NFL breakout series: Giants' Jaxson Dart headlines three QBs set to shine in 2026

Every year, a handful of NFL quarterbacks play far better than anyone expected, silencing doubters who wrote them off just months earlier.

Last year, it was the Patriots' Drake Maye, the Bears' Caleb Williams, and the Panthers' Bryce Young, each of whom scaled new heights and led their respective teams into the 2025 NFL playoffs.

Who will it be in 2026? Which quarterback will join the upper ranks at the most important position on the field?

With our RB and WR breakouts already identified, we turn our attention to three QBs we're tipping to make the jump.

Jaxson Dart, New York Giants

Todd Kirkland / Stringer

Twenty-four total touchdowns in 12 starts, a 3:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio, and 487 rushing yards behind a largely injured supporting cast that barely functioned.

That's what Dart did in his first NFL season, and he achieved that feat without key members of his supporting cast for long stretches.

Star wideout Malik Nabers missed 13 games, running back Cam Skattebo was sidelined for nine, and elite offensive tackle Andrew Thomas missed four contests, and that's just the start of it.

Dart himself missed three games and didn't even start until he replaced Russell Wilson in Week 4.

His win record leaves something to be desired, but Dart's off-target rate of 8.6% ranked second among qualifying quarterbacks who rushed at least 75 times, behind only Josh Allen.

New head coach John Harbaugh took one look at the film and decided he was the reason to move to New York.

"He looks good. I love his competitiveness. He wants to be perfect every play," Harbaugh said of his signal-caller.

The feeling is mutual, with Dart telling reporters, "I couldn't think of a better coach to play for."

The 23-year-old enters his second year with plenty going for him, and Harbaugh is only the beginning.

GM Joe Schoen eased concerns about Nabers by saying, "I still think he'll be fine Week 1," while Thomas has said he's aced his recovery "perfection-wise."

Tight end Isaiah Likely, often impressive when given the opportunity in Baltimore, arrived in free agency to upgrade Dart's weapons.

Wideouts Darnell Mooney and Calvin Austin also joined in March to help fill the gap vacated by Wan'Dale Robinson.

And then there's the addition of Schoen's 10th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, guard Francis Mauigoa, the re-signing of Jermaine Eluemunor, and third-round rookie Malachi Fields.

Granted, there are a few question marks on the interior of the offensive line, but if Dart's deep accuracy improves and his supporting cast stays healthy, the Ole Miss product should shine in 2026.

Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints

Todd Kirkland / Stringer

Spencer Rattler started Week 1. By Week 8, he was gone, and Shough never looked back.

Across nine starts, Shough averaged 250 passing yards per game, ranked 12th in adjusted completion rate and 13th in yards per attempt among qualified quarterbacks.

He attacked downfield at the ninth-highest deep throw rate among 34 qualifiers, which is not what you'd expect from a quarterback who only got the job because his predecessor failed.

What was missing was a genuine second receiving threat alongside wideout Chris Olave, and New Orleans fixed that at No. 8 in the draft, selecting Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson.

At 6'2" and with elite tracking ability, Tyson opens the intermediate zones that tight end Juwan Johnson operates in.

30-year-old running back Alvin Kamara dropped off last year, but Travis Etienne arrived in free agency to provide a dangerous option in the backfield.

Etienne posted 1,107 rushing yards and six receiving touchdowns last season for Jacksonville, which is the kind of production that makes a quarterback's life considerably easier.

The offensive line got reinforcement too, with guard David Edwards signing on a deal to shore up the interior, joining talented tackle Kelvin Banks, who impressed down the stretch in his rookie year.

The Saints haven't had a quarterback throw for more than 4,000 yards since Drew Brees in 2017. As Shough enters year two, there's a chance he could threaten that mark.

Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans

Mike Carlson / Stringer

Ward's 2025 season was a baptism of fire, but the context matters.

Sacked 55 times while playing behind arguably the worst offensive line in football, the former No. 1 overall pick had very little time with which to operate.

And with wideout Calvin Ridley going down in Week 6, Ward's best option was tight end Chig Okonkwo, who led the team with 560 yards before leaving in free agency.

Then there was the lame-duck head coach, fired after Week 6, leaving Ward in the unenviable position of having to adjust to a new regime.

Despite all of this, over the final four full games of the season, Ward averaged two passing touchdowns per contest and began to show why Tennessee believed in him.

Not resting on their laurels, the Titans spent the offseason finding multiple ways to give Ward more support heading into 2026.

Wan'Dale Robinson arrived on a four-year, $70 million deal, giving Ward a reliable option who caught 92 passes for 1,014 yards last season.

Carnell Tate was then selected fourth overall in the 2026 NFL draft, providing Ward a genuine WR1 with incredible upside who can threaten every level of the field.

And Brian Daboll arrived as the new offensive coordinator, tasked with pulling all of the new parts together and helping Ward reach his ceiling.

Daboll helped turn Josh Allen from a raw first-round pick into one of the best quarterbacks in the league, and he did something similar with Daniel Jones before the Giants went in a different direction.

The parallel with Allen isn't just convenient framing. Ward's arm talent, mobility and willingness to improvise under pressure are the same qualities Daboll built a system around in Buffalo.

Head coach Robert Saleh brings defensive credibility and, crucially, a culture shift that Tennessee badly needed after two consecutive three-win seasons.

Tennessee's offensive line remains in flux, with weaknesses at multiple positions, but at least guard Peter Skoronski looks the part, and tackle JC Latham found more consistency after the midway point in the season.

If Ward can pick up where he left off in the final month of last year with the help of his new pass catchers, there's every reason to believe he can elevate his game to new heights in 2026.