2026 Fantasy Football Rankings: Analysis for players ranked 1-12 in Half-PPR
My Top 250 2026 Fantasy Football Rankings are live here , but we need to spend extra time on the first three rounds, where our winnings are mostly made. It’s nearly impossible to come back from a dud pick in these beginning rounds, and if you drafted Jaxon Smith-Njigba in Round 3 last year, then you were in the money. Today’s half-PPR focused column looks at just the first 12 picks in my rankings, with 13-24 and 25-36 editions of this column coming later this week. Stay tuned. Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2026 NFL season Jahmyr Gibbs, RB1, Lions Gibbs is my 1.01 in half-PPR after finishing fourth overall last year in fantasy points over replacement per game, despite splitting time with David Montgomery (now on the Texans). Gibbs has averaged 25.1 half-PPR points in eight games that Montgomery has missed or played in under 25% snaps, and he should set career highs in volume. Isiah Pacheco only signed for $1.8M this offseason on a one-year deal, a sign that his role will be a lot smaller than Montgomery's. At the same time, there are other changes to the Lions offense. They have a new OC in Drew Petzig, who was doing some cool things with the Cardinals, specifically in the run game. They also re-tooled their offensive line with mauling veteran C Cade Mays and experienced first-round RT Blake Miller. The Lions OL was average to even below average last year, but they should get back to moving bodies in 2026. Bijan Robinson, RB2, Falcons Tyler Allgeier has never missed a game since Bijan Robinson was drafted, so we don't have the obvious on/off splits that we have with Gibbs sans Montgomery. But I'd imagine Bijan's numbers would be outrageous without Allgeier. Bijan was the RB3 on RB8 usage last year with Allgeier, who handled 10 inside the five-yard line carries to Bijan's 11. I will vomit if Bijan is the RB19 in goal-line carry share again. As a receiver, there's nothing really to say. He's amongst the best in the NFL and was the RB2 in receptions per game (4.6). That shouldn't change much, even if Zachariah Branch will be involved as a manufactured touch player now. What is changing is the play-caller. Entering from the Browns is Kevin Stefanski, who has adapted his offense to his personnel each season. It's unclear if this offense will be more geared towards Tua Tagovailoa's quick, precision style or towards Michael Penix Jr.'s downfield shot-play style. Either way, the ball is going to Bijan, Drake London and Kyle Pitts Sr. all game long. We saw late last year that without London, Robinson can get an outrageous volume, and that's the benefit of playing in an offense without depth. I'm a bit concerned about this OL paired with this QB tandem, but that shouldn't hurt Bijan's fantasy output much. He's locked into the top-five in all non-Superflex formats. Robinson’s market projections are nearly identical to Gibbs; 1,224 rushing yards, 599 receiving yards and 9.5 rushing TDs. Ja’Marr Chase, WR1, Bengals Chase is the WR1 on WR1 expected points in games with Joe Burrow healthy over the past three seasons, averaging 21.5 PPR points per game. The only receivers close to matching him over that span are Puka Nacua, Amon-Ra St. Brown, CeeDee Lamb and Malik Nabers. Two of them are downgraded by new competition (Lamb with George Pickens) or injury (Nabers). Burrow, Chase, Tee Higgins and Chase Brown are healthy right now, and the defense has at least added some pieces this offseason. It's not a surprise to see the Bengals fourth in projected points in the betting markets. Chase has a case as the 1.01 in full-PPR, too. The depth of WR has decreased because more teams are using TEs and running more, increasing the value of the truly elite WR1s. Pairing Chase with three RBs by the Round 6/7 turn is a great way to start drafts in 2026. Puka Nacua, WR2, Rams Nacua's 23.8 PPR points per game were 3.4 more than the WR2 overall (Jaxon Smith-Njigba) last season. Over the past two seasons, only Chase is in [... truncated ...]
