For football fans across Tennessee, the start of the NFL regular season means more than the return of Sunday afternoon games. It also marks the beginning of another fantasy football season, when millions of fans will try to turn preseason research, projections, and a little bit of luck into a championship roster.
The 2026 season presents some particularly interesting decisions for Tennessee fantasy managers. The Tennessee Titans are entering the year with several intriguing offensive players, including second-year quarterback Cam Ward and rookie wide receiver Carnell Tate. Meanwhile, players coming out of the University of Tennessee and Vanderbilt are beginning their professional careers around the league. A successful fantasy draft, however, should not simply be a collection of favorite players. The strongest strategy combines preparation with flexibility, focusing on value, opportunity, roster construction, and upside.
Here are some of the most important things to consider before making that first pick.
Start by Understanding Your League
Before studying individual players, fantasy managers should understand exactly how their league works.
Scoring format can dramatically change player values. A wide receiver who catches 90 passes, for example, becomes more valuable in a point-per-reception (PPR) league than in a traditional non-PPR format. Superflex leagues increase the importance of quarterbacks, while leagues that require multiple starting wide receivers can make depth at that position particularly valuable.
Managers should also know how many teams are in the league, how many players start at each position, and how large the bench will be.
Once those details are clear, average draft position, commonly called ADP, becomes one of the most useful tools available. ADP provides an indication of where players are typically being selected. It should not be treated as a rigid ranking, but it can help managers determine whether they need to select a player now or might reasonably expect that player to remain available later.
NFL.com recommends entering drafts with an understanding of rankings, ADP, positional scarcity and the tendencies of the league while remaining flexible enough to adjust when other managers make unexpected selections.[1]
Think in Tiers Rather Than Individual Rankings
One common mistake is becoming too attached to a particular player.
Suppose a manager enters the draft determined to select one particular running back in the fourth round, only to watch another team take that player several picks earlier. Without alternatives prepared, it becomes easy to reach for the next name on a rankings sheet.
A better approach is to organize players into tiers.
Rather than deciding that one receiver is the only acceptable selection, identify four or five receivers who have relatively similar expectations. If several players remain in a particular tier, there may be no need to rush. A position with only one appealing player remaining might deserve more immediate attention.
This approach also makes it easier to react to the draft instead of trying to predict exactly how every round will unfold.
Build a Strong Foundation at Running Back and Wide Receiver
Running backs and wide receivers will generally occupy most starting positions in traditional fantasy leagues, making depth at both positions important.
Early-round selections should ideally combine talent with predictable opportunity. A running back expected to receive significant carries and passing-game work, for example, generally offers a safer foundation than a talented backup who needs an injury ahead of him to receive meaningful touches.
Wide receiver volume matters for similar reasons. Players who consistently earn targets have more opportunities to accumulate receptions, yards, and touchdowns. Managers do not necessarily need to follow a predetermined RB-RB or WR-WR strategy. Instead, the goal should be to take advantage of whichever position offers the best value as the draft develops.
Tennessee’s Tony Pollard could be an interesting example of a player who provides value after the biggest names are gone. NFL.com’s 2026 running back rankings placed Pollard at RB27 while noting that he has finished among the top 30 fantasy running backs in four consecutive seasons.[2] That does not make him a player managers need to reach for, but his established production could make him useful as an RB2, flex option or depth piece depending on league size.
Do Not Automatically Rush to Draft a Quarterback
Quarterback is one of fantasy football’s most recognizable positions, which can tempt managers into selecting one early. The better question is what a manager gives up by doing so.
If several productive quarterbacks are likely to remain available later, using an early selection on the position can mean passing on a running back or receiver who would have been substantially harder to replace.
This is where Titans quarterback Cam Ward becomes particularly interesting.
After being selected first overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, Ward now enters his second professional season with an upgraded supporting cast. NFL.com recently identified Ward as one of its quarterback values for 2026, noting that he averaged 15.29 fantasy points per game over his final month as a rookie and threw two touchdown passes in four consecutive games. His ADP was still only QB25 at the time of the analysis.[3]
That combination makes Ward an intriguing late-round upside candidate, particularly for managers who prefer to wait on quarterback. He carries uncertainty, but the acquisition of additional receiving talent gives him an opportunity to outperform his draft position.
Carnell Tate Could Be Tennessee’s Most Interesting Fantasy Newcomer
One of the biggest additions to the Titans offense is rookie receiver Carnell Tate.
Tennessee selected the Ohio State standout with the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, making him the first wide receiver selected. NFL.com’s scouting evaluation praised Tate’s route-running ability, separation, body control and strong hands, projecting him as a player with significant professional upside.[4]
For fantasy managers, however, draft position is only part of the equation. Opportunity is equally important.
Tate arrives on a team searching for a true No. 1 receiving option, giving him a clearer path to substantial targets than many rookie receivers receive. NFL.com’s preseason projection estimated 68 receptions, 841 receiving yards, and seven touchdowns for Tate in 2026.[5]
Those numbers would make him immediately fantasy relevant.
The key is price. Tate has attracted enough attention that he is already being selected within the top 150 players in fantasy drafts.[6] Managers should therefore avoid treating him as an unknown sleeper. His upside is real, but reaching several rounds ahead of his ADP eliminates some of the value that makes rookie players attractive in the first place.
Keep an Eye on Former Tennessee Volunteers
Fantasy football can also give local fans a reason to follow former Tennessee Volunteers around the NFL.
Wide receiver Chris Brazzell II is the most obvious 2026 rookie to monitor in traditional offensive fantasy formats. The Carolina Panthers selected Brazzell with the 83rd overall pick in the third round after his final season in Knoxville. Tennessee also sent cornerbacks Colton Hood and Jermod McCoy, edge rusher Joshua Josephs, and defensive lineman Tire West into the NFL through the 2026 draft.[7]
Most of those defenders will matter primarily in leagues using Individual Defensive Players, or IDPs, rather than standard team defenses.
Brazzell is different. As a receiver, his target share and position on Carolina’s depth chart are worth monitoring. He may not need to be selected in typical redraft leagues immediately, but players such as Brazzell belong on early-season watch lists. Injuries, strong practices or unexpected target volume can quickly transform a rookie receiver from a waiver-wire option into a useful fantasy contributor.
That illustrates an important fantasy principle: the draft is only the beginning.
Vanderbilt’s Eli Stowers Is a Name for the Future
Vanderbilt fans have their own rookie to follow. The Philadelphia Eagles selected tight end Eli Stowers with the 54th overall pick in the second round. Stowers entered the NFL after winning the John Mackey Award and recording 62 receptions for 769 yards and four touchdowns during his senior season at Vanderbilt.[8] His immediate fantasy situation is less straightforward.
Veteran Dallas Goedert limits Stowers’ path to a major rookie role, and preseason health concerns have added uncertainty. That makes Stowers more appealing in dynasty formats, where managers keep players across multiple seasons, than in ordinary 2026 redraft leagues. Still, he is exactly the type of player fantasy managers should remember. Tight ends can take time to develop, and an expanded role later in the season could quickly make Stowers more relevant.
Use the Final Rounds to Chase Upside
The later rounds are where fantasy managers should become more willing to accept uncertainty. Drafting a veteran with a very limited ceiling simply because the name is familiar may provide little benefit. Instead, managers can target rookies, emerging receivers, backup running backs with a realistic path to playing time, or players entering larger offensive roles.
NFL.com’s rookie fantasy analysis specifically recommends approaching late-round rookies as calculated lottery tickets rather than overpaying for them.[9] That distinction is important. A sleeper is valuable because the acquisition cost is low. Once managers begin reaching several rounds ahead of ADP, the sleeper is no longer a bargain.
Do Not Forget the Waiver Wire
Perhaps the most important fantasy football lesson is that championships are rarely won entirely on draft night. Unexpected starters emerge every season. Running backs get injured. Rookie receivers earn larger roles. Quarterbacks break out. Players who looked like excellent August selections sometimes disappear from fantasy relevance by October.
Managers should therefore view their draft as the foundation of the roster rather than the finished product. Drafting for value, building depth at running back and wide receiver, avoiding unnecessary reaches, and reserving a few late selections for upside creates a roster capable of adapting once the season begins.
For Tennessee fans, there are plenty of local storylines to make the 2026 fantasy season especially interesting. Carnell Tate could become one of Cam Ward’s most important targets, Tony Pollard offers an established option in the Titans backfield, former Volunteers are beginning NFL careers around the league, and Vanderbilt’s Eli Stowers is a developmental player worth watching. The best strategy, though, is to balance that local interest with disciplined roster building. Fantasy managers can root for Tennessee players without reaching for them simply because of the connection. Knowing when a favorite player also represents good draft value is what turns hometown loyalty into smart fantasy football strategy.
[1] NFL.com, “2026 NFL Fantasy Football Draft Tips: 18 Must-Know Do’s and Don’ts.” https://www.nfl.com/news/2026-nfl-fantasy-football-draft-tips-18-must-know-do-s-and-don-ts
[2] NFL.com, “Fantasy Football RB Rankings for 2026 NFL Season: Draft Tiers and Analysis.” https://www.nfl.com/news/fantasy-football-rb-rankings-for-2026-nfl-season-draft-tiers-and-analysis
[3] NFL.com, “2026 NFL Fantasy Football: Top Seven QB Values.” https://www.nfl.com/news/2026-nfl-fantasy-football-top-seven-qb-values
[4] NFL.com, “2026 NFL Draft Prospects,” Carnell Tate scouting profile. https://www.nfl.com/draft/tracker/2026/prospects
[5] NFL.com, “NFL Offensive Rookies: Best and Worst Case for 17 Players in 2026.” https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-offensive-rookies-best-and-worst-case-for-17-players-in-2026
[6] NFL.com, “2026 NFL Fantasy Football: 15 Rookies Worth a Late-Round Draft Pick.” https://amp.nfl.com/news/2026-nfl-fantasy-football-15-rookies-worth-a-late-round-draft-pick
[7] University of Tennessee Athletics, “McCoy, Josephs, West Taken On Final Day of 2026 NFL Draft.” https://utsports.com/news/2026/4/25/football-mccoy-josephs-west-taken-on-final-day-of-2026-nfl-draft
[8] FantasyPros, “Eli Stowers Fantasy Football Outlook (2026).” https://www.fantasypros.com/nfl/notes/419547/eli-stowers-2026-outlook.php
[9] NFL.com, “2026 NFL Fantasy Football: 15 Rookies Worth a Late-Round Draft Pick.” https://www.nfl.com/news/2026-nfl-fantasy-football-15-rookies-worth-a-late-round-draft-pick
