Mock Draft For Fantasy Football: After 1.01, Chris Olave And Nico Collins At The Turn

The calendar has flipped to September, which means mock draft season is turning into the real thing, especially when using our Draft Champion. For this 12-team PPR mock, I drew the 1.01.

Honestly, it is hard to completely screw up the No. 1 or No. 2 pick. You can make a case for a couple of players at the top, but you are starting with an elite cornerstone no matter what. I loved the way this build came together: an elite running back, three high-floor receivers, a stable mid-round tight end, a quarterback tied to an awesome offensive environment, and a handful of late-round bets with meaningful early-season paths.

Let’s get into it.

Fantasy Football Mock Draft From the 1.01

Round 1: Jahmyr Gibbs

The pick was obvious for me: Jahmyr Gibbs.

I cannot fault anyone who takes Bijan Robinson at 1.01. If that is your cup of tea, go for it. But I lean Gibbs because of the coaching continuity, the stable offensive environment, above-average quarterback play and the weapons Detroit has on the outside.

There is not much else to say. Gibbs is a smash.

Rounds 2-3: Nico Collins and Chris Olave

At the 2-3 turn, I wanted to go receiver-receiver. In a 12-team PPR room, that is one of my favorite ways to build after opening with an elite running back.

Nico Collins fell to me, and I was thrilled to take him. I cannot say I am the biggest C.J. Stroud truther, and I have some questions about the Houston offense as a whole. But the injuries to Jayden Higgins and Tank Dell create a fairly substantial boost for Collins.

Fantasy Life currently projects Collins as the WR7 in PPR. The target competition is thinner, the role is secure, and he has shown us the ceiling before. He is exactly the kind of player I want as my WR1 after starting RB in the first round.

Then I came back with Chris Olave.

Jordyn Tyson is expected to miss roughly two months, and that gives Olave an opportunity to dominate targets early. In 2025, Olave was one of only a handful of receivers who played at least 12 games, posted a target share north of 25%, and averaged at least 15 PPR points per game.

The concern with Olave is health. It always has been. But if he stays on the field, the upside is absurd. Kellen Moore is calling the shots, Tyler Shough has meaningful NFL experience under his belt and Olave should be the clear centerpiece of the Saints’ passing game.

Rounds 4-5: Davante Adams and D’Andre Swift

I pushed quarterback and tight end down the board, which has been a pretty consistent theme for me in 10- and 12-team leagues this year. There is so much depth at quarterback, and I like plenty of tight ends after the elite options come off the board.

At the 4-5 turn, I had a hard time passing on Davante Adams.

There is nothing complicated about it. Adams led the league in end-zone targets by a considerable margin last season. He is playing in a Sean McVay offense, and he is being pushed down draft boards mostly because of age.

That is not enough for me.

If a player is generational, Father Time tends to take a little longer to catch him. Adams has not shown a meaningful sign of decline. He is a high-floor receiver with an elite red-zone profile, and I am more than happy to make him my WR3.

Then I took D'Andre Swift as my RB2.

Kyle Monangai is expected to miss some time, which gives Swift a cleaner path to early-season work. He is a known commodity in a Ben Johnson offense, and I wanted the stable option after already establishing a high-floor build.

I considered Jadarian Price, especially after the Zach Charbonnet news that he will open the year on the PUP list. But as a known commodity and a huge gap in projection, I took Swift.

Rounds 6-7: Chris Godwin and DK Metcalf

The 6-7 turn gave me two more receivers I felt great about: Chris Godwin and DK Metcalf.

Some of Tampa Bay’s receiving corps is banged up, while Godwin continues to be the mainstay throughout camp. Before his injury stretch two years ago, he was producing like a fantasy WR1 for a significant portion of the season. The camp reports have been positive, and the path to targets is obvious.

Godwin is another player where you know what you are getting: easy targets, reliable underneath work, PPR-friendly volume and a strong weekly floor.

Metcalf is the opposite kind of wideout, but he can boom at times, and suddenly my WR room is very deep.

Rounds 8-9: Travis Kelce and Brock Purdy

I finally took a tight end in Round 8: Travis Kelce.

Nothing about drafting Kelce in 2026 is particularly sexy. But he is still TE7 in our fantasy football projections, and I am comfortable with the role.

Rashee Rice has not exactly lit up camp. Xavier Worthy is a field-stretching weapon but has struggled to stay healthy, and there is not much behind them. Kelce remains Patrick Mahomes’ most reliable security blanket.

In PPR, I am happy to take the stable target expectation and move on.

Then I took Brock Purdy.

I do not care who is on the field for San Francisco: Kyle Shanahan’s offense is always top tier. Purdy is one of my favorite mid-to-late-round quarterback targets. Why not wait and draft the guy playing in an efficient offense with elite coaching and plenty of weapons?

Purdy also has a friendly opening schedule, which is a nice bonus.

Late-Round Targets

I was thrilled to get Mike Washington in Round 10. Ashton Jeanty’s status remains up in the air, and Washington has earned positive coach speak all offseason. He looked good in the preseason and should have a role regardless. If Jeanty’s injury lingers, Washington could become a major value.

I handcuffed Swift with Monangai, but I liked him as more than just a handcuff. If he gets healthy soon, there is standalone upside in the Ben Johnson offense.

Ja'Kobi Lane was another fun late-round dart throw. He has flashed for Baltimore, and the Rashod Bateman situation remains uncertain. He is the kind of cheap, high-upside bet worth making late.

My best guess is Tyjae Spears could be part of a 55/45 split with Tony Pollard. Pollard may hold the slight lead, but Spears should still be a major part of the offense—particularly as a receiver out of the backfield. If he stays healthy, there are usable PPR weeks coming.

Kaelon Black was my Round 14 selection and might be the best handcuff in fantasy football. He seemed to win the RB2 role in Shanahan’s offense behind Christian McCaffrey–it’s a role worth chasing every single time.

I finished with a defense and kicker because the program required it. In a real draft, I would have preferred another skill-position player instead of a kicker until a week or so from now—perhaps Demarcus Robinson in San Francisco or Chris Brooks in Green Bay after the Josh Jacobs news.