Episode Details

Matthew Freedman and Dwain McFarland lay out exactly how they're drafting quarterbacks and running backs in 2026 — the strategy behind each position, and the specific players who fit it.
QB comes first and it comes fast. Dwain breaks down how many points league-winning quarterbacks actually score by round, why dual-threat QBs account for nearly all the high-WAR seasons, and then sorts the 2026 field by ceiling: Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Drake Maye, Joe Burrow, Jayden Daniels and Jalen Hurts at the top, then Jaxson Dart, Caleb Williams, Dak Prescott, Justin Herbert, Trevor Lawrence and Kyler Murray, down through Bo Nix, Brock Purdy and Patrick Mahomes. He names his priorities, his fades, and two late-round quarterbacks he genuinely likes in Malik Willis and Tyler Shough.
Then it's the main event. Dwain makes the case that elite running backs still matter — passing volume is down, which pushes RB production up relative to WR and TE — and shows where the WAR hit rates actually live by round. He walks through which RB archetypes win leagues, why receiving and dual-threat backs account for more than half of all 20-plus PPG seasons, and how the plan shifts between early, middle and late rounds depending on format.
The back half is round-by-round targets and fades. Rounds 1 through 3 covers Christian McCaffrey, James Cook, Ashton Jeanty, Kenneth Walker and Chase Brown, along with the backs he's avoiding entirely. Rounds 4 through 6 gets into Cam Skattebo, Bhayshul Tuten and a rookie he keeps ending up with in simulated drafts, plus a fade that he finds genuinely funny. Rounds 7 through 9 centers on Jonathon Brooks and Blake Corum. And the late rounds get sorted by what your roster already looks like — Jordan Mason, Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Kenneth Gainwell, Rachaad White, Chris Rodriguez, Tank Bigsby, Isiah Pacheco, Brian Robinson Jr. and Marshawn Lloyd.
Use promo code FFIL for 10% off FantasyLife+ to see Dwain's full tiers, ranks and projections.
Topics in this video:
2026 fantasy football, QB draft strategy, RB draft strategy, fantasy football targets and fades, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Jayden Daniels, Jalen Hurts, Kyler Murray, Jaxson Dart, Malik Willis, Tyler Shough, Christian McCaffrey, James Cook, Ashton Jeanty, Kenneth Walker, Chase Brown, Cam Skattebo, Bhayshul Tuten, David Montgomery, Quinshon Judkins, Jonathon Brooks, Blake Corum, Kenneth Gainwell, Isiah Pacheco, Tank Bigsby, handcuff running backs, fantasy football draft strategy
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00:00:00 - Intro
00:03:11 - How Many Points Do League-Winning QBs Score?
00:08:14 - Which QB Types Win Leagues?
00:11:35 - Elite-Ceiling 2026 QBs
00:34:28 - Great, Good and Average Ceiling QBs
00:46:27 - Why Elite RBs Still Matter
00:48:11 - How Many Points Do League-Winning RBs Score?
00:50:58 - Which RB Archetypes Win Leagues?
00:55:53 - The 2026 RB Draft Plan
00:56:24 - Rounds 1-3 RB Targets and Fades
01:22:10 - General Draft Strategy Rules

01:23:24 - Rounds 4-6 RB Targets and Fades
01:37:23 - Rounds 7-9 RB Targets and Fades
01:42:41 - Late Round RB Targets and Fades