Eric Moody Apr 22, 2026, 05:00 PM ET

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Eric Moody is a writer for fantasy football, men's and women's basketball, and sports betting at ESPN. Eric joined ESPN in 2021 after working as a senior fantasy analyst at Pro Football Network. Prior to that, he spent much of his career as a manager at a Fortune 100 financial services company.

Sleepers, breakout candidates and late-round value all play a role in building a winning fantasy roster, but what about the top of the board? The player you build everything around. That cornerstone selection who sets the tone for your entire season.

So let's ask a simple question: who deserves to go No. 1 overall ?

We're focusing on the small group of players who realistically belong in the conversation. While arguments can be made for a handful of stars just outside this tier, most managers will be choosing from one of these players.…