Joel Smyth Releases 50 Fantasy Football Stats Ahead of 2026 NFL Draft Weekend
Updated
Updated · Yahoo Sports · Aug 27
Joel Smyth Releases 50 Fantasy Football Stats Ahead of 2026 NFL Draft Weekend
3 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · Aug 27
Summary
50 draft-focused stats from analyst Joel Smyth center on 2026 fantasy prep, with rookie running backs Ashton Jeanty and Omarion Hampton highlighted as potential Year 2 RB1s.
14 of the top 25 drafted running backs since 2015 form one of his strongest trends: the first 11 all produced an RB1 fantasy season by their second year.
Quarterback and receiver notes also stand out, including Josh Allen finishing top-two among fantasy QBs in each of the last six seasons and Ja'Marr Chase drawing exactly 200 targets in his last 17 games with Joe Burrow.
Smyth's list leans heavily on usage and efficiency signals before draft weekend, from Puka Nacua's 36.8% targets per route since 2024 to Trey McBride's 667 routes in 2025.