Navigating the quarterback position in 2026 has become a weekly exercise in survival, forcing fantasy football managers to stream names they wouldn’t have dreamed of drafting back in August.
Look no further than Thursday, when the Ravens trotted out Joe Fagnano to replace Lamar Jackson and backup Tyler Huntley, which turned into a complete disaster.
Yet, Baltimore’s predicament is merely the tip of the iceberg. High-profile injuries, benchings and midseason trades have completely upended depth charts, leaving the position in absolute chaos.
Week 9 brings another massive wave of quarterback changes across the league: Drew Lock replaces an injured Sam Darnold in Seattle, Shedeur Sanders steps in for a concussed Deshaun Watson in Cleveland, and Joe Milton takes over following Tanner McKee’s benching in Philadelphia.
Meanwhile, Gardner Minshew reemerges in Arizona after Jacoby Brissett was benched then traded, and Carson Wentz steps in for an injured and underperforming Kyler Murray in Minnesota.
Though starting Sanders or Minshew carries immense risk, Lock, Wentz and Milton offer legitimate streaming value for Week 9 and potentially beyond.
Lock is no stranger to holding down the fort in Seattle. In fact, Lock started under center against these very same Cardinals in Week 2, delivering a sharp performance with 235 passing yards, three touchdowns and zero turnovers. Seattle boasts a supportive backfield tandem in Zach Charbonnet and Jadarian Price, but more importantly, Lock features an elite receiving corps led by primary target Jaxon Smith-Njigba alongside Cooper Kupp, Tory Horton and tight end AJ Barner. Lock is a top-tier plug-and-play option this week.
In Minnesota, Wentz’s style as a traditional pocket passer fits head coach Kevin O’Connell’s offensive scheme far better than Murray’s mobile, check-down approach. Wentz excels at going through his progressions and operating downfield. That bodes exceptionally well for Justin Jefferson in a soft matchup against the Bills secondary. With Jordan Addison stretching the field and T.J. Hockenson working the middle, Wentz has all the weapons needed to deliver strong fantasy output.
Milton is more of a flier as he takes control of an Eagles offense decimated by injuries. Though his receiving corps could be thin if both DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks are sidelined, he retains capable targets in Hollywood Brown, Darius Cooper and tight end Dallas Goedert, alongside Saquon Barkley in the backfield.
Betting on the NFL?
The real key here is Milton’s dynamic rushing upside. If he can tack on 40-50 rushing yards and sneak in a touchdown against the Giants, his dual-threat mobility will pay immediate dividends.
Scraping the bottom of the barrel for starting quarterbacks has simply become the modus operandi of the 2026 season. Success in fantasy isn’t about relying on draft-day rosters, it’s about staying aggressive, adapting to the chaos, and scratching and clawing your way to a win each week.
Howard Bender is the head of content at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on X @rotobuzzguy, catch him on the award-winning “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio (Ch. 87) weekdays from 6-8 p.m. and dominate your leagues with the latest football news and advice from Fantasy Alarm.
