Best QB Draft Strategy for 2025

The top late round breakout candidate is obvious!

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QB Strategy Made Simple

Fantasy football quarterback strategy in 2025 is fairly simple. You have two clear paths:

  1. Secure an elite rushing quarterback like Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts, or Jayden Daniels if they fall to the third or fourth round.

  2. Wait until round 10 or later and draft Drake Maye, a full year before he becomes widely recognized as an elite rushing quarterback in fantasy.

Why Drake Maye Is the Ideal Late-Round QB

1. Underrated Rushing Upside ✅

Only Lamar Jackson, Jayden Daniels, Anthony Richardson, Jalen Hurts, and Kyler Murray averaged more rushing yards per game than Maye last season.

Maye's 7.8 yards per carry led all quarterbacks last season and was actually the highest we have seen over the last five years. While he might not sustain that efficiency, this strongly signals his capability as an elite rushing quarterback. The NFL yards-per-carry leaders among quarterbacks in the previous three seasons were Lamar Jackson, Justin Fields, and Josh Allen.

2. Expected Passing Improvement 📈

Maye averaged just 6.7 yards per attempt (29th) last season in an awful situation with a bottom-5 offensive line and bottom-5 receivers.

The Patriots have significantly improved their offensive line this offseason through both the draft and free agency.

They added Stefon Diggs and underrated rookie Kyle Williams to the receiver room.

They also added rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson who creates explosive plays in the passing game and excels as a pass blocker.

Bottom Line

With sneaky rushing ability and potential for significant improvement as a passer, Maye has top-5 fantasy quarterback upside while being virtually free in drafts. He is currently going as QB16 on Underdog.