The 2025 NFL season isn't over yet, but for most, the fantasy football season has ended in Week 17.
Hopefully you finished with a title (or two or more), but either way, it's (arguably) never too early to look ahead to how fantasy drafts may play out for next season.
Disclaimer: This one-man, three-round fantasy football mock draft is based on half-PPR scoring. All statistical references are also based on half-PPR scoring, unless otherwise noted.
If you're looking for my 2026 fantasy football rankings, those will be posted Monday.
Without further ado, here are how the first three rounds of a 2026 fantasy football draft would play out if I were making all of the picks.
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2026 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Round 1
Robinson leads the NFL in yards from scrimmage (2,255) this year and since entering the NFL three seasons ago (5,605). Over the past three seasons, he also leads all running backs in targets (258), receptions (195), and receiving yards (1,728). The talent, versatility, and durability make him an easy choice for me at 1.01. The sky's the limit either way but especially if the Falcons don't re-sign Tyler Allgeier, who has a team-high eight rushing touchdowns and will be an unrestricted free agent in March.
The third-year back has racked up 3,655 yards from scrimmage and 37 touchdowns in 33 games over the past two seasons. Fantasy managers may have felt let down in the playoffs with RB32, RB13, and RB38 performances in Weeks 15-17, respectively, but Gibbs has as much upside as any back. He was the only running back with three games of 170-plus scrimmage yards and multiple scores in 2025.
Should CMC be the RB1 and 1.01 in 2026 drafts? After all, he finished 2025 (Week 17) as fantasy's RB1? Going into the final game of the season, McCaffrey is four receptions shy of the century mark with 2025 being his third career season of 2,000-plus YFS and 17 touchdowns. Even if McCaffrey averages the most fantasy points per game in 2026, he turns 30 in June (vs. Robinson/Gibbs entering age-24 seasons) and has played single-digit games in three of the past six seasons. All three backs are elite, but Robinson and Gibbs feel safer.
One year removed from a triple-crown receiving season (127/1708/17), Chase's year-over-year numbers were down in part due to Joe Burrow's injury (Weeks 3-12). There are other wide receivers worth considering as the WR1, such as Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Puka Nacua, etc., but Chase remains my WR1 as he enters his age-26 season.
Nacua leads the NFL in receptions (119) and YPG (109.3), and he has set career highs across the board in 2025. With Davante Adams (hamstring) also out a couple of games, Nacua has been especially dominant in four December games — 33/620/5 on 48 targets. While predicting injuries is a fool's errand, Nacua's physical and fearless play style perhaps makes him more vulnerable to missing a game (or more) due to injury.
Through three NFL seasons, Smith-Njigba has essentially broken out twice as the former Ohio State receiver has averaged 36.9, 66.5, and 106.8 yards per game, respectively. JSN is certainly in the same tier as Chase and Nacua, but the difference comes down to quarterbacks (Joe Burrow and Matthew Stafford vs. Sam Darnold) and philosophy. Smith-Njigba leads the NFL in receiving yards despite Seattle ranking bottom five in pass attempts through Week 17. (By contrast, the Bengals and Rams both rank top five.)
It's a shame (for many reasons) that Daniel Jones tore his Achilles when he did. Provided he's back with the Colts and ready for the 2026 reason, it bodes well for Taylor's 2026 outlook. Over the past four games including when Jones sustained the injury early in Week 14, Taylor has averaged only 3.3 YPC and 6.8 Y/R (compared to 5.7 YPC and 8.7 Y/R before then). He led RBs in fantasy points (23.3/G) through Week 13 and has averaged nearly 10 fewer since then (13.6).
Achane, who currently leads the NFL in YPC (5.7), has either set or tied career highs in touches (305), YFS (1,838), and touchdowns (12) in 2025. In addition, he has a total of 145 receptions over the past two seasons. Miami will enter the offseason with some question marks that could impact Achane including coach (Mike McDaniel likely to return?), quarterback (Tua Tagovailoa less likely to return?), etc.
It was an eventful offseason for Cook, who signed a contract extension in August, but he delivered for the Bills and his fantasy managers. The fourth-year back currently leads the NFL in rushing (1,606 yards, 100.4 YPG). While he is shy of last year's 18 touchdowns, he now has 32 over the past two seasons and he has 101 more touches than he had last season. If this volume continues in 2026, he belongs in mid-Round 1 conversation.
St. Brown has at least 106 receptions and 1,161 yards in each of the past four seasons and double-digit scores in three consecutive seasons. In addition, he has finished as a top-three fantasy receiver in three consecutive seasons. Barring injury, he's nearly a lock for another top-five season.
Even though George Pickens had a monster season, Lamb's 82.5 YPG were the second best of his career. Excluding a seven-snap goose egg against the Chicago Bears in Week 3, Lamb had at least seven targets and either five catches and/or 50 yards in every other game he played this season.
The Chargers lost both starting tackles (Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt) to season-ending injuries, and injuries to Hampton himself derailed much of his rookie season. Hampton has the size and versatile skill set to be a true workhorse. This may be (much) higher than you expected to see Hampton, but the former first-round pick could be poised for a breakout season in Greg Roman's run-heavy offense.
Continue reading our way-too-early 2026 fantasy football mock draft
