2026 Fantasy Football Draft Strategy: The Dream Draft Guide 5.0

Welcome to the Dream Draft Year 5!

 

Each August, I publish this guide to highlight “my guys” for the upcoming season. I highlight players I’m targeting across all my drafts and to walk through the exact strategy I’m using to construct my season-long fantasy football rosters in a round-by-round format. Over the last three seasons, I’ve used this article to win around 65% of the leagues I’ve entered.

I typically play in 6-10 competitive money leagues each season, in addition to two long-running “home leagues.” The strategies I’ll outline here are designed specifically for re-draft and home-style leagues, not best ball formats.

That distinction matters. Best ball has taken over much of the fantasy football landscape in recent years, but re-draft and best ball are two very different games. Roster construction, player prioritization, and in-season management all vary – so it’s crucial to tailor your draft approach accordingly.

The most important edge you can give yourself in re-draft is understanding your league’s scoring and roster settings. Everything from PPR vs half-PPR to superflex, TE premium, or unique starting lineups can dramatically shift player value and draft strategy. While this article assumes standard roster construction (1QB, 2RB, 3WR, 1TE, 1FLEX), I’ll also note where certain picks or approaches are flexible based on league scoring.

With that said, let’s dive into how I’m building my 2026 fantasy teams – who I’m targeting, where I’m drafting them, and why they’ve earned a spot on the my guys list this season.

2026 General Re-Draft Strategy and Approach 

When analyzing the 2026 redraft fantasy football landscape there are three main strategies that I think can be deployed:

OP RB (overpowered): Drafting 2-3 RB’s in the first four rounds.

Hero RB: My personal favorite from the last few years, drafting a RB in the first or second round and using them as your anchor while focusing on high-upside more cost-effective options in the later rounds. 

Zero RB: Avoiding RB in the first five or six rounds while loading up on WR’s, an elite TE and potentially a top QB as well. 

Like the last few years of this blog, I think the middle rounds (3-7) are so good at WR it’s really hard to want to take a RB in those spots thus making RB early the preferred strategy. That being said, in home league or traditional redraft formats I believe anyone in the trenches like me, or someone consuming content, can win on the waiver wire weekly so you don’t have to force yourself onto one specific strategy. Let the draft come to you. 

A big change for me this year is my affinity for late–round QB. This is something that we did regularly eight or nine years ago when I first started creating season long content and then when guys like Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts, Josh Allen and more joined the fold at QB it became harder for me to avoid their rushing ceiling in home league drafts. There’s options that can run late this year, and some pocket passers are in really strong spots from a schedule point of view so I think I will be waiting as long as possible on QB in my main leagues and drafting two as opposed to just one like years past. 

Let’s get into the picks…

Note: I will use Sleeper ADP’s from my own home league for the analysis 

Round 1 

• What Pick Do You Have?

As noted above, once again this year I think the main focus is RB early followed by hammering WR in the middle rounds where there’s a ton of upside options. I don’t need to over analyze the players that get selected in Round 1 because we know they’re all good players – but more so the situation that they’re in this season. If I have a top two or three pick and can get one of Jahmyr Gibbs or Bijan Robinson I would do so – after that it’s very clearly Ja’Marr Chase and Puka Nacua as the next best thing. After those four players – it becomes a more personal preference of how you want to build a team. I’m higher on Amon-Ra St. Brown than Jaxon Smith-Njigba so I would prefer ARSB if you want a WR after the top-four. I prefer five or six RB’s over any other WR after ARSB — which is why I think starting RB/RB is a real possibility if you pick towards the back end of Round 1. With all that being said, it really just comes down to what pick I have this year. If I come away with any of Gibbs/Robinson/Nacua/Chase I’m happy and if not then I’m probably looking to go RB/RB with my favorite Round 2 target…

 

Round 2

• Kenneth Walker
• Brock Bowers
• Nico Collins

That favorite target being Kenneth Walker. I’ve made a few short form videos around this subject, but I’m very convinced that not only will Kenneth Walker be one of the best fantasy players for the 2026 season but I think there’s a world where he wins Offensive Player of the Year. It feels like a perfect storm for K9 coming off a Super Bowl MVP – stepping into a workhorse role that we’ve sought since he was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks. There was a time where Andy Reid RB’s were coveted in fantasy football — but the recent performance of guys like Isiah Pacheco and Clyde Edwards-Helaire has clouded the public’s memory. They made Walker one of the highest paid RB’s in football at the time of his signing and with Mahomes coming back from a serious injury it’s very clear that Walker is their most explosive playmaker on offense and should be treated as such. We got a report a few days ago that he’s “getting the ball all the time” at camp and I don’t doubt that report one bit. I think he’s a smash this season. 

If you get sniped on Walker or simply don’t agree with me – in home league and general redraft I think Brock Bowers is a great look here as well. It checks the box of positional scarcity, and I have him as the number one overall TE heading into the season. Nobody can overstate how impactful Klint Kubiak will be for this offense – especially Bowers – as he utilized TE’s heavily during his time in Seattle. Bowers is a true generational TE talent and he should be used all over the formation. 

If you pick at the back-end of Round 1 and were able to secure Gibbs or Robinson I don’t mind forgoing the remaining RBs in this range and selecting Nico Collins. I’m sky high on the Texans this season – and the Jayden Higgins injury definitely changes some things. Per Sports Info Solutions – Collins saw a nearly 30% target rate with Higgins off the field in 2025 and nobody the Texans bring in at this stage of the off-season is going to be comparable to the leap we thought Higgins would take. The addition of an actual run game for the Texans, should open up things more through the air for Collins. 

Round 3

• Chris Olave
• DeVonta Smith

Round 3 is simple for me with one of Chris Olave or DeVonta Smith being a big priority. I was already higher on consensus with Olave – which I’m sure is not a shock to anyone that’s followed me in the past. This Jordan Tyson injury cannot be overstated, however, and pushes him even further up my board. There’s two keys that really improve the overall outlook for me aside from the Tyson injury and that’s how much better I think the Saints OL will be and how much worse I think their defense will be. This team reeks of shootouts weekly and they have a nut schedule to open up the season in September as well. 

Smitty is another player that’s a favorite around these parts and I believe he is fully ready to ascend with AJ Brown out of town. Anyone that really watches football – knows how good Smith is but I’m impressed by how he took a step vs zone coverage last season. He’s always been a man beater, but he graded really well against all coverage types last season per Reception Perception and now should be the focal point of this offense. 

Round 4

• Ladd McConkey
• Zay Flowers
• Garrett Wilson
• Travis Etienne?

Round 4 is absolutely loaded with quality, high-upside WRs and it’s why I like taking RB early so that we can load up here in the middle rounds. All of Zay Flowers, Ladd McConkey and Garrett Wilson look like fantastic picks at ADP – and I actually think some of them may slip to the end of this Round or the next so you should be able to secure one on my list here. 

Of the trio, Zay Flowers is my favorite. The Baltimore Ravens did nothing but bring rookies in to help Lamar Jackson from a playmaker perspective and I’m fully bought in and ready for the Zay Flowers eruption. He looks elite metrically, and has a new playcaller coming in. 

Note: Flowers just missed the cut for the “my guys” section – absolutely love him. 

Ladd McConkey also has a new playcaller coming in, Mike McDaniel, but I don’t trust the Chargers as much as I do the Ravens. Overall though, McConkey was someone I was high on since his time at Georgia and I won’t be upset securing him on my teams this season. 

Garrett Wilson is definitely third of the three, but I think the general public is underrating him as a player a bit. I understand that the situation is not as good as the aforementioned duo, but to be honest, he’s never really been in an optimal situation so that’s nothing new. I think the Jets can surprise some people, and the path to raw volume here is higher than most that go around him. 

If you missed out on RB, or only have one and want to secure a second I would look at Travis Etienne. High-paced, fast offense that plays in a dome with improved OL play and now Kamara is injured? Sign me up – but I still prefer the WR’s over him straight up. 

 

Round 5

• Luther Burden

This round is the easiest to decipher for me by far and it’s because I’m not leaving a single draft without my 2026 fantasy football ride or die (s/o Matthew Berry) Luther Burden. If you remember last season, we hit big a few times betting Burden late in the season when he started to actually get playing time for the Bears. They shipped off DJ Moore, and it’s very clear to me that Ben Johnson wants Burden and Colston Loveland to be the center pieces of this offense — two guys that he hand picked last draft. Burden was hyper efficient as a rookie once he got on the field, and all off-season we have heard Johnson comp him to Amon Ra St. Brown. I think we know what St. Brown did under Johnson in Detroit and I think we know how aggressively I drafted ARSB the last few seasons so it should be no shock I’m this high on Burden. I’m not worried at all about his groin injury, and all that’s done is given us a discount to be able to secure him around this draft position. I don’t expect Chicago to win as many games this season, and their defense is likely to take a step back meaning they could be forced into more shootouts. I think there’s a chance Burden gets picked around the 1-2 turn next season and we are simply just getting ahead of the curve here. Note: I will reach for him in Round 4 if I feel it’s necessary. 

Round 6

• Marvin Harrison JR
• Christian Watson
• Jadarian Price
• QB?

This round is super interesting, with strong WR and RB options presenting themselves. Really, this round more than any comes down to personal preference. 

I’ve faded Marvin Harrison JR each of his first two seasons in the NFL but the price is now at a point where I can justify buying in. It’s a new offense, and more importantly a non-Kyler Murray QB so I’m willing to take some chances. 

Christian Watson could very easily be a “league winner” at this price point. I would compare it to Chris Olave – who was around a 6th round pick last season – and now does in the 3rd round. For one, I think Jordan Love is severely underrated as a QB. I don’t doubt his ability to get guys the ball. With Josh Jacobs aging, we should see Love turned a bit more loose this season and with no Romeo Doubs, no Dontayvion Wicks, and Tucker Kraft coming off a major knee injury it’s likely going to be the Watson and Jayden Reed show. Both guys I love at ADP, and I could see Watson being a fourth round pick next season. 

If you miss out on one of the WR’s here, or are thin at RB still, Jadarian Price looks like the best option for me in this price range. Like most rookies, he will likely start the season slow but I do expect him to come on as it progresses and he could end up being a really good pick in this range. Losing Klint Kubiak is not ideal, but he has the chance to grow into the lead back here and he has a really strong profile. 

Note: I’ll likely avoid the upper-end up QB this season, but you could consider one here if you want one or if someone slips down the board. 

Round 7

• Parker Washington
• JK Dobbins
• Kyle Pitts

Parker Washington is every analyst’s favorite “sleeper” this season but I don’t even think he’s a sleeper at all – I just think he’s clearly the WR1 on this team. That’s what we saw from Jacksonville for the majority of the season last year and now Liam Coen has had another offseason to fine tune his offense there. Jakobi Meyers is reportedly wearing a brace on his hand – while I think Travis Hunter is more of a concern for Brian Thomas JR than he is Washington. Really tough schedule early on after Week 1, that opens up in the back half. Could be a player to send offers on in early October if someone reaches way up for him. 

If you miss out on Price, or simply preferred WR there, I think JK Dobbins is a great pick at current ADP. RJ Harvey is going to have a role, but I don’t think it directly impacts Dobbins who I still fully expect to be the lead back on a really good Broncos team. Dobbins gets a rep as an “old veteran” but he was still very good last year especially in burst and explosion. This is basically his first fully healthy off-season ever and I’m buying into him at this price in almost every draft I do. 

I’m not super interested in spending up on TE this season unless it’s Bowers, so this is about the range I would start to consider with Kyle Pitts. Everyone knows he’s my guy – and we even went viral on Twitter last season when we nailed his big eruption 3 TD game with our bets. I was all over Harold Fannin last year because of how Kevin Stefanski utilizes his TE’s, and that should be no different with Pitts this year. Atlanta might be flat out terrible though, so there is some risk. 

Round 8

• Jonathan Brooks
• Jordan Addison

Jonathan Brooks goes significantly lower in home league formats than best ball – and that’s something we can take advantage of. I’ve never been a huge Chuba Hubbard fan, and I do think Brooks has a path to fully take over the lead back role here. I think he’s the better player overall, and if you can get him late in the 7th or in the 8th I think he’s a great pick regardless of how many RB’s you have on your team currently. 

Jordan Addison is a smash pick where he goes, and I would take him on any team regardless of build. He’s in a fantasy friendly offense, and “supposedly” getting a QB upgrade with Kyler Murray. Much has been made about those two working out together in the off–season and the raw talent is better than anyone else that goes in this range.  

 

Round 9 + Beyond

• Chris Godwin
• Dalton Kincaid
• George Kittle/ Travis Kelce
• QB?

I want to shout out Chris Godwin who is an AMAZING pick at current ADP. I do not believe he is washed at all, and this Buccaneers offense is going to cook with Zac Robinson calling plays and Baker Mayfield in a contract season. I honestly would consider Godwin in Round 8, if Addison is gone in front of me. 

This is probably where I’m going to land on TE in most drafts, with Dalton Kincaid, George Kittle and Travis Kelce being my favorite targets. Kincaid is due for a big step forward this year, and if anything I think the DJ Moore addition helps him. Buffalo is still a top-overall offense so securing their TE one and second best target threat this late feels like stealing. 

I won’t take a QB over Kincaid or Godwin here, but this is about the range where I start to plan out how to secure my QB tandem. My favorite overall QB for redraft is Jared Goff – and he even made his way into the “My Guys” section below. Detroit has the stone nuts schedule this season, they don’t play an outdoor cold weather game until Week 17 and he still has an unreal supporting cast of players. It’s now or never for the Lions – and once again I think their secondary is terrible which should force them into shootouts. You also have players like Jaxson Dart and Kyler Murray who have rushing upside for a cheap price – as well as Brock Purdy who we always seem to end up drafting as well. There’s so many good QB’s priced after the top-10 in ADP I’m not sweating this position at all this year. 

Late Round + Back of the Draft Targets 

Malik Willis

Given that I like late round QB this season, as noted above that increases the likelihood of me taking multiple in redraft formats. The Dolphins are terrible no doubt, but Willis is legit good in my opinion from a fantasy perspective and has rushing ability. He won’t be viable every game, but this defense is going to force them into shootouts and I love the TD equity. 

Kenny Gainwell

Gainwell is one of my favorite overall picks this year regardless of your roster build. I’ve never been a big Bucky Irving guy and now he is coming back from injury. Gainwell is a good football player and will have a real role weekly as a pass catcher in my opinion which I love for full PPR formats. They will have him and Irving on the field a lot together, and anything he does rushing is just gravy. 

Keaton Mitchell

This is one of the most obvious picks at current ADP, to anyone that has watched a Mike McDaniel offense before. Mitchell is not going to back-up Hampton, but rather have his own independent role in my opinion. McDaniel is obsessed with speed and quickness and that’s what Mitchell brings to this offense. 

Chris Rodriguez

I liked Bhayshul Tuten earlier in the off-season but as we approach peak draft season he just goes too high for me to ever get him on my team and I prefer the WRs in that range anyways. CRod is good – and if you remember we liked him over Bill Croskey-Merritt last season. He should have a role day one in the red zone and it will only grow if Tuten misses any time. There’s a chance he is the best RB on the team from day one as well. 

De’Zhaun Stribling

This one needs no explanation as Stribling has mirrored Jerry Rice in 49ers training camp and early preseason games. I can’t remember anyone in recent times – maybe Tank Dell – doing as much in the first few preseason games like this. I’m holding a 35/1 OROY ticket and expect Shanny to maximize his talents right away. Evans/Kittle/Deebo are all injury threats and with no Pearsall Stribling could turn into the 49ers WR1 at any point 

Jalen Nailor

Tre Tucker is a good pick as well, but I’m kind of buying into Nailor as we approach the season. I’m more than willing to buy into a Klint Kubiak offense and he spent big to secure him in free agency. He has experience in this system from his time in Minnesota and he has always graded out extremely well metrically which is why I’m willing to believe that Kubiak actually wanted him and it wasn't just a fall-back option. There’s a chance that he is heavily involved alongside Bowers and the price is nonexistent. 

KC Concepcion

I was a big fan of KC at both NC State and Texas A&M and I’ve gone as far to comp him to Steve Smith – one of my all-time favorite NFL players. This offense is likely to be bad behind one of the worst OLs in football and serious QB questions, but I still think Concepcion can be a viable fantasy option as THE centerpiece of this offense. They’re going to get him the ball in a variety of ways, as you saw from his red zone rushing TD last weekend in their preseason game against the Bears. He’s cheap and a clear bet on talent option for me. 

Adonai Mitchell 

Another one of my OG guys, Mitchell should finally get a real opportunity with the Jets this season. He is so good at getting separation and getting down the field, he could hit in a big way at this ADP. 

Jakobi Lane

Lane has been THE TALK of Ravens camp and there is a chance he is the number two right away for them after Zay. I’ll buy in because I like the offense as a whole. 

Terrance Ferguson

If you follow me you know I’ve been a Ferg homer since his days at Oregon. Started to come on late last season and the camp reports are unreal on him. Fully expecting to operate more as a weapon on offense than just a traditional TE so I’m not worried about the crowded room. If Puka/Adams miss time he will be a direct beneficiary as well. Basically free in drafts. 

 

2026 Fantasy Football “My Guys” 

• Luther Burden
• Kenneth Walker
• Kenny Gainwell
• Parker Washington
• De’Zhaun Stribling
• Terrance Ferguson
• Jared Goff

 

Update Log 

I will include any strategy updates here if they apply as we head deeper into August and receive more injury news.