Fantasy football drafts have replaced the joy I felt as a kid opening presents on Christmas morning.
We all grow up and reach a point where we don’t spring out of bed on Dec. 25 and race downstairs to open our presents from Santa.
I reached that point at age 34.
Tearing apart Christmas wrapping is a mindless activity; fantasy drafts require some tactical planning.
Here’s how I’m approaching the first four rounds of fantasy drafts.
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How to Approach the Early Rounds in 2026 Fantasy Football Drafts
Lineup Settings Matter
Let’s start with a guiding premise: My approach to the early rounds of drafts is governed by the lineup configuration in the league. If I’m required to start three wide receivers every week, I’ll aggressively attack the WR position in the early rounds. If I’m required to start only two wide receivers, I’ll lean toward RBs over WRs in the early rounds.
You can read more about my thinking on this in my Perfect Draft article here.
The ‘Onesie’ Positions
Before we get into first-round strategy, a word about the so-called “onesie” positions, quarterback and tight end, labeled as such because you’re only required to start one of each in typical 1QB leagues.
Under no circumstances will I draft a quarterback in the first four rounds of a 1QB league. Josh Allen is terrific, but the QB position is deep. There are at least 14 quarterbacks I’d be willing to have as my starter in a 1QB league. I will not sacrifice an early-round pick for the luxury of rostering Allen when there’s such good quarterback value in the middle rounds.
There are three tight ends guaranteed to land in the first four rounds: Brock Bowers, Trey McBride, and Colston Loveland. I’m willing to draft Bowers and Loveland at cost, but not McBride. More on that later.
Bijan vs. Gibbs
Regardless of my league’s lineup configuration, if I draw either the 1.01 or 1.02 spot, I’m drafting Bijan Robinson or Jahmyr Gibbs. They are the John Lennon and Paul McCartney of running backs.
But should we favor John or Paul?
Bijan has been the slightly better yardage producer. Gibbs has been the better touchdown scorer. Gibbs plays in the better offense.
I slightly prefer Bijan. Why? It’s mostly about body type. Bijan is a muscular 215 pounds. Gibbs is a sleek 202 pounds. Every NFL play is basically a car crash, and I value the NASCAR build over the IndyCar build. But it’s a close enough call that if I draw the 1.01 pick in two leagues, I’ll take Bijan in one and Gibbs in the other.
If I get Bijan or Gibbs in a league where I have to start three WRs, it’s assured that I’ll go with a Hero RB strategy and won’t draft another running back in the first four rounds.
The Big Three at WR
Picks 1.03, 1.04, and 1.05 are where the Big Three at wide receiver dwell: Ja’Marr Chase, Puka Nacua, and Jaxson Smith-Njigba. Those three are my third, fourth, and fifth picks in start-3WR leagues. I might go that way in start-2WR leagues, too, although I would probably slide Christian McCaffrey ahead of Smith-Njigba in such leagues.
Chase has led the league in targets each of the last two years. He’s averaged 6.7 catches and 87.7 yards per game over his five-year career. Chase also gets to play with Joe Burrow, one of the best pure passers in the game.
Nacua led the league in receptions (129) and receiving yards per game (107.7) in 2025. He averaged an outrageous 3.57 yards per route run last season and has averaged 3.16 YPRR for his career.
Smith-Njigba had a league-high 1,793 receiving yards in 2025 and commanded an outrageous 35.8% target share.
McCaffrey vs. St. Brown
Assuming the first five picks have gone the way I’ve laid out, I’m taking either Christian McCaffrey or Amon-Ra St. Brown at pick 1.06 or 1.07.
If it’s a start-2WR league, I’ll take McCaffrey. If it’s a start-3WR league, I’ll take St. Brown.
But risk tolerance might weigh into your decision if you’re confronted with this choice. The oft-injured McCaffrey is the quintessential risk/reward pick, while St. Brown has been a paragon of consistency.
The Rest of Round 1
For me, Ashton Jeanty, James Cook, Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb, and Jonathan Taylor comprise the rest of the first round in 1QB leagues.
In start-3WR leagues, Jefferson and Lamb go to the head of the line. In start-2WR leagues, I’ll prioritize Jeanty, Cook, and Taylor.
How to Attack Round 2
If I get a running back in the first round in a start-3WR league, I’m taking a wide receiver in the second round. I do not want to be short on WR firepower in a league that requires me to start three of them each week. In a start-2WR league, I’m willing to take a second running back in Round 2.
If I get a wide receiver in the first round of a start-3WR league, I’ll take the best player available in the second round. I won’t feel obligated to come out of the first two rounds with a running back. In a start-2WR league, if I draft a receiver in the first round, I’ll be hell-bent on getting a running back in the second round.
How to Handle the Tight Ends
Brock Bowers and Trey McBride are landing in the second round of almost every draft – Bowers in the early to middle part of the round, McBride in the middle to late part of the round. I’m willing to draft Bowers but not McBride.
Bowers came into the NFL as one of the most highly regarded TE prospects of all time and had 112 catches for 1,194 yards and five touchdowns on 153 targets as a rookie while playing with QBs Gardner Minshew, Aidan O’Connell and Desmond Ridder. Injuries kept Bowers from big things in 2025, but he should have a monster 2026 season as the top target earner in what should be an improved Raiders offense. Bowers is capable of putting up the sort of receiving numbers an elite wide receiver can give you.
That said, I won’t feel as if I must draft Bowers in the second round. Although he can give you a big positional edge, the TE position is deep enough that there are some appealing cost-cutting options.
McBride is coming off a huge year in which he had 126 catches for 1,239 yards and 11 touchdowns. But the Cardinals led the league in pass attempts last season, and their passing volume is likely to crash now that they’ve drafted a running back, Jeremiah Love, No. 3 overall. McBride drew 169 targets in 2025 and isn’t likely to get anywhere close to that sort of target total in 2026.
Round 2 Targets
Here are players I’ll be eyeing at various points in the second round.
Early-Round Players to Target
Mid-Round Players to Target
Kenneth Walker III, Omarion Hampton, AJ Brown
Late-Round Players to Target
How to Attack Round 3
In a start-3WR league, I’m almost certainly taking either a wide receiver or tight end in the third round if I’ve already drafted a running back. If I don’t have a running back yet, I’ll consider one here, but won’t feel obligated to take one.
The Zero RB strategy is a non-starter for some fantasy football managers, but I’ve had some success with it and am willing to use it in start-3WR leagues depending on how the draft falls. If the “Zero RB” branding scares you, think of it instead as “Powerhouse Pass Catcher.” It’s a strategy meant to give you superior firepower at WR/TE while attacking the RB position in stealthy ways in the middle rounds.
Zero RB is an extremely viable strategy in start-3WR leagues. But I do feel more comfortable with a Hero RB strategy in such leagues, where I’ll take one running back in the first 3-4 rounds.
In start-2WR leagues, I’ll take a pass catcher in Round 3 if I already have two running backs. If I have one running back and one receiver, I’ll lean toward taking a running back in Round 3 but will consider a receiver. In the unlikely event that I’ve already taken two pass catchers, I’ll automatically grab an RB in Round 3.
Four Appealing Players
There are four players I’m especially drawn to in Round 3.
The Cardinals took Jeremiyah Love No. 3 overall in this year’s draft. Since 2015, there have been eight running backs selected with top-12 overall picks in the NFL Draft. Those eight running backs averaged 1,474 yards from scrimmage and 10.9 touchdowns in their rookie seasons.
Colston Loveland started his rookie year slowly but was TE2 in fantasy scoring from Week 9 through the end of the regular season. Over his last four games, the hyper-athletic Loveland averaged 12.0 targets, 7.0 catches, and 94.5 yards, with two touchdowns.
Tetairoa McMillan entered the NFL as an early-declare prospect and had 70 catches for 1,014 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie. Those numbers might just scratch the surface of McMillan’s capabilities.
Zay Flowers has been a poor man’s version of Amon-Ra St. Brown, turning in consistently strong reception and yardage totals. He hasn’t scored many touchdowns, but it’s possible Flowers gets more red-zone looks under the new Ravens offensive coordinator, Declan Doyle.
Round 3 Targets
The players above top the list of players I’ll consider in Round 3. Here’s a more complete list.
Early-Round Players to Target
Tetairoa McMillan, Jeremiyah Love
Mid-Round Players to Target
Late-Round Players to Target
How to Attack Round 4
The questions you should be asking yourself at the beginning of Round 4 are:
“What am I missing?” and
Let the answers to those questions guide your choice in Round 4.
Since we’ve reached the end of the early rounds, let’s cover some of the preferred roster structures for the first four rounds.
In a start-3WR league, my three favorite builds through Round 4, in order of preference, are:
- 2 WRs, 1 TE, 1 RB
- 3 WRs, 1 RB
- 3 WRs, 1 TE
In a start-2WR league, my three favorite builds through Round 4, in order of preference, are:
- 2 RBs, 1 WR, 1 TE
- 2 RBs, 2 WRs
- 3 RBs, 1 WR
Round 4 Targets
Here are players I’ll be eyeing at various points in the fourth round.
Early-Round Players to Target
Mid-Round Players to Target
Late-Round Players to Target
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