Fantasy Football PPR MOCK DRAFT | Expert Picks, Sleepers & Draft Strategy for 2026 (Ep. 2137)
August 18, 2026
AI Summary
5 min readFantasy Football PPR Mock Draft: Expert Picks, Sleepers & Draft Strategy
The four-man panel—Ryan Warmly, Derek Brown, Pat Fitzmorris, and Jake Seeley from The Athletic—ran a full 12-team PPR mock draft including kickers and defense, something they rarely do. The exercise revealed not just which players they value, but how draft position shapes strategy, when to zig while others zag, and why the middle rounds separate contenders from pretenders.
The First Round: Consensus Breaks Down Fast
At the 1.01, Warmly took Ja'Marr Chase over Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson, citing PPR format and offensive stability. But the panel quickly diverged. Seeley admitted he had Bijan ahead of Gibbs for most of the offseason but was "capitulating" after watching Atlanta's offensive line struggles, noting that "Gibbs is going to be on one of the best offenses in football" while he's "really nervous about the scoring opportunities for Atlanta." Fitzmorris still held Bijan as his RB1, but the cracks in consensus were already showing.
At the 1.05, Fitzmorris took Jaxon Smith-Njigba, justifying it with a blunt number: "36% target share last year." He wasn't worried about Seattle's coaching changes, arguing the offensive ethos would remain stable. The panel agreed that the top five picks had a clear tier, but what happened immediately after revealed the draft's real shape.
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What you'll learn
- 1 (00:36) **Draft Setup & Picks 1.01-1.12** - The panel introduces the 12-team PPR mock draft, including kickers and defenses.
- 2 (04:05) **Round 2: CMC Risk, Walker’s New Home & Henry’s Last Stand** - The second round features high-upside picks and a key running back run.
- 3 (10:10) **Round 3: Zay Flowers & The Injured WR Trio** - A cluster of wide receivers go off the board, including several with injury concerns.
- 4 (12:55) **Round 4: Javonte Williams Value & Breece Hall’s Groin** - A key running back value pick is made, and the panel discusses an injury to a top-12 RB.
- 5 (15:08) **Round 5: Luther Burden & Jeremiah Love’s Timeline** - A rookie receiver is taken, and the panel debates a rookie running back’s injury timeline.
- 6 (18:25) **Round 6: Parker Washington & The QB Value** - A sleeper WR is highlighted, and a top quarterback falls to a surprising spot.
- 7 (22:32) **Round 7: The RB Run & Jonathon Brooks’ Potential** - A massive run on running backs reshapes the board, and a rookie RB’s value is debated.
+ Full timestamped outline available in the app
Guests on this episode
Show Notes
Reset the board following the latest NFL Preseason and training camp news! Join Ryan Wormeli, Pat Fitzmaurice, Derek Brown and Jake Ciely for their latest fantasy football PPR mock draft!
How far does Arizona Cardinals RB Jeremiyah Love fall following his high ankle sprain? Has the fade of Green Bay Packers RB Josh Jacobs gone too far? Plus, what makes New York Giants QB Jaxson Dart a steal in the double-digit rounds?
The Pros make their favorite picks while on the clock!
Timestamps (may be off due to ads):
Intro - 0:00:00
FantasyPros Mock Draft Simulator - 0:02:04
Round 1 - 0:02:56
Round 2 - 0:07:30
Round 3 - 0:09:22
Round 4 - 0:12:39
Round 5 - 0:14:42
Autographed Colston Loveland Chicago Bears Jersey Giveaway - 0:18:36
Round 6 - 0:18:57
Round 7 - 0:22:45
Round 8 - 0:25:10
Round 9 - 0:28:42
Round 10 - 0:30:50
Round 11 - 0:32:23
Round 12 - 0:35:27
Round 13 - 0:38:27
Round 14 - 0:4:39
Tailgate Podcast - 0:47:05
Draft Recap & Analysis - 0:47:23
Outro - 0:58:57
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