Chasing the Natty: A College Fantasy Football Podcast · Jared Palmgren and Nate Marchese

The Way-Too-Early College Fantasy Football 2026 Mock Draft Special - Hosted by Chasing the Natty

·1 hr 58 min·4 clips

Last year's WR1 went completely undrafted - here's why that's a massive opportunity.

The episode frames the mock draft as the annual kickoff to a new CFF season. Jared Palmgren welcomes listeners back and sets up the special as the fifth edition of the way-too-early CFF mock draft. He notes that the format has stayed mostly the same from past years, and that consistency is part of the appeal. The show brings together 14 college fantasy analysts for 12 draft spots, and each participant drafts a team before talking through the choices afterward. Jared introduces each expert before their section begins, gives a quick rundown of the team they built, and then hands things over to a set of questions about what they saw in the draft room. Several comments lean more toward strategy than player hype. One drafter stresses not rushing a second quarterback. Another recommends reaching a little for a proven tight end and then taking late shots on production. Running back scarcity also comes up again and again. The discussion points toward grabbing a quarterback at the right time instead of chasing the position too early. The draft includes familiar names and at least one new voice. Elliott Maze appears as a first-time invitee and is introduced as Bacon Fueled. His team includes Jordan Marshall, Jalen Buckley, Tinu Kalin[s], Amarion Miller, Jamari Johnson, Onias Williams, Shelton Sampson Jr., John Mateer, and Bear Bachmeier. He jokes about being happy to join the group and about the nerves of his first appearance. The show keeps the tone conversational and open rather than rigid. People explain what they were trying to do with their builds. The episode also returns to the idea that the draft is a research tool meant to help listeners get started on their own 2026 work. The closing section thanks the participating analysts for drafting and then coming back to explain themselves, and thanks the audience for listening and supporting the show. The whole special lands as a collaborative early-season checkpoint for college fantasy players.

As heard by us

A practical first pass at the 2026 CFF board, with useful draft lessons woven through the setup.

The fifth annual way-too-early college fantasy football mock draft special makes a steady opening to the 2026 college fantasy season, with 14 analysts, 12 draft slots, and a clear look at how different drafters attacked the board.

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Why you'd press play

A room-wide cheat sheet for your first way-too-early 2026 college fantasy draft.

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