Production-First Rankings for the Top QB, RB, WR and TE

In this piece

Bijan RobinsonRB · ATLADP 1.02Jahmyr GibbsRB · DETADP 1.02Ja'Marr ChaseWR · CINADP 1.04Jaxon Smith-NjigbaWR · SEAADP 1.05Amon-Ra St. BrownWR · DETADP 1.06Jonathan TaylorRB · INDADP 1.08Chase BrownRB · CINADP 1.12James Cook IIIRB · BUFADP 2.02

These rankings start with 2025 PPR points per game, where receptions score points, then use games played and tiers to frame the evidence. ADP, the average slot where a player is drafted, tells us what the 2026 market charges; a tier groups players with similar draft standing.

Quarterback: Allen first, then wait for proven scoring

1. Josh Allen — 22.8 PPR points per game 2. Trevor Lawrence — 19.9 3. Patrick Mahomes — 20.4 4. Jalen Hurts — 18.8 5. Caleb Williams — 18.7

Allen is the straightforward QB1 after leading the position across 16 games. Lawrence carries the QB2 production rank and played 17 games, while Mahomes ranks third after averaging 20.4 in 14 games. Their prices create the real decision: Lawrence goes at 7.10 and Mahomes at 9.04, well after Allen’s 3.02.

Hurts and Williams rank fourth and fifth from samples of 16 and 17 games. That supports taking either around 7.06 or 7.05 rather than paying 4.12 for Joe Burrow, who averaged 16.8 across only 8 games and ranked ninth last season. The Draft Kit can help track where that quarterback run begins.

Running back: Robinson edges a tight top tier

1. Bijan Robinson — 21.8 PPR points per game 2. Jahmyr Gibbs — 21.6 3. Jonathan Taylor — 21.3 4. James Cook III — 17.8 5. Chase Brown — 16.6

The top three all belong to Tier 1 and played 17 games, so the order follows their narrow production margins. Robinson and Gibbs share a 1.02 ADP, while Taylor’s 1.08 price offers a small draft-day discount for only 0.5 points per game less than Robinson last season.

Cook and Brown form the next pair by production rank and sit in Tier 2. Cook costs 2.02; Brown costs 1.12. Beyond them, Josh Jacobs is a value, meaning his 2026 price looks favorable against 2025 production: his 10.10 ADP is 17 picks later than last season’s 15.8 points per game across 15 games justifies.

Wide receiver: Smith-Njigba earned the top ranking

1. Jaxon Smith-Njigba — 21.2 PPR points per game 2. Ja'Marr Chase — 19.6 3. Amon-Ra St. Brown — 19.1 4. Rashee Rice — 18.8 5. George Pickens — 17.2

Smith-Njigba led wide receivers over 17 games, placing him ahead of Chase despite their 1.05 and 1.04 prices. St. Brown completes Tier 1 after playing 17 games. Rice and Pickens occupy Tier 2, but Rice’s number came across 8 games, compared with 17 for Pickens.

Later, DJ Moore costs 4.09, which is 13 picks earlier than his 2025 production supports after 10.1 points per game. Conversely, Wan'Dale Robinson at 8.04 is priced 16 picks later than his 13.6 across 16 games supports. Check role data in the Usage Report before breaking close receiver ties.

Tight end: McBride stands alone

1. Trey McBride — 18.6 PPR points per game 2. Tucker Kraft — 14.6 3. Tyler Warren — 11.1 4. Colston Loveland — 10.3

McBride is Tier 1, ranked first and played 17 games. Kraft produced the second-best rate, but his Tier 2 case rests on only 8 games. Warren played 17 games and ranked third; Loveland played 16 and ranked fourth. Their ADPs differ sharply: 3.05, 9.11, 6.03 and 5.06, respectively.

How to use this: Draft within tiers rather than forcing one exact order. Let prices decide close calls, use later-round production discounts to build depth, and save the Anytime TD Board for weekly scoring decisions rather than preseason rank changes.