2026 Fantasy football draft prep: Elite NFL experts unveil rankings, draft strategy, tiers, best 150 picks — SkimNews
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- 2026 Fantasy draft season peaks the final weekend before the NFL season opens Wednesday, Sep. 9, with running backs dominating early picks per ADP: Jahmyr Gibbs (1), Bijan Robinson (2), Jonathan Taylor (5), Christian McCaffrey (7), and James Cook (9) are first-round staples
- Ja'Marr Chase (ADP 3) is the first wide receiver off the board, with Josh Allen (19) the first quarterback and Brock Bowers (25) the first tight end, per SportsLine's data
- SportsLine's Fantasy draft bible, prepared by R.J. White (the site's No. 1 NFL expert since 2017) and Josh Nagel, ranks the top 150 players in non-, half-, and full-PPR formats and includes sleepers, breakouts, busts, and strategy tips for snake and salary-cap drafts
- RB David Montgomery (ADP 50) is flagged as a must-draft after topping 1,100 total yards for five straight seasons before 2025, with the guide arguing he's positioned to deliver RB2 production at a discounted cost
- TE Tucker Kraft (ADP 73) is highlighted as a must-draft; he was on pace for 1,139 yards and 16 touchdowns through seven games before tearing his ACL, and Green Bay's offseason moves open up more passing-game targets
- WR Quentin Johnston (ADP 105) is another must-draft, averaging nine targets, 5.5 receptions, and 84.3 yards over the first four games of 2025 before injuries derailed the Chargers' offense; new OC Mike McDaniel inherits Justin Herbert and two healthy tackles
Why it matters: Fantasy players drafting in the final weekend before the Sep. 9 kickoff get top-150 rankings across three PPR formats plus must-draft sleepers and first-round busts. With RBs going 1-2-5-7-9 in ADP and value picks like Tucker Kraft at 73, the guide's credibility rests on White's track record as SportsLine's No. 1 NFL expert since 2017.
Ask SkimNews
