The article highlights three NFL quarterbacks—Patrick Mahomes II, Jalen Hurts, and Matthew Stafford—who are flagged as fantasy football busts for the 2026 season due to injuries, aging, roster changes, and uncertainty around their supporting casts.
Patrick Mahomes II finished as QB12 in fantasy scoring in 2024, his first sub‑4,000 passing yard season as a starter, and later suffered a torn ACL late in the 2025 season, leaving his return timeline for 2026 uncertain.
The Injury Factor
The Chiefs responded by trading for veteran Justin Fields amid Mahomes' injury and a lack of receiver upgrades, while Travis Kelce will play most of the 2026 season as a 37‑year‑old, further complicating Mahomes' outlook.
Jalen Hurts will have his fifth offensive coordinator in five seasons for 2026, a rare turnover in the NFL, yet he has been a top‑10 fantasy quarterback each season despite coordinator changes, winning a Super Bowl and Super Bowl MVP.
A.J. Brown, Hurts' top receiver for four seasons, is expected to be traded to the New England Patriots after June 1st, and the Eagles added new receivers Marquise Brown, Dontayvion Wicks, Makai Lemon, and Eli Stowers, though none are expected to match Brown's production.
Aging Arms and Succession Plans
Matthew Stafford, the reigning NFL MVP, will enter his age‑38 season in 2026 with health concerns, having thrown a career‑high 46 touchdowns in 2025 but dealing with inconsistent health in recent seasons.
The Rams drafted quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick in 2026, signaling a potential succession plan for Stafford, though Simpson has minimal starting experience, having started just one full season in college.
The Chiefs' receiver room remains underwhelming despite multiple high draft picks, impacting Mahomes' performance, while the Eagles' new receivers are not expected to match A.J. Brown's production.