Alright, fantasy football fans, listen up! The 2026 NFL season kicks off next Wednesday, which means this weekend is go-time for drafts. You’ve probably been glued to every piece of content out there, but seriously, if you do one thing this draft, it’s getting Travis Etienne Jr. onto your roster. This dude is screaming value, and you don’t want to miss out.
Etienne’s Saints Situation Is Absolutely PRIMED for Explosions
Seriously, how is this guy going so late? One analyst has Etienne as his most drafted player with a personal ADP of 40th overall. But on Yahoo, he’s a consensus fourth-round pick, clocking in as the RB18 with an ADP of 42nd! That’s a full round of value right there. We’re talking about a player who finished as the RB11 per-game last year, all on RB14 usage. And that was while he was splitting work in Jacksonville, believe it or not!
Now he’s in New Orleans, and the environment could not be better. Alvin Kamara is 31 and dealing with a multi-week knee injury from training camp. So yeah, Etienne is safely going to be the goal-line back. Plus, he’s got a proven pass-catching history dating back to college. Saints Head Coach Kellen Moore was first in neutral pace rate last year, which means more plays, more opportunities. And don’t even get me started on that offensive line: two quality first-round tackles, a newly-signed veteran left guard, and two long-time teammate interior players. This is an above-average unit, and Etienne is used to running behind bottom-10 lines! He’s cleared 1,399 total yards in three of his four healthy seasons, and all signs point to him doing it again.
Don’t Sleep on D’Andre Swift’s Hidden 2025 Greatness
While you’re building your championship roster, let’s talk about another guy flying under the radar: D’Andre Swift with the Bears. Everyone’s buzzing about the Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson connection going into Year 2, and the rise of Luther Burden III in the passing game. But Swift’s role? Totally under-discussed. He had a career year in 2025, racking up 1,386 regular-season all-purpose yards. Some folks might look at that and think “mid,” but dig a little deeper.
Among all RBs in 2025, Swift’s 51.0% rushing success rate ranked fourth! He also put up top-12 marks in adjusted yards after contact per attempt and explosive play rate. And get this: only six other running backs took more carries from inside the five-yard line than Swift. He was getting the rock when it mattered most. The craziest part? He did all that while playing through multiple lower-body injuries, only missing one game. Now, Swift is mostly healthy, and with Kyle Monangai’s knee hyperextension a week-to-week issue for the Bears, there’s less uncertainty around Swift’s workload. If you’re eyeing Chicago’s pass-catchers as early-round targets, Swift deserves the same serious consideration.
So, as you finalize your draft boards this weekend, make sure these two RBs are high on your list. They could be the difference-makers for your league title. The season is about to kick off, let’s go get those championships!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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