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2026 Fantasy Football PPR Draft Guide: Bijan Robinson Headlines the Perfect First Round

By Zachary Gephart Sports Illustrated

June 25, 2026 7:23 PM

PPR (points per reception) formats have become the gold standard for fantasy football in recent years. The scoring system has reshaped the way managers build rosters, prioritizing high-volume, explosive pass-catchers over those who rely solely on touchdowns to elevate their squads.

In these leagues, every catch counts, and finding the right first-round piece could be the difference between a first-round exit and a championship. With that in mind, here is the perfect first round for managers drafting in PPR formats this season.

#1: Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson (7) reacts after catching a touchdown pass against the Los Angeles Rams during the first quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Many will view Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs as picks 1A and 1B this season, and while we won't argue against that, Robinson does have the better ceiling in PPR formats.

Atlanta's former complimentary back, Tyler Allgeier, is now an Arizona Cardinal. Bijan already saw 287 carries and a career-high 103 targets in 2025, and with only Brian Robinson Jr. left to take up what Allgeier left, these numbers should only increase.

Robinson is the heart of Atlanta's offense, and while Gibbs is also a stellar fantasy back, his workload is unlikely to match the volume Robinson is expected to see every week.

#2: Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions

Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) warms up before the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Ford Field. | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Just because Gibbs shares the spotlight in Detroit's offense doesn't mean he won't have a fantastic fantasy season.

Gibbs had 243 rush attempts and 94 targets last season, and these numbers are expected to climb after the departure of tandem back David Montgomery. Although he is already widely considered one of the league's most explosive dual-threat weapons, Gibbs will now finally have the chance to show what he can do as the Lions' sole RB1.

If he can turn the expected increase in usage into fantasy production, he could challenge Bijan for the RB1 crown in 2026.

#3: Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'marr Chase (1) reacts after the Bengals are forced to punt in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 18 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cleveland Browns at Paycor Stadium in Downtown Cincinnati. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Simply put, Ja'Marr Chase is a receiver designed for PPR fantasy football.

He's finished among the top 5 in PPR production in each of the last two seasons, despite dealing with stretches without star quarterback Joe Burrow. In fact, Chase still finished as PPR's WR4 last season, even though Burrow appeared in only 8 games.

At this point, it's safe to say Chase is quarterback-proof.

#4: Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) reacts after a catch against the Seattle Seahawks during the first half in the 2026 NFC Championship Game at Lumen Field. | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

Last year, Puka Nacua was about as dominant as NFL receivers can get.

The Rams' elite wideout led the NFL in receptions and first downs, while tacking on an additional 1,715 yards and 10 touchdowns. With little change in Los Angeles's offensive approach heading into 2026, he has a strong chance to follow up last year's finish as PPR WR1. While some may have him as the top receiver heading into draft season, he gets knocked to WR2 here due to a short fantasy resume.

Despite that, Nacua is set up to be a PPR goldmine once again.

#5: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams during the first half in the 2026 NFC Championship Game at Lumen Field. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Jaxon Smith-Njigba soared in his first season as Seattle's WR1.

The Seahawks' third-year wideout thrived in former offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak's offense, leading the NFL with an incredible 1,793 receiving yards. His dominant campaign earned him First-Team All-Pro honors and the Offensive Player of the Year award. Now, he enters a new Seattle offense set to be engineered by Brian Fleury.

Smith-Njigba still holds a strong WR1 slot, but the uncertainty around a new offensive scheme is enough to bump him down a few spots in the first round.

#6: Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) warms up before a game against the Seattle Seahawks in an NFC Divisional Round game at Lumen Field. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Christian McCaffrey has always been an interesting first-round selection for fantasy managers. Some years, he wins leagues. In others, he tanks the entire season.

Last season, McCaffrey was a flat-out fantasy cheat code. He finished as PPR's RB1 and led all backs with 416.6 points across the season. Much of this can be attributed to his health, as it was his first fully healthy year since 2022. Regardless, if he can do the same this year, there are not many better dual-threat backs than McCaffrey.

#7: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions

Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) celebrates after a play during the first half against the Dallas Cowboys at Ford Field. | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

With Detroit's offense being as explosive as it is, it's only fitting that their star receiver also made the list.

Amon-Ra St. Brown had a great year in 2025, despite the Lions as a whole stepping back in performance. Finishing as PPR's WR3, St. Brown saw an absurd 172 targets, which was good enough for second across the entire NFL. Detroit has not made any notable changes to its receiving room, meaning St. Brown should once again dominate the Lions' target share.

St. Brown remains one of the safest and most consistent receivers across PPR leagues.

#8: Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) runs during the first half against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

Jonathan Taylor, despite the Colts' roller coaster of a season, had another stellar fantasy outing in 2025.

Taylor finished with 362.3 fantasy points in PPR leagues last year, which was good enough to rank him fourth overall among running backs. And, despite Daniel Jones' injury midway through the year, he was still able to notch 46 receptions for 378 yards and 2 touchdowns. With Indianapolis expected to have him as the featured centerpiece of the offense once again, his rushing volume and occasional receiving production give him an extremely high floor.

#9: Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) looks on after the game against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium. | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

2025 was not a great year for Justin Jefferson in terms of fantasy production, but that's not expected to be the case this season.

Jefferson finished as fantasy football's WR21 in an extreme down year where he barely eclipsed 1,000 yards. However, a large part of that can be attributed to the lackluster play of quarterback J.J. McCarthy. Now, Minnesota is expected to have ex-Cardinal Kyler Murray at the helm, who should rebirth Jefferson's fantasy profile.

As long as Jefferson can get at least some of the targets he's had in previous seasons, he should be in line for a much better 2026.

#10: James Cook III, Buffalo Bills

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook III (4) reacts after scoring a touchdown against the New England Patriots during the second half at Gillette Stadium. | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

Unlike Jefferson, James Cook had a fantastic year in 2025.

Buffalo's lead back is coming off of one of the best seasons of his career in which he notched a career high in both rushing yards (1,621) and yards per game (95.4). Since that point, the Bills have upgraded at the receiver position, which should prevent defenses from keying in on Cook as heavily as they did late in the season.

With a more balanced offense around him, Cook remains one of the best PPR backs in fantasy football.

This article was originally published on www.si.com/onsi/fantasy as 2026 Fantasy Football PPR Draft Guide: Bijan Robinson Headlines the Perfect First Round.