Updated Fantasy Football Rankings After the 2026 Preseason

One week. That's all that stands between us and the first game of the 2026 NFL season. When the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots kick off their Super Bowl LX rematch on Sept. 9, another fantasy football season will begin.

That leaves one final draft weekend: One last chance for managers who have been drafting all summer, and the first opportunity for those who have waited until the last minute to assemble a roster for the season ahead.

The end of draft season is always exciting, nerve-wracking and a little sad.

We're here to build on that excitement, ease those nerves and dry those tears. You'll find a range of resources to help make your final draft of 2026 your best, including PPR rankings by position and overall, plus values and sleepers to target and busts to avoid.

Before we get to the position-by-position rankings, let's take a look at the draft-day landscape from 10,000 feet with a list of the top fantasy players overall in PPR leagues in 2026.

As we do, though, consider this piece of wisdom from the great philosopher Michael Gerard Tyson: "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth."

Follow this list blindly and take the highest-ranked player in every round, and you could run into trouble. Likewise, rigidly committing to a Zero RB approach without accounting for how the draft is unfolding can leave you at a disadvantage.

Stay alert: Draft flow and the approaches of other managers can significantly affect your decisions. Preparation is essential, but you must remain flexible when the draft does not unfold as expected.

Be ready, be flexible and remember the one principle that should guide you: value.

Quarterback is the most important position in the NFL. But that importance doesn't carry over into fantasy football.

This isn't to say elite signal-callers don't have value. But that value is muted by the high price tag it takes to acquire them in drafts. More often than not, the "edge" gained by drafting a high-end QB isn't worth the hole it leaves at running back or wide receiver.

The smart play at quarterback is patience. There are signal-callers available in the QB8-QB12 range with legitimate top-five upside, and you can be the last team in a 12-team league to draft a starter under center and still be fine.

Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars ( ADP : QB10)

Lawrence finished last year fourth among quarterbacks in fantasy points, and from Week 10 on he quietly led the position. The Jaguars have no shortage of passing-game weapons and Liam Coen's offense has produced back-to-back top-five finishes at quarterback. Three in a row is a real possibility.

Nix has shown no ill effects from the fractured ankle that ended his 2025 season. The Broncos added a high-end weapon in the offseason in wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, and Denver was quietly fourth in the league last year with 613 pass attempts. Nix was seventh in fantasy points among quarterbacks a year ago.

Allen is an example of why high-end fantasy quarterbacks aren't worth the high-end price tag. Yes, he was fantasy's highest scoring quarterback last year, but it was by less than a fantasy point per game over Matthew Stafford, who came off the board over 10 rounds later.

Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals (ADP: QB3)

Burrow is the highest-ranked pure pocket passer in terms of average draft position—and that is not a good thing. For him to return value, he has to post ridiculous passing numbers a la two years ago. He also has a lengthy history and plays behind a sketchy offensive line.

Goff isn't an especially exciting fantasy option. He doesn't have any rushing upside. But he was second in the league in passing yards last year, is at the helm of one of the NFL's most prolific offenses and he hasn't finished lower than seventh in fantasy points among quarterbacks over the past three years.

Kyler Murray, Minnesota Vikings (ADP: QB17)

Murray won the starting job under center in the Twin Cities. The Vikings offense has plenty of weapons. Murray has demonstrated elite fantasy upside in the past. And we have already seen Kevin O'Connell have success with a reclamation project.

Whether you're an old-school fantasy drafter who likes to attack the running back position early or a Zero RB drafter who prefers to fade the position until the later rounds, there's one buzzword to remember where running backs are concerned: scarcity.

Running back is the shallowest position in fantasy football. In an era of committee attacks and muddied backfields, the number of every-down workhorses seemingly shrinks by the year.

Never mind the injuries that have already hit the position this year. Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty and Arizona Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Love are already dealing with ankle injuries, with Love reportedly sidelined by a high ankle sprain. Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs is on the Commissioner's Exempt List following an offseason arrest.

Proceed with caution: the backfield is full of potential pitfalls.

Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams (ADP: RB15)

Yes, Williams ceded some touches to Blake Corum over the second half of last season. But his efficiency numbers were better than in 2024, and his yardage and fantasy production remained essentially unchanged. Williams is going to post a fourth straight top-10 fantasy campaign—with an RB2 price tag in drafts.

Tony Pollard, Tennessee Titans (ADP: RB30)

Pollard inspires little enthusiasm among fantasy drafters, but he's the unquestioned lead back for the Titans. Pollard and Derrick Henry of the Baltimore Ravens are the only two active running backs with four straight 1,000-yard seasons on the ground.

Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers (ADP: RB3)

McCaffrey was fantasy's highest-scoring running back last year, but there's zero chance he repeats that feat. He is a 30-year-old running back coming off a career-high 413 touches who missed 13 games both times he has come off a season with 2,000 total yards in his career.

Jeremiyah Love, Arizona Cardinals (ADP: RB13)

This analyst was already avoiding Love at his ADP because of concerns about the Cardinals' offense. Now, the third overall pick in April's draft enters his first professional season managing an ankle injury. With Tyler Allgeier also on the roster and $54 million in guaranteed money committed to their rookie runner, Arizona has ample reason to manage his workload carefully early in the season.

Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers (ADP: RB36)

With Hubbard missing a chunk of camp and all of the preseason with a bad hamstring, many fantasy managers have anointed Jonathon Brooks the lead back in Carolina and written Hubbard off entirely. But Brooks has carried the ball all of nine time for 22 yards over two seasons in the NFL. He's also torn his ACL twice.

Chris Rodriguez Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars (ADP : RB43)

The general consensus among fantasy managers is that Bhayshul Tuten is the running back to roster in fantasy leagues this year. But Rodriguez is a Liam Coen favorite who has averaged 4.6 yards per carry in his career. The backfield workload in Duval County could wind up being a lot closer to an even split.

The days of wide receivers as second-class citizens in fantasy football are over.

With more and more teams running pass-heavy schemes and sets with three or four wide receivers, the list of fantasy-relevant wideouts has grown.

Add in the prevalence of PPR scoring, and elite wideouts can throw down just as many points as their counterparts at running back. As a whole, wide receivers also have a lower bust rate.

Given those realities, many fantasy managers now swear by addressing the position early and often. But wide receiver is considerably deeper than running back. Once you get beyond the top 36 RBs, the drop-off becomes much steeper. At that point in the wide receiver rankings, though, there are still plenty of players who can help a fantasy team.

No position affords more flexibility than wide receiver. Take advantage of it.

Jaylen Waddle, Denver Broncos (ADP: WR20)

Waddle is one of this analyst's favorite wide receiver targets. He has demonstrated top-10 upside in the past and appears to have developed a quick rapport with quarterback Bo Nix. Waddle projects to be the Broncos' No. 1 receiver in 2026 and should outperform this draft cost by a wide margin.

Carnell Tate, Tennessee Titans (ADP: WR32)

It's understandable that fantasy mangers have some concerns about the passing attack in Tennessee after the team was 30th in the league in that regard a year ago. But Cam Ward showed an affinity for chucking the rock downfield as a rookie, and in 2026 those vertical targets are going to go to the fourth overall pick in April's draft.

Malik Nabers, New York Giants (ADP: WR12)

The fantasy ceiling with Nabers is sky-high—he was sixth in PPR points among wide receivers as a rookie. But while it looks like he will be a go for Week 1 after tearing his ACL last season, the lack of an offseason isn't going to help his chances of a fast start. He is being drafted far closer to his fantasy ceiling than his floor.

Rashee Rice, Kansas City Chiefs (ADP: WR13)

On a per-game basis, Rice has demonstrated elite fantasy upside. But he's also had all kinds of trouble staying in those games—he has missed an average of 11 games a season the past two years. Throw in Patrick Mahomes returning from an ACL tear, and Rice is a pass as a high-end fantasy WR2.

Stefon Diggs, Washington Commanders (ADP: WR41)

Diggs was quietly good for the New England Patriots and fantasy managers alike last year, catching 85 passes, topping 1,000 receiving yards and finishing inside the top-20 wide receivers in PPR points. Expecting a repeat is pushing the boundaries of optimism, but expecting cheap WR3 numbers isn't.

Jalen Coker, Carolina Panthers (ADP: WR54)

Coker's numbers over his first two seasons have been relatively modest, but the Panthers thought enough of him to offer a lucrative offseason extension. Carolina head coach Dave Canales has identified him as the team's No. 2 receiver. If Bryce Young takes a step forward in 2026, Coker could be one of the biggest beneficiaries.

Drafting a tight end in 2026 is like playing Let's Make a Deal : There are three doors to choose from. Fantasy managers just need to hope they find the Big Deal—and avoid getting zonked.

Door No. 1 is the elite options. They have a high ceiling, a relatively high floor and a high price tag to go along with it.

Door No. 2 is the Tier 2 tight ends—a handful of TEs who have the potential to crack the top tier but also face question marks. Lower prices. Higher risk.

Then there's Door No. 3: the late-round options outside the top 10. The upside is that if one of these tight ends hits, you can find excellent value. The downside is the uncertainty—drafting two may be prudent because none is a sure thing.

This analyst appears to be choosing Door No. 3 more often than not in 2026—and isn't sure that's a good idea.

Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs (ADP: TE11)

Yes, Kelce is 73 years old. Or 36. Whatever. Yes, Kelce averaged a career-low 50.1 receiving yards per game in 2025. But even in that "down" season, he finished third among tight ends in PPR scoring. The last time Kelce did not finish as a top-five fantasy tight end was 2014.

Isaiah Likely, New York Giants (ADP: TE12)

After four years in Mark Andrews' shadow in Baltimore, Likely followed John Harbaugh to New York. When the targets were there for him with the Ravens, he showed legitimate top-five fantasy upside. And with Malik Nabers sitting much of the summer, Likely has had all sorts of time to build a connection with Jaxson Dart.

Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals (ADP: TE2)

This isn't to say McBride shouldn't be the second tight end drafted. But as we have moved through the summer, all the value has been drained from his asking price—he's being drafted just a few spots after Brock Bowers now. McBride is going to regress after a historic 2025 campaign. The only question is by how much.

Harold Fannin Jr., Cleveland Browns (ADP: TE8)

Fannin had an outstanding rookie season, leading the Browns in receptions, receiving yards and touchdown catches while finishing sixth among tight ends in PPR scoring. However, Cleveland's offensive uncertainty is one of several factors that could make a repeat performance difficult.

Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints (ADP: TE16)

Johnson is generating little in the way of fantasy buzz this summer, but he quietly ranked inside the top five among tight ends in both receptions and receiving yards last year on the way to a ninth-place finish in fantasy points. With Jordyn Tyson out indefinitely, Johnson should see a robust target share early in the season.

TE Greg Dulcich, Miami Dolphins (ADP: TE26)

To be clear, Dulcich isn't an elite talent—he's never had even 425 receiving yards in a season. But someone is going to have to catch the ball in Miami this year, and he had a strong camp. This is a dart throw, but it could pay off if Dulcich starts piling up garbage-time stats.

Despite all protestations and proclamations that swear there is, there really isn't a "best" draft strategy.

Leagues can be won and lost in all sorts of ways. Fantasy managers need to choose a plan they are comfortable executing—and be ready to pivot when another manager disrupts it three rounds into the draft.

That's fantasy football. Flexibility is critical on draft day. Except where defenses and kickers are involved. There, the strategy is rigid: wait.

In the vast majority of fantasy leagues, there is no reason to draft a defense and a kicker before your final two picks—in that order.

For a defense, target a unit with one or two favorable early matchups. When the schedule becomes less favorable, turn to the waiver wire. For a kicker, take the best option available.

Jacksonville Jaguars Defense (ADP: DST10)

Again, the smart play with defenses is to target a good one with a plus matchup or two to open the season. The schedule admittedly stiffens for the Jaguars after the opener, but the NFL's No. 1 run defense from a year ago hosts a Browns team that fielded the league's second-worst scoring offense in 2025.

Cam Little, Jacksonville Jaguars (ADP: PK5)

There is no reason why Little shouldn't be the first kicker drafted, if only because it's just a joy to have the youngster on a fantasy roster. There's a lot to be said for the feeling you get when he lines up for a 62-yard attempt and you know he's going to punch it through halfway up the uprights.

Aaron Donald's return gives the Rams an even more formidable front after the team added edge rusher Myles Garrett and cornerback Trent McDuffie. Expectations for Los Angeles' defense are understandably high. However, its early schedule is challenging, with four 2025 playoff teams among its first five opponents.

Brandon Aubrey, Dallas Cowboys (ADP: PK1)

Aubrey is a fantastic kicker—he's been a Pro Bowler all three years in the NFL and never finished lower than third in fantasy points among kickers. But even in his first-place season at the position (2023), he outscored the 10th-ranked kicker by less than two points per game. There's no edge there. Just a wasted flier.

The Raiders defense was not especially good last season—to put it kindly. However, Las Vegas invested heavily in its front seven during free agency and retained edge rusher Maxx Crosby. More importantly for early-season streaming, the Raiders open against a Dolphins offense with significant questions entering 2026.

Chris Boswell, Pittsburgh Steelers (ADP: PK13)

Boswell is not the flashiest fantasy option, but he has been productive. As recently as 2024, no kicker scored more fantasy points. He also plays for an offense that should be competent, if not elite—the type of unit that can stall in the red zone and create frequent field-goal opportunities.

Gary Davenport is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year. Follow Gary on X at @IDPGodfather .