Is Robust RB Optimal in 2026?

AJ Brown has decent value by composite ADP, but the analyst avoids stacking him with Saquon Barkley due to Eagles correlation concerns in redraft leagues.

Brown faces concerns about his landing spot with lower volume in the Eagles offense, playing behind DeVonta Smith and in two-wide receiver sets with tight end Sterns also in the mix.

Alvin Kamara is the preferred pick at running back in this draft spot, especially in home leagues where the analyst would confidently grab him.

Kamara came off the board during a run on running backs in the draft.

St. Brown comes right after the top three wide receivers (JSN, Puka, Jamar) in the 2026 draft tier.

Locked in as a core wide receiver in a robust RB draft strategy, positioned as a solid receiving option alongside other top-tier receivers.

Robinson is expected to be a top-two running back in 2026 drafts, consistently going early in the first round.

Selected as the team's quarterback in the draft; analyst later notes that Quinton Johnson would have been a better pick at this spot to add a fifth wide receiver and likely improve the team's overall grade.

Analyst loves Breece Hall and would have taken him if available in the third round.

Irving is in the tier of running backs with question marks despite analyst liking him.

Caleb Williams is noted as pretty expensive in ADP, making him less attractive than other quarterback options available at better prices.

Analyst considers him as a potential mid-range quarterback target in the fifth-sixth round range, representing good value compared to early-round quarterback selections.

Lamb is described as amazing and is among the elite wide receivers in 2026 drafts.

Chase Brown is expected to go in the late second round.

Chase Brown is among the running backs that went off the board in the third round.

Chris Godwin is noted as another year older but still loved by the team; Mike Evans is gone, which could increase his target opportunities.

McCaffrey is expected to go in the first round as part of a normal first-round running back tier.

Colston Loveland had been off the board before the tight end run, indicating he was taken earlier than expected.

There are concerns about whether the Giants will be as good without Kubiak, creating uncertainty around Jones's performance outlook.

Waller came off the board during the tight end run in the draft.

DeAndre Washington is a viable WR option because the Cardinals are moving toward three-wide-receiver sets after losing both Dobbs and Wicks, reducing receiver rotation.

Derek Lawrence and Derek Herbert are mentioned as quarterbacks the analyst still likes but will likely wait on in this draft scenario.

Henry is expected to go in the late second round.

Henry is among the running backs that went off the board in the third round; analyst would have considered him.

Devonta Smith is a really good pick at this draft spot, especially if AJ Brown left the team, though the analyst has pause due to Saquon Barkley's presence and would prefer him over stacking with Barkley.

Devonta Smith goes right after the analyst's pick, confirming his value at this draft stage.

Drake Maye has a good price on him in this draft scenario, making him an attractive quarterback option.

Dylan Sampson is in the back-half RB range that the analyst wants to avoid, as there are too many uncertain options in that tier.

Anderson came off the board during a tight end run in the draft.

Engram is in the tier of running backs with question marks but still has upside, positioned after the elite tier.

Ranked 9th overall at tight end; analyst prefers him over A'Shawn Hamstring due to ascending Raiders offense with improved offensive line and Kubiak as coordinator, plus first overall QB pick and Bowers on the team providing systemic support.

Analyst loves Evan Engram and would have taken him if available in the third round.

Garrett Wilson is mentioned as going off the board after Devonta Smith in the draft sequence.

Isaiah Pacheco is in the back-half RB range that the analyst wants to avoid, as there are too many uncertain options in that tier.

Chase is among the top-tier wide receivers in 2026 drafts.

Ja'Marr Chase (Burden) is described as a great pick at the wide receiver position.

Gibbs is expected to be a top-two running back in 2026 drafts, consistently going early in the first round.

Jalen Hurts was drafted to potentially play outside but can move around the field and will be a frequent target.

Hurts came off the board during a quarterback run in the draft.

One of four elite quarterbacks (Lamar, Hertz, May, and Daniels) that went in the sixth picks before the analyst's turn in the fifth round, illustrating the competitive quarterback market.

Nailor was considered as an alternative option in the late rounds.

Cook is expected to go in the first round as part of a normal first-round running back tier.

Identified as a third-round quarterback talent going in the fifth or sixth round, representing a key value opportunity in the mid-range quarterback strategy.

Jameson Williams is loved but can be annoying in reddraft leagues because you don't always know when he'll be available, making him a bench spot pick with timing uncertainty.

Analyst is less in love with Javante compared to other running backs in the third round tier, but still considers him a great pick.

JSN is among the top-tier wide receivers in 2026 drafts.

Locked in as a core wide receiver in a robust RB draft strategy, positioned as a solid receiving option alongside other top-tier receivers.

Jaden Daniels is described as having an amazing ADP price and is an early-round quarterback talent available at 61st overall composite ADP, representing excellent value compared to round 2-3 QB options.

Jaden Reed benefits from the Cardinals moving to three-wide-receiver sets and will get more opportunities with the ball after losing Dobbs and Wicks.

Reed is the preferred pick over Golden at this draft spot due to his role clarity and target share upside in the offense.

Reed's slot-only concerns are less relevant this season because the team only trusts three receivers and will utilize 11 personnel heavily, ensuring he gets 6-8 target opportunities weekly.

One of two Green Bay wide receivers targeted in the draft; analyst notes uncertainty about which will hit and mentions injury risk as a reason to have roster depth at the position.

Warren is in a complete split backfield with limited upside, appearing very early in the draft despite being a backup option.

Jaylen Warren is mentioned as a top running back option but lacks confidence compared to earlier tiers, and is also noted as a fine pick at wide receiver.

Jaylen Warren is a fine pick at wide receiver in this draft spot.

Jaylen Warren is locked in as a core RB in the draft strategy, with the analyst confident enough in his touches that no additional RBs are needed after Manungai.

Warren is part of a locked-in running back core that provides enough touches to feel confident without needing additional RB depth.

Love is expected to go in the late second round.

Analyst loves Jeremiah Love and would have taken him if available in the third round.

Joe Burrow is mentioned as a quarterback in a pretty good ADP range alongside other mid-tier options.

Joe Burrow is showing up as a value at quarterback, though the analyst wouldn't want to reach on the next tier.

Joe Burrow comes off the board early in the draft, indicating he is a strong pick at the quarterback position.

Analyst considers him as a potential mid-range quarterback target in the fifth-sixth round range, representing good value compared to early-round quarterback selections.

Jonathan Taylor is expected to go in the first round as part of a normal first-round running back tier.

Love came off the board during a quarterback run in the draft.

Jordan Tyson landing on the Saints is an S-tier landing spot with everything set up really well for him this season.

Jordan Tyson benefits from the Saints' dome games, including three dome games during the three playoff weeks, which is a significant advantage late in the season.

The Saints are an excellent landing spot for Tyson due to dome games in all three playoff weeks against weak defenses, providing weather protection and high-volume passing opportunities in an offense that wants to run the most plays in the NFL.

Josh Allen is noted as a great quarterback but the analyst advises against taking him in round 2-3 due to the superior value of Jaden Daniels at 60th overall.

One of four elite quarterbacks (Lamar, Hertz, May, and Daniels) that went in the sixth picks before the analyst's turn in the fifth round, illustrating the competitive quarterback market.

Analyst loves Jacobs and would have taken him if available in the third round; he's part of the tier of running backs analyst prefers.

Walker is expected to go in the late second round.

Analyst loves Ken Walker and would have taken him if available in the third round.

Kyle Pitts is a risky pick due to uncertainty about the Falcons' QB situation and play quality. His stats from last season were inflated by one monster game and he wasn't productive when Drake London was healthy.

Pitts came off the board during the tight end run in the draft.

Lamar Jackson is described as pretty expensive in ADP, making him a less attractive pick at the quarterback position in this draft scenario.

Lamar Jackson is now a totally fine pick in the fourth round, though the analyst personally prefers valuing other skill positions.

One of four elite quarterbacks (Lamar, Hertz, May, and Daniels) that went in the sixth picks before the analyst's turn in the fifth round, illustrating the competitive quarterback market.

Musgrave came off the board during a tight end run in the draft.

Analyst expresses concern about Nabers' recovery timeline from torn ACL, noting it hasn't been as clean as other ACL recoveries, and would not take him in early second round.

Willis presents uncertainty as a run-first option who could accumulate 1,000 rushing yards but also throw for very little, making him a risky streaming option.

Malik Willis presents uncertainty as a run-first QB option with extreme variance—he could run for 1,000 yards but also throw for very little, making him a risky streaming option.

Andrews' ADP is very low and the analyst expects it to increase as people fall in love with him this season, though he's uncertain if that's correct.

One of two top tight ends targeted in the draft strategy to see which one hits this season, representing a dual-tight-end approach to manage uncertainty.

Analyst identifies Hampton as one of the top two running backs in second round tier alongside Saquon.

One of two Green Bay wide receivers targeted in the draft; analyst expresses uncertainty about which receiver will hit and considers him as a potential streaming option at quarterback instead.

Stafford came off the board during a quarterback run in the draft.

Mecole Hardman (Mecha Ibuka) is described as a young, very talented wide receiver set up to be the number one option on his team.

Michael Wilson is a viable WR option because the Cardinals are moving toward three-wide-receiver sets after losing both Dobbs and Wicks, reducing receiver rotation.

Mike Evans is gone from the team, opening up target opportunities for other receivers.

Analyst notes Nico plays in a run-heavy offense which creates concerns for early second round selection despite being amazing talent.

Analyst is fine with taking McBride in round two as a late second round pick, though would not take Gentry at that spot.

Mahomes came off the board during a quarterback run in the draft.

One of four elite quarterbacks (Lamar, Hertz, May, and Daniels) that went in the sixth picks before the analyst's turn in the fifth round, illustrating the competitive quarterback market.

Nacua is among the top-tier wide receivers in 2026 drafts.

Analyst would not take Pickkins in early second round.

Johnston came off the board during a wide receiver run in the draft.

Quishon Judkins is a totally fine alternative to Cam Scataboo, with concerns about not having D'Andre Swift and Tyron Tracy Jr. still being available, though he was really good as a rookie last season.

White is part of a locked-in running back core that provides enough touches to feel confident without needing additional RB depth.

Rashee Rice (Eggbuka) is described as a great pick at the wide receiver position.

Analyst identifies London as standing out from the wide receiver grouping in early second round, though concerns about unknown QB situation (Tua vs Pennock) prevent early selection.

Johnson is the RB2 in Chicago with contingent upside if Swift gets injured, offering value at this draft position.

Roschon Johnson is the RB2 in Chicago with contingent upside if he wins the goal line job and the Chicago offense performs well in year two.

Sam Darnold's outlook is uncertain due to concerns about whether the Vikings offense will be as effective without offensive coordinator Kubiak.

Barkley is expected to go in the early second round, with significant discussion around his draft position this season.

Analyst identifies Saquon as one of the top two running backs in second round tier and would take him over wide receivers due to positional scarcity.

Analyst would take Saquon in round 2 as a strong value pick, noting that very good wide receivers will still be available later in the draft.

Saquon Barkley's presence creates a stacking concern with Devonta Smith, making the analyst hesitant to pair them together in the same draft.

Saquon Barkley is highlighted as a strong early-round pick in the draft strategy, selected as part of a well-constructed team foundation.

Saquon Barkley is locked in as a core RB in the draft strategy, with the analyst confident enough in his touches that no additional RBs are needed after Manungai.

Barkley is part of a locked-in running back core that provides enough touches to feel confident without needing additional RB depth.

Locked in as part of a robust RB strategy with strong early-round running back investment, positioned as a core piece of a high-performing draft strategy.

Terry McLaurin is loved as a pick and is set up to get a million targets as the only proven talented wide receiver on the roster competing with a rookie.

Terry McLaurin is loved as a pick, though there's uncertainty about whether the team will add a number two receiver in free agency or trade.

Terry McLaurin is already rostered and the analyst feels comfortable with him as part of the WR core, indicating confidence in his production.

Locked in as a core wide receiver in a robust RB draft strategy, positioned as a solid receiving option alongside other top-tier receivers.

Tony Pollard is selected as a running back pick that sets up beautifully for the draft strategy after wide receiver selections.

With only Singleton drafted as a rookie and the 2026 rookie class being weak, Pollard's job is his to lose as the lead back in an ascending offense, offering significant upside in the late seventh round with plenty of touches and touchdown opportunities.

Etienne is part of a locked-in running back core that provides enough touches to feel confident without needing additional RB depth.

Hunter was considered as an alternative option to Golden in the late rounds.

Kelce is valued similarly to Mark Andrews but represents a speculative play on whether he's maintained his elite level.

One of two top tight ends targeted in the draft strategy to see which one hits this season, representing a dual-tight-end approach to manage uncertainty.

Henderson is in the tier of running backs with question marks despite analyst liking him.

Lawrence is ranked 77th by ADP but 87th in the actual rankings, providing 10 picks of value at the quarterback position with few concerns about his performance outlook.

Trevor Lawrence is at ADP 87 with live ADP of 77, representing 10 picks of value. The analyst prefers him over other QB options in this range because he doesn't have the same concerns as alternatives like Malik Willis or Darnold.

Tucker Kraft comes off the board early in the draft, indicating he is a strong pick at the tight end position.

Tyron Tracy Jr. still being available is a concern when considering Quishon Judkins, suggesting Tracy Jr. could cut into Judkins' touches.

Tyron Tracy is in the back-half RB range that the analyst wants to avoid, as there are too many uncertain options in that tier.

Woody Mars is in the back-half RB range that the analyst wants to avoid, as there are too many uncertain options in that tier.