2026 Fantasy Football Rankings and Draft Strategy

With Week 1 of the NFL preseason in the books, Fantasy football ADP continues to solidify. The players going off the board first on average are Jahmyr Gibbs, Bijan Robinson, Ja’Marr Chase, Puka Nacua, and Jonathan Taylor, with running backs and receivers dominating the first two rounds. However, Bills quarterback Josh Allen is going off the board at pick No. 19, as Fantasy players have clearly valued him in a Fantasy tier of his own, with no other QB among the top 40.

Trey McBride and Brock Bowers, both going off the board around No. 27, are the top tight ends. Travis Kelce, the former consensus top Fantasy tight end, is still going off the board in the top 100 in most drafts, despite his drop in production over the past couple of seasons.

Before setting your 2026 Fantasy football draft strategy, it’s essential to check out the 2026 Fantasy football rankings and cheat sheets from a proven computer model at SportsLine. This model has a proven track record of providing accurate Fantasy football tips, including nailing Jonathan Taylor’s monstrous season in 2021, calling Rachaad White’s breakout in 2023, and identifying Isiah Pacheco as a bust in 2025.

2026 Fantasy Football Sleepers

One of the top 2026 Fantasy football sleepers the model is predicting is Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce. He was one of the top big-play receivers in the league last year, finishing second in the league with an average of 21.3 yards per reception. He finished the year as a top-25 Fantasy WR with a 47-1003-6 receiving line, cashing in on a four-year, $114 million contract extension.

Alec Pierce is rehabbing an ankle injury in camp, which might be one reason he’s slipped to an ADP of around No. 70 overall, down three slots in recent days. With Michael Pittman gone, however, SportsLine’s model is extremely high on Pierce’s outlook, ranking him above receivers such as Maik Nabers and Justin Jefferson, both of whom are going much earlier in Fantasy drafts.

2026 Fantasy Football Breakouts

One of the top 2026 Fantasy football breakouts the model is predicting is Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart, who is going off the board at pick No. 94. The second-year pro out of Ole Miss had a solid rookie season, throwing for 2,272 yards, 15 touchdowns, and five interceptions. He added 487 yards and nine scores on the ground.

There’s certainly some injury risk, but with an upgraded supporting cast and the return of Malk Nabers (ACL), Dart has a chance to be a steal at his current ADP. SportsLine’s model ranks him ahead of players like Patrick Mahomes, Matthew Stafford, and Justin Herbert, all QBs being drafted before him.

2026 Fantasy Football Busts

As for players to avoid, the model identifies Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker III. Walker’s Fantasy stock is sky high after he was dominant in the playoffs last year as a key piece of Seattle’s Super Bowl run. Now he joins a Kansas City backfield without a lot of competition, and he’s going off the board at pick No. 22 overall on average in Fantasy drafts, up two slots in recent days.

Andy Reid’s pass-first offense hasn’t been friendly to running backs, however, from a Fantasy standpoint as no Kansas City back has cleared 1,000 yards on the ground since 2017. Walker also brings some injury risk after missing at least one game in 2022, 2023, and 2024. SportsLine’s model ranks backs such as Jeremiyah Love, D’Andre Swift, and Bucky Irving higher, making Walker a player to avoid in upcoming Fantasy drafts.