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Dave's two-round rookie mock draft for 2026 fantasy football dynasty leagues with 12 teams, one QB. His updated dynasty rookie mock draft for 2026 NFL rookies.
Now that the NFL season is over, many fantasy football players are heading into hibernation and will reappear once August arrives. Dynasty football managers, on the other hand, have been hard at work for weeks.
The NFL Combine is quickly approaching, the NFL Draft will soon follow, and that means rookie draft season is not far away. Now is the perfect time to start preparing for your league's annual rookie draft. If you're a bit behind the eight ball on your rookie scouting, fret not. Today, we're giving you an early look at what 2026 rookie drafts might look like. Keep in mind, we are still very early in the process, and a lot will change from now until May.
Still, today should give you an idea of what you'll be facing come draft day, and help you get started putting together a game plan for your rookie draft. Make sure you're following RotoBaller on X and download the RotoBaller app for all your fantasy football needs. Here is our early 2026 dynasty rookie mock draft for single quarterback leagues.
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Round 1 - Dynasty Rookie Mock Draft
1.01: Jeremiyah Love - RB, Notre Dame
Love is the clear RB1 of this class, and it isn't close.
Jeremiyah Love HURDLES into the end zone! 😱
📺 NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/zOsBd3geF0
— Notre Dame on NBC (@NDonNBC) November 24, 2024
He has breakaway speed, great vision, contact balance, and is a very patient runner. Love is tracking to be a top 10 pick in the NFL Draft, and that should cement his place as the 1.01 in rookie drafts.
JEREMIYAH LOVE GOES 98 YARDS FOR THE TOUCHDOWN 😱 pic.twitter.com/SSAjPnrRtt
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) December 21, 2024
There's not much he can't do, so if you were fortunate (or maybe unfortunate) enough to secure your league's top pick, congratulations, you've got a stud for the next six to seven years.
1.02: Jordyn Tyson - WR, Arizona State
This is where things start to get fun, as there's a trio of pass-catchers vying for the WR1 crown. Tyson is firmly in the mix for that title, and there is a lot to love about his game.
The throw by @S_leav10, the catch by @tyson_jordyn 🤌
Pure Cinema.
📺TNT pic.twitter.com/6sa79Z3fcN
— Sun Devil Football (@ASUFootball) September 14, 2025
He's an incredible route runner capable of winning at all three levels of the field. He also brings a lot of juice after the catch.
The main concern with Tyson is whether or not his body will hold up at the NFL level. Injury concerns may cause him to fall to the latter half of the first round in the NFL Draft. Still, this is a highly talented player who could be a real difference-maker for your dynasty team.
1.03: Carnell Tate - WR, Ohio State
Tate could easily be the first wide receiver to hear his name called on Day 1 of the NFL Draft. He's a solid route-runner and can make defenders miss after the catch. While I love Tyson's upside, Tate is the safer pick between these two and should be a fine dynasty asset for many years.
1.04: Makai Lemon - WR, USC
Lemon is an explosive player and consistently creates separation with his quickness. He is also capable of turning underneath routes into chunk plays thanks to his after-the-catch ability. A lot of analysts love Lemon's game and make him their WR1 of the class.
A dot to Makai Lemon in the endzone! TOUCHDOWN @uscfb ✌️ pic.twitter.com/s8wjizLzI5
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 15, 2025
You won't get any arguments from me there, and he is another fine wide receiver available for gamers this year.
1.05: KC Concepcion - WR, Texas A&M
Concepcion has some of the best route running in this class. The problem is he drops the ball far too often. However, drops are often overrated and can be improved.
Good separators don't usually fail and are safer bets than big, hulking receivers who can't consistently create separation. Concepcion has his route running down, and that is the most important part. He's a fine pick in rookie drafts.
1.06: Denzel Boston - WR, Washington
Boston is more of a throwback, X-receiver, and it's getting increasingly difficult for that archetype of player to succeed in today's NFL. While Boston needs to further hone his craft, he is a solid route runner and could develop into a Tee Higgins-type player.
Demond finds Denzel to set up the latest @UW_Football TD 💥
📺: @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/3EAicoxUQi
— Washington on BTN (@WashingtonOnBTN) August 31, 2025
Boston's big frame also increases his catch radius and should help in contested catch situations, too. He'll likely hear his name called on Day 1 of the NFL Draft and should be a first-round dynasty pick, too.
1.07: Kenyon Sadiq - TE, Oregon
Sadiq is a talented pass-catcher and offers the ability to vertically stretch the field. He is not much of a run blocker and could lose playing time due to that weakness, similar to what we've seen with Dalton Kincaid in Buffalo.
However, if Sadiq lands with a team that understands this and deploys him as such, he could make a real impact as a pass-catcher.
1.08: Fernando Mendoza - QB, Indiana
This might seem early for the first quarterback to come off the board in single quarterback leagues, but there are a ton of question marks at the skill positions after this point.
Mendonza is going to land in a pretty good situation with Klint Kubiak as his head coach and will have Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty at his disposal. He could easily become a backend QB1 capable of delivering strong QB1 results as he gains more NFL experience.
1.09: Jonah Coleman - RB, Washington
This is where things begin to drop off, and it seems like we have already reached the "get your guys" part of the draft. That is a bit of an indictment of this rookie class.
Coleman probably will not test like an elite athlete, but don't let that fool you. He is a very capable running back with great vision, patience, and fantastic contact balance.
His perceived lack of athleticism could cause him to fall in drafts, but don't make that mistake. He is a David Montgomery-type player and should be a solid RB2 for the next half-decade.
1.10: Emmett Johnson - RB, Nebraska
Johnson is a very popular sleeper in this running back class. Among 165 collegiate backs with 100+ carries, Johnson finished:
- 25th in PFF rushing grade
- 6th in PFF's missed tackles forced
- 23rd in PFF's yards after contact
🌽 32 Touches
🌽 129 RUSH YDS
🌽 103 REC YDS
🌽 3 TD@HuskerFootball RB Emmett Johnson is the only FBS player this season with 💯 rushing and receiving yards in the same game 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Yo2lFfVJkk— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 9, 2025
He might be a sneaky bet to get Day 2 draft capital. While many draft analysts have Love penciled into the Kansas City Chiefs at 9th overall, it feels more likely the Chiefs address other needs with that pick. Kansas City clearly needs a running back, so they could very well target a player like Johnson in Round 2 or Round 3. If that happens, Johnson will quickly become a household name.
For now, he remains a good selection for running back-needy managers who are chasing upside.
1.11: Jadarian Price - RB, Notre Dame
Price played second fiddle to Love at Notre Dame, but he is a very good player. He probably won't become a bell cow in the NFL, but he offers a ton of pass-catching upside. He could be a real asset in full PPR leagues.
1.12: Nicholas Singleton - RB, Penn State
Singleton is a polarizing prospect, and there are parts of his game he needs to improve. However, he is a capable pass-catcher and offers home-run hitting ability.
HE IS GONE!!! 💨
Nick Singleton breaks away and gets the TD for @PennStateFball! pic.twitter.com/yZMkgFPbhj
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 7, 2024
Unfortunately, Singleton suffered a broken foot at the Senior Bowl, and it's unclear how this will affect his draft stock. Singleton's fantasy ceiling is up for debate, but his athleticism is not. If he can participate, he should test very well at the NFL combine, and that should boost his draft stock.
Singleton's foot injury has thrown some uncertainty into the mix. However, if one coaching staff convinces themselves they can get the best out of him, Singleton could hear his name called on Day 2.
Round 2 - Dynasty Rookie Mock Draft
2.01: Omar Cooper Jr. - WR, Indiana
Things still feel very dicey as we enter the second round. However, there are still some potential gems sitting out there, and Cooper is one of them.
He has decided to forgo his senior season and instead enter the 2026 NFL Draft. Cooper set career highs across the board last year and offers a ton of upside. He brings a lot to the plate in terms of yards after the catch and could be a real weapon if he lands with a creative, offensive-minded head coach.
2.02: Elijah Sarratt - WR, Indiana
Sarratt is a contested catch specialist, and that trait can make him a good target in the red zone and at the goal line. He needs to further develop his route tree, but he's a fine pick at this stage of the draft.
2.03: Eli Stowers - TE, Vanderbilt
If you need a tight end and miss out on Sadiq, fear not. Stowers is a nice plan B. He has the potential to become a yards after catch demon similar to George Kittle and Tucker Kraft.
2.04: Kaytron Allen - RB, Penn State
Allen does not have the athletic traits of his backfield running mate, Singleton, and he won't bring much pass-catching upside to the table. However, he has solid vision and is capable of playing early downs at the next level.
2.05: Zachariah Branch - WR, Georgia
Branch was the Bulldogs' leading receiver this past season. He's a good short-area target who could emerge as a slot receiver in the NFL and become a viable flex play in full PPR leagues.
2.06: Chris Bell - WR, Louisville
Had Bell not torn his ACL, he probably would have been a first-round pick. That makes selecting him a bit riskier.
However, we are getting a good price on a talented player here. This feels like a great time to take a gamble on a player like Bell as second round picks in single quarterback drafts are often nothing more than lottery tickets.
2.07: Chris Brazzell II - WR, Tennessee
Brazzell has a ton of speed, and at 6'5", that makes him a very intriguing selection. He surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in 2025, but he needs to prove he's a capable route runner. Still, there's enough upside here to justify a selection in Round 2.
2.08: Demond Claiborne - RB, Wake Forest
Claiborne ran for over 900 rushing yards in each of his final two years at Wake Forest. At 197 lbs, Claiborne is a bit light, but that is not as much of a problem in today's NFL.
He has great patience and solid contact balance, but fumbles have been a concern. He'll need to clean that up at the next level and is likely a Day 3 pick, but he does have some nice traits to work with.
2.09: Germie Bernard - WR, Alabama
Bernard is coming off a career year in 2025. The transfer to Alabama seems to have been a smart move. He has some good traits, but is really more of a developmental pick. Take him and stash him on your taxi squad for a few years.
2.10: Le’Veon Moss - RB, Texas A&M
Listed at 5'11" and 210 pounds, Moss has the ideal size for the position. His size matches his play, as he will bring a physical presence to any team's backfield.
Moss never operated as a bellcow back during his time at Texas A&M, so it's uncertain if he can handle that role in the NFL. Still, it's easy to see an NFL team liking his skill set. He could carve out a short-yardage role that turns into more if an NFL coaching staff can work their magic on him.
2.11: Ty Simpson - QB, Alabama
Unless it's a really stacked quarterback class, we typically don't see other quarterbacks start coming off the board in single quarterback leagues until Round 3. With this rookie class appearing a bit light in terms of skill position talent, Simpson may sneak into Round 2.
He only has one year as a starter under his belt, and that's been a bit of a red flag for some quarterbacks in recent years. He also doesn't offer a ton of upside as a rusher and set a career high with 93 rushing yards this past season.
Landing spot feels like it will be crucial for Simpson, so if he gets a good draw in the NFL Draft, he would be a nice developmental pick to stash on the taxi squad for a few years to see what he becomes.
2.12: Ja’Kobi Lane - WR, USC
Lane did not have a good showing at the Senior Bowl and reportedly failed to consistently gain separation. That feels problematic for his NFL outlook.
However, Lane will likely still have some diehard supporters in his camp. If he gets a decent landing spot in the NFL Draft, he could sneak inside the top 24 picks in rookie drafts. Consider him a developmental receiver who likely needs a few years to become a viable fantasy asset.
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