Jason Kamlowsky | Sun, Jun 14th 2026, 7:06am EDT

Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Dynasty Startup (2026)

Startup drafts are always a balancing act between building for the future and putting together a roster that can compete right away. Going into this fantasy football mock draft, I didn’t have a strategy beyond taking value wherever it presented itself.

Quarterbacks were pushed up the board early, creating opportunities at other positions that were hard to pass up. The result was a roster built around elite pass-catchers, both at receiver and tight end. I may have waited longer than most to draft a quarterback and a running back, but I felt comfortable doing so because of the value that kept falling into my lap throughout the draft.

Looking back, there were a few picks I would probably reconsider and a couple of roster construction decisions that could come back to haunt me. Still, when I evaluate this team as a whole, I see a roster that has a chance to contend now while maintaining enough youth and upside to remain competitive for years to come. Here’s how the draft played out, pick by pick.

Fantasy Football Dynasty Startup Mock Draft

1.04: Ja’Marr Chase (WR – CIN)

This isn’t a Superflex or 2QB dynasty startup, but three quarterbacks came off the board right away. That made it so Ja’Marr Chase fell into my lap. In five years in the league, Chase has averaged 1,490 yards a season. I don’t need to write 100 words on why he is a smart choice here.

2.09: Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR – DET)

It’s a monster start at receiver, as getting Amon-Ra St. Brown at the 2.09 feels like stealing, especially in a PPR format. Like Ja’Marr Chase, he fell into my lap after another run on quarterbacks in the second round.

St. Brown is the unquestioned alpha in the passing game, averaging 159 targets during that span. Detroit’s offense has been one of the league’s best over the last three seasons, and there isn’t really a reason to think that will slow down.

3.04: Brock Bowers (TE – LV)

There is more value on this team than on a McDonald’s late-night drive-thru menu. I am taking the post-injury discount on Brock Bowers after he missed five games in 2025.

Despite missing those games, he actually scored more touchdowns (seven) than he did in his phenomenal rookie season. With Fernando Mendoza and an offense-minded coach in Klint Kubiak running things, Bowers is going to be the fantasy TE1 for a long time. I’m really happy with this pick.

4.09: Luther Burden III (WR – CHI)

I didn’t intend to go receiver-heavy, but the way things fell made it a more comfortable build. I don’t know if I completely buy into the hype on Luther Burden III being a fantasy WR1, but there is value in taking him here.

Burden being attached to Caleb Williams is a net positive. With DJ Moore out of rotation in Chicago, there are 85 targets up for grabs. If Burden makes a leap in his second season, he will have gone a round later than he should have. He makes for a great WR3 with upside.

5.04: Ladd McConkey (WR – LAC)

Keeping with the wide receiver build, Ladd McConkey was too good to pass up. Seen by most people as a top-24 pick in PPR leagues a year ago, McConkey battled a lot of injuries in 2025.

As a result, his fantasy profile has taken quite a hit, but he is only one year removed from an 82-catch, 1,149-yard season. He has some competition for targets, but he is catching passes from Justin Herbert. Of all the pass-catching options for the Chargers, McConkey is by far the least volatile.

McConkey averaged 2.38 yards per route run as a rookie, and if he can regain his efficiency, he will be a nice luxury to have on this roster.

6.09: Travis Etienne Jr. (RB – NO)

Travis Etienne Jr. is a polarizing player, but I am willing to lean into the discount. Yes, Alvin Kamara could return and eat into Etienne’s touches. However, Etienne is too good a talent for the Saints to put him in a legitimate time share of any kind.

I also don’t believe Kamara will be on the Saints’ Week 1 roster. Kellen Moore’s offense has been capable of producing big fantasy numbers for running backs as well. Etienne is coming home to Louisiana, and I think big numbers will follow him there.

7.04: Jadarian Price (RB – SEA)

While he may not carry the same hype as Jeremiyah Love, Jadarian Price deserves strong consideration in dynasty formats. His combination of vision, burst and long speed gives him upside, and Seattle was a great landing spot.

Price averaged a stellar six yards per carry in college, and he’s also a more capable receiver than many fantasy managers realize. That could help him earn valuable passing-down work early in his NFL career.

The real question with Price is whether or not he can handle 200 touches across an NFL season, as he never topped 150 touches in a season at Notre Dame.

8.09: Tyler Shough (QB – NO)

As evidenced by taking two Saints with my first 10 picks, I am bullish on this New Orleans offense. Tyler Shough was a fantasy QB1 from Week 9 on last year, and he adds rushing upside (16.9 yards per game, three rushing touchdowns) to his profile.

The Saints seem intent on giving Shough plenty of offensive help, adding the aforementioned Travis Etienne and drafting Jordyn Tyson. Playing in the soft NFC South doesn’t hurt either, and I would much prefer Shough at this stage of a startup rather than taking a quarterback in the first two rounds.

9.04: Michael Wilson (WR – ARI)

Michael Wilson is a popular regression candidate, as the consensus is that he is unlikely to have another 1,000-yard season. The combination of projected poor quarterback play and Marvin Harrison Jr.‘s return to full health makes that a reasonable take.

Obviously, we have seen Wilson be a stud. He averaged 25+ PPR points per game without Harrison in the lineup last season. The reality is that his most likely outcome is somewhere between that and his floor, which is probably 6-7 PPR points per game. But on this roster, Wilson is my WR5, meaning I can bet on him outperforming his projections.

10.09: Josh Downs (WR – IND)

The market may not catch up to Josh Downs ahead of the 2026 season. He has questions similar to Michael Wilson, although the quarterback situation in Indianapolis is probably the bigger issue.

Assuming Daniel Jones is ready for Week 1, Downs could be a good value across all formats. We should see Downs finally step into a full-time role, hopefully getting on the field in 2-WR sets. That is really the key to things for him. With the departure of Michael Pittman Jr., there is no reason for him not to be a full-time player.

11.04: Emmett Johnson (RB – KC)

There were some older running backs available, but I am fine investing in an Andy Reid backfield. Emmett Johnson led the Big 10 with 1,451 yards rushing and also added 46 catches for 370 yards. He makes for a nice late-round target this year.

12.09: Eli Stowers (TE – PHI)

Eli Stowers won the John Mackey Award as the nation’s top tight end in 2025. He hauled in 62 passes in 2025, and he now heads to Philadelphia, where he is the likely heir apparent to Dallas Goedert.

13.04: Nicholas Singleton (RB – TEN)

Nicholas Singleton is Penn State’s all-time leader in rushing touchdowns, and I think he will be Tennessee’s No. 1 RB at some point this season. He only has to beat out a dusty Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears, who have never been able to grab hold of a feature back role.

14.09: Sam Darnold (QB – SEA)

Sam Darnold is coming off a dream season, and he’s thrown for over 8,300 yards and 60 touchdowns since 2024. At just 29 years old, he is an underrated dynasty asset who seems to have figured out how to be an NFL quarterback late in his career.

15.04: Brandon Aiyuk (WR – SF)

This is strictly a dart throw, and it could either pay off or be a wasted pick. I want to believe Brandon Aiyuk can have two or three more productive seasons, but his offseason doesn’t inspire confidence. I probably should have taken a running back here, given my roster construction.

Jason Kamlowsky is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Jason, check out his archive and follow him on Twitter @JasonKamlowsky.

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