Inputting the Konami Code: Late Round Quarterbacks with Rushing Upside
Years ago, fantasy analyst Rich Hribar first referred to rushing QBs as the “Konami Code.” For those of you that weren’t around in the 80s, the Konami code was a cheat code used in Konami-manufactured video games. And rushing quarterbacks are a cheat code in fantasy football. Conceptually, most managers seem to have learned this over the past decade or so, as the top passers that come off the draft board are dual threat quarterbacks like Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts, and Jayden Daniels. But for whatever reason, each year we let some QBs with this Konami code ability slide into the late rounds.
The purpose of this article is to highlight those rushing quarterbacks that you can target late if you decide you want to wait on the position in your fantasy draft. Take a flier on one of these three guys if you want to secure some cheap rushing production at the position in 2026:
Malik Willis, Dolphins. Willis is currently going as the 25th QB off the board and is about the easiest cheat code you can find. His OL is #notgreat and his WR corps is #evenworse. This is a dude who should be running for his life this year… which fits his skill set well! In 5 career starts, he averages almost 54 rushing yards and 0.8 rushing touchdowns per game. There’s certainly a strong floor here, with the potential for some spike weeks.
Kyler Murray, Vikings. The former #1 overall pick was jettisoned by the Cardinals this year and quickly scooped up by the Vikings. He probably has a better supporting cast than he’s ever had, along with one of the best play-callers in the league in Kevin O’Connell. If the dude can make Josh Dobbs and Nick Mullens relevant, I’ve got high hopes for what he can do with a talent like Murray. Murray is currently being drafted as QB18, so he won’t be expensive to acquire. But the potential payoff is massive. Murray has 400+ yards rushing in every year of his career where he plays at least 9 games. Before 2025, he was averaging 5 rushing scores and 500 yards rushing per year. In a league that awards 1 point for every 10 rushing yards and 6 points for every rushing score, that 80 points that you can expect from Murray before you even factor in any of the passing stats. Not too shabby!
Justin Herbert, Chargers. Believe it or not, Herbie was second in the NFL last year in QB rushing yards, behind only Josh Allen. He had 75 more yards rushing than, for example, “running quarterback” Jalen Hurts. He’s a really sneaky source of cheap rushing production. Now, the Chargers switching offensive coordinators from Greg Roman to Mike McDaniel could result in fewer rushing attempts for Herbie… or it also could mean that the offense as a whole is just more explosive, with continued rushing production from Herbert and more touchdowns overall. Herbert is currently going as QB15, so you can likely be the last person to take a QB in your league and still nab him as your starter.