Fantasy Football Players to Target: My 5 Favorite Picks for 2026

Best Fantasy Football Draft Picks in Summary

• Kenneth Walker III, RB, Chiefs
• Parker Washington, WR, Jaguars
• Sam LaPorta, TE, Lions
• Chris Godwin Jr., WR, Buccaneers
• Bo Nix, QB, Broncos

Fantasy football drafts are often won by finding the right mix of value, upside, and opportunity. That means looking beyond simple rankings and identifying players who have a real chance to outperform where they're being selected.

For 2026, there are a handful of players I keep coming back to because of their roles, talent, and current draft cost.

Whether it's a quarterback with top-five upside, a veteran receiver available at a discount, or a running back stepping into a better situation, these are the players I'm prioritizing whenever I get the chance.

All ADP references come from FantasyPros' half-PPR ADP, and ADP may change after this article is published.

Top Fantasy Football Draft Targets for 2026

Kenneth Walker III, RB, Chiefs

ADP: 16th overall (RB10)

Kenneth Walker III is one of my favorite running back targets this year because his move to the Kansas City Chiefs gives him a chance to pair proven talent with one of the best offensive environments in football.

Walker rushed for 1,027 yards and 5 touchdowns on 221 carries in 2025, averaging 4.65 yards per attempt, while also catching 31 passes for 282 yards. He then elevated his play in the postseason and was named Super Bowl LX MVP before signing with the Chiefs in March.

The opportunity is very appealing. Kansas City's current depth chart lists Walker ahead of Emari Demercado and rookie Emmett Johnson, so he enters the season with a clear path to leading KC’s backfield. Walker has already shown he can handle a featured workload, topping 900 rushing yards in three of his first four seasons, and both his explosiveness and pass-catching ability should fit extremely well alongside Patrick Mahomes.

Walker's combination of rushing volume, big-play ability and receiving involvement gives him enticing upside.

Parker Washington, WR, Jaguars

ADP: 69th overall (WR30)

Parker Washington is a player I'm willing to bet on after his breakout 2025 season.

He established career highs across the board with 58 receptions, 847 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns in 16 games, averaging an excellent 14.6 yards per reception. His efficiency also improved significantly, with Washington producing 2.08 yards per route run.

Despite the presence of Brian Thomas Jr., Washington sure looked like the Jacksonville Jaguars‘ WR1 last season, and I’m buying into it.

The biggest selling point is that Washington's late-season production suggested there could still be another level here. Across his final four games of 2025, including the playoffs, he piled up 454 receiving yards and averaged 22.2 PPR fantasy points per game.

Jacksonville's receiving room is crowded with BTJ, Jakobi Meyers, and Travis Hunter, which is likely why the market has been a little slow to fully believe what we saw last year with Washington. But that’s kept his ADP pretty dang low, and I don’t think there was anything fluky about his 2025.

Sam LaPorta, TE, Lions

ADP: 71st overall (TE7)

Sam LaPorta is an appealing target if you want to wait a little longer at tight end rather than paying the premium required for Trey McBride or Brock Bowers.

His 2025 season was cut short by a back injury, but LaPorta was still productive when healthy, catching 40 passes for 489 yards and three touchdowns in nine games. He also remained efficient, averaging 12.2 yards per reception.

There is also reason to think LaPorta's opportunity could improve in 2026. Detroit hired Drew Petzing as offensive coordinator after Petzing spent the previous three seasons in Arizona, where the aforementioned McBride developed into one of the NFL's most heavily utilized tight ends.

LaPorta has already demonstrated elite fantasy upside, finishing as the overall TE1 as a rookie in 2023 with 86 catches, 889 yards and 10 touchdowns, so we're not hoping for a ceiling he has never reached before. He is dealing with a hip issue in training camp, but his return to practice this week is encouraging.

Assuming LaPorta will be ready to rock for Week 1, his current ADP gives fantasy managers a chance to land a player with legitimate top-three TE upside without spending an early-round pick at the position.

Chris Godwin Jr., WR, Buccaneers

ADP: 88th overall (WR37)

Chris Godwin is an intriguing veteran target because his recent fantasy production has been limited much more by injuries than by a lack of ability.

He appeared in only nine games in 2025, finishing with 33 receptions for 360 yards and 2 touchdowns, but that came after a 2024 season in which he caught 50 passes for 576 yards and 5 touchdowns in just seven games. Godwin has also surpassed 1,000 receiving yards four times in his career, so there is an established track record of high-end production when he's healthy.

The appeal for 2026 is largely about getting a proven receiver at a depressed draft price. There’s also quite a few targets up for grabs with Mike Evans no longer with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Godwin’s ability to work underneath and generate yards after the catch gives him a particularly useful skill set for PPR formats. He generated 206 yards after the catch on 33 receptions last season, despite playing through another abbreviated campaign.

There is obviously durability risk after Godwin played only 16 total games over the past two seasons, but that's also why his ADP is where it is. If Godwin can stay on the field and regain something close to his previous form, he has the target-earning ability and PPR-friendly role to significantly outperform where he's being selected.

Bo Nix, QB, Broncos

ADP: 101st overall (QB12)

In one QB formats, each year I try hard to talk myself into a late-round quarterback so I can load up at RB and WR early in the draft. This year, I didn’t have to work very hard to talk myself into Bo Nix.

Nix is one of my favorite quarterback targets because he gives fantasy managers both a strong weekly floor and more rushing upside than he sometimes gets credit for. He threw for 3,931 yards and 25 touchdowns in 2025 while adding 356 rushing yards and 5 scores, giving him 10 rushing touchdowns across his first two NFL seasons. That rushing production is especially valuable in fantasy because it gives Nix a path to strong weeks even when the passing numbers aren't spectacular, and if he combines the rushing output and a strong passing day in the same game, he has week-winning upside.

There is also reason to believe his passing production can take another step forward in Year 3. The Denver Broncos have surrounded him with a deeper group of weapons that includes Courtland Sutton, Jaylen Waddle, Evan Engram, Marvin Mims and Pat Bryant. Mims and Bryant may not get many headlines, but they’re quality playmakers, especially as the No. 3 and No. 4 wideouts in an offense.

Considering Nix already attempted an NFL-best 612 passes last season and Denver was willing to put a significant amount on his shoulders, the combination of passing volume and rushing ability gives Nix legitimate top-five quarterback upside.

Check out our fantasy football RB rankings as well as our fantasy football cheat sheet.

Fantasy Football Players to Target FAQ

What should I look for in a fantasy football draft target?

The best fantasy football draft targets usually combine a strong projected role, talent, and a reasonable draft cost. Players with increasing workloads, favorable offensive situations, or room to outperform their average draft position (ADP) can be especially appealing.

Should I draft for upside or safety in fantasy football?

A balanced approach usually works best. Early in drafts, reliable volume can be valuable, while the middle and later rounds are good places to target players with breakout potential and higher ceilings.

What does ADP mean in fantasy football?

ADP stands for Average Draft Position. It shows where a player is typically being selected across fantasy drafts and can help managers determine where in the draft they should target certain players.

Is it OK to reach for a player I really want in fantasy football?

Yes, within reason. If you believe a player is unlikely to make it back to your next pick, taking him slightly ahead of ADP can make sense rather than risking missing out entirely.

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