Jim Moorman | Fri, Jan 2nd 2026, 7:28am EST

2026 Dynasty Rookie Draft Picks & Advice (Fantasy Football)

The fantasy playoffs are in the rearview, and for dynasty fantasy football managers, that means one thing: 2026 rookie draft season has arrived. Dominating your rookie draft is the most cost-effective way to increase your roster value and transform a middling team into a perennial contender.

Drawing on my experience in devy and Campus 2 Canton formats, I’ve spent years scouting this class to identify elite producers and avoid landmines. Today, I’m breaking down the prospects I believe can hold first-round value in dynasty fantasy football Superflex drafts.

Dynasty Fantasy Football Rookie Overview: 2026 NFL Draft Class

Quarterback

Fernando Mendoza (QB – Indiana)

The 2025 Heisman Trophy winner is my QB1 of the 2026 NFL Draft class, though I don’t believe he should be taken in dynasty Superflex rookie drafts until pick 1.05 or later. Fernando Mendoza projects to be better in real life than in fantasy football, given his limited rushing upside. His biggest strengths include his ability to diagnose defenses and his accuracy at all three levels.

At nearly 6-foot-6, Mendoza has the size many scouts are looking for in their franchise quarterback. The problem is, it’s highly likely Mendoza will go on the top three to a struggling organization like the Raiders or Jets, where he’ll experience some growing pains. Mendoza has benefited from an extremely clean pocket all season at Indiana, and I don’t expect him to have that same luxury at the next level.

Dante Moore (QB – Oregon)

My QB2 of the class is Dante Moore, a former UCLA prospect who transferred to Oregon in 2024 and broke out as a top prospect in 2025. Moore hasn’t officially declared for the 2026 NFL Draft yet, and his Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) earnings potential could sway him to stick around in 2026, but I expect he’ll ultimately declare.

Moore projects very similarly to Mendoza; he’s a pocket passer by nature who hangs his hat on carving up defenses with his arm and limiting turnovers. I could see him landing on a team like the Browns, which would be a scary investment from a fantasy perspective. There are four rookie prospects I expect to rank above Moore and Mendoza in virtually any scenario, whom we’ll discuss shortly.

Ty Simpson (QB – Alabama)

Ty Simpson will wrap up my list of quarterbacks I expect to earn first-round draft capital in Superflex formats. Simpson is currently projected as a top-15 pick at NFL Mock Draft Database, with his consensus landing spot being the Pittsburgh Steelers.

I’m less confident in Simpson as an NFL prospect than I am in Fernando Mendoza and Dante Moore; I just don’t see the same arm talent, consistency or pocket awareness when I watch him play. He’s also slightly undersized and lacks some athleticism and physicality compared to other top prospects. That said, if he’s expected to be stepping into a starting role right away, he’s going to be a first-round dynasty rookie pick by default.

Running Back

Jeremiyah Love (RB – Notre Dame)

Jeremiyah Love will end up the consensus 1.01 regardless of league format, just as Ashton Jeanty was last year. I see Love as a similar-level prospect to Jeanty, and I would actually prefer him to Jeanty in dynasty today, given he’s 18 months younger.

Love was the engine that powered this Notre Dame offense over the past two years, racking up over 3,000 scrimmage yards and 40 touchdowns since 2024. He has the size, athleticism, short-area quickness, long speed and receiving ability to break fantasy football. I don’t see any red flags in Love’s profile.

Justice Haynes (RB – Michigan)

While I think Jeremiyah Love is the only running back in this class with a real chance of going in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, there are two more who could creep into the first round of rookie drafts, depending on draft capital and landing spot.

Justice Haynes is one of those names, a junior running back out of Michigan who transferred from Alabama and showed out in 2025. Haynes has some eye-popping breakaway speed and the skillset to be a three-down back at the next level. The concerns are Haynes’ lack of lateral agility and elusiveness, as well as the foot injury he suffered late in the season.

Jonah Coleman (RB – Washington)

Jonah Coleman has been one of my favorite prospects since his Arizona days. He’s a big, bruising back who has consistently ranked atop the FBS in rushing efficiency metrics like missed tackles forced and yards after contact. Coleman won’t be running away from any defensive backs, but he can get you the tough yardage in between the tackles and move the chains.

Coleman was also one of the best receiving backs in the country in 2025, showcasing his versatility. Injury troubles capped Coleman’s production this season, as he suffered a knee injury in November that limited his effectiveness. If he can get Day 2 draft capital, Coleman will be a first-round selection in rookie drafts.

Wide Receiver

Makai Lemon (WR – USC)

The savvy slot receiver out of USC earned the Fred Biletnikoff Award after an incredible 2025 season, where he posted over 1,100 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. Makai Lemon was highly efficient all year, highlighted by his 29.3% target rate and 3.13 yards per route run (YPRR).

Lemon plays bigger than his size suggests, and was one of the biggest yards after the catch (YAC) threats in the country. His game projects perfectly for fantasy, and he should be a top-20 dynasty wide receiver before stepping onto an NFL field.

Jordyn Tyson (WR – Arizona State)

Maybe the most physically gifted receiver in the country (not named Jeremiah Smith), Jordyn Tyson has the potential to be an alpha wide receiver for several NFL teams. Tyson has the versatility to play the X, Z or slot positions and the body control and ball skills that NFL scouts will absolutely love.

The biggest concern with Tyson is his injury history; he’s dealt with knee, collarbone and hamstring injuries over the past three seasons, resulting in significant time missed.

Carnell Tate (WR – Ohio State)

Though superstar wideout Jeremiah Smith overshadowed him for much of his college career, Carnell Tate deserves his flowers and projects to be a quality receiver on Sundays. He’s not quite the athlete jJrdyn Tyson is and doesn’t boast the peripheral numbers Makai Lemon does, but he gets the job done in the second and third levels and has big-play ability written all over him.

Tate’s biggest strength is his strong hands and contested-catch ability, dropping zero passes all year. Expect Tate to be a top-20 draft selection and establish himself as a reliable No. 2 WR for an NFL team.

Kevin Concepcion (WR – Texas A&M)

Kevin Concepcion is my WR4 of this class, proving to be more than just a gadget guy in Year 3. Concepcion has been a name I’ve been following since his All-American freshman campaign at NC State.

After a sophomore slump in 2024, Concepcion transferred to Texas A&M and really found his footing. He has had some drop issues in the past, but with the ball in his hands, he’s tough to bring down.

Denzel Boston (WR – Washington)

Denzel Boston concludes my wide receiver list, though I expect I’ll be lower than consensus on him when it’s all said and done. Boston is a big-bodied X receiver who thrives at the catch point and uses his size and strength to win against smaller defenders.

I have hesitation about betting on this talent profile translating to the next level. I prefer my prospects to win with route nuance and the ability to create separation, which Boston doesn’t have in his arsenal. Still, he’s projected to be a first-round NFL Draft pick, so he’ll likely go in the top 12 of rookie drafts.

Tight End

Kenyon Sadiq (TE – Oregon)

Kenyon Sadiq is another prospect I expect to be below consensus on. He is a highly athletic tight end and should crush the Relative Athletic Score (RAS), which will push him up draft boards, but he doesn’t have the production profile to match.

Sadiq has posted modest numbers throughout his career; he’s a bit undersized, and he’s demonstrated drop issues. Simply put, Sadiq is not the same level of prospect as someone like Tyler Warren or Colston Loveland coming out.

Eli Stowers (TE – Vanderbilt)

To close things out, we have Eli Stowers, a former quarterback converted to tight end out of Vanderbilt. Stowers was Diego Pavia‘s safety net all season, leading the Commodores in receptions with 62.

Stowers can find soft spots in zone defenses, and his size and speed make him a difficult matchup for linebackers and defensive backs in man coverage. If he can land on a tight end-needy team with Day 2 draft capital, I’ll be very excited about Stowers’ long-term projections in dynasty.

Thank you for taking the time to check out this article. If you have any dynasty, devy or C2C-related questions, I can be reached on X @jim_DFF.

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