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Mike Clay provides his draft blueprint, including ideal selections in each round and overall strategy. Fantasy football drafts are all about collecting the best possible values, but we all know those special players exist whom we badly want on our squad. Whether it's the young, up-and-coming wide receiver on our favorite team, a sleeper running back no one is talking about or this year's big breakout at tight end, these players add an extra level of excitement to the roster construction process. This round-by-round analysis will give you an idea of what's going through my head on draft day, headlined by those players I have circled on my cheat sheet. Note that I used average draft position (ADP) data from Draft Sharks' terrific Market Index Tool in order to ensure this road map would be useful for as many of you as possible. For a more philosophical look at the fantasy landscape, including strategies for drafting, trading and working waivers in all types of formats, be sure to check out the fantasy football playbook column. Here it is: my personal recipe for a 2026 fantasy football championship in a 12-team league. When I'm making my selections, I often ask myself: "Am I drafting this player at his ceiling?" If the answer is "yes," I generally aim for someone with more upside. Of course, all the players available in the first round or so are likely at or near their ceiling, so this is an opportunity to not overthink it and simply take the best available player on the board. Who I choose in the first round will, of course, primarily depend on where I pick. For the purposes of this exercise, it's (once again) a tricky year to handicap who will be available since six RBs and six WRs are currently coming off the board in the round. If I land a top-two pick, this is an easy call: Jahmyr Gibbs or Bijan Robinson . I'm also happy to take Christian Mc Caffrey or Jonathan Taylor in the middle of the round or to go wide receiver with the best available among Ja'Marr Chase , Puka Nacua , Jaxon Smith-Njigba , Amon-Ra St. Brown , Cee Dee Lamb and Justin Jefferson . Don't overthink the first round. It's loaded with talent. Just take the best guy on your board and proceed.

Just like Round 1, our pool of available players is very dependent on where we are in the draft order. If I'm near the Round 1-2 turn, I'll likely be eyeing a running back, with Achane as the highlight and the likes of Saquon Barkley , Derrick Henry and Kenneth Walker III among the appealing options. Achane is a polarizing player. On the one hand, he's 24 years old, having finished both of the past two seasons in the top five among running backs in fantasy points. He has scored either 11 or 12 TDs in each of his three NFL campaigns, and he leads all qualified backs with 5.62 YPC since entering the league. On the other hand, he lost RB-friendly playcaller Mike Mc Daniel and the rebuilding Miami offense could struggle to move the ball in 2026. The bottom line for me is that, as coach Jeff Hafley noted in early August, Achane is going to handle a massive workload. That's enough for me to pounce on Achane, who reminds me a lot of prime Alvin Kamara , at the Round 1-2 turn. The mid-to-late portion of Round 2 leans more toward wide receiver, with Drake London , Nico Collins , A. J. Brown and George Pickens there for the taking. I have no major qualms with investing in one of the "Big 2" tight ends -- Trey Mc Bride or Brock Bowers -- but I think you can get more value later. Love can be best described as "My Guy" in 2026. I have him ranked well above the consensus and often grab him late in the second round when possible. However, he generally comes off the board near the Round 2-3 turn, more likely now settling into the third round as he recovers from an ankle injury suffered in his preseason debut. At worst, he's expected to miss one game, but it's very possible -- perhaps even likely? -- that he'll be good to go for Week 1.

Even if Love's career starts off slowly, he's a good bet to beat his ADP. The No. 3 overall pick in April's draft, Love is looking to become the 10th consecutive back selected in the top 12 to finish in the top 12 in fantasy points as a rookie. He looked excellent in his debut and is capable as a rusher, receiver and blocker. I expect RB1 production when he's on the field. If not Love, Malik Nabers and Rashee Rice are my targets here. We've been getting a discount on both for different reasons, but Nabers is on the rise now that it appears he'll be able to play in Week 1 (following a successful recovery from last season's torn ACL). Rice still could face league discipline, but that's already baked into his cost. He remained his usual, productive self when active last season, handling 9.8 targets per game and posting top-12 fantasy outings in five of his eight games. My RB6 through RB15 form one giant tier, so whichever backs remain from that group are also on my radar here. That includes Breece Hall and, while we need to monitor for a potential suspension, Josh Jacobs . My favorite round this season? The fourth. My favorite pick in said round? Wilson.

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