All articles tagged with #draft strategy
CBS Sports fantasy expert Jamey Eisenberg updates his 2026 do-not-draft list, arguing that 12 players are overdrafted at their ADP and should be avoided in all drafts, while also reclassifying several big names as riskier bets due to injuries, workload concerns, or team changes and offering recommended alternatives.
A round-by-round fantasy football guide using FantasyPros ADP, outlining eight rounds of targets and fades for 2026. Targets include James Cook in Round 1 and Malik Nabers in Round 3, with late-round upside picks like Colston Loveland, Luther Burden, Marvin Harrison, and Chris Godwin; fades cover Justin Jefferson, Josh Allen, Breece Hall, Cam Skattebo, TreVeyon Henderson, Carnell Tate, Kyle Pitts, and RJ Harvey. The approach emphasizes early running back priority, quarterback value, and risk management across the eight rounds.
This article ranks 12-team fantasy football draft slots by half-PPR value for 2026, assigning players to each slot and identifying two major tier breaks: after the top six players and after the top 28. It emphasizes No. 1 as particularly valuable when Jahmyr Gibbs is the top player, notes that slots 7–8 can gain extra appeal depending on your elite-player holdings, and provides slot-by-slot values and player assignments to guide draft decisions.
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' panel of experts flags 24 players to fade at their 2026 ADP, highlighting injury histories, uncertain offensive environments, and limited receiving upside as reasons to avoid several RBs and WRs in the early rounds and steer drafts toward safer targets.
Dwain McFarland presents a four-question framework for 2026 fantasy QB drafts—league-winning criteria, supply/demand, scoring/starting requirements, and value vs. cost—centered on averaging 20+ PPG (with early-round QBs often surpassing 21 PPG) and using ADP to decide when to pounce or wait; Jalen Hurts is highlighted as a top-priority target alongside other projected stars such as Josh Allen, Jayden Daniels, and Kyler Murray.
FantasyPros’ experts spotlight Brock Purdy, Tyler Shough, Trevor Lawrence, and Justin Herbert as their go-to QBs for 2026, citing Purdy’s consistent QB1 production, Shough’s late-season surge and rushing upside, Lawrence’s breakout under coach Liam Coen and strong running, and Herbert’s elite upside with a healthier offensive line; they expect these players to outperform their ADP in both standard and superflex leagues.
The article flags five players—Luther Burden III, Travis Etienne, Jayden Daniels, George Kittle, and Michael Wilson—as overvalued in CBS’s 2026 fantasy ADP, arguing that hype from training-camp buzz and new team roles could push their ADPs beyond realistic value and that their opportunities may not match expectations due to injuries, competition, or changing offenses.
FantasyPros analyst Ellis Bryn Johnson recommends five tight ends to target in 2026 (George Kittle, Isaiah Likely, Dallas Goedert, Chig Okonkwo, and Dalton Schultz), arguing that steady usage and breakout potential can push them into top-10 finishes. Kittle’s upside is tempered by injury risk, Likely and Okonkwo show breakout traits in productive offenses, Goedert remains a value despite TD volatility, and Schultz offers high-volume security with CJ Stroud’s offense. The piece also suggests drafting Kittle at a reasonable ADP and pairing him with a later TE, while treating Schultz as a viable late-punt option if the offense stays productive.
FantasyPros identifies 2026 sleeper targets by comparing expert rankings to ADP, listing running backs like Isiah Pacheco, Keaton Mitchell, and Demond Claiborne and wide receivers such as Jalen McMillan and Tre Harris, with notes on chance to exceed expectations and where they stand in drafts.
The Chicago Cubs opened the 2026 MLB draft by taking Mississippi right-hander Cade Townsend at No. 23 and then used 16 of 21 picks on pitchers, signaling a clear push to fortify the pitching staff. The class leaned heavily on college arms (eight from the Big Ten/ACC/SEC) with only two high school selections, including Dylan Blomker from La Cueva HS. They also stocked the lineup with big-power college hitters Myles Bailey (Florida State) and Caden Sorrell (Texas Tech), weighing elite power against swing-and-miss. Behind-the-scenes notes included Brennan Hudson as a “gut-feel” catcher and Chase Meyer’s West Virginia background, reflecting the Cubs’ thorough, information-driven process to build pitching depth and college-developed talent for the system.
The NFL’s supplemental draft uses three groups based on 2025 records, with weighted lotteries and per-round bidding to determine order. If teams think Brendan Sorsby could develop into a starter, they may bid to move him up—even into round one—despite risks including a potential 2026 suspension and concerns about gambling history, meaning his draft stock could rise higher than expected as teams game the system for upside.
The piece defends the Rams’ Ty Simpson selection as a prudent, long-term move rather than a desperate, win-now gamble. It argues that Los Angeles isn’t “one player away,” that McVay’s comments about past success not guaranteeing future results show a reality-based approach to draft decisions, and that Simpson’s pick is about development and future potential rather than an immediate impact for next season.
Brad Holmes reiterates the Lions won’t draft for need at the expense of talent, but the 2026 picks—OT Blake Miller, DE Derrick Moore, and LB Jimmy Rolder—appeared to line up with Detroit’s top needs, prompting debate whether his stance has shifted or if the alignment was simply a favorable board outcome. Holmes says any ties or premium positions may have guided choices without sacrificing talent, leaving room for discussion about a strategic pivot versus fortunate alignment.
San Francisco’s 2026 draft recap shows John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan explaining an eight-player class built for long-term development and roster competition. The 49ers shuffled picks with multiple trades (including a back-and-forth with the Ravens for extra future capital and a trade of Dee Winters to Dallas) to maximize value, while emphasizing versatility and character in the new rookies. Key selections like Kaelon Black, Gracen Halton, Jaden Dugger, Enrique Cruz Jr., and others are viewed as long-term fits who can contribute at different spots, with the team prioritizing best-player value over immediate need and planning to integrate the rookies into the offseason program.