Early 2026 Fantasy Football Mock Draft for Best Ball Contests

January 26, 2026

Our early best ball fantasy football mock draft for 2026, ranking the first two rounds. John's 12-team mock draft shows the top picks for 2026 best ball contests.

For those who haven't played it yet, fantasy football "best ball" leagues follow a different scoring format than normal redraft leagues. Rather than setting lineups before each week's games start, that work is done for you.

Instead, your lineup is set after the fact to the highest possible scoring group of players. While it still makes sense to draft the best players, there's even more value in raw upside -- inconsistent players who have massive ceilings are arguably more important than consistent players who don't have as high of single-game scores.

While best ball drafts often look quite similar to those of normal redraft leagues, there are different considerations to make and reasons to flip the order of some players in the early rounds. So, let's dive into a mock draft for 2026 fantasy football best ball leagues!

2026 Best Ball Mock Draft - Round 1

1. Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons

Robinson's playoff performance for fantasy football in the 2025 season was remarkable. This may be anecdotal information for many, but he was the best "league winner" there was. According to ESPN, he was the third-most common player on fantasy football championship rosters. 23.8 percent of those teams had him.

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua was first, and Seattle Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba was second. But Robinson scored 39.9 PPR fantasy points in Week 17, more than both Nacua and Smith-Njigba combined. Robinson was the best player to have in the fantasy playoffs.

Bijan Robinson and Johnathan Taylor had remarkable seasons, these 2 are responsible for the 4 most remarkable rushes this year

Bijan⚫️🔴
93 Yard rushing TD was expected 3 yards
81 Yard rushing TD was expected 6 yards

JT⚪️🔵
83 yard rushing TD was expected 5 yards
80 yard… pic.twitter.com/7dNI7I8gOj

— JaCrisp (@JaCrisp_Picks) January 16, 2026

He should be the No. 1 overall pick in all non-dynasty 1QB leagues in 2026.

2. Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions

No NFL player had the single-game upside Gibbs had this season, when he scored over 55 PPR fantasy points in one contest against the New York Giants. The NFL's top running backs have easily outperformed its best receivers in positional value the past few seasons.

JAHMYR SCORES IMMEDIATELY.

NYGvsDET on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/HzyzjRsr4d

— NFL (@NFL) November 23, 2025

Getting an elite RB1 with the ability to put up more than 50 points should give you enough wins to advance. Keep in mind the Lions fired their offensive coordinator from the 2025 season and should have a better run game this season.

3. Puka Nacua, WR, Los Angeles Rams

The only downside to Nacua as a player is his injury history. He played in all 17 games his rookie season, but missed time in both seasons since. Still, the addition of WR Davante Adams to the Rams has helped Nacua reach new heights as a fantasy football asset.

PUKA GOES OVER 200 YARDS RECEIVING AND PUTS THE RAMS IN FRONT

LARvsSEA on Prime Video
Also streaming on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/h2COlkDjK2

— NFL (@NFL) December 19, 2025

He's proved that he can have huge games against even the best of defenses. QB Matthew Stafford isn't expected to retire after 2025, and Adams is still under contract.

4. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts

The running back with the second-highest single-game upside was Taylor in 2025. Despite not being much of a pass-catching back, Taylor managed six games with 29 or more PPR fantasy points, including a season-high of 49.6 in Week 10.

YOU CAN'T STOP JONATHAN TAYLOR. 83-YARD TD.

ATLvsIND on @NFLNetwork
Also streaming on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/XiL55trl4d

— NFL (@NFL) November 9, 2025

5. Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

It's not great news that Bengals head coach Zac Taylor will keep his job. He doesn't design a great offense. But if quarterback Joe Burrow can stay healthy, the Bengals defense is bad enough that it should force them to throw the ball a lot, just like they did in 2024.

Ja’Marr Chase makes multiple moves for a 13-yard touchdown!

AZvsCIN on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/Dkm6VWc6qY

— NFL (@NFL) December 28, 2025

Chase is still elite after the catch. There's some concern, though, as Bengals WR2 Tee Higgins was targeted quite heavily this season, which could eat into Chase's upside.

6. Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers

McCaffrey is soon to be 30 years old, but it doesn't really matter. His receiving role is incredible; he plays in a good offense, and he gets to score a ton of touchdowns. CMC is easily the most productive receiving back in the NFL. He was also RB1 in PPR in 2025.

PURDY TO CMC

49ERS TAKE THE LEAD

SFvsPHI on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/WjWljDYb3I

— NFL (@NFL) January 12, 2026

7. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks

JSN is an elite receiver with an elite target share. It's hard to get those. He also played on a great offense. It's possible that Seattle's offensive coordinator, Klint Kubiak, could get a head-coaching job. If he does, expect JSN's upside to be slightly lower. That said, his situation and talent are top-tier.

JSN 63-YARD TOUCHDOWN.

SEAvsTEN on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/wtqsQxa5rk

— NFL (@NFL) November 23, 2025

8. Drake London, WR, Atlanta Falcons

More so in best ball than other formats, single-game upside is absolutely crucial. London's games of 31.8 and 38.8 PPR fantasy points this season were gargantuan for his fantasy managers. He'll likely be hyper-targeted by both Atlanta QBs in 2026 as well, as he's developed into an absolute stud.

Awesome catch by Drake London over the top

NOvsATL on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/L9o6WEShkO

— NFL (@NFL) January 4, 2026

London could bring back the "Moss," or the play where a WR simply jumps over his defender, high-points the ball, and catches it without the defender having much chance to contest it. He should be an elite red-zone threat.

9. Ashton Jeanty, RB, Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders did the right thing and fired their coaching staff. If they can get a good HC and offensive coordinator and get better coaching for the offensive line, Jeanty could have a monster season. Let's say, for the sake of it, that they get Kubiak. In that case, Jeanty would be my dark-horse RB1 overall candidate.

ASHTON JEANTY 64-YARD TD

CHIvsLV on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/J8oxtln7IA

— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025

Jeanty was awesome in 2025. He was just held back by bad blocking, a bad offense, bad play-calling, bad quarterback play, and bad game scripts. That's a lot to overcome for a rookie, yet he managed over 1,300 yards from scrimmage in his workhorse role.

10. Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Detroit Lions

St. Brown is incredibly reliable. He's finished as the WR3 in PPR leagues in each of the last three seasons. He had games of 39.2 and 41.4 PPR fantasy points in 2025. He has a ton of consistency, though he doesn't have the explosive upside some others on this list do. He's only eclipsed 30 fantasy points one or two times each season.

Amon-Ra wide open for six

CLEvsDET on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/N97E9xbAu9

— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025

11. Malik Nabers, WR, New York Giants

Nabers is set to return from his torn ACL suffered early in the 2025 season. He'll have minimal target competition -- New York's WR2 is Wan'Dale Robinson, who's primarily a slot receiver with far less talent than Nabers. Giants QB Jaxson Dart was fantastic in his rookie season without much to work with.

Malik putting on a show 🔥

📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/CQaShTjad7

— New York Giants (@Giants) September 22, 2024

Keep an eye on who the Giants draft, though. Should they pick a first-round receiver, Nabers might not quite have the elite target volume he could have otherwise.

12. James Cook III, RB, Buffalo Bills

The Bills have a great offense. They have one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL in Josh Allen and a great offensive line, and they're in winning game scripts often. When the Bills are up, Cook puts up monster numbers. He had his best season yet in 2025, finishing as the RB6 in PPR leagues.

2026 Best Ball Mock Draft - Round 2

13. De'Von Achane, RB, Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins got much better play from their offensive line in 2025 than in 2024. As a result, Achane had a remarkable season and had far better rushing efficiency than he did a year ago. Combine this with a great receiving role, and he's a top-tier RB. But the offense could look far different without head coach Mike McDaniel, who was fired.

What a TD catch by De’Von Achane 😮

MIAvsCAR on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/uQ4TI2DH2R

— NFL (@NFL) October 5, 2025

His volume on the ground and the air should be substantial next season, too, at the least.

14. Omarion Hampton, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

With a fully healthy offensive line and an offense loaded with weapons, I expect Hampton's ADP to shoot up as draft time comes in 2026. He's far more talented than his backup, Kimani Vidal, and sharp drafters are likely to conclude that Hampton will be a top-tier workhorse back in 2026.

15. Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles

The running back position is more important than it has been in years. Barkley's ADP is quite low for his talent, but the Eagles fired their offensive coordinator, Kevin Patullo, after his dreadful first season. Most reasonable candidates for an OC job should be an upgrade over his Pop Warner-esque scheme.

16. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys

I'm not sure this is a good spot for Lamb to land, but there will likely be plenty of drafters expecting him to bounce back in 2026. He likely was never 100 percent in 2025 due to a high-ankle sprain he suffered early in the season. Many players who suffer from those need an offseason to truly recover.

17. Rashee Rice, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

It remains to be seen how well quarterback Patrick Mahomes (knee) will recover from his torn ACL. But it looks like tight end Travis Kelce might finally retire. Rice is dealing with more legal issues, but if he plays a full season in 2026, he could be one of the NFL's most targeted receivers.

18. Trey McBride, TE, Arizona Cardinals

It's not yet clear who will play QB for the Cardinals in 2026, but McBride will probably yet again be their most-targeted pass-catcher. He racked up a ton of fantasy points in garbage time with QB Jacoby Brissett as the signal-caller, though. Arizona will also have a new coaching staff. Still, he's a stud.

19. George Pickens, WR, Dallas Cowboys

Pickens pretty clearly took over as the WR1 for Dallas in 2025. It's not clear if he'll be re-signed by the team, but he could pretty easily be franchise-tagged. Playing for Dallas again would be huge for him, as he finished as the WR5 in PPR leagues. He still had huge games after Lamb returned from injury, too.

20. Derrick Henry, RB, Baltimore Ravens 

Perhaps a new offensive coordinator could give the team more upside and help it score more touchdowns. Even if that doesn't happen, as long as quarterback Lamar Jackson stays healthy, Henry is a force in the run game. He'll be 32 years old, but he still looked elite on film in 2025.

21. Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills

Few players consistently have the upside to get 40 or more PPR fantasy points in multiple games in a season like Allen. He's finished as the No. 1 or No. 2 quarterback in fantasy for six seasons in a row now, and still has a ton of rushing upside. He's a high-volume QB with a great offensive line and a good pick in the second round.

22. Josh Jacobs, RB, Green Bay Packers

Jacobs is a blue-collar workhorse back on a good offense who scores a lot of touchdowns. He's not heavily used as a pass-catcher, but it doesn't matter, as he's a great value in the second round. He's extremely tough and plays through a ton of injuries, making him a reliable fantasy asset.

23. Brock Bowers, TE, Las Vegas Raiders

I'm not sure I'd draft Bowers this early unless the Raiders hired the aforementioned Klint Kubiak as their new head coach to lead the offense. Vegas has the No. 1 overall pick and is likely to use it on QB Fernando Mendoza, who will be a question mark in his rookie season. Still, Bowers is an elite TE.

24. Chris Olave, WR, New Orleans Saints 

Olave will be the No. 1 receiver on a team that looked pretty solid in the passing game toward the end of the season. Head coach Kellen Moore is a good offensive captain for the team, and rookie QB Tyler Shough showed promise. Olave should get massive target volume and be a monster in fantasy PPR leagues.

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