Josh Allen Leads The Sporting News’ Week 2 Fantasy Quarterback Rankings
The Sporting News has identified its preferred starters, sleepers and busts for Week 2 of the 2026 NFL season, with injuries complicating several quarterback decisions.
Josh Allen tops The Sporting News’ Week 2 fantasy quarterback rankings, ahead of Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts. The rankings follow reported strong Week 1 performances from Allen and Jackson, while Caleb Williams’ four-touchdown display in Chicago’s 59–37 win over Carolina also features prominently in the assessment.
Bryce Young and Tyler Shough are highlighted as sleeper options. Young’s case is supported by a reported 448-yard, three-touchdown performance in his most recent meeting with Atlanta, while Shough reportedly produced more than 400 air yards and three touchdowns in Week 1.
The Sporting News also advises fantasy managers to lower their expectations for Patrick Mahomes and Bo Nix. Mahomes is described as still elite in the NFL but potentially subject to workload limits as he returns from significant knee surgery. Nix was reported to have finished Week 1 as QB31 with 131 passing yards and two rushing yards.
Availability remains a factor in the Week 2 rankings. Sam Darnold has been reported out for Seattle, with Drew Lock expected to start, while Kyler Murray remains in concussion protocol. Atlanta’s quarterback position is uncertain as Tua Tagovailoa deals with an oblique injury and Michael Penix Jr. continues his recovery.
The published table places Carson Wentz at both 26th and 29th, indicating a possible editorial error. The rankings and player classifications are The Sporting News’ fantasy recommendations, while the injury updates have not been independently verified.
