Joe Burrow has played six seasons in the NFL. In three of those seasons, he has failed to play in more than 10 games. In the other three seasons where he played the full season, he has finished as a top-seven fantasy quarterback all three times. Which version of Burrow will we get this year, and what is the Joe Burrow fantasy football outlook for 2026?
Joe Burrow Fantasy Football Outlook 2026
Recent Production
After a career year in 2024 for Burrow in fantasy football, where he finished as the QB3, there were high expectations for him and the Bengals in 2025. Those expectations quickly faded when he left the Week 2 game injured with a toe injury. That injury kept him out all the way until Week 13, Thanksgiving Night.
Burrow was solid in his return, finishing as a top-five fantasy quarterback in three of his six starts to end the season. He was a top 12 quarterback in five of the six games. In all six games, he had at least 30 passing attempts. He threw for at least two touchdowns in five of the six games.
Burrow is one of the few top fantasy football quarterbacks who have very little rushing production. He only had one game last season with more than 10 rushing yards. The Bengals have one of the best passing attacks in the league, so Burrow does not have to run to be a top-five fantasy quarterback.
2026 Joe Burrow Fantasy Outlook
As long as Burrow has his two superstar wide receivers, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, the Bengals will be one of the best offenses in the league. The depth behind those two is not deep, which causes problems when one of them gets hurt. Guys like Andrei Iosivas, Colbie Young, and Mitch Tinsley will have to step up. Mike Gesicki and Jack Endries are the tight ends for Burrow.
Burrow’s fantasy outlook comes down to his health. If he can play the entire season, he will be a top-ten fantasy quarterback even without the rushing upside.
Joe Burrow Fantasy ADP
According to FantasyPros ADP, Burrow is the fourth quarterback being drafted in fantasy leagues this summer. He is the 58th overall player, so he is at the end of the sixth round in 10-team leagues and at the end of the fifth round in 12-team leagues. He is being drafted right behind Drake Maye (54th overall), and ahead of Jayden Daniels (64) and Jalen Hurts (69). In this tier of four quarterbacks, Burrow is the only pass-heavy guy, while the other three all have high rushing ceilings. Although Burrow has proven it before, I prefer some of the rushing upside players over Burrow.
Interestingly, Burrow is the sixth quarterback being drafted on ESPN, behind Daniels and Hurts. On Yahoo, Burrow is being drafted third, even ahead of Maye. While on Sleeper, Burrow is the fourth quarterback off the board.
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Should You Draft or Pass on Joe Burrow in 2026 Fantasy Football?
Being the fourth quarterback drafted in fantasy football this year is a very steep price for Burrow, especially with Daniels and Hurts behind him. Therefore, I am passing on Burrow in fantasy football this season at his current average ADP price point. If Daniels and Hurts get drafted before Burrow, like according to ESPN ADP, then I would pull the trigger and draft Burrow.
There are a lot of good upside quarterbacks going later in drafts, such as Dak Prescott (9th QB), Trevor Lawrence (11th), and Matthew Stafford (12th), that I do not want to reach for a quarterback early in drafts this season. If Burrow falls a round or two and the price is right, then I would draft Burrow, but I am not drafting him as the third or fourth quarterback off the board in fantasy football 2026.
