Fantasy Football 2026 Draft Rankings - July
- Kev Wheeler
- 2 minutes ago
- 21 min read
Below you’ll find my 2026 fantasy football draft rankings for points per reception (PPR) and half-PPR leagues. Included are my rankings for the top 25 quarterbacks, top 60 running backs, top 70 wide receivers and top 20 tight ends. As you can see below, these are among the most accurate rankings you can find over the past three years.
Fantasy Football Draft Rankings
This is not a cheat-sheet, although you probably won’t get into trouble using it as one. This is how I have players ranked for your home-league draft, but I need to run them through a few tests before I create the draft cheat-sheets.
Rankings for the Fantasy Pros Accuracy competition will be published in September. They are more closely related to pure projections, but considerations for injuries, consistency, and pure gut feel are taken into consideration. You can click this link for the methodology FantasyPros uses for their Accuracy Competition.
Please join our Discord for updates and discussion, and you can let me know where you think I’m getting it wrong; it could help me improve my process.
Fantasy Football Rankings Perspective
When I began publishing fantasy football rankings, back in 2015, it was out of frustration that the most popular "analysts" were really just writers or entertainers that didn't know much about real football, let alone the strategy of this game. Sadly, the more things change, the more they remain the same.
There are some very good analysts out there, but most get swallowed-up by click-bait specialists or hype-beasts that just say outlandish things to be seen and recognized. Back when I started there was an ESPN analyst that touted Michael Vick as a first-round pick. While this person might have whole-heartedly believed what he was saying and doing, it was irresponsible of him to tout such an outlandish position to such a broad and naive audience. Please do yourself a favor and stay away from anything on ESPN, Barstool, or PFT (ProFootballTalk).
Quarterback
Josh Allen has finished each of the past six seasons no worse than second among quarterbacks in fantasy points. Despite seeing less passing volume the past two seasons (14th or lower in pass attempts both years), the 2024 NFL MVP has finished in the top 10 in passing TDs six seasons in a row and remains a major threat rushing (top five in carries and rushing TDs among quarterbacks all eight seasons of his career). Allen's 21.4 fantasy points per game in 2025 was actually his lowest since 2019, but it was still enough to lead the position.
Lamar Jackson is set up for a rebound season after an injury-plagued 2025. Jackson started the season strong (26-plus fantasy points in each of his first three games) but left Week 4 because of an injury and wasn't the same once he returned in Week 9 (13.5 fantasy points per game in his final nine outings). Jackson's rushing was down, but that was likely a product of him not being healthy, considering his scramble rate (8.4%) remained high. Jackson has a new coach (Jesse Minter) and playcaller (Declan Doyle), but his supporting cast is otherwise similar to 2024 in which he paced all quarterbacks in fantasy points.
Running Back
Bijan Robinson has finished in the top five among running backs in carries, rushing yards, touches, yards and fantasy points in each of the past two seasons. He has ranked no lower than fifth at the position in routes, targets, receptions and receiving yards in his three pro seasons. In 2025, PFF tracked him with 86 forced missed tackles, which was easily the most among backs. The 24-year-old has a new coach in Kevin Stefanski, and former teammate, RB Tyler Allgeier, has moved on to the Cardinals clearing the path to a massive offensive role.
Jahmyr Gibbs has finished in the top 10 among running backs in yards per carry, routes, targets, receptions, touchdowns and fantasy points in each of his first three seasons. His 38 touchdowns over the past two seasons are four more than any other player. Gibbs has finished as a top-three fantasy back in each of the past two years, but he has yet to finish a season higher than seventh in touches. We could see that change this season with David Montgomery moving onto the Texans. The 24-year-old Gibbs is one of the NFL's top playmakers in one of its best offenses.
Christian McCaffrey finished the 2025 season leading all running backs in snaps, routes, touches, targets, receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns and fantasy points. McCaffrey's rushing efficiency wasn't great (3.86 yards per carry), and he's entering his age-30 season after handling 450 touches (including the playoffs) in 2025. The history of overworked backs suggests we should expect a step back in 2026. There's obvious risk here, but McCaffrey is an elite option whenever he's on the field.
Ashton Jeanty is looking to take a leap forward after an uneven rookie season, in which the first-round pick enjoyed a ton of volume (seventh among backs in carries, targets and receptions) and played fairly well (eighth among RBs in forced missed tackle rate, per PFF) but struggled to overcome the awful Las Vegas offense. The good news is that the Raiders' offense should improve in 2026 with a better/healthier offensive line, a new coach in Super Bowl champion Klint Kubiak and a new quarterback in No. 1 NFL draft pick Fernando Mendoza. Jeanty has a clean path to a massive offensive role and is a strong bet to break out in 2026.
Jonathan Taylor enters the 2026 season having improved in fantasy points per game in each of the past three years. Last season, he delivered his best production since his huge 2021 breakout, as he paced the NFL in carries and TDs while finishing second in carries inside the 5-yard line (19) and fourth in fantasy points. He saw increased usage in the passing game, ranking in the top 10 among backs in routes, targets, catches and receiving yards, setting career highs in each. Taylor's season likely would've been even better had QB Daniel Jones not been injured, as the running back averaged 24.8 points with Jones but 12.9 without him. Jones is expected to be ready to play in Week 1, but at a diminished capacity.
De'Von Achane has become one of the best running backs in the NFL. The 2023 third-round pick has scored 11 or more touchdowns in each of his three seasons and put up a career-high 1,838 scrimmage yards in 2025. Achane's elite receiving production is nothing new (he has finished in the top five among backs in targets and receiving yards in each of the past two years), but he made another leap forward as a rusher last season, finishing fifth at the position in rushing yards. His 5.62 yards per carry is best among qualified backs since he entered the league. The 24-year-old is eyeing his third straight top-five fantasy finish, but will face challenges in an overhauled Miami offense led by quarterback Malik Willis.
James Cook signed a contract extension last offseason and was immediately given the biggest role of his career. The 2022 second-round NFL draft pick finished in the top five among backs in carries, rushing yards (league-high 1,621), touchdowns and yards per carry (5.25). The one limiting factor in Cook's fantasy output was a minimal receiving role (his 40 targets ranked 26th among RBs), but he still came through with a sixth-place finish in fantasy points. The 26-year-old is set to play the same role in Joe Brady's scheme and will be a candidate for his third straight double-digit touchdown output.
Saquon Barkley is looking to rebound after a rough 2025 season. After producing 2,283 yards and 15 touchdowns on 378 touches in his first season with Philly, Barkley dipped to 1,413 yards and nine scores on 317 touches in 2025. Barkley fell from first among backs in fantasy points per game (22.5) to 15th (14.5). Now 29 years old, it's possible Barkley's best days are behind him, but he's still positioned as a clear feature back in a good offense that will have a healthier offensive line and a new playcaller in Sean Mannion.
Jeremiyah Love was selected by the Cardinals with the No. 3 overall pick of April's draft. Love has good size and terrific speed (4.36 40-yard dash) to go along with a three-down skill set. He led this year's rookie class in both yards per carry (6.66) and yards after contact (4.16) while ranking second in forced missed tackle rate (3.5) during his collegiate career. He's a capable receiver, a competent pass blocker and protects the ball well (one fumble on 496 career touches). Love might have some competition for touches with the Cardinals acquiring Tyler Allgeier before the NFL draft.
Kenneth Walker signed with the Chiefs after spending his first four NFL seasons with the Seahawks. Having worked in a committee most of last season, Walker was limited to only five touchdowns and 11.3 fantasy points per game (both career lows), but he still generated 252 touches and a career-high 1,309 yards. He has yet to finish a season better than 18th in fantasy points (12th on a per-game basis) and has missed at least two games in three of four seasons.
Derrick Henry continues to defy the odds, playing at a high level despite now entering his age-32 season. In 2025, he finished second in the NFL in rushing yards, and his 24 carries inside the 5-yard line were easily the most in the league. Henry leads the NFL in carries inside the 5-yard line (42) and is second in touchdowns (34) since joining Baltimore prior to the 2024 season, and he hasn't finished lower than eighth among RBs in touchdowns since 2017. Henry continues to run at a high level (his 5.20 yards per carry last season ranked fifth among qualified backs), but he's still a nonfactor as a receiver (outside the top 45 backs in targets, catches and yards last season).
Omarion Hampton is primed for a breakout second season following an impressive but injury-shortened rookie year. During his nine appearances, he averaged 13.8 carries and 3.9 targets. He scored five touchdowns, averaged 15.1 fantasy points per game (13th best) and ranked third among backs in forced missed tackle rate, per PFF. With Kimani Vidal and Keaton Mitchell as his primary competition, Hampton has a clear path to lead rusher duties in 2026, and his targets only figure to increase with Greg Roman out and Mike McDaniel in as the team's playcaller. The offensive line will have star tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater back healthy, Hampton has elite upside.
Josh Jacobs' 2025 season was marred by injury. While healthy during his first nine games, Jacobs picked up where he left off from a terrific 2024 season, averaging 21.1 touches and 19.6 fantasy points while scoring 11 TDs. After playing very limited snaps during Weeks 11 and 12, Jacobs wasn't quite the same, averaging 14.6 touches and 11.3 points while totaling three touchdowns in his final five games. Jacobs, 28, was still effective overall (PFF's fourth-highest-graded back) and has a clear grasp on lead-back duties in a good Green Bay offense that has afforded him 30 touchdowns (fifth most in the NFL) in 32 games. His legal issues have caused a 2-3 round drop in ADP making him an incredible value in the late fourth round or later.
Chase Brown’s 2025 season got off to a rocky start (10.1 fantasy points per game and one touchdown during his first seven games), but it turned around drastically down the stretch (21.2 points per game and 10 TDs during his final 10 games). The improvement coincided with Cincinnati's improved QB play, which should continue into 2026 with a healthy Joe Burrow. Brown has yet to finish a season higher than 16th in carries or rushing yards, but he has scored 11 TDs and has finished fifth in receptions in each of the past two years, both of which have resulted in top-10 fantasy campaigns. Brown was conceding touches to Gio Bernard during the back end of the season, but it certainly didn’t slow him down much.
Breece Hall was given the franchise tag during the offseason and will return for his fifth season with the Jets. Being in the Jets' stagnant offenses for the past two years, Hall has struggled to finishes of 17th and 21st in fantasy points per game among RBs, which was disappointing after top-eight finishes during his first two seasons. The 2022 second-round pick saw a dip in receiving work in 2025 (career-low 10% target share) but finished fourth in that category in both 2023 and 2024, so a rebound is possible with pocket QB Geno Smith now under center.
Travis Etienne signed with the Saints after spending the first five seasons of his pro career with the Jaguars. The 2021 first-round pick has produced at least 1,399 scrimmage yards in three of the past four seasons and scored a career-high 13 touchdowns in 2025. Etienne has reached 1,000-plus rushing yards three times and has 35-plus catches in each of the past four seasons. Even if the Saints retain Alvin Kamara as a situational player, Etienne will have a clear path to feature-back duties in an ascending offense led by second-year QB Tyler Shough.
Javonte Williams re-signed with the Cowboys following a successful first year with the team. After failing to produce a top-25 fantasy season during his final three years in Denver, Williams finished as the RB12 in 2025, setting career-best marks in carries, rushing yards, touches (287), scrimmage yards (1,338) and yards per carry (4.77). He also scored a career-high 13 touchdowns after totaling 16 during his first four seasons, and his 16 carries inside the 5-yard line were fifth most among backs. He did struggle in the receiving department, as his 2.7 yards per target was last among qualified RBs.
Kyren Williams continued to produce as the Rams' lead back in 2025. The 2022 fifth-round pick has produced 1,350-plus scrimmage yards in three straight seasons (including a career-high 1,533 in 2025), and he's one of 11 backs in NFL history who have scored 13-plus touchdowns in three of his first four seasons. Williams' carry share dropped quite a bit last season, but it was offset by a boost in efficiency, and he still averaged 15.5 fantasy points. Williams doesn't do much as a receiver having never cleared 36 catches in a season.
Quinshon Judkins is entering his second NFL season after a turbulent rookie year in which he missed time early because of an off-field issue and late because of a season-ending leg injury in Week 16. When on the field, Judkins handled a 71.4% share of Cleveland's designed rush attempts (16.4 per game). He was held to 3.6 yards per carry while he was dealing with a league-high 7.4 box defenders per attempt. He wasn't involved much as a receiver (2.6 targets per game), and was limited to 12.1 fantasy points per game (26th among RBs). The Cleveland offense has a new coach (Todd Monken) and quarterback questions remain, so Judkins has a clear path to a big carry total.
Many analysts will tell you that Cam Skattebo is a Year 2 breakout candidate following an injury-shortened rookie season. The fourth-round pick first played a significant offensive role in Week 2 and went on to average 16.0 carries, 4.7 targets and 96.3 yards while scoring six TDs during his six full games. His 19.1 fantasy points per game during the span would've ranked sixth over the full season. The 24-year-old enters 2026 with a new coach (John Harbaugh) and playcaller (Matt Nagy), but his competition for touches are the same guys he beat out for work in 2025 (Tyrone Tracy Jr., Devin Singletary). It is our contention that Skattebo is completely overrated and cannot maintain his style of play without getting injured. He plays recklessly while being extraordinarily slow, which is not a great combo for maintaining health in the NFL.