3 players you NEED on your roster for the 2026 Fantasy Football Season

I am most excited about is what you just allude to this marriage of skill sets. Hey, I'm Liz Lose. This is Facts vs. Feelings and today's fact is that sometimes you just need a little change of scenery. We have got DOP in a box. Look at him pop right up. That is adorable, Daniel. How are you? I'm good. My knees are sore. I'm not as sprightly as I used to be. It's a small box back here, but it is comfortable still. Well, I'm glad that you're finding it comfortable because you're going to be in there for the rest of the season. Wait, are you telling me that I'm going to be a part of Facts vs. Feelings for the rest of the 2026 football season? Every single week, my friend. I just feel like the Jonah hill gets right there. Yeah, I'm so pumped. This is going to be a blast. Are you kidding me? Why not put another shrimp on the bobby mate? Wow. Why are we doing it in Australia? Don't you know that the USMNT beat the soccer ruse? We are. You're right. Actually, we're trying to make it. Yeah. Also, this show is not for football. That's right. It is for football. American football. We were never meant to talk about the other ones. Let's dive into a couple players here. Some old faces, potentially smashing in new places. Liz Lose, I'm going to start in New England where Arthur, Juan, Brown got traded from Philly to the New England Patriots. He's going to be the wide receiver one for Drake May. We've been waiting for him to be able to have someone other than Philadelphia as his team. How are you feeling about him now on the Patriots? Well, first of all, we love a little reunion. Obviously, Brown and Mike Raeble reuniting. Raeble was his coach back in Tennessee at the top of his career. But I think the point I am most excited about is what you just allude to this marriage of skill sets between May and Brown. Drake May, obviously, one of the best deep ball throwers in the league last year. He was the QB4 in deep ball attempts and the QB2 in air yards per attempt. That works out very well for Brown, who is an elite vertical threat per our colleague field. Yates, here's a fun stat over the past four seasons. Brown has registered 18 receiving touchdowns on balls thrown 20 plus air yards down the field. No other player in the NFL has had as many. So we know that the giants flash plays, those big plays, should be there between these two. We also know that the volume is going to be there with Stefan Diggs no longer in New England. He drew over 100 targets last season. And that was as the team was managing his snaps. And he was coming back from an ACL issue. So I do think that Brown is going to see a massive target share here. Really produce. I have him ranked as my wide receiver, 11. But I do think he has wide receiver five upside. I am totally with you. Love all of that analysis, Liz. I have him as my wide receiver, 12. He has been a top 13 wide receiver in five of his last six seasons. And hopefully you can do it again here when he is in New England. All right. Let's move ahead and talk about Wondell Robinson, who has been smashing in the target share department. But now moves on to the Tennessee Titans with cam Ward sign of four years, $70 million contract. Going to have to share some time though with some young pups in this offense. How you feeling about Wondell in Tennessee? Well, a couple of things. I don't think that in Tennessee, actually, another reunion, right? Robinson reuniting with Brian Dable, who's the Titans new offensive coordinator. And obviously was the coach while Robinson was in New York. So another reunion where we feel comfortable with, especially because Dable obviously likes the talent and veteran presence that Robinson brings and knows how to properly utilize him. Robinson is interesting because he especially thrives as a high floor player, a security blanket in the short to intermediate range of the field. Great slot guy. I don't think he's going to see 140 targets like he has drawn over the past two seasons. He's going to really help cam Ward stay honest. And I think he's going to work as a safety valve. He's going to see still a solid number of looks. And we know that he is really reliable in that regard. And I like his ADP. Right now he is staying on draft boards until the 11th or 12th rounds. I expect him to have really secure flex appeal as a PPR monster this season. So the value is fantastic. One more I want to bring the table. Someone that's near and dear to both of our hearts, David Montgomery, used to be on your bears. Now used to be on my Detroit Lions, officially a Houston, Texan going to be the RB one in that offense. How you feeling about money now being separate from Jumir Gibbs and getting his own workload in Houston? First of all, my favorite David Montgomery fun fact, he was an eagle scout growing up. So we know he is resourceful and he has proven such in every single stop. I also think that he has the skill set, while not incredibly electric or dynamic, but to be a serviceable every down back. He saw him play the role of knuckles to, as you mentioned, Jumir Gibbs sonic in Detroit. Last year though, wheels fell off the wagon a little bit. Volume really receded. He was the RB 31 and fantasy points per game. But I think the volume forces a rebound in Houston. The Texans did nothing in the draft to add competition, leaving him and just Woody Marks who did flashes a rookie, but also demonstrated that he wasn't really up to the task to being a primary ball carrier. I think that means that Monty is going to see probably 15 to 17 touches per game and that kind of volume makes him a low end RB 2, maybe in a deeper league, high end RB 3. But when you look at the scarcity at the running back position, I am all over his value with a very nice overall ADP of 69.9. Yeah, that is quite nice. Liz, all the things that you line up, I'm a little bit worried about the touchdown equity in the Houston offense, but that's why he's going as RB 20 to 25, not RB 15 like he was the last two years. So hopefully still some good things on the horizon for David Montgomery. All right, just like for us, good things on the horizon. Like Liz said, we're going to be here the entirety of the season. Make sure you head on over to the NFL on ESPN YouTube page. Subscribe to us there and you can hang out with us every single Thursday. We need to fax versus feelings. Also if you listen to this as a podcast, please leave us a five star review wherever you listen to podcasts that helps out tremendously. And last but not least, our voicemail line is back, which means if you've got questions, fantasy questions, draft questions, relationship advice questions, anything that you got, Liz is good at most of it. I'm good at the other stuff. So between the two of us, we have got you covered. The voicemail line number is Liz Lose. 3, 2, 3, 3, 9, 1, 4, 8, 5, 5, nailed it. This is a safe place to place where we can feel free sharing our feelings. Now let's get comfortable on the couch for some fantasy therapy, a safe space for all your fantasy football questions. Dup, who do we have first? First question, Liz Lose. This is a voicemail from Yosef Colter from Milwaukee. Where does Omerian Hampton rank among running backs coming to the 2026 NFL season? Well, Yosef, thank you for calling in and I will admit that I am very bullish on Omerian Hampton. He's currently my RB 8, but if I was on one and someone really wanted to talk me into something, I think I could rank him as high as my RB 5. I think I could move him up and I might just as the summer continues to unfold. There's so much to like here in Los Angeles for Hampton coming into a second season, obviously starting with the offensive line, which appears to be back to health. Additionally, the addition of Charlie Kohler tight end from the Baltimore Ravens, the Chargers made him the highest paid blocking tight end in the NFL. So I think that says something a lot rather about bolstering this offensive line and providing lanes for Hampton. And I'm probably bearing the lead here, but obviously Mike McDaniel coming along the run game. So Vaunt should help lift this entire run game. Obviously benefiting Hampton who also has as we know, and every downskill set. All right. Question is a DM. This one comes from MQ127 says Don Tavian Wix. Will he emerge in Philly? Wow. Well, I appreciate that this listener has been doing some research because I do think there's a good chance that Wix could at least start the season as the birds number two wide receiver assigned to one year extension. We're $12 million with the bulk of that money guaranteed. So I think that's a vote of confidence that Wix could work as a stopgap. Obviously, that's the asterisk here. While McIleman, who the team added via the draft in the first round, finds his pro legs. Also, we've been talking about reunions. It seems all episode long and Sean Manion, who was the QB's coach in Green Bay last year is now the Eagles offensive coordinator. So some familiarity there. I don't really think you need to draft Wix. I want to see how the summer unfolds. But I do think maybe you're keeping an eye on him or potentially stashing him in a deeper league. All right. This next question comes from @gbuttsnaps. So wants to know how high do we draft George Pickens? By the way, return question. Thank you for sending in another question this week. Gee, but a snaps. We love a gee but a snap and we love George Pickens, who is currently going in the third round. I might, you know, depending on my league size. reach for him at the back of the second round. I think he bet on himself last year and it really worked out in his favor. Obviously It is wonderful to attach yourself to a high octane offense that is led by a capable signal caller because there tends to be enough production to support two fantasy relevant wide receivers as we saw with lamb and Pickens last year no pickens obviously got a bit of a boost when lamb missed three weeks But his target share did not change that much in fact weeks four to six without lamb pickens averaged 8.6 targets per game week seven through 18 once lamb returned 8.1 targets per game his fantasy numbers per game Were again inflated because he just scored so many dang touchdowns while lamb was Side-lined, but I think we really like this pairing I Believe that pickens is gonna be a low-end wide receiver one. That's where I have him rank So again, I think his ADP right now is fair if you can get him in the third round great You want to reach because you believe into the back half of the second. I don't hate it I'm with you on this one. Liz where he's going right now as wide receiver 12 You're gonna have this is the best team right now the two best wide receivers I believe in fantasy football from one team and it's the Dallas Cowboys are gonna throw the ball at on Well, I do want to add though. I don't think his target share is gonna be the same This year as it was last year because I do think the defense will improve in Dallas. No, you know who knows But I don't think we can bet on it being as bad. So I do think the target cheer might go down a little bit, but Not significant enough for me to slide him down my rankings at all Yes, he did very well even with CD lamb there and did great when CD lamb wasn't there if anything happens again You'd have a wide receiver one on your hands immediately all right last question. We have from at Collins J 1967 Liz Geno Smith and the Jets number two wide receiver situation I mean, it's very much up for grabs and when we're talking about first Geno Smith though I think Geno Smith is probably better for the receivers in his ability to add stability then as a Fantasy option at the quarterback position right we're not really drafting Geno Smith unless we're talking about a super flex league And even then I think there might be some better higher upside off options and to that point I think that upside option is what I want so I'm not really interested in betting on 80 Mitchell here who is the theoretical Number two behind Garrett Wilson I'm frankly not really interested in investing in a lot of the Jets beyond Garrett Wilson and Breeze Hall Yeah, and if I had to pick someone in this offense Liz we see it very similarly Kenyan Sadeek I guess is the guy that like maybe I have the most excitement on because outside of Garrett Wilson right we're talking about like the The rookies and new guys that are coming in I feel like Sadeek is the one that I would probably have more excitement on than actually one of those number two wide receivers Hoping that he can develop we've seen rookie tight ends do really well recently in the NFL So maybe he can be one of those guys can be another safety valve for Geno Smith Yeah, he obviously has the athletic profile to do something like that and Why not take a flyer on a position that is much more shallow than wide receiver? All right, Danu you went from a little box to a big box which signals to me and the audience that you are coming on for a guest segment right now Love that it sounded about the size of the box. It's how you use it Liz. What kind of a segment is this? Well, we are gonna play a little game like we do with all of our guests called fact or feeling I'm gonna read a statement you will tell me whether it is a fact or feeling and then you know we'll wrap things up with maybe a spicy take sound good Okay, I can handle this. Let's do it. All right. Let's start with number one fact or feeling Brock Bowers is worth drafting in the second round That is a feeling. I just think that's too early I don't think that Brock Bowers is necessarily gonna be a bust But based on where I think some other tight ends are gonna finish this year that ADP is just a little too rich for me I'd rather wait and grab a tight end a little later on in drafts and Find someone else in the second round that I think has a better position of value at that point of the draft then go with Brock Bowers again Not saying there's gonna be a bust but just for me not worth it in the second round Agreed completely factor feeling the Lions will finish this season. Oh my god with a better record than the Bears I don't like that. Oh Liz why don't you give me that thought please get you? Of course, they're gonna finish with a better record than the Bears But I do want to see this I do think that the Lions and Bears are gonna be the top two NFC North teams for a number of years in a row Everything that both of these coaching staffs these organizations the way that they have acquired their players It just feels like we are both of us. We're gonna be the top two there But this year with that fourth place schedule. We have a much easier schedule across the board Yeah, and so I think because of that it just tips the scales in our direction a little bit Also not to be overly superstitious though. We all know how much I like to sage spaces little bit nervous about Caleb Williams the Madden cover Yeah, yes The curve just I didn't like it. I didn't like it. It gave me the Ick Um, but you know what we're just gonna lean in and appreciate what happened and what can happen in the future All right moving on factor feeling Tyler Warren is gonna have a sophomore slump That is a feeling I think Tyler Warren is a great tight end this year a couple reasons Michael Pittman Jr No longer there that means that a lot of those over the middle targets that he was soaking up has to go to somebody Do I think he will go to Alec Pierce so they just paid $150 billion to run go routes to no I don't I don't think that's where they want to use him So the other guy that's there in my mind is gonna be Josh Downs And I think that if they're gonna choose someone over the middle of the field that's gonna be that big tight end They drafted last year in the first round. It's again one of the reasons why I'm out on Brock Bauer so early I think Tyler Warren is a great Prospect this year especially based on what is 80p is right now and with Daniel Jones coming off of an Achilles tear You know it's gonna take him a minute He's gonna need a safety valve and Warren certainly proved that he could handle that role as a rookie So I agree there as well factor feeling going on tour for two weeks with a rock band is far better than going on a tropical vacation That is a fact and it's not even close no offense to the tropical vacation Yes, put me in a van with nine other dudes for two weeks any day of the week I would rather have that no offense to my wonderful wife Rosie who is and I'm sure fantastic to spend two weeks with at a beach in the Bahamas But just give me the guys by the way you have actually that is true But I think put me in a van and let's go around Give me a thousands of miles. We're gonna see a bunch of different cities. You're gonna play shows every night come on That's that's the life. I would much rather yeah I gotta admit Daniel from my perspective getting an a van with putting me in a van with seven dudes sounds like the beginning of a True crime story not any sort of vacation so no thank you anyway to each their own moving on Fact or feeling Jalen Mcmillan is a late-round steal in fantasy drafts That is a fact. I really like Jalen Mcmillan right now coming off the board at 163 which means it's not even being drafted 160 is the end of the draft so only going in a handful of drafts by people that really want to take a stab at him late And I love the idea of as the wide receiver three in this Tampa offense no Mike Evans Chris Godwin coming back, but he's still a little bit older and he's not fully there yet if there's any time in which Chris Godwin misses any games this year Jalen Mcmillan is gonna be the wide receiver - and he crushed it his rookie year down the stretch Final four games of the season last year week 17 had an unbelievable game when the bucks have had to count on him He has absolutely come through so for the fact that he is costing you nothing To throw a dart for one of Baker Mayfields Potentially trusted targets again. This only happens if Chris Godwin Either gets hurt or something happens a role kind of has to vacate here But I love him as one of those options to consider because I think there's more meat on the Jalen with mill and bone than people have given credit for Definitely another drum beat player to keep your ear to the ground on and a potential breakout candidate There could be something brewing here. So I like that as well Finally, I mentioned I would ask you for a spicy take here is your opportunity to give us your way to early hot take for 2026 My way to really hot take for 2026 is that Christian McCaffrey will finish outside the top seven of running backs I actually have him ranked as RB nine right now That is courageous because the rest of us have not had the gumption to move our rankings despite the fact that I Think the bulk of the ESPN rankers feel very similarly and I will admit that I've been avoiding him in draft So I should probably if I'm being transparent fall at your suit. Well, this it's hard because you're really putting yourself out there when you do it But I I got to this point where as I'm doing drafts I just recognize one I'm not drafting Christian McCaffrey because he doesn't fall far enough to get to me But there's no one in that range where he's going where I would rather have him over those guys to be honest with all the touches that he had last year And I said the same thing about Saekwon last season Christian McCaffrey had 450 touches last season and this is a guy I was all in last year coming off the injury, but yes now at 30 after having so many touches last year with the injury history And the age unfortunately that he is at I feel like I would rather have some of the what I think is a sure bet and some of the younger guys Than going with a guy that has an injury injury history and has seen an Historical workload that potentially impacts what his season could be here in 2026 so for me even though it might seem crazy I'm trying to put my money where my mouth is or my ranking where my mouth is I've got Christian McCaffrey as RB9 right now in my ranking Do you have O'Marion Hampton ranked ahead of him? I, in fact, do. He is my RB8. Bold, bold. I love it. I love the gumshin. I love the honesty. I love the analysis. And I love having you on the show every single week. Thanks for being here. And I'll see you again next Thursday. Sounds like a plan. LIST COLD! Today we learned that AJ Brown and Drake May are a potential match made in fantasy heaven that Daniel Dobb really does struggle with accents. And that a change of scenery can provide the exact lift you need. After all, you can't grow in a place that keeps you stuck. Remember, you can leave us a voicemail. Go ahead and hit us up at 3-2-3-3-9-1-4-8-5-5. Until next time, may your facts be solid, your feelings be right, and your bus be someone else's problem.