2026 NFL Fantasy Football Top First Round Picks, Contenders & Analysis

By Thomas Valentine | May 26, 2026, 1:24pm

The NFL is as talented as ever, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Players are faster, stronger, and more versatile. Thankfully, that creates a compelling fantasy football ecosystem as we approach the 2026 NFL season. In 2025, players like Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Puka Nacua, and Bijan Robinson fully broke out in fantasy terms. They’ll almost certainly be first-round picks in fantasy football drafts, but who could join them over the next few months heading into the 2026 NFL season?

2026 NFL Fantasy Football Top First Round Pick Rankings

Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams, WR
Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals, WR
Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons, RB
Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions RB
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks, WR
Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions, WR
Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers, RB
Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings, WR
CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys, WR
De’Von Achane, Miami Dolphins, RB
Ashton Jeanty, Las Vegas Raiders, RB
Nico Collins, Houston Texans, WR

2026 NFL Fantasy Football Top First Round Pick Contenders

Puka Nacua (Los Angeles Rams, WR)

Bye Week: Week 11
ADP: 4
2025 FPTS: 375.0
PPR PPG: 23.44
OPOY Odds:
Rec. Yards O/U:

Since entering the league in 2023, Puka Nacua has felt inevitable. One of the greatest rookie seasons of all time, where he caught 105 passes for 1486 yards and six touchdowns in 16 games, parlayed into a WR4 finish, and from that point on, Nacua has been a permanent fixture in fantasy lineups. The 2024 season brought injuries, but the former fifth-round pick still finished as the WR26 in PPR format in just 11 games, and averaged 90 receiving yards per game.

Per FantasyPros, Nacua’s ADP of 12 in 2025 was interesting. By then, Nacua’s connection with Rams quarterback Matt Stafford was among the best in the league, but Stafford’s preseason injury concerns may have capped Nacua’s overall ceiling. If Stafford were healthy, Nacua would feast. And he did. Nacua set career-highs in catches (129), receiving yards (1715), and touchdowns (10) in the regular season as Stafford won his first MVP award. Nacua played his part for fantasy managers, too, finishing as the WR1 in PPR in 2025 as the Rams’ offense ran rampant.

Nacua’s ADP is currently top 5, which means there’s more than enough reason to take a swing on him with the first pick in your fantasy drafts. He’s going to be a target vacuum for Stafford again. A monster season in 2025 coincided with Nacua looking like he had taken a physical step forward, too. Toughness, great hands, and the ability to break tackles after the catch have always been hallmarks of his game, but Nacua looked like he had improved his ability to run away from defenders. If that continues and his telekinetic connection to Stafford remains, Nacua will be one of the best, if not the best, receivers in the NFL.

Ja’Marr Chase (Cincinnati Bengals, WR)

Bye Week: Week 6
ADP: 3
2025 FPTS: 312.90
PPR PPG: 19.60
OPOY Odds:
Rec. Yards O/U:

Recreating his triple crown season of 2024 was always going to be a tough task. Ja’Marr Chase caught 127 passes for 1708 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2024 and finished the season as the WR1 by some distance. That naturally made him the consensus top pick in nearly all draft formats ahead of the 2025 season, and though he didn’t reach the heights of 2024, Chase was still one of the best players in the NFL.

Chase caught 125 of his league-leading 185 targets for 1412 yards and eight touchdowns in 2025, ending the year as the WR4 in PPR, behind Nacua, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Amon-Ra St. Brown. His consistency since entering the league in 2021 has been remarkable, with top-12 finishes in PPR scoring in every season of his career. That consistency is the selling point.

The talent is undeniable and barely needs explaining, but Chase is the perfect receiver. His explosiveness with and without the ball in his hands is game-changing, he can win at all three levels of the field, and the amount of volume he earns in the receiving game is indicative of the trust that Joe Burrow—or whoever else is under center for the Bengals—has in him. Whether he’s the first or second pick in fantasy drafts, the ROI on Chase will always be worth it.

Bijan Robinson (Atlanta Falcons, RB)

Bye Week: Week 11
ADP: 2
2025 FPTS: 395.50
PPR PPG: 21.81
OPOY Odds:
Rush Yards O/U:

Bijan Robinson has gone from strength to strength in the NFL since being drafted by the Falcons eighth overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. The former Texas running back has gradually ascended from a fringe first-round pick in fantasy to the must-draft running back inside the top three. For the last two seasons, Robinson has finished inside the top three of PPR-scoring among running backs and has an excellent chance of his first-ever RB1 overall season in 2026.

Robinson led the NFL with 2298 scrimmage yards, setting career-highs in rushing yards (1478) and receiving yards (820), and was the fulcrum of a Falcons’ offense that struggled in 2025, as the passing offense finished 21st in EPA per pass play, per RBSDM. With no clear answer at quarterback, the Falcons’ passing offense could suffer. That could, and should, mean Robinson will see a lot of the ball.

With 6.3 yards per touch in 2025, Robinson proved that a hefty workload wouldn’t impact his efficiency. He averaged a career-high 5.1 yards per carry and 10.4 yards per reception, and fits the mold that few running backs in the NFL can attest to; he’ll be the team’s bell cow in the run game and see the majority of snaps on passing downs, too. That alone creates a significant opportunity for Robinson. He’ll be in the conversation for the top pick in most drafts and, at worst, should be the third or fourth pick.

Jahmyr Gibbs (Detroit Lions, RB)

Bye Week: Week 6
ADP: 1.5
2025 FPTS: 389.20
PPR PPG: 21.58
OPOY Odds:
Rush Yards O/U:

A lot has been said of the success of the Lions’ one-two punch in the run game with Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. Gibbs was the explosive runner who could take every carry to the house, and Montgomery was a hammer looking for a nail. They blended well. But Gibbs proved that he could be just as effective in a much larger role in 2025, with Montgomery earning the fewest carries of his career.

With Montgomery now in Houston and replaced by Isiah Pacheco, there’s a solid chance that Gibbs takes on an even bigger role within the Lions’ offense in 2026. His 320 touches in 2025 were a career-high, and though Gibbs’ numbers and efficiency did dip from 2024 to 2025, his impact certainly did not wane, and Gibbs was among the best running backs in the NFL, finishing as the RB3 in scoring.

Gibbs’ impact as a runner is special. His 62 missed tackles forced were fifth in the NFL, per PFF, and his 5.0 yards per carry—a career-low—was still the sixth highest among running backs. Gibbs could feasibly eclipse 2000 scrimmage yards in 2026. The offensive line should be better, as should the playcalling, and Gibbs will likely get the biggest workload of his career. He’s a top-five pick every day of the week, and there’s a worthwhile argument he could be the first pick off the board in a lot of drafts.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Seattle Seahawks, WR)

Bye Week: Week 11
ADP: 5
2025 FPTS: 357.60
PPR PPG: 21.17
OPOY Odds:
Rec. Yards O/U:

After a promising second season in the NFL, Jaxon Smith-Njigba truly broke out in a pivotal third season in the NFL. The former first-round pick blitzed his way to the Offensive Player of

the Year award, catching 119 passes for a league-leading 1793 yards and 10 touchdowns as the Seahawks won their first Super Bowl in over 10 years. That success wouldn’t have come without Smith-Njigba, who carried the Seahawks’ passing game.

This time last year, Smith-Njigba was being drafted as the WR14 in most formats. Naturally, he likely won’t fall out of the top five in 2026. Smith-Njigba’s 36.2% target share was the highest in the NFL, and his ability to create explosive plays—his 16 catches of 20-yards or more in the regular season led the league—means he’s a threat all over the field.

Smith-Njigba had 10 games with at least 20 PPR points in the regular season and should be a top-five receiver again. Replicating his 2025 season will be tough, and there’ll be legitimate questions as to whether the Seahawks’ offense can operate the same way without Klint Kubiak, but Smith-Njigba has proven that he can be, and is, one of the top receivers in the NFL. He rounds out the last of the players you could consider taking with the top pick in fantasy drafts.

Amon-Ra St. Brown (Detroit Lions, WR)

Bye Week: Week 6
ADP: 7.5
2025 FPTS: 323.30
PPR PPG: 19.06
OPOY Odds:
Rec. Yards O/U:

As consistency goes, there aren’t many better than the Lions’ Amon-Ra St. Brown. The former fourth-round pick has finished as the WR3 in each of the last three seasons and has become a cheat code in PPR-scoring leagues. St. Brown has 351 catches, the second-most in the league, on 477 targets for 4179 receiving yards and 33 touchdowns since 2023. He’s been an ever-present figure for the Lions in their recent rise.

That won’t change in 2026. The Lions will be looking to bounce back after missing the postseason in a tough NFC North, and St. Brown will be a major factor in their push. His 30.6% target share in 2025 was fifth among receivers in the NFL, and St. Brown continues to be one of the best receivers in the NFL after the catch, averaging 5.1 yards after the catch per reception. In total, St. Brown’s 591 yards after the catch were third in the NFL, behind only Nacua and Chase.

St. Brown is a clear first-round-pick worthy talent. The Lions’ passing game is designed around getting him the ball in the short and intermediate areas of the field and letting St. Brown work after the catch. His connection with Goff is among the best in the league, and his pedigree as a fantasy receiver is well-known at this point. The best slot-first receiver in the NFL, St. Brown, is a top 10 pick.

Christian McCaffrey (San Francisco 49ers, RB)

Bye Week: Week 8
ADP: 6
2025 FPTS: 445.70
PPR PPG: 24.51
OPOY Odds:
Rush Yards O/U:

No matter his talent, drafting Christian McCaffrey in the first round of any fantasy draft feels like it carries more risk than with most. McCaffrey has battled injuries throughout his career and played in just four games in 2024 after an RB1 overall finish in 2023. That meant McCaffrey was a mid-to-fringe first-round pick in most formats, and in some cases, he even would have fallen out of the first round. But conservative drafting doesn’t win you leagues; you have to swing for the fences.

McCaffrey responded in turn with a monster season in 2025, finishing as the RB1 overall for the third time in his career, and the second time in four seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers struggled with injuries on both sides of the ball, but McCaffrey was their iron man, carrying the ball a career-high 311 times and leading the league with 413 touches. It was ugly at times, with McCaffrey averaging an unexceptional 3.9 yards per carry behind a banged-up offensive line, but sheer will and volume got the job done.

It helps that McCaffrey remains one of the best pass-catching backs in the league. His 102 catches were the most at the position, and the fifth among all positions, and McCaffrey surpassed 2000 scrimmage yards for the third time in his career. A fully healthy 49ers offense is one of the best in the league, and McCaffrey is a central figure to their success. The injury history is a risk, but at the midway point of the first round, he’s worth that risk. If anything, McCaffrey’s 2025 season is a reminder to just not overthink it sometimes. The best players produce the best results.

Justin Jefferson (Minnesota Vikings, WR)

Bye Week: Week 6
ADP: 11
2025 FPTS: 201.70
PPR PPG: 11.85
OPOY Odds:
Rec. Yards O/U:

There are two ways to look at Justin Jefferson’s 2025 season. On one hand, it’s the first time where things felt like they really didn’t click for the two-time All-Pro receiver. The lack of growth from 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy meant that Jefferson wasn’t as omnipotent as in recent seasons. On the other hand, even in a supposed down year, Jefferson caught 84 passes for 1048 yards and two touchdowns. Even in his lesser years still places him among the best receivers in the league.

A rebound year for, arguably, the best receiver in the NFL feels like a foregone conclusion, but there is still the delicate matter of the Vikings’ quarterback situation. The team brought Kyler Murray in to compete with, and likely usurp, McCarthy for the starting job. That should improve the Vikings’ offense, and that, in turn, should help Jefferson get back to his best.

Jefferson still earned a 29.7% target share in 2025, and though his quarterback situation might not keep him in the same ballpark as guys like Nacua, Chase, and Smith-Njigba, his talent will. At his best, Jefferson is the best receiver in the NFL. And any time you can draft someone of his talent in the middle of the first round of a fantasy draft, you snatch that opportunity.

CeeDee Lamb (Dallas Cowboys, WR)

Bye Week: Week 14
ADP: 10
2025 FPTS: 201
PPR PPG: 14.35
OPOY Odds:
Rec. Yards O/U:

For the first time since 2021, Cowboys’ receiver CeeDee Lamb finished outside the top 10 in fantasy scoring. Lamb averaged a decent enough 14.35 points per game in PPR format, but three missed games, as well as an early exit against the Bears in Week 3, played a large part in his season. Lamb ended the season with 75 catches for 1077 yards and three touchdowns in 14 games, and finished the season as the WR22 in scoring.

The emergence of George Pickens in the Cowboys’ offense took some targets away from Lamb. His target share dropped from 27.3% in 2024 to 24.0% in 2025, nearly identical to Pickens’ 22.9% target share. It’s not a major drop-off, but Lamb not being the de facto go-to for Dak Prescott does, at least, cap his ceiling. The floor is similar to Jefferson. If this is as bad as it gets, Lamb is still a first-round pick.

A fully healthy CeeDee Lamb is one of the best receivers in the NFL. He’s consistently excellent after the catch, is a threat down the field, and can win against man and zone coverage. At 27 years old, he’s really just coming into his prime, too. Pickens’ place on the team isn’t a guarantee, either. He’ll likely play on the tag for the Cowboys, but don’t be shocked if he gets traded. Either way, the Cowboys’ offense will be nails in 2026. Attach yourself to Lamb at the back end of the first round.

De’Von Achane (Miami Dolphins, RB)

Bye Week: Week 6
ADP: 12.5
2025 FPTS: 345.60
PPR PPG: 20.18
OPOY Odds:
Rush Yards O/U:

Sometimes you need to go to bat for players. De’Von Achane should be that guy in 2026. The cautionary tale of a good player playing on a bad offense is real and fair. We don’t know how the Dolphins will look with Malik Willis under center, and there is a discernible lack of options in the passing game. That could put a lot of strain on Achane and Willis to create in the running game. The Raiders and Ashton Jeanty showed us how wrong that can go in 2024.

However, things should be different with the Dolphins. Achane has been the RB5 in scoring in back-to-back years, building a pedigree of one of the best home-run hitters in the NFL. Per PFF, Achane’s 24 runs of 15 yards or more were the most in the NFL in 2025. And that was behind an offensive line that dealt with a lot of injuries, and a passing offense that fell off a cliff.

Regardless of the makeup of the offense, Achane will be the player the Dolphins turn to for a spark in 2026. It helps that the Dolphins’ offensive line will be better, too. His volume has

increased since his rookie season, and no one had more yards per carry than Achane in 2025. On top of that, Achane will always factor into the Dolphins’ passing game. That’s a massive boon in PPR leagues. His current ADP is at the turn from the first to the second round, but Achane is worth drafting higher than that. He could go nuclear in 2026.

Ashton Jeanty (Las Vegas Raiders, RB)

Bye Week: Week 13
ADP: 11
2025 FPTS: 269.70
PPR PPG: 14.42
OPOY Odds:
Rush Yards O/U:

Jeanty’s rookie season in the NFL didn’t go as planned. The former sixth overall pick entered the league after one of the all-time great college seasons in 2024 and was expected to hit the ground running for the Las Vegas Raiders in Chip Kelly’s offense. Unfortunately, Jeanty spent most of the season getting hit before the line of scrimmage and averaged just 3.7 yards per carry. However, the talent was easy to see. Jeanty rushed for 975 yards and five touchdowns and forced 61 missed tackles, the fifth-most in the NFL.

The hope is that the ecosystem around Jeanty in 2026 will be better. Installing Klint Kubiak as the team’s new head coach is a step in the right direction. He helped the Seahawks’ offense outplay its expectations in 2025, and while that doesn’t mean it’ll immediately translate to Las Vegas, there’s reason to believe it’ll be better. The additions of Tyler Linderbaum at center and Spencer Burford at guard will improve the general play of the offensive line, and either Kirk Cousins or Fernando Mendoza will provide stable play for stretches in the season.

The success of the ground game will be paramount to the Raiders’ success, though. And that burden once again lands at the feet of Jeanty. This time, though, things should be different. Jeanty is off the board in the back end of the first round right now, which feels exactly where he should be getting drafted.

Nico Collins (Houston Texans, WR)

Bye Week: Week 8
ADP: 24
2025 FPTS: 225.40
PPR PPG: 15.08
OPOY Odds:
Rec. Yards O/U:

It might sound hyperbolic, but Nico Collins is the closest thing we have to Julio Jones in the NFL right now. The former started his NFL career slowly, but broke out in 2023 and hasn’t looked back. At 6-foot-4, 222 lbs, Collins is a physical freak and one of the most gifted athletes in the NFL. That’s translated to 219 catches for 3420 yards and 21 touchdowns in the last three seasons.

Like Achane, Collins would be a swing for the fences. He’s never finished better than the WR8—which happened in 2025—and hasn’t played a full season in his NFL career. Injuries have always been an issue for Collins, with a concussion in 2025 costing him two games.

However, the upside for Collins is through the roof. His 24.6% target share in 2025 was 19th in the NFL, but he’s the best player on an offense that could really improve in 2026.

On paper, the Texans’ offensive line might be the most improved unit in the NFL. The running game will be better with David Montgomery, and C.J. Stroud should bounce back from a tough end to the 2025 season. That all benefits Collins, who earned a career-high 120 targets last season. Once again, this is a case of the talent shining through. The amount of draftable players at the turn is vast, and Collins’ current ADP points towards someone who you can grab in the second round, but he’ll start moving up draft boards soon enough.

Photo Credit: AP/Jacob Kupferman