2026 Fantasy Football Projections Cheat Sheet: Printable for PPR and Non-PPR
Our projections have been updated to their latest form ahead of Preseason Week 3. Changes have been made to depth charts, and injuries have arisen. The biggest storylines feature Ashton Jeanty's ankle sprain, Kayshon Boutte's trade to Houston, and the indecision of George Kittle's Week 1 status. Our projections shine a light on the rightshed expectations for the season.
All printable sheets are projections only, not rankings, assuming every current non-injured player plays 17 games.
Quarterback Projections
There are no changes at the top of my projections. Josh Allen remains the QB1, with the biggest gamble being on Jayden Daniels > Lamar Jackson due to renewed health and added weapons.
Despite the return of Michael Penix Jr., the expectation is still that Tua Tagovailoa is the Falcons' Week 1 starter. He is only the QB26, and if Penix Jr. does begin to start, he will still rank outside the weekly top-20 quarterbacks.
While Kirk Cousins will likely start Week 1 for the Raiders, we do expect Fernando Mendoza to play more games as the starting quarterback. His projection is QB31, and Mendoza is undraftable given the Raiders' offensive uncertainty.
Running Back Projections
As time has gone on, Josh Jacobs is becoming a clearer projection. He is almost certainly not going to be suspended in 2026. That is a common theme with the NFL, which will let the legal process play out. In all similar instances over recent years, the NFL has never suspended a player unless the case went to an in-person hearing with the player charged in court. He is confidently a second-round draft pick.
RB10-15 is my sweet spot in 2026. While these players project in that range, they all have enormous upside. Saquon Barkley, Kenneth Walker III, Josh Jacobs, and Omarion Hampton can all easily become top-5 running backs on elite offenses. Keep this in mind when drafting. Points-over-replacement are a key metric to consider. Is Jonathan Taylor really worth it 5-10 picks earlier?
The signing of Najee Harris has dropped Cam Skattebo a few spots to RB28. He is my "Bust of the Year."
It appears clearer that the Broncos will operate with Jonah Coleman as the workhorse back and RJ Harvey as the Swiss Army knife if JK Dobbins misses time. For that reason, Harvey drops a few spots to the mid-30spositionally .
Most NFL backfields have volatility on a weekly basis, as shown in running back splits. That includes the Panthers, Texans, Vikings, and Jaguars, among others. Draft those players with upside rather than on precise projections.
Wide Receiver Projections
Puka Nacua is unlikely to actually become suspended, much like Jacobs. As for Nacua's injury, the level of concern appears quite low. He is neck-and-neck with Ja'Marr Chase for WR1 and much less risky than most fantasy managers appear to be calling it.
Chris Olave is a high injury risk per Draftsharks.com. His "high-upside" diagnosis amid Jordyn Tyson's injury is an overvaluation.
Malik Nabers glides into change of direction. It’s kind of ridiculous, you’d never guess he’s less than 10 months removed from ACLR/Meniscus repair.. let alone having a second surgery to remove scar tissue. pic.twitter.com/Dm9GAltzgD
— Jeff Mueller, PT, DPT (@jmthrivept) August 24, 2026
Malik Nabers is up to my WR19 in PPR formats, accounting for his return from injury. He is perhaps still undervalued. Nabers is increasingly likely to play Week 1 with a mild ramp-up period. Once 100%, Nabers will be a sure-fire top-10 fantasy football wide receiver.
Despite some concern regarding Emeka Egbuka's turf toe, he is trending towards being active in Week 1, in tow with limited downside. He is the WR26 with top-20 upside.
Tight End Projections
The concerns about Tucker Kraft are overplayed. His snap limitations will make him less available on blocking downs. I account for zero dip in Kraft's output; the TE5.
Dalton Schultz benefits from the Jayden Higgins injury. Even after the team traded for Kayshon Boutte, Schultz has risen to be in the TE11-13 range. He does have limited upside and is a better TE2.
PRINTABLE FANTASY FOOTBALL PPR PROJECTIONS
PRINTABLE FANTASY FOOTBALL HALF-PPR PROJECTIONS
PRINTABLE FANTASY FOOTBALL STANDARD (NON-PPR) PROJECTIONS
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Thomas Carelli is a sportswriter based on Northern New Jersey. He is a massive New York Jets and Mets fan, but that is not where is sports fandom stops. He loves to watch and play golf, all things football, baseball, and much more. If he can watch it, he will. Thomas graduated from William Paterson University in 2018 with a Bachelor's Degree in Sport Management. He spent 4 years working at a local golf course, volunteered past PGA events, and spent some part-time experience with the New York Jets events team. His passions for sport runs deep and his articles show for it.