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Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen led his position with 364.62 fantasy points last season, and for six consecutive years, he has finished among the game’s top two scorers at quarterback. However, quarterback is a deep position in 2026.
One can make the case that nearly half the NFL teams have a QB worthy of starting for your fantasy team this season. Allen is awesome, but even last season he outscored vastly underrated Detroit Lions QB Jared Goff — barely a top-10 performer at the position — by only 67.56 points, or less than 4 per week.
Allen also spent quite a bit of time handing the football off (or throwing) to RB James Cook III, fantasy’s No. 6 scorer at the position last season. Cook turned his 342 touches into 1,912 scrimmage yards and 14 touchdowns, and for the second season in a row he was a notable bargain in terms of ESPN average draft position. This season, Cook isn’t such a bargain, as he is going early in Round 2, but he remains worth it. He isn’t alone among running backs.
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In fact, this really is a year to invest a pick or two at running back early. If you don’t, you might be quite disappointed in the options available later.
In relation to Allen and his relatively slight superiority over other quarterbacks, for example, this narrative does not exist at running back. Standard fantasy starting lineups require one QB and two RBs, but — considering the flex position — many can and will play three RBs. Cook outscored the No. 20 RB, Denver Broncos youngster RJ Harvey, by 95.6 points. He outscored Chicago Bears RB Kyle Monangai, 30th among RBs, by 155.5.
Fantasy managers cannot wait to build around running backs, so even if Cook, Baltimore Ravens star Derrick Henry, Omarion Hampton of the Los Angeles Chargers, Josh Jacobs of the Green Bay Packers, Chase Brown of the Cincinnati Bengals and others aren’t what we would call “value picks,” they are very much in demand because running back is not deep, unlike quarterback. We covet volume running backs, and there simply aren’t enough. This is the year to secure a few in the early rounds, led by Cook, Henry and Hampton.
As always, the annual “Do Draft” list focuses on players who keep ending up on my fantasy teams, either from valuable practice mock drafts or the ones that count, considering value versus standard ADP. I keep gravitating toward these players, either for strategic reasons — such as waiting a long time to choose a QB or two — or because the players make sense or seem undervalued. Cook might not be undervalued, since he has proved himself with 32 touchdowns and safe volume the past two seasons, but he is a player to build around because he is reliable. Allen is reliable as well, but the depth at quarterback and running back is hardly similar.
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Henry, one of my annual favorites, has been heavily featured in this “Do Draft” space for years, and he followed up his excellent 2024 season of 1,921 rushing yards and 18 total touchdowns with 1,595 rushing yards and 16 scores. Henry boasts double-digit touchdowns for eight consecutive seasons, and a top-10 fantasy finish at running back in six of the past seven. He is 32, and although that brings legitimate concern, there is no indication of decline. Henry is neither overvalued nor undervalued this season. Like Cook, he is someone to target.
Every season I try many strategies of securing players, and how I feel about the results tends to direct how I approach the drafts that matter to me. This season, I covet a few volume running backs early even if that means ignoring my rankings of a WR with a late first-round pick. There is receiver depth. There is always quarterback depth.
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Dallas Cowboys starter Javonte Williams might belong in the same ADP range as Jacobs and Brown after an outstanding 2025 season with 1,201 rushing yards and 13 total touchdowns. Williams likely would have finished as the No. 10 RB if he had played in a meaningless Week 18 game. The Cowboys boast an electric offense and are committed to his volume. More than a few (maybe almost all?) of the RBs going in Round 5 and later scare me. Williams might be in a tier by himself, or perhaps bumped up with the others.
New Houston Texans starter David Montgomery isn’t necessarily safe or gleaming with upside, but he also doesn’t cost you a high draft pick as he is going in Round 8. In the AFC for the first time, Montgomery begins the third chapter of an underrated career at age 29, and reasonable minds can debate what level of volume he will receive. Montgomery hasn’t been a true featured back for years (through little fault of his own), but that doesn’t mean he is incapable of a return to reliable RB2 range. The rushing yards and touchdowns should be there. This is a bargain player.
I am generally not targeting first-year players, but Seattle Seahawks rookie Jadarian Price enters a positive situation with the defending Super Bowl champions. Kenneth Walker III is gone and the Seahawks never seemed particularly concerned about replacing him. Price couldn’t pile on the stats at Notre Dame with Arizona Cardinals pick Jeremiyah Love there as well, and he might not play much on passing downs, but I see a bruiser with 200-plus rushing attempts and double-digit touchdowns coming. I see an RB2 option lurking, and in his ADP range I want little part of the RB timeshares with the New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, Carolina Panthers and Minnesota Vikings.
Kenny Gainwell boasts a strong chance of outscoring incumbent Bucky Irving with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and I will reach a few rounds to grab him.
I also will reach a bit for Denver Broncos starter J.K. Dobbins. He might never appear in 17 games in a season, but perhaps this will be his first 1,000-yard rushing campaign. RJ Harvey is the third-down back.
Washington Commanders newcomer Rachaad White will be a popular, in-season flex option as he steamrolls toward 70 receptions. Former Commanders option Chris Rodriguez Jr. should join him; he catches few passes but can earn early-down volume and approach double-digit touchdowns in Jacksonville. I will take a chance on New Orleans Saints pass catcher Alvin Kamara in the late rounds, too.
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San Francisco 49ers starter Brock Purdy is going outside the top 100 in ADP. He was the No. 6 QB fantasy scorer in 2023 with 4,280 passing yards and 31 touchdowns, and he was on a similar scoring pace last year. Perhaps we cannot assume 17 games or pristine health for his targets around him, but I see a borderline QB1 option going as a clear backup in many leagues.
Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes (knee) is playing in Week 1 … well, I believe he will. Don’t expect the same rushing prowess as last season, but I would take the over on 4,000 passing yards and 30 TDs. How can one bet against Mahomes?
Lions starter Jared Goff is rostered in barely 50% of ESPN leagues and is going 16th at his position despite finishing as a top-10 QB fantasy scorer in each of the past four seasons. No, really, it’s true. What production! What consistency! I stop short of ranking him in the top 10, but as I write this section I wonder, “Why would it be so silly to do so?” Perhaps, as with Cowboys RB Williams, I need to move Goff up a tier.
I continue to take chances (mainly in superflex formats) on new Vikings starter Kyler Murray and Saints sophomore Tyler Shough. I refuse to believe that the Miami Dolphins will be so embarrassingly bad on offense that new QB Malik Willis will fail, especially with his running ability.
Vikings star Justin Jefferson might not reprise his 2024 numbers, but I bet he comes close. He doesn’t need amazing QB play, he just needs competency there. Murray should be more than competent. Meanwhile, Vikings teammate Jordan Addison enters a critical season. His rookie numbers (70 receptions, 911 yards, 10 TDs) are in play, making Addison a bargain pick — especially with an ADP below all of the Jacksonville Jaguars WRs fighting for targets.
Newly paid Ravens starter Zay Flowers finished seventh in WR scoring last season despite underwhelming QB play, and yet he is 17th among WRs in ADP. No, I don’t rank Flowers as a top-10 WR, but something doesn’t make sense here. I am fine with Flowers and a pair of reliable RBs among my first three selections.
Lions starter Jameson Williams might never approach 100 receptions (75 is reasonable), so his value might be higher in non-PPR formats. Even so, his QB is durable and productive, the creative offense (usually) sings and Detroit’s schedule this season might be the most favorable in the sport. This could be the TD breakout campaign. Williams easily boasts WR1 upside.
I admit I might be too generous to 49ers newcomer Mike Evans, but he surpassed 1,000 receiving yards and scored 11 touchdowns (No. 7 WR fantasy scorer) only two seasons ago, doing so in 14 games. I don’t expect quite that, but something like a reliable WR2 season makes sense.
Indianapolis Colts starter Josh Downs is a wise breakout option after the team sent Michael Pittman Jr. to the Steelers. Downs enters his fourth season poised for his most targets, catches and, well … everything. He and Alec Pierce are different. I like a healthy Pierce, but it seems he is not healthy (and Pittman over fellow Steeler DK Metcalf is a reasonable take, too).
I don’t get the ordinary projections for new Tennessee Titans starter Wan’Dale Robinson. I do get that the Titans grabbed rookie Carnell Tate in the draft to be their new top WR, but that scenario doesn’t always work out initially. Throw Robinson into the slot and everyone enjoys 80-plus catches, even if they’re somewhat hollow. That’s valuable in PPR.
Someone will catch passes in Miami. Relative fantasy afterthought Malik Washington can surprise.
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Nothing against the top options, but I still like to build with RBs and WRs. So, when thinking about TEs after Harold Fannin Jr. (whom I like) goes off the board, Packers breakout Tucker Kraft deserves a better ADP (perhaps in the Fannin neighborhood). Kraft is recovering well from the ACL tear and it sure seems like he will play in Week 1. He is Green Bay’s top receiving option.
The good news is the Ravens’ Mark Andrews outlasted now-New York Giant Isaiah Likely and earned his own contract extension. Andrews was disappointing in 2025, but there are no excuses now: His volume must rise. Andrews has been a top-five fantasy TE in five of the past seven seasons. It is hardly outrageous to expect a return to the top 10, and if he starts slowly, streaming is an option at the position. I bet the Vikings’ T.J. Hockenson, Bills’ Dalton Kincaid and Patriots’ Hunter Henry outproduce their lowly ADPs, too.
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