The 2018 NFL Draft produced two all-time great quarterbacks. Josh Allen went seventh overall. Lamar Jackson went 32nd.
Sam Darnold went third. Baker Mayfield went first.
Darnold has a Super Bowl ring. Mayfield had a real career. Nobody is arguing those picks were disasters. But Allen and Jackson are in a different category entirely. They are generational players. Furthermore, the teams that passed on them have spent nearly a decade searching for what Buffalo and Baltimore found.
Seattle actually tried to trade Russell Wilson to Cleveland so they could draft Allen. The Browns said no.
Think about that for a second.
Fantasy Football Draft Board Implication: When you are building your fantasy football draft board for 2027, put Josh Allen at the top and work backwards. He is the safest first-overall pick in fantasy football. The debate ended years ago.
What Makes Allen Different From Every Other Quarterback
Other quarterbacks have more Super Bowl rings. Some have better completion percentages.
Nobody does what Allen does.
He runs for touchdowns. He throws for touchdowns. He makes plays that shouldn’t be possible and does it with a smile on his face. Moreover, he has done it consistently for eight straight seasons without changing who he is.
There’s a reason the comparison to Patrick Mahomes comes up constantly. Both of them reached the top of the sport and stayed exactly the same. Allen still shows up to the ESPN set himself. He doesn’t send a representative. He doesn’t act like a star. He just shows up, does the work, and goes home.
That character matters in football. It matters in leadership. And on a fantasy football draft board, it matters because players like that don’t disappear on you in November.
Fantasy Football Draft Board Implication: Consistency is the most underrated fantasy asset. Allen has been a top-two fantasy quarterback for six consecutive seasons. Draft him early and stop looking for reasons not to.
Buffalo Built Something Different in 2026
The Bills this season are not just Allen throwing to open receivers.
DJ Moore arrived via trade from the Bears and immediately gave Buffalo the game-breaking receiver it has been missing. When healthy, Moore changes what defenses can do against this offense. Furthermore, the Bills can run the ball. Allen’s rushing ability gives Buffalo a dimension no other team can replicate.
On defense, the Bills got aggressive. Bradley Chubb signed a three-year deal and brings edge-rushing ability alongside Gregory Rousseau. Dion Walker anchors the middle at 350 pounds — and that size has solved a problem Buffalo had for years. Bigger, more physical teams used to be able to run on the Bills. That’s changed.
Fantasy Football Draft Board Implication: Moore is a legitimate fantasy receiver when healthy. Target him in the middle rounds. The improved defense means Buffalo will stay in games, which keeps Allen in rhythm and shooting for comeback points late. A functional defense makes Allen even better as a fantasy asset, not worse.
The Super Bowl Nightmare Nobody Wants to Talk About
Here’s a scenario worth putting on your fantasy football draft board radar.
The Vikings are no longer just a contender. They are a genuine Super Bowl threat. The NFC East is giving nobody anything. The NFC North is inconsistent. The NFC South is a mess. The NFC West teams will beat each other up all season.
Minnesota is sitting there looking like the best team in the conference.
Meanwhile, Buffalo keeps winning in the AFC.
A Bills-Vikings Super Bowl would be the most emotionally complicated game in NFL history. Both franchises are 0-4 in Super Bowls. Both fan bases are so scarred by previous losses that they cannot accept the possibility of winning. As a result, the two-week buildup would be the most anxious, defeatist, hilariously gloomy media circus the sport has ever seen.
And one of them would finally win.
Fantasy Football Draft Board Implication: If the Bills make a deep playoff run, Allen becomes even more valuable in dynasty and keeper formats. A Super Bowl appearance locks him in as a top-three asset for years. Furthermore, a Vikings run means their skill players — receivers, running backs — become must-start options in the fantasy playoffs. Keep an eye on both rosters as the season develops.
The Bills Are the Team to Watch Right Now
Buffalo hosts the Las Vegas Raiders this week. On paper, it is a winnable game.
But the bigger picture is what matters for fantasy managers. The Bills are building toward something. The defense is more physical. DJ Moore gives Allen a true number-one receiver. The rushing game is reliable.
Furthermore, the Bills-Vikings matchup is coming later in the season — and that game has Super Bowl preview written all over it.
Fantasy Football Draft Board Implication: Start Allen with full confidence this week against Las Vegas. Start Moore if he’s healthy. The Raiders are not a defense that will slow down a Bills offense operating at this level. Expect a big fantasy day.
Buffalo and Minnesota meet this week in what could be a preview of exactly that Super Bowl nightmare scenario.
The Bills are the measuring stick. The Vikings have moved from contender to legitimate threat. This is the kind of game that tells you everything about where both teams actually stand.
For fantasy managers, moreover, this is the week to confirm what you already suspect: Allen is operating at the highest level of his career. The weapons around him are better than they have ever been. The defense is bigger and more physical than in years past.
If there was ever a time to trust the guy everybody passed on in 2018, it’s right now.
Fantasy Football Draft Board Implication: Start Allen with full confidence this week against Minnesota. Start Moore if he’s healthy. Watch the game closely — if the Bills offense clicks against a good defense, that tells you everything you need to know heading into the fantasy playoffs.
Your Fantasy Football Draft Board Starts Here
If you are still building your league setup for next season, Commish Kit has been making professional-grade fantasy football draft boards since 2002. Wall-hanging paper boards, free-standing corrugated boards, and the Digital Draft Board Big Screen Edition are all available now. Commish Kit started in Daly City, California and moved to Austin, Texas in 2012, making 2026 its 24th season in business. Find the right board for your league size. As featured on Thrillist.
FAQ
Is Josh Allen the best fantasy football draft board pick right now?
Yes. Allen has been a top-two fantasy quarterback for six consecutive seasons. He rushes for touchdowns, throws for touchdowns, and stays healthy. No other quarterback combines his floor and ceiling. Put him first on your fantasy football draft board and don’t second-guess it.
Who are the top fantasy football targets on the Bills in 2026?
Josh Allen is the anchor. DJ Moore, acquired via trade from the Bears, is the top receiver option when healthy. The Bills can also run the ball effectively, which keeps defenses honest and opens the passing game further.
Are the Buffalo Bills a Super Bowl contender in 2026?
Yes. The Bills have DJ Moore at receiver, Bradley Chubb and Gregory Rousseau rushing the passer, and a bigger, more physical defensive line than in previous seasons. Furthermore, a weak NFC means their path to the Super Bowl from the AFC could set up a Bills-Vikings matchup — the two franchises still searching for their first championship.
Why did so many teams pass on Josh Allen in the 2018 draft?
Teams worried about his completion percentage at Wyoming and questioned whether his arm talent would translate to the NFL. The safer picks — players from bigger programs with better stats — felt easier to defend. As a result, Allen fell to seventh overall despite elite physical tools. The Browns, Giants, Jets, Broncos, and Colts all passed on him.
What is a fantasy football draft board?
A fantasy football draft board is the tool your league uses to track every pick in real time on draft day. Commish Kit has been making professional-grade fantasy football draft boards since 2002, including wall-hanging paper boards and the Digital Draft Board Big Screen Edition. See all options here.
