All articles tagged with #2026 draft
CBS Sports fantasy analyst Jacob Gibbs names 18 players he believes could define the 2026 fantasy season, highlighting late-round RB upside like Jonathon Brooks and high-upside pass-catchers such as A.J. Brown, Luther Burden, Tucker Kraft, and Oronde Gadsden II, plus Jaxson Dart at QB, across teams including the Panthers, Bears, Packers, Vikings, and Buccaneers, with roles, target shares, and favorable schedules driving value in 2026 drafts.
Fantasy analyst Dave Richard shares his must-draft list for 2026, prioritizing upside over consensus from the back of Round 1 through late rounds, with Chase Brown, Omarion Hampton, A.J. Brown, Colston Loveland, Jaylen Waddle, Ladd McConkey, Emeka Egbuka, DJ Moore, Jadarian Price, Parker Washington, Rico Dowdle, Michael Wilson, Isaiah Likely, Chris Godwin and KC Concepcion among his targets, along with notes on each player's upside and potential drawbacks.
FantasyPros writer Welsh shares a 2026 fantasy football draft cheat sheet with position-by-position sleepers and busts for QBs, RBs, WRs, and TEs, plus value picks across early, late, and deep ranges, advocating custom sheets via FantasyPros' Draft Wizard and noting his strength in RBs/WRs while acknowledging QB/TE caveats.
Jeff Ratcliffe lays out his mid- to late-round wide receivers for 2026 fantasy drafts, arguing that a running-back-heavy start makes finding WR upside crucial. Key sleepers include Rome Odunze (healthy and poised to be the Bears’ X after DJ Moore’s departure), Quentin Johnston (Chargers; more targets up for grabs), Makai Lemon (Eagles; potential Day 1 contributor behind DeVonta Smith), Jayden Higgins (Texans; emerging outside option), and Jalen McMillan (Buccaneers; outside receiver upside). The piece also notes Stefon Diggs’ signing with Washington and its implications for the WR corps and fantasy value, while cautioning managers to let the draft define strategy rather than chasing safe production.**
The article spotlights four wide receivers—Justin Jefferson, Ladd McConkey, Emeka Egbuka, and Ricky Pearsall—as strong bounce-back targets for 2026 fantasy drafts, arguing that quarterback changes and offense shifts could unlock more targets and production: Jefferson could reclaim WR1 status with Kyler Murray in Minnesota, McConkey benefits from vacated targets in Los Angeles, Egbuka is poised to be Tampa Bay’s top receiver as Evans moves on, and Pearsall could emerge as a productive option if healthy in his role.
AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson headline a strong 2026 lottery class in NBA Summer League, each earning an A grade after standout showings; Boozer, Wilson and Burries delivered high-impact performances as the rookie group impresses, while several other lottery picks posted solid-to-strong showings with room to grow.
The 2026 NBA rookie class has delivered in Las Vegas, with standout showings from top picks such as Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson. Cavaliers’ Meleek Thomas has led scoring at the event, while Caleb Wilson exploded for 35 points in his Bulls debut. Across all teams, rookies earned grades ranging from A+ to F, highlighting a mix of immediate impact and development needs; some clubs (e.g., Hawks, Cavs, Bulls, Lakers, Wizards) posted high marks, others (Timberwolves, Pelicans) faced tougher starts. Portland had no rookie on a standard or two-way contract. The evaluations reflect early impressions through July 13, 2026, and tease how these players might translate to the regular season.
The 2026 MLB Draft kicked off with the Chicago White Sox selecting UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky No. 1 to anchor a young infield, while Boston shook up expectations by taking UNC shortstop Jake Schaffner at 20 and then adding his UNC teammate Owen Hull at 67 as part of a bonus-pool strategy. Meanwhile, the Texas Rangers chose high-upside left-hander Brody Bumila at No. 89 despite an elbow injury, with Dr. Keith Meister set to perform the procedure and a decision pending whether Bumila will undergo Tommy John surgery or an internal brace repair.
Toronto Maple Leafs emerge as the clear winners of the 2026 NHL Draft by selecting Gavin McKenna No. 1 and building a mobile, high-IQ group, while the Tampa Bay Lightning’s class is viewed as weak; the piece provides a league-wide, team-by-team assessment of all 32 clubs, highlighting notable picks and overall outcomes using a relative-value framework rather than simply counting selections.
PHR runs a live 2026 NHL Draft Tracker updating Day 2 picks from Buffalo, listing every selection across all rounds, including trades and reader commentary as the draft unfolds.
A Round 1 draft-by-draft review ranks teams as Winners, Overtime winners, Overtime losers and Losers, noting San Jose Sharks as the biggest winner after landing Ivar Stenberg at No. 2 and defenseman Keaton Verhoeff at No. 9 to anchor a budding young core. Seattle Kraken earn praise for adding Chase Reid at No. 7 to stabilize their blueline, and the Toronto Maple Leafs grab Gavin McKenna at No. 1 to inject elite skill. Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks also land strong first-round pieces in Carson Carels and Caleb Malhotra, respectively, with other notable picks like Björck (Jets) and Hermansson (Kings). The piece flags riskier selections that could backfire for Buffalo (Daxon Rudolph, Ilia Morozov), New Jersey (Alexander Command), Philadelphia (Maksim Sokolovskii), Ottawa (Jonas Lagerberg Hoen, Jaxon Cover), and Vegas (Juho Piiparinen). The analysis centers on value relative to pick position and projected rookie impact, not just total haul."
With three first-round picks in the 2026 Draft, the Sharks are prioritizing defense. Insiders say Ivar Stenberg is a near-lock to go No. 2 and Daxon Rudolph is the top target for No. 9, though Keaton Verhoeff could slip into play if the top D prospects go early. Other ranked defensemen in consideration include Gavin McKenna, Chase Reid, Caleb Malhotra, Carson Carels, and Alberts Smits. San Jose could stay at No. 9 or maneuver up using 2 and 27 (plus future picks) since elite defensemen are scarce on the market.
The 2026 NHL Draft is in Buffalo, with the Sabres holding five picks including No. 4 and No. 20 in the first round after trades surrounding Olen Zellweger. Round 1 airs Friday at 7 p.m. ET (US ESPN/ESPN+, Canada Sportsnet/TVA Sports); Rounds 2-7 follow Saturday at 11 a.m. ET (NHL Network/ESPN+, Canada Sportsnet). A Draft Reaction Show will stream on the Sabres’ channels after the first round, and a Draft Fan Fest at Ticketmaster Alumni Plaza offers red-carpet arrivals and family-friendly activities for top prospects.
Bleacher Report surveys all 30 teams, listing each team’s top three targets in trades or free agency after the 2026 NBA Draft, highlighting bold fits, cap realities, and paths for upgrades—from Giannis to the Heat and LaMelo Ball to the Timberwolves to a mix of veteran and youth options across the league.
Bleacher Report's final 2026 NHL Mock Draft places Gavin McKenna at No. 1 to Toronto, notes the Blues hold four first-round picks and the Sharks three after the trade deadline, and runs 32 pick projections with detailed player profiles and team fits reflecting an unusually active draft order.