Top 300 Best Ball Fantasy Football Draft Rankings for 2026 (August Updates)

August 9, 2026

Nick's top 300 fantasy football best ball draft rankings for 2026. These updated tiered best ball rankings include running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, and quarterbacks.

With training camp in full swing and preseason games about to kick off, we are in the heart of the fantasy football offseason as some of the biggest draft weekends are coming up. Best Ball leagues have been taking place all offseason, and the beauty of this format to some managers is that there is no in-season management. At RotoBaller HQ, we have updated best ball fantasy football draft rankings for 2026 to account for the latest training camp news.

Our 2026 fantasy football rankings are put together by Nick Mariano, a top-accuracy industry ranker and the lead forecaster here at RotoBaller. In the rankings below, you will see where key players likeKenneth Walker III, Bucky Irving, Luther Burden III, Jadarian Price, Tyler Warren, Marvin Harrison Jr., Josh Downs, Michael Wilson, Harold Fannin Jr., Stefon Diggs, Matthew Golden, and more.

In addition to these rankings, our 2026 fantasy football rankings dashboard also provides our team's Dynasty League rankings and Rookie Rankings. Bookmark those pages, and use them to prepare for all of your 2026 fantasy football drafts.

Updated Best Ball Fantasy Football Rankings

2026 Fantasy Football Draft News

Jadarian Price, Seattle Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks rookie running back Jadarian Price (lower body) missed Friday's training camp practice with "lower-body soreness," according to Gregg Bell of The Tacoma News Tribune. We should find out more on the severity of Price's injury, but it doesn't sound all that serious. But if this injury were to linger for the first-rounder out of Notre Dame, both George Holani and Emanuel Wilson would become more interesting in fantasy football while the Seahawks wait for Zach Charbonnet (knee) to recover from his ACL tear last postseason.

Early in training camp, Price has been behind Holani, but he has seen reps with the first-team offense and figures to be involved early on in his rookie season with Charbonnet sidelined. The 22-year-old should be the Seahawks' most attractive fantasy RB until Charbonnet returns, and managers should consider him a low-end RB2/high-end RB3/flex target with plenty of long-term upside. If fully healthy, Price should earn most of Seattle's backfield touches, but when Charbonnet returns, it could be a different story.

Cam Skattebo, New York Giants

New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo (leg) went down in training camp practice on Friday after a collision with linebacker Arvel Reese, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN. Skattebo was seen stretching his left leg and didn't return to practice, although he stayed on the sideline.

It's unclear what the severity of Skattebo's leg injury is, but it's definitely concerning after he suffered a season-ending right-ankle injury as a rookie in 2025 that consisted of an ankle dislocation, an open-tibia fracture, and a ruptured deltoid ligament. The 24-year-old entered camp as a full-go, and all expectations are that he will be the team's RB1 in new head coach John Harbaugh's offense in 2026, which is expected to be more run-heavy.

We will closely monitor his new injury, and if it ends up being something that keeps him from playing in Week 1 against the division-rival Dallas Cowboys, Tyrone Tracy Jr.'s fantasy stock will skyrocket. RotoBaller has Skattebo ranked as the No. 20 RB in half-PPR fantasy leagues as he enters his sophomore campaign. UPDATE: Harbaugh said Skattebo's exit from practice on Friday is "nothing serious at all," per The Athletic's Dan Duggan.

Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said the team is "leaning against" playing quarterback Patrick Mahomes (knee) in next week's preseason opener against the Los Angeles Rams, according to Sam McDowell of The Kansas City Star. Reid also said he doesn't know if Mahomes will play in the second or third preseason games, either.

Mahomes prefers to see some preseason action, but it's a special scenario going into the 2026 season after he tore his ACL and LCL late last season. The good news for the Chiefs and fantasy managers is that the 30-year-old two-time MVP and six-time Pro Bowler is on track to be ready for the team's Week 1 season opener on Monday night against the division-rival Denver Broncos in early September.

Mahomes has made great progress from his knee injury and has been participating in 11-on-11 team drills in training camp without limitations. His improving health will improve his fantasy football stock going into his 10th year in the league, but still, managers should be hesitant not to overvalue Mahomes based on his past exploits, with his mobility potentially not being the same as it once was. Treat him as more of a low-end QB1/high-end QB2 in fantasy in 2026.

Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Times' Rick Stroud writes that Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving is making a big impression on new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson in training camp. "His feet are always in the ground," Robinson said. "So he's always able to change direction and, obviously, that keeps him so balanced to be able to break tackles."

Irving missed all of the team's organized team activities in May and June while rehabbing a shoulder injury, but he is back now and is looking quick and decisive since pads went on this past week. "Bucky is a stud," Robinson said. Irving had a great rookie year in former OC Liam Coen's outside-zone running scheme, and Robinson's and Coen's offensive styles are similar.

The 23-year-old had a 1,000-yard rushing season with eight touchdowns as a rookie, but injuries slowed him down in 2025, and he finished with 588 rushing yards and only one TD in 10 games. A bounce-back in 2026 should be coming for Irving if he stays healthy, but injury risk and the addition of pass-catching back Kenny Gainwell figure to limit Irving's overall ceiling as more of an RB2 in his third NFL campaign. Stroud also mentions Gainwell's seamless transition to Tampa's RB room.

Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs has been one of the stars of training camp as the team prepares to feature him more heavily in 2026, according to ESPN. Downs caught 58 passes for a career-low 566 yards and four touchdowns last season after averaging 103 targets and 787 receiving yards over his first two years. Michael Pittman Jr.'s departure has opened a much larger opportunity, and the Colts are also giving Downs more work outside after using him primarily in the slot throughout his career.

Head coach Shane Steichen said Downs can now play both spots and expects his role to grow this season. Tyler Warren and Alec Pierce will still command plenty of attention, but Indianapolis appears determined to get Downs back to being a central part of the passing game. If the expanded usage carries into the regular season, he has a strong chance to climb back toward the 100-target range and regain consistent value in PPR leagues.

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