The Lineup Show - Top 10 Fantasy Football Draft Strategy Tips to Win Your League

Brian Thomas Jr. is highlighted as a rookie who saw significant production increases after his bye week, reinforcing the strategy of patience with rookie draft picks.

Mitch Anderson argues that if you have strong conviction in a player like Brock Bowers, you should not hesitate to draft him even if it is considered a reach by ADP, because he is unlikely to return to you in later rounds.

Justin Mello identifies Brock Purdy as a viable late-round quarterback target, noting that the depth of the position allows managers to wait and strengthen other roster spots instead of reaching for a signal-caller.

In a one-quarterback league, if a team already has a quarterback, they are unlikely to draft another option like Brock Purdy immediately after.

Mitch Anderson questions the value of drafting Caleb Williams early when comparable production can be found in later rounds with quarterbacks like Trevor Lawrence, Bo Nix, or Kyler Murray.

Carnell Tate is cited as an example of a player you might roster while waiting to see their role, but you should be willing to cut them quickly if they do not produce to avoid a roster clogger.

The 'Carnell Tate rule' advises fantasy managers to hold onto rookies even if they start slow, as they often break out later in the season.

Mitch Anderson advises that if Chris Godwin is your favorite receiver among a group of similarly ranked players, you should draft him rather than waiting, even if he is going ahead of ADP, to ensure you secure your target.

Chris Godwin is categorized as a safe, floor-based player who should be paired with high-upside home run hitters to build a championship-winning roster.

Colston Loveland is recommended as a tight end target who can be drafted a round or two later than the elite options, with the source noting his strong performance down the stretch last season.

The 'David Montgomery rule' for 2026 suggests that fantasy managers should prioritize drafting good running backs on good teams, as this strategy is a reliable way to secure consistent production.

The 'Devon Achane rule' refers to players who are so talented that they are worth drafting even if they are not on a top-tier offense, as they can be the exception to the rule of only drafting players on good teams.

Isaiah Likely is identified as a late-round tight end target that the source is actively targeting in drafts.

J.K. Dobbins is a player to target in the middle-to-late rounds, but there are concerns regarding his health and competition from Jonah Coleman; if he performs well early, consider trading him to a team in need of running back help.

Jakobi Meyers is categorized as a safe, floor-based player who should be paired with high-upside home run hitters to build a championship-winning roster.

In a one-quarterback league, if a team already has a quarterback like Jayden Daniels, they are unlikely to draft another high-end option like Jalen Hurts immediately after.

Despite concerns regarding touchdown regression last year, James Cook proved to be a phenomenal fantasy asset by leading the NFL in rushing yards, serving as a cautionary tale against being too rigid with pre-draft narratives.

Justin Mello notes that while he generally advocates waiting on quarterbacks, he would make an exception to draft Jaden Daniels if he falls to the ninth round, as that represents too much value to pass up.

If you are dead set on drafting Jayden Daniels, monitor the rosters of teams picking between your current and next turn; if they already have a quarterback, you can likely wait a round to draft him, allowing you to prioritize other positions first.

Jonah Coleman is receiving significant camp hype, which creates competition for J.K. Dobbins in the backfield.

Josh Allen is considered the primary exception to the 'punt QB' strategy because of his reliability and status as a consistent difference-maker at the position.

The source suggests fading Kyle Pitts at his current ADP, arguing that the difference between him and lower-ranked tight ends is negligible and not worth the draft capital compared to other positions.

Ladd McConkey is cited as an example of a rookie who started slow but exploded in the second half of the season, illustrating the importance of holding onto rookies rather than trading them early.

Justin Mello suggests that Lamar Jackson is worth drafting if he falls a round past his ADP, as he sits at a tier break in the quarterback rankings.

The source suggests drafting Luther Burden as a high-variance, high-upside player to raise a team's ceiling, even if you are generally risk-averse.

If you do not want to watch or root for the Browns, you should not draft Quinshon Judkins, even if you think he is a great player.

The source warns against being impulsive with roster moves, specifically citing the mistake of cutting a rookie like Rashee Rice too early.

Rashee Rice is used as an example of a rookie who was dropped by impatient managers only to become a phenomenal asset down the stretch, serving as a reminder to pick up talented rookies off waivers.

Justin Mello notes that drafting players on good offensive environments is superior to drafting elite talents on bad teams, citing Tee Higgins as a preferred target over receivers on struggling offenses.

If you love Tee Higgins and want to root for the Bengals offense, you should draft him regardless of expert advice to prioritize other players like Ladd McConkey.

Trey McBride is highlighted as a difference-maker at tight end, with the source noting that in 2025, he was the only tight end who provided a significant season-long advantage over the rest of the field.

Tucker Kraft is identified as a mid-round tight end target with significant upside, provided he remains healthy and on the field, which is the primary factor currently suppressing his ADP.

Wandale Robinson is categorized as a safe, floor-based player who should be paired with high-upside home run hitters to build a championship-winning roster.

Justin Mello suggests that even if you are against drafting a specific player, you should not remove them from your board entirely; if a player like Woody Marks falls four rounds past his ADP, he becomes a value that should be considered.