Let’s take a look at how we graded each and every Round 1 pick of the 2026 NFL Draft!
- Dynasty Rookie Draft Simulator
- Dynasty Rookie Rankings: Expert Consensus
- DBro’s Top 100 Dynasty Rookie Draft Rankings
- DBro’s Dynasty Rookie Draft Primers: QB | RB | WR | TE
2026 NFL Draft Grades: Round 1
NFL Draft Grades: Round 1
Round 1 Draft Picks Analysis
Let’s dive into a few notable draft grades and reactions.
1.03 – Arizona Cardinals – Jeremiyah Love (RB – Notre Dame): Grade = 77
Andrew Erickson shares his take on the Cardinals’ selection of Jeremiyah Love:
We have the potential of looking at another Ashton Jeanty 2.0 situation after the Arizona Cardinals selected Jeremiyah Love with the third overall pick. Of all the places he could have gone (Titans, Giants, Commanders, etc.), I think Arizona is the worst of the bunch.
First off, Tyler Allgeier isn’t just going to disappear. He is an effective power back and carved out a role alongside arguably the best RB in the NFL during his time in Atlanta. And where does he often see the majority of his touches? The red zone.
I’ve always been a strong believer in Allgeier since his days at BYU. He produced over 1,000 rushing yards as a fifth-round rookie, and just fell victim to circumstances with the Falcons taking Bijan Robinson in 2023.
According to the Athletic, Allgeier is sixth in the NFL in rushing success rate (42 percent) and 11th in EPA per rush (0.01) among all running backs, according to TruMedia. He is also one of three running backs with more than 500 carries in the last four seasons who have not fumbled the ball. He has zero career fumbles. In 2025, he made his biggest impact in the red zone with eight rushing TDs. At 221 pounds and just 737 total NFL touches on his resume, the 26-year-old RB still projects for decent volume in 2026.
Allgeier has been the epitome of health throughout his four-year NFL career. Worth noting that last year’s goal-line RB, Zonovan Knight, signed a one-year deal to return to Arizona.
Not good.
Second, Arizona has QB problems. Jacoby Brissett is holding out. Gardner Minshew is the next man up. Ty Simpson is a Ram. The offense could struggle with Brissett and/or Minshew under center if they aren’t attempting 45-plus passes a game.
Third, the offensive line. They still have a major hole at right tackle.
Now the majority of these are Year 1 issues (hence the comp to Jeanty in 2025). And now things look much better for Jeanty entering his second season. So there’s time for Love, so I’m not ready to move off him as the 1.01 in rookie rankings.
Keep in mind that one of Breece Hall’s best seasons came with new Cardinals OC Nathiel Hackett as the Jets’ OC in 2023 (Hall was fantasy’s RB2).
And as I noted in my “How to Value Rookie RBs in Fantasy Football: Pre-NFL Draft (2026)” article, RBs with this elite draft capital possess very high floors.
78 percent of top-12 RBs finish top-12 in Year 1.
2026 probably won’t be the ceiling for Love. That is for certain. But it’s not enough to completely adjust priors and dramatically decrease his dynasty rank (even if he needs to be knocked down a few spots in the overall and RB dynasty rankings).
1.04 – Tennessee Titans – Carnell Tate (WR – Ohio State): Grade = 88
Erickson’s take on the Titans drafting Tate at No. 4 overall:
In somewhat of a surprising move (although if I had just stuck to my original mock draft, I would have gotten another one right), Carnell Tate went 4th overall to the Tennessee Titans. Robert Saleh was the head coach of the Jets when they drafted former Ohio State wideout Garrett Wilson 10th overall. He won Offensive Rookie of the Year.
And unlike with some projected landing spots before Thursday night, Tate slides into an offense where he can emerge as the true No. 1 alpha WR. And there’s a lot of upside here attached to second-year QB Cam Ward, in an offense led by new OC Brian Daboll.
Daboll obviously loves Wan’Dale Robinson, so Tate might not have bonkers target share from the jump, but his path to WR1 status is clearly in reach.
1.07 – Washington Commanders – Sonny Styles (LB – Ohio State): Grade = 99
1.08 – New Orleans Saints – Jordyn Tyson (WR – Arizona State): Grade = 88
Erickson is more bullish than others on Tyson to the Saints:
I am kicking myself for not putting Jordyn Tyson with the Saints in my final mock draft. New Orleans. Football founder Nick Underhill was pounding the drum for Tyson to the Saints after recognizing the routes he ran at Arizona State were the same routes Tyler Shough was throwing to.
So the fit is great in Kellen Moore’s offense. And there should be plenty of volume. Last year, before Rashid Shaheed got traded to Seattle, both Chris Olave and he were seeing a ton of volume (combining for 17 targets per game). Shaheed was 15th in the NFL in WR targets (Weeks 1-9).
This is a fast-paced up-tempo offense. In a dome. Popcorn acquired.
I think this is a sneaky situation where Tyson could be the 1B to Olave’s 1A.
The ceiling remains sky-high for a healthy Tyson, and I think his status as the “No.2” will keep his price relatively in check.
Keep this in mind for both Tate and Tyson as our two WRs who went inside the top-10 since 2021 (nine WRs drafted).
90% have been WR3s at worst.
56% cracking top-24.
1.11 – Dallas Cowboys (from Dolphins) – Caleb Downs (S – Ohio State): Grade = 99
We broke down the Cowboys trading up to select Downs:
1.13 – Los Angeles Rams (from Falcons) – Ty Simpson (QB – Alabama): Grade = 57
Analysts had differing opinions on Simpson to the Rams:
1.16 – New York Jets (from Colts) – Kenyon Sadiq (TE – Oregon): Grade = 76
None of our team thought highly of Sadiq to NYJ. Here is Erickson’s take:
I tried to be open to the possibilities of Kenyon Sadiq being in an “okay” spot with the New York Jets after being selected 16th overall. Then, the team drafted WR Omar Cooper Jr. late in Round 1 (30th overall), creating a very crowded situation for the former Oregon tight end to make an immediate impact.
Garrett Wilson is the entrenched alpha, and last year’s second-round pick, tight end Mason Taylor, is a player that Aaron Glenn is excited about taking a step in Year 2.
Just makes it hard to find where Sadiq fits into this offense for Year 1. Not to mention, the tight end coach, Alfredo Roberts, is coming over from Pittsburgh, where they used so many TEs that none could be viable fantasy football assets. Also hardly got the most out of Jonnu Smith this past year (often compared to Sadiq).
And if the Jets do what we all expect to happen (fire Glenn, hire a new offensive-minded HC), we are back at level 1 with Sadiq.
It wouldn’t surprise me to see Sadiq have a Terrance Ferguson-like rookie season behind two WRs and a veteran TE for targets. Somebody gave a comparison of Buffalo’s Dawson Knox/Dalton Kincaid.
The redraft appeal is low, and the dynasty appeal is strictly player-based (first-round draft capital is excellent) because the outlook no longer projects favorably. Sadiq has to fall considerably in rookie rankings. But there’s a case to buy if the price fall becomes too dramatic. Because a lot of the time, we overreact to a “bad” landing spot.
The Jets offense can be average with a good offensive line. I think Geno can sling it. He’s not one of these older guys coming off a torn Achilles. Smith was seventh in completion rate from a clean pocket in 2025. The situation crumbled around him last year. Brock Bowers and OL gutted by injuries.
1.32 – Seattle Seahawks – Jadarian Price (RB – Notre Dame): Grade = 77
While Jadarian Price is certainly a fantasy football winner from Day 1, we didn’t love the real-life value of the pick:
No player will see a bigger rise post-draft than Jadarian Price. Rumored to be a potential late first-round pick at 32 by the Seahawks, that’s exactly how the board shook out in Round 1.
It was the perfect storm for Price. The lack of talent in the RB class and Seattle’s lack of picks (failed to trade back) forced them into the RB with the final selection on Thursday night.
Circumstances boosted Price up the draft board, and I am just concerned his price will continue to skyrocket to unrealistic expectations. The “first-round” draft capital seems a tad fabricated, given the Seahawks were very open about wanting to trade down.
Zach Charbonnet is coming off a very poorly timed ACL injury on January 19th (surgery a month later on February 20th). Although the discourse surrounding Charbonnet’s injury has been generally positive.
He carved out a role alongside Kenneth Walker, and I’d imagine he would do the same when he returns to the field.
Seattle also signed Emanuel Wilson this offseason, who I presume will mostly be viewed as a complete afterthought. After all, he did sign just a one-year, $2.1 million contract (yikes).
Wilson is 5-foot-10 and 226 pounds, providing the “thunder” to Price’s “lightning” at 5-foot-11 and 203 pounds.
And more importantly, he does dirty work that coaches LOVE. I thought pre-draft that he would be a thorn in the side of whichever rookie RB landed in Seattle. I still feel that way.
Full acknowledgment that Price hit the lottery landing spot – but overvaluing the situation in Seattle (in a new offense post-Klint Kubiak) feels somewhat risky.
The hit rate of RBs drafted late in Round 1 has also not been kind in recent years (especially compared to the first half of Round 1 RBs.
From a dynasty context, I understand you might just have to pay the premium “price”. RBs with this draft capital are a dime a dozen.
But in redraft…Price feels like he will be way too expensive.
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