Tom Strachan | Tue, Jun 2nd 2026, 7:12am EDT

Fantasy Football Mock Draft: How to Approach Pick 1.01 (2026)

It may only be June, but you can already feel the tide of content starting to move away from dynasty and focusing on what this year’s redraft leagues might look like. One way to do that is through the lens of a fantasy football mock draft.

Higher-stakes redraft competitions are open on various platforms, and best ball drafts have been happening since as far back as January. With the information we currently have, this is the blueprint for approaching drafting from the 1.01 pick.

Fantasy Football Draft Strategy: Pick 1.01

Players to Consider at 1.01 Fantasy Football Draft Pick

These players will likely be available when you make your selection:

The average draft position (ADP) of the top five picks seems to be fairly locked in for early redraft and best ball formats. That isn’t to say that things won’t change.

Quite often, as redraft season gets going, we see some players pushed up ADP, but the general consensus is that this top tier is quite interchangeable. Typically, the running backs are interchangeable at 1.01, and the order of the wide receivers varies.

Players to Target at 1.01 Fantasy Football Draft Pick

Bijan Robinson (RB – ATL)

Last year’s PPR RB2 in fantasy points per game, and now free from Tyler Allgeier, Bijan Robinson feels primed to take a big step forward in 2026.

Allgeier tied Robinson for 43.5% of the team’s carries inside the 5-yard line last season, and had 32 carries inside the red zone, compared to Robinson’s 35. The Falcons did add Brian Robinson Jr. in free agency, but they weren’t rushing to add a second body to this backfield, waiting almost two weeks before adding their second back.

Robinson led the league in missed tackles forced (75), with 27 more than any other player, while also ranking in the top five in rushing yards, explosive run rate and yards per carry, while topping the league in yards after contact per attempt (3.06).

Where Robinson can take the leap is simple — touchdowns. Robinson scored only seven rushing touchdowns, which resulted in the lowest touchdown rate (2.4%) among the top seven running backs in fantasy. Nobody else was below 3%.

Bijan Robinson at OTAs:

"This is the best I have felt my whole time here. Last year was a cool year, but this year I want to be even better."

Bijan said he trained with Christian McCaffrey again this offseason. pic.twitter.com/dPbqatb9eh

— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) April 8, 2026

Jahmyr Gibbs (RB – DET)

Another young running back who has seen things clear out behind him is Jahmyr Gibbs, with the departure of David Montgomery, and only Isiah Pacheco added to the running back room. The reality is that Pacheco has gone under four yards per carry in each of the last two seasons, has missed time in each of the last three seasons and has recorded more than 19 receptions just once in the past four seasons.

Perhaps a change of scenery helps Pacheco find his feet again, but Gibbs has the clearest avenue he’s ever had and is coming off a career-high 94 targets. Gibbs has had over 50 receptions in each of his three seasons in the NFL and averages 13 total touchdowns per season. With more touches, Gibbs could be one of the highest ceiling plays in fantasy football.

Jahmyr Gibbs is so fast the cameraman can barely keep up lmaopic.twitter.com/PncGXZ6M1c

— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) November 17, 2025

Ja’Marr Chase (WR – CIN)

The Bengals might have slightly improved their defense, but they’re unlikely to become a unit that consistently allows them to move away from the passing game, and that continues to be excellent news for Ja’Marr Chase.

For two consecutive seasons, Chase has led the league in targets with 175 and 185, respectively. Chase also has two years with 1,400+ receiving yards, and his consistency is worth paying for. Much of Chase’s ceiling is tied to Joe Burrow ‘s health. In games with Burrow at quarterback since Chase was drafted, he averages 0.78 touchdowns and 20.67 PPR points. In the games without Burrow, those numbers drop to 0.33 touchdowns and 15.48 points.

Those aren’t terrible numbers, but the lack of touchdowns hurt. Burrow is fully healthy this offseason, and the ceiling is the name of the game at the top of the draft. Lock Chase in for another WR1 overall season.

Players to Avoid at 1.01 Fantasy Football Draft Pick

Puka Nacua (WR – LAR)

Last season was by far Puka Nacua‘s most complete year in the NFL, with 10 receiving touchdowns. That was one more than he’d managed in his first two years combined. Touchdowns aren’t always sticky, though, and before committing to Nacua this early, we have to consider that more in-depth.

Stafford had a career-high 7.7% touchdown rate in 2025 — 0.9% higher than any other year in his career and 0.7% higher than Brock Purdy and Lamar Jackson, who tied for the second-highest rate. It’s not unusual to see that kind of efficiency regress.

The Rams were kept in passing scripts as their secondary struggled at times, but they’ve made additions there this year, with the notable trade for Trent McDuffie, and the defense in general should be stronger with Myles Garrett now a Ram.

We also have to consider that nine of Nacua’s 17 end-zone targets came in games when Davante Adams played fewer than 60% of the snaps. Adams was an end-zone hog when healthy, but it’s hard to project which way his health will go in 2026.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR – SEA)

Efficiency is always a concern when looking year to year for fantasy football, and it’s hard to ignore how efficient Jaxon Smith-Njigba was in 2025. Smith-Njigba ranked fifth in targets, but was second in receiving yards (1,794). Four of his touchdowns came on passes of 20+ yards downfield, of which he had an absurd 60% catch rate. Smith-Njigba averaged 2.10 fantasy points per reception on those passes.

Only Smith-Njigba and Alec Pierce (2.02) were above 1.80 among wide receivers with 10+ targets 20 yards downfield. Sam Darnold played out of his mind, and the Seahawks ran pure. They didn’t add any notable name-brand wide receiver, but re-signing Rashid Shaheed to a big contract could give him more opportunity to be involved, with a full offseason to learn the playbook.

Tory Horton should be healthy, who, despite playing only eight games, finished with five receiving touchdowns, with only AJ Barner (six) and Smith-Njigba (10) scoring more.

JSN posterized the ref and the ref gave him a flag ???????????? pic.twitter.com/ldCDvzlSrs

— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) October 21, 2025

Roster Constructions to Consider at 1.01 Fantasy Football Draft Pick

Most people will likely lean towards the running back position at the 1.01, which sets you up for either a Hero RB build or an RB/RB start. Starting with one of Bijan Robinson or Jahmyr Gibbs likely allows you a Dual RB build with Omarion Hampton, Jeremiyah Love or Derrick Henry as your second running back.

Your wide receiver room likely starts with your Ladd McConkey or Emeka Egbuka as your WR1. Contrast that with a Hero RB start of Robinson or Gibbs, and then a combo of Brock Bowers, George Pickens or Ladd McConkey.

Running back tends to dry up quicker than usual this year, but only having one wide receiver through three rounds can leave your wide receiver room struggling to catch up.

Fantasy Football Mock Draft From the 1.01 Pick

We used our FREE fantasy football mock draft simulator to show you an example of a draft from the 1.01 position. You can sync your league for free and mock draft against your fantasy football league settings to prepare more specifically for your draft.

Here’s how our fantasy football mock draft from the 1.01 position turned out.

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