Every fantasy season, there are a handful of players I believe in more than the market. This list is not about finding values or identifying players who are being drafted too late. Some of these players may already have an expensive ADP, and I am perfectly comfortable paying it. These are simply the players I expect to have great fantasy seasons, regardless of where they are being drafted.
For this exercise, I selected one player at every position whom I am willing to plant my flag on entering the 2026 season. The price may change throughout draft season, but my conviction will not. These are the players I want on my rosters, the ones I am willing to reach for, and the ones I will have no problem defending if things go wrong. These are my guys.
Quarterback: C.J. Stroud
C.J. Stroud currently sits at QB23 in PPR redraft rankings, making him one of my favorite zero-QB targets this season. His fantasy stock has fallen significantly since his breakout rookie year, but I believe the market has overcorrected. Stroud has not suddenly forgotten how to play quarterback. Injuries, inconsistent protection, and a nonexistent running game have made the last two seasons much more difficult than they needed to be.
Even last season’s QB23 finish does not tell the entire story. Stroud missed three games, and his overall numbers include both the game in which he was injured and a difficult first game back. In his other 11 appearances, he averaged 16.8 fantasy points per game. That would have placed him around QB15 alongside players such as Baker Mayfield, Joe Burrow, Jayden Daniels, and Jacoby Brissett. That is not elite production, but it is much closer to fantasy relevance than his current ranking suggests.
The loss of Jayden Higgins to a torn ACL was a significant blow, but Houston responded by acquiring Kayshon Boutte from New England. Boutte is not a direct replacement for everything Higgins could have provided, but he gives Stroud another legitimate outside receiver who can win vertically. He caught 33 passes for 551 yards and six touchdowns last season and developed into one of Drake Maye’s most reliable deep threats. Over his two seasons with Maye, Boutte produced 1,140 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. Houston did not have to give up much to acquire him, and the trade gives the offense another proven weapon while Tank Dell continues working his way back from a major knee injury.
Stroud now enters the season with Nico Collins as his clear top target, Boutte providing a vertical presence, Jaylin Noel continuing to emerge, and Dell potentially returning to the rotation. Houston also upgraded the offensive line and added David Montgomery to stabilize a rushing attack that fell apart without Joe Mixon. Stroud needs a functional running game to keep the offense on schedule and prevent defenses from consistently putting him in obvious passing situations. The combination of better protection, improved backfield stability, and another capable receiver should help restore some of the rhythm and explosive passing plays that have been missing.
Stroud does not offer the rushing production needed to become a truly elite fantasy quarterback, but I do not need that at his current cost. He is locked into the starting job, has already proven he can produce at a high level, and faces one of the friendlier quarterback schedules in the league. I expect multiple QB1 weeks and a legitimate chance to outperform his QB23 ranking. He is one of my favorite late-round quarterback targets in redraft and a strong QB2 option in dynasty and Superflex formats. The Boutte trade only strengthens my conviction in a Stroud bounce-back season.
Running Back: Jadarian Price
I almost went with Quinshon Judkins here, but I am sticking with my guy. I have been high on Jadarian Price for the last two years. At one point, I even argued that he was a better running back than Jeremiyah Love, and I still stand by that evaluation. Seattle selecting Price with the final pick of the first round only strengthened my conviction.
The Seahawks drafted Price to replace Kenneth Walker, who left for Kansas City in free agency, and he may eventually offer more versatility within the offense. Zach Charbonnet is still working his way back from the torn ACL he suffered during Seattle’s playoff run, leaving Emanuel Wilson and George Holani as Price’s primary competition for early-season touches. Seattle did not spend a first-round pick on Price to ease him into a minor role. He has a legitimate opportunity to lead this backfield immediately.
Price is an explosive runner who consistently creates yards beyond what is blocked. Over his final two collegiate seasons, he posted strong marks in yards after contact, breakaway rate, and elusive rating. His acceleration and ability to generate chunk plays should translate immediately behind Seattle’s offensive line. He also scored 13 touchdowns on only 119 touches during his final season at Notre Dame, showing the type of scoring upside he could bring to this offense.
The passing game remains the biggest question. Price received only 13 targets over his final two collegiate seasons and finished his Notre Dame career with 15 receptions in 41 games. However, Sam Darnold has already praised Price’s ability to contribute as both a runner and receiver. We should not assume he cannot catch simply because Notre Dame did not regularly use him that way. If Price earns even a modest receiving role while taking over the majority of the rushing and red-zone work, his fantasy ceiling rises considerably.
Price is currently being drafted as a low-end RB2, but I expect him to outperform that cost. He has first-round draft capital, limited healthy competition, a favorable schedule, and the explosive rushing profile needed to produce immediately. I am targeting him aggressively in the middle rounds of redraft leagues, and I am completely bought in on him as a strong RB2 in dynasty. Judkins was tempting, but Price has been one of my guys for too long to abandon him now.
Wide Receiver: Jaylen Waddle
Jaylen Waddle is not a player I have talked about much this offseason, but he is someone I have always believed in. I loved him as a prospect, and we have already seen him produce at a high level in Miami. Waddle has posted a 100-catch season, averaged 18 yards per reception in another, and shown the ability to be one of the most efficient receivers in football. The talent has never been the question. The issue has been inconsistent volume and a Miami offense that too often treated him like a secondary option.
That changes in Denver. The Broncos gave up three 2026 draft picks to acquire Waddle, including a first-rounder. That is not the type of investment a team makes without a plan to feature the player. He now joins a creative, pass-heavy offense with an ascending quarterback in Bo Nix. Denver ranked near the top of the league in pass rate last season, and Sean Payton has consistently found ways to manufacture touches for his best playmakers. Waddle should see more screens, motion, and designed opportunities to use his speed after the catch than he received during his final seasons in Miami.
I also believe Waddle immediately becomes the best receiver on this roster. Courtland Sutton is still a good player and will remain a factor, particularly in the red zone, but I view him as the clear WR2 in this offense. His target rate and yards per route run declined last season even without an established receiver consistently challenging him for opportunities. Troy Franklin and Pat Bryant are intriguing pieces, but neither should prevent Denver from feeding the player it just paid a premium to acquire.
Waddle looked healthy in his brief preseason debut, turning his only opportunity into a significant gain on third down. That play offered a glimpse of what he can add to this offense. If Nix continues developing and Denver gives Waddle the volume its investment suggests, he has a legitimate chance to produce the best fantasy season of his career.
We have seen talented receivers explode after changing teams, and Waddle has the ability to become the next example. I expect him to lead Denver in targets and receiving yards while pushing for a true WR1 fantasy finish. The injury concerns and crowded depth chart might scare away some managers, but I am not overthinking it. Waddle is one of the most explosive receivers in football, and Denver finally gives him the opportunity to be treated like it.
Tight End: Colston Loveland
I am sticking with old reliable at tight end. Colston Loveland is already being drafted as the TE3, so this is not an attempt to identify a bargain. The expectations are extremely high, but I believe he lives up to them. Loveland has a legitimate chance to become the top target in Chicago and challenge Brock Bowers and Trey McBride for the overall TE1 finish.
Loveland’s final rookie numbers were solid, but they do not fully capture how dominant he became once Chicago expanded his role. From Week 9 through the end of the regular season, he was the TE5 in fantasy scoring. Over his final five games, including the playoffs, he commanded a 25.1% target share and averaged 16.8 PPR points per game. For comparison, Trey McBride led all tight ends last season with a 25.4% target share. Loveland was already seeing elite usage before his rookie year ended.
His playoff performance against Green Bay showed exactly what his ceiling can look like. Loveland caught eight passes for 137 yards on 15 targets, consistently separating against zone coverage and creating explosive plays down the field. This is not a tight end who needs touchdowns or short receptions to survive in fantasy. He finished near the top of the position in receiving grade and yards per route run while carrying an average target depth of 9.5 yards. Chicago is using him as a legitimate downfield weapon.
The departure of D.J. Moore creates an even clearer path to elite volume. His 85 targets are now available in an offense that should concentrate its passing game around Loveland, Rome Odunze, and Luther Burden. Cole Kmet remains on the roster, but Loveland had already passed him before the end of last season. Loveland is clearly the centerpiece of Ben Johnson’s tight end room and maybe his offense.
The remaining variable is Caleb Williams. His accuracy and consistency must improve for this offense to reach its ceiling, but Loveland still produced despite receiving one of the lowest rates of catchable targets among qualified tight ends. Even modest growth from Williams could unlock another level.
There is some risk in paying a TE3 price for a player with only a small sample of full-time usage. I understand that argument, but sometimes we overthink obvious breakouts. Loveland has the draft capital, efficiency, target profile, and offensive opportunity to become one of fantasy football’s true difference-makers. His ADP is expensive because it should be. I am planting my flag on Loveland living up to the cost and finishing inside the top three at the position, with a real opportunity to finish first.
Dynasty Bonus: The Player I’m Buying Before Week 1
The four players above are my redraft flags, but I wanted to add one dynasty-specific target for paid subscribers. This is a player I am actively trying to acquire before the season begins and before the market has a chance to react. Once the games start, I believe the current buying window could disappear quickly.
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