The NFL offseason schedule is moving fast, with the 2026 NFL Draft now behind us and teams now prepping to start camps. Before you know it, it's time for fantasy drafts.
And because it's not too early to begin plotting out a Fantasy Football roster, ESPN just released a ten-team mock draft with analysts including Field Yates, Eric Karabell, Mike Clay, and Liz Loza. This mock draft plays out like a standard fantasy draft, with each analyst selecting a player in a snake format.
For any Detroit Lions fan who loves to fill out their roster with Lions, they're going to have to be aggressive, as two Lions are mocked right away in the first round.
Selecting at #2 overall, Karabell goes with running back Jahmyr Gibbs. Gibbs gets picked right behind Atlanta Falcons RB Bijan Robinson, who was selected by Tristian H. Cockcroft. After Gibbs, Matt Bowen selected San Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey, capping off an early rush of RBs.
Karabell doesn't break down each pick and explain why players went where they did in his commentary throughout the piece, but it's not tough to understand why Gibbs went so high.
RBs do typically go at the top of a fantasy draft, and Gibbs' proficiency in the running game and the passing game makes him a fantasy monster for the high-powered Lions' offense. Gibbs finished fourth among all players in 2025, per ESPN's fantasy scoring with 366.9 total points. This year, Gibbs has an average draft selection of 2.6, so expect him to go second or third overall in most drafts.
Gibbs had his ups and downs last season, but those ups were staggering. Gibbs had four games at 38 points or above, including a massive 60.9 point performance in the overtime win against the New York Giants. In that game, Gibbs had 264 total yards and three total touchdowns. It was one of three games last season where Gibbs scored three or more TDs.
Gibbs will enter next season behind a revamped offensive line with new center Cade Mays, Penei Sewell moving over to left tackle, and first-round draft pick Blake Miller over at right tackle. Gibbs' performance last season came despite poor OL play, so what should be a much-improved OL next season should amplify Gibbs' draft stock, along with no longer competing with David Montgomery, for starter snaps.
Amon-Ra St. Brown is also a first-round pick
The first round of ESPN's mock draft may have started with three straight RBs, but WRs dominated the remainder of the round. WRs were selected with five of the remaining seven first-round picks, creating an even split between RB and WR.
Among those WRs was Amon-Ra St. Brown, taken at #9 by Eric Moody. St. Brown was the fourth WR taken, just ahead of the Dallas Cowboys' Ceedee Lamb. That's about in line with his average draft position of 8.5.
St. Brown's 324.0 points last season ranked third among WRs behind Nacua and Offensive Player of the Year winner Jaxon Smith-Njigba of the Super Bowl-winning Seattle Seahawks. St. Brown was the only player to finish in the top five in receptions (117, 5th), receiving yards (1401, 5th), and receiving TDs (11, T-2nd).
READ MORE: Lions' UDFA makes an unexpected list heading into battle for spot on depth chart
Other notable draft positions for the Lions include WR Jameson Williams in round six (WR24), tight end Sam LaPorta in round eight (TE7), Isiah Pacheco in round 12 (RB42), and kicker Jake Bates as the third-to-last pick in their 16-round draft (K8).
Missing the cut was quarterback Jared Goff, who wasn't one of the 15 QBs taken despite finishing second in both passing yards (4,564) and passing TDs (34) last season.
The 2026 NFL season is right around the corner, and before you know it, it's time to start drafting! If you're looking for a Lion to anchor your team, you'll have to hope the draft order falls in your favor because Gibbs will be gone as fast as he runs, and St. Brown will quickly follow.
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