Elite fantasy football QB1s are very often highly productive rushers. While a player’s passing ability must be sufficient for him to claim an NFL starting job, rushing ability serves as the primary differentiator for top-tier fantasy football production.
The article below breaks down the 2026 rookie quarterback draft class’s top three rushing quarterbacks. Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza deserves an honorable mention. He is not an elite rusher, having earned just a 74.0 PFF rushing grade last year, but his first-down or touchdown conversion rate (38.2%) is intriguing. Mendoza could effectively function as a situational scrambler in the NFL.
QB Drew Allar, Penn State
Penn State quarterback Drew Allar possesses high-end rushing ability and a strong arm. A season-ending ankle fracture in Week 7 derailed his final college campaign. Allar’s raw talent could allow him to compete for a starting role. At worst, he warrants consideration as a QB1 streamer or fill-in starter. His 72.4 PFF offense grade ranked 40th among the 71 Power Four and North Dakota State quarterbacks with at least 345 offensive snaps in 2025.
Allar stands at 6-foot-5 and 228 pounds. The ankle injury prevented him from participating in pre-draft workouts.
Allar earned a 75.7 PFF rushing grade on 30 rushing attempts in 2025.
Drew Allar: Rushing data and rank among 31 Power Four quarterbacks with at least 130 rushing attempts from 2023-24
MetricValue (Rank)PFF Rushing Grade80.1 (No. 12)Rush Att.141 (No. 25)Scrambles67 (No. 7)Missed Tackles Forced35 (No. 13)Missed Tackles Forced Per Rush Att.0.25 (T-No. 4)Yards After Contact Per Rush Att.3.2 (No. 13)Yards Per Rush Att.5.1 (No. 22)Explosive Run Plays28 (No. 20)1st Down &/Or TD Conversion Rate47.5% (No. 1)Allar’s elite first-down or touchdown conversion rate qualifies as an intriguing trait and warrants a loose comparison to former North Carolina quarterback and current New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, who measures 6-foot-4 and 223 pounds and earned a 73.8 PFF rushing grade in his final college season. Maye produced a first-down or touchdown conversion rate (48.9%) on 92 rushing attempts that year.
Allar’s chain-moving ability gives him QB1 potential.
QB Taylen Green, Arkansas
Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green is a historically athletic prospect, standing at 6-foot-6 and 227 pounds. He successfully translates the speed, explosiveness and agility showcased in pre-draft workouts to the field as a dual-threat quarterback, though his turnover propensity likely prevents him from holding a starting job. Should he earn spot starts, fantasy managers can treat him as a high-upside, low-floor QB1 streamer. His 82.5 PFF offense grade ranked 20th among the 71 Power Four and North Dakota State quarterbacks with at least 345 offensive snaps in 2025.
Green was named Mountain West Freshman of the Year and the Frisco Bowl’s most valuable offensive player for Boise State in 2022. He earned Liberty Bowl most valuable player honors in 2024 after transferring to Arkansas.
Green encouragingly improved his rushing metrics after jumping from the Group of Five to the Power Four, though his ball security remains a concern.
He earned a 65.6 PFF passing grade in his final college season.
Taylen Green: Rushing data and rank among 30 Group of Six quarterbacks with at least 135 rushing attempts from 2022-23, and his rushing data and rank among 30 Power Four quarterbacks with at least 135 rushing attempts from 2024-25
MetricValue (Rank; 2022-23)Value (Rank; 2024-25)PFF Rushing Grade83.8 (No. 4)92.0 (No. 1)Rush Att.164 (No. 19)242 (No. 4)Scrambles26 (No. 21)78 (No. 7)Fumbles6 (T-No. 16)8 (T-No. 22)Missed Tackles Forced29 (No. 18)70 (No. 3)Missed Tackles Forced Per Rush Att.0.18 (T-No. 15)0.29 (No. 5)Yards After Contact Per Rush Att.2.4 (T-No. 20)4.0 (No. 3)Yards Per Rush Att.6.4 (No. 3)7.5 (No. 1)Explosive Run Plays36 (T-No. 8)73 (No. 1)1st Down &/Or TD Conversion Rate37.8% (No. 5)43.4% (No. 1)Green’s athletic profile and rushing ability could facilitate a position switch. He makes a strong case as the quarterback class’s best rusher and warrants QB1 streaming consideration should a starting opportunity arise.
QB Cole Payton, North Dakota State
North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton, 23, earned the starting job for the first time in his fifth and final college season. He possesses NFL size, standing at 6-foot-3 and 232 pounds, and tested well at the NFL Scouting Combine. He earned second-team All-MVFC honors in 2025. He can be viewed as an intriguing developmental prospect with high-end dual-threat potential. His 96.0 PFF grade ranked first among the 71 Power Four and North Dakota State quarterbacks with at least 345 offensive snaps in 2025.
He earned a 94.6 PFF passing grade in 2025 and proved to be an elite rusher in his lone starting season.
Cole Payton: Rushing data and rank among 27 Power Four and FCS quarterbacks with at least 120 rushing attempts in 2025
MetricValue (Rank)PFF Rushing Grade89.4 (No. 2)Rush Att.120 (T-No. 26)Scrambles53 (T-No. 7)Missed Tackles Forced39 (No. 5)Missed Tackles Forced Per Rush Att.0.33 (No. 2)Yards After Contact Per Rush Att.3.3 (No. 8)Yards Per Rush Att.7.5 (No. 1)Explosive Run Plays29 (T-No. 6)1st Down &/Or TD Conversion Rate39.2% (No. 4)Payton is an unrefined prospect. However, he should be viewed as a worthwhile dynasty draft target who has a chance to compete for a starting role in the right situation. If he were to start in Year 1, he would likely rely on his rushing ability, warranting QB1 streaming consideration.