FantasyPros - Fantasy Football Mock Draft with Scott Pianowski | Expert Strategy, Picks & Round-by-Round Advice for PPR Leagues (Ep. 2022)

The Fantasy Pros team, led by Ryan Warmly and featuring Scott Pianowski of Yahoo Sports, kicked off the 2026 fantasy football season with a high-stakes PPR mock draft, revealing a bold strategy shift: prioritize elite running backs early despite the three-receiver league format. Pianowski, drafting fourth, stunned the group by taking Jameer Gibbs at No. 4—a move he called a 'gift'—and then doubled down on RB depth with Bijan Robinson, O'Marrion Hampton, and Chase Brown, building a running back corps that outshone even the top receivers on the board. The draft exposed a growing trend: the value of young, ascending receivers like Tedario McMillan, Emeka Ibuka, and Roma Dunze, who were overlooked in favor of safer, older names. Pianowski defended his 'punt on tight end' strategy, arguing that the position's volatility makes it a high-variance gamble, while Fitz and Bogman leaned into balanced rosters with late-round QB picks. The mock revealed a critical insight: in a world where elite RBs are scarce and receivers are more reliable later, the first few rounds are the only time to secure a true 'workhorse' back. The final verdict? A B-minus for the host, but a top-three finish for Fitz, proving that in 2026, the running back is king—and the best teams aren’t built around stars, but around strategic, early aggression on the position that matters most.