Printable 2026 auction tier tables: QB, RB, WR, TE, K and DEF
2026 Standard Auction Tier Tables — Markdown Cheat Sheet
> Assumptions: 12 teams, $200 budget, 1 QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE, 1 FLEX, K, DEF. Dollar bands are bid caps/guardrails, not universal prices. DraftCall production data is from 2025 and informs the 2026 board; refresh camp news before the auction.
QB
| Tier | Players | 2025 standard PPG range | Suggested cap | Auction note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Josh Allen, Drake Maye, Matthew Stafford, Patrick Mahomes | 20.4–22.8 | $18–30 | Do not chase a $40 QB in 1-QB |
| 2 | Trevor Lawrence, Brock Purdy, Jalen Hurts, Caleb Williams, Dak Prescott | 18.5–19.9 | $8–15 | Buy only if the room calms down |
| 3 | Justin Herbert, Bo Nix, Jared Goff, Daniel Jones, Jaxson Dart | 17.3–17.9 | $3–8 | Streamable range |
| 4 | Burrow, Lamar, Daniels, Brissett, Baker, Fields, Love, Kyler | 15.6–16.8 | $1–7 | Ceiling bets, not necessities |
QB rule: DraftCall measures only a 5.3 PPG gap from QB1 to QB12. Let someone else pay the celebrity tax.
RB
| Tier | Players | 2025 standard PPG range | Suggested cap | Auction note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jonathan Taylor, Christian McCaffrey, Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs | 17.0–18.6 | $40–55 | Pay only for a true workload anchor |
| 2 | De'Von Achane, James Cook, Derrick Henry | 15.6–16.0 | $28–38 | Best post-bonfire targets |
| 3 | Josh Jacobs, Kyren Williams, Cam Skattebo, Javonte Williams, Travis Etienne, Chase Brown | 12.6–13.4 | $12–22 | Strong value corridor |
| 4 | Saquon, D'Andre Swift, Hampton, Jeanty, Warren, Bucky, Breece, Dowdle, Stevenson, Dobbins, Judkins, Henderson, Charbonnet | 10.1–12.2 | $5–15 | Role and price decide everything |
| 5 | Kenneth Walker, RJ Harvey, Pollard, Gainwell, Vidal, Montgomery, Tracy | 8.3–9.5 | $2–8 | Contingency and flex bets |
RB rule: RB has an 8.3 PPG top-to-replacement drop. Do not completely punt, but do not pay $60 merely because the first four names went crazy.
WR
| Tier | Players | 2025 standard PPG range | Suggested cap | Auction note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Puka Nacua, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Rashee Rice | 12.2–15.4 | $22–45 | Nacua is the clearest separation case |
| 2 | Ja'Marr Chase, George Pickens, Davante Adams | 11.7–11.8 | $18–28 | Discount preferred; age/sample matter |
| 3 | Drake London, Chris Olave, Nico Collins, Tee Higgins | 10.1–11.2 | $12–22 | Strong middle-tier targets |
| 4 | Nabers, Watson, Lamb, A.J. Brown, Flowers, Johnston, Jameson Williams, Pierce, Garrett Wilson | 9.0–9.8 | $7–17 | Buy multiple if the room overpays early |
| 5 | Sutton, DK, Parker Washington, Odunze, McMillan, Hill, Waddle, Jennings, Wan'Dale, Egbuka, McLaurin, Diggs, DeVonta, Deebo, Pittman, MHJ, DJ Moore, Ladd | 7.1–8.5 | $1–10 | Volume/role bets; avoid paying for names |
WR rule: WR has an 8.1 PPG top-to-WR36 drop, but the middle is deep enough to punish a $60 overpay. Build a corps, not a shrine.
TE
| Tier | Players | 2025 standard PPG range | Suggested cap | Auction note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trey McBride, Tucker Kraft, George Kittle, Brock Bowers | 9.3–11.2 | $12–25 | Pay for a weekly edge, not reputation |
| 2 | Goedert, Waller, LaPorta, Kincaid, Pitts, Fannin, Hunter Henry, Kelce, Warren, Loveland | 6.7–8.3 | $4–14 | Broad tier; shop for discount |
| 3 | Ferguson, Parkinson, Juwan Johnson, Brenton Strange, Ertz, Schultz, Barner, Gadsden, Theo Johnson | 5.5–6.6 | $1–7 | Fine if the room ignores TE |
| 4 | Higbee, Andrews, Njoku, Freiermuth, Knox, Otton | 4.2–5.1 | $1–4 | Do not pay nostalgia prices |
TE rule: TE has a 4.3 PPG top-to-TE12 drop. Either buy real separation or spend almost nothing.
K and DEF
| Position | Tier | Targets | Suggested cap | Auction note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| K | 1 | Ka'imi Fairbairn | $3–8 | Small edge; do not chase |
| K | 2 | Myers, Shrader, Aubrey | $2–5 | Fine if cheap |
| K | 3 | Everyone else | $1–2 | Stream/replace freely |
| DEF | 1 | Seattle | $3–8 | Matchup and sack environment matter |
| DEF | 2 | Denver, Houston, Jacksonville | $2–5 | Late value only |
| DEF | 3 | Everyone else | $1–2 | Stream rather than invest |
How to use the sheet in the room
- Mark each target green, yellow, or red before the first nomination.
- Nominate red-tier stars early to drain the managers who overbid.
- Buy green-tier players after two or three rivals have spent $50-plus.
- Track each manager's remaining budget and open roster slots.
- Reprice the remaining tiers after every major purchase.
- Never spend your last dollars before reserving one dollar per open roster slot.
Sources: DraftCall standard QB rankings, RB rankings, WR rankings, TE rankings, positional scarcity; RubeSheets auction calculator; FantasyPros salary-cap strategy; Sports Illustrated auction guide; Fantasy Life bidding strategy.