Matthew Stafford

Matthew Stafford enters the 2026 fantasy season coming off a huge 2025 campaign, and that makes him one of the most interesting quarterbacks to sort out in drafts. He led the league with 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdowns, finished as QB3 in fantasy scoring, and showed he can still carry a lineup at age 38, especially in Sean McVay’s system with Puka Nacua and Davante Adams around him.

The big fantasy question is regression, not role. Multiple 2026 previews expect Stafford’s touchdown rate to come down from last year’s career-best pace, and even optimistic outlooks note that repeating 46 scores is unlikely. At the same time, the Rams’ offensive environment still looks strong enough to keep him in the QB1 conversation, and recent reports say the team has committed to him through 2027 on a one-year extension worth up to $60 million with incentives.

Health is the main thing to watch, because Stafford has dealt with back issues and is expected to have his reps managed in training camp again. That does not automatically signal a major fantasy red flag, since he played all 17 regular-season games plus three playoff games last year despite the back concern, but it does reinforce that he is a veteran who needs managed expectations rather than bankable durability upside.

For fantasy managers, Stafford profiles as a strong value if he stays in his current range, because the market is treating him more like a mid-tier QB1 or high-end QB2 than a player who just produced an MVP-level season. In one-quarterback leagues, he makes sense as a draft target if you want stable passing volume and elite receiver support; in Superflex and two-quarterback formats, he remains even more appealing because his floor is tied to a productive offense and his ceiling is still top-10 quarterback play.

Updated 06/08/2026