Bryce Young

Bryce Young enters the 2026 fantasy football season as a much more interesting late-round quarterback than he was a year ago. After showing clear progress in 2025 and finishing as a usable fantasy starter in many formats, he now has a real chance to build on that momentum if Carolina’s offense keeps moving in the right direction.

The biggest reason for optimism is that Young has already shown he can settle in and play much better late in the season, and several 2026 previews now view him as a QB2 with upside rather than a pure streaming option. One fantasy outlet lists him around QB25 for 2026, while another recent dynasty discussion called him a value at his current price, which lines up with the idea that his market is still cheaper than his ceiling if he takes another step.

The concern is that his production still came with modest efficiency, and he has not yet become a high-end fantasy passer on a weekly basis. FantasyLife notes that over the past two seasons, Young averaged just 193 passing yards in 27 games where he played over 80% of the snaps, and also points out that he remains among the lower tier of quarterbacks in key efficiency metrics, which keeps his floor relatively low if the Panthers’ offense stalls.

For 2026 fantasy drafts, Young looks best as a low-cost QB2 with matchup-based streaming appeal and some upside if Carolina’s young pass-catching group takes a leap. He is not yet a quarterback I would build around in one-QB leagues, but in superflex formats or deeper redraft leagues he has enough developmental momentum to be worth a later pick, especially if you want to bet on continued improvement from a young starter entering his third season.

Updated 06/08/2026