Dave Richard has a must-draft list for 2026 Fantasy Football leagues and he's not afraid to reach for them

Breakouts? Sleepers? Who cares?! Dave Richard's reaching for his faves: Chase Brown, A.J. Brown headline the shortlist Aug 19, 2026 at 5:13 pm ET • 14 min read Every year, I gravitate toward the players I believe in the most. Why wouldn't I? Why wouldn't you?! Isn't it the point of Fantasy Football to take players you like and use them on your Fantasy team?! What are we doing here if we're not taking guys we like?? Often times I am willing to take these most-wanted players ahead of consensus, meaning before their average draft position (ADP). It doesn't mean I reach like a madman for them -- sometimes it's a matter of a few spots in the early rounds -- but it does mean I like them better than the public does. I was asked recently to share my list and thought I'd do so by listing them in the rounds I would draft them in. Their FantasyPros ADP is included with each player, giving you an idea of when they might get snagged in your drafts. These are my consensus-beaters in the first 100 picks in Fantasy drafts, either by a few spots in the early rounds or at least 10 spots in the later rounds. My annual sleepers list will come later. Back end of Round 1 FantasyPros ADP: 15.4Why I'm drafting him: Brown has elite-tier RB upside based on his evolving role in the Bengals offense. His last six games of 2025 with Joe Burrow resulted in a 21 PPR point average (on 19.2 touches per game). Cincy's improved defense should create better gamescripts for him. And thanks to Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, Brown saw a stacked box on 15.8% of his rushes last year, fourth-fewest in the game.What's the downside? If Burrow or Chase or both get hurt then Brown's upside crashes and he'll perform more like a No. 2 RB. But that's the case for a lot of running backs. The coaching staff putting work on Samaje Perine's plate could get a little annoying. Round 2 FantasyPros ADP: 17.4Why I'm drafting him: Hampton is an efficient, elusive runner with high workload potential in an offense coordinated by a certified run-game genius behind one of the league's better offensive lines. When comparing his 2025 to Ashton Jeanty, Hampton had more PPR points per game, a better consistency rate and better efficiency. And while both backs have tough schedules, you'd probably rather have the one who plays the Raiders defense twice instead of the Chargers defense twice.What's the downside? If new playcaller Mike McDaniel really intends to divvy up backfield touches between three rushers then Hampton will struggle to see the 17.3 touches per game he had in last year's offense (I'd bet against it, especially after Kimani Vidal played a lot in their first preseason game while Hampton and air back Keaton Mitchell didn't play at all). And of course that Chargers offensive line has already lost one starter for a while, hopefully not an omen for what's to come next. FantasyPros ADP: 20.6Why I'm drafting him: Brown appears to be the top target-getter in New England. Last year that didn't mean too much because they spread the ball around, but Brown should command targets unlike anyone on the 2025 team. Josh McDaniels' track record with receivers is pretty good when he's had one he loves, delivering at least nine targets per game to a wideout in 12 of his 19 years as a playcaller. Drake Maye was not only the most efficient passer in the league last year in terms of expected points added per dropback, but he was top two in that stat and completion rate on deep balls. Brown should cook.What's the downside? He's 29. Brown's 2025 season was derailed by a hamstring injury and his 2024 was at times held in check because of hamstring and knee problems. Any ailment this year will send his value crashing. Now might be a good time to note Brown has played at least 13 games each year of his career and has averaged 16.7 PPR points in 2022-24 before dealing with the hamstring in-season in 2025. Round 3 FantasyPros ADP: 43.6Why I'm drafting him: Loveland has immense upside not just as the top target-getter in Ben Johnson's aggressive offense, but as the top Fantasy point producer at tight end. Once he got acclimated as a rookie and his playing time went up in Week 7, Loveland averaged 7.0 targets and delivered 13.4 PPR points per game. And in those last four games including the playoffs -- two without Rome Odunze -- Loveland averaged 12 targets and 20 PPR points. Loveland's had a steady drumbeat of praise from first-hand accounts all summer, just more evidence that he can build on last year's finish, especially after the Bears removed one of their veteran receivers from the offense.What's the downside? It's not every day you see tight ends get north of seven targets per game, much less 10. Sam LaPorta barely got more than seven per game in his smashing rookie year with Johnson in Detroit back in 2023 (he had 5.2 in 2024). So if Loveland settles in around 7.0 per game his upside is good but not monstrous. That's an issue since Loveland's ADP is getting steamed into Round 3, getting him awfully close to his ceiling. A lot of Fantasy managers could be uncomfortable with that and rather go with Tyler Warren a round or two later. Lastly, it's not like Caleb Williams has been a perfect QB through two seasons -- he'll need to improve his accuracy to further help Loveland. Round 3/4 WRs FantasyPros ADP: 49.4Why I'm drafting him: Denver desperately needed an explosive receiving option, and Waddle has proven over his career that he's fast, elusive and versatile. He's a tremendous fit for what Bo Nix needs and would even thrive if the Broncos add Air Raid concepts that new playcaller Davis Webb has used in the past. Sean Payton is not above hyper-targeting his top receivers (remember Michael Thomas? Marques Colston? Jimmy Graham? Brandin Cooks?), and if Denver's run game doesn't break out then the Broncos will have to keep throwing a lot, just as they did in 2025 when they finished fourth in pass attempts per game with 36.1.What's the downside? A lot of people are scared of Waddle getting hurt, but he's played at least 14 games each year of his career. A lot of people think the Broncos will still spread the ball around to all their receivers, but I don't believe the Broncos were satisfied with their existing receiver room, hence the trade for Waddle. Can Waddle still be efficient like he was when the Dolphins relied on him more? Maybe that's the specific issue that separates him from being good or great, but I'd take that chance on him given the price. FantasyPros ADP: 46.0Why I'm drafting him: Last year's deficiencies were due to a total collapse of the Chargers offensive line and below-average play designs. New offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel is known for his outstanding run schemes, but he also deserves heaps of credit for finding ways to make Tua Tagovailoa a capable thrower when under constant pressure. Not only should Justin Herbert throw with more efficiency than Tagovailoa, but hopefully he won't deal with the same kind of pressure. McConkey has excelled in short areas and still carries the potential to break long plays after the catch (nearly five yards after the catch per reception each of the past two years). Plus Keenan Allen's departure should open up extra opportunities for McConkey.What's the downside? L.A.'s offensive line is already beginning to deal with injuries, though they're not at DEFCON 5 just yet and hopefully won't be. The Chargers also have one of the deepest TE rooms in the league and could use those guys to take short-area work away from McConkey. FantasyPros ADP: 38.4 and fadingWhy I'm drafting him: There aren't many receivers with Egbuka's upside in this part of the draft. Before a hamstring injury set him back Egbuka averaged just over 20 PPR points last year as a rookie. Even when he tried to play through the injury he was targeted over seven times per game. It took Mike Evans' return for the Bucs to stop going to Egbuka, a problem the second-year receiver won't have this year with Evans off to San Francisco. Baker Mayfield and Tampa Bay's O-line appear to be in much better shape which should help generate plays for Egbuka in the passing game, and new playcaller Zac Robinson force-fed targets to Drake London last year (9.3 per game), evidence that he's not above hyper-targeting his top guy. The argument can be made that Egbuka is a more explosive, versatile receiver than London. What's the downside? Egbuka suffered a toe injury in mid-August, and while reports indicate he'll be OK, Fantasy managers are skeptical, particularly after Egbuka dealt with injuries that cramped his stats last year. However, that just sent his ADP downward and making him even more appealing, especially if Egbuka comes out of from this freak accident just fine, as reports suggest. There's also a good amount of receivers in Tampa Bay who will warrant targets, but there were plenty last year too and Egbuka still averaged 8.5 targets through his first 13 games before Evans' late-season return. Round 4 FantasyPros ADP: 53.0Why I'm drafting him: It took enough insight from reporters to buy into the Bills morphing into a more pass-friendly offense for me to take Moore off my bust list. It helped that Buffalo did nothing else but add Moore and draft one rookie to its receiver group. Thus it appears Moore is the headlining wideout on a Josh Allen-led offense that has designs on throwing more often. Seems like a good spot for a receiver to be in. And the details of what the Bills will ask Moore to do -- work across the field and at all three levels of the field -- is a change from what he did in Chicago under Ben Johnson. An uptick in targets (five per game in 2025) is absolutely in the works.What's the downside? We've already had one injury scare with Moore. And it's not like the 29-year-old is suddenly going to see a big swing in efficiency, especially after he posted four-year lows in yards per route run and avoided tackle rate, and a career low in target per route run rate. If he's the top Bills receiver then we won't have to worry about that last part whatsoever. Round 5 FantasyPros ADP: 63.2Why I'm drafting him: It's generally a good plan to target players with good opportunities. Price has that -- and with a good start to the season he could keep it that way all year. We don't know when Zach Charbonnet will be back or how effective he'll be when he does finally get into game shape. I don't think anyone else on the Seattle run game is as close to the total package as Price is. The opening days of camp were littered with Price making plays as a runner and a receiver, proving the theory correct that he was a backup in name only behind Jeremiyah Love at Notre Dame.What's the downside? A slow start could harpoon any potential for a role greater than what Kenneth Walker III had last year alongside a healthy Charbonnet. Heck, even a fast start won't relegate Charbonnet (or any Seattle RB) to a minuscule role. And Price didn't do himself any favors when he missed a week's worth of practices with upper-leg soreness. Round 6 FantasyPros ADP: 75.6Why I'm drafting him: Washington figures to be the Jaguars' top target-getter in a role not too far off from what Chris Godwin did before he got hurt in 2024, or what Cooper Kupp did before he got hurt back in Los Angeles in 2022. Both of those veterans played in and out of the slot, didn't run a ton of routes downfield but were crafty options meant as easy targets in offenses coordinated or consulted by Liam Coen. Washington finished 2025 averaging 7.5 targets and 15.3 PPR points in his final 11 games, playoffs included. The Jaguars run game is also in a little flux, opening the door for the team to be pass-heavy. Washington opened camp with dazzling practice reps daily. What's the downside? Jacksonville has a lot of wide receivers, including former first-round pick Brian Thomas Jr., who has by all accounts had a terrific training camp himself. Veteran Jakobi Meyers always finds a way to get involved in the offense, and second-year threat Travis Hunter could also land a bunch of offensive snaps in a given week. The more guys Washington has to share with, the less likely a monster target volume occurs. An undisclosed mid-August injury sidelined Washington for a week but without real concern about his availability for the start of the season. Round 6/7 turn FantasyPros ADP: 82.8Why I'm drafting him: The Mike McCarthy disciple followed his coach to Pittsburgh, where in camp he's reportedly looked just a little bit better than veteran Steelers runner Jaylen Warren. Dowdle not only has flashed power but also speed and vision while looking comfortable in McCarthy's offense, which is natural since he's been in it for nearly his whole career. That could give him a narrow lead in terms of touches over Warren, including in the passing game -- and almost certainly near the goal line where his 61.5% success rate inside the 5 dwarfs that of Warren's 27.8%. Fantasy managers love drafting starting running backs after pick No. 60 overall.What's the downside? He's sharing. Warren is no slouch and has certainly proven what he can do in passing situations (not that Dowdle can't catch the ball -- his metrics are actually quite similar to Warren's). The Steelers don't have a reason to give the ball to one guy and ignore the other, so I anticipate drives where Dowdle sits and Warren eats, but also vice versa. Round 7 FantasyPros ADP: 108.3Why I'm drafting him: After one preseason game it looked abundantly clear that the Cardinals offense will be much better designed than before. Simply the number of horizontal routes both Wilson and Marvin Harrison Jr. ran is enough of a reminder of how the Cards under Mike LaFleur can emulate the Rams offense. Wilson not only looked a little shiftier than Harrison but did more than he did last year in terms of working to be available for Jacoby Brissett when plays broke down. He's also entering a contract year.What's the downside? How many games will there be where Wilson, and Trey McBride, and Marvin Harrison Jr. all pop off? Last year there were zero when Wilson and Harrison had even 10 PPR points in the same game. To draft Wilson means banking on more work and more success for him than Harrison. Arizona's offense has an upgrade at playcaller, but it also upgraded in the run game and is loaded with great receiving talent. Fortunately, their game scripts figure to be pass-heavy because of their suspect defense, and defenses may focus on tying down McBride or Harrison rather than Wilson. FantasyPros ADP: 108.6Why I'm drafting him: A slew of Giants camp reports made it clear that Likely was among the top targets for Jaxson Dart. Sure, all of them came without Malik Nabers participating in team drills, but it appears he's the best receiving threat after a healthy Nabers. If that means six targets per game, then his history suggests big things: Likely has had at least 12.5 PPR points in 8 of 9 career games with six targets. Likely is among the most popular TE draft picks for those who wait on the position. New playcaller Matt Nagy has a documented history of having athletic tight ends in his offense.What's the downside? Likely has never been consistent, though he never had consistent playing time in Baltimore and he should see far more snaps after New York paid for his services. The Giants also have a number of other pass-catchers behind Nabers who could take action away from Likely in a given week. Perhaps the biggest concern is the Giants seemingly dead-set on being a physical, run-heavy offense, thus cutting down on the number of throws Dart would make from week to week. That could put his target average right at the 6.0 mark without much wiggle room for more. Round 8 FantasyPros ADP: 100.8Why I'm drafting him: This is amazing value on a veteran receiver who could still average six catches for 60 yards every week with some touchdowns on top. Godwin isn't hurt, thankfully, and the 30-year-old may just reclaim his role as the Bucs' slot receiver. That's been a great place for him previously. And with Mike Evans gone, not every red-zone target will be fed to Egbuka. What's the downside? Godwin has struggled to stay healthy, which is an obvious factor. And it's not like Godwin has upside for a year like he put together in 2024 -- that's not a knock against his talent; it's because of guys like Egbuka offering a little more explosiveness. Round 9 FantasyPros ADP: 130.8 and risingWhy I'm drafting him: Cleveland's quarterbacks might be a mess, but even they are capable of finding Concepcion on short throws. And I bet they'll hit him on some downfield ones also. But Concepcion has the natural speed and quickness to make things happen after the catch or run past people, two things the Browns did not have a lot of last year. But Todd Monken had a guy like that last year in Baltimore in Zay Flowers, and he fed him nearly seven targets per week. Concepcion reminds me of Flowers and could be handed a big assignment every week.What's the downside? Concepcion isn't the only groovy pass-catcher the Browns have -- fellow rookie Denzel Boston has been a fast learner in camp, plus second-year tight end Harold Fannin is perfectly capable of repeating the 11.7 PPR points per game he had last year on 6.7 targets with inferior QBs. At least Cleveland is unlikely to be in a lot of games where they'll run a lot. Concepcion also isn't a big guy, and we already had one injury scare from him this summer.