Pro Football Focus

profootballfocus.com

🏆 My five must-draft players right now

Chase Brown has finished top 10 among RBs in fantasy points per game in each of the last two seasons. He's a must-draft in the second round.

This email was sent

August 25, 2026 4:27pm EDT

Is this your brand on Milled? Claim it.

Matte tone:

Early Bird pricing expires TONIGHT — Get PFF+ for just $89.99

15 Days Out: My Must-Draft Players, Starting With Chase Brown

We are 15 days away from the start of the NFL season! If you haven't set your drafts yet, get them on the calendar so your fantasy season runs smoothly. As always, PFF will have you fully prepared for your draft with up to date rankings and draft strategy based on the latest news, injury information and ADP. That includes updating several of the articles written over the last two months to make sure they contain the latest info.

One of the articles that got a refresh this week is my must-draft players piece, covering the guys I keep taking whenever the opportunity comes up. Chase Brown of the Cincinnati Bengals is one of them. Regardless of who I select in the first round, if Brown is there in the second, I'll take him.

Brown has finished top 10 among running backs in fantasy points per game in each of the last two years. The setup in Cincinnati remains consistent, with Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins keeping defenses from loading the box. On top of that, Brown ranks among the top backs in both first-read and checkdown targets.

The only real concern is Burrow's health, but when he was fully healthy down the stretch last season, Brown averaged 22.3 PPR points per game without even breaking a long run. That suggests even more upside if the Cincinnati offense hits its ceiling. If the defense takes a step forward with its new additions, that could also lead the Bengals to run the ball more often late in games.

You can find more on Brown, plus the other four names, in my must-draft fantasy football players for 2026.

SEE ALL FIVE MUST-DRAFT PLAYERS

Nathan Jahnke

Lead Fantasy Football Analyst

10 Biggest Fantasy Takeaways from Preseason Week 2

Javonte Williams is Dallas' returning starter, but the backup competition behind him has shifted unexpectedly through two weeks of the preseason. Malik Davis now appears to have the edge over Jaydon Blue for the backup role — and Nathan says Blue, who was worth a late-round pick just last week, is now a situation to avoid entirely. Get all of his top 10 fantasy takeaways from Preseason Week 2.

SEE THE TOP 10 TAKEAWAYS

Why Justin Jefferson is One of Nathan's Favorite Draft Targets

Justin Jefferson fell from a top-five fantasy WR to 30th in points per game in 2025 — but Nathan says it had nothing to do with his talent. Catchable target rates dropped nearly 10% with Carson Wentz and J.J. McCarthy under center, and his end zone catchable rate fell from 50% to 25%. With Kyler Murray now in Minnesota, Nathan sees a full bounce-back to top-five WR status as the base case.

SEE ALL FIVE OF NATHAN'S FAVORITE DRAFT TARGETS

Editor's Picks

2026 PFF Fantasy Football Draft Kit 🏆

Your ultimate fantasy resource. All the articles, rankings and tools you need to win your league in one searchable hub.

Nathan's updated PPR top 450 rankings 📊

With 15 days until kickoff, we're in the heat of fantasy draft season. Here's Nathan's analysis on his top 450.

WR sleepers, breakouts and league winners 🚀

With A.J. Brown gone, DeVonta Smith is poised to go from a reliable WR2 to a league-winner in Philly.

Backup running backs to target in drafts 🎯

The Cowboys project to lead the NFL in snaps, so the Jaydon Blue/Malik Davis situation is one to monitor and exploit.

Draft better. Manage smarter. Win more.

PFF+ gives you Nathan Jahnke's rankings and analysis all season long, plus the tools to win your league: Fantasy Mock Draft Simulator, Player Comparison Tool, Live Draft Assistant, League Sync with start/sit advice, and premium stats that go deeper than anywhere else.

CONQUER YOUR LEAGUE FOR JUST $7.50/MONTH

Unsubscribe

🏆 My five must-draft players right now

Chase Brown has finished top 10 among RBs in fantasy points per game in each of the last two seasons. He's a must-draft in the second round.

Recent emails from Pro Football Focus