Favorite underrated fantasy football draft picks from Rounds 1-11 in 10-team leagues

Everyone has their favorites, and I'm thrilled to share mine for the 2026 season. I've dissected Yahoo ADP and compared the results to my own projections to find the players who should have more value in our hosted leagues. This list is an even mix of safe options and high-ceiling players, with players selected from all positions and at all points in the draft.

With an ADP of Pick 9, Cook barely fits into the first round of 10-team leagues. But I'm drafting him over Jonathan Taylor, who is being selected three picks earlier, and I could make a case that he can be preferred over Christian McCaffrey, who has incredible upside but is also the riskiest first-round option.

The 2025 rushing champion is still in his prime at age 26 and has had a moderate career workload with 842 carries. Cook's membership in a Josh Allen-led offense gives him a much higher floor than Taylor, who is part of an unstable offensive unit and missed 16 games over the past four seasons.

I'm fully on board with the popular plan of starting with running backs in standard 2026 formats. Brown's heavy usage in an explosive Bengals passing game gives him a high floor. After all, the 26-year-old has tallied 123 catches and nine receiving scores over the past two seasons. Brown also has some rushing upside with 13 TDs over the past two seasons, as Joe Burrow is not a threat to steal many goal-line scores. Unless a manager is wary of Burrow's durability, Brown belongs in the same tier as Taylor and Cook.

I will happily select Bowers or Cardinals tight end Trey McBride in Round 3. Both players are good bets for 1,000-yard seasons, which will provide fantasy managers with a massive advantage over their opponents each week. My 2026 draft plan is to either go early or late at tight end, as most of the middle tier either have QB questions (Kyle Pitts Sr., Harold Fannin Jr.) or are returning from major injuries (Tucker Kraft, George Kittle).

There is a terrific tier of wide receivers in Round 4, with Flowers being my personal favorite ahead of Tee Higgins, Rashee Rice, Jaylen Waddle and Tetairoa McMillan. The Ravens are expected to throw the ball more often this season, which is good news for … wait … who are their other pass catchers?

Isaiah Likely left in free agency, Mark Andrews had 422 yards in 17 games last year, Ja'Kobi Lane is a rookie, Rashod Bateman has been a bust and Derrick Henry rarely catches passes. That leaves Flowers, who should improve on his 86-catch, 1,211-yard 2025 effort.

McConkey is the last receiver who requires little wish-casting to project a dominant season. After all, the third-year vet already enjoyed a terrific campaign when he caught 82 passes for 1,149 yards as a rookie in 2024. His role was limited last season in a Chargers offense that lacked creativity and battled OL injuries throughout the campaign. But the arrival of Mike McDaniel, who is so proficient at calling plays that he once made Tua Tagovailoa an NFL passing leader, is going to unleash the Chargers offense, with McConkey being the primary beneficiary.

I'm not worried about age when it comes to Adams, as Hall of Fame receivers of his ilk often age well. Adams, who scored 14 TDs in 14 games last season, will continue to be part of a prolific Rams passing attack that has a surprisingly narrow range of options for Matthew Stafford. After all, Sean McVay offenses rarely throw to running backs, and the Rams lack an established third receiver. The tight ends will combine for a solid reception total, but there will be plenty of passes directed in Adams' direction.

I'll throw this thought out there: what if we haven't seen the best of the ultra-talented Williams? The former Alabama star projected as a No. 1 receiver when the Lions selected him 12th overall in 2022, only to see injuries, a lack of maturity and inattention to detail slow his progress.

Williams has made strides each season, and Jared Goff recently raved about his training camp improvements . The Lions have a favorable schedule and an offensive coordinator (Drew Petzing) who loves to throw the ball. Williams is already one of football's best deep threats and could be a fantasy star if he can catch a couple more underneath passes each game.

The middle rounds are meant for chasing upside, which is the case for Williams in Round 7 and Washington in Round 8. Jaguars head coach Liam Coen is known for creating fantasy stars, and his next one may be Washington, who played at a 1,200-yard pace over his final nine games of 2025. Brian Thomas Jr. will run deep patterns as the X receiver and Jakobi Meyers will catch a few balls each week, but Washington is the man who will lead the team in targets.

This group is full of defenses and uninspiring options. Instead, I'll grab two players from the next two rounds.

I'm waiting on QB this year, as the position is incredibly flat and deep. Nix and Brock Purdy are fine options in Round 10. I'll choose Nix, who quietly led the NFL in passing attempts last season and was handed a No. 1 receiver when the team acquired Jaylen Waddle. Nix also has a solid rushing floor, having averaged 393 yards in his two seasons. And with Waddle by his side, he figures to establish a new career-high in passing yards and TDs.

Round 11: Kyler Murray, QB, Vikings (or Jared Goff, QB, Lions)

Truthfully, I like Murray and Goff as much as Nix and Purdy for those who have the conviction to wait on drafting a QB. Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell is an elite offensive guru, who can only be stopped by the horrific QB play of J.J. McCarthy. With O'Connell running the show and Justin Jefferson attacking the secondary, Murray is in a much better situation than any of his years with Arizona. And of course, Murray has a rushing ceiling that can be matched by only a few QBs.

That said, I wouldn't argue with anyone who prefers Goff and his ultra-high floor as the leader of one of football's best offenses. After all, Goff has averaged 4,552 yards and 32.5 passing TDs over the past four seasons, and the Lions offense shows no signs of slowing down.