Welcome to the preseason rankings.
If I have you ranked #1, it’s simple… in my luscious blue eyes, you’re the favorite to win it all.
Of course, take all of this with a healthy dose of salt. Last year’s preseason favorite won five games and missed the playoffs, while the team I projected to finish last (myself) won the championship mug.
In fact, in the history of my preseason predictions, the last person to be ranked #1 at the beginning and finish #1 was Jeff Greenblatt in 2020. The only other time was 2017, when I picked Neatock to win it all and he did.
So apologizes in advance to Masterson.
1. TWO HEADED RUSHIN ATTACK (ROB M)
Yes, I know, putting Masterson, a man who has never tasted sweet victory from a championship mug, at the top of my rankings is mean. I’m basically guaranteeing he won’t win it all. I know it’s wrong, but I see what I see, and what I see is arguably the most complete roster in the league.
Henry and Brown alone make up the best backfield in the league to open the season, and then you add Bucky Irving sitting on the pine. I don’t have Irving fighting for an All-Robio spot, but I do have him as the lead back in Tampa, and he’s more than capable of walking off the bench and filling in if needed.
The hands, though, will ultimately decide Rob’s season. Nico Collins and Malik Nabers are both WR1s. Both are the clear top option on their respective teams. Both have quarterbacks capable of getting them the ball. And both come with unanswered questions. Nico has yet to play a full slate of games in his career, and he’s never quite sniffed the elite tier. Three straight 1,000-yard seasons is nothing to wave off, but he looks like he peaked in 2023. Nabers is coming off a serious ACL tear, the kind you come back from without ever really coming back. In the old days, that first year was always a slog.
At tight end, I love Tyler Warren. Yes, he hit a wall last year. No, he’s never going to be Bowers or McBride. But he’s going to lead the Colts in receiving this year. McPherson is a stud kicker, so no notes. The Ravens D/ST is the one spot where I’d like more information. Do we really know what we’re getting from the new coaching staff? The unit was awful last year. Then again, they open against the Colts, Saints, Titans, Falcons and Browns, so the runway is about as friendly as it gets.
On the pine, I’ve already mentioned Irving, but having Caleb Williams stashed on the bench feels almost unfair. He could be starting for Rob at some point this season, or he could be a nice dump trade piece late in the year. Beyond that, Rob has grabbed just about every serviceable WR2 on the board (Golden, Johnson, Pittman, Robinson). Quentin Johnston is the safest plug-and-play if Masterson needs hands off the bench, but Matt Golden is the only one I’d call a sleeper. Entering year two, he could take control of the Packers receiver room.
Rob enters the 2026 season as the favorite, but plenty can go wrong. Henry could finally look his age. Irving could get trapped in a timeshare. Nico and Nabers could both settle in as guys who were never quite what we talked ourselves into. But that’s the thing about Masterson’s roster, it doesn’t need everything to break right, it just needs most of it to. Rob has the best backfield in the league, two alpha receivers, a tight end who will catch a ton of balls, and enough depth to survive some bad luck. If even three of those five bets land, he’s playing in his first title game.
2. PREMIER LEAGUE CHAMPIONS (COLBY)
When I first went through the draft, my instinct was to slot Colby somewhere in the 6-8 range. But then I wrote up the All-Robio Predictions, and I had a change of heart. How could I possibly have a team with five All-Robio players sitting outside the top of my rankings?
The reality of Colby’s roster is that if this team played last season, he’d have lost a lot of games. He’s not betting on the past. He’s betting on projections.
It begins up top. Jayden Daniels was an elite quarterback as a rookie, then really struggled last year. Even when he played, he looked like the second coming of RGIII (the ultimate one-hit wonder). In seven starts, he threw for just 1,262 yards with 10 touchdowns and five turnovers. Spread that over a full season and he’s one of the worst fantasy arms in the league. Having said all that, I’m a Daniels fan. The Commanders upgraded the receiving corps, they upgraded the line, and word on the street is the backs can actually block this year.
In the backfield, there’s Jonathan Taylor, who once again showed the league just how good he is when he’s upright. He’s healthy, and the Colts will feed him a ton in 2026. Yet the most important runner on this roster is Cam Skattebo. The Giants backfield is crowded with Tracy and Harris, but barring something less than a fully healthy Skattebo, I find it hard to believe New York doesn’t roll with him. He’s a human bowling ball who can catch out of the backfield. If he settles in as a two-down back with goal-line work, Colby is golden. If he doesn’t, there’s no safety net. Colby drafted three backs for his bench in Tank Bigsby, Kaelon Black and Kyle Monangai, and not one of them starts for an NFL team. Dipping into that bench means trouble.
The hands are good, with greatness within reach. I love Chris Olave. He’s got real chemistry with Tyler Shough, and the Saints offense looked meaningfully better down the stretch in 2025, so Olave should clear the 1,163 yards he put up last year. Emeka Egbuka exploded onto the scene as a rookie, then nearly vanished from the offense once Mike Evans returned. Evans is gone now, and the consensus is that Egbuka becomes the top target in Tampa. I’m just not sure what that’s worth. Baker is limited enough that “top wideout on the Bucs” might mean 70 catches for 1,000 yards.
At tight end, Dallas Goedert isn’t young, but with A.J. Brown out, Hurts has to throw to somebody in the red zone. Jason Myers is a stud kicker, and the Seahawks are a good enough defense with a soft early schedule.
The bench carries some real receiving depth in Mike Evans, Alec Pierce and Denzel Boston. Evans is obviously the prize. He rattled off 11 straight 1,000-yard seasons before last year, when he missed nine games. He’s healthy, he’s got an upgrade at quarterback, and I don’t see why the 33-year-old can’t squeeze out one more.
So Colby lands at No. 2, and the gap between second and first is mostly one player. If Skattebo grabs the Giants job and holds it, this roster has five All-Robio candidates and enough bench receiving to weather a small storm. If Cam splits work with Tracy and Harris and never gets the goal line, Colby is going three-wide and praying. Everything else here is a reasonable bet.
3. SPACE MONKEY MAFIA (BOB)
For Bob, the return trip to the top of the mountain begins on the backs of a pair of Seahawks. First, there’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba. He caught a lot of balls for a lot of yards last year, and I see no reason to believe he won’t do it all again. The real mystery is Jadarian Price. The rookie out of Notre Dame had the starting job fall right into his lap. Now what does he do with it? Seattle loves a good committee, but are they really going to split carries with George Holani and Emanuel Wilson? I don’t buy it. Price has a genuine opportunity early to stake his claim as the alpha in that backfield.
You know your team is good when I’m only now getting around to Christian McCaffrey and Justin Jefferson. These two have, on multiple occasions over the last half-decade, been the best players at their positions. If things break right, both finish as first-team All-Robio players and if that happens, I can start printing Bob’s name on the mug.
Yet there are concerns.
For McCaffrey, it’s always health. He’s 30 and coming off a season with 440 touches. Does he have a full slate left in him? For Jefferson, it’s the quarterback. Kyler Murray gets the start in Minnesota, but is that much of an upgrade? I’d say yes, even if it’s a slight upgrade. Jefferson caught 84 balls for 1,048 yards last year, which isn’t tragic. What was tragic were the two touchdowns. That number is going up in 2026.
At quarterback, we’ve got Justin Herbert, who’s getting a lot of love this offseason; maybe a little too much for a guy who threw 13 interceptions against 26 touchdowns last year. It’s been four years since he cleared 4,000 yards and five since he threw 30-plus scores. If he’s really what people think he is, Bob’s squad is scary.
At tight end, we have Kyle Pitts, because someone has to believe in him. We mock him, because the Falcons tight end has earned it, but he did finish 2025 with 88 catches for 928 yards. Those are strong numbers at the position. Dicker the Kicker is a great kicker with an even better nickname, and the Chargers D/ST confirms Bob as the league’s number one Chargers fan.
On the bench, J.K. Dobbins is a starter, but in Denver that means nothing. Jordan James is probably the wrong handcuff for CMC. Josh Jacobs beats up women. Among the many receivers, Garrett Wilson, a fourth-round pick coming off an injury-plagued 2025, is the best of the bunch. He’s never going to be great, but maybe Geno can make him good. Bob has a pair of Washingtons in Mike and Malik, though Makai Lemon has the brightest future of the group and now has a redshirt slapped on him.
This is the roster I’d take if I had to win one season and only one season. Bob doesn’t need a breakout or a sleeper or a waiver miracle. He needs a few men to be who they’ve already proven they can be. McCaffrey has to stay upright, Jefferson has to get fed, Price to dominate the touches, and Herbert has to look like the quarterback everyone keeps insisting he is. That’s it. That’s the whole thing. It’s the simplest path to a title. I ranked Bob third because I’m not sure he gets all three. But if he does, nobody’s catching him.
4. CHOKE ME HARDER DADDY TRUMP (MATT)
Matt’s got one of the more interesting squads heading into the season. Four of the players he’s starting in Week 1 might not be starters in Week 2. He’s got talent and he’s got depth. That’s typically a winning combo.
At running back, he’s in great shape. Saquon Barkley’s numbers dipped last year, but he’s still elite and he’ll battle for an All-Robio award. At the second back spot, Matt has options. David Montgomery is out of Detroit and down in Houston, and while he’s never going to be elite, if he can hold off Marks he should finally get enough touches to matter.
On top of that, Quinshon Judkins is sitting on the pine. The Browns’ second-year back is in a bad offense, but as far as I can tell, that backfield belongs to him. With the right matchup, Judkins is a valuable start. At worst, he’s real depth at a position that has none.
At wideout, the ceiling is high. DeVonta Smith and Tetairoa McMillan are both the top target on their team. Does that mean 1,400 and 12? Probably not. I’ve got Smith as a low-end WR1 and McMillan as a high-end WR2.
That said, nobody in this league has better receivers on the bench. Matt has both Luther Burden III and Rashee Rice. Rice should be Mahomes’s favorite target and is fully capable of an All-Robio season. Burden is a popular sleeper, but I’d take the wait-and-see approach. Both will start games for Matt this year.
At quarterback, Matt passed on Jalen Hurts and took Dak Prescott. Surprising, yes. Good decision, maybe. Dak did finish ahead of Hurts last year, and he’s running a pass-happy offense with two stud receivers. He should be great, if he stays upright. Remember, Dak has failed to finish three of his last six seasons and Neatock failed to draft a good backup quarterback.
At tight end, Isaiah Likely is finally out of Mark Andrews’s shadow, but it’s a genuine mystery whether the Giants use him. Harrison Mevis needs more attempts on a Rams offense that prefers touchdowns, and the Eagles D/ST is comfortably top-five.
On the bench, beyond the guys already mentioned, George Kittle is lurking. If Kittle’s healthy, the big unknown, and Likely falters, Kittle is a solid starter. Matt also stocked up on veteran hands in Romeo Doubs, Jakobi Meyers and Deebo Samuel. All three will have a good game or two. None will be consistent enough to crack this lineup.
I’ve got Matt fourth, and the ranking is really a bet on his weekly decision-making. Nobody in the league has more usable bodies. Judkins, Rice, Kittle and Burden are all better than what some teams are starting. But depth only wins if you play the right man, and Matt is going to face that call every Sunday. If he gets it right, this is a nightmare draw in postseason. Get it wrong and he’s the guy with 900 points on his bench, wondering how he lost by sixty.
5. THE DICK-TATERS (RICH C)
When it comes to deciding what product Calderon is going to put on the field, it comes down to what you believe. Is a 38-year-old quarterback too old? Can a great running back find room among the trash in South Beach? Will a 33-year-old receiver duplicate his 14 touchdowns? These are important questions.
Let’s start at the top with Matt Stafford. Despite a bad back, the dude was a stud last year right up until the title game. He finished with 4,700 yards and 46 touchdowns against only eight interceptions. He earned a third-team All-Robio award and still went untoched until the ninth round.
How? Why? What?!
The problem is he’s old. He’s very old, and while he dominated last season, at what point do the wheels come off the way they did for Peyton Manning in 2015? Or is Stafford the next Brady, playing elite ball into his 40s? Despite the risk, Rich waited on an arm and landed a great one and if it goes sideways, he was smart to grab Jared Goff two rounds later.
The backfield features two elite backs. James Cook dominated last year and nothing has changed; he’s still the feature back in an elite offense. The same can’t be said for De’Von Achane. The Dolphins offense wasn’t good last year and he still produced over 1,800 total yards and 12 scores, but that offense looks considerably worse this season. As good as Achane is, he’ll be staring at eight-man fronts until Miami proves it can throw.
If Achane falters, Rich has Travis Etienne on the pine. He put up nearly 1,400 yards and 13 touchdowns in Jacksonville last year and now shares a backfield with Kamara in New Orleans. The hope is that “share” doesn’t turn into “timeshare.” If Etienne emerges as the feature back, he’ll really deliver.
At wideout, it’s Davante Adams and Tee Higgins. Officially, neither is the WR1 on his team, so neither should be treated as a fantasy WR1, even though CBS has Higgins ranked 10th. Adams earned a third-team All-Robio award last year, but so much of that came from his 14 scores. Nacua is the alpha in Los Angeles, and Adams managed just 789 yards in 14 games. Cut his touchdowns in half and keep his yards flat, and he’s an average starter at best.
Higgins is a good receiver despite playing second fiddle to Chase. The problem is availability. He hasn’t played a full slate since 2022, which is also the last time he cleared 1,000 yards. But he does have 21 touchdowns over the last two seasons, so if he bumps the catches and yards even slightly, he’s a low-end WR1 here.
CBS projects Rich will have the league’s worst tight end room, and I can’t argue given Brenton Strange managed 540 yards and three scores last year. But Calderon also has Juwan Johnson, so expect roto-TE all season. With the Fins as his Week 1 D/ST, he’ll also be playing roto-defense too. Hopefully he finds permanent answers to both puzzles by the postseason.
On the bench, I’ve covered Goff, Etienne and Johnson, all of whom could see starting minutes. Christian Watson is the best sleeper here — somebody in Green Bay has to catch the ball. Carnell Tate is another popular name, but I see him as a redshirt candidate at most. DK Metcalf and Chris Rodriguez round it out. Metcalf is a fine bye-week sub, and C-Rod could battle Tuten for carries in Jacksonville.
Cook, Achane and Etienne might be the best three-headed backfield in the league, with only Masterson in the conversation, and that alone keeps the longest active playoff streak alive. Everything above that is a bet on last year repeating. If Stafford is still Stafford at 38 and Achane finds room behind a bad Miami offense, Rich isn’t just making the playoffs, he’s the best team in the league. If either one cracks, he’s a very good running game surrounded by question marks at every other position. I’ll be on the postseason streak continuing with a shot at the title a real possibility.
6. FOOTBALL? (JEFF)
Jeff Greenblatt… the man, the myth, the reigning quarterfinals king.
The hands alone might be enough to hand-deliver another trip to the semis. Amon-Ra St. Brown and Drake London are both too-legit-to-quit receivers, and both are capable of competing for an All-Robio award. St. Brown might be the surest thing in fantasy football. The only thing keeping him from 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns is an act of God. London technically has just one 1,000-yard season on the résumé, though he put up 919 in 12 games last year. The concern is the quarterback. Tua gets the start, which was a fine sentence to write about 23 concussions ago. I don’t expect London to force his way into the elite tier, but he should be solid. He’s four years into this and he’s never had a good arm throwing to him, but he’s been good enough without one. Add Fannin, who will be the top receiver in Cleveland, and Jeff’s boys are going to catch a mountain of passes.
At quarterback, nobody questions Joe Burrow’s talent. He just needs to stay on the field. Healthy, with that many weapons, he’s more than capable of pushing Josh Allen for the best fantasy arm in the league.
The only real concern on this squad is the backfield. Breece Hall would be a fine RB2. On this roster, he’s the top dog. That’s a lot to ask of a guy with one 1,000-yard rushing season, who has never sniffed double-digit touchdowns, and who still plays for the Jets, an organization with a documented allergy to winning. After him, it’s a who’s-who of “wait, that guy’s starting?”
Jaylen Warren gets the nod while RJ Harvey rides the pine. Neither is a great option. Warren was a top-20 back last year when handed the job, but he’s either backing up Rico Dowdle or splitting carries in Pittsburgh. Harvey, meanwhile, is starting to look like a glorified third-down back with Dobbins and Coleman eating into the workload. Until proven otherwise, RB2 is a problem child in 2026.
The solution might be going three-wide. Jeff snagged Chris Godwin, Khalil Shakir and Parker Washington. The first two are decent NFL receivers with real fantasy limitations. Washington might be the sleeper of the group, if you can call a fifth-round pick a sleeper. He flashed genuine chemistry with Trevor Lawrence late last season and could be a sneaky WR1 this year. Beyond that, Jaxson Dart is a nice stash. Taken in the 10th round, if he hits, he’s quality trade bait come November.
Here’s where I land: Jeff has a top-five receiving corps and a bottom-five backfield, and in this league that averages out to the middle. He’ll make the playoffs… probably, but I can’t rank him higher than mid-pack when his path to a title runs through Breece Hall on the Jets and Jaylen Warren winning a job he looks like he didn’t win.
7. THUNDERPANTS (RiCH B)
Burrier’s squad is a lot like Jeff’s above. The receivers are scary good, the backs… not so much.
Let’s begin with the best. Rich trots out Ja’Marr Chase, A.J. Brown and Brock Bowers. All three will comfortably be the top target on their team. Chase and Brown both have real arms throwing to them, and for Bowers it may not matter who’s under center. Chase and Bowers will battle for first-team All-Robio spots, and if the move to Boston lights a fire under A.J. Brown, he’ll be right there too. This trio could be historically dominant if everyone stays healthy.
At quarterback, Trevor Lawrence doesn’t get mentioned with the best of the best. He finished 14th among fantasy arms last year and has cracked the top 10 exactly once, an eighth-place finish back in 2022. But he was noticeably better down the stretch. He topped 4,000 yards passing, ran for another 359 and totaled 38 touchdowns, nine of them with his feet. If Rich gets December Lawrence for a full season, this squad plays deep into December.
At kicker, no issue with Loop, who should get plenty of opportunities and the Broncos D/ST should be one of the best again this year.
The real question mark is the backfield. Javonte Williams won’t be great, but he was good last year and he’ll be good again. The simple fact is there’s nobody in Dallas who can take meaningful touches away from him. Williams is going to be a three-down back with goal-line work. That’s fantasy gold, Jerry!
The same can’t be said for Rhamondre Stevenson. With Henderson out Week 1, he’s a fine start tonight, but long-term he’s a headache. Henderson is the more explosive back, and this Patriots staff loves a timeshare. Barring injury, I don’t see where the value comes from.
Having said that, Rich has real depth if a few things break his way. Bhayshul Tuten should open as the starter in a solid Jaguars offense, though don’t count Chris Rodriguez out. Tuten is good, but I’m just not confident he gets enough volume to be better than good. Burrier also grabbed both Vikings backs. Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason are stuck in a timeshare, but I firmly believe that changes. Mason is the better back of the two and I’d be shocked if he isn’t getting 15 touches a game by Week 6.
Baker is a serviceable backup quarterback and Jalen Coker is a legitimate sleeper in Carolina, but I’m not buying what either Jayden Reed or Rashid Shaheed is selling. Maybe Shaheed carves out something in year two in Seattle. I wouldn’t bet my firstborn on it.
So Rich’s team is basically three of the best pass-catchers in the league, a quarterback who could be elite, and a backfield that has to prove it belongs. Chase, Brown and Bowers are going to put up yards every week no matter who’s throwing. Lawrence has top-10 in him if December Trevor shows up in September. But this is a yards league, and yards come from volume, and volume at running back is exactly what Rich doesn’t have. Javonte will be good. Everyone else is a question. If one of these backs turns into a genuine workhorse, Rich is battling for a mug. If none of them do, there’s always next year.
8. CANKLES McTACO TITS (DON)
I’m a fan of the underdog, and there’s no bigger dog than Don, who’s made the playoffs just four times since 2012. Last year he won eight games, grabbed the 4-seed and fell in the quarterfinals to the eventual champ. This team… could be better. Maybe.
Let’s begin with the elite, which here means Jahmyr Gibbs and George Pickens. Like I said before, Gibbs should be the best back in football, and this year he’s finally going to get enough carries to prove it. If he got McCaffrey-level touches, he’d approach 2,300 total yards. He put up 1,839 last season, 287 fewer than CMC, who needed 93 more touches to get there.
Next up is Pickens. In his first season in Dallas, he took full advantage of an injured Lamb and delivered 1,429 yards and nine scores. I took Lamb ahead of him in this year’s draft and never felt great about it. Pickens is 25 and squarely in his prime. Barring a Prescott injury, there’s no reason he can’t do it again.
Outside of those two, though, there are questions. At quarterback, Don can roll with Bo Nix or Jordan Love. Nix got a new weapon in Waddle, but he needs more touchdowns and fewer interceptions in year three. Love has been decent in Green Bay without ever making the jump. This year the receivers are healthy and Kraft is back, so if it’s going to happen, it happens now. Look for Don to play roto-QB most of the season.
D’Andre Swift is a good back in a good offense, and it’s hard to see him being more than that. Chicago’s offense is humming again, but Swift isn’t alone in that backfield. Look for Monangai to eat into the load. That said, with Gibbs anchoring the position, if Don gets last year’s Swift line (1,300 yards and 10 scores), that’s probably good enough.
Marvin Harrison Jr. has been a bust to this point, and I have little reason to believe he suddenly figures it out. Fortunately for Don, Jaylen Waddle is sitting on his bench. The former Dolphin has a new home, and Denver spent a first-round pick to get him, so you’d assume they plan on feeding him.
At tight end, Travis Kelce is not a great option. He looked old last year. Eddy Piñeiro is a fine kicker on a 49ers team that settles for plenty of field goals. The Jaguars D/ST is a nice get in round 11. They’ve got the pass rush and an easy early schedule.
The bench isn’t tragic. I’ve already covered Love and Waddle, both of whom could end up starting at some point. Tony Pollard isn’t sexy, but the Titans are better and he’s a fine bye-week fill-in. Maybe Stefon Diggs has one more good season in a new home, and if Jonathan Brooks’s knees fail him again, Chuba Hubbard becomes the starter in Carolina.
Don’s got enough here to get back to the playoffs. Gibbs and Pickens are a hell of a foundation, the Jaguars D/ST was a steal, and rotating Nix and Love means he’ll rarely have a bad week at quarterback. But to hold the championship mug, Don needs somebody to outrun their own history. Harrison to finally look like a first-round pick, Nix to take the leap in year three, Swift to hold off Monangai, or Waddle to justify what Denver paid for him. He doesn’t need all four. He needs one or two. The underdog is on the board. He just needs a couple of his guys to stop being who they’ve been.
9. DUDELOVE (MICHAEL)
Michael walks into 2026 with two sure-fire first-team All-Robio players, a potential third at quarterback, and I’m still not confident he makes the playoffs.
First, the good. Bijan Robinson is a stud and the Falcons backfield belongs to him. Sure, the quarterback stinks, but hasn’t that always been the case in Atlanta? I have no doubt Robinson competes with Gibbs for the title of best back in football. Same story with Trey McBride, a tight end who produces like a high-end WR1. His quarterback situation has always been a mess too, and he keeps delivering anyway.
Lamar Jackson is an elite athlete and a good quarterback, but the wear is starting to show. For the third time in five years, he missed at least four games. Last season he ran just 67 times for 349 yards, both career lows. That’s not good enough for a guy who has cleared 4,000 passing yards and 40 touchdowns exactly once. If Lamar isn’t running, then his ceiling is much lower.
Most teams have question marks. Michael’s are glaring.
In Week 1, he’s starting Jonathan Brooks. The Panthers back, coming off two ACL tears, has never started a game and has appeared in nine, averaging 2.2 yards a carry. He missed all of 2025. I like Brooks a lot. He was great in college, and if he were a bench stash with upside, I’d love the pick. But Mike is starting him on day one. That’s the definition of risky, especially when the only backs behind him are Blake Corum, Keaton Mitchell and Tyrone Tracy, all backups.
At wideout, Michael rolls with Brian Thomas Jr. and Terry McLaurin, who combined for under 1,300 receiving yards last season. McLaurin has an excuse. He was hurt, and so was his quarterback. Both are back, but he’s 30 and looks like he’s on the downslope. Thomas is young, but as I’ve said before, he has no chemistry with his quarterback. Until I see him and Lawrence connect, it’s hard to have any faith. I’d rather have Parker Washington.
On the pine, Brock Purdy is a solid backup arm who may end up outproducing Lamar. Mike also collected some decent receivers in Jordan Addison and Courtland Sutton, though both project as the second option on their respective teams.
So Michael has two of the best players in the league at their positions and almost nothing he can count on around them. Bijan and McBride will win him weeks by themselves. The problem is that two studs get you to about six wins in a 12-team league, and the difference between six and nine is everything Michael can’t answer right now; whether Brooks can carry the ball 15 times, whether Thomas ever clicks with Lawrence, whether Lamar’s legs come back. That’s three coin flips, and he probably needs two of them. I’ve got him on the playoff bubble.
10. LAMB CHOPS (ERIC)
Like a few teams up top, Eric has great pieces. He’s got the stud arm and potentially two All-Robio running backs, so why am I not showing him more love? I’ll get to that.
Josh Allen is Josh Allen. He’s going to hang 400-plus on you at home and struggle to hit 250 on the road. Until he proves me wrong, that’s the M.O.
Kyren Williams is the lead back in a great offense. Last season he put up over 1,500 yards and 13 scores, and he’s cleared 1,300 total yards three years running. He’s a workhorse, he’s 26, and he’s squarely in his prime. The problem is Blake Corum. As a rookie, Corum was a no-show with just 58 carries. Last year he got 145 and averaged 5.1 a pop. I still believe Williams is the starter, but Corum is going to keep chipping away at the volume, and that’s bad news.
It’s okay if Williams isn’t elite, so long as Omarion Hampton is. The second-year back looked really good last season until he got hurt. He’s back, the Chargers have Mike McDaniel calling plays, and the offensive line is healthy. Everything points to a big year, if he can stay on the field. There’s no doubt Hampton is the lead back, but what roles do Keaton Mitchell and Kimani Vidal carve out? Fantasy is all about touches.
At wideout, Zay Flowers is technically Lamar’s favorite target, and he had his best season last year with 86 catches for 1,211 yards and five scores. Eric needs an elite receiver. Flowers isn’t there yet. He needs another 200 yards and five more touchdowns to reach that tier.
Jameson Williams is coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, averaging over 17 yards a catch with seven scores in each. Those numbers are… fine. He remains a hit-or-miss deep threat, which is maddening to own. The bigger challenge is the pecking order: with St. Brown catching everything and Gibbs both running and catching, Williams is always the third option.
Eric also has a second Lion in Sam LaPorta. The dude went beast mode as a rookie with 86 catches, 889 yards and 10 touchdowns, and his production has declined every year since. At least last year he can blame injuries, having played just nine games. Extrapolate that pace over a full season and it’s 923 yards, which is solid at the position.
At kicker, he landed Cam Little. No notes. The Texans defense in round 10 was a great get. They could finish as the league’s top D/ST in 2026, ahead of the Rams and Broncos.
On the bench, Rico Dowdle and DJ Moore stand out. I don’t have much faith in Moore, but if he’s going to rediscover the glory days, doing it in Buffalo with Josh Allen is the way. Dowdle is reportedly the lead back in Pittsburgh, though Warren is still around, so who knows what that’s worth.
C.J. Stroud is fine as a backup, but Eric better hope he never needs him full-time. Jonah Coleman is a nice grab in round 15. Josh Downs could be the best receiver in Indy, which isn’t saying much. And I’ll end with Jacory Croskey-Merritt. The Commanders back never took off last year, struggled in protection, and now they’ve brought in White. I still like him, and I think he gets a real shot at leading that backfield at some point this season.
Here’s my problem with Eric’s team: he’s got the best quarterback in fantasy and nowhere near enough around him. Allen will lead the league in scoring and still leave Eric needing points. Both backs are good with a caveat attached, Corum for Williams, health for Hampton, and the receiving corps tops out at “solid.” Flowers, Jameson Williams and LaPorta are all fine, and not one of them is going to win a week by himself. That’s the whole issue. Eric can beat anybody when Allen goes off at home, and he can lose to anybody the week Allen throws for 230 in Miami. Borderline playoff team at best.
11. PUKA AND THE JEWS (ROBIO)
When I entered the draft, I certainly didn’t plan on starting Jeremiyah Love and MarShawn Lloyd. Combined: six career carries for 15 yards. This is the consequence of waiting on a running back. Instead, I drafted CeeDee Lamb and kept Puka Nacua.
The Rams receiver is one of the best in the league, but does he get suspended? If he does, I’m in real trouble. I drafted Lamb and I’ve regretted it since the moment I made the pick. If he’s healthy, he’ll be good, but Pickens may be better, which is very bad news for me.
I don’t mind Love. He was a stud in college and he had over 70 yards by halftime in his one preseason game before getting hurt. I’ve also got his backup, Tyler Allgeier, one of the better handcuffs in the league, though if Allgeier looks good early it could eat into Love’s snaps even after he’s healthy.
I didn’t want Marshawn Lloyd. I’m not even sure why I took him. Yet here he is, not just on my roster but in my starting lineup. Everything in my gut says this proves to be a bad pick. The Packers staff is already suggesting he’ll start, but it’ll be a committee, and there’s nothing in Lloyd’s past to suggest he separates from one.
Colston Loveland is a fine tight end who’ll be solid in that Bears offense, but he’s no Bowers or McBride. I’m regretting not taking a back in round three.
Once I realized my starting backfield was going to blow, I reached early for the Rams D/ST and Fairbairn. At least I won’t be bad at kicker or defense.
On my pine, Sam Darnold is a fine backup, and then it’s a collection of guys who will most likely make no impact at all. KC Concepcion got the redshirt, so I’m hoping De’Zhaun Stribling does something in San Francisco. I grabbed Ja’Kobi Lane, who I’m hearing good things about. If either one is starting for me, though, I have real problems. I also have Kenneth Gainwell and Rachaad White, and I couldn’t tell you why.
Many mugs, including last year’s, is on my shelf and I’m ranking myself in the basement, which should tell you everything. I did the one thing you can’t do in a yards league, I waited on running backs and told myself the receivers would cover for it. They won’t. Nacua and Lamb can win me games, Fairbairn and the Rams will quietly bank points every week, and none of that matters when I’m rolling out two backs with 15 career rushing yards between them. My bench isn’t a bench, it’s a waiting room. Realistically, my season comes down to whether Love is what I think he is and whether Nacua plays all 17 games, and I don’t control either one. Defending champs are supposed to get everyone’s best shot. This year I’ll be the game everyone circles for a different reason.
12. REAL MEN PRODUCE PORN (GRIFF)
Right now, Griff’s postseason trip last year looks like a fluke, because I don’t see a run with this squad.
The backs aren’t bad. Kenneth Walker should thrive in his new home, though when was the last time the Chiefs produced a dominant running back? Kareem Hunt is the answer. He was the last Chief to rush for 1,000 yards, and that was 2017. I believe Walker gets there, but Griff needs more than that.
Ashton Jeanty was supposed to be a rookie stud and instead was a rookie dud. He failed to top 1,000 yards and averaged just 3.7 a carry. That’s not good. The Raiders offense should be better this year thanks to improved quarterback play, but Jeanty opens the season with a sprained ankle, and last I checked, running backs need working ankles.
The wideouts have potential, but potential is a dangerous word. Ladd McConkey and Rome Odunze are both young and talented, though only McConkey qualifies as a WR1. He at least cleared 1,000 yards last season. Odunze might have too, if he hadn’t missed four games. Griff needs one of these two to take a real leap.
At quarterback and tight end, he’s rolling with Patrick Mahomes and Tucker Kraft, both coming off serious injuries. In Mahomes’s case, it happened late in the season. He’s still a fantasy-worthy arm, but it’s hard to see him chasing an All-Robio award this year. Kraft is questionable for Week 1, but at full strength he could be solid.
At kicker, who doesn’t love the long leg of Brandon Aubrey? And the Vikings D/ST is tough, well-coached and capable of posting real numbers.
On the bench, I like TreVeyon Henderson when he’s healthy, but I’d like him a lot more if he were starting. Tyler Shough is a nice pick in round 14 and could start if Mahomes falters. Caleb Douglas was a good free agent add, and maybe Xavier Worthy carves out playing time in year two.
The whole roster is a collection of guys coming back from something or waiting to prove something. Mahomes and Kraft are rehabbing, Jeanty is already hurt, Odunze and McConkey are still projections, and Walker is walking into a backfield that hasn’t produced a 1,000-yard rusher in nine years. Any one of those bets landing is reasonable. Griff needs most of them to land, and he needs it early, because there’s nothing on that bench that saves a slow start. I’d love to be wrong; Mahomes at full strength and a healthy Jeanty changes this entire write-up, but I’m ranking on what I see, and what I see is a team that finishes near the bottom and watches the playoffs from home.