5 Players Fantasy Football Experts Reach For in Drafts (2026)

These are five players our fantasy football analysts are willing to draft ahead of their current ADP, sometimes by a round or more, because they believe the value gap is real. Organized by draft range, here’s the full list.

2026 Fantasy Football Draft Advice: Players Experts Reach For

AJ Brown (WR – NE)

Going at the tail end of round two, one analyst is willing to take Brown as early as the end of round one. His new offensive coordinator has a track record of feeding his top receiver well over 150 targets at previous stops, and Brown was far from washed last year, still finishing as a top-12 receiver in points per game even in a disinterested, difficult offensive situation. He now gets a real quarterback upgrade in an offense that already ranked among the league’s most pass-heavy last year, with a tougher schedule this season likely pushing that volume even higher. A specific red zone usage gap stands out too: he saw just three total end zone targets last year, ranking outside the top 30 receivers in that category, while a teammate soaked up the easy scoring looks instead. When he was actually featured last year after returning from injury, he paced as a top-three fantasy receiver in points per game over a six-game stretch, and that’s the level of production one analyst believes is achievable over a full season this year. The other analyst remains skeptical, viewing his current ADP as already fairly priced rather than a real value.

Josh Jacobs (RB – GB)

Going as a mid-tier running back two, one analyst is willing to reach given two risk factors the market may be overreacting to. Real legal issues could affect league discipline, but that risk is framed as more of a future-season concern than an immediate one, since the legal process hasn’t played out yet. His perceived down season last year is also explained by a real in-season injury he tried to play through late in the year, skewing his full-season numbers. When he was actually healthy, he had just one game all year without a rushing touchdown, including multiple multi-touchdown performances, and averaged a top-10 running back pace in points per game over that healthy stretch. His team also ranked among the most run-heavy in the league by both rush and pass attempt volume last year, supporting a real workhorse role even if the offense leans slightly more toward passing this season. The recommendation: buy the dip, since a healthy version of Jacobs projects as a lock for RB1-caliber value at an RB2 price.

Chris Godwin (WR – TB)

Going around round eight, one analyst would take him as early as round seven. Positive, healthy-looking preseason reports follow a lingering injury that cost him production the last couple of years, and his team has been unusually transparent about exact receiver alignment, confirming he’ll operate from the slot alongside a teammate who lines up outside, a pairing that’s worked well together historically. A realistic statistical baseline in that role points to around 120 targets and 900 to 1,000 receiving yards, a strong PPR floor even without big touchdown totals. There’s also real contingent upside if a teammate’s own lingering injury limits his role, since some of that touchdown equity and volume could shift toward Godwin. A cleaner, more efficient overall offense this year, with a specific veteran departure freeing up more volume, adds further support to the case.

Jonathon Brooks (RB – CAR)

Going around the RB29-30 range, one analyst is willing to draft him as early as round six. Fresh news is driving the case: the incumbent starter is expected to miss multiple weeks with a recurring hamstring injury, clearing an immediate path for Brooks to open the season as the starter. He’s only 23, fully healthy, and already logged meaningful first-team preseason snaps. His schedule opens against one of the league’s weaker defenses on paper, and he’s already flashed real receiving-game usage even in an extremely small NFL sample, a real skill given how thin the target competition looks behind the top couple of weapons on that roster. In head-to-head comparisons, he’s preferred over several other running backs with similar question marks, positioning him in a range roughly five to seven spots higher than his current, much later ADP suggests.

Juwan Johnson (TE – NO)

All three analysts agree on this one. He’s ranked at TE16 in ECR but going as late as TE18, around round 14, in real-time ADP, a gap all three analysts have flagged as too wide. A rookie teammate’s expected absence early in the season immediately elevates Johnson to his team’s clear number two pass catcher, and beat reporter coverage has specifically named him the most-targeted player in camp outside of the team’s top receiver. He already finished fifth among tight ends in catches and third in receiving yards last year, with his modest fantasy finish explained almost entirely by a shockingly low touchdown total, a real touchdown-regression buy-low case given better overall quarterback stability and offensive health this year. He does carry a real red flag, tying for the league lead in drops last year, so this isn’t a case for him being a truly elite talent, just a real value given his current cost and expected role. Playing in a fast-paced, indoor-friendly offense with real chemistry already built with his starting quarterback, and with tight end depth overall looking thin this year after a couple of previously trusted late-round options ran into their own concerns, Johnson stands out as a rare remaining reliable option at a true backup-tier price.

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