Updated

Updated · FantasyPros · Jul 23

FantasyPros Flags 2026 Draft Values From RB13 Kyren Williams to WR80 Stefon Diggs

Updated

Updated · FantasyPros · Jul 23

FantasyPros Flags 2026 Draft Values From RB13 Kyren Williams to WR80 Stefon Diggs

Q: Which of 2026's top fantasy 'value' picks carries the most risk of becoming a season-ending bust?

Kenneth Walker appears to carry the most season-ending bust risk among the 2026 “value” picks. The upside case is clear: Kansas City paid him like a featured back, and experts expect a heavy workload in a retooled Chiefs run game. But the same reporting also flags the biggest danger. Walker has a notable injury history, including missed time with calf, oblique and ankle issues, and a high ankle sprain that ended a previous season. Now he is being projected for a larger workload than he has typically handled, which raises the durability question even more. That matters because his fantasy value depends heavily on volume. Unlike some other value picks who can still survive on targets or committee usage, Walker’s draft appeal is tied to becoming the Chiefs’ clear lead runner. If injuries interrupt that role, the payoff disappears quickly. The added pressure of supporting an offense managing Patrick Mahomes’ recovery only increases the risk of overuse. Other candidates have real downside, but not quite the same combination of fragility and role dependence. Matthew Stafford is a strong regression candidate because of age, touchdown-rate luck and no rushing floor, but that points more to underperformance than a season-ending bust. Omarion Hampton has health and workload-share concerns, while Rachaad White faces role ambiguity in a committee. Walker stands out because the path to failure is the most direct: a heavy new workload on a back with a documented injury record.

Q: Is Isaiah Likely a true breakout star or will the Giants' offense struggle without a healthy Malik Nabers?

Isaiah Likely looks more like a legitimate breakout candidate than a mirage, but his ceiling is tied to how functional the Giants’ passing game is without a fully healthy Malik Nabers. The case for Likely is strong. He signed a three-year, $40 million deal with the Giants, reunited with John Harbaugh, and lands in a system expected to lean heavily on tight ends and 12 personnel. Multiple fantasy analysts project a career year, with some viewing him as a top-10 tight end possibility. The opportunity is real: in Baltimore he flashed TE1-level production when given starter-level usage, and in New York he has a clearer path to being one of the top targets. Nabers’ health is the swing factor for the offense as a whole. Reports indicate his recovery from a major knee injury remains uncertain, even if there is optimism he avoids the PUP list. That matters because Nabers is not just the Giants’ best receiver; he is the player the passing game is built around, coming off a massive target share and elite production when healthy. If he is limited or misses time, the offense likely becomes less explosive and less efficient overall. Paradoxically, that same scenario could help Likely’s fantasy value. With fewer proven pass-catchers behind Nabers, Likely could become Jaxson Dart’s most reliable intermediate option and a safety valve in a new offense. So Likely can break out even if the Giants struggle, but a healthy Nabers would make that breakout more sustainable and efficient.

3 articles · Updated · FantasyPros · Jul 23

FantasyPros’ 2026 value-pick roundup spotlights players its experts rank above market cost, with running backs drawing the strongest endorsements across early and mid-round drafts.
RB13 Kyren Williams, RB24 David Montgomery and RB37 Rachaad White were among the clearest bargains cited, while Kenneth Walker at RB12 and Javonte Williams at RB17 were also tagged as undervalued workloads.
At receiver, experts highlighted upside from WR30 Carnell Tate and WR37 Parker Washington, while calling unsigned Stefon Diggs at WR80 and Jalen McMillan at WR68 cheap late-round bets.
QB9 Trevor Lawrence and QB15 Matthew Stafford led the quarterback values, with Kyler Murray at QB17 and Jared Goff outside the top 15 framed as wait-on-QB targets.
TE13 Isaiah Likely emerged as the most repeated tight-end pick, while Mark Andrews at TE15 and Greg Dulcich as a late flier rounded out a rankings-based guide aimed at exploiting ADP gaps.