Issue #283: Pound-For-Pound

By Derrick Ernst

June 14, 2026

Round-For-Round

I owe you guys a two-pager. I’m in the process of making significant updates to the website (more on that in a future issue) and wouldn’t mind some extra time back. If you haven’t done so yet, please check out our Draft Guide. It has been redesigned in a format that mirrors the round-by-round layout you’re used to seeing from prior years. We have a lot to discuss.

• There’s real possibility to lock up the best QB, RB/WR, and TE. If you have an early pick (1-4) you can go Gibbs/Bijan/Puka/Chase in R1, followed by J. Allen and McBride/Bowers at the R2/3 turn. You could literally hoard RB/WR for the rest of the draft and be sitting pretty

• I’m not under the mindset that you need to knock out one position after another before double-dipping, in fact I think this is a bad approach, but if the ranks stack up that way, you have to at least entertain it

• I touched on this the other day, but it baffles me that Kelce isn't projected to go until R9. Same for Kittle. They’re both ranked as if their careers will fall off a cliff. I think that’s a mistake. Warren going in the back of R5 intrigues me too

• Per usual, the later rounds need more filling out — layering in D/ST and K will help. I am pleased to see how evenly spread our guide is through R10

• As things currently sit, my favorite mid- to late-round target is K. Monangai, CHI (RB). D. Swift had the better year statistically in ’25, but Monangai was just as productive with the looks he got — which was a lot (200 attempts and targets)! Swift is going three rounds sooner and is in the final year of his contract. I simply think the tide will change at some point this season with Monangai overtaking RB1 duties

If I Could Have It My Way

This would be the team I draft based on all that we know today (12-team half point PPR league). Standard roster (QB, 2x RB, 3x WR, TE, FLEX, D/ST, K, 5 Bench) with the assumption that I have a middle-round pick. I can draft “down” in a round, but not “up.” In other words, with pick 6 I can draft the guy with a 10 overall ADP, but not 4 overall.

The Draft

R1: Christian McCaffrey, SF (RB)

R2: Josh Allen, BUF (QB)

R3: Malik Nabers, NYG (WR)

R4: Ladd McConkey, LAC (WR)

Let’s pause here. I need to be conscious with the fact that I’ll have more RBs being targeted in the back half of the draft than WRs. Going RB heavy in the first few rounds will really put me in a pickle later on. We obviously need to keep a close eye on Nabers’ status throughout the summer. He, Higgins, Flowers, McConkey are all relatively in the same area of the board. If Nabers falls, the others will rise.

R5: Tyler Warren, IND (TE)

R6: RJ Harvey, DEN (RB)

R7: Kyle Monangai, CHI (RB)

R8: Michael Pittman, PIT (WR)

R9: Travis Kelce, KC (TE)

Breaking in again. Me drafting two TEs is unusual. But, there are always exceptions to the rule. If that exception involves guys named Kelce and Warren, I think it’s warranted. There’s absolutely a chance they both lead their teams in targets. I mean, they both did so last season.

R10: Tyler Shough, NO (QB)

R11: Woody Marks, HOU (RB)

R12: Chris Rodriguez, JAX (RB)

R13: WR yet to be determined

R14: D/ST or K

R15: D/ST or K

The Roster

QB: Josh Allen, BUF

RB: Christian McCaffrey, SF

RB: RJ Harvey, DEN

WR: Malik Nabers, NYG

WR: Ladd McConkey, LAC

WR: Michael Pittman, PIT

TE: Tyler Warren, IND

FLEX: Travis Kelce, KC

D/ST: Pending availability

K: Pending availability

Bench: Tyler Shough, Kyle Monangai, Woody Marks, Chris Rodriguez, WR TBD

This team may look light in the WR department, but it’s important to keep in mind that CMC sees 100+ targets when playing a full season. Harvey is the lead pass-catching RB DEN rosters and we just touched on Warren’s and Kelce’s tgt share. Note, staying true to my word in drafting a second QB. Though, Purdy, Goff, Lawrence are all great late-round options. Over the next few issues we’ll touch on D/ST and K which will fill in some of the gaps as well.