle of the Draft

This is the worst area to take a quarterback in fantasy football this season. The quarterbacks going in this range are Patrick Mahomes, Baker Mayfield, Bo Nix, Kyler Murray, and Jared Goff. Most of these players are being drafted at their ceilings. Without injuries to the top five guys in the top tier, there is little room for anyone else to be a top-five quarterback.

Mahomes has been the QB8 and QB11 in the past two seasons. Although he has been a top-five quarterback four times in his career, it is hard to see him return to that high level this season. 

Mayfield is coming off a career year, finishing as the QB4. However, touchdown regression is expected. Mayfield should still have a great year, but there is no value in taking him as the QB7 in fantasy drafts. 

Nix was the QB7 in his rookie season and is being drafted as the QB8 this year. It will be difficult for Nix to make that jump into the top five with how great they are.

If you did not get one of the top five quarterbacks early in the draft, avoid taking quarterbacks in the middle of the draft. These players are being drafted at the ceilings. These middle rounds should be used to bolster your depth for wide receivers and running backs.

Strategy 3: Find a Sleeper Quarterback Late in Drafts

This strategy includes quarterbacks being drafted outside of the top ten at their position, but they have the potential to finish much higher than their ADPs. Some of the top sleeper quarterback targets are Justin Fields, Dak Prescott, and Drake Maye.

Fields is the definition of a fantasy football quarterback. In his six starts for the Steelers last season before being benched, he had three top-twelve finishes, including an overall QB1 finish. His career top finish was the QB7 in 2022 with the Bears. Fields has immense rushing upside with the ceiling to crack the top five among fantasy quarterbacks.

Prescott was the overall QB3 in 2023 and was in the MVP conversation all season. Injuries cost him over half of 2024. He will be fully healthy entering 2025 with a new weapon in George Pickens to be paired with CeeDee Lamb. The rushing attack for the Cowboys is not expected to be great, meaning the Cowboys will have to throw a lot. Prescott is in store for a big bounce-back season.

Maye did not take over until Week 6 in his rookie season last year, but he showed that he can have a high floor in fantasy football. In eight of his eleven starts, he finished between the QB10 and the QB18. He is an underrated rushing quarterback. The Patriots added Stefon Diggs and Kyle Williams, making this a much better wide receiver room. The second-year breakout is in store for Maye.

Other players going even later that can be worth a late-round dart throw are Trevor Lawrence and Michael Penix Jr.

Conclusion

There are two main options when it comes to drafting quarterbacks in 2025 fantasy football. Option one is to take one of the elite ones early, either Allen or Jackson. Option two is to wait until the double-digit rounds and take either Fields, Prescott, or Maye. Either strategy can be effective as long as you can build a successful team around your quarterback.