On August 1, 2026, Glenn Colton and I drafted to defend our championship in the single QB FLEX league.  The league is run by the All-In-Kid, Jake Ciely from The Athletic.  It was the pre-game competition to a full day of Scott Fish Bowl 16 drafts for charity.  What a day of camaraderie, fun, excitement, and raising money for great charities: Ulster County SPCA & Break The Hold.

There was a moment when I just said out loud: “I love this industry.”  I was standing at the bottom of the stairs, and an auction broke out.  Scott Fish, the fantasy sports rock star, had signed a Scott Fish 16 mini-helmet and the auction began.  To feel the energy of the room and have $300 raised for charity in a spontaneous moment was great.  Then they did it again, and it was just as electric. 

Featured was a talk about Draft Nation 2026 (use code ALARM for 25% off), taking place Aug 20th-22nd at the iconic Circa Resort & Casino. Michael Fabiano and James Roday Rodriguez were enjoying the crowd and talking about drafting against all these people in Las Vegas.  With Adrian Peterson, Earl Thomas, Jeff Garcia, Thomas Everett Scott, and over 30 football analysts on hand, it will be a great party, and drafting with 20 of those celebrities or analysts will be available for all attendees, including Alarm’s own Howard Bender.

Many in the crowd did not know that there is now a National Day Calendar Holiday for fantasy football: National Fantasy Football Draft Day.   We will have a former declaration of the holiday with a ribbon cutting, and all in attendance can choose to sign the proclamation for display at Circa going forward.

By the numbers:

  • 6 Athletes
  • 5 Celebrities
  • 30+ Football Analysts
  • 2 Open Bar Parties
  • 1 Holiday Celebration on August 21st with a Stadium Swim takeover, live cabana drafts, games, a dunk tank, two pro DJs and Michelle Beadle as master of ceremonies 
  • 3 charity drafts including for Fantasy Cares, St. Jude's and the Jimmy V Foundation
  • 2 full days of drafts vs experts, actors and athletes
  • 2 days of Best Balls with the event overall winner getting a trip to Maui
  • $700k Box Open for collectible lovers
  • War room meet-and-greets with experts to hone your draft strategies
  • The fun of Las Vegas as the backdrop

Get involved now by visiting Draft Nation 2026 and using code ALARM for 25% off.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPJ4m5vH18I 

Now, to the FLEX League draft to defend the title.

 

 

 

Winning Your Fantasy Leagues

With the way that we draft with the SMART System, all I needed to bring with me was a single sheet of paper from the Fantasy Alarm Draft Guide. I had read it all and was prepared with my own opinions added to that of the amazing Fantasy Alarm team. For the record, we won using this strategy last year.  The key to the SMART System is that in drafts that have a FLEX position, you need to get 3 RBs in the first four rounds. This year there are 13 bell cow RBs, so getting three of them in a 12-team league means that you have an advantage at a position; an important position.

Some quick rules differences with the FLEX League draft:

  • Only 16 Rounds
  • Start: QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 2 FLEXES (RB/WR/TE)
  • Half Pt PPR

As you can see, you do not need to draft TEs, so we didn’t. 

This year, the competition caught on to going RB early, with 9 of the first 14 picks being RBs.

In Round 1 with the 6th pick, a pick I have had in at least 10 best balls so far this draft season, I know that it is either Jeanty or Christian McCaffrey when drafting SMART.  So that made it easy.  In most of my drafts, we took Derrick Henry or Kenneth Walker with the second pick.  This time, Glenn and I agreed on the upside of De'Von Achane. We followed that with a little fun.  We drafted the last remaining bell cow running back in Javonte Williams and followed that with another J. Williams in Jameson.  After taking Davante Adams, we got Jadarian Price dropped in our lap.  Now, with Charbonet coming back, he is not necessarily a bell cow or three-down back, but close enough for the sixth round.

Then, Courtland Sutton and second-year wide receiver Jayden Higgins with more helium than the Hindenburg were still there.

So, four running backs and four wide receivers completed half the draft exactly how it was planned.

We feel pretty good about it, but always want to get Glenn Colton’s take, so I asked:

“This FLEX draft proves you must know the rules of your league -- an essential part of M in SMART for Management.  In reading the rules, Wolfman and I confirmed that there is no need to start a TE.  So, what did we do?  We did not draft a tight end.  Yes, McBride, Bowers, and Loveland will be fantasy assets, but beyond that, why draft a TE when you do not need one?  Just keep loading WR and RB, as there will be injuries, and there will be that WR or RB who turns into lightning in a bottle.  I do not know how the season will shake out or whether we will be able to repeat.  I do know that I want to see Wolfman in a tight-fitting championship belt again (really, I do not want that visual, but you get the point).  And I do know that drafting a TE when you do not have to is SMART (just ask the great Adam Ronis as he followed the same strategy in the same draft)."

So, folks, the SMART System and the Fantasy Alarm Draft Guide are the perfect combination to winning your leagues…and winning is a lot more fun than losing.