This is the BEST Draft Spot in Fantasy Football...

Summary

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Fantasy Focus Football – "This is the BEST Draft Spot in Fantasy Football..."

Date: July 23, 2026
Hosts: Liz Loza, Daniel Dopp
Special Segment: Fantasy Therapy Hotline

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into fantasy football draft strategy, focusing on the nuanced advantages of selecting specific draft spots in a 12-team PPR league. Liz Loza and Daniel Dopp conduct a lively discussion sparked by listener questions, mock draft experiences, and strategic debates around positional value. They give actionable insights on the draft “sweet spots,” break down ideal roster construction in 2026’s player landscape, and review specific player values through a playful “fantasy matchmaker” segment.

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Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Best Draft Spot in 2026 Fantasy Football

(01:39 – 08:26)

• Listener Voicemail from Emma (Chicago):
  “What draft spots do you like? ... We get to draw numbers to pick our draft spots and just wondering what draft you guys like.” (01:47)

• Liz’s Favorite Draft Position – The 9 Spot:

  • Liz Loza:
    “I have discovered that I adore drafting from the nine spot ... I am able to walk away ... locking up a top tier wide receiver and an anchor running back. Which makes me feel like I’m about crush the whole damn league in a matter of weeks.” (02:28)
  • She explains it allows for balancing both high-end WR and a reliable RB, leveraging late-1st and early-2nd round value.

• Daniel’s Take on Draft Position Agency:
  “I love the setup of the league. ... I want to be able to ... choose then where I pick, not just have to get that number because I have some strategy ...” (02:08)

• Top-Tier Wide Receivers Emphasis:

  • Liz’s Top 5 WR (in order): Jamar Chase, Jackson Smith-Njigba, Puka Nacua, Amon-Ra St. Brown, CeeDee Lamb (03:34).
  • “...the top four wide outs all had 11 or more games of 15 or more fantasy points last season.” (01:25, 03:18)
  • “...usually ... I have managed to roster CD Lamb when picking from either the 10 spot or before ... you can rely on that late first round wide receiver for an average of 18 or more fantasy points per week.” (04:11)

• Securing an Anchor Running Back:

  • Liz outlines viable options in round 2: Ashton Genti, Derrick Henry, Omarion Hampton—emphasizing volume over early RBs with question marks (CMC, Jonathan Taylor).
  • “Just 10 running backs cleared 300 total touches ... projected to go over 320 total touches ... 270 total fantasy points ... top 10 fantasy producers at the position.” (05:01)

• Late-Round Advantages:

  • Daniel:
    “... why I like drafting from the nine spot is it lets me look at what the teams around me have ... that strategy is really nice from that nine spot.” (08:01)

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2. Positional Strategy Deep-Dive

(06:26 – 08:26)

• Tight End Strategy:

  • Liz:
    “Tight end is tricky because there’s such a dip from the first tier down the rest of the producers ... two tight ends in the top tier ... Trey McBride and Brock Bowers ... I might, as an exception, draft Colston Loveland ... he’s going in the fifth round ... if I’m waiting ... I really like Isaiah Likely, who I think could be a top 15 producer ... and probably get me an average of 10 fantasy points per week.” (06:47)

• Quarterback Observation:

  • Later in the show, Daniel mentions the advantage at QB when drafting at 9:
    “...lets me look at what the teams around me have. ... Do I need to take it here or can I wait six picks and get someone a little bit earlier?” (08:01)

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3. Fantasy Matchmaker – Player Debate Segment

(10:53 – 17:55)

A playful “dating profile” format where Daniel pitches players and Liz decides if they’re “roster-worthy” (swipe right) or not (swipe left).

• Justin Jefferson

  • Daniel:
    “Short king now leading his offense ... ADP of 12.4 ... Justin Jefferson.” (11:25)
  • Liz’s verdict:
    “He has a historically low first read target share because when he feels pressure that man scrambles ... at his current ADP, I am swiping left because I’d rather have a running back right there ...” (13:28)

• Kyle Pitts

  • Daniel:
    “Front runner of that middle tight end tier ... TE6 ... ADP 67.4 ... Kyle Pitts.” (13:38)
  • Liz’s verdict: “He did that last year ... his play caller in Kevin Stefanski ... I do think Tua Tagovailoa ... tends to support a tight end ... but this is ... a tricky part of the draft ... I’m going to swipe left ... miracles rarely happen twice ...” (14:14)

• Kyle Monangai

  • Daniel:
    “Sophomore ... proclivity to find the end zone ... ADP of 118 ... Kyle Monangai.” (16:13)
  • Liz’s verdict: “I think this is great value. I have personally overlooked it until you put me through this exercise ... I think we have a match.” (17:55)

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4. Fantasy Therapy Hotline – Listener Q&A

(18:10 – 22:58)

a) Trevor Lawrence (QB, Jaguars) – Dennis, Florida

• “Is he a viable pick at his ADP? Will he repeat last year?” (18:28)
• Liz:
  “I totally empathize with your hesitancy ... Lawrence was the QB1 in fantasy points per game from week 12 to week 18 ... he’s got plenty of receiving talent at his avail and he’s got a really low ADP. So, yeah, I’m in on him that late.” (18:53)
• Daniel adds:
  “If you’re going to wait at the quarterback spot, ... I might draft a second quarterback ... but ... I got no problem giving the ADP.” (19:47)

b) Keeper League Dilemma – Austin, Indiana

• “Half PPR keeper league ... Rashee Rice (5th round) vs Trey McBride (2nd)?” (20:05)
• Liz:
  “Rice is a tricky player ... currently the 9th WR off boards in the third round. ... McBride ... higher floor ... but ... not getting any value there ... I’m going to go with Rice and take the value and upside.” (20:30)
• Daniel:
  “When I am picking a keeper, I’m picking ... the value I’m getting at that position, not ... paying full price ...” (21:25)

c) Running Back Heavy Draft Strategy – Ty, Arizona

• “Am I crazy going back-to-back-to-back RB or is it better to do RB-RB-WR?” (21:41)
• Liz:
  “I appreciate that you were paying attention ... don’t hate back-to-back RBs ... some solid value at WR in round three ... from WR10 down to WR29, less than three points a week of separation ... But back-to-back-to-back, I think you’re missing out on too much value at a different position if you do that.” (22:03)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I adore drafting from the nine spot ... locking up a top tier wide receiver and an anchor running back.”
  — Liz Loza (02:28)

• “Top four wide outs all had 11 or more games of 15+ fantasy points last season ... next 16 WRs had about half as many ...”
  — Liz Loza (03:18)

• “Just 10 RBs cleared 300 total touches ... projected to go over 320 total touches and ... 270 total fantasy points ... top 10 fantasy producers at the position.”
  — Liz Loza (05:01)

• “Tight end is tricky because there’s such a dip from the first tier down ... I really like Isaiah Likely ... could be a top 15 producer at the position.”
  — Liz Loza (06:47)

• “If Justin Jefferson isn’t properly fed like immediately, there’s gonna be some bad blood ...”
  — Liz Loza (12:55)

• “This sophomore could have you humping your box score week in and week out ... Kyle Monangai.”
  — Daniel Dopp (16:13; tongue-in-cheek delivery)

• “From WR10 down to WR29, there was less than three points a week of separation.”
  — Liz Loza (22:03)

• “Not all draft spots are created equal. Discovering a potential advantage may not guarantee victory, but it does improve your odds.”
  — Liz Loza (23:20)

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Key Timestamps

• Listener Draft Spot Question / Start of Main Discussion: 01:39
• Liz’s 9 Spot Draft Reasoning & Favorite WRs: 02:28 – 04:45
• Anchor RBs in Round 2: 05:01
• Tight End Strategy: 06:47
• Daniel’s 9 Spot Positional Advantage Comment: 08:01
• Fantasy Matchmaker Segment (Players Debate): 10:53 – 17:55
• Listener Q&A (Fantasy Therapy Hotline): 18:10 – 22:58
• Wrap-Up Summary & Takeaways: 23:20

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Final Takeaways

• The draft slot—especially the 9 spot in 2026—offers a clear path to securing balanced, high-ceiling rosters (top WR and anchor RB).
• Be mindful of ADPs, positional runs (especially at RB and TE), and player contract/year-to-year volatility.
• There’s real value in later-round QB and TE choices, and the middle rounds require careful player evaluation rather than defaulting to big names.
• Listener questions highlight the importance of strategy, value, and flexibility in every type of league setting.

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This episode is a must-listen for fantasy managers looking to gain every edge in their draft day prep, blending hard data with fun, relatable analysis.

Transcript

[Liz Loza]

You know, when you're locked in, focused

[Daniel Dopp]

and fearless, welcome to the wnba. Your vision narrows.

[Liz Loza]

You can't look away. Every assist, every stop, every logo, three from beyond the logo, every. Did you see that moment?

[Voicemail Callers]

You bet.

[Liz Loza]

What records are going to be broken this season?

[Daniel Dopp]

All of it.

[Liz Loza]

Right here.

[Daniel Dopp]

Lock in.

[Liz Loza]

It's the WNBA on ESPN all season long. Let me just say why it's important to have one of these top tier wide receivers. That is because the top four wide outs all had 11 or more games of 15 or more fantasy points last season. Hey, I'm Liz Loza. This is facts versus Feelings. And today's fact is that not all draft spots are created equal. Daniel Dopp in your cozy box. Welcome back. I can't wait to talk more fantasy with you today.

[Daniel Dopp]

I know it's going to be so much fun. Liz, thank you for having me back for the entirety of the season. Might I add, if this is your first facts versus Feelings, I am excited to do this for the rest of the year with you. Let's dive in though, to a bunch of draft content. Liz, because you and I have been doing a bunch of mock drafts. Everyone is asking us strategy questions right now. It is nonstop draft season and we got an unbelievable voicemail from our girl Emma in Chicago during our fantasy therapy hotline segment. We wanted to make sure that we played this because it had a really good conversation. Spurred a nice conversation for us here. So this is Emma from Chicago with a question about your drafts.

[Voicemail Callers]

Hey, my name is Emma. I actually live in Chicago. Go Bears. First, I wanted to ask for a 12 team PPR.

[Liz Loza]

What draft spots do you like?

[Voicemail Callers]

I'm in a league where we get to draw numbers to pick our draft spots and just wondering what draft you guys like.

[Liz Loza]

Emma, I love this, I love this question. I love the setup of your league. I love that you're a Bears fan. I love the whole thing. Daniel, what do you think about this? Like getting to choose?

[Daniel Dopp]

I love the setup of the league. I don't love the Bears fan, but like, yes, Liz, give me this. I, I want to be able to, when I draw my draft spot, I want to be able to choose then where I pick, not just have to get that number because I have some strategy with how I choose where I'm going to be drafting from. Do you have a place right now in 2026 that you found like drafting from so far?

[Liz Loza]

I do. Let me also say though that it is shocking that you like agency, you like to have some decision making in your, in your daily choices. That's shocking. And yes, I have discovered that I adore drafting from the nine spot. You know, even doing all of these mocks. And a lot of the reason we do them is so that we can discover things like this. And I have found that when I draft from the nine spot, I am able to walk away from my drafts locking up a top tier wide receiver and an anchor running back. Which makes me feel like I'm about crush the whole damn league in a matter of weeks.

[Daniel Dopp]

Dude, I love if you can start your draft with a top tier wide receiver and an anchor running back like you're talking about. It feels like you are set up for success. But tell me how you do that from the nine spot, Liz. Cause you can't just draft. All the good players start at the first round. Who are you taking with that first pick at number nine?

[Liz Loza]

Well, I. Well hold on, hold on. Don't get ahead of yourself. Let me just say why it's important to have one of these top tier wide receivers. That is because the top four, four wide outs all had 11 or more games of 15 or more fantasy points last season. Now the next 16 fantasy wide receivers managed six to eight games of 15 or more fantasy points. So about half as many than that top tier. Still a pretty good number, but half as many. My top tier 5 guys are in order. Jamar Chase, Jackson Smith and Jigba Puka Nakua, Amon, RA St Brown, your boy and CD Lamb. Now also, obviously ADP is not gospel. A little disclaimer, but it does give you a pretty good idea of what's going to be available when you pick. And since I have been mocking every week, usually a number of times per week, without fail, I have managed to roster CD Lamb when picking from either the 10 spot or before. In fact, we did actually a mock this past Monday and lamb was the 13th player taken off the board while Jackson Smith in Jigba was drafted at the ninth spot. So you're probably going to be able to get either CD Lam or JSN at that nine spot. Either way, the hope is that you can rely on that late first round wide receiver for an average of 18 or more fantasy points per week. That's like the floor you're looking for there.

[Daniel Dopp]

Yeah, getting a ton of volume from that wide receiver as well. And Liz, if you're doing that though, you can't get one of the top running backs because Jameer Gibbs and Bajan Robinson like they're going to be off the board before he even comes back to you. In the second round. So how are you approaching the running back and the turn at the second pick?

[Liz Loza]

Well, I think it's important to get an anchor running back like we've been talking about all spring or summer because the position dries up really quickly now. We've also talked about how some of those earlier picks like CMC and Jonathan Taylor have a couple of question marks around them. So I don't mind waiting too much because ultimately we all know that volume is king. And last year, just 10 running backs cleared 300 total touches. Not surprisingly, there are 10 running backs coming off of the board the first two rounds. So again, we want that volume. And I feel like I can find either if I'm picking at the, you know, what is that? Top of the second round? I can get either Ashton Genti, Derrick Henry or Omari. And Hampton. You and I are a little bit higher than the consensus on Hampton, but I personally am comfortable with that as my RB1. Regardless, all three of those running backs are projected to go over 320 total touches and best part, 270 total fantasy points, which by last season's metrics place them firmly inside the top 10 fantasy producers at the position. So from the nine spot, I'm able to get a wide receiver that's going to give me 18 fantasy points per week and a running back that is probably going to end up being a top 10 producer at the position.

[Daniel Dopp]

I love that. And you're getting tons of volume across the board, setting yourself up with a fantastic foundation for the rest of the draft. But Liz, the draft doesn't stop in the second round, and you're the tight end whisperer. All right? So I gotta ask you, when we're looking at the tight end position, maybe a little later on in these drafts, I'm sure you got a strategy on how you want to approach the tight end position. What are you doing from the ninth spot with tight ends here in 2026?

[Liz Loza]

Well, tight end is tricky because there's such a dip from the first tier down the rest of the producers, right? And in fact, if you look at last year, there were 105 fantasy points separating the tight end. One, who was Trey McBride from the tight end. Two, who was Kyle Pitts after there were only 18 fantasy points. Now, Daniel, I'm not the best at math, but 18 is a lot less than 105. And now basically this year, there are two tight ends in the top tier. Everyone's agreeing on that, right? There's Trey McBride and there's Brock Bowers and They're both going probably around the third round. I'm not really interested in investing that early when there are other wide receivers available at that time. I might as an exception, draft Colston Loveland because I do think he's going to have a monster season. We'll get into why probably in a future episode. I got the stats, I got the receipts. We'll talk about him in a future episode. But he's going in the fifth round. So two rounds after either Bowers or McBride. And if I'm waiting, then, as we discussed last week, I really like Isaiah Likely, who I think could be a top 15 producer at the position and probably get me an average of 10 fantasy points per week.

[Daniel Dopp]

Yeah, absolutely. Love that, Liz. And you're talking about the nine spot overall. I kind of want to close this out with the reason why I like drafting from the nine spot is it lets me look at what the teams around me have. So when you get in those later rounds, I kind of get to see, does this guy already have a quarterback? Does the person after me already have a quarterback? Do I need to take it here or can I wait six picks and get someone a little bit earlier? So that strategy is really nice from that nine spot. And Emma, unbelievable Question girl, thank you so much.

[Liz Loza]

Look at the inspo you provided. Emma. Thank you.

[Daniel Dopp]

That's right. Absolutely. All right, make sure before you move on that you are sticking with us for the entirety of the offseason. We are going to be here every single week and make sure you like and subscribe to this video. And there is more fantasy football coming your way. Fantasy focus is returning August 3rd. Liz Loza, you are going to be there for the entire first week of the season. It is going to be so much fun to have you in person. Cannot wait to have you back. Are you pumped, hopefully to be able to be in person with us here in Bristol?

[Liz Loza]

Why would I not want to be pumped to be in Connecticut in August? I hear the weather's great that time of year in New England.

[Daniel Dopp]

Yeah, it's going to be fantastic. Well, if you don't love that, then maybe you will love coming to hang out with us on August 20th in New York City for a live show. We are going live again. Come hang out with us and we are going to talk about a bunch of things. We're going to have food, we're going to have swag, all the good stuff like we usually do. Go to fantasyfocuslive.com to be able to get your tickets and lock in a Fun evening with the rest of the crew. As you know, managing maintenance, repair and operations is never easy. But for the ones who always rise to the challenge, Grainger has your back. From professional grade products you can count on to fast, dependable delivery, they're there to help you keep things running smoothly. Plus, their technical product specialists are here to help answer your toughest questions. And because Grainger knows safety is always a priority, they're committed to being your partner and protecting both your people and your facilities. Call 1-800-GRAINGER click grainger.com or just stop by pays checkout is offered by your banks and credit unions. So when you shop online at participating merchants, your cards appear in one place, ready to use and kept up to date. And the best part, your actual card number isn't shared when you check out because boundaries are healthy. Like no work emails after 6. One small step for boundaries, one big leap for checkout pace, it checks out. Activation required. See pays.com to learn more. Terms and conditions apply. All right, Liz, new segment we're going to bring to the table. I've decided I'm going to be a fantasy matchmaker today. Bring you a handful of dating profiles of some guys. Then maybe you should consider drafting on draft day and then I'll let you decide whether or not you are interested or not interested in them. How does that sound?

[Liz Loza]

I'm like already like giggly and bashful. I don't know if this is where I should.

[Daniel Dopp]

We're going to have you swipe and left and swipe and right. We're going to figure out if you like them.

[Liz Loza]

Obviously, I think which, which way is good and which way is like Smash and pat. Which way? I don't know.

[Daniel Dopp]

So I think if you swipe left, that means keep going. It's just like a normal photo booth. You're just like swiping left. If you swipe right, you're going against the grain. That means I actually like a person. So you want to swipe right if you like someone swiping left. If you're just moving on, Liz.

[Liz Loza]

Okay, no date. Date. Got it.

[Daniel Dopp]

Correct. Correct. All right.

[Liz Loza]

No roster spot. Roster spot. I mean, I mean my.

[Daniel Dopp]

That's right. My first client that I'm gonna bring to the table for you, Elizabeth Loza. After four consecutive seasons as a top five wide receiver and having never finished outside the top ten at the position until last season, this smoke show has more 20 point fantasy games over the last five years than any other wide receiver. And with a short king now leading his offense instead of A barely legal quarterb back at an ADP of 12.4. Do you think you'd be interested in spending a little bit more time with Justin Jefferson?

[Liz Loza]

I figured it out when you said short king at qb. And you know what? I don't. For the record, I'm 5 2. Everybody knows this. I don't mind a short king. However. However, before everybody comes at me, you don't have to be 6 foot 4 and work in finance. However, every before anyone comes at me. That is my problem with this Justin Jefferson situation. Now I fully acknowledge that he is definitely an high upside bounce back candidate. But the thing about Kyler Murray that makes me the most nervous is that he has a historically low first read target share because when he feels pressure that man scrambles and he doesn't force feed his wide receiver like he is like he is supposed to. Frankly I'm now you know, I was. If I'm remembering correctly, the Minnesota Vikings spent a lot of money on reinforcing their offensive line in 2025. It didn't work because a lot of them were injured. So there is hope that that line can get healthy and give Murray the protection he needs. It's just that he needs so much damn protection. And Daniel, if Justin Jefferson isn't properly fed like immediately there's gonna be some bad blood because this dude is not someone who just like neither one of these guys are like sit back and be chill types.

[Daniel Dopp]

Okay Liz, then here's the question. Okay, I need to ask you then. Are you gonna swipe left? Are you swiping right on Justin Jefferson,

[Liz Loza]

my friend at his current adp? I am swiping left because I'd rather have a running back right there for the reasons I outlined previously.

[Daniel Dopp]

All right, here's the next one. Liz Loza, if you like tight ends and long legs, this next one is for you. Coming off his second season as a top six fantasy tight end and still only 25 years old, which is right in your wheelhouse, this player delivered a post post hype resurgence with a 22% target share and the most touchdowns of his career as one of the front runners of that middle tight end tier and coming off the board as tight end 6 with an ADP of 67.4. Are you interested in spending a little bit more time with my friend Kyle Pitts?

[Liz Loza]

It's a good question. You're really picking the good. You're picking the players that are like I'm trying polarizing. These are polarizing players that you're picking. You're helping Me work through some stuff. Maybe this is fantasy therapy. Okay. So I will say what I love about Kyle Pitts is that everybody deserves redemption eventually if they work hard enough to find it. So I agree that he did that last year. I also really like his play caller in Kevin Stefanski this year. Obviously runs a position friendly scheme. We saw how Harold Fannin benefited from it last year. A lot of money attached to pits like the Falcons organization really did invest in him. He signed a three year extension worth I believe $54 million with upwards of 30 million of that guaranteed. Number two behind Dr. Drake London. So volume should be there. Although he is not as effective, there are some pretty considerable splits when he's on the field or when London's on the field and not on the field. So that's interesting. I do think, you know what, I'm running through all of this in my head in real time. I do think to a Tonga by lo, his presence should help assuming he wins the job over Michael Penix because we know how much he likes to. Speaking of short, kings also be a short to intermediate range of the field type of king and that tends to support a tight end as well. Um, it's just that this is like in a tricky part of the draft, you know what I mean? Like lad McConkey is there, Jalen Waddle is there, Carnell Tate is there and those are three wide receivers with big breakout appeal. So ultimately I'm gonna swipe left because miracles rarely happen twice. And I can get Isaiah Lakely late and I think.

[Daniel Dopp]

Okay, so I understand this. I assume that's what you're going to do because you've been talking about as you did earlier in the show, even you like one of those earlier tight ends if you can get them. And if not, you kind of want to wait past this middle tier for someone a little bit later on the draft based on who you can get. Totally fair. That's all right. I got one more client that I think you might be interested in. Liz. All right.

[Liz Loza]

Okay.

[Daniel Dopp]

Forget about a slump. This sophomore could have you humping your box score week in and week out. With his proclivity to find the end zone, this guy is primed to reprise his role as the thumper of this ascending offense, amassing almost 1,000 total yards and five touchdowns as a rookie. Double digit scores isn't out of the question in 26. And this guy is cheap. He's so cheap even yo mama could afford him in drafts. Liz, with an ADP of 118, are you in on My guy, Kyle Manungai.

[Liz Loza]

You just dropped a yo mama joke in 2026. I am dead. I will never recover from this. Okay, so you said thumper numerous times, by the way, which is an illusion and a reference, I'm assuming, to Mananguy's goal line equity. We're gonna. We're getting back on the rails here. Yes. Okay. His goal line equity, I believe because it's a Chicago Bear that Manangai had the same number of rushes inside the 10 last season as Swift, but he had more goal to goal. He was used more in that capacity than Swift. Obviously. He came on down the stretch. We've got the Ben Johnson effect working for him. Yeah, you know what? I like it. I have not done this personally, but I'm going to. You didn't even ask me. I like worked through it on my own. I'm going to swipe right. I think this is great value. I have personally over overlooked it until you put me through this exercise. So thank you. I hope it benefits everyone else's. It just benefited me. I think we. I think we have a match.

[Daniel Dopp]

Daniel, I. That's about time. All right. Lizzlo's empowerment guy. I can already hear the wedding bells.

[Liz Loza]

Ship it.

[Daniel Dopp]

This is a safe place.

[Voicemail Callers]

It's a place where we can feel free sharing our feelings.

[Liz Loza]

Well, Emma from Chicago already blessed us with one voicemail, but I hear we have a bunch more submissions. Daniel, who's up next?

[Daniel Dopp]

Yeah, we got a lot of submissions, though Emma did set the bar super high. We still have some really good questions here. This first one comes from Dennis from Florida via the Ukraine.

[Voicemail Callers]

Hi, my name is Dennis Demov from Ukraine, but I live in Jacksonville, Florida and I got a question about the Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Is he a viable pick at his ADP and will he repeat what he did last year? Because I have. I'm hesitant to drop them at his AGP right now. Thank you.

[Liz Loza]

Well, Dennis, I totally empathize with your hesitancy, Daniel, and I know like live through the will he won't he seasons of Trevor Lawrence and I think a lot of people are feeling similarly because he is currently the 13th quarterback coming off of boards. But that low ADP is why I'm interested in him. Because here's what we know right now. We know that down the stretch last season things started to click. In fact, Lawrence was the QB1 in fantasy points per game from week 12 to week 18. We know that he's heading into 2026 fully healthy. Last summer he was not and we Know that he has a whole nother year of Liam Cohen's unlocking type system under his belt. Plus, he's got plenty of receiving talent at his avail and he's got a really low adp. So, yeah, I'm gonna say I am in on him. That late?

[Voicemail Callers]

Yeah.

[Daniel Dopp]

If you're going to wait at the quarterback spot, Liz, I think you could do a lot worse than what Trevor Lawrence can be. I might draft a second quarterback if I'm going to wait that long and maybe grab Justin Herbert as well. But I got no problem giving the adp. Absolutely. All right, this next question comes from Austin, from Indiana, home of the Chicago Bears.

[Liz Loza]

Daniel, really?

[Voicemail Callers]

Hi, my name is Austin. I'm from Indiana. I have a question about a keeper league. It's a half PPR keeper league and you have to give up the round that you drafted the person. And if you keep him, I have Rasheed Rice and I drafted him in the fifth round. Would you keep him over Trey McBride who I'd have to give up a second round pick four. Thank you.

[Liz Loza]

All right, so it's either Rasheed rice in the fifth or Trey McBride in the second. That is a good one. First out, let's just say, right? Rice is a tricky player because it's hard to rely on him. And, you know, I think someone famous once said that your availability was your greatest ability. That's a quote that, like people in sports tend to say. But as it pertains to Rice, he is currently the ninth wide receiver coming off boards in the third round. So if you get him in the fifth, that's a pretty good value. McBride, I will say, does offer a higher floor, but he's also going in the second or third round of most drafts. You're not getting any value there. And really I'm not particularly worried, maybe I should be about Rice's volatility. He was, in fact, in my recent column, red flag. Players I'll probably draft anyway. So I'm gonna go with Rice and take the value and the upside.

[Daniel Dopp]

I am with you on that, Liz. When I am picking a keeper, I'm picking them because I want the value I'm getting at that position, not me paying full price when I could just draft that player there anyways. Which is why I would also go with Rashi Rice. All right, this last one comes from our guy Ty in Arizona.

[Voicemail Callers]

Hey, guys, this is Ty calling in from Arizona. Just wanted to shoot out a question, what you guys thought or if I'm crazy, going back to back to back running back in this year's draft or if it would be better to do back to back running back than third round receiver.

[Liz Loza]

I mean, listen, Ty, I appreciate that you were paying attention because we said running back dries up early and he was like, I'm gonna take them all. Give me Bill Ford, all the running backs. So I will say I don't hate back to back running backs because there is some solid value available at wide receiver in the third round. Fun fact. Last year from wide receiver 10 down to wide receiver 29, there was less than three points a week of separation. So you can still get some great producers. If you draft in the third round of wide receiver, you're probably looking at A.J. brown, Nico Collins, George Pickens is your wide receiver one. I feel pretty comfortable with that as long as I know I've shored up the running back position. All of the those guys, those wide receivers I just mentioned have top 12 positional appeal, so I don't mind it. But back to back to back, I think you're missing out on too much value at a different position if you do that.

[Daniel Dopp]

Bunch of great questions. Make sure you guys keep coming back with even more questions. If you did not hear your question on today's show, it's probably because we're saving it for future episodes. We love to have a good bank of questions and if you want to add to that, you can give us a call at 323-391-4855. Last call.

[Liz Loza]

Today we learned that I definitely want to have a beer with my new friend Emma from Chicago, that dot has a potential second career as a matchmaker and that not all draft spots are created equal. Discovering a potential advantage may not necessarily guarantee you victory, but it does does improve your odds. All right, gang, definitely give us a call. Keep those voicemails coming. The number to dial is 323-391-4855. And come hang out with us at the Fantasy Focus Live show on August 20th in New York City. The link to grab tickets is in the show description. Until next time, May your facts be solid, you, your feelings be right and your bus be someone else's problem.