The quarterback position is one of the most flexible in NFL DFS. You can go in a variety of different ways. Do you pay up for one of the top studs or try to save some money with a value option? Do you eat the chalk or look for a low-owned option with upside? There’s no 100% one-size-fits-all answer, so each slate and contest type is going to require thought and consideration.
In this piece, I highlight quarterbacks who stand out in our large suite of analytical fantasy tools, most specifically, our FantasyLabs Player Models. While the models are built for DFS contests, this is an all-purpose fantasy article with actionable information for all formats.
As news breaks throughout the week and we adjust our projections (powered by Sean Koerner), player ratings in our Player Models will change as the projections change. For updates, visit the models directly.
And don’t forget about the tools that FantasyLabs has to offer, like our Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 300 lineups, or use our Lineup Builder if you like to hand-build your lineups.
Or you can just use our NFL DFS sims to effortlessly create advanced lineups.
Finally, make sure to check out all the projections available for purchase (Chris Raybon’s come included with a FantasyLabs subscription) within the FantasyLabs Models. Subscribers now have the option to purchase Derek Carty’s THE BLITZ from our Marketplace. Projections from One Week Season and Establish the Run are available if you’re a subscriber to those specific sites (our optimizer is a separate add-on feature).
You can also combine them to create your own aggregate projections:
Top NFL DFS Cash Game Options
Justin Herbert ($6,300 DraftKings, $8,500 FanDuel)
Herbert got off to the best start of his career in 2025, propelling the Chargers to a 3-0 record through his first three outings. Unfortunately, he and the team have come crashing back to reality over the past two weeks. Herbert has thrown three interceptions to just two touchdowns over that time frame, averaging a paltry 3.91 adjusted yards per attempt.
However, the positives have generally outweighed the negatives overall. The team ranks second in Pass Rate Over Expectation (PROE) through five weeks, trailing only the Chiefs. They had a positive PROE in four straight games before last week’s loss to the Commanders, and there are reasons to believe in a bounce-back in that department moving forward. The Chargers lost their second running back to IR in Week 5, with Omarion Hampton joining Najee Harris on the sidelines. It leaves the team with an uninspiring group of options at the position, so Herbert and the passing game could be asked to pick up the slack.
The biggest concern with Herbert is the state of the team’s offensive line. They’re now down both of their top tackles (Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt), and G/T Trey Pipkins will also miss this week with a knee injury. Jamaree Sayler is questionable, so the team looks really thin up front for the time being.
The good news is that it shouldn’t matter vs. the Dolphins. The Dolphins have the second-lowest pass rush grade from PFF and the fourth-worst coverage grade. They’re 30th in pass defense EPA overall, so Herbert and his talented group of pass catchers should be able to take advantage.
Trevor Lawrence ($5,100 DraftKings, $6,700 FanDuel)
Lawrence stands out as one of the best pure values at the position in Week 6. He ranks second in projected Plus/Minus on DraftKings, and he’s No. 1 among quarterbacks on FanDuel.
Lawrence is coming off his best performance of the year last week vs. the Chiefs, finishing with 28.24 DraftKings points. His production as a passer was far from elite – 221 yards, one touchdown – but he made up for it with 54 yards and two scores on the ground.
Lawrence gets a much easier matchup this week vs. the Seahawks. They’re 22nd in pass defense EPA, and they were lit up by Baker Mayfield and Emeka Egbuka just last week. Injuries have absolutely decimated them on that side of the ball, and top corners Riq Woolen and Devin Witherspoon are both listed as doubtful. The same goes for safety Julian Love.
The Jaguars are listed as one-point home favorites in a game with a 47.5-point total, resulting in a very respectable 24.0-point implied team total. It’s rare to get a home favorite as cheap as Lawrence is on Sunday, especially one that brings some rushing upside to the table.
Now available: our NFL DFS SimLabs Lineup Generator that creates advanced DFS lineups using the power of simulation.
Top NFL DFS Tournament Options
Dak Prescott ($6,100 DraftKings, $8,000 FanDuel)
The Cowboys shocked people by trading away Micah Parsons before the start of the season, but they’ve managed to stay relatively competitive. The offense has been the main reason. Prescott has played at an elite level through five weeks, leading the league in completions and attempts while ranking second in passing yards and tied for third in passing touchdowns. Overall, he’s the No. 8 QB in terms of fantasy points per game.
While that’s solid, it probably undersells Prescott just a hair. He’s scored at least 26.14 DraftKings points in three of his past four outings, including at least 28.28 in two straight. His only two poor games came in a brutal matchup vs. the Eagles to start the year and a game where top receiver CeeDee Lamb went down with an injury.
Prescott is going to have to keep slinging the ball all season given the Cowboys’ porous defense, and he has plenty of upside in Week 6 vs. the Panthers. The Cowboys have the third-highest implied team total on the main slate, and Prescott has the second-highest optimal rate at the position on both DraftKings and FanDuel in Sim Labs.
Drake Maye ($5,900 DraftKings, $7,800 FanDuel)
Maye pulled off the biggest win of his career in Week 5, leading the Patriots to an upset over the Bills. They got a little help from Buffalo in that contest – they turned the ball over three times – but Maye was able to take advantage. He piled up 273 passing yards on just 30 attempts, though Rhamondre Stevenson ultimately ended up benefiting from a touchdown standpoint.
Still, Maye had scored at least 21.22 DraftKings points in each of his three previous outings, and he brings plenty to the table for fantasy purposes. He’s already scored two rushing touchdowns to go along with roughly 22 rushing yards per game, and he’s averaged better than 252 passing yards per game with seven touchdowns.
With Stefon Diggs looking like a legit No. 1 receiver again, it’s possible that Maye continues to ascend the ladder to fantasy stardom. He has the top projected Plus/Minus at the position on DraftKings, where he’s underpriced at just $5,900.
Daniel Jones ($6,000 DraftKings, $7,600 FanDuel)
This slate is a bit light on true studs at the QB position. Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes are both playing in primetime, while Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow remain sidelined with injuries.
As a result, Jones climbs to the top spot at the position from a ceiling standpoint. He narrowly edges out guys like Herbert, Prescott, and Baker Mayfield, all of which are priced above him across the industry.
The big reason for that is twofold. For starters, Jones brings more rushing ability to the table. He’s not running quite as much as he has in previous seasons, but he is getting some opportunities where it matters. He has three rushing touchdowns on the season, which trails only Jalen Hurts at the QB position.
Jones also benefits from a fantastic matchup vs. the Cardinals. Their defense hasn’t been dreadful this season, but they’ve played an absolute cupcake of a schedule. They’ve gotten to face Spencer Rattler, Bryce Young, Mac Jones, and Cam Ward in four of five matchups, so it’s hard to take anything they’ve done to date super seriously. The Colts represent a clear step up in weight class, and they have the second-highest implied team total on the slate.
Contrarian NFL DFS Tournament Options With Upside
Spencer Rattler ($4,700 DraftKings, $6,600 FanDuel)
Rattler remains one of the cheapest options at the position, and it’s hard to say that isn’t warranted. He’s posted a negative Plus/Minus in four of five starts, and he’s scored 13.94 DraftKings points or fewer in three of them.
However, Rattler does provide some upside with his legs. He’s averaged 4.4 carries and 24.6 rushing yards per game, and he’s had six carries in back-to-back games.
Rattler takes the field in an interesting spot on Sunday. The Patriots’ defense has been excellent against the run this season, ranking fourth in rush defense EPA, but they’re merely 26th against the pass. That means Rattler might have to drop back and throw the ball a bit more than usual.
Rattler could ultimately be a bit undervalued in this matchup. He’s currently projected for less than 4% ownership on DraftKings, but his optimal lineup rate is closer to 5.5%. It’s the second-largest disparity at the position, trailing only Herbert.
Baker Mayfield ($6,600 DraftKings, $8,200 FanDuel)
Mayfield might be the MVP at this point in the season. He already has four game-winning drives, and he’s racked up 10 touchdown passes compared to just one interception. He’s fifth at the position in terms of fantasy points per game, trailing only some of the top rushing QBs in football (Allen, Jackson, Mahomes, and Justin Fields). Mayfield was the No. 4 fantasy QB last season and No. 10 in 2023, so at this point, he has a long track record of production.
Mayfield is going to have to overcome the absence of two of his top receivers on Sunday (Mike Evans and Chris Godwin), but that’s nothing new for him. He’ll also still have Egbuka to lean on, so there’s no reason to expect much different than usual.
Matthew Stafford ($6,400 DraftKings, $7,700 FanDuel)
Stafford is a bit pricy based on the production he’s shown so far this season, but he draws arguably the best matchup in fantasy this week vs. the Ravens. Baltimore is having a disastrous season, and quarterbacks have absolutely shredded them through five weeks. They’re allowing the second-most fantasy points per game to the position, with only the Cowboys allowing more.
Stafford is coming off back-to-back games of at least 29.54 DraftKings points, so he still brings plenty of upside to the table. He’s projected for less than 3% ownership on DraftKings, making him an elite contrarian option.
Pictured: Justin Herbert
Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
