It's nearly impossible to come back from a dud pick in the first three rounds of fantasy football drafts, according to Hayden Winks, who has released his Top 250 2026 Fantasy Football Rankings. Winks' rankings highlight the first 12 picks, with Jahmyr Gibbs taking the top spot as the RB1 for the Lions.
Gibbs finished fourth overall in fantasy points over replacement per game last year despite splitting time with David Montgomery. He has averaged 25.1 half-PPR points in eight games that Montgomery has missed or played in under 25% snaps.
Isiah Pacheco's signing for $1.8M this offseason on a one-year deal suggests his role will be smaller than Montgomery's. The Lions' offense has undergone changes, with a new OC in Drew Petzig and a re-tooled offensive line featuring veteran C Cade Mays and experienced first-round RT Blake Miller.
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Bijan Robinson is ranked as the RB2 for the Falcons. Without Tyler Allgeier, Robinson's numbers could be outrageous, as he averaged 4.6 receptions per game last season. The play-caller has changed, with Kevin Stefanski entering from the Browns, who adapted their offense to their personnel each season.
Robinson is expected to see a high volume of touches, especially with Zachariah Branch involved as a manufactured touch player. His market projections are nearly identical to Gibbs', with 1,224 rushing yards, 599 receiving yards, and 9.5 rushing TDs.
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Ja'Marr Chase is the WR1 for the Bengals, averaging 21.5 PPR points per game with Joe Burrow healthy over the past three seasons. He has performed best in expected fantasy points per game vs. actual fantasy points per game at the wide receiver position.
Chase has a case as the 1.01 in full-PPR, too, with the depth of WR decreasing due to more teams using TEs and running more. Pairing Chase with three RBs by the Round 6/7 turn is a great way to start drafts in 2026.
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Puka Nacua is ranked as the WR2 for the Rams, with 23.8 PPR points per game last season. He has the most receiving yards per game (95.3) in NFL history and is expected to see a high volume of targets in the Rams' offense, which projects for the most points in the NFL.
Nacua's upside and floor are already obvious, but he has a high ceiling in the red zone, where he had a 17% target share compared to Davante Adams' 27%.
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Winks' rankings will help readers make informed decisions for their fantasy football drafts, and his insights into the first three rounds will be crucial in determining the outcome of the season.
Source: Yahoo Sports