DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST: 027-26

David's Daily Digest

September 5th 2026

Saturday Afternoon Edition

Saturday Sports Page

Don't Sleep On These Dudes

I'll admit, I play Madden. I haven't played as much recently as I wish, but love the game. I don't know if the Madden curse is real, but Saquon Barkly ( ADP 13, RB7) comes off a phenominal season in 2024 (fantasy RB1), then is on the Madden cover and I'm sure like most fantasy owners he'd prefer to forget about the 2025 season, where he finished as the fantasy RB15 (fantasy points per game). Barkley is healthy to open the season and with the departure of wide receiver AJ Brown, it feels like there is less turmoil in Philly. 

Barkley and company are certainly capable of producing at a high level and with one of the top three rated offensive lines in the game (per PFF & ESPN), you have to believe there's a good chance this offense returns to form. Barkley is not coming off any type of major injury, played 16 games in 2025, and totaled 280 carries last season. There is every reason to believe he bounces back and returns to the first tier level at the position. He should be going off the board in the first round, but he's consistently slipping into the mid-second round.

Another running back that may offer more value than his current ADP is the Bears running back D'Andre Swift (ADP 47, RB20). A forgotten name and one that many expect to concede a large share of the backfield duties to his teammate, running back Kyle Monangai. Monangai (currently injured) will eventually get his share when he makes it back to the field, but while he is out swift should be able to take advantage. Over the past three seasons as the lead back, Swift has consistently finished in the Top 25, peaking last season at the fantasy RB15 (minimum 10 games played). With Monangai banged up and running behind a Top-5 rated offensive line, Swift could be a huge fantasy riser out of the gate possibly pushing toward a Top-12 position (at least until Monangai's return).

I trust my eyes more than I trust what the fantasy rumor mills are churning out lately. I watched a bit of Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston (ADP 123, WR46) and tight end Oronde Gadsden (ADP N/A). Last season Johnston (fantasy WR24 in 2025) was the team's top fantasy receiver leading the way with 8 touchdowns. I just don't believe he goes away and Keenan Allen's (122 targets in 2025) departure opens up a lot of room for more opportunity for Johnston, as well as Gadsden.

Last season Gadsden experienced the early-season surge, which put him on the fantasy map, but clearly playing in a Harbaugh heavy-run offense did him zero favors. The team brought in tight end David Njoku, who may appear to be a better fit for the run-first offense philosophy the team followed last season, but that was last season. This season begins the Mike McDaniel era and really like Gadsden as a late round flyer or stash. I love him in DFS for his boom/bust potential, and with McDaniel calling plays, there may be more boom.

That's My Take

~David G. Ortega

*ADP stats provided by Draft Sharks

DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST: 026-26

David's Daily Digest

September 4th 2026

Friday Late-Night Edition

Friday Fantasy Fixx

My Fantasy Four

I have three more home league drafts coming up on Labor Day, so between now and then over this weekend I will be spending quite a bit of time participating in several Best Ball and a standard PPR league drafts. I want to build a sense of how players are being valued and which players others are reaching up to grab.

When I am building my fantasy team, I am always thinking about my Fantastic Four. These are the core four players, one quarterback, one running back, one wide receiver, and one tight end. My targets are not necessarily players in the top tier of each position, but those players I believe will significantly out perform ADP and finish in or near their top tiers.

Out of the shoot, at quarterback I am all-in on the Jordan Love train (ADP 153, QB20). Even before considering any of the Josh Jacobs fall-out, I just have a feeling head coach Matt LaFleur is going to let Jordan cook. We've seen what he's capable of and with Jacobs likely to miss some time, the stars may be aligning.

In the backfield, my ride-or-die dude is Omarion Hampton (ADP 16, RB10) of the Chargers. I think the Mike McDaniel influence will pay dividends for Hampton in both the ground and passing game. Last season Hampton averaged 4.4 yards per carry on 124 totes with 32 receptions for 192 receiving yards, and five scores. He fits the role of an 18-20 touch back and could easily find a path to 1,500+ scrimmage yards with 45-55 catches and 10+ scores in the McDaniel offense. That's what I am banking on.

I am planting my flag on the Broncos receiver, Courtland Sutton (ADP 71, WR30). I know they now have Jaylen Waddle, but I believe his arrival will only elevate Sutton. Waddle will take away some targets for sure, but I see his influence opening up greater opportunities for Sutton in the red zone, where he is already very effective. Courtland should still see plenty of work and could find his way to 10-12 touchdowns this season.

I like guys like Isaiah Likely and Mark Andrews at tight end, but with Likely, a new team, new quarterback, I need a sample size before I am in. Andrews needs to show me he's still got something left, before I roll with him again. With that said, although he's coming off injury, I still like the Packers tight end Tucker Kraft (ADP 83, TE9). At 25, the kid still has a lot of juice left and I am excited at what we might see from the packers passing offense this season. Tucker's a keeper for me.

That's My Take

~David G. Ortega

DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST: 025-26

David's Daily Digest

September 3rd 2026

Thursday Night Edition

Thursday's Take

Diamonds in the Rough

My first dart throw for this fantasy season is without a doubt the Broncos running back Jonah Coleman (ADP 175, RB50). Although he joins what would appear to be a crowded backfield in Denver with incumbent JK Dobbins and 2nd year back RJ Harvey, I like Coleman's chances to come out on top or at least be a consistent contributor by mid-season.

Coleman is a talented running back with strong physical traits. His last three seasons of college experience, the final two coming at the University of Washington, showcased his high productivity totaling more than 1,000 scrimmage yards in each. With notable solid pass-blocking skills and the ability to be an effective pass-catcher, Coleman clearly has a pathway to the field.

In his brief appearances in this preseason, Coleman displayed some of that low center of gravity and tremendous balance, paired with his excellent ability to break tackles that he showcased in college. Just going by the eye test, he definitely caught my eye and showed some flash that has been missing from the Broncos ground attack.

I believe Coleman possesses the talent and skill that will be hard to keep him off the field. Once on the field, his performance will keep him there. I like the pieces the team currently has in place, but Coleman feels like a difference maker and turns out the great Matthew Berry agrees with me, that Coleman will take over lead duties in the second half of the season. There should be room enough for all three to be fantasy relevant, but Coleman will be the lead horse by mid-season.

He's a must have in dynasty drafts and absolutely worth the risk in redrafts around the .

That's My Take

~David G. Ortega

DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST: 024-26

David's Daily Digest

September 1st 2026

Tuesday Night Edition

Tuesday Talk

Quick Takes

My drafting fingers are tingling and it's getting hot in here waiting for the big draft weekend that lies ahead. Of course we're ready, but there's still plenty more prep to be done.

As I gather my notes and take a deep look at rosters, stats, and what have you, I have a couple of quick takes as I look ahead to my upcoming drafts. I have Bills wide receiver DJ Moore (ADP 55) on my radar for the late 4th or early 5th round sweet spot. I just like his opportunity with Josh Allen throwing darts in his direction.

I am going to be putting the brakes on Bucs running back Bucky Irving (ADP 53) in this same area. I am a little salty from last season, he was a draft steal for me as my Keeper in the 22nd round, but when he ended finishing like a 22nd round fantasy draft, what a disappointment. I am hoping he can bounce back this season, but too much risk for me. If he falls a few rounds, maybe.

My last take for tonight is the Bears wide receiver Luther Burden (ADP 65), to be taken ahead of his teammate, Rome Odunze. Burden showed plenty last season to make me a believer; he started out slow last season, but flashed early in week 3 (19.8 fantsay points). But in his final (4) games he averaged nearly 7 targets per game posting 21 receptions for 324 yards receiving and a touchdown. Still overall modest numbers, just 15.0 fantasy points per game, but enough there to see the potential and upside. Burden is the pick for me.

That's My Take

~David G. Ortega

DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST: 023-26

David's Daily Digest

August 29th 2026

Saturday Night Edition

Saturday Night Fantasy

Sports Page

The Draft Notebook: Quarterbacks

The 2026 NFL season is inching ever so close, a little less than 2 weeks before it all kickoffs on Wednesday September 8th. With the 2026 Kickoff moving closer and closer, the draft season continues to heat up more and more.

While everything starts to get exciting, for a successful draft, I get calm. The calm before the storm, where I unleash all of my fantasy football prowess and dominate. With the holiday weekend approaching and three more home leagues to draft, it's time to open the notebook and breakdown strategy.

In the opening rounds as most of us will do, we look for the best available, highest floors, with tremendous upside is what we should be targeting. When I am building my roster, I am prone to look for my quarterback and tight ends in the later rounds, but this is not written in stone. As I watch my draft progress, I am targeting top tier players to start and adapting to the flow. If some top tier talent, like tight end Trey McBride (ADP 18) falling to the 4th round, or quarterback Joe Burrow (ADP 53.0) sliding into the 8th round, I am not hesitating to take either or both. 

But if my draft follows suit, these are a handful of quarterbacks I am comfortable snagging in the later portion of the draft, after the 7th round. The first candidate is the Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (ADP 91). Herbert was QB11 last season, posting 7 games with at least 18.8 fantasy points. With a new OC in Mike McDaniels, he's certainly capable of improving this season.

The next candidate on my watch list is the Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (ADP 79). Going around the 7th round, Nix is right there on the border of where I might take him. I prefer him in the 8th, but will reach in the late 7th. Nix (QB10 in 2025) is coming off a 3,911 yards passing, 25 passing touchdowns with 5 rushing touchdowns last season. If the ankle is good to go, I am good to draft Nix in the 8th.

What I definitely consider a bargain and great value this season is the Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (ADP 132). Goff finished last season as QB12, but with the weapons he has at his disposal, he clearly has a path to a Top-10 finish. Last season had some dips, but in 11 of his starts in 2025 Goff posted at least 15.2 fantasy points, including 4 games with 24.8 or more. He's a back end QB1 in 12 team formats that you can wait on.

One more notable that's not getting much ink these days is the Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (ADP 98). Mahomes was the QB4 in 2025 (points per game) and while his numbers seemed down, he still performed as a Top-5 fantasy quarterback. He's coming off the boards in the 9th round and offers plenty of upside, especially with the return of Rashee Rice.

That's My Take

~David G. Ortega