Tier 3: The “Skip Intro” Tier (Continued)
You know the plot, just start them.
21. Brock Bowers, TE, LV (TE1)
Despite playing in just 12 games, Brock Bowers finished as TE11 in total points and tied Tucker Kraft and George Kittle for TE2 behind Trey McBride in points per game. With Fernando Mendoza (or Kirko Chainz) at quarterback and Las Vegas not adding any significant pass catchers, Bowers is right in the TE1 conversation. With Head Coach Klint Kubiak calling plays, Bowers gets the slight bump past Trey McBride (who lost OC Drew Petzing to Detroit).
22. Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, ARI (WR14, ▲22)
Marvin Harrison Jr. is an enigma. He had the fourth-most end zone targets among all players, even with teammate Trey McBride ahead of him, but had just two touchdowns through the first eight weeks. Harrison didn’t play all that badly in 2025, but the combination of his unreal hype coming out of college and Michael Wilson playing like Jerry Rice has a lot of people down on MHJ heading into 2026. He’s a buy-low for me.
Kyler Murray’s departure from Arizona is the best-case scenario for MHJ’s career, and Jacoby Brissett returning as the starter for 2026 isn’t the death knell that many think. Brissett had an undeniable connection with Wilson and McBride. But I bet you didn’t know Marv only played three full games with Brissett as a starter. Week 7, which admittedly wasn’t great, with two catches on six targets for 58 yards. But he probably shouldn’t have been playing after suffering a concussion just a week prior. After a Week 8 bye, Marv had two straight games where that “generational prospect” potential started to flash. A combined 22 targets, 10 catches, 129 yards, and two touchdowns. Just when things started to click, Marv had to have an emergency appendectomy. He did return and technically played in three more games, but over 60% of snaps just once. Brissett is currently locked in a contract dispute with the team’s brass, but I’m operating under the assumption a resolution is found before the start of the season. He’s working out with his receivers on his own while he’s “away from the team”. Don’t hear what I’m not saying. I don’t think Harrison will ever live up to the 1st-edition base-set Charizard, graded PSA 10, mint-level expectations placed upon him coming into the league. But some legitimately think Wilson is the best receiver on this team and value MHJ as a low-end WR2. He’s still just 23 years old.
UPDATE (9/4/26): I just can’t quit this guy. I know that Wilson just got paid the bag, but MHJ has continued to dominate in practice with highlight catches like this one.
MARVIN HARRISON JR BREAKOUT SZN
(@Basaraski) pic.twitter.com/SvAwawH4J7
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) August 26, 2026
Shoutout to the guy who says “I got that on video”. Thanks for getting that on video.
Back in the early 2000’s, we had to wait THREE YEARS for a WR breakout.
It’s happening, folks.
23. Drake London, WR, ATL (WR15, ▲8)
Drake London ranked sixth with 2.61 yards per route run. Even though he played in only 12 games, catching 68 of his 108 targets for 919 yards, he still nearly reached 1,000 yards. Another ACL injury to Michael Penix threw Kirk Cousins back under center, and Penix’s underwent his third ACL reconstruction at the end of 2025. Atlanta added Tua Tagovailoa and hired Kevin Stefanski as head coach, not a terrible combo for the fantasy prospects of London. It’s hard to properly place a guy like London until we know who wins the starting job, and his propensity to get nicked up also leads London’s floor to further fall, my fair lady. He’s Nico Collins with a wider range of outcomes.
UPDATE (9/4/26): I’m still concerned for London’s season-long ceiling, but Michael Penix Jr. returning to practice and an expected early-season return has me feeling a tad better given how awful Tua has played. Mike McDaniel really is a wizard.
24. Jeremiyah Love, RB, ARI (RB8)
Jeremiyah Love is the crown jewel of a down year at running back in the 2026 class. The Notre Dame product is as polished as they come — a true every-down back with the vision to hit the gap before it opens, the burst to take it the distance, and the pass-catching ability to make defensive coordinators miserable on third down. He’s not just a bellcow; he is THE bellcow, and should be a fantasy RB1 from the moment he steps on an NFL field.
Wait… what’s that? He got drafted by Arizona? Didn’t they sign Tyler Allgeier…and bring back James Conner…and already have Trey Benson?
Not great, Bob, indeed. Love’s ceiling is capped by landing in a potential four-back committee, but still the best option from this class and on the Cardinals’ roster. He could be undervalued in redraft, with a strong overcorrection putting him at the end of the second round or later. Love’s got the talent to overcome the situation and still put up a top 10 fantasy season.
Tier 4: The Toy Story Tier
If they jump a tier, the buzz will last lightyears.
25. Ashton Jeanty, RB, LV (RB9)
Among running backs with at least 100 attempts, Ashton Jeanty had the 2nd-worst yards before contact, 2nd-worst success rate, and 3rd-worst stuff rate. Thankfully for Jeanty, he’ll have a whole new coaching staff, a new quarterback (hey there, Fernando Mendoza), and hopefully an improved offensive line. Not only does Jeanty have a whole new coaching staff, but he also has a brand-new carrrrrrrrr center! The Lamborgini of run blockers, center Tyler Linderbaum, signed a three-year deal with the Raiders this offseason. Wheels ALL the way up for Jeanty, right? Well, here’s the wet blanket that puts those wheels in park. New Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak said the following at the combine.
“Definitely want to have a two-man show there. Guys that can share the load, it’s a long season. You don’t want to put all the carries and targets on one guy”.
WOOF. This is the same guy who split the workload between Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnett in Seattle this season, so he’s keeping it real. Oakland Las Vegas drafted Mike Washington Jr out of Arkansas in the fourth, not early enough that there’s any concern of Washington getting the majority of the touches, but enough that he’ll likely earn enough of a role to cap Jeanty’s ceiling. Talent keeps Jeanty in the top 10, but the likely committee touches prevent me from ranking him any higher.
26. Saquon Barkley, RB, PHI (RB10)
The fabled curse of 370 did hit Saquon Barkley last season, but not as badly as you may think. His efficiency and explosiveness certainly weren’t the same. He ranked 20th among the 49 running backs with at least 100 carries in explosive run rate and 33rd with a 4.07 yards per carry, a far cry from 2nd in yards per carry and 4th in explosive run rate in 2024. But he was still a borderline RB1 and remained plenty involved in the offense, not missing a single game due to injury. I see him in the same boat as Derrick Henry: a back-end RB1 who will be drafted like a top-tier back, as in the past. If you can get him at an RB2 cost, I’m all for it. But the upside is no longer worth the first- or second-round price tag.
27. Javonte Williams, RB, DAL (RB11)
Javonte Williams signed a one-year deal with Dallas and made the most of it. The former Bronco finished the season as the RB12, averaging 15.2 points per game, and had the third-highest yards after contact (2.91) among backs with at least 100 rushing attempts. Williams was one of the league’s hottest backs to start the season, scoring 19 or more points in four of his first five games. He didn’t reach that mark again after Week 5, but he was as consistent as a ‘Now That’s What I Call Music’ tracklist, scoring 10+ points in all but three of his remaining starts. Williams is back with Dallas after signing a three-year, $24M deal this offseason. He’s proven to still have what it takes to be the ‘Boys bellcow and back-end RB1.
28. Christian McCaffrey, RB, SF (RB12, ▼7)
It was yet another season with an avalanche of injuries for the 49ers, but somehow Christian McCaffrey was the lone fantasy-relevant player to stay healthy the entire season. That led to a YUGE workload, with a career-high in targets and over 100 catches for the first time since he joined San Francisco. CMC came within 100 yards of becoming the first player in NFL history with two 1,000 rushing/1,000 receiving yards. But he was not the same ole’ CMC. He ranked 39th in yards per carry among qualifying backs and 37th in explosive run rate. For context, Chris Rodriguez and Kimani Vidal were higher. McCaffrey turns 30 in June, but he’s the type of talent like Derrick Henry who can and likely will buck the trend of production dropoff over 30. He’s no longer efficient or explosive, but he has the pass-catching chops to continue to be an RB1 for multiple years. His ceiling isn’t what it once was, but he sure does have that same sky-high floor.
UPDATE (9/4/26): The ambiguity of CMC’s “tightness” injury is concerning, and he’s running out of healthy teammates to Shang Tsung the life force from.
29. Sam LaPorta, TE, DET (TE2, ▲11)
Sam LaPorta finished the season as TE7 in points per game before a herniated disc ended his season in Week 10. New offensive coordinator Drew Petzing comes to Detroit from Arizona, where his offense produced one of the greatest fantasy tight end seasons of all time with Trey McBride. We back up with LaPorta, bab-bay!
UPDATE (9/4/26): Have I mentioned LaPorta is healthy and Drew Petzing is calling plays?
30. Trey McBride, TE, ARI (TE3)
Trey McBride blew away the competition to finish as TE1 and averaged 18.6 points per game, 11th among non-quarterbacks. His targets increased by two per game with Jacoby Brissett, and the bigger difference was in the end zone: McBride had two end-zone targets in Kyler Murray’s five starts and 16 from Week 6 on with Brissett. With Brissett back in Arizona, McBride may actually be worth the risk, even if I don’t think I’ll draft him where he’ll be going. It’s highly unlikely, but if Brissett’s holdout drips into the regular season, McBride could slip a few spots.
31. Derrick Henry, RB, BAL (RB13)
Derrick Henry isn’t from this planet. I’m pretty sure he eats barbed wire and poops concrete. He’s an absolute monster who is still smashing through defenders into his mid-30s, and he’ll continue to do so until he says he’s done. King Henry finished the season as RB8 with 5.2 yards per carry (3rd highest) and a 6.8% explosive run rate (7th). But he is slowing down slightly (please don’t tell him I said that). His 2.39 yards per carry was the fifth straight season in which the number declined, and his second straight season under three. He’s aging as gracefully as Vanna White, but I’m afraid I won’t be drafting him among the top 12 backs next season. I’m much more comfortable having him as my RB2.
32. Breece Hall, RB, NYJ (RB14)
Breece Hall is one of the most intriguing running backs heading into the 2026 offseason. The talent has always been there; he’s one of four running backs with at least 100 carries to have a 7% or higher explosive run rate. He’s been with the Jets. He has three straight seasons with over 1,300 total yards and is just two seasons removed from an RB2 overall finish. Gulp. He went back to the Jets. He’ll remain on “RB2 with upside” island.
33. Cam Skattebo, RB, NYG (RB15)
Cam Skattebo (the equivalent of a slobbering English bulldog puppy) had his rookie season cut short due to injury, but that didn’t stop him from becoming a fan favorite. Skattebo had the fourth-highest yards after contact among running backs with at least 100 rush attempts at 2.8. The Giants’ offensive line improvements played a part, as did having Dart at quarterback.
Skatt somehow dodged all the potential elite backfieldmates who could have cratered his fantasy value this offseason. With an improved o-line and only Tyrone Tracy Jr./Devin Singletary in the way, Skattebo, if healthy, should provide RB1 numbers. But for now, he’s just outside RB1 land.
34. Chase Brown, RB, CIN (RB16)
Chase Brown is a great example of why it’s important not to get stuck in a take-lock. I was not in on Brown entering the season, at least where he was going at ADP. He’s been efficient and inexplosive over his career, propped up by volume. By midseason, it was evident that volume wasn’t going anywhere, and he added additional pass-game work to his repertoire. He still averaged just 4.39 yards per carry and had a 3.9% explosive run rate. However, he handled 61% of the team’s carries and set career highs with 69 catches, 89 targets, and five touchdowns. With the Bengals’ improved defense, there’s a chance the run game could be used more to grind out time late in a game they’re ahead. With no significant additions to the backfield, that likely means even more work for Brown.
35. Zay Flowers, WR, BAL (WR16, ▲16)
Zay Flowers was solid overall through Week 13 but finished the season en fuego. His 12.1 points per game nearly doubled to 20.3 over the final five weeks. How nice of him to lead all of his fantasy managers to the consolation bracket championship! I was a big fan of Flowers coming into the season, but the torrid end to the season bumped him into the top 10 in total points and just outside the top 12 in points per game. I fear that will inflate his ADP, which doesn’t belong. Baltimore cleaning house also means he’ll have a new offensive coordinator, and it may not be as fantasy-friendly for Flowers. Former OC Todd Monken’s offense is known for hyper-targeting WR1s. He’s too inconsistent to consider drafting as a WR1, but Flowers is a rock-solid WR2 who will have some spike weeks.
UPDATE (9/4/26): “I don’t believe a defense is prepared for what’s in store for them” – Lamar Jackson
I’m inclined to believe him.
36. Tetairoa McMillan, WR, CAR (WR17)
Had it not been for the inconsistent play from quarterback Bryce Young, Tetairoa McMillan could have easily finished as a WR1 in his first season in the league. Tet ended the season as WR16, catching 70 of 122 targets for 1,014 yards and seven touchdowns. Nothing to be mad about, but enough to show his upside if there had been consistent quarterback play. McMillan had the fifth-highest yards per reception despite Young ranking third-lowest in yards per game and yards per attempt. To put it clearly, Young had a worse quarterback rating than soon-to-be-former Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Tet is set to take a step forward in his sophomore season if he can get some stability from the quarterback position. He’s an excellent WR2 with a relatively safe floor and top-10 upside if he truly breaks out.
Tier 5: The GigaPet Tier
Vintage studs and hungry pups who need just a little hourly care.
37. De’Von Achane, RB, MIA (RB17)
Tua’s gone. Waddle’s gone. Tyreek Hill is gone. De’Von Achane is the last weapon standing in Miami, and not one I want to invest a whole lot of draft capital in. Yes, he had a second consecutive top-five fantasy finish in 2025. Yes, Achane was the only running back in the NFL with a double-digit explosive run rate this season, handling a career-high 238 rushing attempts to reach 1350 rushing yards, his first 1,000-yard season. But there are serious concerns heading into 2026.
Mike McDaniel and his running-back-friendly offense are out the door, as is Tua Tagovailoa and his tendency to dump off passes (74% of his pass attempts were under nine yards). So much of Achane’s fantasy value comes from the passing game, where he’s averaged 72 catches, 540 receiving yards, and five receiving touchdowns over the past two seasons.
The talent is elite and will remain so, but I’m afraid that Achane will be priced too high for my liking and carries a significant risk of being a bust in 2026. If he remains among the top 12 backs off the board, I won’t have a single share. I know the drop his harsh, but that offense is going to be so, so bad.
38. Kyren Williams, RB, LAR (RB18)
I just don’t get Kyren Williams. He isn’t particularly efficient or explosive, yet somehow he ends up as an RB1 seemingly every season. Out of the 49 running backs with at least 100 carries in 2025, he was 11th in yards per carry and 1st in success rate, which is defined by how often the running back picks up positive yardage by converting downs. The thresholds are at least 40% on 1st down, 60% on 2nd down, and 100% on 3rd or 4th down. Guess who was second? Teammate Blake Corum. So is the success rate due to the scheme or the skill? That’s the hard part here, and at least to me, Corum looks like the much better back on the field. Williams ranked 21st in explosive run rate (Corum 6th) and 25th in missed force tackles per attempt to Corum’s 11th. The one critical stat Williams did best Corum in was yards after contact per attempt (Williams 18th, Corum 25th). Williams has shown me enough that I can no longer fade him at all costs, but I wouldn’t pay an RB1 price tag for him, especially the way Corum played down the stretch.
39. Josh Allen, QB, BUF (QB1)
There’s zero reason to knock Josh Allen off his pedestal heading into 2026. Six straight seasons with a top-two finish. In the midst of his prime, the addition of DJ Moore, and consistency in the offense with Joe Brady‘s promotion to Head Coach all work in Allen’s favor. Don’t overthink it. Allen = QB1 overall.
40. Lamar Jackson, QB, BAL (QB2)
Lamar Jackson never looked the same after an early-season hamstring injury, but even in a “down” year, he totaled 23 touchdowns in just 13 games. He’ll have a new head coach for the first time in his career, as the Ravens hired Jesse Minter to take over for the long-tenured John Harbaugh, who in turn hired Declan Doyle as his OC. The 29-year-old is the youngest offensive coordinator in the league, and his system is expected to be a fast-paced, pre-snap motion-heavy offense with an emphasis on explosive plays. If things click, Jackson could be headed for another MVP. He is still one of the elite fantasy quarterbacks, and any sort of discount offered would be free money.