With the underclassman declaration deadline officially behind us — save for those playing in the College Football Playoff National Championship — we can officially begin the 2026 rookie evaluation process. To get us started, I’m breaking down a two-round, 12-team dynasty rookie mock draft. This mock draft will be based on a PPR and 1-QB league format. Practice for your rookie draft with our dynasty rookie mock draft simulator. Let’s get to the picks.
- 2026 NFL Draft Guide
- 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Reports
- Dynasty Fantasy Football Expert Rankings
- Dynasty Rookie Draft Simulator
Dynasty Rookie Mock Draft: 12-Team, 1-QB
Round 1
1.01: Jeremiyah Love (RB – Notre Dame)
Jeremiyah Love is as locked into the 1.01 spot this year as Ashton Jeanty was last year. His combination of size, strength, athleticism and versatility makes him the ideal NFL workhorse. In the right landing spot, Love could score 20 PPR points per game as a rookie.
1.02: Makai Lemon (WR – USC)
Don’t expect Makai Lemon to be the first receiver off the board in the 2026 NFL Draft, but his play style suits PPR formats perfectly. Lemon is primarily a slot receiver, the ideal position for fantasy purposes in today’s NFL.
Lemon is also an incredible asset after the catch, playing even bigger than his 5-foot-11, 195-pound frame would suggest.
1.03: Jordyn Tyson (WR – Arizona State)
Jordyn Tyson will end up being the first wide receiver off the board in the draft. He’s an elite talent in his own right, displaying soft hands, boundary awareness and body control during his time at Arizona State.
Tyson is also highly versatile, making him a great fit with virtually any NFL team. However, I’m giving the tiebreak to Lemon, given Tyson’s injury history.
1.04: Carnell Tate (WR – Ohio State)
Mr. Sticky Hands, Carnell Tate, went the entire 2025 season without recording a drop for the Buckeyes. Tate is a downfield threat who projects to have a lower floor than Jordyn Tyson or Makai Lemon every week, given he doesn’t demand the target volume they do.
What Tate lacks in explosiveness and separation ability, he more than makes up for with strength at the catch point. Tate should be a reliable No. 2 WR in the NFL, and average about 13-15 PPR points per game for most of his career.
1.05: KC Concepcion (WR – Texas A&M)
KC Concepcion had a big bounceback year in 2025, proving he’s more than just a gadget player. He finished with over 900 receiving yards and nine touchdowns, posting an impressive 26.8% target rate and 2.46 yards per route run (YPRR).
Drop issues are a major concern, with a whopping 19 career drops for a 9.3% drop rate. Concepcion needs to clean that up to secure an every-down role at the next level.
1.06: Jonah Coleman (RB – Washington)
Jonah Coleman is my RB2 in the 2026 class now that Justice Haynes has transferred to Georgia Tech rather than declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft.
Coleman had a down year in 2025 due to some nagging injuries, but he has been a highly efficient rusher throughout his career. Coleman is a very capable pass-catcher as well, confirming his three-down skill set. Think Josh Jacobs in terms of top-end player comps.
1.07: Denzel Boston (WR – Washington)
Most probably have Denzel Boston in the 1.05 slot for 1-QB leagues. I’m slightly below consensus. I just don’t see much route nuance or burst in his game when I watch the film.
That said, Boston is a quality prospect analytically, with a similar skillset to Carnell Tate. Boston is a big, strong red-zone threat who dominates at the catch point and has significantly improved his route separation numbers since 2024.
1.08: Kenyon Sadiq (TE – Oregon)
If you’re playing in a TE-Premium format, feel free to move Sadiq up a couple of spots. This is the furthest I’d be willing to reach on Sadiq in normal scoring leagues.
Frankly, if Sadiq wasn’t projected as a top-20 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, I wouldn’t have him anywhere close to this high, but the draft capital needs to be considered. I’m just worried about his lack of size, college production and his inconsistent hands.
1.09: Antonio Williams (WR – Clemson)
I know I’m on an island here, having Antonio Williams as a first-round rookie pick; I just love betting on this particular prospect profile. Williams is a savvy slot receiver with the route-running chops few can match at the college level.
Williams’ short-area quickness, start-stop ability and sharp cuts are a treat to watch on film. If Williams can stay healthy, I think he could legitimately turn into a must-start in PPR formats. This is a big if, however. His recurring hamstring issues are a huge red flag.
1.10: Eli Stowers (TE – Vanderbilt)
Eli Stowers’ athleticism, versatility and football IQ should earn him a full-time role on Sundays. He should get Day 2 draft capital.
Beginning his college career as a quarterback, Stowers sees the field differently than most skill players, allowing him to consistently win versus man and zone coverages. My biggest concern is play strength, as he’s listed at just 235 pounds.
1.11: Zachariah Branch (WR – Georgia)
Zachariah Branch finally had his breakout season after transferring to Georgia, finishing with over 800 yards and six touchdowns in 2025. This may not sound like much, but the Bulldogs have only produced one 1,000-yard receiving season in their history: Terrence Edwards in 2002 (1,004).
Branch was excellent from a per-route perspective, with 0.29 targets per route run (TPPR) and 2.57 YPRR. Much of his production in college came from manufactured touches, with a concerning career average depth of target (aDOT) of 5.2. We’ll see if he’s trusted to run a real route tree in the NFL.
1.12: Jadarian Price (RB – Notre Dame)
To wrap up the first round, we have Jadarian Price, the Robin to Jeremiyah Love’s Batman. With Love to compete alongside, Price never saw a full workload at Notre Dame, but he was efficient with the touches he did receive.
Price averaged 5.8 or more yards per attempt (YPA) and 3.9 or more yards after contact per attempt (YCO/A) in each of the past three seasons — both very good marks. The downside here is that Price never really got involved as a receiver in college.
Round 2
As promised, my round two picks, minus the explanations:
- 2.01: Germie Bernard (WR – Alabama)
- 2.02: Chris Bell (WR – Louisville)
- 2.03: Elijah Sarratt (WR – Indiana)
- 2.04: Fernando Mendoza (QB – Indiana)
- 2.05: Kaytron Allen (RB – Penn State)
- 2.06: Skyler Bell (WR – UConn)
- 2.07: Omar Cooper Jr. (WR – Indiana)
- 2.08: Emmett Johnson (RB – Nebraska)
- 2.09: Nicholas Singleton (RB – Penn State)
- 2.10: Michael Trigg (TE – Baylor)
- 2.11: Kevin Coleman (WR – Missouri)
- 2.12: Demond Claiborne (RB – Wake Forest)
Thanks for checking out my dynasty rookie mock draft today. If you have any dynasty, devy or C2C questions, I can be reached on X @jim_DFF.
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