With the second overall pick in a 12-team league, there is no reason not to love your first three picks. You’re in a great position to grab one of the top two tight ends if they fall to you (I took Trey McBride in Round 3) while still having two elite players at other positions. If you can’t get the tight ends, just grab a combination of three stud running backs/wide receivers. First, you must decide who to take second overall. Jahmyr Gibbs is my top player, but with him off the board I pivoted to Ja’Marr Chase in this 3-WR, PPR league. I would have taken Bijan Robinson in non-PPR or 0.5 PPR leagues. When determining your first pick, don’t bother worrying about who might be available in the second round. Just take your top player and let the chips fall where they may.
As you build out your roster from this spot, the one player I would avoid in Rounds 2 and 3 is Josh Allen. I love Allen, but quarterback is so deep this year and you’ll be able to grab an elite one in the mid-rounds if you so choose. I waited until Round 11 to grab Caleb Williams which I consider to be a massive steal. I even fist pumped when I made the pick, and this is only a mock draft! At some point in your draft, you’ll stumble upon a great QB value, and that’s when you should take your quarterback.
If the state of the WR position looks anything like it did in 2025, you’re going to want an elite one. If you don’t take an elite WR with one of your first three picks, you could have trouble finding one later. I took Chase in the first round, but let’s assume you take Bijan Robinson second overall. That still leaves you with guys like A.J. Brown, Nico Collins, George Pickens and maybe even Rashee Rice as possibilities in the second round. Draft one of them if they’re available! Of course, you could win your Fantasy league without drafting a WR early, but this position is a priority for me in 2026.
Here is how my team looks from the second pick:
1.2: Ja’Marr Chase, WR, CIN
2.11: Derrick Henry, RB, BAL
3.2: Trey McBride, TE, ARI
4.11: Travis Etienne, RB, NO
5.2: Davante Adams, WR, LAR
6.11: Jadarian Price, RB, SEA
7.2: Quentin Johnston, WR, LAC
8.11: Makai Lemon, WR, PHI
9.2: Travis Kelce, TE, KC
10.11: Isiah Pacheco, RB, DET
11.2: Caleb Williams, QB, CHI
12.11: Brian Robinson Jr., RB, ATL
13.2: Bo Nix, QB, DEN
14.11: George Holani, RB, SEA
I was thrilled to get Travis Etienne late in the fourth round and Davante Adams (WR9 per game in 2025) in the fifth round. After that, my picks get riskier but I think at least one of Jadarian Price, Quentin Johnston and Makai Lemon should be a difference maker. The Chargers didn’t pick up Johnston’s fifth-year option for no reason, and Lemon was my favorite rookie WR in this year’s class. I also drafted two high-end handcuff RBs later.
I like the way this team played out and wouldn’t do anything differently. I think the discount on Adams is a little ridiculous right now. He is a TD machine, and there is no reason to think that won’t continue. He’s becoming a frequent target of mine. And let’s talk about another old dude who could be a good value pick: Travis Kelce. He was the sixth-best TE per game when Patrick Mahomes was healthy in 2025. I’d be fine with this team if I had taken a RB or WR instead of McBride in Round 3 and just settled for Kelce in Round 9 to be my starting TE.
Favorite Pick: Caleb Williams
I had a feeling I’d be waiting to draft a QB in this draft, but I didn’t anticipate Williams being available 122nd overall. The position is so deep that you are likely to find some crazy bargain late in most drafts. I just didn’t expect it to be Williams. Williams was QB10 per game with fairly modest numbers in 2025. It’s easy to imagine him taking the next step.
Pick *I’m already* regretting: Jadarian Price
With Zach Charbonnet still somehow in play for Week 1, the outlook is even worse for Jadarian Price. I still think Price was the best RB available to me when I picked in Round 6, but I didn’t love the pick when I made it and I like it less now. I’m not convinced about his talent because we saw so little of him in college, and I’m not convinced about his role. Remember: Price was the last pick of the first round of the NFL Draft. Other RBs drafted in that range include Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Rashaad Penny and Sony Michel. There are success stories a little earlier in the first round, but Price’s success is no guarantee.
Player who could make or break my team: Travis Etienne
Etienne is a tough player to evaluate. The Saints paid him well, but kept Alvin Kamara around to possibly screw things up for Fantasy managers. Not cool! It’s hard to see Etienne playing much on passing downs, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be great. He didn’t play much on passing downs and wasn’t always used at the goal line with Jacksonville last season, yet he still finished as a top 14 RB on a per-game basis. I think he is worth a fourth-round pick, but it was hard to pass up Quinshon Judkins and DJ Moore.
