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2-QB Draft Strategy: What Most Fantasy Managers Get Wrong

Figuring out 2-QB draft strategy is tough. It's way more demanding than your typical 1-QB setup and even trickier than superflex.

Why? Let's get into it.

You Need to Understand QB Supply and Demand

QB supply far outweighs demand in 1-QB leagues, where most leagues have 10 or 12 starters and fewer than 12 backups rostered.

The supply vs. demand equation tightens significantly in superflex leagues. With nearly all managers starting two QBs, you’ll see 20-24 QBs in lineups each week and nearly every viable QB rostered. But there’s an escape hatch: You can plug a RB, WR, or TE into that flex spot if disaster strikes.

Not so in true 2-QB leagues. Every team must start two QBs, no exceptions. That raises the stakes and shrinks the margin for error.

This simple shift transforms the supply-and-demand landscape, and it should reshape your entire draft plan.

Chase Value Early in 2-QB Drafts

That doesn’t mean you throw out everything you know about optimal draft strategy in 2-QB leagues. Flexibility still wins drafts: Grab the best values early, then fill out needs as you go.

But where that value presents itself changes in 2-QB leagues.

So how much more should you pay for QBs? And how does that ripple through the rest of your picks?

Let’s break it down with six key strategies for 2-QB drafts.

2-QB Draft Strategy No. 1: Prioritize Elite QBs

No shocker here: Elite fantasy QBs are gold in 2-QB leagues.

Check our 2-QB rankings and you’ll see QBs claiming the top five overall spots.

Those five guys constitute the top tier of our QB rankings. There's a big gap in projected value between them and the rest of the pack. Landing one of those top-tier QBs sets you apart. It’s the surest way to build an edge that lasts all season.

Bottom line: Don’t pass on any of those five in Round 1. Secure your anchor.

2-QB Draft Strategy No. 2: Don’t Overpay for the Next Tier

Locking in an elite QB is smart. Reaching for the next batch? Not so much.

You don’t need to spend your first-rounder on a QB. After the big five, our 2-QB rankings don’t show another QB until Patrick Mahomes at 17th overall -- then Bo Nix at 27th.

This is where drafters slip up: they chase that next name too soon. Truth is, there’s not a big gap between Nix at QB7 and the next 10-15 QBs on the board.

A lot of the QBs near the top of that group are overvalued in 2-QB drafts, according to our ADP Market Index.

Your optimal 2-QB draft strategy is likely to pass on that group above and grab one or two guys somewhere between the 15th and 20th QBs off the board. A few strong bets in that range:

• Dak Prescott
• Trevor Lawrence
• Justin Fields
• Bryce Young
• Tua Tagovailoa

Play it cool here. While your league mates scramble, you can stack up premium RBs and WRs and still find QBs who match the production of those early reaches.

2-QB Draft Strategy No. 3: Secure a Third Starting QB

This is perhaps the biggest difference between 2-QB and superflex leagues.

In superflex, you can limp through a week with a RB, WR, or TE at flex if you’re short a QB. Not ideal, but at least it’s an option.

In a true 2-QB league? No QB means a flat zero in that QB2 slot. That’s a killer.

But in a 12-team league, there aren’t enough starting QBs for every team to have three. So you need to be proactive.

Lock up that third starting QB when you can. It’s your insurance against injuries, byes, or late-season benchings. And it’s a chess move that leaves your opponents scrambling.

2-QB Draft Strategy No. 4: Consider Stashing a High-Upside Backup

This one ultimately comes down to your specific league. But in leagues of 12+ teams with deep benches (think 8+ bench spots), it might make sense to stash an NFL backup with upside.

If that backup steps in, you’ve got an emergency option or prime trade leverage when your league mates get desperate.

Some backups to consider drafting in 2025:

• Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts
• Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons (?)
• Jaxson Dart, New York Giants
• Jameis Winston, New York Giants
• Jalen Milroe, Seattle Seahawks
• Malik Willis, Green Bay Packers
• Marcus Mariota, Washington Commanders
• Joe Milton, Dallas Cowboys
• Sam Howell, Minnesota Vikings
• Dillon Gabriel, Cleveland Browns
• Shedeur Sanders, Cleveland Browns
• Gardner Minshew, Kansas City Chiefs
• Mitchell Trubisky, Buffalo Bills
• Jake Browning, Cincinnati Bengals
• Hendon Hooker, Detroit Lions
• Jimmy Garoppolo, Los Angeles Rams
• Zach Wilson, Miami Dolphins
• Mac Jones, San Francisco 49ers
• Joshua Dobbs, New England Patriots
• Tyrod Taylor, New York Jets

2-QB Draft Strategy No. 5: Practice With Mock Drafts

2-QB drafts are unique. You can read every strategy guide out there, but nothing beats live reps.

Of course, you need to make sure those mock drafts fit your 2-QB format. Otherwise, you’re just wasting time.

Our mock draft simulator can be customized to your exact league rules. You can knock out a full practice draft against smart AI in minutes.

Practice from different draft spots. Test out different strategies. The more you practice, the more confident and adaptable you’ll be when it counts.

2-QB Draft Strategy No. 6: Leverage Powerful Draft Tools

So how do you actually execute all these 2-QB draft strategies during the heat of your draft?

Truth is, it’s tough to juggle everything without some tech on your side.

Here are two tools that make winning a 2-QB draft far easier:

Live-Draft Sync

Live-draft sync pairs seamlessly with your league-hosting site, pulling in starting-lineup requirements and scoring settings. As picks fly off the board, it updates your rankings in real time. So you always know who’s left and who’s best.

Draft War Room

The Draft War Room pairs that live-draft sync technology with a scientific algorithm to recalculate rankings on the fly. It factors in:

• Our award-winning projections
• Your league’s rules
• ADP
• Position scarcity
• Breakout potential
• Injury risk

It’s the smartest way to stay a step ahead and walk away with the strongest 2-QB roster possible.

Ready to Learn More About the Draft War Room?

Check out this quick video:

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Jared Smola, Lead Analyst

Jared has been with Draft Sharks since 2007. He’s now Lead Analyst, heading up the preseason and weekly projections that fuel your Draft War Room and My Team tools. He currently ranks sixth among 158 analysts in draft rankings accuracy.