Who is the Early Favorite for the No. 1 Pick in 2026 Fantasy Football Drafts?

We may be in the doldrums of the 2026 NFL offseason, but training camp is on the horizon and fantasy football drafts will be here before you know it.

It's time to brush up and get prepared for the new season, one that has several superstars still vying to cement their status as the consensus No. 1 overall pick.

There are five players considered by the FantasyPros consensus expert rankings to be in the top tier of draft picks. Any one of them has the potential to be a fantastic addition to your fantasy lineup, but there is a No. 1 who stands as a slight cut above the rest.

With that in mind, read on for a look at the five best fantasy draft picks and our pick for the best choice to take if you land the top overall pick in your league.

Fantasy points and rankings courtesy of FantasyPros using PPR data.

5. WR Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams

AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson

Puka Nacua was extremely limited in one game and missed another with injury last year and still finished as the No. 2 overall scorer in fantasy.

It's possible he would have usurped Christian McCaffrey for the top spot had he not suffered that ankle issue, but he still managed to beat out every other receiver in the league despite the ailment.

Nacua more than lived up to the hype last year, confirming his status as a true No. 1 WR on a star-studded Los Angeles Rams squad that also featured Davante Adams for the first time.

The future Hall of Famer's presence didn't stop Nacua from feasting on opposing defenses, evidenced by a hefty 23.4 fantasy points per game average in 2025.

While Adams did become a go-to weapon in the red area for Matt Stafford—the aging wideout reeled in a league-high 14 receiving scores—Nacua still managed to reach the double-digit TD mark for the first time in his career.

Prior to 2025, the wideout had been consistently putting up strong yardage and reception numbers but had only found pay dirt nine times over his first two seasons.

It remains to be seen if those scoring numbers are sustainable, which is why Nacua doesn't have the same upside as the other potential No. 1 overall fantasy picks.

Health has also been an issue for Nacua in the past—he missed six games in 2024 in addition to the contests he was banged up for last year—and he is also dealing with off‑field concerns this offseason, including entering rehab and facing a civil lawsuit over alleged misconduct, per multiple reports.

Regardless, Nacua is still perfectly positioned for another monstrous campaign. Don't sleep on him as the WR1 and even a potential No. 1 scorer overall, but he lacks the safe floor that several other players on this list provide.

4. WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks

AP Photo/Jeff Lewis

Jaxon Smith-Njigba teased his incredible upside over his first two seasons in the NFL before finally realizing it in full during the 2025 campaign.

The Seattle Seahawks star emerged as the league's best wideout, becoming the focal point of a Super Bowl-winning offense while carrying many of his managers to fantasy titles. JSN reached career highs in targets (163), receptions (119), receiving yardage (1,793) and receiving touchdowns (10) to finish as fantasy's WR2.

Smith-Njigba was the NFL's target share leader last year and should only see more volume in 2026 with Seattle's ground game potentially taking a step back following the departure of Kenneth Walker III and injury to Zach Charbonnet. He racked up a hyper-efficient 359.9 fantasy points on 163 targets, making him a potential No. 1 overall fantasy scorer if he earns an additional target or two per game this year.

Considering everything the Seahawks accomplished in their first year with Sam Darnold under center and Smith‑Njigba as the focal point of the passing attack, it's scary to think they could just be getting started.

The team is largely running it back with the same receiving corps—the only notable addition being sixth-round rookie Emmanuel Henderson Jr.—so it's safe to assume Njigba's floor in 2026 will be a similar line to the one he posted last year.

JSN lacks the volume-based upside of the top receiver on this list, however, which is why he ranks No. 2 at the position and isn't quite in the running to be a No. 1 overall pick this year.

3. WR Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals

AP Photo/David Dermer

Ja'Marr Chase was the WR1 for 2025 fantasy drafts and has a strong argument to retain that status this season.

While Chase only finished last season as the WR4, the Cincinnati Bengals star still almost lived up to the immense hype despite missing time with injury and having some early-season struggles. He wound up racking up 313.6 points, a line boosted by the instant rapport he built with Joe Flacco during the veteran's tenure under center. Chase unsurprisingly thrived once Joe Burrow retook the reins later in the season as well.

Chase led the league in targets last year and that volume simply won't fall off in 2026. The Bengals need him to show out on a weekly basis to keep pace in a tough AFC North race, one they are desperate to win after three consecutive seasons without a playoff berth.

Last year, Chase averaged just over 88 receiving yards per game—the third-most in the league. He also reeled in eight touchdown catches, ranking just outside the top-10 in that category. If he can up each of those numbers slightly, he'll be on pace for a WR1 campaign for the second time in three seasons.

Given his massive role in the offense, trust he's established with Burrow and lack of competition for looks, only an injury will prevent Chase from having yet another stellar season—one that should be far better than last year if his quarterback can finally stay healthy.

2. RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions

AP Photo/Rey Del Rio

Jahmyr Gibbs has been a revelation for both the Detroit Lions and fantasy managers. While his selection at No. 12 overall in the 2023 draft drew some concerns about his ability to shoulder an offensive load at the NFL level, the running back has gone on to silence his critics by posting three elite seasons in a row.

After bursting onto the scene with a 242.1-point rookie effort, Gibbs has gone on to improve in each of the last two years. He notched his first top-10 overall finish with a 362.9-point showing in 2024 and followed that up with another herculean campaign last year.

Gibbs' 366.9 points in 2025 were the fourth-most in fantasy and the most of any running back, an incredible performance given it occurred during a down year for the Lions. Detroit will be looking to bounce back in 2026 and figures to involve Gibbs even more in the offensive plans to accomplish that goal.

The back revealed that the team appears better prepared for the upcoming season than it had been in previous OTAs, telling ESPN: "The whole team is doing great. Like, we're so far [ahead] of where we were last year at this time. Everybody's playing fast. Everybody knows what to do. It feels like we're almost in season form."

Gibbs credited new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing for the improvement, saying the former Arizona Cardinals play-caller is "smart" and "demanding." If Detroit can leap back into the top five of NFL offenses under Petzing, it should result in Gibbs putting up a career-best fantasy season.

With Gibbs able to contribute in all facets of the offense and the team scheming up ways to get him the ball in space, it's only a matter of time before the back is leading his fantasy managers to glory. As long as he can hold up and stay healthy, Gibbs will be a strong candidate to lead the entire league in fantasy points.

While Gibbs has the most upside of any first-round fantasy pick this year, he's a slightly riskier choice at No. 1 overall compared to the league's other big superstar RB1.

1. RB Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons

AP Photo/Scot Tucker

If your league's fantasy draft was held today, Bijan Robinson should be your No. 1 pick.

With the Atlanta Falcons hiring a new head coach in Kevin Stefanski, everything is breaking right for the Atlanta Falcons running back to have a truly legendary campaign.

Tori McElhaney of the team's official website noted that running backs in particular have made significant strides under Stefanski. During his first season as the Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator, Dalvin Cook broke the 1,000-yard rushing mark and earned a Pro Bowl, while Nick Chubb consistently churned out 1,000-yard seasons and had his career-best year under the coach.

While Robinson put up strong numbers in all three of his previous NFL seasons, he was ultimately held back by a middling offensive scheme and a glaring lack of competent quarterback play. The Falcons addressed the latter issue by scooping up Tua Tagovailoa—the veteran quarterback who oversaw the league's offense in 2023—to push incumbent starter Michael Penix Jr. this offseason.

If Penix can't make a leap, Tagovailoa is a strong candidate to take over and unlock the vast potential of an offense featuring Robinson, wideout Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts. It's a high-upside unit, one that should see a major boost with Stefanski now calling the shots.

Robinson already proved he can carry a fantasy squad, finishing as a top-10 scorer in each of the last two seasons—including last year when he put up a career-best 370.8 points. The back was the clear focal point of Atlanta's attack in 2025, rushing for 1,478 yards and seven touchdowns on 287 totes and adding 820 receiving yards and four scores on 79 catches.

Considering what Robinson has already accomplished with lesser quarterbacks and coaching staffs, the sky is the limit for the 24-year-old running back. Lock him in as your No. 1 pick, as only an injury can stop him from rampaging through defenses and lifting your team to the playoffs.