15 players to target in 2026 fantasy football drafts
The Comeback: Today’s Top Sports Stories & Reactions · Matt Clapp · 2026-08-24T19:16:16+00:00 · nguồn gốc
While early draft picks and star power always go a long way in fantasy football, it’s frequently the shrewd targets and hidden gems that play a big part in determining the league winner.
Here, we’ll identify 15 players to keep in mind for your 2026 fantasy football draft. The consensus average draft position (ADP) listed is for standard league formats.
Quarterback
Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
Consensus ADP: 56.0 (4th among quarterbacks)
If you’ve prioritized other positions early in the draft, Burrow makes for a great quarterback target in rounds 5-6.
Burrow finished tied for fantasy football’s No. 3 quarterback in 2024. And in 2025, he was limited to just eight games due to a toe injury, but he returned to be the No. 3 fantasy quarterback from Weeks 13 through 18.
The 29-year-old is entering the season with a now-or-never mindset, and he still has an elite receiving duo to throw to in Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Consensus ADP: 89.5 (9th among quarterbacks)
Herbert was the No. 10 fantasy quarterback in 2025, and now he gets a quarterback-friendly offensive coordinator in former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel to call plays.
Additionally, Herbert already carries a high floor with his underrated rushing ability as a quarterback. His 498 rushing yards ranked second among quarterbacks in 2025.
So, if he sees an uptick in passing production under McDaniel’s play-calling and brings similar rushing numbers, he could make a leap into true QB1 territory in fantasy.
Kyler Murray, Minnesota Vikings
Consensus ADP: 156.0 (17th among quarterbacks)
This is a value buy, but it’s one that could pay off in a big way.
Murray “won” a training-camp battle that wasn’t really a battle with J.J. McCarthy for the Vikings’ starting quarterback job. Now, he gets to play in the Kevin O’Connell-led Minnesota offense that features Justin Jefferson at wide receiver.
O’Connell got Kirk Cousins and Sam Darnold to play good football, and no offensive mind would have saved McCarthy last season. Murray was the No. 1 overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft and still possesses strong dual-threat traits. In 2024, he finished 10th among fantasy quarterbacks, and he was ninth in scoring average for fantasy quarterbacks in 2023.
The football world has soured on Murray a bit over the last few years, but he goes from a bad situation to a great one, and he offers top-10 upside at the position while being 17th among quarterbacks in ADP.
Running Back
Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals
Consensus ADP: 16.0 (10th among running backs)
Brown will likely be the first player on this list selected in your draft, but maybe not early enough.
In 2025, Brown ran for 1,019 yards and five touchdowns. And his skills were particularly valuable in point-per-reception (PPR) leagues, with his 69 receptions ranking fifth among running backs last season. He ranked seventh among running backs in PPR in 2025. From Weeks 8 through 18, Brown ranked fourth among running backs in PPR, behind only Christian McCaffrey, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Bijan Robinson.
This is a player capable of being an elite RB1, and he might be available in the second round of your draft.
Kenneth Walker III, Kansas City Chiefs
Consensus ADP: 20.5 (12th among running backs)
After years of issues at running back, the Chiefs made the position a priority and signed Walker to a three-year, $43 million deal over the offseason. And they didn’t do so for him to be a limited factor.
Chiefs beat writer Jesse Newell of The Athletic reports that the Chiefs “are getting the ball to Walker all the time” in training camp.
The Super Bowl champion shared running back duties with Zach Charbonnet in Seattle, but he’s set to be the clear-cut starter with Kansas City, and that could turn him into a definitive RB1 in fantasy.
Bhayshul Tuten, Jacksonville Jaguars
Consensus ADP: 47.0 (23rd among running backs)
With Travis Etienne leaving in free agency to join the New Orleans Saints, the starting running back role is up for grabs in Jacksonville. Tuten and Chris Rodriguez are battling for touches, but Tuten looks like the best bet to emerge as the top back.
Tuten wasn’t particularly efficient in his rookie season, averaging 3.7 yards per carry, but the 2025 fourth-round pick totaled seven touchdowns (five rushing, two receiving) and showed some promise.
And if Tuten can claim the starting job, or at least the bulk of the touches, it’s a high-upside opportunity for fantasy purposes. Etienne finished ninth among running backs in fantasy points last season, which was the first year for dynamic offensive mind Liam Coen as the team’s head coach. While Tuten is unlikely to approach that kind of production, he still has a good chance to be a solid RB2 for fantasy.
Blake Corum, Los Angeles Rams
Consensus ADP: 83.5 (35th among running backs)
If Kyren Williams were to miss time, Corum immediately becomes an RB1. As it stands, he’s still a solid RB3 whose role could increase, and he’s likely to mix in some huge weeks.
Corum delivered efficient production in 2025, his second NFL season. The Michigan product averaged 5.1 yards per carry with 746 rushing yards and six touchdowns.
Williams has had a massive workload over the last few years, and it’s easy to see Sean McVay wanting to give him more of a break while working in Corum more.
Jonathon Brooks, Carolina Panthers
Consensus ADP: 122.0 (45th among running backs)
The Panthers selected Brooks in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, but he didn’t make his debut until November of that season while recovering from a torn ACL, and he suffered a re-tear of the same ACL weeks later.
Now, Brooks is healthy. Panthers head coach Dave Canales told the media in July that Brooks “looks like the guy [he remembers].”
Additionally, Chuba Hubbard is currently dealing with a hamstring injury that has his Week 1 status in question. And even if Hubbard can return for that game, Brooks might be able to stand out in camp and carve out a sizable role for the 2026 season.
Wide Receiver
Ladd McConkey, Los Angeles Chargers
Consensus ADP: 46.5 (2oth among wide receivers)
The McDaniel addition might have an even bigger statistical impact on McConkey than Herbert. McDaniel’s scheme and play-calling led to enormous numbers from receivers such as Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle in Miami.
Now, McConkey gets to be that guy for McDaniel and the Chargers. McConkey’s production slipped in year two compared to his rookie season, but it’s easy to see him taking off in McDaniel’s offense this season. He could be an absolute monster in PPR leagues, especially.
Rome Odunze, Chicago Bears
Consensus ADP: 66.5 (28th among wide receivers)
Odunze dealt with foot and heel injury issues that began last October and led to him missing all of December. But early in the season, he showed why the Bears selected him with the ninth overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Through Week 8 of last season, Odunze was ninth in fantasy points among wide receivers.
While Luther Burden III and Colston Loveland emerged as favorite targets of Caleb Williams later in the season, Odunze shouldn’t be overlooked in this mix. Additionally, D.J. Moore was traded to the Buffalo Bills over the offseason, allowing for more targets to go around in Chicago.
Parker Washington, Jacksonville Jaguars
Consensus ADP: 74.0 (31st among wide receivers)
In the second half of last season, few wide receivers were better than Washington. And in the final three weeks, for example, Washington was the No. 3 wide receiver in fantasy.
There were questions about how legitimate Washington’s role would be in the Jacksonville offense going forward, but reports out of training camp are that he looks like the top weapon for Trevor Lawrence in the Coen-led pass-friendly offense.
“WR Parker Washington has been QB Trevor Lawrence’s favorite target, and he always seems to be open,” Jaguars beat writer Michael DiRocco of ESPN recently reported.
Washington has WR1 potential, and he’s being treated more like a WR3 in many drafts.
Wan’Dale Robinson, Tennessee Titans
Consensus ADP: 95.0 (39th among wide receivers)
This one is more of a PPR mindset than someone you necessarily want to pencil in as a starting wide receiver. But Robinson could be the top target and playmaker in Tennessee for quarterback Cam Ward, who was the top overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
And he’s coming off consecutive seasons of having at least 92 receptions on the New York Giants, with the 2025 season also featuring 1,014 receiving yards.
Robinson has a good chance to produce rather consistent double-digit-point weeks, especially in PPR formats.
Tight End
Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears
Consensus ADP: 46.5 (3rd among tight ends)
Loveland was essentially the Bears’ No. 1 wide receiver down the stretch of his terrific rookie season and into the postseason, providing Williams a tight-end target with a wide-receiver skillset. Ben Johnson didn’t hesitate to dial up plays for Loveland in crucial situations.
The Michigan product turned just 22 in April and possesses an enormous upside that he’s continued to show off in training camp.
Don’t be surprised if Loveland leads all tight ends in fantasy points this season, and he should be a star for many years to come. And if you can land him in a keeper or dynasty league, consider yourself very lucky.
Tyler Warren, Indianapolis Colts
Consensus ADP: 57.5 (4th among tight ends)
Like Loveland, Warren looked as advertised as a rookie. His 76 receptions ranked second on the Colts, behind only wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., who is now with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Alec Pierce is likely to be the No. 1 wide receiver for Indianapolis, but he specializes as a deep threat in the passing game.
The versatile Warren is likely to be Daniel Jones’ go-to target in the Indianapolis passing attack, and it should be expected that there will be a bump in his production across the board in year two.
Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints
Consensus ADP: 120.0 (16th among tight ends)
Johnson was one of the top under-the-radar performers in fantasy last season, ranking 12th in points. And after Tyler Shough took over as New Orleans’ quarterback in Week 9, Johnson placed 10th among tight ends in fantasy points.
Shough was a big upgrade over what the Saints were getting from Spencer Rattler at quarterback, and it’s easy to see him and the New Orleans passing game improving in his second NFL season.
Johnson is a fringe TE1 and at least a really strong TE2, at the most difficult position to find impact in fantasy.