RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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The Yahoo Fantasy staff recently joined forces for a 12-team, 15-round mock draft. While player ADPs are sure to move over the next few weeks, this should help provide valuable insights on what to expect in each round of your upcoming drafts.
Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2026 NFL season
The scoring format for this mock is half-PPR (point per reception) with the following roster spots: QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, TE, FLEX, DEF, K, BN, BN, BN, BN, BN, BN.
A big thank you goes out to everyone who participated.
My Full Roster
QB : Josh Allen, Bills
RB : Chase Brown, Bengals
RB : Bucky Irving, Bucs
WR : CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys
WR : Jaylen Waddle, Broncos
TE : Dalton Kincaid, Bills
FLEX : Jameson Williams
DEF : Eagles
K : Jake Bates, Lions
Bench : Makai Lemon, Eagles
Bench : Chris Godwin Jr., Bucs
Bench : Jonah Coleman, Broncos
Bench : Brian Robinson Jr., Falcons
Bench : Tank Bigsby, Eagles
Bench : Demond Claiborne, Vikings
Round 1
Pick
Player
Team
1
Jahmyr Gibbs, RB1
Benjamin Zweiman
2
Bijan Robinson, RB2
Scott Pianowski
3
Ja'Marr Chase, WR1
Collin Brennan
4
Puka Nacua, WR2
Justin Weaver
5
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR3
Jason Klabacha
6
Christian McCaffrey, RB3
Josh Norris
7
James Cook, RB4
Dan Titus
8
Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR4
Eric Froton
9
Jonathan Taylor, RB5
Matt Harmon
10
Ashton Jeanty, RB6
Joel Smyth
11
CeeDee Lamb, WR5
Justin Boone
12
Justin Jefferson, WR6
Hayden Winks
A fairly chalky opening round, with the lone exception being James Cook III going off the board a few spots earlier than his ADP. While I prefer Jonathan Taylor’s ceiling and Amon-Ra St. Brown’s consistency in that range, the recent talk about Cook’s role as a pass-catcher growing could push his value up in 2026. That will need to happen to justify this pick, since Cook finished as the sixth-highest scoring fantasy RB on a per game basis last season with 1,912 scrimmage yards and 14 touchdowns. It’s worth noting, the Bills’ backfield also faces a very tough schedule , including a brutal first five weeks .
My pick: Picking near the end of the first round is my least favorite spot to end up in this year due to the clear tier dropoff at both running back and receiver. However, Lamb is someone I’m happy to take in this range, since it seems like the fantasy community is forgetting just how productive he can be after a down year. Yes, Lamb’s numbers were down in 2025, but he dealt with injuries, didn’t score as many TDs and the Cowboys fell out of playoff contention. If we just look at the 10 games he played before that, he had over 100 yards in six of those outings, while averaging 10 targets, six catches and 98 yards per game. So, even with George Pickens around, Lamb remains a high-end fantasy WR and a strong selection in the late first.
Round 2
Pick
Player
Team
13
Saquon Barkley, RB7
Hayden Winks
14
Chase Brown, RB8
Justin Boone
15
Omarion Hampton, RB9
Joel Smyth
16
Drake London, WR7
Matt Harmon
17
De'Von Achane, RB10
Eric Froton
18
Derrick Henry, RB11
Dan Titus
19
Kenneth Walker III, RB12
Josh Norris
20
Nico Collins, WR8
Jason Klabacha
21
George Pickens, WR9
Justin Weaver
22
Brock Bowers, TE1
Collin Brennan
23
A.J. Brown, WR10
Scott Pianowski
24
DeVonta Smith, WR11
Benjamin Zweiman
The second round is filled with quality fantasy options to the point where you almost can’t go wrong. It shouldn’t be surprising if any of the names chosen in this frame return Round 1 value in 2026. That includes tight end Brock Bowers, who is positioned for a massive campaign after being limited by injuries a year ago. In addition to entering the season healthy, Bowers will be propelled forward by arrival of offensive-minded head coach Klint Kubiak, his new quarterbacks, upgrades on the line and a general lack of talent in the receiving corps. Remember, as a rookie Bowers finished sixth in total targets behind a collection of top wideouts.
My pick: Even in a mock draft, this was a difficult pick for me, deciding between Chase Brown and Omarion Hampton. Brown got the edge due to his more proven production and the absence of any real competition for touches in the Bengals’ backfield. Though Brown might not be viewed as a potential top-five fantasy back, he definitely has that within his range of outcomes. During the final 10 games when Joe Flacco settled the offense down and Joe Burrow eventually got healthy, Brown was the third-highest scoring back, averaging 19.1 fppg.
Round 3
Pick
Player
Team
25
Chris Olave, WR12
Benjamin Zweiman
26
Kyren Williams, RB13
Scott Pianowski
27
Ladd McConkey, WR13
Collin Brennan
28
Josh Jacobs, RB14
Justin Weaver
29
Jeremiyah Love, RB15
Jason Klabacha
30
Rashee Rice, WR14
Josh Norris
31
Breece Hall, RB16
Dan Titus
32
Tetairoa McMillan, WR15
Eric Froton
33
Tee Higgins, WR16
Matt Harmon
34
Zay Flowers, WR17
Joel Smyth
35
Josh Allen, QB1
Justin Boone
36
Malik Nabers, WR18
Hayden Winks
We see another tier drop partway through the third round, which is another reason to lean towards having an earlier pick in drafts this season. We also see managers taking chances on players with some uncertainty in their profiles this season. Malik Nabers is a potential superstar working his way back from an ACL tear, Rashee Rice can be a top-10 fantasy receiver if he stays healthy and avoids anymore off-field issues and Josh Jacobs is still dealing with an open investigation stemming from his offseason arrest. All three players have league-winning ceilings, but come with significant risks in 2026.
My pick: Though I’ve been more willing to spend up for elite quarterbacks in recent years, it hasn’t been my preferred approach this season. However, I didn’t love the options on the board when it got back to me at 3.11, so Josh Allen became the pick. Even with the Bills battling a tough schedule, Allen is as rock-solid as they come in fanta...
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