With a brief pause before Super Bowl festivities take over, the folks at Rotoworld HQ sat down to start toning our drafting muscles.
Armed with a full season of information from some of the top rookies in the 2025 class, and a clearer picture of how teams performed under new management (Ben Johnson with the Bears and Liam Coen with the Jaguars, etc.), now felt like the right time to test the early draft waters.
We kept things simple here with a five-round PPR mock that does not include rookies from the upcoming class. Below is every drafter’s pick, and a breakdown of their first pick off the board, along with my favorite and least favorite pick for each team.
Let’s dive in!
RELATED: Matthew Berry’s Way, Way, Way Too Early Top 50 for 2026
Adam Wise
1.01 - Jahmyr Gibbs, RB (DET)
2.10 - Nico Collins, WR (HOU)
3.01 - Rashee Rice, WR (KC)
4.10 - Zay Flowers, WR (BAL)
5.01 - Breece Hall, RB (NYJ)
First Pick: There’s not a lot to think about here. Since entering the league in 2023, Jahmyr Gibbs has finished as a top-12 PPR back in 53 percent of his games and as a top-24 back in 73 percent of his games. Gibbs finished third among running backs in targets (94) and receiving yards (616) and was the overall RB3 in fantasy points per game (21.7). He has never finished lower than RB8 in FPPG in his career.
Favorite Pick: This one is very easily Breece Hall, who finished as the RB14 in total opportunities this season and was the RB20 in FPPG (13.2). Hall, who was selected in the second round by the Jets in 2022, will (hopefully) be a free agent this offseason, meaning he can finally get away from the Jets and join a respectable franchise. If that happens, it’s hard to imagine the fifth-round ADP we see here staying put. A move to a team like the Chiefs or Commanders could mean big things for Hall’s 2026 fantasy outlook.
Least Favorite Pick: Zay Flowers enjoyed a career year in 2025, posting new highs in targets (118), receptions (86), receiving yards (1,211), and total touchdowns (6). That said, prior to 2025, Flowers finished as the WR26 and WR40 in FPPG in his first two seasons, and will now play his first season in the post John Harbaugh and Todd Monken era. For as much as I love Flowers as a player, it may take a lot for him to replicate his career year to pay off at this ADP.
Nic Bodiford
1.02 - Bijan Robinson, RB (ATL)
2.09 - George Pickens, WR (DAL)
3.02 - Brock Bowers, TE (LV)
4.09 - Jaylen Waddle, WR (MIA)
5.02 - Luther Burden, WR (CHI)
First Pick: This second marked the second-straight year that Bijan Robinson finished in the top-five in both FPPG and fantasy points over expected (FPOE). The soon-to-be fourth-year back has as good an argument as any to be the No. 1 overall pick in 2026 fantasy drafts, and was second among all RBs in targets (102), receiving yards (820), and total opportunities (389). With Tyler Allgeier, who handled 10 carries inside his opponent’s five-yard line this season while converting five for scores, likely headed for free agency, Robinson’s touchdown upside could be on the uptick next season. It’s also worth noting Robinson converted only three of his 10 carries in the green zone for scores.
Favorite Pick: I’m willing to be one of the first on the Luther Burden hype train in 2026. Burden’s usage was odd in 2025. The rookie finished fourth among all Bears receivers in routes run (242), and did not crack 20 routes run in a game until Week 10. Fortunately, Burden came on strong late in the season, posting the third-highest targets per route run (0.308) among all receivers (min. 20 targets) over the final four weeks of the season, while also leading the position in yards after catch per reception (7.8). Barring another season of limited routes, Burden should be on most lists as a 2026 breakout candidate.
Least Favorite Pick: What is happening with Tua Tagovailoa in 2026? It seems likely the Dolphins’ QB1 will be traded or released this offseason, leaving Quinn Ewers and rookie UDFA Cam Miller as the only quarterbacks under contract. Neither is particularly exciting, and the market for quality QBs available via free agency, trade, or the draft is remarkably thin. In two starts with Ewers under center this season, Waddle totaled 10 targets and caught five passes for 72 scoreless yards. Head coach Mike McDaniel is also gone, as play-calling duties will now go to offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, for better or worse. There’s a bit too much uncertainty in Miami for me to want to take the plunge on Waddle in this range just yet.
Kyle Dvorchak
1.03 - Ja’Marr Chase, WR (CIN)
2.08 - Justin Jefferson, WR (MIN)
3.03 - Derrick Henry, RB (BAL)
4.08 - Brian Thomas Jr., WR (JAC)
5.03 - Lamar Jackson - QB (BAL)
First Pick: Over the last two seasons, Ja’Marr Chase has finished as a top-12 PPR receiver in 58 percent of his games played and as a top-24 PPR receiver in 73 percent of those games. The fourth-year receiver remained at the top of his game this season, ranking first among all receivers in targets (186) while totaling a 125-1,412-8 receiving line. Playing on a team that boasted one of the worst defenses in the league last year again helped Chase’s fantasy stock, and it seems highly unlikely the defense will do a complete turnaround in 2026. Chase remains about as safe a bet as any to finish as the overall WR1 next season.
Favorite Pick: After finishing as a top-10 receiver in fantasy points per game for the first five years of his career, Justin Jefferson got “Nined” in 2025 and saw both his fantasy and real-world production take a massive hit. That said, the volume (141 targets) was still there, and he somehow managed to just crack the 1,000-yard mark. It’s hard to imagine things getting worse for Jefferson in 2026. Despite being the WR7 in expected fantasy points (237.6), he finished second-to-last in fantasy points over expected (-36.1), only behind Jerry Jeudy. If Jefferson’s second-round ADP holds next season, he has a chance to be one of the best values in all of fantasy drafts.
Least Favorite Pick: It was a year to forget for Brian Thomas Jr. in 2025 after he broke out for 87-1,282-10 this season and finished as the WR12 in FPPG (16.7). Thomas’ numbers fell off in a massive way once Liam Coen came to town, and the addition of Jakobi Meyers, who already signed a three-year extension with the team, further complicates things. Thomas’ targets per route run of 0.194 ranked 43rd among 78 receivers (min. 50 targets) this season. The team declined to trade Thomas at this year’s deadline, but all options should be on the table this offseason. If he is moved, BTJ’s fantasy stock should see a nice bump.
Patrick Daugherty
1.04 - Puka Nacua, WR (LAR)
2.07 - Chase Brown, RB (CIN)
3.04 - Chris Olave, WR (NO)
4.07 - Jameson Williams, WR (DET)
5.04 - Emeka Egbuka, WR (TB)
First Pick: This season marked the third-straight year that Puka Nacua finished as a top-six WR or better in FPPG, and his first as the overall WR1 in FPPG (23.6). Nacua set career highs in targets (164), receptions (129), receiving yards (1,715), and receiving touchdowns (10), despite Davante Adams vulturing several touchdowns near the end zone. There’s not a lot to say that we don’t already know. Nacua, who could be due a contract extension this offseason, remains a bona fide stud for fantasy purposes and had every bit the chance to repeat as WR1 next season.
Favorite Pick: It was a weird rookie season for Emeka Egbuka, who came storming out of the gates with three top-12 PPR finishes in his first five weeks, but had only one top-12 finish from Weeks 6-18. To make matters worse, Egbuka couldn’t even crack the top-24 in PPR leagues from Weeks 6-18 outside of his one top-12 finish. There’s a lot to be concerned about here, but Egbuka still finished the season ranked ninth in total targets (127) and was fourth in total air yards (1,576). His 0.240 TPRR also ranked 21st among 78 receivers. Egbuka’s late-season struggles could benefit fantasy managers in 2026 if he returns to form. He’s well worth the shot as a fifth-round pick.
Least Favorite Pick: I can’t even say I genuinely dislike this pick. In fact, my least favorite thing about it is that the rest of it is in the draft lobby, let Jameson Williams fall to RotoPat here. Williams took yet another step forward in 2025. Sans Ben Johnson, the speedster, went for 65-1,117-7 (all career-highs) on 101 targets (also a career high). Williams’ 0.171 TPRR (ranked 65th of 78 receivers) doesn’t exactly beat the “he doesn’t earn targets” allegations, but Amon-Ra St. Brown doesn’t leave much left for the taking. Williams as the WR3 on this roster feels very nice.
Eric Samulski
1.05 - Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR (SEA)
2.06 - Ashton Jeanty, RB (LV)
3.05 - Bucky Irving, RB (TB)
4.06 - Garrett Wilson, WR (NYJ)
5.05 - DeVonta Smith, WR (PHI)
First Pick: The other contender for WR1 in 2026 goes off the board here at the 1.05. Jaxon Smith-Njigba finished this season as the overall WR2 in FPPG (21.3) after going for an absurd 119-1,793-10 on 163 targets. His first season with Sam Darnold under center and Klint Kubiak calling the plays couldn’t have gone much better, and fantasy managers reaped the benefits of that breakout. JSN’s 0.355 TPRR was second only to Puka Nacua this season, and was the fourth-highest TPRR of any receiver since 2021.
Favorite Pick: Before he was injured in Week 4, Bucky Irving had the looks of a league-winner. Irving was a top-12 PPR back in two of his first four games and had relegated Rachaad White to a lightly used backup role, as Irving enjoyed a healthy 36 percent opportunity share to White’s 13 percent. Irving also out-targeted White 19-9 through the first four weeks. Irving wasn’t quite the same player when he returned in Week 13, but we saw enough to hope a healthy offseason will have him back on track for 2026. With White also set to hit free agency, Irving’s opportunity to earn targets could be even better next season.
Least Favorite Pick: Do we know who the Jets’ quarterback will be in 2026? Do the Jets even know? Will Aaron Glenn even tell us, even when it’s glaringly obvious? The answer to all of these questions is, of course, no. Wilson has absorbed an absurd amount of targets since entering the league in 2022. He’s seen 528 targets, to be exact, the sixth most of any receiver over that span. That said, we’ve seen those totals not matter much for fantasy after he finished as the WR31, WR34, and WR19 in fantasy points per game in each of his first three seasons. Wilson’s WR15 finish in FPPG this season is a step in the right direction, but there’s too much uncertainty surrounding the Jets, their quarterback situation, and who their next offensive coordinator will be for my liking.
Zachary Krueger
1.06 - Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR (DET)
2.05 - Trey McBride, TE (ARI)
3.06 - A.J. Brown WR (PHI)
4.05 - Kyren Williams, RB (LAR)
5.06 - RJ Harvey, RB (DEN)
First Pick: In hindsight, I probably dropped the ball here when I went with Amon-Ra St. Brown over Jaxon Smith-Njigba, but I’m not mad. Don’t put in the papers that I’m mad, please. ARSB turned in another solid season, finishing as the WR4 in fantasy points per game for the third-year in a row. This finish unsurprisingly coincides with the Sun God having double-digit touchdowns in three-straight years, while also going for 115-plus targets.
Favorite Pick: From Weeks 11-18, RJ Harvey finished as the RB10 in expected fantasy points (108.1) and was the overall RB13 in fantasy points per game over that span. Harvey led all rookie running backs with 12 total touchdowns and was eighth among all RBs in both targets (58) and receiving yards (356). He wasn’t particularly impressive on the ground (146-540-7, 3.7 YPC), but Harvey should be in line for an increased workload in 2026, and his pass-catch upside in Sean Payton’s offense could be enough to put him in the conversation as a fringe RB1 in PPR leagues.
Least Favorite Pick: I’m still a believer in the talent, and hope that for my sake and his that A.J. Brown and the Eagles figure things out in 2026. If “figuring it out” means sending Brown to another team, I am all for it. Brown will be just 29 at the start of next season and is fourth among all receivers in yards per route run (2.49) since 2024, and 13th in TPRR (0.261) over that span. Unfortunately, the fact that AJB is 39th in total routes over that span leaves some genuine cause for concern if he’s back with the Eagles next season.
Rivers McCown
1.07 - Christian McCaffrey, RB (SF)
2.04 - Drake London, WR (ATL)
3.07 - Josh Jacobs, RB (GB)
4.04 - Davante Adams, WR (LAR)
5.07 - Michael Wilson, WR (ARI)
First Pick: Death, taxes, and Christian McCaffrey going in the first round of fantasy drafts. The soon-to-be ninth-year back remains a fixture in the first round of drafts despite the fact that he will be 30 at the start of next season. McCaffrey silenced the haters in 2025 when he appeared in all 17 regular-season games after being limited to four games due to injury in 2024. The result was exactly as you would expect. McCaffrey rushed for 311-1,202-10 and caught 100-plus passes for the first time since 2019 while also posting the second-highest receiving yards (924) in his career. While there’s always reason to be concerned about injuries with CMC, you can’t afford to not have a healthy CMC on your roster.
Favorite Pick: There’s value in being reliable and carrying a big workload, and Josh Jacobs has been both since joining the Packers in 2024. Jacobs missed a few games due to injury this season, but that didn’t stop him from rushing for 234-929-13 and adding another 36-282-1 through the air. Jacobs has totaled 30 touchdowns in 32 regular-season games with the Packers and is the RB9 in total fantasy points over that span. Barring an unexpected turn of events, not much should stand in the way of Jacobs having another double-digit scoring season while amassing over 1,000 yards from scrimmage.
Least Favorite Pick: In his third season as a pro, Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson enjoyed a breakout campaign. The former third-round pick out of Stanford went for 78-1006-7 on 126 targets — all career highs, and was second only to Trey McBride in targets on his team. For as good as Wilson’s 2025 campaign was, it’s impossible to ignore his production when Marvin Harrison Jr. was sidelined. Wilson’s production wasn’t just good — it was unsustainable in every sense of the word. In five games sans Harrison, Wilson was on a 17-game pace to go for 156-2,033-14 on 231 targets. To his credit, Wilson played well when Harrison was out. His 0.318 TPRR in those five games would have been good for the third-highest among receivers this season, as would his 2.83 YPRR. That said, the 0.113 TPRR Wilson saw in the eight games Harrison did play made him unusable for fantasy. Wilson was a fun story, and it’s possible he finds similar success in 2026, but given who was still available (Terry McLaurin, Courtland Sutton, Cam Skattebo), I would have preferred to push Wilson a little further down the line.
Lawrence Jackson Jr.
1.08 - James Cook, RB (BUF)
2.03 - Saquon Barkley, RB (PHI)
3.08 - Tee Higgins, RB (CIN)
4.03 - Josh Allen, QB (BUF)
5.08 - Kenneth Walker, RB (SEA)
First Pick: When you lead the league in rushing and finish sixth in FPPG (18.1), you immediately insert yourself in the conversation as a first-round fantasy pick. James Cook enjoyed a career year with the Bills in 2025 after signing a contract extension this offseason, rewarding the Bills with 309-1,621-12 on the ground and another 33-291-2 through the air. Cooks’ 349 total opportunities were also a career high and ranked fourth among all running backs. The Bills’ decision to promote offensive-coordinator Joe Brady to head coach suggests Cook should see a similar workload in 2026, making him a prime first-round pick next year.
Favorite Pick: It’s not often you get to take Saquon Barkley in the second round of fantasy drafts. The fact that Lawrence had that opportunity makes this an easy pick to love. Barkley had a down season by his standards in 2025, but still totaled over 1,300 yards from scrimmage while scoring nine times. He finished as the RB15 in FPPG (14.6), and will hopefully have a chance to bounce back in 2026 with offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo now out of the picture. Now we hope newly-hired OC Sean Mannion can provide a bit more juice to the Eagles’ offense.
Least Favorite Pick: The injury to Zach Charbonnet (Achilles) understandably makes Kenneth Walker an enticing pick, but Walker proved completely unreliable for fantasy managers this season, finishing as an RB3 or worse in 65 percent of his games despite seeing double-digit opportunities in every game this season. Walker was relatively productive this season, all things considered, rushing for 1,027 yards and five scores, and he’s enjoyed a decent postseason (38-178-4) with Charbonnet sidelined, but that didn’t yield much fantasy production this season. For his career, Walker has finished as an RB3 or worse in 45 percent of his games. This is another spot where I would have preferred to take a gamble on Cam Skattebo or Travis Etienne if I were looking for a running back.
Denny Carter
1.09 - De’Von Achane, RB (MIA)
2.02 - Malik Nabers, WR (NYG)
3.09 - Ladd McConkey, WR (LAC)
4.02 - TreVeyon Henderson, RB (NE)
5.09 - Jayden Daniels, QB (WAS)
First Pick: It never seems like a bad bet to go with one of the fastest running backs in football, who also happens to be one of the most efficient. Among RBs with 200-plus touches since 2024, De’Von Achane‘s 5.7 YPT is tied with Bijan Robinson for the third-highest in the league, and he has finished as the RB5, RB6, and RB5 in fantasy points per game in each of his first three seasons. Any concerns about a heavy workload were laid to rest when Achane saw a career-high 323 opportunities this season and turned those into 1,838 yards from scrimmage and 12 total touchdowns. Even with Mike McDaniel now gone, Achane should see plenty of opportunities to remain a top fantasy back in 2026.
Favorite Pick: Assuming he’s back to full health in time for the start of the season, Malik Nabers has the makings of a massive second-round value. Jaxson Dart appears to be at least good enough to continue funneling targets in Nabers’ direction next season, and Nabers has already turned in a top-10 PPR finish as a rookie despite playing with underwhelming talent at quarterback. Nabers said earlier this month he “had a lot messed up” in his knee, so there’s still plenty of concern at this point about his availability for the 2026 season. That said, we’ll stay optimistic for now until we have more details.
Least Favorite Pick: As somebody who wanted to believe in TreVeyon Henderson in his rookie year, the rookie’s usage was a little disappointing, especially when you consider he’s competing with the grossly inefficient Rhamondre Stevenson for touches. Henderson’s lack of opportunities this postseason (9.0 opps/gm), coupled with the fact that Stevenson remains under contract through 2028, makes Henderson even more of a risky bet at his fourth-round ADP. The rookie showed flashes this season, finishing third among all RBs (min. 100 carries) in breakaway yard percent (39.6), and his 180-911-9 line topped Stevenson (130-603-7). There’s a good chance I’m wrong here, but the Patriots’ decision to stick to a committee despite Henderson looking like the better back is giving me flashbacks to the Bill Belichick era, where the backfield’s week-to-week usage felt unpredictable.
Damian Dabrowski
1.10 - Jonathan Taylor, RB (IND)
2.01 - CeeDee Lamb, WR (DAL)
3.10 - Omarion Hampton, RB (LAC)
4.01 - Tetairoa McMillan, WR (CAR)
5.10 - Drake Maye, QB (NE)
First Pick: With the Colts’ offense finally getting back on track in 2025, Jonathan Taylor enjoyed one of his best seasons in recent memory. Taylor tied a career-high with 20 total touchdowns, and his 1,585 rushing yards were his most since 2021 when he went for 332-1,811-18. Taylor remains one of the true bell cow backs in the league and will still only be 27 next season. He should be a safe bet to return value at his 1.10 ADP here.
Favorite Pick: Even with the emergence of George Pickens this season, CeeDee Lamb still managed to top 1,000-plus yards for a fifth-straight season while catching 75 passes. Lamb’s three touchdowns on the year marked a career-low, but that didn’t stop him from finishing as the overall WR13 in FPPG (14.3) while also ranking 15th in expected fantasy points (198.3). Should Pickens leave in free agency this offseason, Lamb becomes a massive value at the 2.01, but he looks like a smash in this spot either way.
Least Favorite Pick: Despite ranking in the top-15 among receivers in targets (122), touchdowns (7), receiving yards (1,014), and air yards (1,410), Tetairoa McMillan still finished as a WR3 or worse in 65 percent of his games as a rookie. The fact that we are celebrating his quarterback setting a new career-high of 3,011 passing yards in his third season as a pro is also mildly concerning for McMillan’s 2026 outlook. McMillan’s 0.223 TPRR ranked 30th among 78 receivers, and his 3.8 YAC/REC was 40th. McMillan might need a better quarterback to fully reach his potential, but that seems unlikely to happen in 2026.
