DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST: 015-26

David’s Daily Digest

August 15th 2026

Saturday Morning Edition

Going to the Well

There’s no question that success in Fantasy scoring requires performance, but the biggest key is opportunity. Your players can’t score if they are not in the game and they don’t perform if they are not on the field. And when they are on the field, chances are the key and volume leads to the top.

Last season there were only four players with 300 carries, but there were 10 players with over 300 touches, which includes carries and catches. This type of volume is what is needed to finish in the Top-10 fantasy scoring for running backs.

In 2025, the top eight fantasy scoring running backs (points per game) all finished with more than 300 touches and 7 of the 8 played in 17 games. Durability and availability are difference makers and this list is filled with the players that make a difference.

Last Season’s Fantasy RB12, the Cowboys running back Javonte Williams, after his strong return in 2025, looks like a good bet for a repeat in 2026. Williams is currently the fantasy RB18 coming off draft boards with an ADP of 36.8, start of the 4th round (12 team drafts).

The Bills running back James Cook (Fantasy RB6 in 2025) joined the 300 club in 2025, for the first time in his career. It’s hard to imagine seeing the Bills lean so heavily on Cook in 2026. He’ll still be the bell cow, but even with 25-30 fewer carries in 2026, he’s still Top-10 in my opinion. Cook's current ADP of 13.6 has him at the top of the 2nd round in fantasy drafts as the fantasy RB7, where he should be.

That’s My Take.

~David Ortega

DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST: 014-26

David’s Daily Digest

August 14th, 2026

Friday Late Night Edition

Best Hands in the Biz

What to do on a Friday night, how about a deep dive into some wide receiver numbers. With all of the moves this off-season, one of the more recent that's captured some of my attention has to be the Diggs to Washington move.

Last season, with a minimum of 80 targets in 2025, no receiver was better than the Commanders Stefon Diggs (102 targets last season). His arrival to Washington, paired with a healthy (quarterback) Jayden Daniels, has his stock on the rise in my opinion.

Diggs is definitely on the back-nine in his career with recent fantasy finishes as the fantasy WR14 in 2023, WR18 in 2024, and WR25 last season. These followed three consecutive seasons finishing Top-10.

His Top-10 days may be behind him now, but with the electric Daniels slinging passes in his direction, Diggs looks like a strong candidate to finish much higher than his current ADP as the fantasy WR44 - it's still early in the draft season.

Diggs is not likely to climb higher than top 35 ADP, but  in my opinion, finishing inside the Top-30 is not out of the realm of possibility.

That's My Take.

~David Ortega

DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST: 013-26

David’s Daily Digest

August 13th, 2026

Thursday Evening Edition

THE KING KEEPS KRUSHING

The Ravens running back Derrick Henry may just be the exception to the rule. As most folks and every professional athlete that has ever stepped onto the gridiron know, Father Time is undefeated. 

Heading into his 11th season at the age of 32, King Henry looks to disprove the rule, at least for one more season. Henry is coming off a solid 2025 campaign where posted 1,595 yards rushing (his 3rd highest total in his career) with 16 rushing touchdowns on 307 carries.

Henry is beast, breaking through would-be tacklers and steam-rolling his way to the fantasy RB7 last season. Watching his off-season workouts, it's hard to imagine him not producing once again.

With a healthy quarterback Lamar Jackson under center this season, the King looks poised to hold onto his crown in 2026. His career yards per carry average is just a tick under 5 yards and in 2025, Henry averaged 5.2 yards per carry. In fact, his numbers show, that as the season wears the King just gets better.

Henry's current ADP (PPR 12 teams) is mid-2nd round as the RB9. On my draft board I have him up a few slots as the RB7. There are a couple of backs that may finish ahead of him overall at the end of the season, but Henry's is likely to do most of him damage heading into and throughout the fantasy playoffs - I'll pay up for that.

That's My Take.

~David Ortega

DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST: 012-26

David’s Daily Digest

August 11th, 2026

Tuesday Evening Edition

BACK WITH A VENGEANCE

Maybe take this one with a grain of salt, perhaps with a slice of lime and in a tall shot glass! I'm not calling a shot here, nor am I sharing any real new take here, just going on record to say I too am a Omarion Hampton "Believer."

It's just a small sample size, but enough to convince me there's something there. Last season I selected Hampton with my third pick in one of my more competitive home leagues and for the first fours weeks of the 2025 season, I thought with this pick I nailed it.

Hampton was winning the timeshare he was in with running back Najee Harris, before Harris went down in week 3. through two weeks, Hampton had earned 72% of the snap-share, by week 4 it was up to 78%.

In weeks 3 & 4, Hampton posted scores of 24.9 fantasy points with 70 yards rushing, one rushing touchdown, 6 receptions, and 59 yards receiving in week 3 (good enough for the fantasy RB4). He followed that up with 27.5 fantasy points with 128 yards on the ground, another rushing score, 5 more catches for 37 receiving yards (fantasy RB7 for week 4).

Hampton would go down in week 5 and miss the next 8 weeks. He was not quite the same in his return, but with a whole off-season to recover and a new OC (Dolphins former HC Mike McDaniel) the prospects of what he could be look limitless.

In my home league, it's a one player keeper, round protected. I went early with Hampton last season in the 3rd, and current ADP has him at the end of the 2nd round. In my opinion there's enough value there. He's a strong hold and keeper for me. I'm all-in on Hampton.

That's My Take.

~David Ortega

DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST: 011-26

David’s Daily Digest

August 9th, 2026

Sunday Evening Edition

BOUNCE BACK IN 26

One of the most enjoyable parts of fantasy football of course is winning, But when you get it right, that can be nearly as satisfying. It doesn't happen often, so projecting outcomes for the coming season during pre-draft, can be hit or miss. So many variables go into it, off-season changes, new personnel, different role or returning from injury, with so many obstacles, nothing is guaranteed. 

As I am prepping for my upcoming fantasy drafts, I have asterisks on the following players to make big jumps from their 2025 outcome.

In Minnesota, the Vikings acquired quarterback Kyler Murray during the offseason giving their quarterback room a significant upgrade. The improvement should have an immediate impact on wide receiver Justin Jefferson. It's been a while since Murray's had the luxury of throwing to a receiver of Jefferson's caliber, but back in 2020 during DeAndre Hopkins peak run as a pass catcher, in his first season with Arizona, he finished as the fantasy WR5 with Murray throwing his passes. 

Jefferson is more than capable of reaching that plateau and after finishing as the fantasy WR28 (minimum 10 games) last season (84 receptions, 1,048 yards receiving, and two touchdowns). JJ should be a preseason favorite to finish back in the Top-10 in 2026 with a projected outcome of over 95+ receptions, 1,250+ yards receiving, and 8+ touchdowns. 

These projected numbers would have landed him as a Top-10 receiver last season, following his previous finishes of fantasy WR4 in 2024, WR5 in 2023, WR2 in 2022, WR4 in 2021, and WR9 in 2020. He's a good bet to return to the top this season and could be Top-5 once again.

That's My Take.

~David Ortega