With fantasy football drafts ramping up and NFL training camps just over a month away, the time has come to narrow down which players could be this year’s breakout stars.
It seems easy in hindsight, but identifying young talent on the verge of making a major leap is often what propels fantasy managers to championships.
Over the next week, I’ll highlight my favorite breakout candidates at every key fantasy position — but let’s kick this series off with quarterbacks.
At this time last year, Dart was stuck behind Russell Wilson and fantasy managers weren’t treating him like a player who could make a significant impact in Year 1.
Wilson, who recently announced his retirement, gave way to Dart before the end of September and the rookie looked the part of a franchise quarterback almost immediately.
Dart’s confidence and playmaking ability were on full display while averaging 189.3 passing yards, 1.25 passing touchdowns, 0.41 interceptions, 40.6 rushing yards and 0.75 rushing scores in the 12 games he was under center.
That was enough to make him the QB8 in fantasy points per game (20.6) from Week 4 on, including seven top-12 finishes in his final 11 games of the fantasy season.
So, it’s surprising to see him being drafted as the QB12 in ADP for 2026, when I have projected as the QB9 overall.
Some managers might be scared off by the uncertainty around Malik Nabers‘ return from a torn ACL, which could keep Dart’s top target on the sideline in the opening month and might even affect him further into the campaign.
However, Dart’s promotion to starter occurred the same week Nabers suffered his season-ending injury. Therefore, all of Dart’s accomplishments as a rookie came without his superstar wideout on the field. Dart was getting by with Wan’Dale Robinson, Darius Slayton and Theo Johnson as his main weapons for most of the season.
It’s safe to say the Giants have improved the talent level among their pass-catchers, bringing in tight end Isaiah Likely, drafting third-round receiver Malachi Fields and signing a collection of veterans in Darnell Mooney, Odell Beckham Jr., Calvin Austin III, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Braxton Berrios.
Though no one would mistake that crew for an All-Pro unit, Dart definitely will have more to work with in 2026. He’ll also have a new coaching staff led by John Harbaugh, with Matt Nagy as offensive coordinator and Greg Roman serving as a senior assistant, provide more stability than the previous regime.
Even the return of running back Cam Skattebo will be a boon for Dart, after his fellow rookie missed the second half of the season due to injury. Skattebo was extremely effective as the Giants’ lead back and is a capable pass-catching threat. He pairs well with backup Tyrone Tracy Jr., who also excels through the air.
To top it off, Dart will go from having the worst fantasy QB slate last season, to the seventh easiest in my 2026 strength of schedule.
Dart has proven he can produce for fantasy in subpar conditions and now he’s about to get a much better environment during his sophomore year. Even if Nabers is sidelined in the opening month, Nabers can still be a low-end QB1 who could push for top-five results once his top target is healthy.
Boone’s redraft rank: QB9 (Low-end fantasy QB1 with high-end potential)
Once Shough took over the Saints’ starting job in Week 9, he instantly became a usable fantasy option, averaging the 12th-most points per game (17.6 fppg) during his nine starts. Among full-time starters over that stretch, Shough was eighth in attempts, fifth in completions, third in completion percentage and ninth in yards per attempt. He also ran for 174 yards, including at least 30 rushing yards in three of his last five appearances and scored three rushing touchdowns over that span.
Since then, his situation has only been enhanced, with New Orleans‘ front office insulating him by signing running back Travis Etienne Jr. and guard David Edwards, as well as drafting first-round wideout Jordyn Tyson and third-round tight end Oscar Delp. When you add those names to a core that already featured Chris Olave, Juwan Johnson and three former first-round offensive linemen, this could be a dangerous Saints’ offense under Kellen Moore’s playcalling in 2026.
On top of being a smart offensive mind who kept his team competitive despite a talent deficiency on the field, Moore had the Saints playing at the fastest pace of any team (27.1 seconds per play) while averaging the 11th-most plays per game (63.2). This all makes Shough’s ADP as the QB19 hard to understand. The position is deep for fantasy, but he has all the tools to generate a fantasy breakout in an ascending offense.
Boone’s redraft rank: QB17 (Mid-range fantasy QB2 with low-end QB1 upside)
, Dolphins
Willis signed a three-year, $67.5 million contract with the Dolphins this offseason that made it clear they envision him emerging as an NFL starter. Whenever a career backup gets that kind of money in free agency, fantasy managers should take notice because it often represents an opportunity for value. That’s especially true in Willis’ case with his rushing ability alone giving him a chance to crack the top-12 fantasy QBs.
In his three relief starts over the last two years with the Packers, Willis posted rushing totals of 41, 60 and 73 yards while averaging a touchdown per game on the ground. Unsurprisingly, he finished as a top-seven fantasy QB in two of those three contests.
The 27-year-old still has a lot to prove as a passer and losing his top receiver Jaylen Waddle was less than ideal, but Willis’ path to fantasy relevance will come thanks to his skills as a runner. Don’t be surprised at all if Willis flirts with low-end fantasy QB1 numbers, even if it might not always look pretty while he’s throwing to unproven youngsters like Malik Washington, Chris Bell, Caleb Douglas and Kevin Coleman Jr. or uninspiring veterans like Greg Dulcich, Jalen Tolbert, Tutu Atwell and Terrace Marshall Jr..
Boone’s redraft rank: QB19 (Mid-range fantasy QB2 with low-end QB1 upside)
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