Choosing Your 2026 Keeper: Don’t Be Stupid on Purpose

Keeper decisions are where fantasy football managers reveal who they really are.

Some managers are cold and calculating. Some are loyal to the point of self-harm. Some are still emotionally attached to a player who had three good weeks in 2022 and has been stealing oxygen ever since.

For the 2026 GNG Keeper League, the decision matters even more than usual because the league is entering a new scoring era. The move to Sleeper comes with a scoring model designed to keep the old GNG feel while fixing some of the position-value problems from the CBS years. That means managers should not simply look at last year’s standings, last year’s fantasy points, or the biggest name on their roster and call it a day.

That is how a man keeps a souvenir instead of a weapon.

The first thing to understand is that skill-position players matter more now. Running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends all receive meaningful boosts under the new scoring model, while kickers have been pulled back and quarterbacks are slightly reduced compared to the old CBS baseline. This does not mean quarterbacks are suddenly worthless. It means managers should be careful about overvaluing a quarterback just because the name feels safe. In a one-quarterback format, replacement value matters. If plenty of useful quarterbacks will be available in the draft, keeping one may not be the advantage it looks like.

Running backs still matter, but not in the old lazy way where raw volume alone could carry the argument. The new model rewards quality carries, rushing first downs, explosive plays, touchdowns, and useful receiving work. That makes role clarity important. A back who owns goal-line work, catches passes, and stays involved when the game script gets ugly is more valuable than a fragile committee back living off hope and three beat-writer blurbs.

Wide receivers deserve a harder look this year. The updated scoring moves receivers closer to running backs, especially because receptions and first downs now have more value. Managers should pay attention to target stability, route involvement, quarterback quality, and whether a receiver actually earns valuable touches instead of just existing as a deep-ball lottery ticket. A receiver with consistent weekly involvement may be a better keeper than a flashier player who needs one long touchdown to avoid embarrassing your family.

Tight end is where things get interesting. The new scoring model gives tight ends the largest proportional boost, but that does not mean every tight end is suddenly a treasure. The position is still ugly once the top options are gone. That makes true advantage tight ends more valuable, while touchdown-or-bust tight ends remain weekly sadness in a helmet. If you have a tight end who is a real part of his offense, not just a red-zone rumor, that player deserves serious keeper consideration.

Managers should also think about cost. A keeper is not just a player. A keeper is a player plus the draft pick, opportunity, or roster slot required to keep him. Value matters. Keeping the best player on your roster may feel right, but keeping the best value may win more games. The question is not only, “Who is the better player?” The question is, “Who gives me the biggest advantage compared to what I would otherwise be able to draft?”

Age and injury risk also matter, but do not get cute. Keeper leagues reward managers who can see around corners, but they punish managers who think every young player is destined to become a star. Youth is useful. Upside is useful. But production still matters. Do not keep a fantasy daydream over a proven weekly starter just because the daydream has fresher knees.

The best keeper choice should survive four questions:

Would I be happy building my draft around this player?

Does the new scoring system help or hurt his role?

Is this player hard to replace at his position?

Am I keeping value, or am I keeping a name?

That last question is the killer. Names are comfortable. Names make you feel safe. Names also get managers eliminated while someone else wins with the better decision.

The 2026 GNG Keeper League is not asking managers to reinvent fantasy football. It is asking them to adjust. The scoring system now rewards useful football plays more than empty noise. First downs matter. Explosive plays matter. Touchdowns still matter. Position value has shifted.

So choose your keeper like a manager, not a museum curator.

Keep the player who helps you win the new version of the league.

Not the player who helped you feel smart in the old one.

Reminder: If you have not picked your keeper, or you want to change your choice, now is the time. Leave a comment below and the commissioner will get you taken care of.