An Expert 2026 Fantasy Football Draft ($300)

Ron Stewart debated drafting Alvin Kamara but ultimately passed, preferring other running back options in that round.

Amon-Ra St. Brown went off the board in the early rounds of the high-stakes redraft, selected before the 12th pick, indicating strong ADP positioning. St. Brown is cited as an example of a receiver who produced at a high level in Ben Johnson's Lions offense alongside Sam LaPorta and Jameson Williams, supporting the idea that multiple weapons can thrive in Johnson's scheme.

Ron Stewart is lukewarm on Anthony Henderson, ranking him as an early fifth-round option. Stewart notes Henderson is difficult to evaluate alongside Montgomery and Swift, who look like dead-zone options but could both pay off. Stewart prefers Kyren Williams decisively over Henderson. However, Stewart also views Henderson as an upside swing in the Patriots offense with breakaway ability and receiving game skills; expects year-two improvement in blocking and sees him as a potential massive step forward with explosive element. Stewart drafts Rhamondre Stevenson as a hedge on the same backfield, noting Rhamondre's efficiency has bounced up and down.

Bijan Robinson went off the board early in the high-stakes redraft, selected in the opening picks alongside Gibbs, indicating strong demand and ADP positioning in running back-hungry formats.

The source moved Parker Washington ahead of Brian Thomas in their rankings, indicating a relative downgrade or lower preference for Thomas compared to Washington. The source wonders if Brian Thomas can rise to the top of the Jaguars' wide receiver rotation, which appears to be a healthy four-wide receiver group similar to the Packers last year, suggesting depth concerns limit his upside.

Ron Stewart noted that Bucky Irving plays in a good offense but is a day-three back in his year-three season with no guaranteed role, suggesting limited upside relative to other running back options. Stewart sees Irving as having clear flaws and prefers Kyren Williams, Tevin Coleman, De'Andre Swift, and Anthony Henderson as alternatives in the same backfield tier.

Ron Stewart leans toward Carnell Tate over Rhamondre Stevenson and notes that Tate is the source's highest ranked player at that decision point; Stewart considers Tate as a potential pick despite already having wide receivers in the flex, indicating strong conviction on the receiver's value.

The source watched Carson Beck in the Hall of Fame game and observed two deep throws, suggesting Beck could be a fine pocket passer if he starts games for the Cardinals. The source does not expect Beck to be as bad as Dylan Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders, and projects him as not much worse than Cam Ward—meaning a below-average but functional starter. This assessment supports the source's confidence in Cardinals receivers Jeremiah Love and Marvin Harrison.

CeeDee Lamb was the source's intended first pick at the 12th spot in a running back-hungry room, with the source moving Amari Hampton up to the 13th spot to execute a double-tap wide receiver strategy with Lamb. The source acknowledges Lamb as a high-floor play with the Cowboys passing offense as a blue-chip stock; projects him as no worse than WR6 if he plays 17 games, though notes his ceiling may be capped next to George Pickens. The source prefers Justin Jefferson over Lamb due to higher conviction in Jefferson's talent, but acknowledges they have similar projections and are interchangeable. The source also views Lamb as a perfect connector to Dak Prescott for stacking purposes.

Ron Stewart views Chase Brown as interchangeable with Amari Hampton, Saquon Barkley, and Kenneth Walker in the running back tier from positions 13 to 21, indicating the source is splitting hairs between these picks at that draft stage.

Ron Stewart is buying into the hype around Chris Rodriguez and drafts him in round 9 as a running back. Stewart notes he keeps finding himself in spots where he needs a running back and Rodriguez is still available, and mentions buying into the Basil II stuff (likely referring to offensive line or scheme context), indicating conviction about Rodriguez's value in the later rounds.

Ron Stewart expresses no nervousness on Christian McCaffrey and frames him as a high-upside swing in tournament formats. Stewart cites last year's main event winner who drafted McCaffrey and still won despite Ladd Jackson sinking the ship mid-second, arguing that if one of two home-run swings hits big, it justifies the aggressive strategy. Stewart's logic: in high-stakes tournaments where only one of 12 teams wins, taking two home-run swings is justified if one hits in a massive way.

Loveland is a strong play with upside despite coordinator concerns. The source notes that talented players with poor play-callers have still produced at high levels, citing Drake London's per-route metrics with Arthur Smith, Garrett Wilson with Nathaniel Hackett, and Elijah Moore's rookie year. Loveland's rookie season wasn't as obvious as Burden's or Burks', but there's room for all three to hit.

DJ Moore is mentioned as being drafted in the segment, but no specific analysis, projection, role change, or fantasy-relevant take is provided in the transcript.

D'Andre Swift was taken early in the draft and never coming back to the board, wiping out an entire tier of elite running backs and forcing a hero RB team construction strategy for remaining drafters.

Dak Prescott has an ADP of the 9-10 turn in this format, going late in these drafts. Ron Stewart expresses strong interest in pairing him with CeeDee Lamb at that turn and would be upset if he is not available there, indicating conviction about his value at that price point.

Dallas Goedert is drafted by an opponent and goes off the board, prompting speaker to note that a run on tight ends may be starting.

The source states Achane is just not for him this year and has a tough time with Achane, believing that being in Mike McDaniel's offense helped him significantly. This suggests concerns about his fit outside that system and reduced confidence in his production with a different play-caller.

Ron Stewart explicitly passes on Deebo Samuel, saying he is all set on the receiver, indicating he does not want to draft Deebo at his current ADP.

Ron Stewart describes Derrick Henry as pretty sweet value when taken in a running back-hungry draft room, indicating he views Henry as a good value pick at his draft position.

Drake London is cited as an example of a talented receiver who maintained strong per-route metrics despite playing under a poor coordinator (Arthur Smith), demonstrating that elite talent can overcome scheme limitations. Ron Stewart uses London's production as evidence that talented players are undeniable regardless of offensive context.

The source cites Elijah Moore as an example of a talented receiver who had an awesome rookie year despite playing under a poor play-caller with the Jets, demonstrating that talent can overcome offensive scheme limitations. This context is used to support the broader point that talented players can produce at high levels regardless of coordinator quality.

Ron Stewart cites Garrett Wilson as an example of a talented receiver who produced despite playing under a poor coordinator (Nathaniel Hackett), supporting the argument that elite talent transcends scheme limitations.

Ron Stewart views a George Pickens and Nico double tap after taking Gibbs as a strong draft strategy, indicating both are viewed as good value picks in that spot. However, Stewart also notes that Pickens' presence may cap CeeDee Lamb's ceiling.

The source has been hammering Jadarian Price all offseason and loves him, but believes the Hard Knocks bump has moved him into a tier closer to Jaylen Warren and Rhamondre Stevenson rather than De'Andre Swift and Henderson. The source notes Price is a round-one pick running back with week-one competition from George Holani and Emanuel Wilson, suggesting the tier shift is appropriate and his value has diminished relative to earlier expectations.

The source ranks Jaylen McMillan in a cluster of receivers (Waddle, Garrett Wilson, Ladd McConkey, Trey Palmer, McMillan, Luther Burden) all in the same tier in full PPR format.

Ron Stewart identifies Jalin Hyatt as one of two receivers he would have a hard time saying no to at the round 11 turn, indicating strong interest in Hyatt at that draft stage.

James Conner is mentioned in the context of waiver wire and late-round running back strategy, suggesting he is part of the speaker's punt-on-RB2 approach.

James Cook went off the board early in the high-stakes redraft, selected before the 12th pick, indicating strong demand and ADP positioning. The source expressed hope that Cook would return to him at pick 12, and later stated he was hoping for James Cook's return as a running back option, indicating he views Cook as a desirable target if healthy.

Ron Stewart intended to draft Jameson Williams as a priority target but missed him due to juggling the chat and crossing players off during the draft process, indicating strong pre-draft conviction about his value. Williams is also cited as an example of a receiver who produced at a high level in Ben Johnson's Lions offense alongside Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta, supporting the idea that multiple weapons can thrive in Johnson's scheme.

Ron Stewart had Jayden Daniels paired with McLaurin as a preferred strategy for the 5-6 turn, indicating conviction about the pairing's value. Stewart also expressed strong concern that if Daniels falls back to them in the draft, they will have regrets about not taking him earlier, indicating high conviction about his value and scarcity at that stage.

Ron Stewart notes that Waddle is gone in the draft and that Waddle coming back was a pipe dream, indicating injury concerns or unavailability that made his return unlikely.

The source cannot stomach taking Jaylen Warren at 6.01 ADP, stating emphatically 'you can't really sell me on 601 Jaylen Warren' and 'Just don't think I can stomach that.' However, the source would have settled for Warren at the 5-6 turn, indicating he viewed Warren as a viable target in that earlier range alongside Loveland.

Ron Stewart is high on Jeremiah Love as a Cardinals receiver and has been drafting him heavily, though acknowledges receiving criticism for the take. Stewart's confidence in Love is supported by Carson Beck's potential as a starting quarterback for Arizona; Stewart watched Beck in the Hall of Fame game and observed two deep throws, suggesting Beck could be a fine pocket passer if he starts games. Stewart does not expect Beck to be as bad as Dylan Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders, and projects him as not much worse than Cam Ward—meaning a below-average but functional starter. This quarterback upgrade supports the case for Cardinals receivers.

The source wants Joe Burrow off the board before their next turn, expressing regret that Burrow made it back to them in the draft. The source was hoping another drafter would take Burrow, indicating strong aversion to acquiring him at his current ADP. Earlier, the source declined to debate Burrow's draft value without elaborating on specific concerns, but later recommended taking Burrow as a QB option, suggesting he is a viable roster decision despite the source's personal reluctance to draft him.

Jonah Coleman was drafted at 7.08 in this draft, but Ron Stewart has him ranked 138th overall, representing significant overvaluation relative to Stewart's internal ranking. Stewart reacts with surprise and disapproval at the selection, suggesting the pick was unexpected and noteworthy.

Jonathan Brooks was among the best available players by ADP at the time of the draft decision, listed alongside Odunze, Parker Washington, Carnell Tate, Brian Thomas, Lamar Jackson, and Ramondre Stevenson.

The source has Jordan James buried in his rankings and does not have him in his top 220, indicating very low regard for the running back despite him being drafted in round 11.

Ron Stewart notes Josh Allen is the next best player after Tee Higgins but avoids taking him early in tournament formats because quarterbacks usually fall. However, Stewart later calls Josh Allen a great pick in the fourth round for this two-wide receiver, two-flex redraft format, indicating strong positional value at that draft stage.

The source strongly prefers Josh Downs at pick 108, citing PPR scoring advantage and concern about receiver availability later in the draft. The source states 'A 1 Downs in a full PPR is really tough to turn down' and emphasizes the decision: 'I'm going to take Downs. I just don't think at 108 we're going to like the receivers that come back.' This reflects confidence in Downs' value at his ADP in PPR formats.

Ron Stewart notes that Jacobs appears to have picked up some kind of injury based on a tweet, though Stewart acknowledges that Twitter is not always reliable and everyone seems to be getting banged up.

The source views Justin Jefferson as a strong value target and prefers him over CeeDee Lamb when forced to choose, citing higher conviction in Jefferson's talent and less competition. The source characterized a team's opening with Jefferson, London, DeVonta Smith, and Tedarrell McMillan as 'a fun start,' indicating approval of the receiver-heavy opening strategy. Jefferson and Lamb have similar projections but Jefferson has higher upside due to lower downside risk from quarterback or coaching changes.

Ron Stewart considered Keaontay Ingram but passed, noting that Harvey already provided a similar upside swing, so he preferred the higher floor of Tyron Tracy instead. This indicates Stewart views Ingram as an upside play but prioritized floor over ceiling at that juncture.

Ron Stewart debated Keaton Mitchell but felt Harvey was a very similar bet and preferred to allocate draft capital elsewhere, indicating Mitchell was not a priority target.

Ron Stewart approved of Keenan Allen when he was selected in the draft, calling him a good pick at his draft position.

Kenneth Walker is ranked at 203 and marked as a target pick, but the source notes he has 'some more limitations' compared to other running backs in his tier. The source views Hampton, Saquon, Walker, and Chase Brown as interchangeable picks from positions 13 to 21, indicating splitting hairs between them, with Hampton preferred over Walker in a running back-hungry room.

Ron Stewart expressed surprise that Kyren Williams was not being drafted earlier in the room, suggesting he was undervalued relative to Stewart's assessment. Stewart stated he likes Kyren decisively over Anthony Henderson as a running back option in this draft range. Once Kyren is off the board, Stewart is not willing to take ETN at 4.01, indicating Kyren is a must-have priority in this draft tier. Stewart ranks Kyren ahead of a cluster that includes Hampton, Brown, Walker, and Saquon, though he acknowledges these backs are pretty interchangeable in his view.

The source ranks Ladd McConkey in a cluster of receivers (Waddle, Garrett Wilson, McConkey, Trey Palmer, McMillan, Luther Burden) all in the same tier in full PPR format. The source grouped Ladd McConkey with Tee Higgins, Waddle, Garrett Wilson, Trey Palmer, McMillan, and Luther Burden as interchangeable options at the same tier level, indicating no clear separation among these receivers.

Ron Stewart drafted Lamar Jackson at the 6.01 turn in a four-point passing touchdown league, viewing him as difficult to pass on at that spot and later confirming it as pretty damn good value. However, Stewart expressed some regret about the pick, noting that stacking CeeDee Lamb with Dak Prescott (who goes at the 9-10 turn) might have been preferable to the Lamar selection, suggesting a pragmatic but not enthusiastic choice.

Ron Stewart ranks Luther Burden as a Z flanker slot guy who gets to move around the formation, which is more conducive to fantasy production than a static X receiver role. Stewart prefers Burden over Rome Odunze as a superior upside play, citing potential upside if Ben Johnson's offensive scheme with the Lions (which produced fantasy success for Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sam LaPorta, and Jameson Williams) is replicated. Burden is grouped in a tier with Tee Higgins, Waddle, Garrett Wilson, Ladd McConkey, Trey Palmer, and McMillan in full PPR format.

Ron Stewart calls Malik Nabers a huge pick at 3:12 and emphasizes not underselling it. Stewart had wanted to double tap on Breece Hall, Davante Adams, and Malik Nabers, and getting Nabers at 3:12 is described as why Stewart does this draft format. Stewart notes Nabers was undersold in the moment due to holding breath for multiple targets. Stewart also notes that Nabers might be banged up early in the season but thinks the team can start Nabers and be all right, with Nabers already on the roster in the flex position.

Ron Stewart selects Mark Andrews at tight end specifically for the connection to Lamar Jackson, indicating the quarterback-tight end stack is a key reason for the pick. Stewart also plans to wait on Andrews rather than take a tight end at an earlier turn, suggesting confidence in acquiring him at a later stage.

Ron Stewart is high on Marvin Harrison as a Cardinals receiver and has been drafting him heavily, though acknowledges receiving criticism for the take. Stewart's confidence in Harrison is supported by Carson Beck's potential as a starting quarterback for Arizona; Stewart watched Beck in the Hall of Fame game and observed two deep throws, suggesting Beck could be a fine pocket passer if he starts games. Stewart does not expect Beck to be as bad as Dylan Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders, and projects him as not much worse than Cam Ward—meaning a below-average but functional starter. This quarterback upgrade supports the case for Cardinals receivers.

Ron Stewart wanted to draft Mason Rudolph but he was taken before his pick, expressing frustration that both Rudolph and Rashad White went off the board earlier than expected.

Ron Stewart identifies Matthew Golden as one of two receivers he would have a hard time saying no to at the round 11 turn, indicating strong interest in Golden at that draft stage.

The source moved Parker Washington ahead of Brian Thomas in their rankings, indicating a preference shift and higher valuation for Washington. The source is buying the Parker Washington hype but has concerns about a healthy four-wide receiver rotation similar to the Packers last year; one or a couple of the receivers could be top 24 guys, but the source wonders if Parker Washington or Brian Thomas can rise to the top of the Jaguars' depth chart.

Patrick Mahomes remains available on the board late in the draft, indicating he has not been selected yet despite being a premium quarterback.

Puka Nacua was selected early in the draft, going off the board after Chase in the opening round, reflecting strong ADP and demand in high-stakes redraft formats.

The source expresses reluctance to draft Rhamondre at his current ADP, stating 'I just can't stomach Ramondre there,' despite acknowledging his efficiency has bounced up and down. The source debates between Rhamondre and Carnell Tate but leans toward Tate, indicating Rhamondre is overvalued at his draft spot. However, the source also drafts him as a hedge on the Patriots backfield if not taking Henderson, seeing both as viable pieces of the same offense.

The source expresses uncertainty about Ramondre Stevenson's value at the 6.01 turn, noting he would be an easier pick in the seventh round. This indicates the source views Ramondre as easier to acquire later in the draft and not worth the capital at that spot.

The source ranked R.J. Harvey ahead of other late-round options including Dobbins and selected him in the late sixth round. The source states 'I just have Harvey ahead' and 'I like Harvey, man,' indicating confidence in the selection as an upside play at his ADP.

The source ranks Rome Odunze 61st overall but does not rank him ahead of Luther Burden and Colson Loveland due to their superior upside potential. The source criticizes Odunze as a 'small sample merchant' similar to Burden, noting his strong eight-game stretch outside of which his first year was terrible; his yards per route run and targets per route run for the entire class are not very good. Odunze is expected to post up at X receiver, which is fine for fantasy but may not be as conducive to fantasy production as Burden's Z flanker slot role. However, under Ben Johnson's offensive scheme—similar to his Lions tenure where Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sam LaPorta, and Jameson Williams all produced at high levels—Odunze could be part of a two top-24 receivers and top-three tight end scenario; the Bears' running backs aren't at Gibbs-Montgomery level, so they won't cannibalize goal-line and close opportunities.

Ron Stewart expresses no nervousness on Barkley and frames him as a high upside swing in tournament formats. Stewart argues that in high-stakes tournaments where only one of 12 teams wins, taking two home run swings like Christian McCaffrey and Barkley is justified if one hits in a massive way. Stewart cites the previous year's main event winner who drafted McCaffrey and still won despite other picks sinking mid-second, supporting the aggressive dual-elite-RB strategy.

Tank Bigsby is mentioned as a running back consideration that speaker would have drafted instead of another option, indicating he was in the conversation for late-round running back selection.

Ron Stewart calls Tee Higgins buried in rankings and takes him as the next highest ranked player after Malik Nabers in full PPR format. Stewart acknowledges it's a luxury pick given a cluster of receivers (Waddle, Garrett Wilson, Ladd McConkey, Trey Palmer, McMillan, Luther Burden) all in the same tier, but doesn't overthink it and takes Tee. Stewart notes having a million receivers in that tier and that Higgins was a luxury pick rather than a priority target.

Ron Stewart had McLaurin paired with Jayden Daniels as a preferred strategy for the 5-6 turn, indicating conviction about the pairing's value at that draft position.

The source ranks Trey Palmer in a cluster of receivers (Waddle, Garrett Wilson, Ladd McConkey, Palmer, McMillan, Luther Burden) all in the same tier in full PPR format. The source grouped Trey Palmer with Tee Higgins, Waddle, Garrett Wilson, Ladd McConkey, McMillan, and Luther Burden as interchangeable options at the same tier level, indicating no clear separation among these receivers.

Ty Montgomery is part of the source's waiver wire and late-round running back strategy, grouped with RJ Harvey and Chris Rodriguez in a punt-on-RB2 approach where the source hopes one of them hits or a starter goes down.

Tyler Warren goes in the draft, eliminating the option to pursue an elite tight end strategy at the 5-6 turn.

Ron Stewart drafts Tyron Tracy as a high-floor running back option, believing there's a chance he could have some sort of role. Tracy is preferred over Keaontay Ingram because Harvey already provided the upside swing, indicating Stewart values Tracy's floor and role potential in the later rounds.