Fantasy Football Draft Day Cheat Sheet 2026
Updated: Sep 6
We have come to Fantasy Football draft weekend and if you have found this site you likely know how to prepare, but there are always some quick reminders that we have to make sure of before we draft. I know articles about drafting can get long winded and sometimes overwhelming so I have attached a cheat sheet you can print-out or save to your desktop at the bottom of this post. If you are looking for specific player evaluation connect to the draft rankings article.
Fantasy Football Draft - Rule Number Uno
The first thing you need to do to prep for your fantasy football draft is know your scoring rules. I’m actually shocked that I have to write that, but you can’t imagine how many people play and don’t know how players actually get points. There are many different scoring rules and your drafting philosophy should be centered around your scoring system.
Draft and Chill
One thing that gets generally overlooked is comfort, especially at a live draft. Make sure you are in a comfortable seat, make sure you have easy access to the draft board and have a cooler with a couple of beverages and some snacks, you want to make sure to limit distractions. Also, be sure to choose a seat where people can’t look over your shoulder, I forgot this one year and I was so buzzed I didn’t realize what was happening until I was sniped a half-dozen times.
Fantasy Football Player Values
ADP (Average Draft Position) can vary significantly from site-to-site. Make sure to compare your draft list (cheat-sheet) to the draft list in your draft room, it will help you identify sleepers so you don’t have to reach for the guys you like. Many sites are listing ADP from mock drafts or they include drafts that happened in March into their calculations. There are hidden gems on every platform, especially the more popular platforms where you will rarely find players that know what they are doing.
Drafting Solo
While creating the fantasy football draft rankings and cheat sheet I go through a whole draft myself. Making every pick as if each team is my own. It's a good practice if you have the time, it becomes extremely difficult because at some point you will need to draft players you just don't think are going to perform. You also begin to realize that every player is a value at some point. If you try it do yourself a favor and every once in a while ask yourself, "What if I'm wrong about this guy?"
Your draft is not likely to be as neat and organized into tiers as this draft, but it is the easiest way to get through the process as quickly as possible. You will likely find that this process takes much longer than your real draft, with no clock many of the picks will torture you for much longer than you may think.
No Mock Zone
I do not like or encourage mock drafting for many reasons, but it is a good idea to do one on your league platform before the draft. If for no other reason than you will familiarize yourself with how to set up your queue and where to find those hidden gems we are always searching for. The main reason mock drafts are generally useless are because none of the participants have skin in the game.
Foolosophy
My draft philosophy depends more on where I am in the draft. With all of the differentiation in draft philosophies it would seem as though there would be some system that would emerge to prove to be the correct one, but it doesn’t happen that way. We have zero-RB, heavy RB, double TE1 (essentially TE in the flex), late round QB, and plenty of others that are tweaks to these strategies.
For years I had been using the RB heavy approach and winning, but all of the sudden everyone in my league jumped on board to the extent that one year we had all RB’s in the first round, every pick. The first WR didn’t come off the board until halfway through the second round. You have to remain fluid in your draft, know that there are other options at every turn, and making a mistake will not cost you your league fees, there are plenty of ways to make up for mistakes after the draft, but it can be a huge benefit to minimize these mistakes.
Fantasy Football Draft - Tiered Rankings
I, like most professionals, rank players according to tiers, if there are two players you’re deciding between in different tiers obviously go with the better tier regardless of position, if they play the same position and are the same tier go with your favorite, or wait and grab a player from a different position.
Keep scrolling for the draft cheat sheet below...
News and Updates
Packers RB Josh Jacobs’ first court hearing has been moved up from November 17th to September 10th.
The NFL placed Jacobs on the Commissioner Exempt List on August 30th, which prevents him from practicing with the team and playing in NFL games. The NFL acts independently and can make its own decision as to whether Jacobs’ behavior warrants a suspension. That said, rulings or evidence presented in court could impact the league’s decision-making. This could be consequential. Stay tuned. - Nic Bodiford
Mike Reiss reports Patriots RB TreVeyon Henderson (ankle) did not practice Saturday. The absence is notable considering the team kicks off the 2026 regular season Wednesday, with the team’s first full injury report due later today. Henderson has yet to participate in practice since sustaining the injury on 24 August and now appears to be in legitimate trouble of missing Week 1 when the Patriots square off against the defending Super Bowl Champions on the road in Seattle. Rhamondre Stevenson would be in line to soak up the bulk of the work out of the backfield should Henderson be forced to sit considering the only other back on the roster is recent acquisition Corey Kiner. - Mark Garcia
Jeremy Fowler reports that the Falcons’ starting quarterback decision could be announced “as early as Monday.” Fowler notes that the official depth chart will be set on Wednesday, so the decision could be delayed by two days. Regardless, media members will surely ask coach Kevin Stefanski about it during Monday’s media session. NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe previously reported that the Falcons plan to start QB Michael Penix (knee) “eventually.” That said, QB Tua Tagovailoa could start a game or two early on. - Nic Bodiford
Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence said he is more confident in his “progressions, adjustments, when to kill a play and what to call instead.”
According to ESPN’s Michael DiRocco, Lawrence’s offseason “was about gaining a graduate-level understanding” of coach Liam Coen’s offense. Last season, Lawrence was rehabbing an injury while attempting to change his footwork and adjust to a new play caller. He is now calmer and “can play more freely the way he did in the second half of last season.” Lawrence was the overall QB1 in total scoring from Weeks 9-18. If Lawrence and his pass catchers can carry the momentum into 2026, Lawrence can once again finish as an elite QB1, this time from Week 1 onward. - Nic Bodiford
Tim McManus believes “expectations should be tempered early” for Eagles WR Makai Lemon. It’s a reasonable assessment for a rookie who missed valuable spring and summer practice reps due to a recurring hamstring strain. Lemon reportedly admitted that he should have been “more professional off the field” regarding the injury, and Eagles WR coach Aaron Moorehead eventually told him to do “whatever” WR DeVonta Smith did during his own hamstring rehab program. Per McManus, “coaches say Lemon attacked the mental part of the game with high intensity as he waited to get healthy.” McManus believes Lemon should get playing time right away, but Smith and WR Dontayvion Wicks will “receive the bulk of targets while the rookie gets his footing.” Lemon must be safely stashed on benches at this time. - Nic Bodiford
Tim McManus reports that Eagles QB Jalen Hurts has bought into new OC Sean Mannion’s scheme “and is fighting hard through the learning curve.” McManus adds that “the feedback internally has been positive” regarding Hurts’ development. Mannion’s West Coast-style system is a “heavy under-center operation” that will increase the team’s play-action rate, decrease its shotgun usage and require the quarterback and his pass catchers to be on time throughout the play. Hurts has thrown more interceptions than beat reporters are “accustomed to seeing” in training camp, but McManus believes “some” of them can be chalked up to the learning curve that comes with a new system, particularly one featuring passes thrown over the middle. McManus adds that the offensive line depth’s emergence has been the biggest under-the-radar development this season, boding positively for Hurts’ performance in both the short- and long-term. - Nic Bodiford
Old News
Jayden Higgins: Suffers torn ACL at practice placed on IR, likely out for the season
Jets HC Aaron Glenn told reporters RB Breece Hall (groin) will be out 2-3 weeks.
Hall suffered a groin strain and left Monday’s practice with Glenn saying he didn’t think the injury was a big deal. Now Hall is set to miss the next 2-3 weeks. The good news is that Hall is expected to be ready for Week 1 of the regular season, but the kind of breakout season fantasy drafters are looking for from Hall typically don’t begin with a multi-week preseason injury.
Adam Schefter reports that Cardinals RB Jeremiyah Love “is dealing with a high ankle sprain.”
We suspected this might be the case when, Jeremy Fowler, reported earlier that the team is “hopeful” Love can play in Week 1 against the Chargers. Love has just under a month to get healthy. He remains a high-upside pick, but RB Tyler Allgeier could be targeted as a bench stash. The Cardinals surprisingly gave Love 14 touches in Thursday’s preseason game, calling into question the judgement of the coaching staff, but it is better that this happened in the preseason and not regular season.
Buccaneers HC Todd Bowles said he’s “not sure at this time” if Emeka Egbuka (toe) will be available in Week 1. This comes just days after it was reported that the Buccaneers “are very optimistic” about Egbuka’s Week 1 availability. The second-year receiver has been dealing with a sprained toe that he suffered on Wednesday and hasn’t practiced since.
49ers RB Christian McCaffrey (tightness) is actually dealing with tightness and not holding in for a new contract, according to NFL Insider Ian Rapoport. There had been previous speculation, most notably from Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio and 49ers beat guy Grant Cohn, that McCaffrey’s tightness that cropped up just days after Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs reset the running back market was him holding in for a new contract of his own. In positive news for fantasy managers, he also added that it’s his understanding the injury isn’t anything to worry about, which implies McCaffrey will be ready for the start of the regular season. - Nick Shlain
Rams HC Sean McVay said Puka Nacua is still dealing with soreness in his groin. Nacua suffered a groin injury nearly a week ago and is still dealing with soreness. McVay said last week that he expects Nacua to return sometime this week, but the starting receiver was not on the field during Monday’s practice.
Giants HC John Harbaugh said he doesn’t think Malik Nabers (knee) is “at full-speed yet” after his first day in 11-on-11 drills. It was a big day for Nabers, as the star receiver participated in 11-on-11s for the first time since suffering a torn ACL last season. While he may not be up to full-speed just yet, it has been a positive summer for Nabers overall. He managed to avoid the PUP list to open camp and has not suffered any setbacks since then. He’s still sporting the red non-contact jersey, but all signs continue to point to Nabers being ready for Week 1 if he continues on his current trajectory. - Zachary Krueger
Lions HC Dan Campbell told reporters WR Jameson Williams (shoulder) is dealing with a minor injury. Williams was notably absent from practice on Sunday and also missed Monday’s practice. Campbell. Williams was spotted at Monday’s practice helping receivers go through a drill without a brace or a sling on his shoulder. Despite missing two practices so far, Campbell said Williams is “good to go.”
The Athletics Chad Graff believes the Patriots’ backfield “will be a 50-50 split” this season.
TreVeyon Henderson’s involvement in the offense could hinge heavily on his pass-protection performance, but Graff believes that if Henderson can hold up in those situations, he and Rhamondre Stevenson are looking at a 50-50 split. In his article over at The Athletic, Graff says the Patriots “want to take advantage of Henderson’s big-play ability, but they believe in Stevenson a bit more to get what’s blocked.” Henderson and Stevenson should both see plenty of work to have standalone fantasy value, we believe Steveson will be a solid floor play with Hendo being a boom/bust typre from week-to-week.
Jaguars WR Parker Washington is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury, reports Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. Washington will miss the rest of this week, but is expected to return next week. It doesn’t seem like this is anything to panic about just yet. Based on the way Washington finished last season and everything we’ve heard from Jaguars camp this offseason, he has established himself as a top wide receiver in Jacksonville.
Saints WR Jordyn Tyson (hamstring) is expected to miss roughly two months, reports NFL Insider Ian Rapoport. Tyson left practice last Thursday (Aug 13) with a hamstring injury and sought opinions from multiple doctors over the weekend. Now he’s slated to miss roughly two months, according to Rapoport. It’s a tough blow for the 22-year-old receiver who also battled hamstring injuries during his college career.
Colts coach Shane Steichen said he does not expect WR Alec Pierce (ankle) to resume practicing this week. According to The Athletic’s James Boyd, this means Pierce will miss the entirety of the Colts’ training camp program. Pierce has roughly one month to resume practicing and ramp up enough to play in Week 1 against the Ravens. He was supposed to be diversifying his route tree in order to take on a larger offensive role. Instead, he is stuck rehabbing during preseason play.
Raiders coach Klint Kubiak said Ashton Jeanty (ankle) is ‘on the mend’ and that he’s not ‘going to get into injuries.”
Not a surprising update but sadly also not a helpful one. It does sound like Jeanty is going to avoid the PUP list based on what we’ve seen over the past few days following the Sunday ankle injury, but it doesn’t sound like he’s any lock to play in Week 1 either. Coaches aren’t required to talk about the injury report before the regular season starts. Mike Washington would likely slide into the main role if Jeanty is unavailable in Week 1. - Rivers McCown
Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Kenneth Walker’s shoe caused some swelling around his ankle, but he will be fine.
Walker was held out of practice recently because of the issue, but this seems to be as minor as it gets. It’s safe to assume Walker will be back at practice soon, likely without any limitations. Walker has been going at the top of the second round of fantasy drafts. This little injury scare shouldn’t move that ADP in the slightest. He remains a strong RB1 bet this year. - Kyle Dvorchak
The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala said the Commanders offensive line was “inoperable” during a Wednesday joint practice with the Ravens.
Beat writers for the Commanders were aghast at what they saw during Wednesday’s joint practice, a dominant performance for Baltimore against an overmatched Washington offensive line. This is the worst I’ve ever seen the Commanders’ offense in years,” Jhabvala said. “Inoperable offensive line.” Washington this summer lost standout LT Laremy Tunsil to a tricep injury that will keep him sidelined throughout the regular season. The Commanders on Tuesday signed free agent OT DJ Humphries. If the team’s blocking issues are not adequately addressed in the coming weeks, it could be bad news for Jayden Daniels and the rest of the Commanders’ fantasy-relevant players. Last year Washington ranked 18th in pass blocking win rate and 21st in run blocking win rate. - Denny Carter
TreVeyon Henderson (undisclosed) won’t practice on Tuesday.
This comes directly from Pats GM Eliot Wolf, who said Henderson left practice “under his own power” on Monday. Henderson slipped while making a cut in Monday’s practice and exited. He remains in the “we think he’s probably fine but teams are being intentionally obtuse” injury window for at least one more update. - Rivers McCown
Team reporter Jim Wyatt reports that Titans WR Wan’Dale Robinson is being evaluated for a concussion on Thursday.
FOX Sports’ Ben Arthur reported earlier that Bears DB Xavier Woods “laid out Wan’Dale Robinson over the middle of the field” during today’s joint practice, which “justifiably” prompted a response from the Titans’ sideline. Titans coach Robert Saleh called the hit “cheap.” The NFL reviews practice footage when available. We’ll see if anything comes of it. Losing Robinson for Week 1 would be consequential for QB Cam Ward, and would likely shift more work toward rookie WR Carnell Tate. - Nic Bodiford
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports 49ers WR Mike Evans (groin) plans to play Week 1.
Evans has been dealing with a myriad of injuries throughout training camp, the latest being a groin issue. The injuries have been reported as minor as the 33-year-old manages his way through practices after having missed significant time due to injuries the last couple seasons. He was already expected to miss minimal time - if any - and Fowler confirms that Evans and the 49ers are still preparing for him to play Week 1. - Aditya Fuldeore
Colts activated Alec Pierce (ankle) from the active/PUP list.
Pierce has been on the PUP list throughout training camp as he recovers from offseason ankle surgery. Head coach Shane Steichen said earlier this week that he expects Pierce to return to practice in the coming days. Pierce was spotted getting some individual work in today. Coming off the PUP list means Pierce shouldn’t miss four games to start the season, but it doesn’t guarantee that he is ready for the season opener. His health will be one of the biggest storylines to monitor for the Colts’ offense over the next two weeks. - Kyle Dvorchak
Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said he thinks Brian Thomas is “alright” after an injury scare in Tuesday’s practice.
Coen, per Sports Illustrated’s John Shipley, “indicated they willplay it safe with BTJ,” meaning the team could be without Thomas and Jakobi Meyers (hand) for tomorrow’s joint practice. The Jags have dealt with a string of wideout injuries over the past couple weeks, including Parker Washington dealing with an undisclosed injury. If Thomas is 100 percent healthy for Week 1 against the Browns, he should profile as a high-variance WR3 option in 12-team formats. - Denny Carter
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said Tucker Kraft (knee) will participate in Wednesday’s joint practice with the Cardinals.
It looks like the Packers are ready to ease Kraft back into competition following the serious knee injury that ended his 2025 season. Kraft said recently that the team would “probably” keep him on a snap count to begin the regular season. That would make Kraft — one of the game’s most efficient tight ends — a dicy bet for fantasy purposes. Kraft might not be playable for the first month of the regular season, or even longer depending on his progress and the Packers’ strategies for keeping him healthy. - Denny Carter
Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski said Michael Penix (knee) will not play in the team’s final preseason game against the Dolphins.
Tua Tagovailoa will start versus his old team. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said yesterday that Tua’s horrid play throughout training camp and the preseason has made it impossible for the team to name him the Week 1 starter. Penix finally joined 11-on-11 drills this week, but his absence from the preseason contest suggests the team isn’t quite ready to put him in harm’s way. The matchup with Miami will be Tua’s final shot at winning the job. - Kyle Dvorchak
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport believes Tua Tagovailoa’s play has made the plan to make him the starter at the beginning of the season “impossible.”
Rarely do you see a national reporter talk about a quarterback in these kinds of black-and-white terms as far as how well they’re playing, so it’s an alarming sign for Tagovailoa’s fantasy value. “Not just in the preseason game, but it sounds like practice as well,” Rapoport says while adding that this is “Michael Penix’s job for the taking.” Superflex fantasy managers wishing to speculate on the Falcons quarterback job would probably be best served pivoting to Penix at the moment. - Rivers McCown
Jets offensive coordinator Frank Reich said he’s been “so impressed” with Geno Smith’s play.
Reich has reportedly added wrinkles to the offense he deployed as head coach of the Colts and Panthers. At both of those stops his offenses were near the bottom of the league in most basic offensive metrics. Smith, meanwhile, has looked sharp as the team’s starting quarterback throughout training camp and in limited preseason snaps. He’ll look to bounce back from a nightmarish statistical 2025 season in Vegas. Jets players, including Garrett Wilson, told The Athletic that they have enjoyed the “player empowerment” that comes along with Reich’s coaching style and his offensive scheming, which leaves room for improvisation. The Jets offense could be functional as long as Smith, 35, is healthy and upright. - Denny Carter
Jets OC Frank Reich said the team will “scale back” Kenyon Sadiq’s role early in the season.
“We’ll have to work him in slowly,” Reich concluded. Sadiq has plenty of upside, but it doesn’t sound like he needs to be on the redraft radar early in the year unless you play in a deep enough league to make stashing him worthwhile. - Rivers McCown
Packers signed Jonnu Smith, formerly of the Steelers, to a one-year contract.
Smith reunited with Arthur Smith in Pittsburgh last year and posted 38 catches for 222 yards and two touchdowns. Even with NFL players actively returning to college football, Jonnu was unable to find a way to follow his favorite offensive coordinator to Ohio State. All signs point to Tucker Kraft being fully recovered from his torn ACL by Week 1, but backup tight end Luke Musgrave remains sidelined with an injury of his own. Smith won’t be on the fantasy radar as long as Kraft is healthy, but he should be a solid depth option for the Packers. - Kyle Dvorchak
Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said WR Tory Horton’s (undisclosed) “injury isn’t a long-term thing.”
Frankly, it is tough to trust this statement. The Seahawks kept things quiet almost all offseason about Horton’s season-ending shin injury. They do not have to disclose anything until Week 1 practices begin. Were he to miss time in the regular season, WR Rashid Shaheed might be able to earn an extra target or two, operating as the team’s uncontested field stretcher. - Nic Bodiford
Rams acquired WR Tutu Atwell from the Dolphins in exchange for RB Jarquez Hunter.
Back with his old team, Atwell is highly unlikely to warrant FLEX treatment this season, but he provides the Rams with a speed element that the offense was somewhat lacking. The move also indicates that TE Terrance Ferguson will not be asked to stretch the field as much as he did last year, freeing him up for a potential breakout campaign. Last week, The Athletic’s Nate Atkins reported that Hunter has had a good training camp, showing “many of the rushing skills that had the Rams enamored enough to trade up and draft him in the fourth round last year.” He will likely compete for the No. 2 running back job in Miami. - Nic Bodiford
2026 Draft Cheat Sheet
******** (Updated September 5)********
The positional cheat sheet below (scroll a bit more) was updated Sept 4th.
With the news of Packers RB Josh Jacobs’ first court hearing has been moved up from November 17th to September 10th, it is less likely that he is suspend more than 6 games, but it does make it more likely that it is at the begining of the season.
