What's Better Than a Sequel??? A Trilogy! Welcome to a Mock Draft!

 Hello League-Mates! 

Welcome to the first blog of the 2026 Fantasy Report with Carl. It's another mock draft, and I am beyond excited. 

First, welcome to our new league-mates, Tubby (Michael to those of you unfamiliar with the joy of nicknames) and Lauren (who does not have a nickname). 

Last year, I fell off with my weekly Fantasy Reports with Carl, mostly due to some circumstances that were dictated by forces outside of my control. Well, I'm back, and with some help from my friends. 

I requested that Patrick mock the first round, Johnny the second round, and I with the third. So please sit back and enjoy, our now 3rd annual mock draft. 

Round 1

1. Kory - RB Jahmyr Gibbs - Kory has at least three viable options here, but ultimately, we all know he has a penchant for RBs. This year, he goes with Gibbs, who will be a reliable workhorse for the Lions, who have the highest Vegas implied scoring projection for the 2026 NFL regular season.

 

2. Michael - RB Bijan Robinson - Newcomer Michael has the happy dilemma of choosing between the top remaining RB and WR on the board. After finishing each of the past two seasons as a top 3 scorer, it’s hard to imagine a healthy Bijan not being in the mix for a top 3 finish again in 2026.

 

3. Emily - WR Jamar Chase - Emily is more than happy to land Chase as the third overall pick. Despite the absence of Joe Burrow for half a season, Chase managed to catch an impressive 125 passes in 2025. With Burrow’s return to health, the sky is the limit for Chase. 

 

4. Jenna - WR Puka Nacua - Despite multiple injury scares, Nacua emerged as the undisputed top wide receiver in 2025. With the Rams being heavily favored to win the Super Bowl, and Matt Stafford staving off retirement for at least another season, Jenna sees no reason why Nacua won’t be a candidate to be the top wide receiver.

 

5. Kaleigh - RB Christian McCaffrey - Even if he carries more risk than any other Round 1 pick, the upside with CMC is immense. The mere thought of McCaffrey having more space on the field with the addition of Mike Evans and a healthier receiving core has Kaleigh in the mood for crackin’ cold Coors Lights.

 

6. Patrick - WR CeeDee Lamb - While Lamb missed a few games in 2025 and at times played second fiddle to George Pickens, who had a career year, that won’t be the case again in 2026. Lamb is back to full health and is ready to take Pickens’ lunch money as Dak Prescott and the Cowboys offense push for 5000 yards passing in 2026.

 

7. Carl - RB James Cook - Carl anticipates a landslide of RB picks coming and decides to get ahead of it with his selection of Cook at 7. Cook was phenomenal in 2025, topping 1600 rush yards with double-digit touchdowns. He looks to build on a career year as the focal point of the Bills’ offense once again in 2026. 

8. Juan - RB Jonathan Taylor - Juan, another known RB enthusiast, goes back to the JT well for a second straight year, this time taking him with his first-round selection. Taylor should be another high-volume workhorse, especially as the Colts offense skews even more run-heavy while trigger man Daniel Jones recovers from a torn Achilles tendon. 

9. Caleb - WR Amon-Ra St. Brown - Speaking of back to the well, Caleb selects St. Brown at number 9 for the second consecutive year. They don’t come much more consistent than the sun god, who looks to make it five straight years with 100+ receptions.

 

10. Johnny - RB Ashton Jeanty - Johnny is never afraid to take his guys, and this year, it’s Jeanty, who is looking to build on the relative success of his rookie year despite playing in a Raiders offense that Chip Kelly was hell-bent on destroying for the first half of 2025. Jeanty is an ascending player with an improved supporting cast and a new HC who is known for getting the most out of his RBs.

 

11. Lauren - RB Kenneth Walker - Lauren, the second newcomer to the league in 2026, chooses Kenneth Walker, who was brought to Kansas City to be Andy Reid and Eric Bienemy’s bell cow. With Patrick Mahomes recovering from a torn ACL, it is a solid bet that he will limit his own rushing attempts in 2026 and instead defer to K9 to do the heavy lifting. 

12. John Sr. - WR Justin Jefferson - Our newest champion begins his title defense and is pleasantly surprised at the opportunity to select Jefferson at the turn of the first round. JJ was plagued by mediocre (at best) QB play in 2025 but is poised to get back on his Hall of Fame trajectory with a new QB throwing in his general direction. 

Round 2

13. John Sr - RB De'von Achane - Already excited with having two top of the line wide receivers rostered, Dad elects to go ahead and get an elite workhorse running back from a team that severely lacks talent on the offensive side of the ball therefore should be at the top of the league in touches this upcoming season.

14. Lauren - RB Omarion Hampton - Lauren decides to double dip at the running back position to start her draft by taking a player with uncapped potential in what looks to be an exciting, new-look Chargers offense led by former Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel.

15. Johnny - RB Saquon Barkley - The run on backs continues! Betting on Saquon to return to his 2024 form with a new look Philly offense, absent disgruntled former star WR AJ Brown, feels like a gamble worth taking. Barkley is still electric and with more opportunities potentially going his way, he could be in store for a great season.

16. Caleb - RB Chase Brown - Caleb decides to keep the running back train going by selecting a piece off of the high octane Bengals offense. St. Brown Chase Brown has a nice ring to it!

17. Juan - WR Drake London - Juan wasn't anticipating a player of London's caliber to be available and is thrilled to add a great playmaker who always seems to produce regardless of quarterback play. London is a dog!

18. Carl - TE Trey McBride - Carl thinks most of McBride's success from last season can be replicated, especially with recent news of QB Jacoby Brissett getting a restructure and raise to stay with the team through 2026. Some people worry about regression but Carl is undeterred in his quest for greatness.

19. Patrick - WR AJ Brown - The Patriots decided to spend some draft capital to acquire a great player in Brown who some think might possibly be on the downswing of his career. Patrick has no problem shooting for upside with this pick where the passing dynamic around Brown is drastically improved.

20. Kaleigh - WR Nico Collins - Kaleigh decides to take the uber talented Collins who is the best playmaker on a Texans team that should be much healthier on offense this season leading to more opportunities to consistently sustain drives.

21. Jenna - RB Jeremiyah Love - Arizona surprised many when they elected to take Love with the 3rd overall pick, but clearly the Cardinals plan on making Love the focal point of the offense, sometime in the mear future, and Jenna decides to pull the trigger and add the highly skilled playmaker.

22. Emily - RB Derek Henry - The king himself, remains one of the very best at getting into the end zone and is still a machine in terms of yards after contact. Emily has no problem paying the 2nd round price for an RB1 fixture.

23. Michael - QB Josh Allen - Being the first manager to pick a quarterback might feel awkward initially, until you continue to realize that you have a perennially elite fantasy scoring quarterback on your roster. 

24. Kory - WR George Pickens - Kory decides to go with the best player available at a position of need. The hope would be that Pickens can replicate last year's production, which seems like a safe bet to make.

Round 3

25. Kory - QB Lamar Jackson - Kory already has a top-2 RB, why not add a top-2 QB? The excitement around Declan Doyle is real, and Kory wants a part of that. Plus, Doyle is a student of Ben Johnson, and Ben Johnson is the head coach of the Bears. So technically, Kory drafted a Bears QB. It all adds up for him. 

26. Tubby "Michael" - WR Chris Olave - Olave recorded career highs in targets, receptions, yards, and touchdowns. What's more is that he recorded a 15 FPPG average when Tyler Shough took over. Tubby will have a top-2 RB, a top-2 QB, and wide receiver than can easily end up in the top-5. 

27. Emily - TE Brock Bowers - Emily knows that there is virtually no one else to throw the ball to in Las Vegas, and it makes sense to add the projected #1 TE to her roster. In PPR formats, Ja'Marr Chase and Brock Bowers are a lethal tandem in the first 3 rounds. 

28. Jenna - RB Bucky Irving - What's better than a running back with the name "Bucky"? Having that running back on your team of course! Jenna pulls the trigger on Bucky, hoping for a bounce back year. 

29. Kaleigh - RB Kyren Williams - Kaleigh lights up an American Spirit, takes a drag and tells the sticker bitch she wants Kyren Williams. Sean McVay loves a bell cow, and while the drum beat for Corum gets louder, Williams is a proven commodity, and too good to pass up. 

30. Patrick - WR Tee Higgins - Patrick looks around at the wasteland of running backs and realizes that there is no reason to reach when the #2 option in Cincinnati is sitting in front of him. Johnny exclaims from across the garage that he knew Patrick was going to make this move, and then there will be some light banter back and forth while Jenna already starts in on her doodling. 

31. Carl - WR Zay Flowers - Look, I understand that I teased about Kory taking Lamar Jackson because of Declan Doyle. But I would be lying if I said that it wasn't a driving reason why I made my WR1 someone who is going to reap the benefit of Lamar Jackson wanting to prove himself again.

32. Juan - RB Josh Jacobs - Did everyone know this is a PPR league? Well, Juan is the like the honey badger, and he doesn't give a shit. It's a running back selection. It doesn't appear that Jacobs will face any legal ramification this season, therefore drafting the bell cow in Green Bay is a no brainer. 

33. Caleb - WR DeVonta Smith - Caleb goes with the new #1 in Philly. Smith has proven that when he is the #1, he is a fantasy monster. The combination of the Sun God and Smith is killer. Caleb should be happy with the pick and sit back and relax. 

34. Johnny - WR Ladd McConkey - Johnny picks a top breakout candidate this year. If Keenan Allen isn't signed by the Chargers, this pick might be the league-winner. Johnny loves being the smartest fantasy player in the room, and this pick will either highlight it, or blow up in his face. Only time will tell. 

35. Lauren - WR Tetairoa McMillan - Last year's Offensive Rookie of the Year is still the main target in Carolina. Lauren likes the odds that Bryce Young improves ever so slightly, and Tet maintains a Top-10 WR finish. She needs a WR as well, and this is a good start.

36. John Sr - RB Javonte Williams - One of the best strategies any fantasy player can use is understanding that drafting players from great offenses and great teams helps secure a higher floor. Williams is that player, especially in Dallas, where they have a top-10 offense. Sr. also thinks that his reign is just beginning, and how wrong he is. You hear that Sr?! It's over!!!!