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 the award-winning expert ranker, 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 within the FantasyLabs Models. Subscribers now have the option to purchase Derek Carty’s THE BLITZ from our Marketplace.
You can also combine them to create your own aggregate projections:
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Tyler Shough ($5,600 DraftKings, $7,300 FanDuel)
Shough has pretty quietly become a reliable fantasy quarterback. He’s currently QB12 in terms of fantasy points per game, but that doesn’t exactly tell the full story. He was dreadful in Week 5 vs. the Vikings (1.84 DraftKings points), who have arguably the best defense in the league. Other than that, he’s been excellent. He’s scored at least 19.7 DraftKings points in five of his other seven outings, and he’s had at least 22.38 DraftKings points in four of them.
Shough should continue to be a nice source of value. The Saints have no running game to speak of (at least until Travis Etienne returns), so they’ve allowed Shough to sling the ball a bunch. They currently rank first in the league in dropback percentage, with Shough averaging 38.5 pass attempts per game. The Saints also had No. 8 overall pick Jordyn Tyson in the lineup for the first time last week, and he’ll give Shough an additional option in the passing attack moving forward.
Shough has the potential for a strong showing this week. He’s taking on the Panthers, who have allowed the seventh-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. This game has the third-highest total on the slate at 48.5, and the Saints are listed as 2.5-point home favorites.
Ultimately, Shough ranks first at the position in projected Plus/Minus on both DraftKings and FanDuel. He has the fourth-highest median projection among main slate quarterbacks, despite just the 10th-highest price tag.
Dak Prescott ($6,400 DraftKings, $7,900 FanDuel)
No matchup this week stands out as more appealing than 49ers-Cowboys. It has a massive 55.5-point total, which is the top mark on the slate by five full points. Both of these teams are capable of doing significant offensive damage, while neither is great defensively. The 49ers have been better than the Cowboys in that department, but they’re still far from an elite defensive squad.
Prescott’s numbers haven’t been quite as impressive this year as in years past. However, he’s still eighth at the position in fantasy points per game. He’s scored at least 23.28 DraftKings points in two of his past three outings, and he has one of the best receiver tandems in football to lean on.
Prescott will also benefit from getting to play at home. He has historically been one of the best QBs in fantasy in that split, posting an average Plus/Minus of +3.06 (per the Trends tool). Add in a total of at least 52.0 points, and that figure increases to +3.91.
Prescott ultimately ranks second at the position in projected DraftKings Plus/Minus, and he has the third-highest ceiling projection. He gives you a bit more upside than Shough while still providing some savings compared to the most-expensive options.
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Brock Purdy ($7,000 DraftKings, $8,700 FanDuel)
On the other side of that matchup, Purdy is also extremely appealing. He’s playing as well as just about any QB in football this season, despite the 49ers dealing with a seemingly endless string of injuries at receiver. He leads the position in QBR, and he ranks third at the position in fantasy points per game. Only Josh Allen and Joe Burrow have been better.
From a matchup standpoint, it’s hard to do much better than the Cowboys. The 49ers lead the slate with a 29.75 implied team total, and the Cowboys rank 27th in EPA per pass defensively. Overall, they’ve allowed the sixth-most fantasy points per game to opposing passers.
The big difference between Purdy and Prescott is the cost. Purdy is more expensive across the industry, which does make him a slightly worse “value.” However, he has a superior ceiling projection, and he’s projected for far less ownership. While Prescott is projected for roughly 14% on DraftKings, Purdy is closer to 4%. That makes him a very interesting pivot.
Trevor Lawrence ($6,600 DraftKings, $7,700 FanDuel)
Lawrence and the Jaguars have barely had to break a sweat recently. They’ve cruised to two straight easy victories, and unfortunately, that doesn’t figure to change in coming weeks. They’re scheduled to face the Titans twice in the next three weeks, with a matchup vs. the Giants sandwiched in between.
When Lawrence has been asked to throw the ball this season, he’s played his best football. He leads all QBs with an average of 9.4 adjusted yards per attempt, and he’s racked up 18 touchdown passes to just four interceptions.
There’s no reason to expect much different vs. the Titans. Their defense has been horrid this season, and they only figure to be worse after trading away some key pieces before the deadline. They’ve allowed the ninth-most fantasy points per game to opposing passers.
Even if Lawrence only has to throw the ball a handful of times, he still has the potential to return value. He had 19.4 FanDuel points vs. the Colts two weeks ago despite attempting just 14 passes.
If the game is more competitive than expected, Lawrence has as much upside as any QB but Allen. He’s only attempted more than 30 passes twice this season, and he had 31.34 and 25.74 FanDuel points in those outings. Lawrence is also one of the best pure values at the position on FanDuel, leading all passers with an 85% Bargain Rating.
Patrick Mahomes ($6,000 DraftKings, $7,800 FanDuel)
Mahomes took a massive shot from Jets’ rookie David Bailey last week, and it looked as though his season might be over:
However, Mahomes managed to shake off the hit and return to the contest. He ultimately finished with 242 yards and two touchdowns, good for 17.48 DraftKings points.
While it hasn’t been Mahomes’ best season from a volume standpoint, he has showcased increased efficiency this season. He’s averaged 8.1 adjusted yards per attempt, which is his best mark since the 2022-23 season. The Chiefs’ offense has leaned heavily on the running game, which has allowed Mahomes the luxury of not having to carry the entire load.
That said, this is a week where Mahomes might have to do a bit more than usual. The Falcons have been fantastic at defending the run this season, ranking third in EPA per rush. They’re merely 18th in EPA per pass, so it’s a much better matchup for Mahomes than Kenneth Walker.
It makes him an interesting tournament option, particularly on DraftKings. He has the fourth-highest optimal lineup rate in Sim Labs, trailing only Shough, Prescott, and Lawrence.
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Geno Smith ($4,800 DraftKings, $6,600 FanDuel)
From a record standpoint, it’s been the “same old Jets” this season. They’re just 2-7, and they’re looking at another likely loss in Week 10. They’re eight-point home underdogs vs. the Bills, who are the clear favorites in the AFC at the moment.
That said, this iteration of the Jets clearly has some talent. Their wide receiver trio is playing as well as any football, while Smith has been significantly better than he was last year. He’s averaged 8.1 adjusted yards per attempt, and before last week’s debacle vs. the Chiefs, he had scored at least 19.0 DraftKings points in back-to-back games.
It makes him an interesting value target at just $4,800 on DraftKings. While the Bills’ offense is elite, their defense leaves a lot to be desired: they’re merely 16th in EPA per play defensively, and that number was a lot worse before last week’s matchup vs. the Vikings. Smith ultimately owns a +1.9 opponent Plus/Minus, which is the second-best mark on the slate.
Smith also looks undervalued in Sim Labs. His optimal lineup rate exceeds his projected ownership by +1.5%, which is one of the largest discrepancies at the position.
DeShaun Watson ($5,100 DraftKings, $6,800 FanDuel)
Watson was unable to suit up last week vs. the Saints after suffering a concussion in Week 8. However, he is expected to be back in the lineup for a Week 10 matchup vs. the Texans. Like with Smith, Watson is another underpriced quarterback who doesn’t need to do much to potentially return value.
The Texans have the reputation for being a good defensive team, but they haven’t lived up to that billing so far this season. They’re merely 19th in EPA per pass defensively, and they dip to No. 20 overall.
Watson is another QB who stands out as undervalued in Sim Labs. He’s projected for less than 2% ownership on DraftKings, while his optimal lineup rate is closer to 4.5%.
Jordan Love ($6,500 DraftKings, $8,100 FanDuel)
Did Toyotathon come early this year? Love has historically heated up as the season progresses, but he’s been lights out a bit earlier than usual in 2026-27. He’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in five straight games on FanDuel, including a season-high 39.18 FanDuel points last week vs. the Patriots.
Love is going to garner minimal ownership this week vs. the Vikings. They’ve been death on opposing QBs this season, giving Love an Opponent Plus/Minus of -9.4. That said, Love had 387 passing yards against the Vikings in Week 1, and he’s playing as well as any QB in football at the moment. That game was in Minnesota, so there’s no reason Love can’t put together another strong showing at home.
Love ultimately has the second-largest discrepancy between projected ownership and optimal lineup rate on FanDuel. His 7.3% optimal lineup rate is also the fourth-best mark at the position, trailing only Shough, Prescott, and Lawrence.
Pictured: Brock Purdy
Photo Credit: Imagn
