The 2026 NFL Draft is in the books, and the biggest wave of free agency is over. That makes it a perfect time to take stock of NFL rosters as we head toward the 2026 season. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be looking at the quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends for all 32 NFL Teams. I’ll be ranking each unit 1-16 in their conference. When it comes to taking stock of the whole unit, it’s not just about star power but depth. Today, it’s the top half of the draw among AFC QB rooms. Teams appear in ascending order.
#8 Los Angeles Chargers
On the Roster: Justin Herbert, Trey Lance, and D.J. Uiagalelei
About: The Chargers aren’t in much better a situation than the Broncos, who I placed No. 9 in the last part. The backup situation is a question mark, especially as we’ve never seen Lance do much in previous stops with the 49ers and Cowboys. So, why are the Chargers a touch higher? It comes down to my belief that Herbert has a slightly higher ceiling than Bo Nix. I know that’s not a position that will be popular among my fellow Broncos fan brethren, but that’s how I look at it, so I gave the Chargers a slight nod.
#7 Houston Texans
On the Roster: C.J. Stroud, Davis Mills, and Graham Mertz
About: Mertz is a development guy, but Mills is quietly one of the best and most reliable backup quarterbacks in the league. That’s a luxury that can’t be taken for granted. The reason the Texans don’t end up higher is that I still don’t know what to make of Stroud. He finished as QB21 in 2025, limited to just 14 games. In 2024, he finished as QB18, and as a rookie in 2023, he was QB11. So, he has a decently high ceiling, but of late, he’s settled into more of a QB2 position. That leaves Herbert and Nix higher than him in their ceiling, but with a quality backup in Mills, this is a more stable room. That gives the Texans a slight edge.
#6 New England Patriots
On the Roster: Drake Maye, Tommy DeVito, and Behren Morton
About: Let’s just get this out of the way, the Patriots’ backup situation is dreadful. If pressed, I would take Jarrett Stidham (Broncos) or Lance (Chargers) over DeVito. He was a fun story a few years ago for the Giants, but it feels like a stretch that he’s the QB2 for a team that was in the Super Bowl a few months ago. So, why are the Patriots at six? We’ve entered the range where you have to give a lot of respect to the team’s starter. Maye was the runner-up for NFL MVP and helped guide the Patriots to the Super Bowl in his second season. He has a great ceiling, and it’s on that strength that I moved the Patriots here.
#5 Las Vegas Raiders
On the Roster: Fernando Mendoza, Kirk Cousins, and Aidan O’Connell
About: The ceiling for this group is unknown, which keeps it from going higher. And while I know this might not be a popular opinion, this is one of the best three-man groups in the league. Cousins has a great experience as a starter, including a solid stretch for the Falcons in 2025. In fact, he might well be the starter for this group in Week 1. O’Connell also has starting experience, which is a luxury in your QB3 option. He’s even won some big games, including against the division rival Chiefs. I have thought he was an interesting prospect and is a great third option. Then there’s Mendoza, who won the Heisman Trophy and a National Championship. He was the first overall pick for a reason and likely has the highest ceiling of this group. Will we see it in 2026? That remains unclear, so for now this team is at five for me thanks to its depth.
#4 Buffalo Bills
On the Roster: Josh Allen, Kyle Allen, and Shane Buechele
About: Josh Allen is the best quarterback in the NFL. He has a high ceiling for fantasy and for the NFL. I would have loved to have put the Bills higher just for him. But given the rest of the room, I can’t. Buechele is a journeyman who has been with the Chiefs and Bills. That’s not bad, but there’s little evidence of what he could do on the field. Kyle Allen is new to the Bills this season, replacing long-time backup Mitch Trubisky. That might actually be a step backward for this room. So, Allen is good enough to get them to the Top 4, but the depth here holds the Bills back.
#3 Baltimore Ravens
On the Roster: Lamar Jackson, Tyler Huntley, Skylar Thompson, Diego Pavia, and Joe Fagnano
About: An underrated move this off-season was the Ravens locking up Huntley. They experimented with Cooper Rush as the primary backup for the past few seasons, and it didn’t work. Huntley is a good match for the team and for Jackson’s skill set. We’ve seen it before. Having Huntley as the QB2 behind Jackson provides good depth and security, while Jackson himself provides excellent upside. The team also has Thompson, who has starting experience, including a playoff game, from his time with the Dolphins. Beyond that, the team also has an interesting prospect in Pavia. It’s a solid, deep room that helps land the Ravens in the Top 3.
#2 Kansas City Chiefs
On the Roster: Patrick Mahomes, Justin Fields, Garrett Nussmeier, and Chris Oladokun
About: The Chiefs have worked to enhance this room after the disastrous end to last season. Mahomes should be back at some point in 2026, and obviously, one of the best quarterbacks in the game. The team also has a fourth QB in Oladokun, who has starting experience, albeit somewhat unimpressive. In the middle, the team acquired Fields, a starter for the Bears, Steelers, and Jets. If Mahomes isn’t ready Week 1, he should be able to fill in well and has some upside. The team also added former LSU QB Nussmeier in the draft, giving them a solid development prospect. It’s a good group, with the upside of Mahomes and Fields lifting the Chiefs over the Ravens. But it’s not the best room in the AFC.
#1 Cincinnati Bengals
On the Roster: Joe Burrow, Joe Flacco, Josh Johnson, and Sean Clifford
About: The Bengals had to win something at some point, right? This unit stands out to me for its depth and strength. Burrow is among the best quarterbacks in the NFL and has plenty of upside at the top of the room. Behind him, the Bengals brought back Flacco, who was a great bridge for them last year, and added the journeyman, Johnson. That’s a solid top three in the room. Not many teams can claim they have a Super Bowl-winning quarterback as their QB2 option. The team also has Clifford, a prospect who spent years with the Packers. He likely won’t make the final roster, but I like the three options the Bengals have, and their combined strength was enough to vault the Bengals to the first overall spot in this ranking.
Matthew Fox is a die-hard NFL fan and Broncos’ homer. He’s a member of the FSWA. You can find more from him on Twitter @knighthawk7734 or as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast, a part of the Campus2Canton Network.
