Fantasy Football 2026 Cheat Sheet for Injured Players and Holdout Candidates

There are a few reasons why fantasy football managers should wait as late in the NFL preseason as possible to draft.

Managers can be burned by players who choose to hold out and those who land in unexpected roles—though the potential for injuries is the single biggest reason to wait on making those draft selections. Preseason injuries happen every year, and injury updates are critical for key players coming off of serious ailments.

The list of holdout candidates in 2026 is quite short, but there are some key injury situations worth monitoring. You'll find a look at those here, along with a quick cheat sheet for point-per-reception (PPR) position rankings.

Few Holdout Candidates in 2026

AP Photo/Chris O'Meara

Buccaneers DT Vita Vea

Fantasy managers shouldn't have to worry much about holdouts impacting their draft choices this season because teams were active in handing out contracts during the offseason. Top offensive players who were angling for new deals—namely, Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson—got them.

Los Angeles Rams wideout Puka Nacua is eligible for a contract extension but has already made it clear that he never really considered holding out as a negotiation tactic.

"It never crossed my mind that I don't want to be out here with these guys," Nacua said in late July, per Stu Jackson of the team's official website.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield was trying to get a new deal done before training camp. While he expressed disappointment that one didn't get done, his plan is to play in 2026 and try to earn a new contract next offseason.

The only real holdout at this point is Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea, who has been holding-in at camp following a trade request. Vea is a terrific player, but as an interior defensive lineman, he doesn't hold a ton of value in IDP leagues—he has a draft rank of just 269, according to FantasyPros. Of course, any IDP fans considering Vea will want to weigh alternatives until his situation is resolved.

Zach Charbonnet Still in Recovery Mode

AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman

Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet finished last season as RB24, which is a solid ranking, considering he split time with starter Kenneth Walker III. The fact that Walker departed in free agency will have Charbonnet on more than a few managers' radar heading into 2026.

However, the issue is that Charbonnet suffered a torn ACL in the playoffs and is highly unlikely to be available to start the season. Seattle placed him on the PUP list to open training camp and has not offered a clear timetable for his return.

"He's doing a great job," head coach Mike Macdonald said, per John Boyle of the team's official website. "I know he has high expectations for himself, and we're looking forward to seeing where it ends up."

Charbonnet is probably still worth a late-round flier, but he didn't undergo surgery until late February and is a risk, even with a currently conservative average draft position (ADP) of 114. The fact that Seattle used a first-round pick on Jadarian Price can't be ignored, either.

Woody Marks and Jacory Croskey-Merritt are backs with a comparable ADP who loom as safer options.

Be Sure to Track Malik Nabers and Christian McCaffrey Closely

AP Photo/Adam Hunger

Malik Nabers

While Charbonnet's injury has largely prevented him from being drafted highly, the same can't be said for New York Giants receiver Malik Nabers and San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey.

Nabers, who is coming off a torn ACL, has a draft rank of 28. McCaffrey, who has been sidelined by "tightness," has a draft rank of 10.

ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio recently pondered the possibility of McCaffrey's health issue being related to a desire for a new contract (h/t Alex Simon of the SFGate.com). Even if McCaffrey isn't staging a sneakily quiet hold-in, the fact that a 30-year-old back with a lengthy injury history has missed a portion of camp is noteworthy.

McCaffrey is also coming off a season that included a league-high 413 touches. Managers may want to lean into other options if they're eyeing RBs in the first round.

Nabers' situation took a positive step on Monday when he took part in full-speed team drills. However, managers will want to track his recovery in the coming weeks and pivot to other top-10 WRs if unsatisfied with the direction in which he appears headed.

2026 Positional PPR Cheat Sheet

AP Photo/Abbie Parr

Bills QB Josh Allen

Quarterback

1. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
2. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
3. Drake Maye, New England Patriots
4. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
5. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
6. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
7. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
8. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
9. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
10. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
11. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
12. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

Running Back

1. Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
2. Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions
3. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts
4. Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers
5. Ashton Jeanty, Las Vegas Raiders
6. James Cook, Buffalo Bills
7. Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals
8. De'Von Achane, Miami Dolphins
9. Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles
10. Kenneth Walker III, Kansas City Chiefs
11. Omarion Hampton, Los Angeles Chargers
12. Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens

Wide Receiver

1. Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals
2. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks
3. Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
4. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys
5. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions
6. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
7. Drake London, Atlanta Falcons
8. A.J. Brown, New England Patriots
9. Nico Collins, Houston Texans
10. George Pickens, Dallas Cowboys
11. Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints
12. DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles

Tight End

1. Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals
2. Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders
3. Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears
4. Tyler Warren, Indianapolis Colts
5. Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers
6. Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons
7. Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions
8. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
9. Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo Bills
10. Isaiah Likely, Baltimore Ravens
11. Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys
12. Harold Fannin Jr., Cleveland Browns

Kicker

1. Brandon Aubrey, Dallas Cowboys
2. Cameron Dicker, Los Angeles Chargers
3. Ka'imi Fairbairn, Houston Texans
4. Jason Myers, Seattle Seahawks
5. Eddy Pineiro, San Francisco 49ers
6. Tyler Loop, Baltimore Ravens
7. Cam Little, Jacksonville Jaguars
8. Jake Bates, Detroit Lions
9. Cairo Santos, Chicago Bears
10. Harrison Mevis, Los Angeles Rams
11. Evan McPherson, Cincinnati Bengals
12. Chase McLaughlin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Defense/Special Teams

1. Houston Texans
2. Denver Broncos
3. Seattle Seahawks
4. Los Angeles Rams
5. Philadelphia Eagles
6. Pittsburgh Steelers
7. Minnesota Vikings
8. New England Patriots
9. Baltimore Ravens
10. Los Angeles Chargers
11. Green Bay Packers
12. Jacksonville Jaguars