Drake Maye, Puka Nacua Headline 2026 Fantasy Football Dynasty Startup Mock Draft
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The 2025 NFL season has come to a close and fantasy football managers will set their sights on the upcoming offseason. Some managers will gear up for dynasty league start-ups, looking to infuse their team with a plethora of talent with long-term upside. Players in the midst of their respective primes will fall off draft boards near the top of the order, while veteran players could notice slides due to age, despite promising production in 2025. Here’s a look into a start-up mock draft for managers gearing up for the first season of dynasty league play:
1.1 - Josh Allen, QB - Buffalo Bills
The 2024 league MVP falls off the board with the top pick in our mock draft, and for good reason. Allen finished as fantasy football’s third-leading scorer for the 2025 season among PPR leagues, throwing for 3,668 yards and 25 touchdowns, adding 579 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground. Allen has finished in the top three in fantasy scoring in each of the last three seasons, offering unmatched consistency. At just 30 years old, he’s set to remain one of fantasy’s top players for years to come.
1.2 - Drake Maye, QB - New England Patriots
In just his second NFL season, Drake Maye emerged as one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL. The New England Patriots star finished seventh among all fantasy scorers, and second among his position group, averaging 21.1 points per week. Maye threw for 4,394 yards and 31 touchdowns, with 450 yards and four additional scores on the ground. Entering the 2026 season at 24 years old, he’s primed to build on a stellar 2025 campaign that saw him finish as the runner-up for the MVP award.
1.3 - Bijan Robinson, RB - Atlanta Falcons
Bijan Robinson has remained one of the top running backs in the NFL since being drafted in 2023. In 2025, Robinson’s production reached new highs. The Atlanta Falcons’ star running back led the NFL with 2,298 yards from scrimmage (1,478 rushing, 820 receiving) and posted 11 total touchdowns. From a fantasy standpoint, Robinson finished the season as PPR’s fourth-leading scorer, averaging 21.8 points per week. The first-team All-Pro selection will offer a consistent threat over the foreseeable future, entering his fourth season at just 24 years old.
1.4 - Puka Nacua, WR - Los Angeles Rams
After missing six games in 2024, Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua dominated throughout his 2025 campaign. The first-team All-Pro selection hauled in a league-leading 129 passes for 1,715 yards and 10 touchdowns, all of which marked new career-highs for the third-year wideout. Nacua remained one of the most consistent fantasy threats throughout the regular season, averaging 23.4 points per week among PPR formatted leagues. Entering just his fourth season, he’s set to anchor dynasty league receiving corps for years to come.
1.5 - Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR - Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks star wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba capped off a historic 2025 campaign with a Super Bowl victory, capping off a dominant playoff run for the third-year wideout. Njigba finished the year with 119 catches for a league-high 1,793 receiving yards with 10 touchdowns through the air. Similarly to Nacua, Njigba sustained consistent fantasy production throughout the season, averaging 21.2 points per game. He finished the year ranked as fantasy’s eighth-leading scorer and is slated to continue his stellar production for the foreseeable future.
1.6 - Jahmyr Gibbs, RB - Detroit Lions
Jahmyr Gibbs built on a stellar 2024 campaign with an equally productive performance in 2025. Gibbs offered encouraging receiving versatility, posting 320 touches for 1,839 yards from scrimmage (1,223 rushing, 616 receiving), with 18 total touchdowns on the year. He posted dominant fantasy production throughout the year, closing the season as the fifth-highest scorer among PPR leagues. Entering just his fourth NFL season, Gibbs is poised to continue his stellar output and will be a cornerstone asset for dynasty managers.
1.7 - Ja’Marr Chase, WR - Cincinnati Bengals
Though he wasn’t able to replicate his triple-crown-caliber production from 2024, Ja’Marr Chase turned in an impressive 2025 campaign despite the Cincinnati Bengals’ struggles throughout the year. Chase led the NFL with 185 targets, hauling in 125 passes for 1,412 yards and eight touchdowns, earning first-team All-Pro honors for the second consecutive season. Chase presents one of the most consistent receiving threats in fantasy football and projects to continue his All-Pro caliber production going forward. Entering his sixth season at 26 years old, he will remain a consistent contributor for dynasty leagues going forward.
1.8 - De’Von Achane, RB - Miami Dolphins
In his third NFL season, Miami Dolphins running back De’Von Achane was set up for career-high production in a vastly expanded role. Achane anchored Miami’s offense with 1,838 yards from scrimmage (1,350 rushing, 488 receiving) and 12 total touchdowns over 305 touches. Achane averaged 20.1 PPR points per week in fantasy, and managed to finish the year as the 14th-leading scorer among PPR formats despite missing the final game of the season. He’s entering just his fourth season and offers immense versatility out of the backfield, making him a prime pick for dynasty managers near the end of the first round.
1.9 - Trevor Lawrence, QB - Jacksonville Jaguars
Trevor Lawerence joined elite company in 2025, emerging as one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL this season. In his fifth season, the Jacksonville Jaguars’ signal-caller threw for 4,007 yards and 29 touchdowns, adding 359 rushing yards and a career-high nine rushing touchdowns. His career-high rushing output helped him finish the season ranked as PPR’s 10th-leading scorer, averaging 20.6 points per week. Some managers could consider Lawrence a little rich at No. 9 overall, but the star quarterback is entering just his sixth season, and has taken a noticeable leap under first-year head coach Liam Coen.
1.10 - Jonathan Taylor, RB - Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor opened the season with one of the more productive starts in recent memory, averaging nearly 114 yards per game over his first 10 games. Taylor finished the season with 323 carries for 1,585 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns, adding 46 catches for 378 yards and two touchdowns through the air. Though his production tapered off down the stretch of the season, Taylor emerged in an encouraging three-down role, elevating his fantasy stock going forward. Taylor is entering his seventh season, which could turn off some fantasy managers, but he presents a consistent floor with stable production.
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Ethen Hutton is a MLB, WNBA, College, and Fantasy contributor at On SI. Previously, he's covered the NBA, WNBA and NFL for Sportskeeda. Hutton is also a passionate fantasy football player and an immense music lover.