It's January. The NFL draft hasn't happened. Free agency hasn't happened. The Super Bowl hasn't even happened yet. And yet, here we are. Drafting the top players for the 2026 fantasy football season.
On the latest episode of The Launch Pad, I was joined by Andrew Cooper of Fantasy Alarm, the reigning FSWA Writer of the Year, for what he repeatedly described as an exercise he was being forced to do "under duress." Fair enough. Ranking players this far out is uncomfortable. But it's also one of the best ways to frame how we think about the offseason before narratives harden and recency bias takes over. This helps us lay the groundwork for the mayhem to come.
The goal wasn't to predict every landing spot or depth chart outcome. We simply tried to identify the players who are so foundational to their offenses that free agency, coaching changes, and even minor personnel additions shouldn't meaningfully derail their fantasy value.
These are the true "above-the-line" players, the ones you can confidently build around in 2026 drafts.
Below is how the top of the board came together.
1. Bijan Robinson, RB, Falcons
Coop opened the draft with Bijan Robinson, citing one of the most telling stats in fantasy football: career yards from scrimmage per game. Only a handful of active players average over 100. Bijan clears that bar comfortably, sitting north of 110 yards per game while contributing in every conceivable role.
What separates Bijan isn't just volume. It's his versatility. He checks every box: early downs, goal line, third down, two-minute offense, and high-leverage situations. Even under Kevin Stefanski, whose offenses have historically rotated backs, Robinson's receiving ability should make him nearly impossible to take off the field.
At just 23 years old, he combines elite floor, elite ceiling, and longevity.
2. Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Lions
I followed with Jahmyr Gibbs, and the case is simple: Gibbs is an RB1 alongside David Montgomery. And when Montgomery wasn't on the field, Gibbs averaged nearly 30 fantasy points per game. As the season progressed, Detroit stopped treating him like a specialty weapon and started using him as the offense's engine. He now dominates high-value touches in every game script.
With Montgomery likely gone and a strong offensive line in place, Gibbs offers the same workload as Robinson, just in a different package. The addition of Drew Petzing could cause them to lean even more on Gibbs. Picking between Robinson and Gibbs is mostly a matter of personal preference.
3. Christian McCaffrey, RB, 49ers
This was the first pick that might make people uncomfortable. Christian McCaffrey averages 115 career yards from scrimmage per game, the highest mark among active players. The age, the mileage, and the 2025 workload are real concerns, but so is fading a Hall of Fame-caliber player who is still dominating when healthy.
Coop's philosophy makes sense. He doesn't draft scared. If a player is healthy now, draft the elite talent and accept the risk. McCaffrey's range of outcomes still includes being the best fantasy player in football.
4. Puka Nacua, WR, Rams
Starting a waterfall in a mini-tier of elite wide receivers, I selected Puka Nacua next. Nacua finished as the top wide receiver in fantasy points per game, despite sharing targets with Davante Adams. His physical, aggressive play style invites minor injuries, but it also defines who he is as a player.
Whether Matthew Stafford sticks around or not is the one real pivot point. But until that changes, Nacua is etched in stone as my WR1 for 2026.
5. Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Bengals
Coop went with a safe pick here, and it doesn't get safer than Ja'Marr Chase. Elite talent. Elite quarterback. Age apex. Proven ceiling. Chase has already been the best wide receiver in fantasy football just two years ago, and nothing about his profile suggests decline. If Cincinnati finally invests in the offensive line, his ceiling only gets higher.
This trio of Nacua, Chase, and the next pick will force some tough decisions in drafts this year.