“You get what you pay for” is universally true for fantasy football auctions… until it isn’t.
What’s up, gavel! Time for some more 2026 fantasy football auction strategy talk. First, it’s critically important to…
What’s that?
That’s right, I called you, “gavel.” A.I. assures me that this is the term for a group of auctioneers:
And A.I. is ALWAYS RIGHT…
Until it isn’t.
I’ve been spending my days mock auctioning and my nights comparing last year’s fantasy stats for individual players to their 2025 average auction values. My wife is a very lonely woman. I’ve been noticing some severe anomalies and presenting them here as 2026 fantasy football auction strategies. Today’s revelation is:
2026 Fantasy Football Auction Strategy: STOP PAYING MORE THAN $5 FOR A QB!
Sure, you knew that already from the title, but the search algorithm didn’t. Because the search algorithm is programmed to look for repeating patterns, like the phrase “2026 fantasy football auction strategy.” This is quite similar to how the human brain is programmed to look for repeating patterns, like, “hey, these guys that cost a lot in fantasy football auctions usually do pretty well.”
To illustrate this, here is a list of 2025’s top 15 scorers in HPPR fantasy points at RB and WR, listed alongside their average auction values at the beginning of the year:
Sure, there are some extremes toward the bottom of the list with Pickens and ETN, but for the rest of the list, you would have to pay up to roster them. Our brains recognize this pattern of “more $ = more fantasy points.”
It’s flawless logic… until it isn’t.
See, what our brains tend to do next is apply this logic to the quarterback position.
That don’t track: The stats don’t back.
Check out last year’s top 15 QBs in terms of average points per game, listed alongside their average auction values in 2025:
12 of the top 15 players were $5 or fewer. 10 were between zero and two dollars. Paying up to get a surefire QB only worked for Josh Allen. Even then, the gains don’t outweigh the losses: Sure, Allen got 3.2 more PPG over QB10, but I’d rather have Caleb Williams and $31. I can then spend that $31 on a RB or WR where paying more has a much stronger correlation with scoring more.
I’ll be posting my overall 2026 fantasy football draft strategy guide in the next few days. Rest assured, “don’t pay more than $5 for a QB” will be a central tenet. Also, rest assured that my strategy will have a culinary-themed branding to it like my previous strategies, such as “BBQ theory” and “Gyro RB strategy.” This year’s theme is, “Greasy Spoon.” So check back soon, and in the meantime, enjoy these other 2026 fantasy football auction draft strategy articles;
2026 Fantasy Football Auction Early Risers and Fallers
2026 Fantasy Football Auction Advice: STOP TAKING TOP-15 RANKED PLAYERS!
Also, if you like talking auction, or just fantasy football in general, or sharing photos of your food and/or pets, come party with us on Our Discord.
Also also, if you like all your fantasy football articles to have a minimum of 500 words, like so many search algorithms do, then this sentence has made you very happy!
