Swaim's Printable 2026 Half-PPR Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Must-Haves, Avoids, Tiers, and Rankings

Last Updated: August 25th, 2026

As the calendar turns to August, it's here. Those long spring and summer months of waiting are over. Training camps have started across most of the NFL.

Fantasy football is back.

As I started in this industry in 2019 with FanDuel, I set out on a mission to stop the groupthink in fantasy sports. So many are afraid to be wrong that they're afraid to be different.

As you'll notice from my rankings below, I'm not afraid to buck the trend. I'm going to be wrong. I'm going to be right. Over the course of the next few months at Fantasy On SI, you'll read why I like or don't like some of these players, but for now, you're probably just here because it's draft day. You need some help. You're in a standard or half-PPR format, where these "cheat sheet" options are much slimmer.

Don't worry, I've got you. Here are my 2026 fantasy football rankings for sub-PPR formats. I'll link the big kahuna first, and we'll go section by section afterward.

Print the 2026 Fantasy Football Half-PPR Cheat Sheet HERE

Swaim's 2026 Fantasy Football Half-PPR Rankings

Quarterback

1. Josh Allen, BUF

2. Joe Burrow, CIN

3. Jayden Daniels, WAS

4. Justin Herbert, LAC

5. Lamar Jackson, BAL

6. Caleb Williams, CHI

7. Jalen Hurts, PHI

8. Dak Prescott, DAL

9. Kyler Murray, MIN

10. Drake Maye, NE

11. Patrick Mahomes II, KC

12. Malik Willis, MIA

13. Jaxson Dart, NYG

14. Jordan Love, GB

15. Bo Nix, DEN

16. Trevor Lawrence, JAC

17. C.J. Stroud, HOU

18. Cam Ward, TEN

19. Baker Mayfield, TB

20. Matthew Stafford, LAR

21. Jared Goff, DET

22. Sam Darnold, SEA

23. Brock Purdy, SF

24. Tyler Shough, NO

Quarterback is always going to be a low-risk, standard position with a few bright surprises -- like Drake Maye a year ago.

In 2026, I'm out on Maye even as he's got a shiny new toy, A.J. Brown. At his current average draft position (ADP), you're paying for what was the high end of his final ranking (QB2) rather than high-end separation from the tier he belongs in. My aggressive ranking is to make a point.

If I've got a "love" in 2026, it's Justin Herbert in a Mike McDaniel-led offense. Herbert was second in rushing yards among QBs a year ago, and we saw Tua Tagovailoa post two top-15 fantasy seasons under McDaniel in Miami. One of the league's best deep passers could do significant damage to their schedule.

Running Backs

1. Jahmyr Gibbs, DET

2. Bijan Robinson, ATL

3. James Cook III, BUF

4. Chase Brown, CIN

5. Kenneth Walker III, KC

6. Jonathan Taylor, IND

7. Omarion Hampton, LAC

8. Saquon Barkley, PHI

9. Derrick Henry, BAL

10. De'Von Achane, MIA

11. Ashton Jeanty, LV

12. Quinshon Judkins, CLE

13. Jeremiyah Love, ARI

14. Javonte Williams, DAL

15. Josh Jacobs, GB

16. Christian McCaffrey, SF

17. Cam Skattebo, NYG

18. D'Andre Swift, CHI

19. Jadarian Price, SEA

20. Breece Hall, NYJ

21. Travis Etienne Jr., NO

22. Kyren Williams, LAR

23. David Montgomery, HOU

24. Bucky Irving, TB

25. Rhamondre Stevenson, NE

26. Tony Pollard, TEN

27. Rachaad White, WAS

28. Jaylen Warren, PIT

29. Bhayshul Tuten, JAC

30. Jonathon Brooks, CAR

31. RJ Harvey, DEN

32. Jordan Mason, MIN

33. Kyle Monangai, CHI

34. Kenny Gainwell, TB

35. TreVeyon Henderson, NE

36. Blake Corum, LAR

37. Tyrone Tracy Jr., NYG

38. Tyler Allgeier, ARI

39. Rico Dowdle, PIT

40. Aaron Jones Sr., MIN

41. Chuba Hubbard, CAR

42. Woody Marks, HOU

43. Chris Rodriguez Jr., JAC

44. Alvin Kamara, NO

45. Isiah Pacheco, DET

46. Zach Charbonnet, SEA

47. J.K. Dobbins, DEN

48. Dylan Sampson, CLE

49. Tyjae Spears, TEN

50. Jonah Coleman, DEN

51. Ray Davis, BUF

52. Mike Washington Jr., LV

53. Emmett Johnson, KC

54. Kaytron Allen, WAS

55. Braelon Allen, NYJ

56. Brian Robinson Jr., ATL

57. Tank Bigsby, PHI

58. Nicholas Singleton, TEN

59. Jacory Croskey-Merritt, WAS

60. Samaje Perine, CIN

61. LeQuint Allen Jr., JAC

62. Emanuel Wilson, SEA

63. Keaton Mitchell, LAC

64. DJ Giddens, IND
65. Jaydon Blue, DAL

I'm "Team Gibbs" over "Team Bijan" when marrying the idea that Detroit has one of the easiest schedules in the league with the fact that Robinson, an outstanding player, could be marred -- and even excluded from late-season games -- by Atlanta's horrible quarterback situation and Kevin Stefanski.

Quinshon Judkins is a "flag plant" spot for me in 2026. He has access to a three-down role in a Browns offense that, if Shedeur Sanders is at the helm, might not be as bad as perception for fantasy football. He seems to have no limitations from last year's late injury, and Cleveland has revamped their offensive line and wide receiving rooms with two consecutive elite drafts at all positions.

I'm trusting the data on Christian McCaffrey. If a player averaged under 5.0 fantasy points two different years in a row, we'd call them undraftable. "CMC" has two full samples of seasons following ones where he touched the rock at least 350 times, and he was an unusable, injured bust in both. Last year? An NFL-high 450 touches when including the postseason!

If you're right and defy the trend...you got a top-five running back in the top five. Congrats? They're already dropping like flies at 49ers training camp, too.

Wide Receivers

1. Ja'Marr Chase, CIN

2. Puka Nacua, LAR

3. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, SEA

4. Justin Jefferson, MIN

5. Amon-Ra St. Brown, DET

6. A.J. Brown, NE

7. CeeDee Lamb, DAL

8. Nico Collins, HOU

9. DeVonta Smith, PHI

10. George Pickens, DAL

11. Tee Higgins, CIN

12. Malik Nabers, NYG

13. Zay Flowers, BAL

14. Emeka Egbuka, TB

15. Jaylen Waddle, DEN

16. Chris Olave, NO

17. Rashee Rice, KC

18. Rome Odunze, CHI

19. Garrett Wilson, NYJ

20. Drake London, ATL

21. Tetairoa McMillan, CAR

22. Terry McLaurin, WAS

23. Carnell Tate, TEN

24. DJ Moore, BUF

25. Christian Watson, GB

26. Makai Lemon, PHI

27. DK Metcalf, PIT

28. Davante Adams, LAR

29. Michael Wilson, ARI

30. Parker Washington, JAC

31. Jakobi Meyers, JAC

32. Luther Burden III, CHI

33. Ladd McConkey, LAC

34. Jameson Williams, DET

35. Jordan Addison, MIN

36. Jayden Reed, GB

37. Courtland Sutton, DEN

38. Marvin Harrison Jr., ARI

39. Alec Pierce, IND

40. Matthew Golden, GB

41. Chris Godwin Jr., TB

42. Josh Downs, IND

43. Brian Thomas Jr., JAC

44. Romeo Doubs, NE

45. Wan'Dale Robinson, TEN

46. Mike Evans, SF

47. Michael Pittman Jr., PIT

48. Xavier Worthy, KC

49. Jalen McMillan, TB

50. Stefon Diggs, WAS

51. Tre Tucker, LV

52. Kayshon Boutte, HOU

53. Jordyn Tyson, NO

54. Jalen Coker, CAR

55. Khalil Shakir, BUF

56. Denzel Boston, CLE

57. Tre' Harris, LAC

58. Malik Washington, MIA

59. Jerry Jeudy, CLE

60. Jalen Nailor, LV

61. Calvin Ridley, TEN

62. KC Concepcion, CLE

63. Quentin Johnston, LAC

64. Rashid Shaheed, SEA

65. Jalen Tolbert, MIA

66. Tank Dell, HOU

67. Deebo Samuel Sr., SF

68. Darnell Mooney, NYG

69. Omar Cooper Jr., NYJ

70. Jaylin Noel, HOU

71. Jauan Jennings, MIN

72. Tutu Atwell, MIA

73. Ryan Flournoy, DAL

74. Ja'Kobi Lane, BAL

75. Dontayvion Wicks, PHI

76. Ted Hurst III, TB

77. Jahan Dotson, ATL

78. Christian Kirk, SF

79. Keenan Allen, IND

80. Antonio Williams, WAS

81. Pat Bryant, DEN

82. Treylon Burks, WAS

83. Troy Franklin, DEN

84. Xavier Legette, CAR

85. Chris Bell, MIA

I'm probably most standard at the top with this positional group -- though Justin Jefferson is a favorite of mine. He's never had an "elite" quarterback, and Kyler Murray sustained a WR9 season for DeAndre Hopkins in the one healthy year they had together. Carson Wentz is still here if Murray goes down, as well.

Terry McLaurin seems like an obvious "buy", right? He's yet to turn 31 with basically no established competition for targets. The upside if Jayden Daniels stays healthy? Enormous. Even if he doesn't, McLaurin posted 10.4 fantasy points per game (FPPG) in half-PPR with Mariota and Josh Johnson in the final six games of 2025.

One of the appeals of going for Justin Herbert is that the Chargers' group of pass-catchers is a mess. I'm well behind consensus on Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston because there are so many other options. Tre' Harris had one of the most productive college seasons ever in 2024 and seems to be showing up at camp. Both Oronde Gadsden II and David Njoku are solid. Omarion Hampton will also handle receiver duties. This is feeling very "Bills" very quickly.

Tight Ends

1. Brock Bowers, LV

2. Trey McBride, ARI

3. Tyler Warren, IND

4. Colston Loveland, CHI

5. Tucker Kraft, GB

6. Sam LaPorta, DET

7. Harold Fannin Jr., CLE

8. George Kittle, SF

9. Isaiah Likely, NYG

10. Kyle Pitts Sr., ATL

11. Mark Andrews, BAL

12. Dallas Goedert, PHI

13. Dalton Kincaid, BUF

14. Travis Kelce, KC

15. Jake Ferguson, DAL

16. Greg Dulcich, MIA

17. David Njoku, LAC

18. Gunnar Helm, TEN

19. Terrance Ferguson, LAR

20. Chig Okonkwo, WAS

21. Brenton Strange, JAC

22. Kenyon Sadiq, NYJ

23. T.J. Hockenson, MIN

24. Cade Otton, TB

25. Hunter Henry, NE

Tyler Warren.

The upside to explode a tight end -- for someone who was a first-round pick and averaged 10.7 FPPG in full games with Daniel Jones last year -- is the chance to lead your team in targets. Michael Pittman Jr. is gone, Alec Pierce is battling an injury, and Jonathan Taylor's MVP-level season will be hard to duplicate just on the basis of Taylor having missed 16 total games in three years prior to 2025. Warren could have a monstrous year as a short-area target for Jones.

I'm largely on board with "Brock Bowers could nuke fantasy" in a receiver-devoid Raiders offense, too.

Two tight ends I'm bearish on are Colston Loveland, who I think is being drafted at his ceiling while baking in an All-Pro sort of leap, and Dalton Kincaid, whose per-route efficiency doesn't mean much when we have a multi-year sample that this identical Bills tight end room will cap his snap rate to 60% at a maximum.

Print the 2026 Fantasy Football Half-PPR Cheat Sheet HERE

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