The 2025 NFL regular season is nearly here. Yet, there are thousands of last-minute fantasy football drafts still to go. However, let’s turn the page to the 2026 season.
It’s way too early to start working on 2026 fantasy football rankings, but let’s fast forward to nine months from now – which 12 players will be first-round fantasy football 1QB PPR drafts next season? It’s time to fire up the crystal ball and see how the first round will look next year.
Predicting 2026 Fantasy Football First-Round Draft Picks
Fantasy players shouldn’t be surprised to see Robinson kick off the first round next season. The former Texas star is a top-two pick in nearly every league this year. He was the RB3 in 2024, averaging 20.1 PPR fantasy points per game. However, Robinson finished the season on fire with Michael Penix Jr. under center, averaging 24.7 touches for 124.7 scrimmage yards, two touchdowns, and 26.8 fantasy points per game over the final three weeks, scoring two touchdowns and 24.3 or more fantasy points in every outing.
The 2025 NFL regular season is nearly here. Yet, there are thousands of last-minute fantasy football drafts still to go. However, let’s turn the page to the 2026 season.
It’s way too early to start working on 2026 fantasy football rankings, but let’s fast forward to nine months from now – which 12 players will be first-round fantasy football 1QB PPR drafts next season? It’s time to fire up the crystal ball and see how the first round will look next year.
Predicting 2026 Fantasy Football First-Round Draft Picks
Fantasy players shouldn’t be surprised to see Robinson kick off the first round next season. The former Texas star is a top-two pick in nearly every league this year. He was the RB3 in 2024, averaging 20.1 PPR fantasy points per game. However, Robinson finished the season on fire with Michael Penix Jr. under center, averaging 24.7 touches for 124.7 scrimmage yards, two touchdowns, and 26.8 fantasy points per game over the final three weeks, scoring two touchdowns and 24.3 or more fantasy points in every outing.
Last year, Chase was the far-and-away WR1, averaging 23.7 PPR fantasy points per game. He scored 40.1 more fantasy points than any other flex player. Furthermore, Chase outscored every quarterback except Lamar Jackson. More importantly, he won the triple crown, leading the NFL in receptions (127), receiving yards (1,708), and touchdowns (17). Chase was the first player in league history to have over 1,700 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns in the same season. He should have a repeat performance this year and be a top-two pick again in 2026.
While David Montgomery will be back with the team next season, Gibbs should have an increased workload. Last year, he was the RB1, averaging 21.4 PPR fantasy points per game after an outstanding three-week run to end the season without Montgomery. The former Alabama star is arguably the most dangerous running back in the NFL, posting a 10% explosive run rate in 2024 (per Fantasy Points Data). Furthermore, Gibbs was the only running back to average over 1.1 fantasy points per opportunity with at least 80 rushing attempts last season.
The former Boise State star is coming off one of the best seasons in college football history, totaling 2,601 rushing yards. Furthermore, Jeanty’s 1,970 yards after contact would have ranked as the second-most total rushing yards in college last year. More importantly, he will be the focal point of the offense, with Pete Carroll and Chip Kelley running the show. Yet, the rookie is only a borderline turn pick in 12-team leagues. Don’t be surprised if Jeanty gets drafted as a top-four pick in 2026 after an impressive rookie year.
Some might be nervous drafting Jefferson because of J.J. McCarthy. However, the superstar is quarterback-proof. He was the WR2 last year, averaging 18.7 PPR fantasy points per game with Sam Darnold. Furthermore, the former LSU star was the WR3 from Week 15 through Week 18 during the 2023 season, averaging 11 targets and 22.1 fantasy points per game with Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall starting. Jefferson will reclaim his crown as the No. 2 wide receiver in fantasy football after having a successful year with McCarthy under center.
Collins has become one of the top wide receivers in the NFL and fantasy football since the Texans drafted C.J. Stroud. Last year, the superstar missed time with a hamstring injury. Yet, he finished as the WR8 on a points-per-game basis, averaging 17.6 PPR fantasy points per outing. Many expect Stroud and the passing attack to have a bounce-back season after struggling in 2024. Don’t be surprised if Collins has a top-three finish this season and puts himself in the same class as Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson.
Unfortunately, everything that could go wrong last year did for the Cowboys. The offense got off to an awful start, while Dak Prescott missed half the season with a hamstring injury. Yet, Lamb finished as the WR8, averaging 17.6 PPR fantasy points per game despite playing most of the year with a significant shoulder injury. More importantly, he finished as the WR1, averaging 23.7 fantasy points per game two seasons ago. Lamb has been a first-round fantasy football pick the past several years, and that won’t change in 2026.
Last season, Nacua missed time with a knee injury. However, he has been one of the top wide receivers in fantasy football, averaging 18 PPR fantasy points per game in his career. Furthermore, the former BYU star averaged 10.9 targets and 21.8 fantasy points per game in the nine contests he finished last year. Whether Matthew Stafford is back under center in 2026 or the Rams spend one of their two first-round NFL Draft picks on a rookie, expect Nacua to again be among the league leaders in targets.
London finished last year as the WR5, averaging 16.5 PPR fantasy points per game. He was fourth in the NFL in receiving yards (1,271) and third in targets (158). More importantly, London was significantly better with Michael Penix Jr. under center because of his ability to push the ball downfield. He had a 14.9% higher air-yards share and averaged eight more fantasy points per game when Penix started versus Kirk Cousins. Don’t be surprised if London is a league-winner this season and becomes a top-10 pick next year.
While St. Brown remains arguably the safest first-round pick, the former USC star will likely somewhat regress following a career year in 2024. Last season, he was the WR3, averaging 18.6 PPR fantasy points per game. However, the superstar saw a decline in volume, going from 10.3 targets per game in 2023 to 8.3 last year. Yet, St. Brown remains the focal point of Detroit’s offense, leading the team in receptions (115), targets (141), receiving yards (1,263), and touchdowns (12) last season. That should remain the same in 2026.
The fantasy football industry would have Hampton in the first-round conversation this year if the Chargers didn’t sign Najee Harris in free agency this offseason. However, the veteran running back won’t return in 2026. More importantly, Los Angeles will likely make the former North Carolina star the featured running back in Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman’s offense. While the rookie won’t see the same target volume as the other running backs in this top-12 this year, Hampton could rank among the NFL leaders in touchdowns despite splitting the backfield workload.
Last year, Nabers was outstanding despite missing two games with a concussion and catching passes from Daniel Jones, Drew Lock, Tommy DeVito, and Tim Boyle. The superstar rookie finished as the WR6, averaging 18.2 PPR fantasy points per game, a higher average than Brian Thomas Jr. (16.7). More importantly, Nabers was the passing offense for the Giants last season, accounting for nearly half of the team’s receiving touchdown total (46.7%). Yet, the former LSU star should be even better in 2026 once Jaxson Dart takes over as the full-time starter.
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Mike Fanelli is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @Mike_NFL2.
