Fantasy Soccer: Scott Pianowski shares his ‘My Guys’ — most well-liked gamers he is drafting usually for 2026

I am about 85 % via my fantasy soccer drafts for 2026. The story is not full, however themes are taking form. I now have sense of what gamers will outline my 2026 season.

With so many drafts within the financial institution, it is a good time to roll via my most well-liked performs. You possibly can name this piece “What’s In My Pockets?” or “My Guys,” it would not matter to me. I am not hung up on labels.

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Perceive that participant share counts can be considerably affected by some random issues, like draft slot. Should you’re not regularly gifted with the primary total choose, it is onerous to be obese on Jahmyr Gibbs. So it goes.

Be part of or create a Yahoo Fantasy Soccer league for the 2026 NFL season

Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Lions

Any participant thought-about within the first spherical carries a enjoyable upside, however I additionally wish to think about flooring. The Solar God is as sturdy as they arrive, with a mean return of 117-1,393-11.9 during the last three seasons. Tied to a plus quarterback, a straightforward schedule and a bunch of indoor video games, I am ready to take St. Brown over Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Christian McCaffrey.

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Chase Brown, RB, Bengals

Brown is nice at the whole lot, a artful runner, a helpful receiver. The Bengals make use of a slim utilization tree — the RB depth chart after Brown is uninspiring — and profile as a carnival crew, but once more. Brown is an ideal second-round choose, and nonetheless in his prime getting into his age-26 season.

Derrick Henry, RB, Ravens

I perceive the floor issues on Henry — he is an influence again, he turned 32 in January, he is had a heavy profession workload. However there’s zero signal of attrition with The King. He is someway improved in his two Baltimore seasons, pushing his YPC to five.6 and scoring an absurd 34 touchdowns. And even when some effectivity drop creeps into his sport this yr, I believe Henry would fall into the top zone 12-14 occasions even in a foul season. The Baltimore offense as a complete is an arrow pointing up, with new OC Declan Doyle offering a recent coat of paint. Once I do not land Brown in Spherical 2, I pivot to Henry once I can.

Ladd McConkey, WR, Chargers

The dots line up so cleanly right here. McConkey confirmed dominant potential within the second half of his rookie yr, and the sophomore stoop goes down as an excused absence — OL accidents, stale play-calling, crowded goal tree. The road needs to be higher this season — even with heart Tyler Biadasz out for the yr — and the WR room is leaner with Keenan Allen gone. And we will not underestimate the worth of recent OC Mike McDaniel, a artistic, motion-heavy schemer who will put McConkey in spots to succeed. McConkey is an ideal fourth-round goal.

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Blake Corum, RB, Rams

I am not going to dismiss Kyren Williams out of hand — I drafted him within the second spherical of the Yahoo Professional League a day in the past — however Corum looms as a platoon associate. Corum entered the Circle of Belief for the ultimate 11 video games final yr, producing at a clip that paces to 179-911-7.7 for a full season. Corum is one other participant you possibly can draft at his flooring, however nonetheless dream of a enjoyable upside. The Rams needs to be a run-heavy crew within the fourth quarter this yr, with a loaded protection controlling outcomes on the opposite facet.

Jaylen Warren, RB, Steelers

Warren has carved out a stable NFL profession after going undrafted 4 years in the past. He’ll cede a good quantity of labor to new teammate Rico Dowdle, however there needs to be loads of alternative for each gamers. Warren’s receiving chops (7.4 yards per goal final yr, 88.9% catch charge) are an ideal match for veteran QB Aaron Rodgers, who’s trying to dump the ball off as rapidly as doable. It doesn’t matter what your most well-liked RB technique is, Warren is a choose that matches the construct.

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Caleb Williams, QB, Bears

Dak Prescott, QB, Cowboys

Jared Goff, QB, Lions

Jordan Love, QB, Packers

Quarterback is the no-stress place for fantasy soccer this summer time, as deep because it’s ever been. Because of this, I am going to skip the self-importance choices early and attempt to goal a few of the guys on this group. Each quarterback on this four-pack has the same setup — an thrilling assortment of pass-catchers, and a protection that can probably pressure weekly shootouts. Carnival life for the win.

Colston Loveland, TE, Bears

Loveland makes this listing extra in spirit than precise roster depend, as I have not fairly acquired the commensurate shares I search. However I am unable to unsee what he did on the finish of 2025 (together with playoffs), gobbling up 48 targets and posting a 28-378-2 line over his remaining 4 video games. I am going to test the FOMO field on Loveland within the subsequent week, even when it means hitting that plus-one button aggressively in some wage cap drafts.

Jordan Mason, RB, Vikings

We went broke on the Minnesota offense final yr, one thing I am keen in charge totally on overmatched QB J.J. McCarthy. Kevin O’Connell stays one of many sharpest coaches round, and no matter you consider QB Kyler Murray as of late, he needs to be a notable improve over McCarthy. Mason is 5 years youthful than Aaron Jones Sr., and was the more practical runner final yr. Mason did not fairly repay his sleeper tag final yr, however I am comfortable to double down. The Vikings ought to have loads of optimistic sport scripts, with star DC Brian Flores scheming up an above-average protection.

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Juwan Johnson, TE, Saints

For some time this summer time, Johnson was being drafted outdoors the top-20 tight ends on Yahoo, which by no means made sense. The market has come round since, partially as a result of hotshot rookie WR Jordyn Tyson is down for a few months. However irrespective of the form of this offense, Johnson (77-889-3 final yr) is prone to be concerned. It is no shock he clicks so nicely with QB Tyler Shough, as the 2 gamers shared a season collectively at Oregon. Johnson is nice sufficient to be a Week 1 starter in lots of fantasy leagues, and he is a dynamite backup TE in another builds. He’ll probably be my most rostered participant this season.

Mike Washington Jr., RB, Raiders

Emmitt Johnson, RB, Chiefs

Ray Davis, RB, Payments

Everybody has their very own most well-liked listing of one-injury-away operating backs, the kind of high-upside picks that make sense for stashing. Washington and Johnson performed so nicely within the preseason that they could have a case for expanded roles in-season, and so they’re each behind backs with damage issues (Ashton Jeanty is already dinged up, Kenneth Walker III has an in depth damage historical past). Davis will not have worth until James Prepare dinner (a terrific participant) will get harm, however at the very least Davis has already proven proof-of-concept on his upside. He exploded for 174 whole yards in opposition to the Jets in January final yr.

Evaluation from the perfect within the enterprise

The Playbook is powered by a few of fantasy soccer’s most-trusted analysts: Justin Boone (the top-ranked in-season ranker of 2025), Matt Harmon, Josh Norris, Joel Smyth, Scott Pianowski and Hayden Winks. This is not one analyst’s opinion. It is a consensus of the sharpest minds in fantasy soccer, that includes recommendation you possibly can depend on.

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