- Pressure performance matters — especially in fantasy: Metrics like pressure-to-sack rate, scramble efficiency and turnover-worthy plays under pressure help identify which quarterbacks stay composed and which ones quietly sink your lineup.
- Not all pressure is bad — for the right QBs: Scrambling quarterbacks like Josh Allen and Jalen Hurts turn pressure into fantasy gold, while poised passers like Patrick Mahomes and Sam Darnold avoid drive-killing mistakes. Knowing who thrives under duress can give you the edge in close matchups.
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Most fantasy football managers focus on passing yards, rushing upside and touchdown totals. But several under-the-radar quarterback metrics — especially those tied to pressure — can give you a real edge.
Which quarterbacks extend plays under pressure, and which ones fold? Who’s earning you those extra three or four points that can swing a matchup? And who’s stalling drives, turning the ball over and quietly dragging down your fantasy totals? Through five weeks of the 2025 NFL season, it’s becoming clear which passers you can trust when the pocket collapses — and which ones might be tanking your lineup without you realizing it.
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Pressure-to-sack rate
A quarterback who takes sacks under pressure doesn’t just hurt his real team — he crushes your fantasy output, too. Sacks end drives, cost valuable yardage, reduce play volume and often lead to fumbles, all of which limit scoring opportunities — and in some cases, actively cost you points.
On the other hand, quarterbacks who avoid sacks, whether by escaping the pocket, throwing the ball away or making quick, smart decisions, keep their offenses on schedule and give you more chances to pile up fantasy points.
According to PFF data through five weeks, the quarterbacks with the lowest pressure-to-sack rates in the NFL (min. 100 dropbacks) are:
| Player | Team | Dropbacks | Pressure-to-sack % |
| Daniel Jones | IND | 162 | 6.9 |
| Bo Nix | DEN | 195 | 9.8 |
| Dak Prescott | DAL | 208 | 9.9 |
| Patrick Mahomes | KC | 215 | 10.4 |
| Trevor Lawrence | JAX | 189 | 11.3 |
| Sam Darnold | SEA | 144 | 11.3 |
| Michael Penix Jr. | ATL | 137 | 11.6 |
| Baker Mayfield | TB | 200 | 12.2 |
| Spencer Rattler | NO | 197 | 12.5 |
| Matthew Stafford | LA | 193 | 12.9 |
These quarterbacks have demonstrated their ability to manage chaos. It doesn’t always show up in the box score, but it results in more consistent weekly fantasy production. While Trevor Lawrence has struggled—currently sitting as the QB18 in standard PPR formats—three of the other four are ranked as QB1s, with Bo Nix just outside that range at QB13.
Quarterback scrambling
Pressure isn’t always a bad thing—at least not for quarterbacks who know how to turn it into opportunity. Scrambles can produce “free” rushing yards, which are heavily rewarded in most fantasy formats. Through five weeks, Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts, Drake Maye and Kyler Murray lead all quarterbacks in scramble frequency.
Allen and Mahomes have totaled 193 and 185 scramble yards, respectively. While dual-threat quarterbacks like Lamar Jackson and Jayden Daniels are drafted early for their ability to create on the move, passers don’t need elite athletic traits to rack up valuable fantasy points with their legs.
One standout is second-year quarterback Drake Maye, who isn’t often labeled a dual-threat but is quietly producing with his legs. Maye averages the seventh-highest time to throw in the NFL at 2.98 seconds and ranks third in scramble attempts (17) among quarterbacks with at least 100 dropbacks, totaling 101 yards on unscripted runs. While his athleticism is an asset, it also comes with risk: Maye owns the third-highest pressure-to-sack rate at 26.2%, trailing only Lamar Jackson and Carson Wentz.
One of the biggest differentiators here is offensive line play. The Baltimore Ravens and Minnesota Vikings rank near the middle of the pack in pass-blocking, with PFF grades of 59.6 and 62.4, respectively. Meanwhile, the New England Patriots boast a top-five pass-blocking unit, having earned a 69.2 grade.
Time to throw also varies significantly—Carson Wentz is tied for the fifth-quickest release (2.59 seconds) among quarterbacks with at least 100 dropbacks, while Lamar Jackson averages 3.15 seconds, the third-highest mark in the league.
| Player | Team | Attempts | PFF Rush Grade | Designed Rush Yards | Scramble Yards |
| Josh Allen | BUF | 40 | 83.0 | 19 | 193 |
| Patrick Mahomes | KC | 28 | 87.8 | 5 | 185 |
| Baker Mayfield | TB | 19 | 78.2 | -3 | 147 |
| Kyler Murray | ARZ | 29 | 71.4 | 23 | 145 |
| Justin Fields | NYJ | 31 | 70.5 | 64 | 140 |
| Jalen Hurts | PHI | 50 | 81.8 | 56 | 139 |
| Justin Herbert | LAC | 23 | 78.8 | 22 | 131 |
| C.J. Stroud | HST | 18 | 82.9 | 5 | 117 |
| Jaxson Dart | NYG | 32 | 76.3 | 55 | 112 |
| Drake Maye | NE | 27 | 66.0 | 9 | 101 |
Drafting quarterbacks behind poor offensive lines is rarely a recipe for fantasy success. Just look at Cam Ward, who ranks as the QB31 in Tennessee and has faced 76 pressures already this season. But the upside is there — Baker Mayfield, next on the list in pressures faced, is the QB4 and has scrambled for 147 yards through five weeks.
Turnover-worthy plays under pressure
But it’s not just about avoiding sacks—it’s also about protecting the football. Turnovers are fantasy killers, leading to negative points and weekly volatility. Just ask Geno Smith managers, who probably aren't feeling too confident right now.
Through five weeks, among quarterbacks with at least 40 dropbacks under pressure, the leaders in turnover-worthy plays under pressure are Jake Browning, Joe Flacco and Geno Smith, with five each. All three also have four interceptions when pressured and currently rank as QB26, QB32 and QB23, respectively. You're not winning a fantasy championship with any of them under center.
| Player | Team | Pressured Dropbacks | TWPs Under Pressure | TWP% Under Pressure |
| Geno Smith | LV | 71 | 5 | 6.4 |
| Joe Flacco | CLV | 70 | 5 | 6.6 |
| Jake Browning | CIN | 55 | 5 | 8.2 |
| Baker Mayfield | TB | 74 | 4 | 4.8 |
| Bryce Young | CAR | 69 | 4 | 5.2 |
| Justin Fields | NYJ | 61 | 4 | 5.9 |
| Lamar Jackson | BLT | 52 | 4 | 7.1 |
| Patrick Mahomes | KC | 67 | 3 | 4.2 |
| Dak Prescott | DAL | 71 | 3 | 4.0 |
| Spencer Rattler | NO | 72 | 3 | 3.8 |
Even when kept clean in the pocket, some quarterbacks are still making costly mistakes. Geno Smith is tied for second with five turnover-worthy plays from a clean pocket, while Jake Browning is tied for third with four. For these signal-callers, pressure tends to trigger panic — and fantasy frustration.
Interestingly, Lamar Jackson — PFF’s highest-graded quarterback under pressure in 2024 (83.8, minimum 150 dropbacks) — has taken a significant step back this season. Through five weeks, he ranks second-to-last in overall grade under pressure (37.0) and dead last in passing grade (28.1). Despite the struggles, Jackson still ranks as the QB9, and if he can return to form against pressure, he has a clear path back into the top five.
Conversely, Justin Herbert, Daniel Jones, Sam Darnold and—perhaps surprisingly—Michael Penix Jr. have yet to log a single turnover-worthy play under pressure. Darnold, in particular, has excelled against the blitz, throwing for 584 yards, two touchdowns (with three interceptions) and five big-time throws.
One of the biggest risers in this category—and it’s beginning to show in his fantasy production—is Jordan Love. In his first year as a starter in 2023, Love was outstanding against the blitz, earning PFF’s second-highest passing grade (81.0) and leading the league with 15 big-time throws among quarterbacks with at least 150 dropbacks under pressure. That success dipped in 2024, when his passing grade dropped to 64.4 with just five big-time throws. But in 2025, he’s rebounded in a big way—posting a league-leading 92.2 PFF passing grade against the blitz, tied for second in big-time throws (four) and committing only one turnover-worthy play. His current QB20 ranking in standard PPR formats may seem underwhelming, but if he continues this upward trajectory, Love could rise quickly in the weeks ahead.
The bottom line
If you’re looking to avoid weekly letdowns or costly turnovers, understanding how quarterbacks handle pressure can help you find stability at the position.
Metrics like pressure-to-sack rate, scramble efficiency and turnover-worthy plays under pressure all contribute to a bigger picture: how a quarterback performs when things break down. That’s often where fantasy matchups are won—or lost—especially when margins are razor-thin.
So next time you’re choosing between two fringe starters, streaming a quarterback or wondering why your WR1 only saw five targets, ask yourself: Can this quarterback handle pressure?
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