NFL teams know the best building block for lasting success is a star quarterback. That's not quite the case in fantasy football, but having a good one certainly helps.

After topping all quarterbacks in fantasy points a year ago, Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills is pretty much a lock to be the first one off the board in fantasy drafts this season. His consistency and elite production are unmatched in the game today.

But how does the rest of the position shake out? And will No. 1 overall draft pick Fernando Mendoza be worth a late-round pick in his rookie season? No time like the present to start digging in.

FANTASY FOOTBALL 2026: Early Top 150 overall rankings

Here's a look at this season's early quarterback rankings, courtesy of USA TODAY Sports' Elisha Twerski, followed by an analysis of some emerging trends.

2026: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana - Las Vegas Raiders2025: Cam Ward, QB, Miami (Fla.) - Tennessee Titans2024: Caleb Williams, QB, USC - Chicago Bears2023: Bryce Young, QB, Alabama - Carolina Panthers2022: Travon Walker, DE, Georgia - Jacksonville Jaguars2021: Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson - Jacksonville Jaguars2020: Joe Burrow, QB, LSU - Cincinnati Bengals2019: Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma - Arizona Cardinals2018: Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma - Cleveland Browns2017: Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M - Cleveland Browns2016: Jared Goff, QB, Cal - Los Angeles Rams2015: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State - Tampa Bay Buccaneers2014: Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina - Houston Texans2009: Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia - Detroit Lions2008: Jake Long, OT, Michigan - Miami Dolphins2007: JaMarcus Russell, QB, LSU - Oakland Raiders2004: Eli Manning, QB, Ole Miss - San Diego Chargers (traded to New York Giants)2003: Carson Palmer, QB, USC - Cincinnati Bengals2002: David Carr, QB, Fresno State - Houston Texans2001: Michael Vick, QB, Virginia Tech - Atlanta Falcons2000: Courtney Brown, DE, Penn State - Cleveland Browns1999: Tim Couch, QB, Kentucky - Cleveland Browns1998: Peyton Manning, QB, Tennessee - Indianapolis Colts1997: Orlando Pace, OT, Ohio State - St. Louis Rams1996: Keyshawn Johnson, WR, USC - New York Jets1995: Ki-Jana Carter, RB, Penn State - Cincinnati Bengals1994: Dan Wilkinson, DT, Ohio State - Cincinnati Bengals1992: Steve Emtman, DT, Washington - Indianapolis Colts1991: Russell Maryland, DT, Miami - Dallas Cowboys1990: Jeff George, QB, Illinois - Indianapolis Colts1989: Troy Aikman, QB, UCLA - Dallas Cowboys1988: Aundray Bruce, LB, Auburn - Atlanta Falcons1987: Vinny Testaverde, QB, Miami - Tampa Bay Buccaneers1986: Bo Jackson, RB, Auburn - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (did not sign, later joined Los Angeles Raiders)1985: Bruce Smith, DE, Virginia Tech - Buffalo Bills1984: Irving Fryar, WR, Nebraska - New England Patriots1983: John Elway, QB, Stanford - Baltimore Colts (traded to Denver Broncos)

1 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19832026: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana - Las Vegas Raiders1 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19832026: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana - Las Vegas Raiders2 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19832025: Cam Ward, QB, Miami (Fla.) - Tennessee Titans3 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19832024: Caleb Williams, QB, USC - Chicago Bears4 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19832023: Bryce Young, QB, Alabama - Carolina Panthers5 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19832022: Travon Walker, DE, Georgia - Jacksonville Jaguars6 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19832021: Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson - Jacksonville Jaguars7 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19832020: Joe Burrow, QB, LSU - Cincinnati Bengals8 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19832019: Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma - Arizona Cardinals9 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19832018: Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma - Cleveland Browns10 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19832017: Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M - Cleveland Browns11 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19832016: Jared Goff, QB, Cal - Los Angeles Rams12 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19832015: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State - Tampa Bay Buccaneers13 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19832014: Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina - Houston Texans14 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19832009: Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia - Detroit Lions15 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19832008: Jake Long, OT, Michigan - Miami Dolphins16 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19832007: JaMarcus Russell, QB, LSU - Oakland Raiders17 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19832004: Eli Manning, QB, Ole Miss - San Diego Chargers (traded to New York Giants)18 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19832003: Carson Palmer, QB, USC - Cincinnati Bengals19 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19832002: David Carr, QB, Fresno State - Houston Texans20 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19832001: Michael Vick, QB, Virginia Tech - Atlanta Falcons21 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19832000: Courtney Brown, DE, Penn State - Cleveland Browns22 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19831999: Tim Couch, QB, Kentucky - Cleveland Browns23 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19831998: Peyton Manning, QB, Tennessee - Indianapolis Colts24 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19831997: Orlando Pace, OT, Ohio State - St. Louis Rams25 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19831996: Keyshawn Johnson, WR, USC - New York Jets26 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19831995: Ki-Jana Carter, RB, Penn State - Cincinnati Bengals27 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19831994: Dan Wilkinson, DT, Ohio State - Cincinnati Bengals28 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19831992: Steve Emtman, DT, Washington - Indianapolis Colts29 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19831991: Russell Maryland, DT, Miami - Dallas Cowboys30 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19831990: Jeff George, QB, Illinois - Indianapolis Colts31 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19831989: Troy Aikman, QB, UCLA - Dallas Cowboys32 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19831988: Aundray Bruce, LB, Auburn - Atlanta Falcons33 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19831987: Vinny Testaverde, QB, Miami - Tampa Bay Buccaneers34 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19831986: Bo Jackson, RB, Auburn - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (did not sign, later joined Los Angeles Raiders)35 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19831985: Bruce Smith, DE, Virginia Tech - Buffalo Bills36 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19831984: Irving Fryar, WR, Nebraska - New England Patriots37 / 37No. 1 NFL draft picks since 19831983: John Elway, QB, Stanford - Baltimore Colts (traded to Denver Broncos)

Some of the key takeaways from our way-too-early fantasy football rankings:

Josh Allen narrowly edged out the Patriots' Drake Maye for the No. 1 spot in fantasy points scored in 2025. And both of them are among the top three this season. The Ravens' Lamar Jackson might have been in the mix as well if he hadn't missed four games due to injury. Those three − plus Washington's Jayden Daniels − comprise a pretty clear top tier.

Looks like some longtime fantasy studs could be losing their mojo. The Eagles' Jalen Hurts only rates as our QB7, while Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs is 15th and − after finishing last season as the QB3 − Matthew Stafford of the Rams is all the way down at No. 16.

These wild cards could have a wide range of outcomes in 2026. Here's where we're placing them in our initial rankings.

And finally, here are the quarterbacks we like better than the early consensus rankings on FantasyPros.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2026 fantasy football QB rankings: Josh Allen an easy pick at No. 1