De'Von Achane

"ESPN FantasyAug 26, 2026, 12:30 AM ETMultiple AuthorsEach year, at the conclusion of the ESPN Fantasy Football Marathon, ESPN Fantasy analysts and other ESPN personalities get together to conduct a mock draft.This year's 10-team PPR draft featured the following participants (in order of first-round selection): Adam Schefter, Eric Moody, Mike Clay, Liz Loza, Field Yates, Joe Fortenbaugh, Daniel Dopp, Keiana Martin, Dan Graziano and Tyler Fulghum.Early draft action saw running backs selected with 13 of the first 20 picks, which led to value at wide receiver. Though two tight ends went in the top 25, the first QB didn't go until Pick 40 and only three signal-callers were off the board entering Round 7.Below are the round-by-round picks, or skip directly to each team's full roster.Want to watch the draft play out for yourself? Check out the simulcast replay on ESPN's YouTube ChannelWant to do your own practice draft? Check out the Mock Draft Lobby.Round 11. Jahmyr Gibbs, DET (RB1) -- Schefter 2. Bijan Robinson, ATL (RB2) -- Moody 3. Ja'Marr Chase, CIN (WR1) -- Clay 4. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, SEA (WR2) -- Loza 5. Puka Nacua, LAR (WR3) -- Yates 6. Amon-Ra St. Brown, DET (WR4) -- Fortenbaugh 7. James Cook III, BUF (RB3) -- Dopp 8. Christian McCaffrey, SF (RB4) -- Martin 9. CeeDee Lamb, DAL (WR5) -- Graziano 10. Jonathan Taylor, IND (RB5) -- FulghumRound 211. Kenneth Walker III, KC (RB6) -- Fulghum 12. De'Von Achane, MIA (RB7) -- Graziano 13. Ashton Jeanty, LV (RB8) -- Martin 14. Justin Jefferson, MIN (WR6) -- Dopp 15. Drake London, ATL (WR7) -- Fortenbaugh 16. Derrick Henry, BAL (RB9) -- Yates 17. Omarion Hampton, LAC (RB10) -- Loza 18. Jeremiyah Love, ARI (RB11) -- Clay 19. Saquon Barkley, PHI (RB12) -- Moody 20. Chase Brown, CIN (RB13) -- SchefterRound 321. A.J. Brown, NE (WR8) -- Schefter 22. Malik Nabers, NYG (WR9) -- Moody 23. Rashee Rice, KC (WR10) -- Clay 24. Brock Bowers, LV (TE1) -- Loza 25. Trey McBride, ARI (TE2) -- Yates 26. Nico Collins, HOU (WR11) -- Fortenbaugh 27. Chris Olave, NO (WR12) -- Dopp 28. George Pickens, DAL (WR13) -- Martin 29. Breece Hall, NYJ (RB14) -- Graziano 30. Garrett Wilson, NYJ (WR14) -- FulghumRound 431. Colston Loveland, CHI (TE3) -- Fulghum 32. DeVonta Smith, PHI (WR15) -- Graziano 33. Emeka Egbuka, TB (WR16) -- Martin 34. Ladd McConkey, LAC (WR17) -- Dopp 35. Javonte Williams, DAL (RB15) -- Fortenbaugh 36. Josh Jacobs, GB (RB16) -- Yates 37. Travis Etienne Jr., NO (RB17) -- Loza 38. Quinshon Judkins, CLE (RB18) -- Clay 39. Tetairoa McMillan, CAR (WR18) -- Moody 40. Josh Allen, BUF (QB1) -- SchefterRound 541. Zay Flowers, BAL (WR19) -- Schefter 42. Tyler Warren, IND (TE4) -- Moody 43. Cam Skattebo, NYG (RB19) -- Clay 44. Kyren Williams, LAR (RB20) -- Loza 45. Terry McLaurin, WSH (WR20) -- Yates 46. D'Andre Swift, CHI (RB21) -- Fortenbaugh 47. David Montgomery, HOU (RB22) -- Dopp 48. Tee Higgins, CIN (WR21) -- Martin 49. Bucky Irving, TB (RB23) -- Graziano 50. Jayden Daniels, WSH (QB2) -- FulghumRound 651. Jaylen Waddle, DEN (WR22) -- Fulghum 52. Jameson Williams, DET (WR23) -- Graziano 53. Harold Fannin Jr., CLE (TE5) -- Martin 54. Jadarian Price, SEA (RB24) -- Dopp 55. Lamar Jackson, BAL (QB3) -- Fortenbaugh 56. Davante Adams, LAR (WR24) -- Yates 57. DJ Moore, BUF (WR25) -- Loza 58. Rome Odunze, CHI (WR26) -- Clay 59. Luther Burden III, CHI (WR27) -- Moody 60. Parker Washington, JAX (WR28) -- SchefterRound 761. Bhayshul Tuten, JAX (RB25) -- Schefter 62. Drake Maye, NE (QB4) -- Moody 63. Kyle Pitts Sr., ATL (TE6) -- Clay 64. Carnell Tate, TEN (WR29) -- Loza 65. Jaxson Dart, NYG (QB5) -- Yates 66. Rhamondre Stevenson, NE (RB26) -- Fortenbaugh 67. George Kittle, SF (TE7) -- Dopp 68. Jalen Hurts, PHI (QB6) -- Martin 69. Tucker Kraft, GB (TE8) -- Graziano 70. Mike Evans, SF (WR30) -- FulghumRound 871. TreVeyon Henderson, NE (RB27) -- Fulghum 72. Joe Burrow, CIN (QB7) -- Graziano 73. Jonathon Brooks, CAR (RB28) -- Martin 74. Michael Pittman Jr., PIT (WR31) -- Dopp 75. Christian Watson, GB (WR32) -- Fortenbaugh 76. Wan'Dale Robinson, TEN (WR33) -- Yates 77. Trevor Lawrence, JAX (QB8) -- Loza 78. Marvin Harrison Jr., ARI (WR34) -- Clay 79. Jakobi Meyers, JAX (WR35) -- Moody 80. Sam LaPorta, DET (TE9) -- SchefterRound 981. Blake Corum, LAR (RB29) -- Schefter 82. Kenny Gainwell, TB (RB30) -- Moody 83. Courtland Sutton, DEN (WR36) -- Clay 84. Matthew Golden, GB (WR37) -- Loza 85. Michael Wilson, ARI (WR38) -- Yates 86. Jayden Reed, GB (WR39) -- Fortenbaugh 87. Alec Pierce, IND (WR40) -- Dopp 88. Jordan Addison, MIN (WR41) -- Martin 89. Brian Thomas Jr., JAX (WR42) -- Graziano 90. DK Metcalf, PIT (WR43) -- FulghumRound 1091. RJ Harvey, DEN (RB31) -- Fulghum 92. Josh Downs, IND (WR44) -- Graziano 93. Tony Pollard, TEN (RB32) -- Martin 94. Justin Herbert, LAC (QB9) -- Dopp 95. Rico Dowdle, PIT (RB33) -- Fortenbaugh 96. Jaylen Warren, PIT (RB34) -- Yates 97. Kyle Monangai, CHI (RB35) -- Loza 98. Dak Prescott, DAL (QB10) -- Clay 99. Chris Godwin Jr., TB (WR45) -- Moody 100. Brandon Aubrey, DAL (K1) -- SchefterRound 11101. Houston Texans DST (D/ST1) -- Schefter 102. Rachaad White, WSH (RB36) -- Moody 103. Bo Nix, DEN (QB11) -- Clay 104. Aaron Jones Sr., MIN (RB37) -- Loza 105. Jacory Croskey-Merritt, WSH (RB38) -- Yates 106. Dallas Goedert, PHI (TE10) -- Fortenbaugh 107. Xavier Worthy, KC (WR46) -- Dopp 108. Isaiah Likely, NYG (TE11) -- Martin 109. Jordan Mason, MIN (RB39) -- Graziano 110. Caleb Williams, CHI (QB12) -- FulghumRound 12111. Quentin Johnston, LAC (WR47) -- Fulghum 112. J.K. Dobbins, DEN (RB40) -- Graziano 113. Denver Broncos DST (D/ST2) -- Martin 114. Chuba Hubbard, CAR (RB41) -- Dopp 115. Pittsburgh Steelers DST (D/ST3) -- Fortenbaugh 116. De'Zhaun Stribling, SF (WR48) -- Yates 117. Brock Purdy, SF (QB13) -- Loza 118. Travis Hunter, JAX (WR49) -- Clay 119. Makai Lemon, PHI (WR50) -- Moody 120. Patrick Mahomes, KC (QB14) -- SchefterRound 13121. Dalton Kincaid, BUF (TE12) -- Schefter 122. Woody Marks, HOU (RB42) -- Moody 123. Matthew Stafford, LAR (QB15) -- Clay 124. Tyler Allgeier, ARI (RB43) -- Loza 125. Stefon Diggs, WSH (WR51) -- Yates 126. Kyler Murray, MIN (QB16) -- Fortenbaugh 127. Tyler Shough, NO (QB17) -- Dopp 128. Deebo Samuel Sr., SF (WR52) -- Martin 129. Chris Rodriguez Jr., JAX (RB44) -- Graziano 130. Jonah Coleman, DEN (RB45) -- FulghumRound 14131. Los Angeles Rams DST (D/ST4) -- Fulghum 132. Jake Ferguson, DAL (TE13) -- Graziano 133. Travis Kelce, KC (TE14) -- Martin 134. Seattle Seahawks DST (D/ST5) -- Dopp 135. Keaton Mitchell, LAC (RB46) -- Fortenbaugh 136. Rashid Shaheed, SEA (WR53) -- Yates 137. KC Concepcion, CLE (WR54) -- Loza 138. Zach Charbonnet, SEA (RB47) -- Clay 139. Jalen Coker, CAR (WR55) -- Moody 140. Jalen McMillan, TB (WR56) -- SchefterRound 15141. Mike Washington Jr., LV (RB48) -- Schefter 142. Baltimore Ravens DST (D/ST6) -- Moody 143. Philadelphia Eagles DST (D/ST7) -- Clay 144. New England Patriots DST (D/ST8) -- Loza 145. Cleveland Browns DST (D/ST9) -- Yates 146. Cameron Dicker, LAC (K2) -- Fortenbaugh 147. Terrance Ferguson, LAR (TE15) -- Dopp 148. Tre Tucker, LV (WR57) -- Martin 149. Los Angeles Chargers DST (D/ST10) -- Graziano 150. Juwan Johnson, NO (TE16) -- FulghumRound 16 151. Cam Little, JAX (K3) -- Fulghum 152. Will Reichard, MIN (K4) -- Graziano 153. Harrison Mevis, LAR (K5) -- Martin 154. Jake Bates, DET (K6) -- Dopp 155. T.J. Hockenson, MIN (TE17) -- Fortenbaugh 156. Jason Myers, SEA (K7) -- Yates 157. Ka'imi Fairbairn, HOU (K8) -- Loza 158. Eddy Pineiro, SF (K9) -- Clay 159. Tyler Loop, BAL (K10) -- Moody 160. Jordyn Tyson, NO (WR58) -- SchefterTeam rosters are presented in first-round pick order. Pick and Bye weeks are indicated in parentheses in this manner: (Round.Pick | Bye)Team SchefterQB1 Josh Allen, BUF (Pick: 4.10 | Bye: 7) QB2 Patrick Mahomes, KC (Pick: 12.10 | Bye: 5) RB1 Jahmyr Gibbs, DET (Pick: 1.1 | Bye: 6) RB2 Chase Brown, CIN (Pick: 2.10 | Bye: 6) RB3 Bhayshul Tuten, JAX (Pick: 7.1 | Bye: 7) RB4 Blake Corum, LAR (Pick: 9.1 | Bye: 11) RB5 Mike Washington Jr., LV (Pick: 15.1 | Bye: 7) WR1 A.J. Brown, NE (Pick: 3.1 | Bye: 11) WR2 Zay Flowers, BAL (Pick: 5.1 | Bye: 13) WR3 Parker Washington, JAX (Pick: 6.10 | Bye: 7) WR4 Jalen McMillan, TB (Pick: 14.10 | Bye: 10) WR5 Jordyn Tyson, NO (Pick: 16.10 | Bye: 8) TE1 Sam LaPorta, DET (Pick: 8.10 | Bye: 6) TE2 Dalton Kincaid, BUF (Pick: 13.1 | Bye: 7) K1 Brandon Aubrey, DAL (Pick: 10.10 | Bye: 14) D/ST1 Houston Texans DST (Pick: 11.1 | Bye: 8)Team MoodyQB1 Drake Maye, NE (Pick: 7.2 | Bye: 11) RB1 Bijan Robinson, ATL (Pick: 1.2 | Bye: 11) RB2 Saquon Barkley, PHI (Pick: 2.9 | Bye: 10) RB3 Kenny Gainwell, TB (Pick: 9.2 | Bye: 10) RB4 Rachaad White, WSH (Pick: 11.2 | Bye: 7) RB5 Woody Marks, HOU (Pick: 13.2 | Bye: 8) WR1 Malik Nabers, NYG (Pick: 3.2 | Bye: 8) WR2 Tetairoa McMillan, CAR (Pick: 4.9 | Bye: 5) WR3 Luther Burden III, CHI (Pick: 6.9 | Bye: 10) WR4 Jakobi Meyers, JAX (Pick: 8.9 | Bye: 7) WR5 Chris Godwin Jr., TB (Pick: 10.9 | Bye: 10) WR6 Makai Lemon, PHI (Pick: 12.9 | Bye: 10) WR7 Jalen Coker, CAR (Pick: 14.9 | Bye: 5) TE1 Tyler Warren, IND (Pick: 5.2 | Bye: 13) K1 Tyler Loop, BAL (Pick: 16.9 | Bye: 13) D/ST1 Baltimore Ravens DST (Pick: 15.2 | Bye: 13)Team ClayQB1 Dak Prescott, DAL (Pick: 10.8 | Bye: 14) QB2 Bo Nix, DEN (Pick: 11.3 | Bye: 10) QB3 Matthew Stafford, LAR (Pick: 13.3 | Bye: 11) RB1 Jeremiyah Love, ARI (Pick: 2.8 | Bye: 14) RB2 Quinshon Judkins, CLE (Pick: 4.8 | Bye: 11) RB3 Cam Skattebo, NYG (Pick: 5.3 | Bye: 8) RB4 Zach Charbonnet, SEA (Pick: 14.8 | Bye: 11) WR1 Ja'Marr Chase, CIN (Pick: 1.3 | Bye: 6) WR2 Rashee Rice, KC (Pick: 3.3 | Bye: 5) WR3 Rome Odunze, CHI (Pick: 6.8 | Bye: 10) WR4 Marvin Harrison Jr., ARI (Pick: 8.8 | Bye: 14) WR5 Courtland Sutton, DEN (Pick: 9.3 | Bye: 10) WR6 Travis Hunter, JAX (Pick: 12.8 | Bye: 7) TE1 Kyle Pitts Sr., ATL (Pick: 7.3 | Bye: 11) K1 Eddy Pineiro, SF (Pick: 16.8 | Bye: 8) D/ST1 Philadelphia Eagles DST (Pick: 15.3 | Bye: 10)Team LozaQB1 Trevor Lawrence, JAX (Pick: 8.7 | Bye: 7) QB2 Brock Purdy, SF (Pick: 12.7 | Bye: 8) RB1 Omarion Hampton, LAC (Pick: 2.7 | Bye: 7) RB2 Travis Etienne Jr., NO (Pick: 4.7 | Bye: 8) RB3 Kyren Williams, LAR (Pick: 5.4 | Bye: 11) RB4 Kyle Monangai, CHI (Pick: 10.7 | Bye: 10) RB5 Aaron Jones Sr., MIN (Pick: 11.4 | Bye: 6) RB6 Tyler Allgeier, ARI (Pick: 13.4 | Bye: 14) WR1 Jaxon Smith-Njigba, SEA (Pick: 1.4 | Bye: 11) WR2 DJ Moore, BUF (Pick: 6.7 | Bye: 7) WR3 Carnell Tate, TEN (Pick: 7.4 | Bye: 9) WR4 Matthew Golden, GB (Pick: 9.4 | Bye: 11) WR5 KC Concepcion, CLE (Pick: 14.7 | Bye: 11) TE1 Brock Bowers, LV (Pick: 3.4 | Bye: 7) K1 Ka'imi Fairbairn, HOU (Pick: 16.7 | Bye: 8) D/ST1 New England Patriots DST (Pick: 15.4 | Bye: 11)Team YatesQB1 Jaxson Dart, NYG (Pick: 7.5 | Bye: 8) RB1 Derrick Henry, BAL (Pick: 2.6 | Bye: 13) RB2 Josh Jacobs, GB (Pick: 4.6 | Bye: 11) RB3 Jaylen Warren, PIT (Pick: 10.6 | Bye: 9) RB4 Jacory Croskey-Merritt, WSH (Pick: 11.5 | Bye: 7) WR1 Puka Nacua, LAR (Pick: 1.5 | Bye: 11) WR2 Terry McLaurin, WSH (Pick: 5.5 | Bye: 7) WR3 Davante Adams, LAR (Pick: 6.6 | Bye: 11) WR4 Wan'Dale Robinson, TEN (Pick: 8.6 | Bye: 9) WR5 Michael Wilson, ARI (Pick: 9.5 | Bye: 14) WR6 De'Zhaun Stribling, SF (Pick: 12.6 | Bye: 8) WR7 Stefon Diggs, WSH (Pick: 13.5 | Bye: 7) WR8 Rashid Shaheed, SEA (Pick: 14.6 | Bye: 11) TE1 Trey McBride, ARI (Pick: 3.5 | Bye: 14) K1 Jason Myers, SEA (Pick: 16.6 | Bye: 11) D/ST1 Cleveland Browns DST (Pick: 15.5 | Bye: 11)Team FortenbaughQB1 Lamar Jackson, BAL (Pick: 6.5 | Bye: 13) QB2 Kyler Murray, MIN (Pick: 13.6 | Bye: 6) RB1 Javonte Williams, DAL (Pick: 4.5 | Bye: 14) RB2 D'Andre Swift, CHI (Pick: 5.6 | Bye: 10) RB3 Rhamondre Stevenson, NE (Pick: 7.6 | Bye: 11) RB4 Rico Dowdle, PIT (Pick: 10.5 | Bye: 9) RB5 Keaton Mitchell, LAC (Pick: 14.5 | Bye: 7) WR1 Amon-Ra St. Brown, DET (Pick: 1.6 | Bye: 6) WR2 Drake London, ATL (Pick: 2.5 | Bye: 11) WR3 Nico Collins, HOU (Pick: 3.6 | Bye: 8) WR4 Christian Watson, GB (Pick: 8.5 | Bye: 11) WR5 Jayden Reed, GB (Pick: 9.6 | Bye: 11) TE1 Dallas Goedert, PHI (Pick: 11.6 | Bye: 10) TE2 T.J. Hockenson, MIN (Pick: 16.5 | Bye: 6) K1 Cameron Dicker, LAC (Pick: 15.6 | Bye: 7) D/ST1 Pittsburgh Steelers DST (Pick: 12.5 | Bye: 9)Team DoppQB1 Justin Herbert, LAC (Pick: 10.4 | Bye: 7) QB2 Tyler Shough, NO (Pick: 13.7 | Bye: 8) RB1 James Cook III, BUF (Pick: 1.7 | Bye: 7) RB2 David Montgomery, HOU (Pick: 5.7 | Bye: 8) RB3 Jadarian Price, SEA (Pick: 6.4 | Bye: 11) RB4 Chuba Hubbard, CAR (Pick: 12.4 | Bye: 5) WR1 Justin Jefferson, MIN (Pick: 2.4 | Bye: 6) WR2 Chris Olave, NO (Pick: 3.7 | Bye: 8) WR3 Ladd McConkey, LAC (Pick: 4.4 | Bye: 7) WR4 Michael Pittman Jr., PIT (Pick: 8.4 | Bye: 9) WR5 Alec Pierce, IND (Pick: 9.7 | Bye: 13) WR6 Xavier Worthy, KC (Pick: 11.7 | Bye: 5) TE1 George Kittle, SF (Pick: 7.7 | Bye: 8) TE2 Terrance Ferguson, LAR (Pick: 15.7 | Bye: 11) K1 Jake Bates, DET (Pick: 16.4 | Bye: 6) D/ST1 Seattle Seahawks DST (Pick: 14.4 | Bye: 11)Team MartinQB1 Jalen Hurts, PHI (Pick: 7.8 | Bye: 10) RB1 Christian McCaffrey, SF (Pick: 1.8 | Bye: 8) RB2 Ashton Jeanty, LV (Pick: 2.3 | Bye: 7) RB3 Jonathon Brooks, CAR (Pick: 8.3 | Bye: 5) RB4 Tony Pollard, TEN (Pick: 10.3 | Bye: 9) WR1 George Pickens, DAL (Pick: 3.8 | Bye: 14) WR2 Emeka Egbuka, TB (Pick: 4.3 | Bye: 10) WR3 Tee Higgins, CIN (Pick: 5.8 | Bye: 6) WR4 Jordan Addison, MIN (Pick: 9.8 | Bye: 6) WR5 Deebo Samuel Sr., SF (Pick: 13.8 | Bye: 8) WR6 Tre Tucker, LV (Pick: 15.8 | Bye: 7) TE1 Harold Fannin Jr., CLE (Pick: 6.3 | Bye: 11) TE2 Isaiah Likely, NYG (Pick: 11.8 | Bye: 8) TE3 Travis Kelce, KC (Pick: 14.3 | Bye: 5) K1 Harrison Mevis, LAR (Pick: 16.3 | Bye: 11) D/ST1 Denver Broncos DST (Pick: 12.3 | Bye: 10)Team GrazianoQB1 Joe Burrow, CIN (Pick: 8.2 | Bye: 6) RB1 De'Von Achane, MIA (Pick: 2.2 | Bye: 6) RB2 Breece Hall, NYJ (Pick: 3.9 | Bye: 13) RB3 Bucky Irving, TB (Pick: 5.9 | Bye: 10) RB4 Jordan Mason, MIN (Pick: 11.9 | Bye: 6) RB5 J.K. Dobbins, DEN (Pick: 12.2 | Bye: 10) RB6 Chris Rodriguez Jr., JAX (Pick: 13.9 | Bye: 7) WR1 CeeDee Lamb, DAL (Pick: 1.9 | Bye: 14) WR2 DeVonta Smith, PHI (Pick: 4.2 | Bye: 10) WR3 Jameson Williams, DET (Pick: 6.2 | Bye: 6) WR4 Brian Thomas Jr., JAX (Pick: 9.9 | Bye: 7) WR5 Josh Downs, IND (Pick: 10.2 | Bye: 13) TE1 Tucker Kraft, GB (Pick: 7.9 | Bye: 11) TE2 Jake Ferguson, DAL (Pick: 14.2 | Bye: 14) K1 Will Reichard, MIN (Pick: 16.2 | Bye: 6) D/ST1 Los Angeles Chargers DST (Pick: 15.9 | Bye: 7)Team FulghumQB1 Jayden Daniels, WSH (Pick: 5.10 | Bye: 7) QB2 Caleb Williams, CHI (Pick: 11.10 | Bye: 10) RB1 Jonathan Taylor, IND (Pick: 1.10 | Bye: 13) RB2 Kenneth Walker III, KC (Pick: 2.1 | Bye: 5) RB3 TreVeyon Henderson, NE (Pick: 8.1 | Bye: 11) RB4 RJ Harvey, DEN (Pick: 10.1 | Bye: 10) RB5 Jonah Coleman, DEN (Pick: 13.10 | Bye: 10) WR1 Garrett Wilson, NYJ (Pick: 3.10 | Bye: 13) WR2 Jaylen Waddle, DEN (Pick: 6.1 | Bye: 10) WR3 Mike Evans, SF (Pick: 7.10 | Bye: 8) WR4 DK Metcalf, PIT (Pick: 9.10 | Bye: 9) WR5 Quentin Johnston, LAC (Pick: 12.1 | Bye: 7) TE1 Colston Loveland, CHI (Pick: 4.1 | Bye: 10) TE2 Juwan Johnson, NO (Pick: 15.10 | Bye: 8) K1 Cam Little, JAX (Pick: 16.1 | Bye: 7) D/ST1 Los Angeles Rams DST (Pick: 14.1 | Bye: 11)"

"Jahmyr Gibbs or Bijan Robinson are the ideal early choices: The gap between the top two running backs is so large that anyone with a top-two pick is at an advantage. Prioritize a top-eight tight end: Tucker Kraft is currently falling in drafts further than he could, and ideally, you can build your draft strategy around that value. Save on PFF+ for 5 Days Only: Get a full year of PFF+ for just $89.99 before the limited-time offer ends Aug. 25. This perfect draft strategy for 10-team, single-quarterback, redraft PPR fantasy football leagues is built on a consensus of current average draft positions (ADPs) from ESPN, Sleeper and Yahoo. It's your round-by-round guide to building a winning roster. Last updated: Tuesday, Aug. 25 Round 1, Pick 2: Draft a running back In an ideal world, the person with the first pick selects Bijan Robinson or Ja'Marr Chase, allowing you to take Jahmyr Gibbs second overall. If Gibbs goes first, though, Robinson is an easy pivot. It will be easy enough to balance the roster in the ensuing rounds regardless of whether you start with a running back or wide receiver, so the best approach is to take the top fantasy player available. Top Target: Bijan Robinson Robinson has finished among the top-three fantasy running backs in each of the last two seasons, combining over 1,400 rushing yards and at least 60 receptions per year. Replacing Tyler Allgeier with Brian Robinson Jr. at backup is a lateral move at worst for his goal-line outlook. Kevin Stefanski's history of featuring a lead back heavily when the personnel warrants it is encouraging, as is his track record of prioritizing the running back position dating back to his time with Dalvin Cook in Minnesota. The Atlanta offensive line is the primary concern, with Jake Matthews posting a career-low PFF run-blocking grade and Kaleb McGary‘s retirement forcing Atlanta to sign Jawaan Taylor, who profiles more as a pass protector than a run blocker. Robinson is competing with Jahmyr Gibbs for the top running back spot, with Gibbs holding a slight edge due to Detroit's offensive track record and fewer questions up front. Possible Targets: Christian McCaffrey, De'Von Achane, Jonathan Taylor, James Cook III, Chase Brown Round 2, Pick 19: Draft a running back A running back is the right call in most second-round situations, regardless of who you took in the first round. A few teams have shown a firm commitment to a single running back in a strong offense, leading to significant consistency among the top running backs over the past two seasons. In addition, some teams have recently made major investments in a running back, either a first-round pick or a highly paid free agent. This creates a notable tier gap between the top 15 running backs and everyone else, and most of them will come off the board within the first two rounds or the early third round. That means roughly 12 or 13 of the first 22 or so picks will be running backs. Ideally, you'll be one of the teams with two of these backs on your roster, or even three if you're comfortable relying on several mid-round wide receivers."

"Jahmyr Gibbs takes the top spot: The Detroit Lions running back ranks ahead of Bijan Robinson and Christian McCaffrey, in large part thanks to the consistently good play of the Lions offense. Prioritize a top-eight tight end: Tucker Kraft is currently falling in drafts further than he could, and ideally, you can build your draft strategy around that value. Save on PFF+ for 5 Days Only: Get a full year of PFF+ for just $89.99 before the limited-time offer ends Aug. 25. This perfect draft strategy for 10-team, single-quarterback, redraft PPR fantasy football leagues is built on a consensus of current average draft positions (ADPs) from ESPN, Sleeper and Yahoo. It's your round-by-round guide to building a winning roster. Last updated: Tuesday, Aug. 25 Round 1, Pick 1: Draft a running back Anyone with the first overall pick should select Jahmyr Gibbs and not think twice. It will be easy enough to balance the roster in the ensuing rounds regardless of whether you target running backs or wide receivers, so the best approach is to start with the top overall fantasy player. Top Target: Jahmyr Gibbs Gibbs is the only running back to average at least 21 PPR points per game in each of the last two seasons, combining elite rushing efficiency, double-digit touchdown production and over 500 receiving yards. David Montgomery's departure removes the main factor that had previously capped his goal-line ceiling. Detroit’s offensive line is the primary concern after dropping from second to 13th in PFF run-blocking grade last season. Two more starters were replaced this offseason, adding further uncertainty to an area central to Gibbs’ production. New offensive coordinator Drew Petzing has shown a willingness to feature a lead back heavily, so a dramatic shift in usage is unlikely. The same talented supporting cast that creates slight competition for touches also helps Detroit remain one of the league's best offenses. The other elite running backs at a similar ADP carry comparable or greater uncertainty, which keeps Gibbs at the top of the position. Possible Targets: Bijan Robinson, Christian McCaffrey, De'Von Achane, Jonathan Taylor, James Cook III Round 2, Pick 20: Draft a running back A running back is the right call in most second-round situations, regardless of who you took in the first round. A few teams have shown a firm commitment to a single running back in a strong offense, leading to significant consistency among the top running backs over the past two seasons. In addition, some teams have recently made major investments in a running back, either a first-round pick or a highly paid free agent. This creates a notable tier gap between the top 15 running backs and everyone else, and most of them will come off the board within the first two rounds or the early third round. That means roughly 12 or 13 of the first 22 or so picks will be running backs. Ideally, you'll be one of the teams with two of these backs on your roster, or even three if you're comfortable relying on several mid-round wide receivers."

"The offseason can really look like one big game of musical chairs. After teams pick up the pieces of last season, they begin building towards tomorrow. As they chart through the offseason, clubs use free agency, the NFL Draft and an array of trades to infuse their rosters with more talent, which can make the league look wildly different year over year. With that in mind and the 2026 season on the horizon, we use this juncture to take the temperature of where every roster in the NFL clocks in -- on paper. Below, CBS Sports' Jordan Dajani and Tyler Sullivan examined every team's roster and attempted to rank the starting lineups around the league. They also identified one good aspect of the roster, one bad aspect, and one lingering question. Here are their first rankings, from No. 32 to No. 17. 32. Miami DolphinsDepth ChartThe good: Running backs -- De'Von Achane has established himself as one of the premier running backs in the NFL, and led the league with 5.7 yards per rush last season. He actually has the second-most career yards per rush (5.62) by a running back in NFL history. Achane will be called upon to lead this offense, but he's got some intriguing running mates as well. Jaylen Wright possesses legitimate speed and ran a 4.38 40-yard dash at the combine, while Ollie Gordon III is a bigger back that weights at least 20 pounds more than Achane and Wright, but is athletic in his own way. The bad: Secondary -- This Dolphins secondary, on paper, looks like the worst in the league. On their first depth chart, JuJu Brents, Jason Marshall Jr. and rookie Chris Johnson are listed as the starting cornerbacks, while Zayne Anderson and Dante Trader Jr. are the starting safeties. Storm Duck and Darrell Baker Jr. are expected to play roles this year as well, but they are sidelined with injuries. The question: Quarterback -- Malik Willis is going to get his opportunity to prove he's a franchise quarterback. The former third-round pick out of Liberty was impressive during his stint with the Green Bay Packers, although he made just three starts. His one start last year against the Baltimore Ravens was fantastic. He completed 18 of 21 passes for 288 yards and one touchdown, while also leading the team in rushing with 60 yards and two more touchdowns. So, is he a rising star in this league? 31. Arizona CardinalsDepth ChartThe good: Tight end -- Trey McBride has a claim to be considered the top tight end in the entire NFL after the season he just put together in 2025. The 26-year-old notched 126 receptions, 1,239 yards and 11 receiving touchdowns last season. Those receptions were the most by a tight end in a single season all-time. He's an anchor to what Arizona plans to do in the passing game. The bad: Quarterback -- Jacoby Brissett will likely start after the franchise officially moved off of Kyler Murray. While Brissett put up solid numbers in his 12 starts in 2025, Arizona went 1-11 in those games. Meanwhile, the organization took Carson Beck at the top of the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft. At some point, they'll probably turn the keys over to him to see what they have in the rookie, but he isn't truly viewed as a future franchise centerpiece at the moment. The question: Running back -- Initially, the backfield was looked at as a strong area of the Cardinals' offense, especially after using the No. 3 overall pick on Jeremiyah Love. However, Love has since suffered a high ankle sprain, which puts his prospects to begin the season in doubt. While they have veteran Tyler Allgieir, who they signed this offseason, the depth is dwindling as James Conner is working his way back from an ankle injury and fellow back Trey Benson has a knee ailment. If Love can get healthy at the start of the year, this unit should be fine, but it's a bit clouded at the moment. 30. Cleveland BrownsDepth ChartThe good: Front seven -- We could just put "defense" here, and we are still going to cheat by listing the front seven. Even without Myles Garrett, the Cleveland Browns have a solid group. First-round pick Mason Graham and Maliek Collins are holding down the interior, with Jared Verse on the edge. Alex Wright, unfortunately, went down with a torn Achilles, but the Browns did add former first-round pick Derek Barnett to come in and help. Verse, who is a two-time Pro Bowler and former Defensive Rookie of the Year, has taken it upon himself to be a leader for this unit despite being a newcomer. At linebacker, the Browns have veteran Quincy Williams, Easton Mascarenas-Arnold -- who is admittedly an unknown-- and reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Carson Schwesinger. So, Cleveland has the last two Defensive Rookies of the Year on its front seven. The bad: Quarterback -- The Browns may have the worst quarterback room in the NFL. Deshaun Watson has been the worst starting quarterback in the league since he was traded over from Houston, ranking worst in completion percentage, yards per attempt, and TD-INT ratio, while Shedeur Sanders led the NFL in interceptions after his NFL debut in Week 11. His completion percentage (57%) and passer rating (68.1) ranked second-worst in the league as well. Watson is the starter, for now.The question: Offensive line -- The Browns are the only team since 1970 to lose their top five offensive line starters all in the same offseason. This unit wasn't very good in 2025 and was hit hard by injuries, so the question is: can this new group keep the quarterback upright? First-round pick Spencer Fano is expected to start at left tackle, Zion Johnson at left guard, Elgton Jenkins at center, Teven Jenkins at right guard and Tytus Howard at right tackle. 29. Atlanta FalconsDepth ChartThe good: Running back -- Of course, Bijan Robinson is the headliner here. The Falcons superstar enters 2026 as arguably the league's best back and just inked a three-year, $66.8 million extension this summer. Robinson led the NFL with 2,298 scrimmage yards last season, while finding the end zone 11 times. His 5,648 career scrimmage yards are the fourth-most in a player's first three seasons in NFL history. While Robinson will command the lion's share of the touches, there is solid backfield depth. With Tyler Allgeier signing with Arizona this offseason, the Falcons inked Brian Robinson Jr. to a one-year deal. Robinson has been a starter in the past but will now take on the role of Allgeier's primary backup. The bad: Edge rushers -- Atlanta's pass-rushing unit was initially looked at as a strength, especially after double-dipping at the 2025 NFL Draft by taking Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. in the first round. However, those two pillars have since crumbled as it relates to 2026. Walker suffered a season-ending ACL tear during training camp, and Pearce was just slapped with an eight-game suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy. That's forced the Falcons to dip their hand in the free agent pool and lure 33-year-old Za'Darius Smith out of retirement.The question: Quarterback -- Atlanta is in the midst of a quarterback battle between incumbent Michael Penix Jr. and new arrival Tua Tagovailoa, who signed a one-year deal following his release from the Dolphins. Doctors just cleared Penix for 11-on-11s as he continues to work his way back from a torn ACL. Meanwhile, Tagovailoa has yet to truly grasp the job. If it is Tagovailoa who wins out, is he the latest veteran quarterback to enjoy a career resurgence with a change of scenery? Or will he continue to post subpar results? If it's Penix, can he stay healthy and put together more efficient numbers? Atlanta invested heavily in their skill-position players this offseason, but it'll only pay dividends with some stability under center. 28. Tennessee Titans Depth ChartThe good: Wide receiver -- We'll see if it's the most talented, but this appears to be potentially the deepest wide receiving corps in Tennessee Titans history. Mike Borgonzi selected Ohio State standout Carnell Tate with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and signed Wan'Dale Robinson to a four-year deal in free agency. He racked up 1,014 yards receiving last season for the New York Giants, the most by a player 5-foot-8 or shorter since 1989. The Titans also have Calvin Ridley, who has reached 1,000 receiving yards in each of the last three seasons in which he played at least eight games. Plus, some talented second-year pass-catchers in Elic Ayomanor, who has been making waves in training camp after catching 41 passes for 515 yards and four touchdowns as a rookie, and Chimere Dike, who was named a First Team All-Pro last year as a returner after breaking the NFL rookie record for most all-purpose yards. That's a solid five right there. The bad: Offensive line -- The Titans' offensive line has been subpar for years now. Left guard Peter Skoronski, who just signed the largest contract for an offensive guard in NFL history, is the lone bright spot. Left tackle Dan Moore Jr. hasn't exactly lived up to the $82 million deal he signed last offseason, while right tackle JC Latham hasn't lived up to his No. 7 overall draft billing. The Titans signed Austin Schlottmann to take over at center, while fifth-round pick Fernando Carmona is the frontrunner to start at right guard.The question: Quarterback -- Cam Ward's rookie season was tough to evaluate. He started slow with five total touchdowns and 11 turnovers in his first nine starts, but eventually found his footing, accounting for 12 total touchdowns and just three turnovers in his final eight starts. Tennessee didn't have much structure in 2025, but that's expected to be different in 2026. Not only did the Titans hire one of the best defensive minds in football, Robert Saleh, as head coach, but they also brought in an experienced offensive mind in Brian Daboll. So, the question is, can Ward run an offense? Can he operate out of structure and be accurate enough to keep the offense on the field? If he takes a second-year jump, this No. 28 overall ranking is too low. 27. Las Vegas RaidersDepth ChartThe good: Tight end -- Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza have some fun passing-game security blankets to utilize at tight end. Brock Bowers, of course, is a lot more than just a check-down option, as the versatile weapon will likely lead the Las Vegas Raiders in receiving this year if he can stay healthy. Former second-round pick Michael Mayer is a solid option in the receiving game as well, and caught the first touchdown of the preseason for Vegas. Ian Thomas and Albert Okwuegbunam Jr. are nice depth options, too. The bad: Wide receiver -- The Raiders had one of the worst wide receiving corps in the NFL last year, and all they added to it this offseason was Jalen Nailor and rookie Malik Benson. Vegas does have Tre Tucker, who led the team with 696 yards receiving and five touchdowns last year, and is hoping for big second-year jumps from Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton Jr. Bowers is going to be a pillar of this passing attack, but this wide receiver room is questionable at best. The question: Offensive line -- This unit was the worst in the NFL last year, but has a couple of new faces in center Tyler Linderbaum and left guard Spencer Burford. The Raiders made Linderbaum the highest-paid interior offensive lineman in free agency in NFL history with $27 million per year, while Burford comes over after four seasons spent with the San Francisco 49ers. How improved will this unit be? It needs to be much better if Cousins and Mendoza are going to find success. 26. New York JetsDepth ChartThe good: Wide receivers -- New York sneakily assembled a fascinating wide receiver room. Garrett Wilson remains the top option and one of the more skilled players at the position in the league, despite lackluster play at quarterback. He's looking to bounce back after being limited to just seven games in 2025. Behind him, Adonai Mitchell, who New York acquired as part of the Sauce Gardner trade with Indy, showed flashes last season. Then, there's 2026 first-round pick Omar Cooper Jr., who recorded the second-most receiving touchdowns (13) in the Big Ten last season. That's not a bad trio, provided someone can get them the football. The bad: Quarterback -- Geno Smith returning to MetLife Stadium doesn't exactly get the juices flowing. While the veteran stabilized his career in Seattle, his latest stop in Las Vegas left little to be desired, including a league-leading 17 interceptions. The Jets ranked last in passing yards per game (140.3) last season, and Smith's arrival should improve those metrics, but doesn't give them a high ceiling. The question: Pass rush -- Lost in the embarrassment of not recording a single interception last season was New York's inability to get after the quarterback. They ranked last in pressure rate (28%) and 31st in total sacks (26). To fix that, they used the No. 2 overall pick on edge rusher David Bailey and signed defensive end Joseph Ossai to a $36 million free-agent deal. Are Bailey and this new group of free agents that New York brought in to improve the defense able to apply pressure to the quarterback? If so, they might be able to finally create turnovers. 25. New Orleans SaintsDepth ChartThe good: Offensive line -- The New Orleans Saints have a solid offensive line in front of Tyler Shough. Left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. was the best rookie offensive lineman last year, PFF claims. Free-agent addition David Edwards fits in at left guard, and center Erik McCoy is a two-time Pro Bowler. Right guard Cesar Ruiz is definitely more of a question mark, but former first-round pick Taliese Fuaga is set to make a jump at right tackle if he can remain healthy. It's worth mentioning that this unit doesn't appear to be very deep, but the starting five is solid. The bad: Special teams -- The Saints showcased one of the worst special teams units in 2025, and it remains to be seen if the issue has been resolved. New Orleans gave former Minnesota Vikings punter Ryan Wright $14 million to come in and boot the ball. However, he shanked a punt that went just 15 yards in his first preseason game. He did bounce back Saturday against the Los Angeles Rams.Saints kickers converted on 71.4% of their field goals last year. If we combined Charlie Smyth and Blake Grupe into one kicker, their average ranked 38th in the NFL. New Orleans was hosting a kicker battle between Smyth and Tanner Brown this preseason, but signed Daniel Carlson on Monday. Brown missed a 39-yard field goal on Saturday after going 2/2 last week, and Smyth missed a 52-yarder in Week 1 of the preseason. The question: Weaponry -- We could list the Saints' weaponry as the best part of this roster, but we can't exactly say that with running back Alvin Kamara (MCL sprain) and rookie wideout Jordyn Tyson (hamstring) both expected to miss at least a month! Is Chris Olave going to have to carry the wide receiver room again? Can Travis Etienne Jr. live up to his contract? I would feel pretty good about Shough's weaponry if it weren't for injuries. So will his group of playmakers remain healthy enough to help the Saints be the sleeper so many envision they are this year? 24. Carolina PanthersDepth ChartThe good: Cornerbacks- I like the Carolina Panthers' top two cornerbacks in Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson. Horn, who has made two straight Pro Bowls, recorded a career-high five interceptions last season, while Jackson is clearly underrated and tied for the league lead in passes defensed with 19, to go along with a career-high four interceptions last year.The bad: Tight end -- The Panthers have been trying to find a legitimate starting tight end for years now. They drafted Tommy Tremble in 2021, Ja'Tavion Sanders in 2024, and Mitchell Evans in 2025, but none have been legitimate threats in the passing game. If you want to know how Carolina feels about its tight end room, the Panthers just signed soon-to-be 34-year-old Darren Waller to come in and help. The question: Offensive line -- A team not having its starting left and right tackles to begin the season would spell disaster for most teams, but not the Panthers. Free-agent addition Rasheed Walker will fill in for Ickey Ekwonu at left tackle, while first-round pick Monroe Freeling replaces Taylor Moton on the right side. Carolina also has a new center in Luke Fortner, who takes over for Cade Mays. This unit was pretty good when healthy. How will it look with three new faces? 23. New York GiantsDepth ChartThe good: Pass rushers -- The New York Giants are going to find success pressuring the quarterback this season. Brian Burns ranked in the top four in the NFL in sacks (16.5), QB hits (31) and tackles for loss (22) last year, and Abdul Carter is a former No. 3 overall pick who got better as his rookie season went on, recording 3.5 sacks in his final five games. New York has another top-five pick in the fold with Kayvon Thibodeaux, who has gotten to the quarterback 23.5 times over four years. I'm also excited to see another top-five pick in linebacker Arvell Reese be deployed as a blitzer. The bad: Defensive interior -- With Dexter Lawrence II gone, Shelby Harris, DJ Reader and Darius Alexander are set to start on the interior. Remember, this Giants team allowed a league-high 5.3 yards per carry last season. The massive Reader was the most double-teamed player in the NFL last year, according to Next Gen Stats. He's 32-years-old now, and didn't record a sack in 2025. The Giants have been managing his workload, as they are with the 35-year-old Harris. Alexander, on the other hand, is the young buck at 25 years old, but has been far from a standout in the two preseason games. So, will this run defense be improved in 2026?The question: Quarterback -- Jaxson Dart is a fun quarterback, but can he be a good quarterback? He became just the third rookie to ever throw 10 touchdowns while rushing for eight more scores, but he is also about to start paying rent to the blue medical tent. Apart from needing to play smart, Dart's completion percentage also ranked outside the top 20 at 63.7%, and J.J. McCarthy and Spencer Rattler threw for more yards per game than Dart did. He'll need to be better as a passer, but he is certainly capable. 22. Washington CommandersDepth ChartThe good: Quarterback -- Jayden Daniels looked like he was about to take over the entire league as a rookie, as the No. 2 overall pick took the lowly Washington Commanders from 4-13 to 12-5 with an NFC Championship appearance. He became the second quarterback all-time to throw for 4,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in a season, including playoffs, and scored more touchdowns (37) than any rookie ever. Daniels needs to stay healthy, as he missed 10 games last season with multiple ailments while Washington crashed back to earth at 5-12. Daniels' absence wasn't the only reason Washington struggled, as the defense finished dead last for the second time in the last three years. Marcus Mariota, on the other hand, is regarded as one of the best backup quarterbacks in the NFL, and I've got a level of interest in rookie Athan Kaliakmanis as well. The bad: Cornerback -- Washington's cornerback room is a bit worrisome. The likely starters are Trey Amos, who played 10 games in his NFL career and broke his leg last year, Amik Robertson, who comes over from the disappointing Lions secondary, and Mike Sainristil, who, while feisty, is not exactly Darrell Green. I do like the veteran Rasul Douglas, who will likely play a role on this team in 2026. The question: Left side of the offensive line -- The Commanders lost star left tackle Laremy Tunsil to a torn triceps, and former left tackle Brandon Coleman gets the first crack to replace him. Coleman was battling Chris Paul for the starting left guard spot, so I'm curious if Coleman can be a legitimate starting left tackle, and if Paul can hold down left guard effectively. Washington also has Andrew Wylie as a backup option if Coleman struggles. 21. Indianapolis ColtsDepth ChartThe good: Offensive line -- If this unit remains healthy, the Indianapolis Colts' offensive line could be one of the best in the AFC. Bernhard Raimann is cemented at left tackle after he signed a $100 million deal last offseason, left guard Quenton Nelson is one of the best linemen in the league, center Tanor Bortolini was PFF's No. 3-graded center last year, right guard Matt Goncalves is a former tackle moved inside who is improving, and right tackle Jalen Travis is a second-year player also expected to make a jump. The bad: Linebacker -- With Zaire Franklin gone, the Colts are relying on second-round pick CJ Allen to replace him at linebacker. The Georgia product was viewed as a physical, versatile playmaker as a prospect, but can he be a consistent force at the second level as a rookie? His running mate figures to be Akeem Davis-Gaither, who made 117 tackles last year for the Cardinals. However, he was released by the club this offseason. Is this unit really an upgrade over Franklin and Germaine Pratt? The question: Wide receiver -- We could easily go quarterback here, but let's look a little deeper. The Colts gave Alec Pierce more money than any team has ever given a wide receiver in free agency, with $114 million over four years. He led the NFL in yards per reception in back-to-back seasons, but he will have to prove he can be a legitimate No. 1 wideout and is still not healthy. Indy made a notable addition last week in Keenan Allen, but he is now 34-years-old. Josh Downs has flashed in spots, but averaged 35.4 yards per game with four touchdowns in 16 games last season. Behind that top three are Ashton Dulin, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Anthony Gould, Laquon Treadwell and Deion Burks. Tight end Tyler Warren is going to play a big role in the passing game, but the Colts' wide receiving corps is a bit of a question mark to me. 20. Tampa Bay BuccaneersDepth ChartThe good: Defensive line -- With Vita Vea's trade request rescinded after agreeing to an extension with the Bucs, Tampa Bay now has one of the better defensive fronts in the league. Vea is coming off a 2025 campaign where he posted 51 total pressures and 4.5 sacks. He'll be working alongside Calijah Kancey, who is looking to rebound after an injury-plagued 2025 season where he was limited to just two games. Back in 2024, the former first-rounder did break out with 7.5 sacks and 39 pressures. On top of those two, the Bucs have Yaya Diaby (seven sacks in 2025) and Rueben Bain Jr. (No. 15 overall pick in 2026) headlining the defense off the edge. The bad: Cornerback -- The Bucs are slated to start Zyon McCollum and Benjamin Morison at outside corner in 2026 after Jamel Dean left in free agency this offseason. Morrison was a second-round pick in 2025, but his rookie season saw him play just 61% of the defensive snaps (10 games played and three starts) due to injury. When he was on the field, he surrendered a passer rating of 112.2 when targeted. Meanwhile, McCollum, who is entering his fifth season in the NFL after being a fifth-rounder in 2022, has been a full-time starter for the Buccaneers over the past two seasons. Last year, he struggled a bit, allowing a career-high six touchdowns in coverage and a passer rating of 100.9 when targeted. The question: Quarterback -- As he enters a contract year, what version of Baker Mayfield will the Bucs get in 2026? At the start of last season, Mayfield was on an MVP trajectory, leading Tampa to a 5-1 record while notching 12 touchdowns and just one interception for a 108.5 passer rating. Things went haywire after that, in part due to injuries, and his passer rating fell to 80.6, and the Bucs went 3-8, missing the playoffs. If Mayfield can get back to his old self, Tampa Bay should be firmly in the mix to win the NFC South. 19. Pittsburgh SteelersDepth ChartThe good: Edge rusher -- The pass rush is still the bread and butter of the Steelers. T.J. Watt remains one of the more feared edge rushers in the league, even as his sack total dipped to seven in 2025. In 14 games, he still had 46 total pressures. Meanwhile, Alex Highsmith is coming off a 9.5-sack season in just 13 games played, and 2023 fourth-round pick Nick Herbig broke out with a career-high 7.5 sacks last year. The bad: Safety -- There are some durability concerns with this group. Pittsburgh inked Jaquan Brisker to a one-year deal in free agency, and while he played in all 17 games for Chicago last season and broke up eight passes, he has a history of concussions. Meanwhile, DeShon Elliott was limited to five games last year due to injury. To compound the concern surrounding their injury history is the lack of depth behind them. After Brisker and Elliott, the Steelers have seventh-round rookie Robert Spears-Jennings, Jack Henderson and veteran Rayshawn Jenkins. The question: Quarterback -- Aaron Rodgers already announced this season as his last, and it stands to wonder what Pittsburgh will get out of the 42-year-old. While his 24-7 touchdown-to-interception ratio was inside the top-10 in 2025, Rodgers' numbers beyond that were middling. He was 16th among 33 qualified QBs in completion percentage, 15th in passing yards and 27th in yards per attempt. Does that improve, decline, or stay the same in 2026? 18. Minnesota VikingsDepth ChartThe good: Wide receiver -- Kyler Murray has some nice weaponry to work with in Minnesota. Justin Jefferson is one of the best receivers in the NFL, having racked up more receiving yards (5,464) than any other player over the last four years. Jordan Addison is a great No. 2, recording 911 yards and 10 touchdowns as a rookie in 2023, 875 yards and nine touchdowns in 2024, then 610 yards and three touchdowns with the struggling J.J. McCarthy in 2025. The Vikings also have one of the best "No. 3s" in the NFL with Jauan Jennings. He emerged as a trusted target of Brock Purdy in San Francisco. Believe it or not, Jennings tied George Kittle for the most receiving touchdowns on the team over the last two years, and had the most receptions (47) and receiving yards (546) by a 49er on third down over the past two seasons. In fact, he led the team in red-zone (34), fourth-quarter (50), and third-down targets (69) over the last two years. Underrated. The bad: Safety -- The Vikings are beginning a new era on the back end with Harrison Smith now gone. Joshua Metellus and Jay Ward are slated to be the starters at safety. Metellus is entering his seventh season with Minnesota, and he recorded back-to-back 100-tackle seasons in 2023 and 2024. Ward has started in just five of 50 career games played for Minnesota and has one career pass deflection and zero interceptions. He did have that electric sack of Jaxson Dart in the first preseason game of the year, though. Then there's third-round pick Jakobe Thomas out of Miami, who I think could be a legitimate sleeper. Maybe he can quell concerns at safety immediately. The question: Quarterback -- If Murray returns to Pro Bowl form and is rejuvenated by this change of scenery, then the Vikings are a legitimate NFL sleeper. However, he has to prove that. Murray has missed 30 out of a possible 68 games over the last five years, and Jacoby Brissett looked like an upgrade over him in Arizona last year. Murray is also running a different style of offense, but Kevin O'Connell is encouraged by what he can be in this scheme. 17. Chicago BearsDepth ChartThe good: Tight end -- Colston Loveland is knocking on the door of superstar status entering his sophomore season. Chicago selected the Michigan product with the 10th overall pick at the 2025 NFL Draft, and he started to truly emerge down the stretch of his rookie campaign. From Week 9 to Week 18 (10 games), Loveland caught 47 balls for 597 yards and six touchdowns. That put him on a 1,000-yard, double-digit touchdown pace over the course of a full regular season. He carried that into the playoffs as well, catching 12 of his 25 (!) targets over two games for 193 yards. Meanwhile, backup Cole Kmet is no slouch and has a 73-catch season on his résumé. The Bears also took Stanford tight end Sam Roush in the third round (69th overall) of the 2026 NFL Draft this past spring. The bad: Center -- One of the true stunners of the offseason was the retirement of Drew Dalman. He was (literally) at the center of Chicago's revamped offensive line and was a key piece to Caleb Williams' leap in Year 2. While the interior of the offensive line still has guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson to help Williams stay upright, there are some questions as to how the center spot will shake out. The Bears traded for veteran Garrett Bradbury, who was solid for New England last season, but doesn't have nearly the ceiling as Dalman. They also selected Logan Jones in the second round, giving them options at center. The question: Wide receiver -- The Bears traded away DJ Moore to the Bills, leaving the wide receiver room to the youngsters Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III. The projections suggest that this should be quite the duo for Caleb Williams, but we're still in a wait-and-see phase. Odunze was limited to 12 games in his second season in 2025, and Burden was more of a complementary piece as a rookie, starting just five of his 15 regular-season games. If both of these players hit as they adopt a larger target share within the offense, they could each break out in 2026."

"Even if a Super Bowl isn't in the cards, these six struggling franchises have plenty of young talent and schematic changes worth cheering for this season Aug 21, 2026 at 11:54 am ET • 7 min read With the NFL season getting started in less than a month, all the prognostication and debate have centered on which teams can win the Super Bowl and how high their ceilings are. Conversely, down at the bottom of the NFL, all the hopes lie in the 2027 NFL Draft and the potential of adding players like Texas QB Arch Manning, Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith or South Carolina EDGE Dylan Stewart.However, I'm in the business of optimism, and having been through a lot of bad Jacksonville Jaguars seasons, there are hopeful things you can pull from the muck and mire of a lost season. So, using DraftKings Sportsbook Super Bowl odds, we're going to highlight the six teams with the lowest Super Bowl odds, and give out one reason for optimism and hope among what could be a lost season. Growth from a young coreNow, there's not a lot that's going well for the Cardinals, especially being in a division with the defending Super Bowl champions and the favorites to win the whole thing this season. Despite that, I do think that there's some young talent on the Cardinals' roster that's just waiting to grow and develop with another year in the NFL under their belt.Offensively, head coach/primary playcaller Mike LaFleur inherited a group that is talented but inconsistent in major spots. While the group won't have promising rookie guard Chase Bisontis for the whole season (torn MCL) and first-round RB Jeremiyah Love is currently injured (high ankle sprain), count me as someone who is. … curious about their offense going into the season. Last year, I thought the Cardinals' offense had a good foundation, but it was too static and asked their guys to just go and win on islands. Their motion rate of 43.9% was 30th in the NFL, despite being 12th in Offensive Success Rate when a player goes in motion. Now, I'm not of the belief that adding motion into every offense is some magical "Football Flex Seal" that'll make your offense shine, but it will give players such as WRs Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson a much easier chance of creating space, while giving your QB easier answers to the test. It'll especially help Harrison, who is a smooth mover and glider when defensive backs can't get their hands on him at the line of scrimmage. LaFleur using more motion and easier ways of getting his young stars the ball should help them grow in a big way, and that's exciting for 2026.Flipping it, I think the defense has talent in important spots when healthy. DT Walter Nolen III is a game wrecker with his speed and explosiveness, and CB Will Johnson had promising moments, but neither player can stay healthy for long (Nolen played in six games and Johnson played in 12). If you get healthy years from those two, combined with quality reps from EDGE Josh Sweat, CB Garrett Williams and S Budda Baker, you get a fun core that should be built around moving forward. Your hipster friend's favorite offenseThe 2026 Miami Dolphins should be a pain in the butt for backside EDGEs to defend. New offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik goes about his business differently than former playcaller Mike McDaniel, but both come from the same San Francisco tree, where forcing defenses into base defense via heavy personnel is the way to go. Where I think this can help Miami, and QB Malik Willis is leaning into the athleticism of their offensive stars, which should make for some fun moments. Left tackle Patrick Paul, left guard Kadyn Proctor, center Aaron Brewer, and RB De'Von Achane are all good athletes who fit the offense Slowik is bringing to Miami. Combine that with Willis being a run threat to backside EDGEs, and you (potentially) get cutback lanes galore. Let's see if the Dolphins are interested in running the triple option. Does this mean I think the Dolphins offense will be elite? No, I still think they have a myriad of questions in the receiving corps, and Willis is still unproven as a full-time starter, but schematically, their run game could be very fun. With all of the speed and run threats in the backfield, their offense could put a lot of nice stuff on tape, a promising sign for a team that's in year one of a rebuild. The Cleveland youth movementStop me if you've heard this before: the Browns might be bad, but their young guys are talented and can be built around. I know we've been on this ride before with Cleveland, but the biggest reason for hope on a team with one of the worst QB battles in the league is that all of their prized young guys are going to play significant reps. On offense, second-year RB Quinshon Judkins and TE Harold Fannin Jr. are the highlights, but rookie wideouts KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston have been tearing up camp for the Browns. Concepcion was the second of their first round picks (the other being LT Spencer Fano), and HC Todd Monken has found many ways to get him the ball, as well as Boston. The QB battle might look rough, but the young supporting cast should provide some fun moments.On defense, the young core of EDGE Jared Verse, DT Mason Graham, reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year LB Carson Schwesinger and S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren should provide consistent pop (even if they don't get sack production like they did last year). CB Denzel Ward should still remain one of the best CBs in the league, giving new DC Mike Rutenberg a bevy of tools in his arsenal. With Rutenberg coming from the Atlanta Falcons, I wonder if Cleveland leans more on pressure through scheme and simulated looks than on just lining up and winning. If so, you'll see a lot of youth and athleticism making plays. An offensive line that can be built aroundFor the Jets, I could've just expanded this to the entire offense (which we'll get to later), but I think their offensive line is on the verge of becoming a special unit. Which is what you should expect after spending three Day 1 or 2 picks on offensive linemen in the last three years. The trio of RT Armand Membou, LT Olu Fashanu and RG Joe Tippmann gives the Jets an athletic core on the offensive line, one that can play in both zone and gap schemes. Round that group out with Josh Myers and Dylan Parham, and you have a unit that can be very good very soon.The Jets' offense as a whole is one I'm cautiously keeping an eye on. I don't have much faith in OC Frank Reich, but the core is there for this offense not to be a bottom dweller in 2026. A receiving corps of Garrett Wilson, AD Mitchell, Mason Taylor and rookies Kenyon Sadiq and Omar Cooper Jr. could be very fun to watch, with RBs Breece Hall and Braelon Allen in the backfield. New QB Geno Smith could find his mojo after a down year, but even if he's not what he was in Seattle, having a QB who is willing to test tight windows could elevate this offense a lot. Bijan RobinsonBefore EDGE Jalon Walker tore his ACL and EDGE James Pearce Jr. got suspended for eight games, I would've put a defense that retains their defensive coordinator, Jeff Ulbrich (I do think their secondary is quietly becoming something special), but instead I'm going to go with one of the coolest players in the NFL, Bijan Robinson. Since entering the NFL, Robinson leads the NFL in touches, scrimmage yards and is sixth among all ball carriers in first downs or touchdowns per touch (min. 600 touches). The coolest part about Robinson is that he's not only able to make people miss but also run through contact at a high level. Robinson just got a big-time extension, and it was much deserved for being one of the best players in the league. I'm excited to see how HC Kevin Stefanski continues to get Robinson the ball. The offense shouldn't change much from former playcaller Zac Robinson, plenty of wide zone with boot action off of it, but there will be many more under-center looks and designed downfield targets. The depth of the Falcons' receiver room isn't anything spectacular, so I still expect Robinson to be a feature in the passing game as well. This offseason hasn't been perfect for the Falcons, but Robinson is one of the few bright spots in what could be a rocky season for Atlanta."