Way-Too-Early 2026 Fantasy Football Mock Draft
Updated: Friday, January 2, 2026The 2025 NFL season isn't over yet, but for most, the fantasy football season has ended in Week 17.
Hopefully you finished with a title (or two or more), but either way, it's (arguably) never too early to look ahead to how fantasy drafts may play out for next season.
Disclaimer: This one-man, three-round fantasy football mock draft is based on half-PPR scoring. All statistical references are also based on half-PPR scoring, unless otherwise noted.
If you're looking for my 2026 fantasy football rankings, those will be posted Monday.
Without further ado, here are how the first three rounds of a 2026 fantasy football draft would play out if I were making all of the picks.
2026 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Round 1
1.01. Bijan Robinson, RB1, Atlanta Falcons
Robinson leads the NFL in yards from scrimmage (2,255) this year and since entering the NFL three seasons ago (5,605). Over the past three seasons, he also leads all running backs in targets (258), receptions (195), and receiving yards (1,728). The talent, versatility, and durability make him an easy choice for me at 1.01. The sky's the limit either way but especially if the Falcons don't re-sign Tyler Allgeier, who has a team-high eight rushing touchdowns and will be an unrestricted free agent in March.
1.02. Jahmyr Gibbs, RB2, Detroit Lions
The third-year back has racked up 3,655 yards from scrimmage and 37 touchdowns in 33 games over the past two seasons. Fantasy managers may have felt let down in the playoffs with RB32, RB13, and RB38 performances in Weeks 15-17, respectively, but Gibbs has as much upside as any back. He was the only running back with three games of 170-plus scrimmage yards and multiple scores in 2025.
1.03. Christian McCaffrey, RB3, San Francisco 49ers
Should CMC be the RB1 and 1.01 in 2026 drafts? After all, he finished 2025 (Week 17) as fantasy's RB1? Going into the final game of the season, McCaffrey is four receptions shy of the century mark with 2025 being his third career season of 2,000-plus YFS and 17 touchdowns. Even if McCaffrey averages the most fantasy points per game in 2026, he turns 30 in June (vs. Robinson/Gibbs entering age-24 seasons) and has played single-digit games in three of the past six seasons. All three backs are elite, but Robinson and Gibbs feel safer.
MORE: Full three-round 2026 Fantasy Football Mock Draft
Fantasy Football Start'Em, Sit'Em: Week 17
Updated: Wednesday, December 24, 2025If you're reading this, congratulations!
With most fantasy football leagues concluding after Week 17, there is no reason for you to be reading this if you weren't playing in your league's Championship Week.
Below you will find some players that could be starts or sits in your league, but my fantasy football rankings will better help you determine if I would start Player X over Player Y.
Week 17 Fantasy Football Start'em
Matthew Stafford, QB, Los Angeles Rams (at ATL)
Despite non-existent rushing stats (actually, worse than non-existent at minus two yards), Stafford leads all passers in yardage (4,179) and touchdowns (40, 7.7%), has a league-low 1.0 INT% and currently ranks as fantasy's QB3 on the year. Based on Week 17 NFL implied totals, only the Cincinnati Bengals have a higher projected total than Stafford and the Rams. Even if Davante Adams (hamstring) misses another week, Stafford remains a top-five option in Championship Week.
Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars (at IND)
Lawrence has been on a tear. Over the past five weeks, he has finished as fantasy's QB7, QB5, QB13, QB1, and QB2, respectively. Lawrence has a career-high seven rushing touchdowns this season including scores in back-to-back games. In fact, he has scored a combined 10 (TEN!) touchdowns over the past two weeks.
MORE: Full Week 17 Fantasy Football Start'em, Sit'em
2025 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire: Week 17
Updated: Monday, December 22, 2025Every week, I compile a list of players that could either help your fantasy team(s) in the short and/or long term.
As we head into Championship Week in fantasy football leagues, this week's rankings are based on the potential they have for this week only (based on what we know now).
To maximize the potential that these players are available in your league(s), only players available in 50% or more of Yahoo! leagues are considered.
Week 17 Fantasy Football RB Waiver-Wire Rankings
Below are my running back waiver-wire rankings heading into Week 17:
1. Michael Carter, Arizona Cardinals (42%): Carter has operated as the primary back since Bam Knight's injury. Cincinnati ranks dead last in rushing defense (156.0 YPG).
2. Blake Corum, Los Angeles Rams (41%): Corum has 11-plus carries in each of past three games and has scored 12-plus fantasy points in four consecutive games. As 8.5-point favorites, Corum should have another flex-worthy workload in Week 17.
3. Chris Rodriguez Jr., Washington Commanders (29%): Rodriguez returned from a one-game absence and led the Commanders with 15 carries for 63 yards and a touchdown in Week 16.
4. Raheim Sanders, Cleveland Browns (0%): After Quinshon Judkins' injury yesterday, Sanders handled 15 touches and scored a touchdown. He could be the team's primary back in Week 17.
MORE: Full Week 17 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire
2025 Fantasy Football Rankings: Week 17
Below you will find my fantasy football rankings for Week 17 of the 2025 NFL season:
MORE: View our full Week 17 Fantasy Football Rankings