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Scott Engel's early-round fantasy football draft guide and strategy for the top 24 picks. His two-round fantasy football analysis for Justin Jefferson, De'Von Achane, and more.
Fantasy Football players naturally obsess over who to take with their first-round pick, and many take their positive and negative ruminations past the first round. Fantasy leaguers will stay up late at night and wake up early, thinking about how to flesh out their first two or three rounds.
The flow of every single fantasy football draft is different, though, and savvy fantasy players will go with the flow and adjust on the run. Still, it is good to have a handy map for the first two rounds, and we provide that guide here.
This rundown of the first 24 potential selections in the first two rounds of a PPR draft gives you insights on how to approach every pick in the overall 24. I share my ideal picks at every slot, while also keeping in mind that the views I present may not jibe with the latest Average Draft Position reports. You will get a full scope of what to possibly expect in the first two rounds, combined with my own evaluations and rankings.
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Round One
Pick One
The decision here is always about Jahmyr Gibbs vs. Bijan Robinson, and both are well worth the No. 1 overall pick. In a close call, I will lean toward the running back who works in a better offense. There are additional concerns about the Atlanta offense because of a shaky quarterback situation. There might be more touchdown opportunities for Gibbs as a versatile feature RB in a potent offense.
Ideal Pick: Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Lions
Top Alternative: Bijan Robinson, RB, Falcons
ADP says: Jahmyr Gibbs
Pick Two
There is no reason to overthink things if you have the second pick in a draft. Simply take one of the two prime RBs that is available after the first pick, whether it’s Robinson or Gibbs. Your decision hinges on the decision of the drafter in the first slot. Drafters who can get one of the two elite RBs should simply not pass on the opportunity.
Ideal Pick: Bijan Robinson
Top Alternative: Jahmyr Gibbs
ADP says: Bijan Robinson
Pick Three
This slot gives you the opportunity to draft one of the three top wide receivers. It’s just a matter of who you prefer. It is a very close decision between Ja'Marr Chase, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Puka Nacua. I move Nacua out of the mix first because of occasional injury issues and off-field concerns.
Sure, Smith-Njigba has a tremendously high floor, but I believe Chase is a slightly better pick for upside. He has caught 13-plus TD passes twice in his career, with 17 in 2024.
Ideal Pick: Ja’Marr Chase, WR, Bengals
Top Alternative: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seahawks
ADP says: Ja’Marr Chase
Pick Four
Some fantasy leaguers are skeptical that Smith-Njigba can match the numbers from his 2025 season. They seem to think he might slip in production a bit because of the departure of Klint Kubiak and possibly some lingering and very arguable concerns about Sam Darnold being much less effective.
Don’t overthink picking JSN. He should annually be a top fantasy producer because of his terrific technique, and he might be the best route runner in the NFL. Defenses often can’t regularly contain Smith-Njigba even when he is at the center of their game plans. Two years ago, JSN caught 100 passes even when he was not the No. 1 WR for the Seahawks.
"A good route runner has to be a good artist."@jaxon_smith1 has become a master at his craft.
New episode of Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the @Seahawks airs tonight at 9PM ET @hbomax pic.twitter.com/q1Dk5FI8za
— NFL (@NFL) August 18, 2026
Ideal Pick: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seahawks
Top Alternative: Puka Nacua, WR, Rams
ADP says: Puka Nacua
Pick Five
At this slot, you will have a good shot at one of the three best WRs, and some will consider an RB here. Amon-Ra St. Brown is also a consideration at fifth overall. I would just take one of the top three WRs who is still available, and that might be Smith-Njigba in many instances. Simply queue up Chase, JSN, and Nacua and pick the top guy in the queue when it’s your turn.
If I get to choose my draft slot, five is my first option. I will get a shot at a top-level WR, and when the snake draft progresses, there won’t be an overly extensive wait between picks in every round.
Ideal Pick: Puka Nacua
Top Alternative: Jaxon Smith-Njigba
ADP says: Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Pick Six
This is where Christian McCaffrey starts getting consideration from those who draft with no fear. But McCaffrey is the ultimate risk/reward pick every year, and St. Brown is the safest pick on the board at the midpoint of the first round. St. Brown has finished as the overall fantasy WR3 in each of the past three seasons.
Ideal Pick: Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Lions
Top Alternative: James Cook III, Bills
ADP says: Christian McCaffrey, RB, 49ers
Pick Seven
I am still passing on CMC here, but in many drafts, this is a sweet spot to get him for drafters who want to overlook the potential concerns of a massive workload in 2025 and past injury history. This is where I personally target James Cook III. He is a slightly underrated premier RB who sits just outside the big two of Gibbs and Robinson in my rankings. Cook has rushed for 28 TDs over the past two seasons.
No. 20 on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2026…@BuffaloBills RB James Cook! @NFLFilms pic.twitter.com/M6tDPNeOPr
— NFL (@NFL) August 17, 2026
Ideal Pick: James Cook
Top Alternative: Jonathan Taylor, RB, Colts
ADP says: Jonathan Taylor
Pick Eight
McCaffrey may be gone by this point in the first round in many drafts, and I prefer to go with Taylor, who I have seen slip as far as pick 12 in some drafts. Taylor led the NFL in TDs from scrimmage last season with 20.
I slightly lean toward Cook because he plays in a better offense. If Daniel Jones can stay healthy and perform well enough again, the Indianapolis offense should be good enough to mark Taylor as a good pick at this slot.
Ideal Pick: Jonathan Taylor
Top Alternative: Jaxon Smith-Njigba
ADP says: Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Pick Nine
There is a slight drop-off at RB here, so I will target one of the best WRs available, although McCaffrey will be the unquestioned choice for many drafters if he falls to this slot. I will ride with a bounce-back season from Justin Jefferson. The Minnesota QB situation was beyond awful last season, and as long as Kyler Murray doesn’t miss much time, he can help Jefferson to rebound.
Honestly, though, Jefferson will slip to the second round in some drafts, so if you can land Cook, Taylor, or McCaffrey here if they fall to this spot, go ahead and draft one of them. I just like Jefferson a bit more than his ADP of 11th overall indicates.
Ideal Pick: For me, Jefferson based on my rankings, but the top five RBs may not make it past the ninth pick depending on the flow of your draft. Consensus drafting would indicate that this could be the very last chance to get CMC for those who want him.
Top Alternative: CeeDee Lamb
ADP says: James Cook III
Pick 10
This is where I will bet on another WR1 type to regain his better form. Dallas employs one of the busiest passing games in the NFL, and a healthy Lamb will still be the No.1 target for Dak Prescott. The Cowboys QB has led the league in completions in two of the past three seasons. Dallas also could be improved this year, which would put Lamb in more situations to deliver clutch catches and TD receptions.
Ideal Pick: CeeDee Lamb
Top Alternative: Omarion Hampton, RB Chargers
ADP says: CeeDee Lamb
Pick 11
This is one of the first-round slots where you are eyeing who might make it back to your second-round pick. Consider who may slip among the likes of Jefferson or another RB you like at this point. It is possible to take another player higher on your cheat sheet than Hampton here, but he is my highest-rated player on the board at pick 11 if Jefferson is not available.
Ideal Pick: Omarion Hampton, RB, Chargers
Top Alternative: Chase Brown, RB, Bengals
ADP says: Justin Jefferson, WR, Vikings
Pick 12
Chase Brown is more proven than Hampton, who may have more upside. The Bengals’ lead RB could fall a few picks beyond this spot, but if you are drafting back-to-back here, there will be no chance to get an RB of his caliber in rounds three and four.
Hampton would be a viable pick at 12, but if he is not available, I recommend taking Brown. He has posted 10-plus TDs from scrimmage in each of the past two seasons. Brown is the unrivaled lead RB for an established and highly productive offense.
Ideal Pick: Chase Brown, RB, Bengals for me. Ashton Jeanty and Kenneth Walker III are going to be popular picks if they are still available at the end of the first round.
Top Alternative: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Raiders
ADP says: Ashton Jeanty
Round Two
Pick 13
If not for the recent ankle scare, Jeanty would be a surefire top-10 pick. But the reports have been positive enough to consider him strongly if he is still available at 12th or 13th overall.
Ideal Pick: Ashton Jeanty
Top Alternative: Saquon Barkley, RB, Eagles
ADP says: De'Von Achane, RB, Dolphins
Pick 14
The Eagles’ offense should resurface as a reliable source of fantasy production, led by Barkley. New coordinator Sean Mannion should pump life into the offense again, and Barkley will be a satisfactory producer as a top-15 fantasy pick.
“We will see the Saquon of 2 years ago”
Lane Johnson on @saquon Barkley and the running game this year. The Eagles had a lot of success today- a lot of open holes with their rushing attack against the Patriots starting defense
Lane says they are going to stretch the defense… pic.twitter.com/t5IM6nYWei
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) August 19, 2026
Ideal Pick: Saquon Barkley
Top Alternative: De'Von Achane
ADP says: Saquon Barkley
Pick 15
Achane is an uncomfortable pick in the first two rounds this year, because the offense looks actually worse than last year, and Mike McDaniel is gone. But Achane is also by far the best player on the Dolphins’ offense, so I would take him here if the first-round pick was also an RB. I can accept him better as an RB2.
Ideal Pick: De’Von Achane
Top Alternative: Jaxon Smith-Njigba
ADP says: Chase Brown
Pick 16
The Ravens signed Derrick Henry to a two-year contract extension last year, so they are apparently not overly concerned about him slipping in production just yet. The future Hall of Fame lock has rushed for 1,500-plus yards and 16 TDs in each of the last two seasons.
Ideal Pick: Derrick Henry, RB, Ravens
Top Alternative: Trey McBride, TE, Cardinals
ADP says: Kenneth Walker III, RB, Chiefs
Pick 17
Brock Bowers is being picked ahead of McBride very often this year. Bowers, however, is a minor concern after not getting surgery on the knee that bothered him last year. But if you are drafting without fear, Bowers can be the first TE taken.
Ideal Pick: Trey McBride, TE, Cardinals
Top Alternative: A.J. Brown, WR, Patriots
ADP says: Omarion Hampton, although I didn’t see him making it past pick 15 in many recent drafts.
Pick 18
I am expecting A.J. Brown to put two disappointing seasons behind him and become a very productive WR1 for Drake Maye.
A FULL-ONE-MINUTE VIDEO OF #PATRIOTS WIDE RECEIVER AJ BROWN DOMINATING THE #EAGLES DEFENSE TODAY.
• 4 catches in 11-on-11s
• Training camp-high seven catchesBrown was by far the best player on the field today.
AJ wants Philly to regret trading him. pic.twitter.com/zJlm18oYaa
— MLFootball (@MLFootball) August 19, 2026
Ideal Pick: A.J. Brown
Top Alternative: Brock Bowers, TE, Raiders
ADP says: Derrick Henry
Pick 19
Bowers isn’t going to make it past this pick in many drafts, and in a few drafts, I have seen him picked at the end of the first round.
Ideal Pick: Brock Bowers
Top Alternative: Chris Olave, WR, Saints
ADP says: Brock Bowers
Pick 20
Olave may be picked earlier than this in your draft. There are expectations that the New Orleans offense will ascend this year. Minor concerns are Olave’s past health issues and whether Tyler Shough can perform well enough as a first-time starter at the opening of a season.
Ideal Pick: Chris Olave
Top Alternative: Nico Collins, WR, Texans
ADP says: Drake London, WR, Falcons
Pick 21
This is where I would consider Walker if available, but he will be far gone by the later part of the second round. He is being taken at the end of the first round in a few recent drafts that I have seen. My best recommendation here is the top WR on the board.
Ideal Pick: Nico Collins
Top Alternative: DeVonta Smith, Eagles
ADP says: A.J. Brown
Pick 22
Smith may be on the verge of a career season with Mannion taking over direction of the offense and Brown gone.
Ideal Pick: DeVonta Smith
Top Alternative: Drake London, WR, Falcons
ADP says: Nico Collins
Pick 23
The Falcons’ QB situation is worrisome; London, however, will be off the board in many drafts by this point. So drafters in this spot can consider George Pickens or Rashee Rice as alternatives.
Ideal Pick: Drake London if available, otherwise Rashee Rice, WR, Chiefs
Top Alternative: George Pickens, WR, Cowboys
ADP says: Trey McBride
Pick 24
There are valid reasons why drafters in this range are not fully comfortable taking Rice, most notably his off-field concerns and health. When Rice is available to contribute to fantasy teams, he at least should have high-end WR2 appeal.
Ideal Pick: Rashee Rice
Top Alternative: George Pickens
ADP says: George Pickens
Who Should I Draft Fantasy Football Tool
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Popular Player Comparison Searches - Who To Draft
Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Draft tool for 2026 drafts for Jahmyr Gibbs, Bijan Robinson, Ja'Marr Chase, Puka Nacua, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, A.J. Brown, Chase Brown, Drake London, Chris Olave
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