Will Howard — 2026 Fantasy Outlook

Howard is another college quarterback who found his footing within a premier offensive system after an inconsistent start to his career. In four seasons at Kansas State, he posted a 15-12 record, throwing for 5,786 yards, 48 touchdowns, and 25 interceptions while also proving to be a capable runner, carrying 226 times for 921 yards and 19 scores.

His final college season at Ohio State was a breakout in every sense. Howard set personal bests across the board (309 completions on 423 attempts, 4,010 passing yards, 35 touchdown passes, and a 73.0% completion rate), while capping the year with a National Championship, a 14-2 record, and an MVP performance of 288 combined yards and two scores. He added 226 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 105 carries, and across the three college playoff games, Howard threw for 919 yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions in the postseason.

Ohio State's supporting cast undeniably elevated his numbers, but winning a title at that level still demands talent and composure under pressure, qualities Howard showed in abundance throughout 2024.

As a prospect, he brings solid pocket awareness and the mobility to extend plays and pick up yards when the passing game stalls. His concerns are real: his arm strength is a legitimate question mark, and there are doubts about his ability to process defenses beyond his initial reads and work through third and fourth receiving options. Outside throws and drive passes will face scrutiny at the NFL level.

One telling detail is his sack numbers. Over 16 starts at Ohio State, Howard was brought down just 16 times (compared to 33 times across 34 games at Kansas State), a gap that speaks as much to the Buckeyes' offensive line as it does to his quick release and ability to buy time with his legs. That said, his tendency to rely on early reads was partly a product of his receivers winning so consistently. In the NFL, where that margin shrinks considerably, he'll need to show he can do more.

Howard didn’t take a snap in his rookie season.