Fantasy Football Draft Strategy: 5 Rules to WIN Your Draft in 2026!
STACKED extracted the fantasy-relevant player signal from this podcast and kept the full transcript here for context.
13 min
Duration
Estimated from transcript
Aug 18, 2026
Published
Tue, August 18, 2026
20
Player insights
20
Players mentioned
Topics
Bo NixBrian Thomas Jr.Cam WardChristian McCaffreyD.J. MooreDak PrescottGeorge PickensJalen HurtsJaylen WarrenJoe BurrowJonathon BrooksJosh AllenJustin HerbertJustin Jefferson
Player analysis
Player insights
Bo Nix
PositiveSleeper12:14
The source suggests Bo Nix could be a solid quarterback option to target after the elite tier.
Insight pageBrian Thomas Jr.
NegativeValue2:00
The source argues that Brian Thomas Jr. should not have been drafted in the second round last year, positioning him as an example of poor consensus-based drafting.
Insight pageCam Ward
PositiveSleeper12:36
The source suggests Cam Ward could have a great year given his offensive weapons.
Insight pageChristian McCaffrey
NegativeBust1:54
The source explicitly warns that Christian McCaffrey is a bust candidate for the upcoming season, challenging the consensus view.
Insight pageD.J. Moore
PositiveValue16:53
The source mentions DJ Moore as a player who could potentially be a WR1 and is coming off later in drafts than Devante Smith.
Insight pageDak Prescott
PositiveValue12:16
The source views Dak Prescott as a solid, safe quarterback option despite past injury history.
Insight pageGeorge Pickens
NegativeValue15:45
The source notes George Pickens' current ADP as WR10, using him as an example of consensus rankings.
Insight pageJalen Hurts
PositiveValue12:00
The source considers Jalen Hurts a safe, elite quarterback with rushing upside, noting he was a successful draft pick in the sixth round.
Insight pageJaylen Warren
NegativeValue4:16
The source identifies Jalen Warren as RB27 and expresses a lack of interest in drafting him as a primary running back.
Insight pageJoe Burrow
NegativeValue11:51
The source expresses a lack of enthusiasm for Joe Burrow as a top-tier quarterback option.
Insight pageJonathon Brooks
PositiveSleeper5:20
The source highlights Jonathan Brooks as a rookie running back with breakout potential.
Insight pageJosh Allen
Justin Herbert
PositiveValue11:41
The source considers Justin Herbert the cutoff for elite quarterbacks, after which there is a significant drop-off in reliability.
Insight pageJustin Jefferson
NegativeBust2:08
The source highlights Justin Jefferson as a bust from the previous season, noting he finished outside the top 20 despite being a consensus first-round pick.
Insight pageKeaton Mitchell
NegativeBust6:32
The source dismisses Keaton Mitchell as a viable fantasy option, suggesting he lacks the necessary profile.
Insight pageLadd McConkey
NegativeValue2:00
The source argues that Ladd McConkey should not have been drafted in the second round last year, positioning him as an example of poor consensus-based drafting.
Insight pageLamar Jackson
NegativeInjury11:51
The source expresses concern over Lamar Jackson's durability, noting he gets injured year after year.
Insight pageMarvin Harrison Jr.
PositiveRole10:00
The source suggests Marvin Harrison Jr. will step up this year, potentially impacting the target share for tight ends like Trey McBride.
Insight pageSam LaPorta
PositiveValue7:07
The source cites Sam Laporta as a successful late-round tight end draft pick from previous years.
Insight pageTyler Warren
PositiveValue7:10
The source cites Tyler Warren as a successful seventh-round tight end draft pick from the previous year.
Insight pageFull transcript
Episode Transcript
0:00Alright, buckle up. Draft season is in full session.
0:02I'm going to give you guys five tips to smash your fantasy football league base.
0:06These tips, nobody else is talking about this. Fantasy Football Draft Strategy that you can actually implement.
0:11A practical strategy here today, right now, you can implement and get a major advantage over your league base.
0:16Listen, nobody else teaches this stuff. I'm telling you, this is going to put you light years ahead of the ship.
0:22I'm ready to dive into these five tips right here, right now.
0:25If you're new to the channel, subscribe. Smash it, tap it, slap it.
0:28Hit the thumbs up. It takes a second of your time.
0:31Just hit the thumbs up. Swipe it, hype it.
0:34There's a hype button. Swipe it, hype it, and type it if you have any particular questions.
0:38I'll try to get to as many as I possibly can.
0:41Also, guys, you want direct access to me. Join the all-access world.
0:44Starts and sits, waiver wire, everything in season right here, and get the 16-round draft solution.
0:49You need that draft solution because it's going to add on what I'm about to teach you guys here right now.
0:54It's going to really compound because I'm giving you the exact players who drafted each round so you guys know.
0:59Optimized players, not just any old player. You're going to get all the options.
1:03So once you guys listen to my tips, oh, this guy is making sense.
1:07No one's teaching this stuff. They just tell me copy and paste rankings.
1:10That's what they're teaching me. That's what everybody else does because they just want clicks.
1:14They're going to play it safe. Nobody's got the balls to tell you that CMC is going to bust this year.
1:20Nobody's got the balls to tell you last year that Ladd McConkie and Brian Thomas should not be drafted in round two.
1:26I was the only one that told you that.
1:28Justin Jefferson last year. Everyone said draft Justin Jefferson round one.
1:31Finished outside the top 20. So you got to think outside the box, and that's what we're going to talk about here today.
1:37So make sure you guys do join the all access world for direct access to me, the Patreon group.
1:42That's patreon.com forward slash FF counselor. And make sure you guys do get the 16 round draft solution.
1:47I'm telling you that right there is going to put you light years ahead of everybody else in your league is 16 rounds.
1:53Okay, let's talk about these tips here. Let's dive into it.
1:56Tip number one is secure Arby's early. Now, now listen, this, I know it just sounds easy, but let me explain.
2:02I'm going to elaborate and give you guys practical examples of this year.
2:05What's happening. Okay, because you could just listen to a point, but you don't even understand exactly what I mean by that.
2:11Okay. I've been doing a lot of best ball drafts.
2:14Okay, every night, nine o'clock. If you guys want it on those joint underdog use code line.
2:18It's linked below. Make sure you guys use that code line when you sign up, put down a deposit and see us at nine o'clock.
2:25We can draft together. I think tonight's buy-in is $10.
2:28Super funny. Get to be in a league with me.
2:30Just even in those best ball drafts, running backs are coming off hard and heavy early.
2:35Okay. I want to emphasize the point that you need to get one because there's a significant fall off after round five.
2:41Okay. Listen to me. Okay. Let me give you an example here.
2:44Right. Henderson, who I'm not really care, care about trivia on Henderson, which I like, I love the talent, but they already
2:50just came out with the news that he's going to be 50, 50 split with Stevenson.
2:54I knew this was going to happen. Jalen Warren running back 27.
2:57We're monitoring Stevenson 28. So we got Henderson and Stevenson coming off based, you know, once RB 24, once RB 28 coming off similar.
3:04We got Pollard RB 29. We got Rashad White RB 36.
3:06I don't want any of those guys to be my running backs.
3:10And that's what ends up happening around, around five to seven.
3:13Like that's who you end up with. Now there's a couple guys that could break out.
3:17There's some sleepers. That's why you guys got to subscribe.
3:20Turn on the bell here. Guys like Jonathan Brooks, some rookie running backs that I think are going to be great.
3:25You stack onto your core four, which I explained in 16 rounds that you get in the early rounds, your core four
3:31running backs, but there's a major, major fall off.
3:33You think you can wait on running back. I want to tell you, you're going to be very mistaken.
3:39Why do I secure running backs early? Because there's a major fall off.
3:42You want to secure running backs that are in minimal committees, meaning guys that are going to see not so much competition, right?
3:48Example, Omari and Hampton. Nobody's there, right? You're going to say, Oh, Keaton Mitchell, Keaton Mitchell sucks.
3:53Don't tell me that, right? Guys like Robinson, guys like Gibbs, right?
3:56Those guys will not be available later in your draft.
3:59You need to secure them early. Okay. Even round two, even Derek Henry's viable, not much competition, right?
4:03He's still one of those workhorses. So that is very important.
4:06Secure running backs early. Some people say zero RB here, or we forget all that garbage.
4:11You need to load up on these hard and fast early.
4:13And in 16 rounds, I show you exactly how to do that and who to draft.
4:18Okay. Tip number two, wait on tight ends. Okay.
4:20Let me explain. This is very, very important. All right.
4:23Every year I've done really well with my tight ends going back a couple of years ago.
4:27Sam Laporta got them later, crushed it last year.
4:30Tyler Warren got him at seventh round, whatever it was, crushed it, right?
4:33It's about identifying which tight end is in a great situation, which tight end is, has upside, which tight end is actually going to produce.
4:40Now I don't put too much weight in the tight end, even in tight end premiums where tight end is weighed at 1.5.
4:46I don't put too much weight on tight end.
4:48I wait on tight end. Now let me give you an example for this year.
4:52Allegedly, according to the can sheeps is the consensus Bowers McBride, Loveland and Warren are your top tight ends, but I'm going
4:58to tell you right now, guys like Tucker crafter in tier two guys like fan in their pits.
5:03They can easily outperform a guy like Loveland, right?
5:05Like, you know, this is the thing that people just assume that these guys are the top tight ends, right?
5:11Bowers could be good, but I think other guys like Trey Tucker, Jack Beck, step up this year.
5:16It's a different situation. Last year, everyone told you Bowers round two Bowers busted.
5:19I told you Bowers would bust. Okay. So you got to be able to see it.
5:24Now, again, you can get a guy like Gattiston.
5:26I'm just giving an example of one, right? Chargers, Mike McDaniel offense shows some flashes last year and that guy can easily outperform a Loveland, right?
5:33Okay. I do like Warren there. Again, there's certain guys I like, but if you don't, if you invest in a tight
5:39end early, for example, Warren round four, which I like, you are sacrificing getting a workhorse running back as part of your
5:45core four, but that's a decision you got to make.
5:47This is my conviction. All right. But I would personally wait on tight ends because you can roll the dice on some
5:53major upside guys later stack a bunch, right? And then you get those guys.
5:57And then those guys could easily upperform a guy like Trey McBride, for example, because I think maybe, you know, I Marvin Harrison Jr.
6:03steps up this year. Mike Wilson steps up, right?
6:06This is the thing. You don't know what you don't know, but I would wait on tight end because there's just so
6:12many more valuable players that you can get later in the early rounds.
6:15Okay. In the early rounds, instead of tight ends.
6:18Right. That's what I do. I wait on tight ends.
6:20As long as I get my 10 points out of my tight end every week, I'm good.
6:25All right. Now, if you guys are new, make sure you guys are subscribed.
6:28Okay. If you're new to this channel, subscribe because this is stuff that nobody else is teaching.
6:33Okay. Tip number three. And that's what I like to teach is I like to teach stuff that is common sense too, right?
6:39Practical stuff that people that can sheep says every other channel is overlooking.
6:43They're not giving you practical winning. I want you guys to win.
6:46That's why I built my brand on is you guys winning.
6:49Right. Number three, anchor your team with an ace quarterback.
6:51Well, Joe, that's common sense. Let me explain something to you.
6:54Okay. There is a major fall off at quarterback from secure quarterbacks to quarterbacks that are like, I don't know what's going to happen.
7:01And that fall off happens after Justin Herbert. Okay.
7:03So here's the thing. You got your Josh Allen.
7:06You got your Lamar Jackson. You got your drink.
7:08May Burrow hurts. Okay. I'm not really crazy on Joe Burrow Lamar Jackson.
7:11He's I can see that guy getting hurt again.
7:14He's done that year in a year out. Okay.
7:16It gets hurt a lot. He has a good year and then he gets hurt.
7:20Right. So I think hurts is pretty safe. I think Josh Allen, but you got to spend early round pick.
7:26And after that, you got Herbert after those guys, there is going to be good quarterbacks.
7:30I want to tell you there's good news. There's going to be good quarterback.
7:34I think Bo Nix could be good. I think, you know, Dak Prescott can be pretty solid.
7:38He's got his injuries in the past, but I think you're going to be safe and solid.
7:43If you stack two of those question mark quarterbacks later, question mark.
7:46But if you want an ace quarterback, you got it.
7:49I think the stop off. I know the stop off happens after Herbert.
7:52When you want to feel warm and fuzzy after that, you got again, Cam Ward can come out and have a great year.
7:58You know, they, they gave him some good offensive weapons.
8:01Tyler Schuff. There's a lot of guys that could do well, but there's a fall off.
8:05So if you want to feel warm and fuzzy, I recommend anchoring with an ace quarterback.
8:09Now in my high stakes league, which I dropped in April, I was fortunate enough to get Jalen hurts.
8:14I think I got him around six. So I got my QB hammer with my rushing upside because again, you're not going
8:20to get those rushing upside quarterbacks later. Okay. That you're going to have to get them early.
8:25And that's kind of the trade-off. Do you want to do that?
8:28I recommend if you can do that, try to, but the fall off is after, after Herbert.
8:33So anchoring team with an ace quarterback, if you want, if not, you're kind of rolling the dice with guys.
8:38Like I think, again, I think a lot of guys could do well.
8:41I think Bo Nix is one of those guys you can get after the, the, the Herbert fall off that I'm talking about.
8:47That's an example. Okay. Uh, tip number four here.
8:50This is really common sense. I can state to the end.
8:53The last one is, is probably the best one here is aim high in the depth chart.
8:57What do you mean by that? Well, what I see all the time, guys, I'll give you a quick example in drafts this year.
9:04T Higgins is wide receiver 20. He's a wide receiver too.
9:07That's not aiming high in depth chart. That's settling for the wide receiver 200 team early in the draft.
9:12That is the biggest mistake that people make is they settle.
9:15Well, Joe T Higgins is good. T Higgins is not good.
9:18T Higgins peaks at 110 targets last year. Amica didn't even get running.
9:21He didn't get going at 127 targets. Amica is coming off after T Higgins and drafts, which is crazy.
9:26Now that gap has actually gotten closer. I see right now time.
9:29This recording Higgins is 20. Amica is 21. Back in April, Amica was like 27.
9:33Higgins was like 15. That gap is getting closer.
9:36So people are starting to wake up a little bit.
9:38The can sheep just start adjusting their rankings. Now they're like three months behind, but regardless, do that aim high on the depth chart.
9:45Okay. Pickens. This is important guys. George Pickens is coming off.
9:48Number 10. Lad McConkie guys, believe it or not is 18.
9:51Guys, this is what I'm talking about. Guys, you do not want to be part of the, the, the, the can sheep
9:57says that don't aim high on the depth chart.
9:59Because if you do that, you're going to be well behind everybody else.
10:02Okay. I cannot express this enough to you guys.
10:05Make sure you guys do aim high on the depth chart.
10:08Another quick example, Devante Smith. He's the wide receiver too.
10:10He's wide receiver. 13. Lad McConkie, Amica, other guys, even DJ Moore, who's potentially going to be the wide receiver.
10:16One is coming off later. So Devante Smith, wide receiver 13.
10:19He's the wide receiver too. Well, Joe, he slid as the wide receiver.
10:22One. He's already banged up, man. He can't handle the wide receiver.
10:25One load. He's a twig. He's a skinny little twig, like a, like a ranch.
10:29Like he's, his leg is that thick. That's like, that is not a, a wide receiver.
10:34One. Oh, he put on pot, like put on weight.
10:36No, listen. Devante Smith is not a one. Okay.
10:39He's just, you can't take a two. A guy that's been the beta and try to make him a one and then
10:45draft him thinking, Oh, I got the next, you know, no, he's, he was a two for a reason.
10:50Okay. I don't trust him. He could have a good year, but I just don't trust him.
10:54Okay. So that is a very, very important tip guys.
10:57Is aim high depth chart, go for the alpha dog and you get those later rounds.
11:01Okay. Going back two years ago, live McConkie, Brian Thomas.
11:04I knew that they were the ones I was getting them around seven.
11:07I was getting two wide receiver ones. That's what you got to do.
11:11Okay. Let's go here. Number five. Last tip here is very, very important.
11:14And again, make sure you guys do grab that 16 round dressers because it's going to give you guys all the optimal rosters drafted in each round.
11:21Okay. Tip number five. And I'll wrap this up here.
11:24And we've got a great show tomorrow. So subscribe.
11:26We've got Walter Football coming on is don't draft on ADP consensus.
11:30Again, going back to what I just said with aim high, the depth chart, you want the alpha dog consensus rankings will destroy you because what they are.
11:37I'm going to put this very simply. Okay. Guys, what they are is a strict, direct lack of balls and testicle move
11:43by everybody in the industry where they take last player last year's finishers.
11:46And tell you to draft them again, that order.
11:49That's all it is. Like there's no thought. There's no methodical process.
11:52They really take last year's players and they paste them over as they draft in this order with some exceptions.
11:57Like they move some players up based on whatever, like they put a rookie in there.
12:02And if he does well in training camp, they slide them up.
12:05Or if he does well in preseason, they slide them up.
12:08That's it. Like there's no thought process behind it.
12:10They're not thinking. They're not aiming high on the depth chart.
12:13They're not anchoring their team with an ace quarterback.
12:16They're not waiting on tight ends. They're not securing the core four.
12:19They're not implementing a practical strategy. There's no logic.
12:21That's what I built my brand on is exposing this nonsense and this BS.
12:25And I want you guys to win. So make sure you guys do grab 16 rounds.
12:29Don't draft on ADP. Don't do what everyone else does.
12:32Do what everyone else does. Get what everyone else gets.
12:35If you guys want to get opposite. If you guys want to win your leagues, make sure you guys do grab 16 rounds.
12:41You'll be light years ahead of the sheep. Okay.
12:43So don't draft on ADP. Don't follow the herd.
12:45Think outside the box. If you guys, there's a player there, jump three or four players to get that player, right?
12:51Because there's a lot of players that are in between that little middle there.
12:55They just suck. They're just there because the consensus told us to put them there.
12:59You got to jump the ADP to get the player that you want.
13:02Maybe it's a high-end rookie or something like that, right?
13:05Think outside the box. But again, all of this is explained in 16 Rounds or get direct access to me in the war room.
13:11All right. That's all I got for you guys today.
13:14Big episode coming tomorrow with Walter football. We're talking sleepers.
13:17Have yourself a great day.
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