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Wolf’s Guys: The 11 Best Picks in 2026 Fantasy Football

Flag-Planting Time: Who are The Wolf’s 10 Best Picks in 2026 Fantasy Football?

The 2026 Fantasy Football season is just four days away from kicking off. I’ve done over 500 Best Ball drafts, while I have my 8th and 9th redraft fantasy drafts tonight. I’m sick, I know. But I am confident that, by now, I know the best picks in 2026 fantasy football.

Maybe you’re squeezing in a few last-minute drafts. Or maybe you’re admiring your glorious rosters and looking for some validation.

Regardless, it’s time to plant some flags. Here are The Wolf’s 10 Best Picks in 2026 Fantasy Football.

For even more of the Best Picks in 2026 Fantasy Football, as well as Round-by-Round strategy, targets, and fades check out The Wolf’s 2026 Fantasy Football Guide! Support a small fantasy brand & dominate your draft.

Guide Previews

The Best QB Picks in 2026 Fantasy Football

Trevor Lawrence (JAX-QB)

Trevor Lawrence just finished as the QB4 in 2025. Yet, based on his Round 7-8 & QB11 price tag, fantasy owners aren’t fully bought in… and I think Lawrence may only have been scratching the surface last season.

I had never really been a Trevor Lawrence guy throughout his career; however, last year, I included him on my QB Sleepers List  because I am a big Liam Coen fan. Despite clear improvements from the jump, the Jaguars and Lawrence had some growing pains. Through 11 games, the Jags averaged 24 points per game – not awful, but just 13th in the NFL.

Lawrence himself was the QB18 in FPPG (16.6), with 3-of-10 games as a Top-10 QB. Fine, but far from a fantasy smash (per RotoViz’s NFL Stat Explorer):

Following a Week 10 loss to the Texans, Coen told Lawrence “to let it rip.” According to ESPN, “Lawrence knew the offense, was making the right protection calls and audibles, but he wasn’t playing as freely as Coen wanted — and needed.”

For those final seven games, the Jaguars averaged 34.4 points per game, trailing only the Rams (35.1). They leapt from 27th in points per drive to third, and 25th in 10+ yard passing plays, all the way to third! 

Lawrence racked up 18 passing TDs and 4 rushing scores, and was the QB1, avg’ing 25 (!) FPPG, outscoring even Josh Allen in this span. He finished 2025 with all-but-one Top-12 performance:

Scariest of all? The Jags did this with Brian Thomas Jr., their most explosive and highest-upside weapon, largely a non-factor. This offense isn’t even close to its final form. 

By all accounts, Lawrence is picking up right where he left off. He’s having the “most calm” offseason, with no injury management, coaching changes, or overhauls to his weapons. Lawrence has expressed “how much more comfortable” he is in Year 2, and that he can play so much faster, with much less stress – he’s able to react to the defense much better now. Beat writers are raving, saying “”Having covered each offseason program of [Trevor] Lawrence’s career, this has easily been one of his best.”

Most importantly, the downfield game, especially with BTJ, is now clicking at a dangerous level. In fact, BTJ is earning “Team MVP” honors in OTAs for the chemistry he and Lawrence are displaying, and the renewed motivation and effort Thomas is displaying.

Yet… no one seems to be buying into the Jags. Vegas projects them to lose the most points per game, dropping from 27.7 to 23.18.  No single player is going inside the Top-50 in Fantasy drafts, within an offense that has already proven it can lead the NFL in scoring… AND still hasn’t peaked!

I do understand partially why Jaguars in general are so discounted (no Jags off the board until Round 5 / 6), and it’s because of ambiguity. Even if you do believe that the Jags and Liam Coen will produce sizable and tasty fantasy pies, it’s tough to confidently know who will be fed the biggest slices.

Either way, I am loading up on Lawrence, the head chef. 

No matter who he ends up feeding (as you’ll soon see, I think it’s Parker Washington), Lawrence himself will be racking up the fantasy goodness, assuming he can maintain or even leap from his end-of-season hot streak. At 29.8% Exposure on Underdog, he’s my second-highest drafted QB, behind only Drake Maye.

In Round 7 / 8, Lawrence provides equal upside to the QBs going in the Round 2-5 range, but far less opportunity cost. Even if the offense is just close to the way they finished, Lawrence will destroy this price. Yet, if BTJ improves and/or the offense just continues ascending in Year 2 under Coen, look out. Lawrence and the Jaguars could go bananas.

Brock Purdy (QB-SF)

When hunting for QB Upside after Pick 100, we want to look for:

  1. 100+ Rush Attempts a game, or
  2. “McShanny” System guys

Unlike Drake Maye last year or Jayden Daniels the year before, Late-Round Konami QBs are mostly in short supply (although I do have a few Konami QB targets in my 2026 Fantasy Football Sleepers article, as well as tons in my 2026 Fantasy Football Draft Guide).

However, since the “McShanny” System is what we want… why not target the QB(s) playing for the trunks of these trees, especially Brock Purdy.

Since 2023, here are the Leaders in FPG (2023-2025)

1. Josh Allen (24.0)

2. Lamar Jackson (21.9)

3. Jalen Hurts (21.1)

4. Jayden Daniels (20.2)

5. Brock Purdy (19.5) [ADP: QB13]

6. Joe Burrow (19.4) [ADP: QB3]

7. Patrick Mahomes (19.3)

Yes, since becoming the starter, Purdy has been a better Fantasy QB than both Joe Burrow (who goes 4+ rounds ahead of him) AND Patrick Mahomes. 

And Purdy hasn’t been better in just FPPG, either. Per Fantasy Points’ Scott Barrett, look at how Purdy grades out in a number of statistical categories:

In fact, Purdy isn’t just better than these two studs. He’s been virtually better than any QB in the league in efficiency. Per Ian Hartitz, Purdy is No. 1 QB in the Super Bowl era in yards per attempt, passer rating, and passing success rate.

Ultimately, Purdy has been a Top-3 passer in pretty much any metric, for any route distance, and any layer of the field (especially deep and in the Red Zone). 

Brock Purdy’s 2025 Red Zone EPA per Dropback (0.42) ranks 2nd among all QBs since 2021. Purdy is the only QB in the last 20 years that has completed over 50% of his throws that he has thrown into the end zone. Purdy’s an elite, pin-point Red Zone passer. When you add in Mike Evans, one of the best Red Zone weapons in the game, Davante Adams-style usage feels likely, and Purdy’s TD Ceiling is astronomical.

But he’s not just elite in the Red Zone. Purdy is also incredible throwing deep.

Imagine what he can achieve with Mike Evans and 33rd overall burner De’Zhaun Stribling, who has been the Rookie STAR of the 2026 Preseason.

The fact the 49ers added two elite deep-threats is noteworthy. Per Beat Writers, the 49ers are making a concerted effort for “bona fide return to offensive explosiveness this season.” Purdy wrote adding these “third-level” players is especially important:

“We’ve been able to bring in personnel…The third-level throws down the field are definitely a thing we delved into and looked at this offseason. How can we get those kinds of plays and explosives? In order to get those, you need the right guys to do it.I think we have shown that we have some speed now. From what I’ve seen the first two days, being able to air it out and get guys out in those positions, man, for me, I’m like, ‘Let’s go.’ It brings a whole other dynamic to our offense”

During 2023, the offense they are trying to recreate, “Purdy completed 33 of 57 passes for 1,060 yards on throws that traveled more than 20 yards downfield. His adjusted completion rate of 61.4% on such throws was the best on Pro Football Focus’ record, which goes back over two decades, and his 12:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio was also superb.”

They’ve lacked the deep weaponry in recent seasons with Aiyuk’s injury and then drama. Even still, Purdy’s 52.9% adjusted completion percentage on throws traveling over 20 yards was second-best.

Thus, Purdy is a phenomenal, efficient thrower in the ways that rack up fantasy points the most: TDs and the deep-game.

Just last year, Purdy posted his best FPPG (22.5, QB5) while each of his WRs missed significant time, and he spent the most time throwing to Kendrick Bourne and Demarcus Robinson!

The 49ers are implied to score the 7th most points on the year, while also boasting the 8th best offensive line in 2026 Preseason Composite rankings. Any offense with Shanahan leading the charge is in the best of hands, and, alongside the boosted weaponry, Purdy is in the perfect environment for fantasy goodness. 

The only reason I can imagine Purdy’s falling is because he’s just “boring.” Yet, he was the QB2 during the Fantasy Playoffs (Weeks 15-17), scoring 26.2, 31.9, and 37.9 FPs (32.0 FPPG); only Trevor Lawrence averaged more (33.2). Purdy is such a high-floor pick with a sneaky high ceiling, and I am in love with him in Round 9, whether I already have a QB or not.

The Best RB Picks in 2026 Fantasy Football

Note: Jahmyr Gibbs is my No.1 overall pick, and easily the best pick in 2026 Fantasy Football. I detailed why in my Gibbs vs. Bijan debate article, but in Auction Drafts, I believe Gibbs is worth every spend-up penny. I’m anticipating one of those “LaDainian Tomlinson” Wreck Leagues type of season.

However, I also know that if you don’t play in auction drafts or aren’t lucky enough to land the 1.01, Gibbs will be off the menu. Selfishly, I wanted to spare myself all of the hilarious “Wow, this guy recommends Gibbs in 2026 Fantasy, what a genius!” comments too.

More importantly though, I wanted to focus on picks that nearly everyone will have access to. Let’s dive in to three RB picks I absolutely LOVE in 2026 Fantasy Football.

Ken Walker (RB-KC)

Among the most important decisions in all of 2026 Fantasy Football will be that massive, glorious pile of Round 1/2 RBs. While I truly love them all, Ken Walker is my favorite pick. I view him as the 2026 version of Jonathan Taylor (2025) and Saquon Barkley (2024), the Round 2 RB who breaks fantasy.

Interestingly enough, ESPN’s Nate Taylor noted, “The Chiefs are hoping Walker’s impact is similar to what happened when Saquon Barkley joined the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024.”

Color me intrigued.

Walker may have been the single biggest fantasy riser of the entire NFL offseason after signing a three-year, $43.05 million deal with the Chiefs (including $28.7 million fully guaranteed). He currently falls to the mid-or-late second round, but I rank him as a first-rounder in 2026.

Taylor continued his report, “Walker will be asked to lift the Chiefs’ offense more than any running back before in the Mahomes era, which began in 2018…the Chiefs have never had a feature back capable of carrying the offense at times. The Chiefs signed Walker to be that player.”

This fit could not be more perfect. Quite literally, because of the Chiefs, NFL defenses have evolved to feature more two-high safeties to take away explosives and encourage teams to run. 

In fact, throughout Mahomes’ era, Chiefs running backs have faced the lightest boxes in the league (35.9% of attempts). 

Yet, by rolling out complete nobodies at RB for the better part of a decade, the Chiefs have never made teams pay.

Despite the favorable set up and a well-above average line, Kansas City ranks dead-last in explosive run rate since 2018. Kansas City was also the only team in the NFL last season not to have a running back average 4.0 yards per carry. Pacheco and Hunt combined for only one rushing attempt that gained more than 20 yards, which also ranked last. Over the last two seasons, the Chiefs have three total 20+ yard runs. 

For comparison, Walker alone has 15 runs of 20+ yards over the past two seasons. In that span, the Chiefs have ranked dead last in missed tackles forced per carry (.09); Walker has forced more missed tackles per carry than any RB during that time (0.28 in 2025, 0.31 in 2024).

Since joining the NFL, more than 12% of Walker’s rushes have gone for at least 10 yards, including 15% of his carries in 2025. Only De’Von Achane (16.8%) and Blake Corum (15.9%) were more explosive than Walker on the ground.

Last season, Walker forced a missed tackle on 30.2% of his touches, the third-highest rate among running backs in the NFL who had a minimum of 150 touches, according to Next Gen Stats, and was fourth in percentage of runs that gained 10 or more yards. 

When provided 1+ yard before contact, Walker is especially dangerous. 

Per Jacob Gibbs: Over his four-year career, Walker ranks 4th in YPC (7.4) when provided 1+ yard before contact, trailing only De’Von Achane, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Derrick Henry in that span:

On this same list, out of 33 qualifiers, Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco rank 33rd and 32nd respectively.

Last year, Walker trailed only Achane in explosive run rate when provided 1+ yard. With a mauling interior line, the Chiefs should undoubtedly help provide that bit of space far more regularly:

In short, Walker can punish the light boxes and maximize the Chiefs’ impressive line play in ways Hunt and Pacheco never could. Walker can also transform how defenses must play the Chiefs. I expect multiple 50+ yard TD runs here, and for Walker’s 4.38 forty (97th percentile) & 97th size-adjusted speed score to be fully on display. 

GM Brett Veach cited big plays and maximizing the Chiefs’ line play as the main attraction for Walker’s massive deal, noting:  “When he squares his shoulders, he runs with power [and] runs with violence but also has some elusive qualities. When you combine a back like that, and you have as talented an inside three [offensive linemen] as you do, it would make sense to want to go out there and impose your will on other teams’ defensive lines.

“Certainly, we want to get more explosive in the run game,” Veach said. “It would take a lot of pressure off of Pat.”

Mahomes is also a huge fan. In fact, throughout the Seahawks’ playoff run, he was texting Veach, “Did you see that play?” ” “If we could get Walker in our offense…”

How could anyone not be impressed? Those final four games without Zach Charbonnet illuminated Walker’s true ceiling:

  • 20 touches (4 rec), 133 YFS, 17.3 FPs (RB10)
  • 22 touches (3 rec), 145 YFS, 3 TDs, 35.5 FPs (RB1)
  • 23 touches (4 rec), 111 YFS, 1 TD, 21.1 FPs (RB1)
  • 29 touches (2 rec), 161 YFS, 18.1 FPs (RB1)

Over those three playoff games, Walker produced 417 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns.

In the Super Bowl, Walker kept evading the Patriots. He became the first player with more than 100 scrimmage yards in the first half of a Super Bowl since former Rams receiver Torry Holt did it in Super Bowl XXXIV, and ultimately won Super Bowl MVP – the first running back since Terrell Davis in 1998 to win the award.

Walker proved what he could do as the guy, and the Chiefs fully intend to feature him as such. Yet, where his upside could truly skyrocket is as a pass-catcher.

Though Walker might not leap to mind as an elite receiver, he has posted some solid metrics when used in the passing game. In fact, in 2024, he racked up 46 catches and 53 targets in just 11 games! He was on pace for 82 targets and 71 receptions. 

Across his past three years, Walker has racked up 1.44, 1.33, and 1.30 YPRR. This is Top-6 RB type of output dating back to 2011, per the FantasyLife Podcast.

According to ESPN, “Even this early in the process, the Chiefs believe that Walker’s ability as a pass catcher might be an under-appreciated skill. In Wednesday practice, the Chiefs ran a sophisticated screen pass. When Walker caught the ball, his speed and vision in the open field led Smith and Humphrey to have the same reaction: “Wooooo!”

During the Mahomes Era (since 108), the Chiefs’ primary running backs, as a group, have averaged around 85 targets per game. Over that span, only once has a running back not averaged or paced for at least 50 targets. The lead RB has averaged just over 57 targets per season.

Throwing to the RB has always been a staple of the Andy Reid offense. It helped a nobody like Jerick McKinnon (71 targets) become a complete fantasy juggernaut! 

In general, Walker has proven up to the task when given a Bell Cow workload. He has played 60%+ snaps in 26 games, and hit double-digits in 25 of those. He averages 17.5 PPR FPPG across that sample, too. Charbonnet proved too good to keep off the field and was a perfect complement, but Walker certainly is capable of the Bell Cow duties the Chiefs’ will likely ask of him given the financial commitment and coachspeak. 

Based on early Training Camp, Walker’s involvement in the passing game will be a 2026 Staple:

Walker isn’t without some warts, though. He’s always been a bit boom-busty as a runner – 19% of Walker’s rushes went for zero or negative yards last season, the 15th highest rate in the league among RBs with at least 100 carries.

Across his four year career, Walker is 50th in rush success rate out of 56 qualifiers. He dances a bit too much in the hole, and doesn’t always take the easy run.

However, Chiefs’ OC Eric Bieniemy, who has a rich history of revitalizing run games, could really help improve this. Walker has already noted how hard Bieniemy stresses the little details, like footwork, getting uphill, and taking the small wins instead of always shooting for the home run.

“I think I can get a lot better, I just want to be a better player. The first night we met he (Bienemy) was talking about stuff that I did wrong on the field and talking about everything I need to be detailed at.”

Just last year under Bienemy, D’Andre Swift experienced a massive jump in his ability to gain positive yards over expectation. Swift went from 29% and dead last in 2024 all the way to 49%, first in the league, and has credited Bienemy and Johnson’s hard coaching as a major reason.

Even a slight improvement for Walker would be massive.

Beyond improving his boom-bust style, Walker has struggled with staying healthy in his career, and has rarely been a true featured RB. Last year marked the first time in his four-year career that Walker started every game. Over his first three seasons with the Seahawks, Walker had missed a combined 10 games with various injuries — a strained calf, a strained oblique and a sprained ankle.

 In 2024, he missed five games, experiencing a version of all three injuries, before a left high ankle sprain ended his season in late December as the Seahawks tried to make a playoff run.

Due to a mixture of injuries and the timeshare with Charbonnet, Walker has never exceeded 228 carries in a single season. In his career, including the playoffs, Walker has carried the ball 20 or more times in a game 10 times. And before his 27-carry Super Bowl performance in February, he had not done so since Nov. 3, 2024.

Thus, both the Chiefs and fantasy owners are making a somewhat risky bet on Walker, but it’s one I expect to pay off huge. When he’s available, Walker will absolutely feast within this offense. He’s so explosive, has untapped receiving upside, and with Mahomes plus a high-end offensive line, this offense affords RBs more advantageous space than nearly any other. Walker is the Round 2 League-Winner of 2026, and among the best picks you can make in all of Fantasy.

D’Andre Swift (RB-CHI)

Last season, D’Andre Swift had as many 20+ FP games (5) as Jahmyr Gibbs.

Granted, the booms weren’t nearly as epic – Swift capped at 25.5 FPs, whereas Gibbs hit 49.9 FPs, as well as 33+ FPs on three other occasions. 

Still, people act like Swift is some boring, zero-upside pick, and that couldn’t be further from the truth. 

Ultimately, Swift finished as the RB14 in Half-PPR FPPG, setting a career-high in rushing yards (1087), rushing TDs (9), and FPs (232 PPR FPs). 

Swift’s efficiency dramatically spiked under his second go-around with Ben Johnson. He turned the 18th most opportunities into the 14th most Half-PPR FPs. Comparatively, Swift ranked 10th in opportunities the year prior, but ranked just RB23 in Half-PPR FPPG.

Swift notably jumped in success rate, ranking 4th among all RBs (47.98%); the year prior, Swift ranked as the RB43 (33.85%). This leap in reliability is likely why the Bears felt no real pressure to add to the backfield this offseason, and what’ll keep Swift likely locked in to the same role.

Additionally, the Bears rank 4th in composite line rankings entering 2026 after a massive improvement last season. Losing Center Drew Dalman to a shocking retirement hurts, but Garrett Bradbury is a fine-enough replacement to an otherwise formidable front-five:

Kyle Monangai undoubtedly impressed as a late-round Rookie RB, but Swift was definitely the top-dog here. He saw 58% of the snaps, 54% of the rush attempts, 49% of the routes, a healthy 14% TPRR, and 61% of the inside-the-five rushes + 60% of the two minute snaps. 

Moreover, Monangai hyper-extended his knee in Training Camp, and could now miss regular season time:

In his absence, Swift “had arguably the best training camp of any offensive skill player.” He reportedly “dominated” during short-yardage work, and has routinely ripped off huge plays like a 62 yard TD in the Bears intersquad scrimmage:

The Bears are Vegas’ 10th-highest projected offense (24.5), but many (including myself) expect them to take a major leap forward in Year 2 under Johnson, especially as exciting sophomores Luther Burden and Colston Loveland take on more prominent roles.

Shoot, they just finished 9th (25.7), and if Caleb Williams can take another step forward, the Bears could become Lions-Lite under Johnson and rank in the Top-5. The ceiling is also astronomical if Ben Johnson truly wants to chase the NFL Scoring Record:

Should that happen and Swift maintain his ~60% usage rates, he would be a low-end RB1. Plus, if anything happens to Monangai or the hyperextended knee lingers, Swift would legitimately be a Top-6 RB as the featured back.

Ultimately, this floor and contingent ceiling is well-worth a Round 5 pick, and one worth reaching for in Round 4 if you don’t think Swift will fall. His price has been rising as of late, so my guess is you’ll need to leap in the Top-48 picks to secure him.

Which is totally fine, as I have Swift right on the Round 3/4 turn in my 2026 Fantasy Football Rankings. He is a phenomenal RB3 for most builds, and the ultimate RB1/2 if you go WR or TE heavy with your early picks, but want a safe RB pick that still has league-winning potential.

Keaton Mitchell (RB-LAC)

My most drafted player in 2026 fantasy football drafts? Keaton Mitchell.

Yes, his current “undisclosed injury” has me a tad worried. Still, Mitchell won’t be starting the season on the IR, and sounds even likely for Week 1:

Mitchell is the definition of speed. He posted a 4.37 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine and had the fastest 10-yard split (1.48 seconds), too, ranking in the 99th percentile. He trailed only De’Von Achane and Jahmyr Gibbs in his class. 

His speed isn’t just timed, either. It pops every time he’s on the field.

Mitchell constantly flashed his explosiveness in college. He had only two games with under 100 yards rushing during his senior year, and led the CFB in 15+ yard runs. Ultimately, Mitchell racked up 2,584 rushing yards and 23 rushing touchdowns over his final two seasons at East Carolina.

Mitchell finished with a 7.2 collegiate YPC (94th percentile). He was also a highly capable receiver, posting an 8.9% target share (70th percentile).

More importantly, Mitchell’s big-play ability immediately carried over into the NFL. As a rookie, among RBs with 40+ attempts, Mitchell ranked:

  • 1st in YPA (8.4)
  • 1st in Yards after Contact per attempt (5.68)
  • 1st in Breakaway Yards Percent (whopping 60.6%!)
  • 2nd in Elusive rating (142)
  • 2nd in FPs per opportunity (1.2)
  • 5th in YPRR (1.82)
  • 1st in YPRec (12.0!)

On just 47 carries, he ripped off 12 runs of 10+ yards (15%)! Even more impressive, he trailed only De’Von Achane and Breece Hall in 40+ yard runs (on less than half the touches!) Mitchell’s 92.5 PFF grade trailed only Achane’s during his rookie season.

Mitchell was essentially trading blows all year with De’Von Achane for the most explosive RB in the NFL (more on why that’s so important later).

Unfortunately, he suffered a horrendous knee injury that robbed him of almost his entire 2024 season. With Derrick Henry on the roster, the Ravens had no incentive to rush Mitchell back, and he barely sniffed the field.

In 2025, Mitchell did receive some change-of-pace work and looked fully back to himself. Mitchell once again ranked 1st in YPA among RBs with 50+ carries (5.8). Ten of his runs went for 10+ yards (17%), and he ranked third in Breakaway Percentage (46%). According to FantasyPoints Data, Mitchell actually led the NFL in Explosive Run Rate with 10.2%, barely beating out Achane (10.1%)

According to Next Gen stats, Mitchell also led the NFL with an average run speed of 14.49 miles per hour. 

Clearly, the speed has returned. Mitchell has rivaled Achane‘s explosivity on a per-touch level. The opportunity simply hasn’t been there.

Great, I get he’s fast, Wolf… but why does this matter? 

Because no play-caller can maximize this speed better than Mike McDaniel, who reportedly put out a “Wanted Poster” for Mitchell the second he became a free agent. This is especially true in the run game.

In fact, McDaniel and the team apparently wanted Mitchell so bad they called him within 20 seconds of news breaking he’d be a free agent, which Mitchell valued:

“Just the energy they brought. As soon as, with that time period, where I was now a free agent … they called me just like that,” Mitchell said with a snap of his fingers. “So, just the energy and the welcome, it was great. I appreciate everybody…“Definitely motivating to be in a room where I feel like I have a chance and a shot to do big things.”

As explored with Hampton, over the past 3 seasons, the Dolphins rank 2nd in Backfield Expected FPs (Volume) at 26.2, trailing only Kyle Shanahan, and finished fourth in points from RB runs, behind only Detroit (Gibbs), Baltimore (Henry + Lamar), and Atlanta (Bijan). They were third in points per run, behind the Lions and 49ers. This was with a mediocre line and overall offense – the Lions were 1st in total points, the 49ers fourth, the Dolphins 11th. 

McDaniel’s offenses also rank 3rd in 10+ yard run rate (14.1%) since 1999. Remember, this is Mitchell’s calling card.

Achane obviously influenced this, but McDaniel also loved throwing to his RBs. His RB target share over the past three seasons: 24.7% (1st), 23.1% (1st), 22.8% (5th). McDaniel ranks 3rd in designed targets per game among active playcallers (4.29, tied with Liam Coen and behind only Matt LaFleur and Andy Reid) and targeted RBs at a 20% or higher rate all four seasons.

Since entering the league, De’Von Achane leads the NFL in receiving yards on designed targets (547).

104 of Keaton Mitchell’s 184 career receiving yards have come on designed targets (57%, most of any RB with 175+). He ranks 2nd in YPT on these plays (10.4).

Based on the clips and reports from camp, as well as Preseason Usage, Mitchell’s receiving usage could spike under McDaniel. Keaton Mitchell ran 42.9% of his routes out of the slot in preseason Week 2. The highest slot rate by any RB last season (min. 10 targets) was De’Von Achane at 24.7%. He also had a 20 yard beauty called back by a penalty:

McDaniel himself told ESPN’s Dan Graziano: “He’s a matchup issue for every defense. I think he has a lot of pass-game value that he hasn’t been able to really represent in his career, but it’s showing so far in camp.”

And there’s been plenty of clips of Mitchell streaking downfield for some huge plays:

Indeed, I love Hampton. But don’t forget, in 2023, both Mostert AND Achane finished as Top-5 RBs in FPPG.  Miami averaged 137.5 rush yards (5th) & 1.5 rush TDs (3rd), and almost 30 RB FPs per game. The dominance was steady. Between Mostert and Achane, the Dolphins produced at least one 20+ FP RB in 11-of-17 weeks.

As such, Mitchell really could be “Diet De’Von Achane” in 2026. The price tag (ADP 168) is basically free to find out, and I am clearly still buying in Best Ball, where Mitchell goes around ~130. In fact, that format should be even friendlier, as I could see Mitchell being a bit of a boom-bust headache in redraft.

This is an offense that could completely erupt as a whole, and the Line projects to be Top-10 if they can stay healthy. While Hampton undoubtedly is the top RB to target here, he also costs an early 2nd round pick. Mitchell is your way to get access to this explosive run game at a borderline free cost. Just make sure this undisclosed injury truly is nothing. 

2026 Fantasy Football Draft Guide

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Guide Previews

The Best WR Picks in 2026 Fantasy Football

AJ Brown (WR-NE)

AJ Brown might be in the single-best WR set-up for fantasy production.

  • uncheckedElite QB? Check
  • uncheckedElite Playcaller? Check 
  • uncheckedMinimal Target Competition? Check 

At minimum, this is by far the best environment of Brown’s career. His NFL teams have ranked bottom-20 in passing yards in 5-of-7 career years & never higher than 9th (AJB was WR5 that year). 

Despite consistently running uphill, AJB has been a Top-12 WR in FPPG for 5-of-7 seasons. 

Comparatively, the Pats were 4th in passing yards last year with a dreadful WRs corps. Drake Maye just led the NFL in yards per attempt & ranked 4th in pass yards & 3rd in pass TDs. Stefon Diggs was the Half-PPR WR16 despite being a part-time player (WR61 in route participation).

Sure, McDaniel’s likes to spread it around more than many would like, but when he’s had true No.1s — Davante Adams, Randy Moss, Brandon Marshall, even Brandon Lloyd — all had 1,000+ yards & 10+ TDs! Moss broke records. 

“There’s a force to the way he plays the game . . . Maybe the closest thing I’ve seen is Gronk. This is a big guy,” McDaniels said, via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. For those keeping score, Gronk has the NFL record in a most TDs in single-season for TEs (18), and averages the most TDs per game (0.65) of any TE in history too. He has the most total seasons with 10+ TDs, too!

If he’s still AJB, this will be his clearest path to his true ceiling… which is the WR1.

That’s pretty much the only if here. Brown showed some signs of decline in 2024. He posted the lowest YPRR of his career (2.14), his first time outside the top-10 WRs in this predictive efficiency metric:

  • 2.14 (WR18)
  • 3.16 (WR2)
  • 2.59 (WR9)
  • 3.01 (WR2)
  • 2.72 (WR7)
  • 2.76 (WR2)
  • 3.46 (WR2) 

Still, WR18 isn’t awful. He was also the WR11 in FPPG. 

The bigger question: was the decline a result of ability, injury, or strictly motivational?

The degenerative knee issue that caused the Rams to drop out of trade contention is worrisome. Still, the Patriots don’t sound concerned, and I think the larger issue was motivation.

Brown clearly was not giving his best effort at many points of 2025, and was visibly (& understandably) frustrated with both his QB and his play caller. He is far happier in New England. He grew up as a Patriots fan, and called it “close to heaven” and “a dream come true” to be here.

Drake Maye has already expressed excitement over Brown, gushing:

“A.J.’s been awesome. I’m really looking forward to playing with him. I’m looking forward to getting to camp and building some chemistry. And I know there’s already some there for me,” Maye said. “ou just gotta throw it near him, and he’ll make a play. He’s a great teammate. He’s been great so far. He loves to win, so we share that.”

The feelings seem mutual, as Brown noted:

“He’s a true leader. And he leads the room, and it says a lot that a young guy grabs everybody’s attention,” the wide receiver said in the latest episode of “Forged in Foxborough.” “This is a leader of men I’m speaking about. And that right there is not a trait that is easily found in men. So for him to have it so young, for him to recognize that what he has in front of him, it speaks volumes, man.

“And like I said, the fun thing is that he can make any throw, that’s what you want to see…and he does it.”

Most of all, though, I saw it with my own eyes. Perhaps this is the homer in me, but I am a die hard Pats fan. I went to Patriots vs. Eagles joint practice, and AJ Brown definitely looked like prime AJ Brown.

In fact, in my decades of Pats Practices, I’m not sure I’ve seen a more dominant single performance than what Brown did.

Brown was unguardable on the day. He was lined up with All-Pro CB Quinyon Mitchell for most of the afternoon, and won literally every single rep, going 5/5 for Five TDs. Brown was out for blood, and boy did he get it:

In the process, Brown’s dominance reminded me truly of Randy Moss. He made contested catches look easy, he separated regularly, and ultimately Brown carries legitimate 15+ TD upside.

I have Brown ahead of CeeDee Lamb and Justin Jefferson as a fringe First Rounder. Yet, he often falls towards the End of Round 2, or God forbid even into Round 3 on some platforms. I expect a better environment to help Brown play up to his ceiling, and he truly could pace all WRs in fantasy points.

Unlike Puka (competing with Davante) or Chase (competing with Tee), Brown faces zero competition for volume from an elite signal-caller. His decline in play last year can’t be ignored, but if it was largely effort-based (and my eyes tell me it was), Brown could lead the WR position in scoring and be the best WR pick of 2026 Fantasy Football in Round 2.

Luther Burden (WR-CHI)

There are plenty of intriguing 2026 “Next JSN” Candidates, even if it’s highly unlikely that any will hit at the level of JSN.

Luther Burden probably has the lowest floor, but also the highest ceiling, of them all. As a known ceiling chaser, this makes him one of the best picks in 2026 Fantasy in the Round 4-5 range.

For a TLDR Checklist

  • Elite Talent? FLASHES, YES!
  • Brilliant OC? UH, YES! Ben Johnson = God.
  • QB Play? YES. Caleb Williams only improving
  • Competition Removal? YES. DJ Moore = big mouth removed (& Zaccheus ALSO gone).
  • Near Every-Down role? YES & Bears showing signs of more 12P & 13P in 2026

Burden was among the most efficient WRs in the entire league last year. He finished third in the NFL in YPRR (2.71), trailing only Puka and JSN. 

This would rank second All-Time among rookie WRs, and look at the company Burden joins:

The sample size was admittedly small, but Burden also completely passes the eyeball test. He clearly has “it,” and Burden’s tape pops as much as any player in the NFL, especially when the ball is in his hands. The violent nature of Burden’s explosiveness is incredibly rare. 

If you need some blood-flow, watch Burden’s 9 tgt, 8 rec, 138 yard, 1 TD, WR1 performance in a shootout vs. SF. My God, the way he took over that game was special.

The negative? Burden played behind Olamide f’ing Zaccheus for the vast majority of his rookie season, ultimately running just 234 routes (WR95) with 44.6% route participation (WR91).

Somehow, despite just 42% of the snaps, Burden finished with 11 gains of 20+ (tied with Chris Olave), and actually led the Bears with 358 yards produced on gains of 20+. He ranked 16th in the entire NFL in YAC, despite ranking 123rd in snap share. Again, glimpses of Super Stardom.

He’s not just a slot WR, either. Per FantasyPoints Data:

Thankfully, both DJ Moore and Olamide Zaccheus are now gone, leaving the Bears with the 5th most Available Air Yards (1555) and the third-most vacated WR targets (149). Ben Johnson has also typically brought rookies along slowly, including Amon-Ra St. Brown himself, who didn’t see meaningful snaps until Week 13 of his rookie year.

By all accounts, Burden is expected to “take on a full-time role and coaches expect him to explode.”

Johnson’s quotes have certainly been bullish so far:

“I’m buying Luther Burden stock right now. … He looks like he’s playing at a different speed right now. It’s been electric. He showed up yesterday, had numerous explosive plays. I loved how in Phase 2 he was finishing every single rep that he took…He’s still developing and growing his route tree. He’s been extremely coachable, so I’m really happy with him.

“I think when we drafted him, we saw an explosive athlete who was really dangerous with the ball in his hands….The question was how can we get it in his hands? The easy things to do are screens or short throws. But I think there’s a lot more to his game that we’ve worked to unlock, and he’s been really receptive to how we can get that done.”

Indeed, even with Moore (and Zaccheus) gone, the Bears feature plenty of mouths to feed, as Colston Loveland is a monster, and Rome Odunze was on his way to a massive breakout before his foot injury. Yet, under Johnson, there’s room for multiple mouths to eat, considering:

  • Ben Johnson’s 4 NFL offenses have all ranked: ✅ Top 9 in points ✅ Top 10 in passing yards ✅ Top 10 in passing TDs
  • Johnson’s 2024 Lions produced: ✅ The WR7 in PPR PPG ✅ The WR26 ✅ The TE9

With Loveland priced at the Round 3/4 Turn, Burden in Round 4, and Odunze in Round 5 / 6, someone will disappoint. I am diving into all 3, but Burden is the name I am clicking the most. 

Lastly, Burden’s true ceiling might be the WR1 if he nails down the No.1 WR in Heavy Personnel. After drafting Sam Roush, Johnson seems to be embracing the 3-TE craze, and he’s the type of playcaller I actually trust to utilize it properly. Burden’s 5.05 YPRR trailed only Puka (6.25) out of 1- and 2-WR sets, besting even #3 JSN (4.84). 

Since the start of Training Camp, the hype was most definitely carrying over from OTAs, if not picking up even more steam:

“Luther Burden III got a TON of targets — inside & outside, flashed quicker route running”

Caleb Williams: “He makes the first guy miss every time. That’s his trait. He catches everything. He’s a friendly receiver to the QB….We all believe in Luther. The whole org…He said it himself, he’s a problem.”

If nothing else, Jared Smola boils it down to an oversimplification that still illuminates Burden’s ceiling:

“Yes, this is oversimplifying it. No, Luther Burden is not likely to match last year’s efficiency in a bigger role. But let’s just have some fun! Give Burden his 0.56 PPR points per route last year on DJ Moore’s 558 routes … And you get 310.5 PPR points. Only 4 WRs beat that total last year.”

Unfortunately, Burden suffered a groin injury. He missed most of the preseason, but it was largely labeled “precautionary.” By all accounts, Burden will be ready for Week 1. He was seen jogging ahead of Preseason Week 1:

Since then, Burden has more importantly returned to practice, and looks “100%.”

Ideally, this injury causes Burden to fall to Round 5 in 2026 Fantasy Football Drafts, where he’s an absolute steal. Ultimately, I’m still buying Burden in Round 4. This requires a significant leap of faith, but I trust what my eyes saw, what the efficiency metrics tell us, and what Ben Johnson can scheme. Burden could be an absolute monster who, like JSN this season, explodes into a “Round 1 No Brainer” come next year.

Parker Washington (WR-JAX)

Parker Washington possesses legitimate Top-7 WR Fantasy Upside, and is going off the board as the WR30.

Washington didn’t earn a full-time role until the end of the season. Yet, once he did, the results were monstrous – and the entire Jaguars offense took off. 

Parker Washington finished 2025 with four straight Top-10 WR performances, including:

  • 6 rec (10 tgts), 145 yds, 1 TD, 26.5 FPs (WR3) 
  • 8 rec (10 tgts), 115 yds, 19 FPs (WR9)
  • 5 rec (9 tgts), 87 yds, 1 TD, 19.7 FPs (WR7)
  • 7 rec (12 t gts), 107 yds, 1 TD, 23.9 FPs (WR5)

This amounted to 26 receptions for 454 yards and three touchdowns on 41 targets and 89.1 FPs, good for 22.28 FPPG. This would’ve ranked second behind only Puka Nacua last year, and actually ahead of JSN!

Ultimately, Washington was one of just three WRs with 600+ yards in their last 7 games. The other two? Chris Olave and Puka Nacua!

We referenced how the Jaguars offense didn’t find their swing until the final ~5 games, and Washington earning a full-time role truly was a major catalyst. Over this five game stretch, Parker Washington averaged 101.4 yards per game. No one else was over 42. He averaged 3.65 yards per route run. No one else was over 1.33. He saw over 32% of a target  share, and was the clear Alpha. 

Consider the per-route production and target share when all three Jacksonville WRs were on the field at the same time last year:

Yards per Route Run

1. Parker Washington (3.23)

2. Brian Thomas Jr. (1.58)

3. Jakobi Meyers (1.50)

Target Share

1. Parker Washington (32.1%)

2. Jakobi Meyers (25.9%)

3. Brian Thomas Jr. (21.0%)

Indeed, this is a crowded WRs corps, with BTJ, Jakobi Meyers, and 2nd overall pick Travis Hunter. Yes, Washington was largely irrelevant until Hunter went down. Of course, we’ve seen late-season surges that ultimately amount to nothing. 

I am confident that will not be the case with Washington for two reasons:

1) Liam Coen’s track record with slot WRs

The Jaguars took off when Washington finally took over the invaluable Coen Slot Role. This is a key engine for his offense, which was hunting for the right guy all year. Once Washington became the guy, only the Rams scored more total points than the Jags. 

Look at this history of slot-WR production under Coen:

  • 2021: 102.6 receiving YPG from Wan’Dale Robinson at Kentucky
  • 2022: 22.4 FPG from Cooper Kupp (~WR1)
  • 2024: 19.7 FPG from Chris Godwin (~WR2)
  • 2025: 17.5 FPG from Parker Washington in 8 healthy post-bye games (incl. playoffs) & 22.5 FPPG over final 4 (WR2)

As long as Washington continues to man this spot (and why wouldn’t he after invigorating the offense), I expect elite fantasy production to continue to follow. 

But don’t just take my word for it, because:

2) The coaches LOVE Washington, and he’s operating in a full-time role now:

Based on early OTAs reports, Washington was clearly operating not only as a starter, but as the passing game engine.

Sports Illustrated’s John Shipley said Washington was quite clearly the most productive player on the field:

“I do not know if there was a player who had a more productive practice on Tuesday than Parker Washington. His price is only going to go up, and the long-time offseason MVP looked like he has hit a new level just based on Tuesday’s practice. He caught everything thrown his way and very much so looked like he got the most volume out of the top wideouts.”

Shipley continued in a later report,  “Washington is set to be a core piece of what the Jaguars do in the passing game…Now that he is in a full-time role on offense, there is little question as to what kind of impact he can make..

“By all looks of the last week, the Jaguars are ready to let Washington take his chance and run with it.”

Yet, if you don’t want just my or a beat writer’s opinion, look no further than Coen himself, or Jags’ offensive coordinator Grant Udinski.

Udinski said, ” I think really, really highly of Parker. We think that he’s capable of what he did at the end of last season, and more than that. Our expectation for him is to continue to grow and do even more than he did last year. He’s a highly, highly capable player, who’s capable of even more.”

Coen hinted at even expanding the role, gushing: “He’s done a nice job so far this spring. I thought we saw some flashes early last season, and there was consistency towards the end of the season when he was a dominating presence with the things he was able to do in the slot and also outside for us. 

“I think activating him a little bit, continuing to work on the ball-in-hand stuff that he can do at a high level because of the way he’s built and wired. Continuing to work on the screen game and those things, getting him the ball on jet sweeps and some of those things. And then the complete route tree of slot and outside and doing all those things is a step he can take.”

In a later press conference, when asked about how much trust he had in Washington, Coen raved: “A ton. He communicates what he sees on the field. The relationship between him and Trevor Lawrence has continued to grow and develop. His toolbox allows him to play inside, play outside, and run routes at all three levels. I think his football knowledge has just continued to ascend. I just think his overall knowledge has really elevated over the last year, so that makes it a lot easier to work with somebody and to trust them that they’re gonna do the right thing on gameday.”

Sounds like a guy who’s role is only set to grow, not diminish.

By all accounts, Washington has the skills. His Reception Perception profile compares favorably to JSN:

Plus, Washington’s metrics are equally impressive out-wide, and not just locked to the slot:

With his well-rounded, QB-friendly game, Parker Washington is expected to be the Jaguars’ leading WR in field time and in targets:

This last nugget is particularly important. If Washington truly is the guy in 11, 12, and 13P, he is going to break fantasy at his price. I discussed in The Next JSN series how important Heavy Personnel is for removing target competition and concentrating the offense. Washington in a JSN-lite role would make him an even greater smash than he already is.

As much as I love BTJ’s rookie-tape, I expect him to remain largely a deep threat, and a more important “real-life” presence than fantasy one. Big games will likely be hard to project, even if he’s been practicing far more consistently, and the offense is taking deep shots more regularly. 

If anything, a more productive BTJ should only help Washington find more space underneath. Ultimately, I am betting on Washington locking down that invaluable Coen slot role, and continuing forward on the path of destruction he began last year. He was the catalyst to the Jaguars’ passing game going nuclear, and should that continue all of 2026, Washington genuinely carries Top-5 Upside at a WR40 Price.

Ultimately, I am buying heavily into the Jaguars in 2026, and Washington is my favorite piece by a mile. He’s the single-best pick you can make at wide receiver in 2026 Fantasy, and no matter how many WRs I have, I will be adding him in Round 8 of pretty much every league.

Bonus: Chris Godwin (TB-WR)

Just two seasons ago, Chris Godwin trailed only Ja’Marr Chase in FPPG (19.7). He hit 22+ FPs in 3-of-7 games, never dipped below 11.6 FPs, and averaged 8.9 targets per game. His 2.63 YPRR ranked as the WR6. Ultimately, Godwin accrued 50 catches, 575 yards, and 5 TDs in only 7 games!

In 2026, Godwin is now falling outside the Top-80 picks as the WR40. Unbelievable!

Yes, Liam Coen’s invaluable slot-scheming played a huge role in that 2024 explosion. Yes, that massive WR2 finish was two seasons ago. Still, I think Godwin could approach that form once again. At minimum, he will destroy his current price.

For one, Godwin will be fully healthy entering 2026. Last year, Godwin was recovering from a brutal dislocated ankle and fractured fibula. He clearly was not himself, and overcompensation led to other injuries throughout the 2025 season.

This offseason, Godwin looks like his old self. Beat writers called him “sharp” and “crisp with the ball in his hands.” Reportedly, Godwin has “spoken at length about how good he feels and where his health is. Training camp will be crucial in the wide receivers room to make a big impression before Week 1, and based on what we’ve seen so far, Godwin looks to be up to the task.

Just yesterday, Mayfield said “Godwin looks like the best version of Chris Godwin.”

As Baker also notes and more importantly, Godwin is returning to the cozy confines of a “McShanny” slot role under new OC Zac Robinson, which reportedly has him ascending to the top of this target totem pole according to multiple sources:

Godwin is still only 30 years old, and will now be two seasons removed from the brutal injury. This return to the slot, and especially in a motion-heavy offense under Robinson, will be massive. New Bucs OC Zac Robinson ranks 2nd in the NFL in dropback during-snap motion rate the past five years (35.1%). 

Per Ryan Heath,  Godwin ranks 3rd in YPRR on plays with during-snap motion over the past two seasons (3.99, behind only Puka Nacua and Nico Collins), including 2nd in 2025 alone (4.02) despite playing injured. Oh, and Robinson talks to Liam Coen every day.

Mike Evans is gone, and the fantasy community seems to be sliding Emeka Egbuka into the clear WR1 role here. Yet Godwin, who goes 5-6+ rounds later, is in the friendliest fantasy role (slot), looks fully healthy, has been the most regular target in early practices, and even has his QB claiming his status as the Top Dog:

“For Mike [Evans] to leave, it allows Chris [Godwin] to step up — he’s always been an unbelievable leader — but for him to really take charge of that room.”

In fact, even in his injury-plagued 2025, Godwin outscored Egbuka in every game they played together once Godwin fully returned in Week 13. Godwin scored 11.5 FPPG over this span, Egbuka just 5.6. Even if you like Egbuka, and there’s plenty of reason to, this ADP gap should not be so massive. Godwin could straight up out-target and outscore Egbuka in 2026, and even if not, has plenty of runway to pay off his 110 price tag.  

In slot-dominant seasons, Godwin has finished as the WR2, WR15, WR8, WR19, and WR2 in FPPG. Even if he’s lost a step, Godwin has very-real Top-15 WR upside at a WR40 price. He is among the single best values in all of 2026 Fantasy, and someone I plan to draft on nearly every single redraft team. In Best Ball, Godwin is currently my highest-drafted WR at 35.7%.

This is among the biggest market mismatches in proven fantasy upside + a clear path to regain it vs. the actual cost. Hammer it.

The Best TE Picks in 2026 Fantasy Football

Trey McBride (TE-AZ)

Wow, Wolf! How Bold! Last year’s TE1 with a record-setting season is the best pick at the position?! You don’t say!

I agree, this seems stupidly obvious. I was planning to go Colston Loveland here… but McBride is routinely falling to Round 3 of fantasy drafts, including the late third in Best Ball. I’ve even seen some experts touting Loveland over McBride.

I have zero clue why, but if you are able to snag 1-2 Bellcow RBs and/or an Elite WR1, and then add a TE of McBride’s caliber, you’re well on your way to a 2026 Fantasy Football Title.

For a TE to be worth Round 1-2 draft capital, he needs to significantly lap the field. These types of seasons are few and far between, and typically, you’re better off just punting the position. 

As Heath pointed out entering last year: “No TE has hit a “league-winning” (>55%) playoff rate while having an ADP inside the top-40 picks since 2017 — except for Travis Kelce.” Heath surmised, “ Even after evaluating the effects of positional scarcity, I reasoned a TE would need to hit at least 18.0 FPG to follow in Kelce’s footsteps and be worth selecting that early.”

Enter Trey McBride in 2025. 

McBride didn’t just lap the field in 2025. He completely obliterated it. McBride ultimately had the 3rd-best TE season by ESPN playoff rate (63%) since 2017. He ranked 5th among all players in 2025, making him roughly as important to making the fantasy playoffs as Jahmyr Gibbs or De’Von Achane.

That’s because McBride scored 315 PPR FPs, the third-most all time, trailing only Rob Gronkowski (330.9 in 2011) and Travis Kelce (316.3 in 2022). McBride averaged 18.6 FPPG.

In the process, McBride outscored the TE2 (Kyle Pitts, 210.8) by a whopping 105.8 FPs! He nearly doubled up the last TE1 (Colston Loveland, TE12, 165 FPs).

McBride achieved this by setting an NFL record for catches (126) and targets (169) by a TE in a single season. He also led the NFL in TE yards (1239) and TDs (11).

Ultimately, among WRs, McBride would have ranked as the WR4 — ahead of Ja’Marr Chase, and only behind Puka Nacua, JSN, and Amon-Ra St. Brown.

The 11 touchdowns were the most pleasant surprise of McBride’s season. Prior to 2025, McBride had scored just 6 total TDs through three seasons, never hitting more than 3 in a season. This seemed to be a real problem, as he scored 1, 4, 4, and 1 TDs across his four collegiate seasons too, and reportedly only scored 1 TD his senior year of high school:

Turns out a 6’4″ athletic monster with a massive catch radius can actually score TDs. He just needs the right QB throwing him the rock.

That’s what makes McBride’s 2025 extra scary: he didn’t even really start to cook until Kyler Murray got hurt and Jacoby Brissett took over.

Through Weeks 1-5, McBride was hardly lighting the world on fire. He was the TE4 in total points, trailing Jake Ferguson, Dalton Kincaid, and Tyler Warren. His highest weekly output was 15.3 FPs, and he scored just 1 TD.

McBride averaged 12.5 FPPG over this span. He was on pace for 143 targets, 99 catches, 935 yards, and 3 TDs. Solid, but unremarkable.

Then, Brissett took over. Across these 12 games, McBride topped 20+ FPs a whopping 7 times (58.33%).

He averaged an insane 21.1 FPPG, and was on pace for: 178 targets, 137 (!) catches, 1366 yards, and 14 TDs! He scored in the Top-12 for 83% of his games, and hit 20+ FPs in 7-of-12 (58%).

This would’ve amounted to 359 FPs — the most of ALL TIME by a Tight End. McBride would’ve scored more than every Wide Receiver in the league outside of Puka Nacua at that pace! Per RotoViz’s Game Splits tool:

And remember: this was with JACOBY BRISSETT throwing the rock! A career journeyman QB.

On that front, Brissett is the Cardinals’ Week 1 Starter for 2026.  He has targeted TEs at a whopping 31.1% clip since 2021, the highest in the league.

Most expect the Cardinals league-high passing rate to regress, and for McBride’s numbers to come down with it. After all, Arizona averaged a league-high 70% pass rate and +4.0% Pass Rate Over Expectation, and Brissett just led the NFL in dropbacks per start (45.8).

But… hear me out… what if the Cardinals suck again?

The defense certainly sucks. They just allowed the 4th most points per game and 7th most EPA/Play, retained the DC (Nick Rallis), and added no splashy free agents or Day 1 or 2 draft picks. They will likely find themselves trailing early and often, especially with a 4.5 total over/under.

Plus, new HC Mike LaFleur has shown a willingness to chuck the rock in bad situations before when he was the Jets’ OC (2021-22).

Across 12 Mike White and Joe Flacco starts during those seasons, LaFleur’s Jets averaged 305.5 passing YPG, which would have led the NFL last year. They were outpacing the Prime Mahomes Chiefs, too! 

That happened largely because LaFleur was willing to unleash a high-volume pass attack into negative game scripts. The team averaged over 46 attempts in those games, and the 60.6% pass rate ranks 6th-highest among all playcallers with a full season or more to their name since 2021, and he ranked top-6 in pace in both years with the Jets.

So… What if the Cardinals continue to fall behind every game, and LaFleur just lets his offense do the same thing they did last year, and that White and Flacco did under him with the Jets? 

To be honest, that feels likely. Maybe not at a 70% pass-rate clip, but still!

Ultimately, I can’t see a world in which McBride hits more routes. In fact, last season he ran roughly 22 games worth, and had 121 more routes than the net closest TE!

So I do expect McBride to regress some. Additionally, new third-overall arrival Jeremiyah Love will undoubtedly command a healthy portion of the volume and production here, plus Marvin Harrison Jr. will be back healthy, too. 

Still, McBride is an elite player, in a situation that looks eerily similar to the one that helped him explode last year. LaFleur’s offense has cooked for most of this preseason too:

Especially if Brissett can hold onto that QB gig for most of the year, McBride is a Round 2/3 Smash. 

In Best Ball, the Tight End pricing is far less aggressive, so I don’t typically take McBride until Round 3. But in redraft, where far lesser TEs go 1-2+ rounds more expensive than in Best Ball, I like taking the plunge for a truly elite one early. 

Tucker Kraft GB-TE

All offseason, I’ve been All-In on drafting the condensed Packers’ Passing Game. Now with Josh Jacobs potentially facing a year-long ban, I am somehow even more head-over-heels for Packers’ pass-catchers (and Jordan Love).

While I love them all, if I could only pick just one, it’d be Tucker Kraft.

After the departures of Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks, the Packers rank 4th in Available Air Yards (1661), 5th in Available Air Yards share (40.9%), 5th in Vacated Targets (167) including the 3rd most inside-10 (13) and 2nd most inside-10 (50%). A whopping 50.9% of their WR Targets have been vacated.

I absolutely LOVE Kraft as a player. George Kittle is a unicorn, but Kraft is the next closest comp. He can block you out of the building, get vertical, and destroy you after the catch. 

Kraft doesn’t just pass the eyeball test, either. He’s an efficiency and fantasy MONSTER. Prior to his Week 9 injury, Kraft was the TE1 in fantasy with 16.2 FPPG, which trailed only McBride by the end of 2025.

 Kraft led the NFL in receiving yards per game among TEs prior to his injury, too. Kraft finished the year ranking:

  • 1st in Yards per Rec (15.3!)
  • 2nd in YPRR (2.59)
  • 1st in Yards after catch per rec (10.66)
  • 1st in Yards after contact per rec (3.59)
  • 1st in Yards per team pass attempt (1.96)
  • 1st in FPs Over Expectation 
  • 2nd in Team TD% despite missing half the year!

Also, in the 4 games Kraft was off the injury report, he averaged 23.5% target share (TE2), 85.3 receiving YPG, and 21.1(!) FPPG (TE1)! 

This isn’t a one year-mirage, either. Kraft has always been hyper efficient:

And now Kraft will face less target competition in what could be a pass-happier offense?! 

As such, the stud TE is among my favorite TE bets and a Round 7 smash for me.

Kraft is fully cleared and going full-speed, and will absolutely be in the lineup for Week 1:

He’s already being featued and thriving in camp, too:

If I don’t go elite TE, Kraft is my Number 1 target in the late 6th / Early 7th. He actually goes in the 90-100 range on ESPN, which is just larceny.

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The Wolf

Founder of Roto Street Journal. Bringing home fantasy championships since 2006, helping you do the same since 2016 with RSJ. Lover of workhorse backs and target hog wideouts, and an expert at helping you find the best sleepers. A Best Ball Bro to the core.
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