Fantasy Football Mock Draft 2026: The Value Picks That Change the Shape of the Draft

It’s already time to think about this year’s fantasy drafts. Best ball tournaments are underway, and redraft season will be here soon. Start to prepare NOW to get an edge on your league.

We ran our first fantasy football mock draft of the year to show you 2026 player values and draft strategy in action.

Mock Draft Setup

Jared, Kevin, Matt, Jody, and I teamed up with a few Sleeper bots for a 12-round, 12-team PPR fantasy football mock draft. Here are the starting requirements:

• 1 QB
• 2 RBs
• 3 WRs
• 1 TE
• 1 flex

Each round includes key player questions, answered by the DS drafter who made the pick. 

Round 1

1. Puka Nacua, WR, Los Angeles Rams
2. Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons
3. Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions
4. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks
5. Ja’Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
6. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts
7. Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Detroit Lions
8. Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers
9. Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings
10. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys
11. James Cook, RB, Buffalo Bills
12. Ashton Jeanty, RB, Las Vegas Raiders

You got the 1.01 and selected Puka Nacua despite his ADP currently sitting behind Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs. Why did you go with Nacua over the RBs?

Jared: This format -- full PPR with three starting WRs and a flex -- pushes WRs up the rankings. The scoring favors them over RBs, and the starting requirements only add to the demand.

The Draft War Room for this specific league ranks the top of the board like this:

1. Puka Nacua (100.0)
2. Ja’Marr Chase (94.2)
3. Jahmyr Gibbs (90.5)
4. Bijan Robinson (89.6)

Round 2

1. Rashee Rice, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
2. Drake London, WR, Atlanta Falcons
3. Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
4. Kenneth Walker III, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
5. Jeremiyah Love, RB, Arizona Cardinals
6. De’Von Achane, RB, Miami Dolphins
7. Chase Brown, RB, Cincinnati Bengals
8. Josh Jacobs, RB, Green Bay Packers
9. Trey McBride, TE, Arizona Cardinals
10. Nico Collins, WR, Houston Texans
11. Omarion Hampton, RB, Los Angeles Chargers
12. Derrick Henry, RB, Baltimore Ravens

You took Saquon Barkley at 2.03, kicking off a six-RB run. Why Barkley over the other Round 2 backs?

Matt: Drafters overtrusted Barkley last summer after his outlandish 2024, and I was off him then. But that season also showed just how high the ceiling goes, and Barkley has beaten last year’s fantasy scoring average in five of the six seasons in which he has played more than two games.

I could go either way between him and Kenneth Walker, but I like Barkley more in what should be a rebounding Philly offense than De’Von Achane on a shaky Miami team or the other RBs left in this range.

Round 3

1. George Pickens, WR, Dallas Cowboys
2. Chris Olave, WR, New Orleans Saints
3. Malik Nabers, WR, New York Giants
4. Bucky Irving, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
5. Breece Hall, RB, New York Jets
6. AJ Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
7. Brock Bowers, TE, Las Vegas Raiders
8. Tee Higgins, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
9. Kyren Williams, RB, Los Angeles Rams
10. Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills
11. Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Carolina Panthers
12. Zay Flowers, WR, Baltimore Ravens

You went TE early with Brock Bowers at 3.07. Does that hurt your overall team build?

Shane: Going TE early won’t wreck your build. Your roster might not look as pretty afterward, but taking Bowers in the third round gives you a positional edge.

I didn’t see a meaningful tier break between the next five picks and the Round 4 options, so I preferred the upside of Bowers and Davante Adams over Tee Higgins and Colston Loveland. 

Don’t be afraid of taking an elite TE early, but don’t force it either. If you miss out on the top TEs, waiting on the position makes sense.

Round 4

1. DeVonta Smith, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
2. Garrett Wilson, WR, New York Jets
3. Jaylen Waddle, WR, Denver Broncos
4. Luther Burden, WR, Chicago Bears
5. Javonte Williams, RB, Dallas Cowboys
6. Davante Adams, WR, Los Angeles Rams
7. Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens
8. Terry McLaurin, WR, Washington Commanders
9. Drake Maye, QB, New England Patriots
10. Travis Etienne, RB, New Orleans Saints
11. Colston Loveland, TE, Chicago Bears
12. Emeka Egbuka, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

You selected Terry McLaurin as your WR2 at the 4.08. What does his upside look like in 2026?

Alex: McLaurin’s 2026 upside is a high-end WR2 finish if the Commanders' offense rebounds and he and Jayden Daniels stay healthy. At 4.08, I viewed him as a safe WR2 with room for more.

I’m mostly willing to throw out 2025 for McLaurin and the Commanders' offense. He missed most of training camp and the preseason during his “hold in” before signing a new deal at the end of August, then battled quad injuries that cost him seven games and clearly lingered after he returned.

The bigger issue was Jayden Daniels’ health. Knee, hamstring, and elbow injuries eventually got him shut down. And although Marcus Mariota kept the offense afloat, its ceiling lowered dramatically without Daniels.

That’s why I keep coming back to 2024, when McLaurin finished WR16 in PPR points per game and looked like part of one of the league’s better QB-WR pairings with Daniels. Washington also hasn’t made any major changes over the past two offseasons that make me question McLaurin’s role or target outlook.

There’s some obvious risk tied to age and last year’s injuries, which is why I backed him up later with safer WRs Jakobi Meyers and Chris Godwin. But if Daniels stays healthy, McLaurin absolutely has the upside to beat this draft slot.

Round 5

1. Cam Skattebo, RB, New York Giants
2. Ladd McConkey, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
3. Tyler Warren, TE, Indianapolis Colts
4. R.J. Harvey, RB, Denver Broncos
5. D’Andre Swift, RB, Chicago Bears
6. Jameson Williams, WR, Detroit Lions
7. Christian Watson, WR, Green Bay Packers
8. Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
9. Harold Fannin Jr., TE, Cleveland Browns
10. DJ Moore, WR, Buffalo Bills
11. Carnell Tate, WR, Tennessee Titans
12. Tucker Kraft, TE, Green Bay Packers

You selected Tyler Warren at 5.03. Are you targeting a top-5 TE in drafts? What does Tyler Warren’s upside look like?

Jody: Not normally. I rarely like my builds when I take an early TE, but Warren was the best option there, especially after Ladd McConkey went just before my pick. 

Warren had the third-most targets at the position in 2025, and Michael Pittman Jr.’s departure frees up another 111 opportunities. That’s why Warren’s my No. 3 TE this season. 

Round 6

1. Rome Odunze, WR, Chicago Bears
2. Jaylen Warren, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
3. TreVeyon Henderson, RB, New England Patriots
4. Mike Evans, WR, San Francisco 49ers
5. Bhayshul Tuten, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars
6. Quinshon Judkins, RB, Cleveland Browns
7. David Montgomery, RB, Houston Texans
8. Jayden Daniels, QB, Washington Commanders
9. DK Metcalf, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
10. Courtland Sutton, WR, Denver Broncos
11. Jordyn Tyson, WR, New Orleans Saints
12. Jalen Hurts, QB, Philadelphia Eagles

You paired Jayden Daniels with McLaurin. Is stacking a viable redraft strategy, or is Daniels worth a sixth-round pick on his own?

Alex: I’ve loved stacking QB-WR combos ever since my first redraft league, when I accidentally paired Derek Carr with Michael Crabtree and watched all three of Carr’s Week 2 TDs go to Crabtree. Seeing your QB and WR connect over and over is one of fantasy football’s most fun experiences.

Stacking is a bonus in redraft, not a necessity. It’s a massive edge in best ball because of the weekly ceiling correlation, but in managed leagues I’d never reach multiple rounds just to force one.

In this case, though, I was happy to pair Daniels with McLaurin because I already liked both at cost. Daniels in particular stands out as a 2026 value. Injuries wrecked his 2025 season, but we’re only one year removed from elite fantasy upside, and he’s now going roughly three rounds later than he did in 2025.

At that price, I’m willing to bet on the talent, Daniels’ rushing upside, and the Daniels-McLaurin connection bouncing back in a healthier season.

Round 7

1. Parker Washington, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
2. Michael Wilson. WR. Arizona Cardinals
3. Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Arizona Cardinals
4. Brian Thomas Jr., WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
5. Jakobi Meyers, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
6. Kyle Pitts, TE, Atlanta Falcons
7. Alec Pierce, WR, Indianapolis Colts
8. Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, New England Patriots
9. Kyle Monangai, RB, Chicago Bears
10. Chuba Hubbard, RB, Carolina Panthers
11. Jaxson Dart, QB, New York Giants
12. Caleb Williams, QB, Chicago Bears

The three top Jaguars WRs went in the seventh round. You went with Parker Washington at the 7.01 ahead of Brian Thomas Jr. and Jakobi Meyers. Why should Washington be the first Jaguars’ WR drafted?

Jared: I started the offseason a bit down on Washington, but I’ve come around after doing some more digging.

Simply put, he was Jacksonville’s best WR last year on a per-route basis.

Over his final seven games, including playoffs, Washington averaged 5.0 catches, 86.3 yards, and 0.57 TDs. That pace would have made him PPR WR7 on the season.

I don’t expect Washington to score nearly that well with Thomas healthier and Hunter still at least somewhat in the mix. But I do like Washington as a fantasy WR3 with spike-week upside in an ascending Jacksonville passing game.

Round 8

1. Jadarian Price, RB, Seattle Seahawks
2. Dalton Kincaid, TE, Buffalo Bills
3. Tony Pollard, RB, Tennessee Titans
4. Justin Herbert, QB, Los Angeles Chargers
5. Sam LaPorta, TE, Detroit Lions
6. Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
7. Makai Lemon, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
8. J.K. Dobbins, RB, Denver Broncos
9. Rico Dowdle, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
10. Ricky Pearsall, WR, San Francisco 49ers
11. Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars
12. Jordan Addison, WR, Minnesota Vikings

You took a chance on rookie RB Jadarian Price. Why should he be a redraft target?

Kevin: Price went as RB31, right in line with our PPR RB rankings, but the opportunity in front of him gives him a real chance to beat that price.

Zach Charbonnet tore his ACL on Jan. 17 and didn’t undergo surgery until Feb. 20. So even an optimistic nine-month timeline puts him back on the field in mid-to-late November, likely around Week 12. He also might not step right back into his pre-injury role of 12.8 touches per game.

The Seahawks also let Kenneth Walker depart in free agency, freeing up 252 touches.

Price still has workload questions after never exceeding 120 carries in a season at Notre Dame, but his hyper-efficient college production and Round 1 draft capital give Seattle every reason to feature him.

Price sits 24th among RBs in our ceiling projections, and I think there's room to beat that mark -- especially if he holds onto the lead job after Charbonnet’s return.

Round 9

1. Blake Corum, RB, Los Angeles Rams
2. Quentin Johnston, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
3. Aaron Jones, RB, Minnesota Vikings
4. Dallas Goedert, TE, Philadelphia Eagles
5. Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
6. Oronde Gadsden, TE, Los Angeles Chargers
7. Kenneth Gainwell, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
8. Wan'Dale Robinson, WR, Tennessee Titans
9. Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys
10. KC Concepcion, WR, Cleveland Browns
11. Brock Purdy, QB, San Francisco 49ers
12. Jayden Reed, WR, Green Bay Packers

Kenneth Gainwell is heading to Tampa Bay. Why is he still a viable PPR RB in a new offense? 

Shane: I’m not expecting Gainwell to repeat last year’s 73-486-3 receiving line, but the Buccaneers didn’t give him a two-year, $14 million deal to ignore his receiving ability.

Bucky Irving is still recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. He should be fine for the season, but the coaching staff would be smart to keep him fresh and use Gainwell more than it used Rachaad White last year. Letting White leave and signing Gainwell for significantly more money also indicates the staff likes Gainwell much more than White.

In a PPR league, I’ll trust the talent we saw from Gainwell as a flex RB who can give me boom receiving weeks.

Round 10

1. Jonathon Brooks, RB, Carolina Panthers
2. Jake Ferguson, TE, Dallas Cowboys
3. Josh Downs, WR, Indianapolis Colts
4. Hunter Henry, TE, New England Patriots
5. Stefon Diggs, WR, Free Agent
6. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs
7. Brian Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons
8. Mark Andrews, TE, Baltimore Ravens
9. Matthew Stafford, QB, Los Angeles Rams
10. Bo Nix, QB, Denver Broncos
11. Dalton Schultz, TE, Houston Texans
12. George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers

Is Jonathon Brooks worth a late-round flier? What does his upside look like?

Kevin: Yep.

Start with the opportunity. Rico Dowdle left in free agency after leading the team with 236 carries and 50 targets, leaving Brooks to battle Chuba Hubbard, Trevor Etienne, and AJ Dillon for touches. Hubbard is the only real obstacle there.

Brooks still needs to prove he’s healthy after missing all of the 2025 season with his second right ACL tear, but he said in April that he feels “close to 100%,” so he’s on track for training camp.

Brooks entered the league as the No. 1 RB in the 2024 draft class after making the most of his lone season as Texas’ starter:

• 187 carries
• 1,139 yards (6.1 per carry)
• 10 rushing TDs
• 25 catches
• 286 yards (11.4 per catch)
• 1 receiving TD

There’s no guarantee he returns to that version. But Hubbard already lost the lead job to Dowdle for part of last year, and the veteran certainly isn’t locked in as a clear lead back. 

An ideal scenario has Brooks forcing a 50-50 split early before eventually taking over as the lead runner. If that happens, RB2 value is in play behind an O-line upgraded this offseason with OTs Rasheed Walker and Monroe Freeling and C Luke Fortner.

Round 11

1. Rachaad White, RB, Washington Commanders
2. Tyler Allgeier, RB, Arizona Cardinals
3. Jordan Mason, RB, Minnesota Vikings
4. James Conner, RB, Arizona Cardinals
5. Romeo Doubs, WR, New England Patriots
6. Jordan Love, QB, Green Bay Packers
7. Xavier Worthy, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
8. Juwan Johnson, TE, New Orleans Saints
9. Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB, Washington Commanders
10. Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs
11. Jauan Jennings, WR, Minnesota Vikings
12. Keaton Mitchell, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

You were the last team to take a starting TE with Travis Kelce. Is this a good year to wait on taking a TE? Will Kelce be a viable starter?

Matt: If I don’t take one of the top five TEs this year, I’m likely to wait. The value didn’t align in this draft for me to target a top- or second-shelf TE, so I don’t mind taking a shot on Kelce as TE18. I expect him to hold enough target share to hover around low-TE1 territory, even if the ceiling isn’t what it used to be.

Round 12

1. Isaiah Likely, TE, New York Giants
2. Woody Marks, RB, Houston Texans
3. Brenton Strange, TE, Jacksonville Jaguars
4. Jayden Higgins, WR, Houston Texans
5. Jared Goff, QB, Detroit Lions
6. Zach Charbonnet, RB, Seattle Seahawks
7. Khalil Shakir, WR, Buffalo Bills
8. Brandon Aiyuk, WR, San Francisco 49ers
9. Jalen Coker, WR, Carolina Panthers
10. Antonio Williams, WR, Washington Commanders
11. Malik Willis, QB, Miami Dolphins
12. Isiah Pacheco, RB, Detroit Lions

You took a flier on Antonio Williams in this round. What excites you about the rookie for redraft? 

Jody: Opportunity. 

The Commanders won’t have Zach Ertz or Deebo Samuel back. Williams has the versatility to play inside or on the perimeter, but I think he has a very good shot at opening the season as Washington’s slot receiver. 

If Williams locks down the slot role in an offense led by Jayden Daniels, he could quickly emerge as a PPR waiver-wire priority and one of the better late-round values in fantasy drafts.

He’s one of my favorite late-round fliers. 

Best Way to Draft

We've been drafting fantasy football teams for a looong time around here, and that experience has produced some pretty clear guidelines on the best way to draft. Check out the video:

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Fantasy Football Draft Guide: 12-Team PPR Draft Strategy

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Shane Hallam, Writer

Shane has over 20 years of experience creating content and playing every fantasy football format, including redraft, dynasty, devy, C2C, IDP, CFF, and more. He is a multi-year winner of $500 dynasty leagues on the FFPC and a King's Classic Champion. Shane utilizes deep film and scheme study to enhance his fantasy performance. He led the industry in 2024 preseason Kicker Rankings and ranked second in preseason QB Rankings. He also ranked eighth in preseason IDP rankings.