10 Players to AVOID in 2026 Fantasy Football (Feat. Zain Dhanani)

Everyone can tell you why every player is going to have a great season — they can't all be great. Matthew Freedman is joined by Zain Dhanani (@DhananiZain) to skew negative, break down what actually makes a player a fade, and reveal the 10 players on their DO NOT DRAFT list for 2026 fantasy football.

The fades run from Round 1 to the late rounds: Jonathan Taylor, Trey McBride, Bucky Irving, Bo Nix, Jameson Williams, RJ Harvey, Jaxson Dart, Carnell Tate, Jake Ferguson, and Jordan Addison. Why does Derrick Henry make Taylor the wrong first-round pick? Why was McBride's monster season a perfect storm that won't repeat? And which rookie top-10 pick is being drafted like a No. 1 WR when he might be the third option on his own team?

Plus: how to actually treat the players you're fading on draft day — and a sneak preview of Freedman's Fades, coming to FantasyLife.com next week.

Topics in this video:

do not draft list 2026, fantasy football busts, players to avoid fantasy football, fantasy football fades, Jonathan Taylor fantasy, Trey McBride fantasy, Bucky Irving fantasy, Bo Nix fantasy, Jameson Williams fantasy, Carnell Tate fantasy, Jaxson Dart fantasy, fantasy football draft strategy 2026

00:00:00 - Intro
00:10:10 - How to Treat Guys We're Fading?
00:15:05 - What Makes You Fade a Guy?
00:18:35 - Bo Nix
00:28:20 - Trey McBride
00:37:05 - Jonathan Taylor
00:45:05 - Jameson Williams
00:55:20 - RJ Harvey
01:06:50 - Bucky Irving
01:12:20 - Carnell Tate
01:18:50 - Jaxson Dart
01:33:05 - Jake Ferguson
01:38:05 - Jordan Addison
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