This is an interesting time for dynasty rookie drafts. The peak rookie fever that sets in immediately after the NFL Draft has faded, but we haven’t yet reached training camp, when we start to hear real buzz that can identify late-round dynasty rookie draft sleepers (think Puka Nacua). While there is info to be gained from mini-camp reports, separating the fire from the smoke can be difficult. It’s important not to get caught up in the daily news cycle and forget much more predictive metrics like draft capital and prospect profiles. With this in mind, I recommend firing up a dynasty rookie mock draft (or 10) using FantasyPros’ fantasy football mock draft simulator before your actual rookie draft kicks off. The Draft Wizard allows you to draft against up-to-date expert fantasy football rankings using your league’s exact settings. Today, I’ll be doing a mock draft for a Superflex half-PPR league, where I have randomly been assigned the fourth pick. Let’s get right into it.
- Dynasty Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- Dynasty Rookie Draft Simulator
- DBro’s Dynasty Rookie Draft Primers
- Dynasty Fantasy Football Rankings
Superflex Dynasty Rookie Mock Draft
1.04: Tetairoa McMillan (WR – CAR)
I know I said in the intro that making rookie draft decisions based on mini-camp reports is usually a mistake, but I did make this pick with the help of recent headlines. Specifically, I thought of the quotes from Jaguars GM James Gladstone in which he pushed back against assumptions that second-overall pick Travis Hunter would be a receiver first.
To be fair, these comments certainly weren’t definitive, and I still love Hunter as a high-upside dynasty pick. But Gladstone’s interview did reinforce my view that Hunter has more bust risk from a fantasy perspective than most top-tier rookie picks. Given that Tetairoa McMillan is an excellent prospect in his own right, with elite production and top-10 draft capital on his side, I was happy to select the Panthers rookie in this mock draft.
Still, between Hunter, McMillan, Ashton Jeanty (who is in a tier of his own), Cam Ward and Omarion Hampton, you really can’t go wrong with the first five picks in Superflex rookie drafts this season.
2.04: Jayden Higgins (WR – HOU)
I’ve ended up with a ton of Jayden Higgins in my rookie drafts so far this offseason, and I couldn’t be happier about it. With very early second-round draft capital and a solid prospect profile on his side, Higgins is worth snapping up as early as the first pick of the second round. I understand dynasty managers may be less than 100% enthusiastic about the landing spot in Houston, where Nico Collins is locked in as a true alpha.
That does cap Higgins’ target ceiling. But we’ve seen plenty of No. 2 WRs provide fantasy value before, especially when tied to explosive young pocket passers like C.J. Stroud. More importantly, it’s not like there are other receivers available in the second round of rookie drafts with clear paths to being top targets. At the end of the day, betting on Higgins’ athleticism and draft capital at this stage of rookie drafts is a no-brainer.
3.04: Elijah Arroyo (TE – SEA)
One benefit of doing rookie drafts (mock or real) at this stage of the offseason is keeping your expectations realistic. Two months ago, every late-round rookie had their own hype train. Now, as we head into best ball summer and veterans return to practice alongside rookies, it is clear that very few of these players are likely to make immediate fantasy impacts.
With that in mind, I’m happy to take Elijah Arroyo here. As evidenced by his average draft position (ADP) of TE33 in early best ball drafts, no one expects the second-rounder to provide much fantasy value in his rookie season. But he has the athleticism and receiving profile to eventually become a true difference-maker at tight end. If Arroyo lives up to his potential, Noah Fant certainly isn’t going to stand in his way.
4.04: Tai Felton (WR – MIN)
I know I just said that none of these late-round rookie picks are likely to make immediate fantasy impacts, but there’s a chance Tai Felton is one of the rare exceptions. The final pick in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, Felton has a relatively clear path to becoming the NO. 3 WR in Kevin O’Connell’s fantasy-friendly offense.
A potential suspension for Jordan Addison could make it even easier for Felton to see the field early in his career. If he is on the field, the Maryland product has 4.3 speed to make an impact even on limited targets. In hindsight, I probably should have taken a running back (either Brashard Smith or Ollie Gordon) at this pick, as running backs are usually better bets late in rookie drafts. But with Day 2 draft capital (just barely) and a solid landing spot, Felton is the right kind of receiver to take a swing on.
5.04: Kyle Monangai (RB – CHI)
Kyle Monangai has risen in my rookie rankings since the NFL Draft, for one simple reason: The Bears still haven’t added to their running back room. Although Chicago still might make a move, the free agent running back pool is now bone dry, and every day that passes without a change makes it more likely that Monangai is the Bears’ No. 3 RB in Week 1.
Now, Monangai was a seventh-round draft pick, and there isn’t anything particularly exciting about his profile. Drafting him is more of a bet against the D’Andre Swift/Roschon Johnson tandem than it is a bet in favor of the rookie’s talents. And even though I’m a long-term Swift doubter, the most likely outcome is that Monangai fails to rise Chicago’s depth chart and is never a fantasy contributor. But that’s by far the most likely outcome for any fifth-round Rookie pick.
I will happily throw my dart at a running back who is one injury away from being the No. 2 RB on a potentially elite offense with no true bell-cow back.
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Ted Chmyz is a fantasy football contributor for FantasyPros.com. Find him on Twitter and Bluesky @Tchmyz for more fantasy content or to ask questions.
