Training camp can change the way fantasy football drafters view a player, and Zain Dhanani has put together nine storylines he is buying for 2026. The idea is simple: when camp news points toward opportunity, health, or a cleaner role, it can be enough to push a player up draft boards before Week 1.
Malik Nabers is one of the clearest camp buys
One of the biggest positives in Dhanani’s group involves Malik Nabers, who avoided the PUP list and participated in nine of the first 10 practices. That is the kind of early-camp participation fantasy managers want to see, especially after any offseason uncertainty around availability.
's Jordan Raanan also reported that Nabers is on track for Week 1 vs. Dallas barring a setback. For fantasy purposes, that matters because early availability often shapes draft confidence as much as raw talent does. When a player is active, participating, and trending toward Week 1, the path to value becomes much easier to trust.
Why camp news matters for draft decisions
Dhanani’s broader point is that training camp gives fantasy managers a chance to separate real risk from noise. Some players enter August with health questions, while others are showing the kind of usage or preparation that can support a stronger fantasy case.
That is especially important in a draft season where managers are trying to find players whose price has not fully caught up to their upside. If a player’s training camp signs are positive, the market may still lag behind the reality of his role or health outlook.
What fantasy managers should take from it
The article’s buy list is not about chasing headlines for their own sake. It is about using camp information to make better draft calls before the season starts. Malik Nabers is the clearest example from the available reporting, but the larger lesson is the same: if a player is trending in the right direction in camp, fantasy drafters should pay attention before the price moves.
That approach can be especially useful when sorting through players at different points in drafts, where a small shift in confidence can matter a lot. In that sense, the camp buzz around Nabers is the kind of information that can help fantasy managers make sharper decisions heading into 2026.
