Fantasy football managers received important usage clues during NFL preseason Week 1, led by Jonathon Brooks’ start for Carolina and Jeremiyah Love’s workload for Arizona. Tyjae Spears’ expanded role and Matthew Golden’s usage in 12 personnel also provided notable developments for 2026 fantasy drafts. Nathan Jahnke breaks down 10 of the biggest fantasy football reactions from the preseason action.

The fantasy football running back dead zone is filled with committees, but several players still offer value at their 2026 ADPs. D'Andre Swift provides a stable RB2 profile, while David Montgomery has a path to his largest workload in years with Houston. PFF grades and advanced stats also highlight Rhamondre Stevenson, Tony Pollard and Rico Dowdle as running backs to consider in the middle rounds.

NFL preseason Week 1 offered fantasy football managers an early look at backfield rotations, receiver roles and depth-chart battles across the league. Jeremiyah Love started for Arizona, Breece Hall handled 10 of 11 snaps on the Jets' opening drive and Tyjae Spears out-snapped Tony Pollard for Tennessee. The preseason usage also provided new information on players including Matthew Golden, Jahan Dotson, DeMario Douglas and Jaydon Blue.

Quinshon Judkins and KC Concepcion delivered two of the most notable fantasy football developments from Saturday's NFL preseason Week 1 action. Judkins handled 80% of Cleveland's snaps with the starters, while Concepcion worked as the Browns' top slot receiver and scored in his NFL debut. PFF's recap tracks player usage, snap counts, targets and backfield and receiver rotations across Saturday's games.

PFF's NFL preseason Week 1 recap breaks down the immediate fantasy football takeaways from Friday's games. The slate features Broncos-Falcons, Buccaneers-Jets and Dolphins-Commanders, with player usage and stats at the center of the analysis.

The article below breaks down need-to-know information and recommended storylines to track in the coming weeks regarding NFL veterans in 2026, including the status of Bears receiver Luther Burden III.

Nic Bodiford takes a look at four high-profile kickers whose fantasy stocks could surge to the top of the position in 2026, including the Lions' Jake Bates.

Nic Bodiford pinpoints four running backs whose workloads and talents could culminate in the RB1 overall finish, including the Lions' Jahmyr Gibbs.

Nic Bodiford spotlights three tight ends who could secure the top overall fantasy slot in 2026, including Raiders star Brock Bowers.

The first real week of the 2026 NFL preseason revealed key insights for fantasy purposes, including the Packers utilizing Matthew Golden in 12 personnel and Steelers rookie Germie Bernard flashing after the catch.

Nic Bodiford looks at three wide receivers who could emerge as the top dog during the 2026 fantasy football season, including the Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase.

Nic Bodiford outlines three quarterbacks who could lead the NFL in fantasy points for the 2026 season, including the Chargers' Justin Herbert.

Nathan Jahnke shares his ideal draft strategy for 10-team, single-quarterback, redraft PPR leagues for teams with Picks 8-10 ahead of the 2026 fantasy football season.

Malik Willis, Tyler Shough and Cam Ward stand out as breakout quarterback candidates for 2026 fantasy football drafts. Willis offers significant rushing upside in Miami, while Shough averaged 17.6 PPR points per game from Week 9 on last season. PFF grades and advanced stats also highlight Ward's late-season improvement and upside within Tennessee's revamped offense.

Nathan Jahnke's top 500 for PPR drafts gets you set for all of the 2026 fantasy football action.

Puka Nacua headlines this fantasy football draft strategy for 10-team PPR leagues, giving managers drafting between Picks 4 and 7 a clear first-round target based on elite production. From there, the strategy emphasizes locking in premium running backs such as Chase Brown and Kyren Williams before pivoting to value at quarterback and tight end.

Tucker Kraft, Dalton Kincaid and Isaiah Likely offer high-risk, high-reward options for fantasy managers looking beyond the elite tight end tier in 2026. Kraft's historic after-the-catch efficiency and Kincaid's 2.12 yards per route run highlight their upside, while Likely enters a new opportunity with the Giants. PFF grades and advanced stats show why all three have a path to an elite fantasy finish.

The ideal fantasy football draft strategy for a 10-team league starts by taking advantage of the positional edge at running back before building a balanced roster through the middle rounds.