FFPC Big Gorilla Tournament: Top Fantasy Football Targets, Avoids (2026)

May 6, 2026

Dave's top targets and fades for 2026 FFPC Big Gorilla drafts. Who should fantasy managers draft and who they should avoid in 2026 FFPC Big Gorilla drafts.

As the calendar flips to May, summer will be here before you know it. That means it's time for vacations, relaxing pool days, and enjoying other fine outdoor activities. More importantly, that also means it's time for redraft fantasy football gamers to begin preparations for the 2026 season.

If you’re an avid fantasy football player, then it might behoove you to test your skills in an FFPC Big Gorilla draft. These are high-stakes leagues that feature a $1,000,000 grand prize. It's a good way to get the juices flowing if you've got a high-stakes itch to scratch. With the stakes so high, it's important to know which players you should target in drafts. However, it’s also equally important to identify which players you should fade. Today, we’ll take a look at several players who could help you secure a nice payout, as well as a few who could light your money on fire.

Make sure you’re following RotoBaller on X and download the RotoBaller app for all your fantasy football needs. Here are a few players fantasy gamers should target and fade in 2026 FFPC Big Gorilla drafts.

FFPC Big Gorilla Targets:

Kenneth Walker III - RB, Kansas City Chiefs

Current FFPC Big Gorilla ADP: 21.14 Overall

The Chiefs made a big splash in free agency when they signed Walker, the reigning Super Bowl MVP, to a three-year, $43 million deal this offseason. Kansas City clearly was unhappy with their running back room in 2025 and made it a point to get Walker into their building.

Even though he split touches with Zach Charbonnet last year, Walker still managed to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards for the second time in his career and tied a career-best mark by averaging 4.6 yards per carry. He also eclipsed 30 receptions for the second consecutive season, further shattering the ridiculous myth that he was unable to catch passes out of the backfield.

From an analytical standpoint, Walker continued to crush it in 2025. Among 49 backs with 100+ carries, Walker finished:

• First in PFF rushing grade
• Second in missed tackles forced per PFF
• Fifth in PFF elusive rating
• Sixth in breakaway run rate per PFF
• Ninth in yards after contact per PFF

Now he lands in an ideal situation playing in an Andy Reid offense led by Patrick Mahomes. This feels like a great pairing for Walker's skill set. With Reid long being one of the league's best play callers as well as one of the best screen game architects the NFL has seen, we could see Walker really take off as a receiver in 2025.

Combine that with the fact that Mahomes is coming off a significant knee injury, and the recipe is here for Walker to finally deliver a massive fantasy football season.

Kenneth Walker III scores on his birthday!

📺: #SEAvsATL on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/QSPsLp0pin

— NFL (@NFL) October 20, 2024

Whenever Reid has committed to a running back as his bellcow, that player has always produced numbers for fantasy football. The Chiefs did not have much luck drafting backs since Kareem Hunt's departure in 2018, so Reid switched to a running back-by-committee approach. The signing of Walker indicates that Reid is ready to get back to his roots and have his ground game operate through one back.

If that's the case, then Walker is the exact type of player who could win you a lot of money. A top-five season is a very realistic outcome, and it's not far-fetched to suggest he could challenge for the RB1 crown, too.

Tucker Kraft - TE, Green Bay Packers

Current FFPC Big Gorilla ADP: 58.71 Overall

2025 appeared to be the year of Tucker Kraft. Through Green Bay's first seven games, Kraft had posted a 30-469-6 line and was tied with Trey McBride as the TE1 in PPR points per game. He was on pace for a 1,000-yard campaign and was in the midst of a clear breakout season. That all changed in Week 9 when Kraft tore his ACL.

It was an unfortunate injury and an extremely disappointing end to a breakout season. However, it's time to wipe the tears away, dust ourselves off, and hop back on the bandwagon in 2026.

Kraft was awesome last year. He was a YAC monster and looked the part of a bona fide TE1. His advanced metrics were also very good. Among 31 tight ends with 30+ targets, Kraft finished:

• First in yards after catch per reception
• Second in yards per route run (2.33) per PFF
• Seventh in PFF receiving grade
• 10th in total yards after catch (despite missing half the season)

He was also particularly effective against man coverage and was PFF's highest graded TE when facing man coverage. Targeting Kraft also proved a very effective concept for Green Bay, as Kraft had the highest EPA (expected points added) per target in 2025, according to FTN Fantasy.

A wide open Tucker Kraft picks up 57 yards 😤

WASvsGB on Prime Video
Also streaming on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/YIek5Y2R4l

— NFL (@NFL) September 12, 2025

Kraft is set to return fully healthy for the 2026 season. There is some risk that he doesn't return to full form until 2027, but Kraft proved his value to the Packers' offense last year and emerged as one of the best tight ends in the league. As the current TE7 in FFPC Big Gorilla drafts, there is plenty of room here for gamers to get a solid return on investment. Look for Kraft to pick up right where he left off in 2025 and be in the mix for the TE1 crown.

Jadarian Price - RB, Seattle Seahawks

Current FFPC Big Gorilla ADP: 60.43 Overall

With Zach Charbonnet recovering from a late-season ACL tear and Kenneth Walker III departing in free agency, Seattle used the 32nd overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to select Price. He was pigeon-holed behind Jeremiyah Love at Notre Dame, but don't be fooled, he is a highly talented player in his own right.

CJ Carr finds Jordan Faison on 4th down, then Jadarian Price finishes the drive with a touchdown 💪 ☘️#GoIrish ☘️ pic.twitter.com/SaVxYcvLMl

— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) November 9, 2025

Even though Price's raw stats are a bit underwhelming, some of the underlying data paint a different picture. Among 147 collegiate backs with 100+ attempts in 2025, Price ranked:

• 16th in PFF elusive rating
• 21st in yards after contact per attempt per PFF
• 32nd in breakaway run rate per PFF

There is some concern about Price's pass-catching upside since he only caught 15 passes in his collegiate career. However, we have already been down this road with another Seattle running back in the form of Walker. Just because a back is not used as a pass catcher in college, it doesn't mean that player cannot catch the football. Managers who faded Walker due to this concern have been proven wrong. Don't make the same mistake with Price.

We don't know when Charbonnet will return to the field this year. He tore his ACL in the NFL playoffs, and it could be a stretch for him to be ready for Week 1. That means Price might begin 2026 as Seattle's clear RB1. Whether or not he holds onto that title for the duration of the season remains to be seen, but at the very least, he should see a ton of volume to begin the year.

When you talk to any experienced, winning players in high-stakes tournaments/leagues like FFPC's Big Gorilla, they all tell you the same thing: getting off to a good start is extremely important.

Price is set for a huge workload in a strong offense to begin the season. He's a good player, should help your team get off to a good start, and if things break right, he could be the key to a big payday. With a FFPC Big Gorilla ADP at the Rounds 5/6 turn, that sure feels like a pretty good bargain for a potential bellcow back.

Carnell Tate - WR, Tennessee Titans

Current FFPC Big Gorilla ADP: 65.34 Overall

Tennessee selected Tate with the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Tate is one of the most polished receivers and route runners from this year's rookie class. He enjoyed a successful collegiate career at Ohio State, where he still managed to produce respectable numbers playing alongside the likes of Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka.

The Titans clearly made it a priority to get quarterback Cam Ward more help and did so with Tate. He'll take over as the team's new WR1.

While Tate's college stats might underwhelm you at first glance, make no mistake, he is a talented player. Among 270 collegiate receivers with 50+ targets in 2025, Tate's 3.02 yards per route run (YPRR) was the 10th-best mark in the country. A YPRR above 3.0 is considered a very strong score and bodes well for his outlook in the NFL.

What also makes Tate an intriguing pick for gamers is that his new offensive coordinator, Brian Daboll, has experience integrating a highly talented rookie into an NFL offense. Daboll was the head coach of the New York Giants when the team selected Malik Nabers with the sixth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Nabers posted a 109-1204-7 line on 170 targets as a rookie.

Daboll made it a point to hyper-target his new WR1, and that resulted in a PPR WR6 finish for Nabers that year. Now Daboll gets his hands on another highly talented rookie, and Tate could very well be in line for similar results.

The biggest issue with Tate emerging as this year's breakout rookie receiver likely hinges on Ward taking a step forward as a passer. He struggled as a rookie in 2025 but looked better toward the end of the year. If Ward makes a second-year leap, Tate could very well finish as a top 12 receiver.

Even if Ward doesn't show huge improvements, Tate could still deliver a strong season. The Titans are widely expected to be one of the worst teams in the league again in 2025. If that proves true, it will mean they are playing from behind quite often, and that would mean plenty of volume for Tate.

There are enough outs for us here to justify selecting Tate in this range of FFPC Big Gorilla Drafts. Target him as a WR3 as he should offer a relatively safe floor with upside for more if this passing offense hits the ground running.

Jacory Croskey-Merritt - RB, Washington Commanders

Current FFPC Big Gorilla ADP: 113th Overall

Croskey-Merritt is one of the biggest fantasy football winners following the 2026 NFL Draft. He was a training camp star last year, and his emergence led to Washington trading Brian Robinson Jr. before the season began. Croskey-Merritt would open 2025 as the team's RB1, but a midseason slump relegated him to RB2 duties. He would close the season on a high note, though, and finished his rookie year with 805 rushing yards and eight touchdowns.

.@JacoryMerritt15 was flying and @TheRealC_Portis was loving it

DALvsWAS on @Netflix pic.twitter.com/0BKryyOmHP

— NFL (@NFL) December 25, 2025

It was quite the roller coaster ride of a rookie year. Croskey-Merritt had some struggles, but he ultimately displayed the same big-play ability in the NFL that we saw from him in college. He also scored well in several advanced metrics. Among 49 backs with 100+ carries, Croskey-Merritt finished:

• Sixth in PFF's yards after contact per attempt
• 12th in Next Gen Stats rush yards over expected per attempt.
• 15th in PFF elusive rating

Washington let Chris Rodriguez Jr. walk in free agency, and the only notable backs they added this offseason have been Rachaad White, Jerome Ford, and sixth-round rookie Kaytron Allen. White has previous experience as a starting back, but he has been one of the worst rushers in the NFL since he entered the league. Ford has been nothing but a big-play threat.

Allen is Penn State's all-time leading rusher and is an intriguing rookie, but there are concerns about his game translating to the next level.

New Commanders' offensive coordinator David Blough is also reportedly very bullish on Croskey-Merritt's outlook and is on record saying that he is "incredibly confident in what Bill (Croskey-Merritt) can be in this league as a starting running back." Given that endorsement and the Commanders' offseason moves, Croskey-Merritt could be set for a big sophomore year.

He won't offer much pass-catching upside, but at his current FFPC Big Gorrilla ADP, he won't have to catch that many passes to deliver a nice return on investment for gamers, especially if he is the lead back playing alongside Jayden Daniels.

Buy the good price on Croskey-Merritt for the second year in a row and reap the rewards.

FFPC Big Gorilla Fades:

Omarion Hampton - RB, Los Angeles Charges

Current FFPC Big Gorilla ADP: 13.14 Overall

Hampton enters his sophomore season poised to lead the Chargers' backfield. A severe ankle injury forced him to miss eight games last year. However, Hampton still flashed immense upside and looked the part of an NFL back.

Omarion Hampton goes 54 yards for the TD!

LACvsNYG on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/G9X4Jx5KPG

— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025

His advanced metrics were also quite good. Among 49 backs with 100+ attempts, Hampton ranked:

• Seventh in PFF’s breakaway run percentage
• Eighth in PFF rushing grade
• 10th in PFF’s yards after contact per attempt
• 11th in PFF’s elusive rating
• 15th in Next Gen Stats rush yards over expected per attempt

These are great numbers and are exactly what you want to see from a rookie back. However, several factors could lead to Hampton disappointing eager drafters in 2026.

While Hampton gave us a taste of what he could be in 2025, he did finish as the RB13 in PPR points per game. That's not a bad mark per se, but it doesn't really justify his current position as the RB7 in FFPC Big Gorilla drafts. He will need to make a significant jump in Year 2 to justify his current draft price.

Hampton would need to be heavily involved as a pass-catcher for that to happen. He did catch 32 passes as a rookie, but was not a very efficient receiver. This could lead the Chargers to utilize the newly acquired Keaton Mitchell as the primary receiving back.

New Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel is also on record saying how he prefers to use multiple backs and even use a hot hand approach at the position. We saw shades of that during McDaniel’s tenure in Miami, but injuries, a thin depth chart, and a superstar in De’Von Achane changed those plans.

Hampton could prove to be a superstar in his own right and force McDaniel’s hand, similar to Achane. But McDaniel's comments and Mitchell’s addition should not be completely ignored.

There is also the issue of Hampton’s rushing style. He is an aggressive runner who is not afraid of contact and is more than willing to punish defenders by lowering his shoulder. However, Hampton’s tape points to a player who runs into contact a bit too much. While that style will win over fans and broadcasters, it often leads to a high injury rate. That is certainly something to keep in mind, especially after Hampton missed half of his rookie year due to injury.

Hampton is a very good player, and, understandably, gamers are excited for his 2026 season. However, there is a lot of risk in selecting him at his current FFPC Big Gorilla ADP.

The main issue here is that he is currently being drafted very close to his fantasy football ceiling. It just feels like everything needs to be right for Hampton to justify his current cost with little margin for error. You could land a very similar player in Walker later in the second round and not use a Round 1 pick to do so. Yes, Hampton's current ADP sits just outside Round 1, but you will likely need to draft him in Round 1 to ensure you get him.

If you decide to draft Hampton, just know it is not without risk and could blow up in your face.

Colston Loveland - TE, Chicago Bears

Current FFPC Big Gorilla ADP: 25.71 Overall

Following his strong close to the 2025 season, Loveland has been a very popular breakout pick.

COLSTON LOVELAND 58 YARDS! WOW! pic.twitter.com/JRZOV8ih3J

— NFL (@NFL) November 2, 2025

Look, Loveland was a beast in 2025, but he could have issues living up to his current FFPC Big Gorilla cost. While Chicago did jettison DJ Moore to Buffalo, Loveland still has to contend for targets with receivers Luther Burden III and Rome Odunze. Burden is also a popular breakout candidate and is reportedly set for a much larger role in 2026. That expanded role could be just enough to prevent Loveland from hitting his ceiling.

Loveland also has a potential Caleb Williams issue that seemingly nobody wants to discuss. While Williams played much better as a sophomore, he has still struggled with accuracy during his first two seasons. Among 32 quarterbacks with 300+ dropbacks in 2024, Williams finished 24th in PFF’s adjusted completion percentage and 28th in total completion percentage.

Things weren’t any better in 2025. Among 29 quarterbacks with 300+ dropbacks in 2025, Williams tied for last in PFF’s adjusted completion percentage and finished dead last in total completion percentage.

For Loveland’s production to match his draft cost and for the Bears offense to become a truly elite unit, Williams needs to become a more accurate passer. Unless that happens, Loveland could find it hard to improve upon his 2025 numbers and PPR TE12 finish.

Much like Hampton, the issue with Loveland is not his talent but his draft cost and the mitigating factors surrounding him. As the current TE3 in FFPC Big Gorilla drafts, gamers are leaving themselves very little margin for error by selecting him so high.

I am not sure when this trend of selecting players super close to their fantasy ceilings began, but it is becoming problematic for many managers. There’s nothing wrong with being "in" on a player, but we have to draw the line somewhere. Selecting players so close to their ceilings makes it incredibly hard to get a good return on your investment.

Think about it. If you were going to invest money in the stock market, would you want to put your money down on a company that has hit a record high price? Sure, it could keep growing, but it’s more likely that things come back down to earth, and you lose a solid portion of your investment in the process. You wouldn’t do that with your hard-earned money, so why would you do that to your fantasy football team?

With 12 and even 13 personnel becoming more common in NFL offenses, we could very well see more tight ends emerge as viable fantasy contributors. That could mean there's less of an advantage in taking the top tight ends early and almost no edge in selecting a player at his ceiling. Bypass Loveland at his current ADP and look for better values later in the draft.

Davante Adams - WR, Los Angeles Rams

Current FFPC Big Gorilla ADP: 56.71 Overall

Adams' first season in Los Angeles was successful. He showed he still had some game left, caught 14 touchdown receptions, and finished as the PPR WR9.

TAE. Rams answer back!

LARvsSEA on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/FSodo5ncDH

— NFL (@NFL) January 26, 2026

Lost in all the highlights, though, was the fact that much of Adam’s fantasy production was buoyed by good touchdown luck. Last year, Adams scored one touchdown for approximately every four receptions. That was the best rate of Adams’ career. Adams' good touchdown luck would not be as concerning if he hadn’t also averaged the fewest receptions and receiving yards per game since 2015.

This is worrisome because last year, Adams did not see as much volume as he normally does. His 8.4 targets per game in 2025 were also his fewest since 2017. That’s still a good number, but it’s not quite the volume we have typically associated with Adams. Fewer targets means fewer receptions and receiving yards. That also means it will be harder for Adams to return a profit at his current ADP if his touchdown rate declines.

With Matthew Stafford at quarterback, Adams' good touchdown luck may continue, and he might post another strong season. However, there is a scenario in which Adams and/or Stafford miss time due to injury, and Adams’ numbers are negatively affected. There is also the possibility that at age 33, Adams' game completely falls off a cliff.

Remember, it was rumored that Los Angeles tried to trade Adams this offseason and was also in the running for A.J. Brown. This could be a sign that, despite those 14 touchdown receptions, Los Angeles is worried Adams is about to hit the age cliff.

That all makes Adams feel a bit risky at his current FFPC Big Gorilla ADP.

Christian Watson - WR, Green Bay Packers

Current FFPC Big Gorilla ADP: 59.57 Overall

Watson missed the first seven games of the 2025 season recovering from a torn ACL. Upon his return, he played some of the best football of his career. Watson averaged a career best 61.1 receiving yards per game, averaged 17.5 yards per reception, and scored six touchdowns.

It was a super impressive showing, especially considering Watson was coming off a major injury. His play in 2025 has early drafters giddy about his 2026 outlook. As good as Watson looked last year,  gamers could be set up for a letdown.

Watson has struggled with injuries throughout his career and has yet to play a full season. While Green Bay did trade away Dontayvion Wicks and let Romeo Doubs walk in free agency, Watson will still need to contend for targets with Jayden Reed, Matthew Golden, and Kraft. Both Reed and Kraft were injured and missed large chunks of the season.

Their absence most certainly helped inflate Watson’s numbers, and their return alone could be enough to keep Watson from reaching his fantasy ceiling.

Working in Watson’s favor is the fact that Green Bay finally appears ready to consolidate its targets following the departures of Doubs and Wicks. That would be good news for Watson. However, given the risks in his profile, it might be better to attack this offense through Kraft, Reed, or Golden, all of whom have better ADPs than Watson.

While it’s true Watson offers potential upside, the downside isn’t sufficiently baked into his current price. While he appeared to level up last year, this is still a player who hasn’t eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards or 45 receptions in any season. Let others chase Watson’s theoretical upside and target other positions in his area of the draft.

Parker Washington - WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

Current FFPC Big Gorilla ADP: 66.43 Overall

Washington is coming off a career year in 2025. He set personal bests in targets, receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. It culminated with a PPR WR27 finish.

Parker Washington gives the Jaguars the lead!

BUFvsJAX on CBS/Paramount+
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/yn2JXBuFwQ

— NFL (@NFL) January 11, 2026

While that was nice, it’s unclear whether Washington has a higher ceiling than we saw last year. He did have a career year, but his 17% target share is not exactly impressive. Washington is also still competing with Brian Thomas Jr., Jakobi Meyers, and, to some degree, Travis Hunter for targets.

Head coach Liam Coen has previously stated that he is okay with evenly distributed targets and that the offense doesn’t necessarily need to run through one player to be successful. That could mean it’s harder for Washington to further improve upon his 2025 numbers.

Interestingly enough, Meyers is being drafted nearly three rounds later despite his numbers being very similar to Washington's after the latter joined the Raiders following a midseason trade:

(From Weeks 10-18)

Washington: 33-550-4 on 51 targets
Meyers: 42-483-3 on 61 targets

Washington is being selected as the WR31 in early FFPC Big Gorilla drafts. That’s not much of a bargain considering we may have already witnessed him peak. Washington was a nice story and a good waiver-addition at the end of 2025, and likely won a few managers some fantasy titles. However, there are a lot of variables/unknowns at play with this Jacksonville passing game to justify this ADP.

Let someone else waste a mid-round pick on Washington and consider better options with more upside later in the draft.

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