2026 Fantasy Football Mock Draft, Overall Draft Strategy and Printable Cheat Sheet

Kristopher Knox

Aug 30, 2026

We're now just over a week away from the start of the 2025 NFL regular season. The Seattle Seahawks will begin their title defense on Wednesday, September 9, and from there, the season will be off and running.

In the coming days, many fantasy managers in season-long redraft leagues will be looking to cram. We're here to help with that process by diving into a three-round point-per-reception (PPR) mock draft conducted with FantasyPros' Mock Draft Simulator. We'll highlight any intriguing trends and examine relevant 2026 draft strategies along the way before providing a top-30 cheat sheet for early draft selections.

Ideally, our analysis will help you know what to expect when it's time for your live draft, though we'd recommend conducting a few practice drafts of your own.

Those looking for a cheat sheet for additional draft-day help should check out the printable and fully customizable sheet from The Athletic's Jake Ciely.

Round 1

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AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar

Bengals WR Ja'Marr Chase

Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions
Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons
Puka Nacua, WR, Los Angeles Rams
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks
Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers
Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts
James Cook, RB, Buffalo Bills
Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Detroit Lions
CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys
De'Von Achane, RB, Miami Dolphins
Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings

There weren't too many surprises in the first round of this mock. Ja'Marr Chase continues to trend ahead of Jaxon Smith-Njigba as WR 1 in most leagues, and both Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson are regularly top-four selections.

Strategically, focusing on a high-volume running back like Gibbs, Robinson, or Jonathan Taylor in the first round makes a ton of sense in 2026. The first and second RB tiers are great, but there's a massive drop-off at the position after that.

A No. 1 receiver like Smith-Njigba, Puka Nacua, or Justin Jefferson is certainly worth a pick in the first round. However, managers are more likely to find acceptable Rounds 3-6 at WR than at RB. Don't be afraid to give running backs a bit of a bump in your pre-draft rankings.

The one curious thing about this mock first round was the fact that Christian McCaffrey went ahead of Taylor and in the top half of the round. Based on his 2025 production, McCaffrey is worth that, but he's still a 30-year-old back coming off a 413-touch season, which makes him a legitimate injury risk.

Round 2

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AP Photo/Brynn Anderson

Falcons WR Drake London

Drake London, WR, Atlanta Falcons
Derrick Henry, RB, Baltimore Ravens
A.J. Brown, WR, New England Patriots
Chase Brown, RB, Cincinnati Bengals
Omarion Hampton, RB, Los Angeles Chargers
Ashton Jeanty, RB, Las Vegas Raiders
Kyren Williams, RB, Los Angeles Rams
Nico Collins, WR, Houston Texans
Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
Chris Olave, WR, New Orleans Saints
Rashee Rice, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
Kenneth Walker III, RB, Kansas City Chiefs

Over half of the Round 2 selections in this mock were used on running backs, and that falls in line with early 2026 strategies. As previously mentioned, top running backs are at a premium this year, while there is a wide second tier of wide receivers.

A couple of picks in this round of the mock are questionable, however.

Kenneth Walker III probably belongs in the next tier of RBs, along with backs like Javonte Williams and Travis Etienne Jr. He is the reigning Super Bowl MVP, but he's also in a new offense with the Kansas City Chiefs and has a notable injury history.

Managers should also think twice about treating Drake London like a borderline first-round pick. He has the talent to be a top-10 WR, but the Atlanta Falcons have serious questions at quarterback. It's also worth noting that new head coach Kevin Stefanski runs an offense that rarely force-feeds the football to any one wide receiver.

Round 3

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AP Photo/John Locher

Raiders TE Brock Bowers

Brock Bowers, TE, Las Vegas Raiders
George Pickens, WR, Dallas Cowboys
Trey McBride, TE, Arizona Cardinals
DeVonta Smith, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
Ladd McConkey, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills
Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens
Malik Nabers, WR, New York Giants
Javonte Williams, RB, Dallas Cowboys
Jaylen Waddle, WR, Denver Broncos
Colston Loveland, TE, Chicago Bears
Zay Flowers, WR, Baltimore Ravens

Williams was the only RB to go in Round 3, and he sits at the top of the position's third tier. We also saw the first tight ends and quarterbacks come off the board in Round 3.

Brock Bowers and Trey McBride are proven players and elite fantasy options worth targeting in this range. Colston Loveland was promising as a rookie last season but is a bit more of a speculative pick in Round 3.

Of course, there's nothing wrong with taking a swing on a player with legitimate upside. In Loveland's case, the departure of receiver D.J. Moore could lead to an even more prominent role in the Chicago Bears' offense. When betting on upside, though, always remember that it doesn't come with a guarantee.

Loveland might match the production of Bowers and McBride, but his numbers could also fall in line with TEs drafted several rounds after him. The same probably isn't true for quarterbacks Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, though the gap may not be sizeable enough to justify using a third-round pick on a QB.