Ty Simpson Fantasy Stats

The Los Angeles Rams had one of the biggest surprise selections in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft on Thursday night when they took Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick. While Simpson figures to be the successor to MVP Matthew Stafford, many draft analysts were wondering if Simpson would fall out of the first round of the draft entirely. After the pick was made, head coach Sean McVay said, "This is Matthew's team." The 38-year-old is entering his 18th season, but he was at the top of his game last year, and it's unclear how long he wants to continue playing. McVay made sure to run the selection of Simpson by Stafford first. L.A. became the first team to have a QB named MVP and then select a signal-caller in the first round since the Packers in 1967. With Jimmy Garoppolo considering retirement, McVay said that Simpson will compete for the backup gig with Stetson Bennett. Simpson doesn't have a long resume from college, but he's a hard worker and is in an excellent situation with the Rams to eventually replace Stafford. Fantasy managers in dynasty/keeper leagues will need to be patient with Simpson.

The Los Angeles Rams have selected Alabama quarterback prospect Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. There had been plenty of chatter about Simpson's stock ahead of the draft, and in the end, he'll end up with the Rams as the eventual successor to Matthew Stafford. It's a stunning development, as the Rams have Stafford under contract for 2026 and have reportedly been open to an extension with him. Jay Glazer of FOX Sports reports that the Rams plan to let Stafford dictate his future, and Simpson will be the successor whenever Stafford decides to retire. We can't fault the Rams for wanting to have a clear succession plan in place, similar to how the Packers drafted Jordan Love in the waning years of the Aaron Rodgers era. Plus, having a quarterback on an affordable rookie contract could allow the Rams to hand out a big extension to Puka Nacua or Davante Adams, both of whom are in a contract year. Simpson completed 305 passes for 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns, and five interceptions during his final season at Alabama. He's a pocket passer who fits nicely in the Rams' system. He'll have to wait a little while before he gets playing time. However, when his time comes, he'll have top-12 quarterback upside in fantasy football.

The Arizona Cardinals are linked to Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson "more than any other team," according to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports. Jones adds that the "noise across the league is impossible to ignore." He has the Cardinals mocked to trade up four spots with the Miami Dolphins to No. 30 overall in the first round on Thursday night in the 2026 NFL draft to take Simpson. The 6-foot-1, 211-pound quarterback only started in his final season at Alabama, which has many draft analysts questioning how quickly he can develop into a starting-caliber QB in the NFL. If he were to land in Arizona, Simpson would likely compete with Gardner Minshew for the No. 2 job in the desert behind veteran Jacoby Brissett in 2026. Simpson was considered a lock to be a first-rounder back in March, but his stock has fallen somewhat, and he could slip into the early portion of Day 2 this Friday. In dynasty/keeper leagues, any fantasy managers who select Simpson need to be prepared to be patient.

ESPN's Seth Walder thinks Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson may fall out of the first round of the 2026 NFL draft, which starts this Thursday night. The Draft Day Predictor says Simpson has a 43% chance to be available at pick No. 33 to start Day 2 on Friday. The most likely spots for Simpson to go in the first round are at Nos. 16 (New York Jets), 21 (Pittsburgh Steelers), and 24 (Cleveland Browns). If Simpson doesn't get taken in the first round, the Jets (No. 33) and Arizona Cardinals (No. 34) are possibilities at the start of the second round. The draft predictor thinks there's a 91% chance that Simpson is off the board before pick No. 50. Many draft analysts were pretty confident last month that Simpson would be a first-rounder, but the buzz on Simpson being the second QB off the board in this year's class has faded since then. Wherever Simpson lands, he projects to be a developmental QB prospect that will sit and learn behind a veteran in his first season in the NFL.