1 day ago
It's always fun to joke about air yards.
I do it all the time with my Rotoworld Football Show cohosts in desperately trying to make a case that a player is due for (positive or negative) regression based on his air yards accumulation from the prior week or the past few outings. And it always sounds like one long comedy bit: This player saw so many air yards that could have been converted into actual, real-life receiving yards bro, I swear bro, trust me on this.
Air yards, whether we like it or not — and most fantasy folks definitely do not like it — are a good measure of a pass catcher's opportunity and the type of passing volume in a given offense. That air yards don't always translate into real, edible receiving yards is just part of our frustrating little game. We make small bets here and there and hope things break right from week to week and prove our process correct more often than not. It's not any more complicated than that, even if we desperately want it to be.
Over the past few seasons I have used this ****** e to talk mostly about guys with exceptionally high or low touchdown rates. Air yards has mostly been a side issue in the Regression Files. That will change in 2026: I want Regression Files to be your weekly go-to for (freely available) air yards data and what it means for your various fantasy football teams.
GET YOUR FREE ROTOWORLD FANTASY FOOTBALL DRAFT KIT HERE!
#rotoworld
I do it all the time with my Rotoworld Football Show cohosts in desperately trying to make a case that a player is due for (positive or negative) regression based on his air yards accumulation from the prior week or the past few outings. And it always sounds like one long comedy bit: This player saw so many air yards that could have been converted into actual, real-life receiving yards bro, I swear bro, trust me on this.
Air yards, whether we like it or not — and most fantasy folks definitely do not like it — are a good measure of a pass catcher's opportunity and the type of passing volume in a given offense. That air yards don't always translate into real, edible receiving yards is just part of our frustrating little game. We make small bets here and there and hope things break right from week to week and prove our process correct more often than not. It's not any more complicated than that, even if we desperately want it to be.
Over the past few seasons I have used this ****** e to talk mostly about guys with exceptionally high or low touchdown rates. Air yards has mostly been a side issue in the Regression Files. That will change in 2026: I want Regression Files to be your weekly go-to for (freely available) air yards data and what it means for your various fantasy football teams.
GET YOUR FREE ROTOWORLD FANTASY FOOTBALL DRAFT KIT HERE!
#rotoworld
12 days ago
With one weekend of preseason football left and roster cutdown day fast approaching, it's safe to say that the fantasy football season is in full swing. Friends, family, and bitter rivals will gather across the country to renew leagues and put bragging rights on the line for a shot at fantasy glory.
We have recently released our Top-200 PPR rankings, which are available free of charge to all readers and will be updated regularly until the start of the season. The Rotoworld rankings listed below are based on their last update of 8/26, but be sure to check in regularly for any changes. Now, in hopes of giving you a little bit more of an edge, we wanted to see how our rankings stack up to those on other sites, whose default ranks often drive the outcomes of fantasy drafts.
In this article, we'll look to find some of the biggest discrepancies in the Rotoworld top 200 rankings compared to the default rankings of ESPN, Yahoo, and Sleeper, in hopes of giving fantasy managers an edge and finding what we believe to be some of the biggest values on the board as they prepare for their drafts over the next few weeks.
NOTE: Stats and information courtesy of PFF.com, RotoViz.com, ProFootballReference.com, NextGenStats.NFL.com, 4For4.com, FantasyPoints.com and RBSDM.com. All scoring is based on full-PPR leagues.
GET YOUR FREE ROTOWORLD FANTASY FOOTBALL DRAFT KIT HERE!
#Football #free #full #regularly
We have recently released our Top-200 PPR rankings, which are available free of charge to all readers and will be updated regularly until the start of the season. The Rotoworld rankings listed below are based on their last update of 8/26, but be sure to check in regularly for any changes. Now, in hopes of giving you a little bit more of an edge, we wanted to see how our rankings stack up to those on other sites, whose default ranks often drive the outcomes of fantasy drafts.
In this article, we'll look to find some of the biggest discrepancies in the Rotoworld top 200 rankings compared to the default rankings of ESPN, Yahoo, and Sleeper, in hopes of giving fantasy managers an edge and finding what we believe to be some of the biggest values on the board as they prepare for their drafts over the next few weeks.
NOTE: Stats and information courtesy of PFF.com, RotoViz.com, ProFootballReference.com, NextGenStats.NFL.com, 4For4.com, FantasyPoints.com and RBSDM.com. All scoring is based on full-PPR leagues.
GET YOUR FREE ROTOWORLD FANTASY FOOTBALL DRAFT KIT HERE!
#Football #free #full #regularly
14 days ago
Fantasy football draft season is kicking into gear, which means we're all searching for rankings to help us with our drafts or collect insights to modify our rankings. Last week, I put out my pre-season DST rankings, but I wanted to put out a separate article just looking at early-season schedules.
A lot of the time, people will say, "Who cares? I just stream" or "Just take whoever's left in the last round." I do believe we can maximize the effectiveness of our drafts with just a touch of strategy. Drafting a D/ST doesn't have the same make-or-break consequence as drafting your first-round wide receiver or your sleeper RB in the middle rounds, but it is still a decision with ripple effects that can cost you one week or potentially more during your season.
Below, I'll give you some of my favorite defenses to target in fantasy football drafts this summer, but I also wanted to touch on my general strategy for drafting defenses. This is a strategy discussion I had in my other article as well, so if you read that, you can skip to the early-season defenses section.
GET YOUR FREE ROTOWORLD FANTASY FOOTBALL DRAFT KIT HERE!
Before I get into the specific teams, I did want to briefly mention my general strategy for drafting defenses.
#season #drafting #strategy #draft
A lot of the time, people will say, "Who cares? I just stream" or "Just take whoever's left in the last round." I do believe we can maximize the effectiveness of our drafts with just a touch of strategy. Drafting a D/ST doesn't have the same make-or-break consequence as drafting your first-round wide receiver or your sleeper RB in the middle rounds, but it is still a decision with ripple effects that can cost you one week or potentially more during your season.
Below, I'll give you some of my favorite defenses to target in fantasy football drafts this summer, but I also wanted to touch on my general strategy for drafting defenses. This is a strategy discussion I had in my other article as well, so if you read that, you can skip to the early-season defenses section.
GET YOUR FREE ROTOWORLD FANTASY FOOTBALL DRAFT KIT HERE!
Before I get into the specific teams, I did want to briefly mention my general strategy for drafting defenses.
#season #drafting #strategy #draft
22 days ago
When the term "sleeper" comes up in fantasy leagues, it can elicit an eye-roll or two. We get it. Your mileage may vary on where these players fit in your draft plan, but for us, it's all about value relative to draft position.
The Rotoworld Football crew put together their list of 2026 sleepers below, which runs the gamut from familiar names to ones where you have to scroll down a bit in your draft room. Stay tuned for our "bust" selections later this week.
GET YOUR FREE ROTOWORLD FANTASY FOOTBALL DRAFT KIT HERE!
Let's count the number of third or fourth-down snaps that Woody Marks played last year: It was 34. Dare Ogunbowale was getting third-down work for the Texans over Marks in most situations last year. Now I'm supposed to believe that the Texans, who traded a fourth-round pick for David Montgomery and gave him a new contract, are going to split third-down snaps off to a guy that did little empirically last year and who they clearly didn't trust? I'm sure Marks will have a role here, and I'm sure Montgomery won't play 85 percent of the snaps. But he might play 80, and the volume role in an offense that wants to run has me very optimistic that Montgomery will smash his RB20-ish ADP as long as he stays healthy. - Rivers McCown
As the resident Keaton Mitchell truther, I have no choice but to tout him as a sleeper for this upcoming season. Mitchell has been one of the most explosive players in the league since making the Ravens as a rookie UDFA in 2023. His career 6.8 yards per touch, which comes on a limited 140-touch sample, is tied for the highest in the league among 84 RBs with 140 or more touches, and now he has a chance to work with a coach who will value his abilities both as a runner and a pass-catcher in Mike McDaniel. Mitchell was underutilized during his time with the Ravens. Despite a college profile that included 60 receptions over three seasons, Mitchell managed just 19 receptions in three seasons with the Ravens and was used almost exclusively as a runner. Early training camp reports have suggested he will be much more involved in the passing game, which could make for a decent floor in PPR leagues, especially if he operates at the clear No. 2 back behind Omarion Hampton. - Zachary Krueger
#mitchell #Ravens #Third #last
The Rotoworld Football crew put together their list of 2026 sleepers below, which runs the gamut from familiar names to ones where you have to scroll down a bit in your draft room. Stay tuned for our "bust" selections later this week.
GET YOUR FREE ROTOWORLD FANTASY FOOTBALL DRAFT KIT HERE!
Let's count the number of third or fourth-down snaps that Woody Marks played last year: It was 34. Dare Ogunbowale was getting third-down work for the Texans over Marks in most situations last year. Now I'm supposed to believe that the Texans, who traded a fourth-round pick for David Montgomery and gave him a new contract, are going to split third-down snaps off to a guy that did little empirically last year and who they clearly didn't trust? I'm sure Marks will have a role here, and I'm sure Montgomery won't play 85 percent of the snaps. But he might play 80, and the volume role in an offense that wants to run has me very optimistic that Montgomery will smash his RB20-ish ADP as long as he stays healthy. - Rivers McCown
As the resident Keaton Mitchell truther, I have no choice but to tout him as a sleeper for this upcoming season. Mitchell has been one of the most explosive players in the league since making the Ravens as a rookie UDFA in 2023. His career 6.8 yards per touch, which comes on a limited 140-touch sample, is tied for the highest in the league among 84 RBs with 140 or more touches, and now he has a chance to work with a coach who will value his abilities both as a runner and a pass-catcher in Mike McDaniel. Mitchell was underutilized during his time with the Ravens. Despite a college profile that included 60 receptions over three seasons, Mitchell managed just 19 receptions in three seasons with the Ravens and was used almost exclusively as a runner. Early training camp reports have suggested he will be much more involved in the passing game, which could make for a decent floor in PPR leagues, especially if he operates at the clear No. 2 back behind Omarion Hampton. - Zachary Krueger
#mitchell #Ravens #Third #last
26 days ago
Banking on hyper-efficiency is almost always a thin bet.
Sometimes it works. Sometimes you find an undervalued player in the middle of final rounds of your various fantasy drafts who turns limited opportunity into a an embarrassment of statistical riches (almost) every Sunday. That's nice. It'll make you feel like a god dang genius too. It's also, to reiterate, not a great bet.
This is a long and overwrought way of saying a team's offensive snap volume matters. Sometimes, if that play volume is extremely high or extremely low, it matters a lot, probably more than you would like because maybe you see fantasy football as a game based entirely on identifying talent. That's part of it. But ours is a game within a game; offensive environment — including the numbers of snaps and drop backs and rushes a team has every week — drives the opportunity that makes or breaks a player's season. My longtime friend and excellent fantasy ******* yst Patrick Thorman has been singing this song since the zoomers were in diapers. You'll read Pat's stuff if you know what's good for you.
GET YOUR FREE ROTOWORLD FANTASY FOOTBALL DRAFT KIT HERE!
Below is a quick look at every teams' 2025 offensive snaps totals. The league leaders benefited from what amounts to an extra two games worth of offensive plays compared to the bottom dwellers. That sort of thing matters quite a bit in fantasy football.
#matters #game #Opportunity #like
Sometimes it works. Sometimes you find an undervalued player in the middle of final rounds of your various fantasy drafts who turns limited opportunity into a an embarrassment of statistical riches (almost) every Sunday. That's nice. It'll make you feel like a god dang genius too. It's also, to reiterate, not a great bet.
This is a long and overwrought way of saying a team's offensive snap volume matters. Sometimes, if that play volume is extremely high or extremely low, it matters a lot, probably more than you would like because maybe you see fantasy football as a game based entirely on identifying talent. That's part of it. But ours is a game within a game; offensive environment — including the numbers of snaps and drop backs and rushes a team has every week — drives the opportunity that makes or breaks a player's season. My longtime friend and excellent fantasy ******* yst Patrick Thorman has been singing this song since the zoomers were in diapers. You'll read Pat's stuff if you know what's good for you.
GET YOUR FREE ROTOWORLD FANTASY FOOTBALL DRAFT KIT HERE!
Below is a quick look at every teams' 2025 offensive snaps totals. The league leaders benefited from what amounts to an extra two games worth of offensive plays compared to the bottom dwellers. That sort of thing matters quite a bit in fantasy football.
#matters #game #Opportunity #like
1 month ago
Rotoworld's Top 200 Rankings—an average of ranks from Denny Carter, Patrick Daugherty, and myself—are live. They're updated with every news item and training camp update we get. Using them as a baseline, I've created tiers for every position. We view players within a tier roughly equally. Knowing when to strike at a position is just as important as knowing who to draft. These tiers should help you structure your draft in a way that maximizes value.
GET YOUR FREE ROTOWORLD FANTASY FOOTBALL DRAFT KIT HERE!
No surprises here as the TE1 overall in 2025 and 2024 appear in the first tier. The ceiling with these two players is limitless in a way other tight ends can only dream of. McBride posted the third-most points for a tight end in NFL history last year, largely by setting the receptions record at 126. That goes down as 10 more than any other tight end in league history. Bowers holds the record for fantasy points by a rookie tight end. Even in a down 2025 season, his 43.3 PPR points in Week 9—on the back of a 12-127-3 receiving line—are the fourth-most for a tight end since the turn of the century. In both season-long and single-week measures, these two tight ends stand above the rest.
I strongly considered moving Loveland into Tier 1 and Warren into Tier 3. Loveland's final four games (including the postseason) were off the charts. He was targeted 48 times in total and topped 90 yards in three contests. Ben Johnson funneled him a 31 percent target share and a 35 percent air yards share. The Bears asked Loveland to be the centerpiece of their passing attack late in his rookie season and he only got better with more on his plate.
Warren, on the other hand, fizzled out down the stretch, finishing as a weekly TE1 for the final time in Week 12. With Daniel Jones under center, Warren was on pace for a monstrous season. Warren averaged 12.9 PPR points per game in 12 contests with Jones healthy. He was posting 1.9 yards per route run and .21 targets per route. Loveland finished the year at 1.9 and .23. We're likely looking at two very similar seasons if Jones stays healthy. Maybe he doesn't in 2026, but that's not a good reason for Warren to go two rounds after Loveland in fantasy drafts.
#tight #tier #week
GET YOUR FREE ROTOWORLD FANTASY FOOTBALL DRAFT KIT HERE!
No surprises here as the TE1 overall in 2025 and 2024 appear in the first tier. The ceiling with these two players is limitless in a way other tight ends can only dream of. McBride posted the third-most points for a tight end in NFL history last year, largely by setting the receptions record at 126. That goes down as 10 more than any other tight end in league history. Bowers holds the record for fantasy points by a rookie tight end. Even in a down 2025 season, his 43.3 PPR points in Week 9—on the back of a 12-127-3 receiving line—are the fourth-most for a tight end since the turn of the century. In both season-long and single-week measures, these two tight ends stand above the rest.
I strongly considered moving Loveland into Tier 1 and Warren into Tier 3. Loveland's final four games (including the postseason) were off the charts. He was targeted 48 times in total and topped 90 yards in three contests. Ben Johnson funneled him a 31 percent target share and a 35 percent air yards share. The Bears asked Loveland to be the centerpiece of their passing attack late in his rookie season and he only got better with more on his plate.
Warren, on the other hand, fizzled out down the stretch, finishing as a weekly TE1 for the final time in Week 12. With Daniel Jones under center, Warren was on pace for a monstrous season. Warren averaged 12.9 PPR points per game in 12 contests with Jones healthy. He was posting 1.9 yards per route run and .21 targets per route. Loveland finished the year at 1.9 and .23. We're likely looking at two very similar seasons if Jones stays healthy. Maybe he doesn't in 2026, but that's not a good reason for Warren to go two rounds after Loveland in fantasy drafts.
#tight #tier #week
1 month ago
One of the highly anticipated matchups of the weekend is between the Boston Red Sox (57-51) and Los Angeles Dodgers (69-40). These are two of the hottest teams in each league over the last eight games and in July overall.
Since the Red Sox's winning streak ended at 16 games, Boston is 5-3 and won four of the past five. Los Angeles is on a two game winning streak and is 6-2 over the past eight games. Boston joined elite company with their 16-game winning streak. Only eight teams have recorded winning streaks of 15-plus wins in the regular season since 1961 and every team made the postseason, which is good news for Boston.
In the previous week, Boston's pitching rotation is giving up a .267 opponent batting average (24th), which could be a problem against Los Angeles. The Dodgers are batting .282 (7th) with six home runs (T-8th) and 23 runs scored (T-13th) over five games. Los Angeles' pitching rotation has a 4.50 ERA (21st) in that span, but the fourth-best OBA (.212).
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and ***** ysis all season long.
Game details & how to watch Dodgers at Phillies
#angeles #Dodgers #games #streak
Since the Red Sox's winning streak ended at 16 games, Boston is 5-3 and won four of the past five. Los Angeles is on a two game winning streak and is 6-2 over the past eight games. Boston joined elite company with their 16-game winning streak. Only eight teams have recorded winning streaks of 15-plus wins in the regular season since 1961 and every team made the postseason, which is good news for Boston.
In the previous week, Boston's pitching rotation is giving up a .267 opponent batting average (24th), which could be a problem against Los Angeles. The Dodgers are batting .282 (7th) with six home runs (T-8th) and 23 runs scored (T-13th) over five games. Los Angeles' pitching rotation has a 4.50 ERA (21st) in that span, but the fourth-best OBA (.212).
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and ***** ysis all season long.
Game details & how to watch Dodgers at Phillies
#angeles #Dodgers #games #streak
2 months ago
Follow along as we track every pick from Day 1 of the 2026 MLB Draft in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Saturday. The White Sox are on the clock to pick first.
Remember, you can catch the first 10 picks live on NBC starting at 1 p.m. ET. Coverage continues at 2:30 p.m. ET on Peacock.
You can also see ***** ysis and insight from each first-round pick via Rotoworld Player News.
2026 MLB Draft Big Board: Roch Cholowsky, Grady Emerson, Vahn Lackey headline this year's class
Ranking the top 50 players available in the 2026 MLB Draft.
Remember, you can catch the first 10 picks live on NBC starting at 1 p.m. ET. Coverage continues at 2:30 p.m. ET on Peacock.
You can also see ***** ysis and insight from each first-round pick via Rotoworld Player News.
2026 MLB Draft Big Board: Roch Cholowsky, Grady Emerson, Vahn Lackey headline this year's class
Ranking the top 50 players available in the 2026 MLB Draft.
2 months ago
Follow along as we track every pick from Day 1 of the 2026 MLB Draft in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Saturday. The White Sox are on the clock to pick first.
Remember, you catch the first 10 picks live on NBC starting at 1 p.m. ET. Coverage continues at 2:30 p.m. ET on Peacock.
You can also see ***** ysis and insight from each first-round pick via Rotoworld Player News.
2026 MLB Draft Big Board: Roch Cholowsky, Grady Emerson, Vahn Lackey headline this year's class
Ranking the top 50 players available in the 2026 MLB Draft.
Remember, you catch the first 10 picks live on NBC starting at 1 p.m. ET. Coverage continues at 2:30 p.m. ET on Peacock.
You can also see ***** ysis and insight from each first-round pick via Rotoworld Player News.
2026 MLB Draft Big Board: Roch Cholowsky, Grady Emerson, Vahn Lackey headline this year's class
Ranking the top 50 players available in the 2026 MLB Draft.
2 months ago
Though it may be the start of summer, it's never too early to begin prepping for 2026 fantasy football drafts. That's why Rotoworld's NFL writers are getting you ready with everything you need to know. From depth chart ***** ysis, updated superstar outlooks, and under-the-radar draft targets, it's the perfect time to dive in.
This year's fantasy football landscape features major names in new places. A.J. Brown will catch passes from Drake Maye in New England, while No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza completely changes things for Ashton Jeanty and Brock Bowers in Las Vegas. Elsewhere, Super Bowl LX MVP Kenneth Walker III is set to lead Kansas City's backfield, with former Dolphin Jaylen Waddle joining Sean Payton and Bo Nix in Denver. The 2026 season will feature yet another exciting wave of rookies looking to make noise in fantasy, including RB Jeremiyah Love, WR Carnell Tate, and WR Makai Lemon.
Whether you're locked in on draft prep or looking for a place to start, we’ve got you covered. This hub is your one-stop shop for all of our fantasy team previews for the next several weeks.
Arizona Cardinals
Atlanta Falcons
This year's fantasy football landscape features major names in new places. A.J. Brown will catch passes from Drake Maye in New England, while No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza completely changes things for Ashton Jeanty and Brock Bowers in Las Vegas. Elsewhere, Super Bowl LX MVP Kenneth Walker III is set to lead Kansas City's backfield, with former Dolphin Jaylen Waddle joining Sean Payton and Bo Nix in Denver. The 2026 season will feature yet another exciting wave of rookies looking to make noise in fantasy, including RB Jeremiyah Love, WR Carnell Tate, and WR Makai Lemon.
Whether you're locked in on draft prep or looking for a place to start, we’ve got you covered. This hub is your one-stop shop for all of our fantasy team previews for the next several weeks.
Arizona Cardinals
Atlanta Falcons
2 months ago
Patrick Mahomes strikes me as the kind of guy who wouldn't miss Week 1 even if he should.
Whether he'll be 100 percent healed from his late-season knee injury remains to be seen, and may not be known until the final few days of the offseason. Report after report after report says Mahomes is well ahead of schedule and confident he'll suit up for Week 1 against the Broncos. There is a difference, as the football knower knows, between a quarterback who is able to play and a quarterback who is fully back from a major medical setback.
Where Mahomes falls on that spectrum will impact every fantasy-relevant Kansas City player in 2026.
2026 Rotoworld Fantasy Football Team Previews Hub
Get ready for 2026 fantasy football drafts with in-depth previews for all 32 teams throughout the summer.
Whether he'll be 100 percent healed from his late-season knee injury remains to be seen, and may not be known until the final few days of the offseason. Report after report after report says Mahomes is well ahead of schedule and confident he'll suit up for Week 1 against the Broncos. There is a difference, as the football knower knows, between a quarterback who is able to play and a quarterback who is fully back from a major medical setback.
Where Mahomes falls on that spectrum will impact every fantasy-relevant Kansas City player in 2026.
2026 Rotoworld Fantasy Football Team Previews Hub
Get ready for 2026 fantasy football drafts with in-depth previews for all 32 teams throughout the summer.
