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Who should I draft for fantasy football dynasty rookie drafts in 2026? Fantasy football rookie outlooks for Jeremiyah Love, Fernando Mendoza, Jordan Tyson, Makai Lemon, Jadarian Price.
Who Should I Draft for 2026 Dynasty Rookie Drafts? Some of the most common draft decisions for 2026 dynasty rookie drafts are for rookies like Jeremiyah Love, Jordan Tyson, Fernando Mendoza, Makai Lemon, Jadarian Price. But not to worry, we are here to help make these decisions and build winning teams for 2026 dynasty rookie drafts. Draft your optimal fantasy football dynasty teams for the 2026 season. Our 2026 fantasy football rookie rankings below will help make your fantasy football dynasty draft decisions.
Who Should I Draft for 2026 Fantasy Football Dynasty Rookie Drafts?
Below are some 2026 fantasy football dynasty rookie outlooks written by our NFL team here at RotoBaller, bringing you their fantasy football analysis and advice on which players to consider drafting for 2026 fantasy football dynasty rookie drafts:
Jeremiyah Love, Running Back
Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love is the consensus top fantasy football rookie in 2026, and the 20-year-old is expected to be a first-round pick in April's NFL Draft. The Missouri native had a fantastic career in South Bend, particularly in his sophomore and junior seasons.
In his last 28 collegiate games, Love rushed 362 times for 2,497 yards (6.9 YPC) and 35 touchdowns. He added 55 receptions for 517 yards and five scores through the air. He was named a Heisman Trophy finalist, the Doak Walker Award Winner, and a Unanimous All-American after his final season with the Irish. Love has game-breaking speed, high-end elusiveness, receiving chops, elite vision, and impressive athleticism at 215 pounds.
He checks all the boxes of a future NFL workhorse, and if he fetches early-first-round draft capital as expected, he will likely carry an RB1 outlook immediately in his rookie campaign. He's the clear No. 1 pick in single-QB dynasty rookie drafts, and he'll be in play for the top pick in superflex drafts.
Fernando Mendoza, Quarterback
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza has the Hoosiers still alive in the College Football Playoff and has not officially declared for the 2026 NFL Draft. However, he's the overwhelming favorite to be the No. 1 pick in April if he forgoes his final year of collegiate eligibility, and the expectation is that he will do so when Indiana's season comes to an end.
The QB-needy Las Vegas Raiders officially have the No. 1 pick, so it's easy to connect the dots in the offseason. Mendoza, the 2025 Heisman Trophy Winner, has thrown for 3,172 yards, 36 touchdowns, and six interceptions through his first 14 games this year. He's added 256 yards and six scores as a runner. The Miami native isn't a high-end dual-threat quarterback, but he's a tactical scrambler with a touch of rushing upside.
Mendoza isn't the most impressive athlete, but he's viewed as an NFL-ready prospect with a great command of the position. If he ends up in Las Vegas, his rookie-season ceiling likely won't excite fantasy managers, but he'd become a valuable piece for a rebuilding superflex dynasty manager. He's projected to be a better "real life" quarterback than fantasy quarterback, but a signal-caller with No. 1 overall pick draft capital has job security baked into his value through a dynasty lens.
Jordan Tyson, Wide Receiver
Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson declared for the 2026 NFL Draft in December, and the two-time All-Big-12 performer is projected to be a top 15 pick in April. Tyson is among the shortlist of wide receivers in contention to be the first player at the position off the board.
Naturally, this will make him a top pick in upcoming dynasty fantasy football rookie drafts. Tyson enjoyed a breakout year in 2024, snagging 75 passes for 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns. He was limited to nine games in 2025, but he still produced 61 receptions for 711 yards and eight scores.
The 21-year-old is an excellent route runner for his size (6'2", 200), and he has strong body control and leaping ability for contested catches. WR-needy teams with young quarterbacks like the Titans and Saints are potential landing spots for the top-end wide receiver prospect.
Makai Lemon, Wide Receiver
USC wide receiver Makai Lemon had a breakout season as a true junior, collecting 79 receptions for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns in 12 games. He has already declared for the 2026 NFL Draft, and many draft analysts project the 21-year-old to be a top-20 pick in April.
The Trojans ranked fifth in passing yards per game (296.0) in 2025, and Lemon led the program in receptions, yards, and touchdowns. He won the Fred Biletnikoff Award, given to the nation's most outstanding wide receiver, and was named a Unanimous All-American.
If Lemon fetches the high-end draft capital he's expected to, he'll be a sure-fire first-round pick in dynasty rookie drafts. His landing spot and quarterback situation will help shape his rookie season outlook in 2026.
Jadarian Price, Running Back
Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price shared a backfield with Heisman runner-up Jeremiyah Love for his entire collegiate career, but the 22-year-old flashed enough for many to consider him the second-best RB prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft class.
While playing second-fiddle to Love over the last two seasons, Price rushed 233 times for 1,420 yards (6.1 YPC) and 18 touchdowns in 28 games. He also secured three touchdown receptions. Price is a dangerous kick returner, tallying 12 returns for 450 yards and two touchdowns in his final collegiate campaign.
Love is expected to be the lone first-round NFL Draft pick among running backs, but Price could earn his way into Round 2 with a strong predraft process. Given the lack of high-end talent at the RB position in this rookie class, Price could end up as a consensus first-round pick in dynasty rookie drafts.
Who Are The Top 2026 Fantasy Football Rookies To Draft?
The below 2026 fantasy football rookies rankings are before the 2026 NFL Draft, and will be continuously updated:
| Tier | Rank | Player Name | Pos |
| 1 | 1 | Jeremiyah Love | RB |
| 2 | 2 | Jordyn Tyson | WR |
| 2 | 3 | Carnell Tate | WR |
| 2 | 4 | Makai Lemon | WR |
| 3 | 5 | Denzel Boston | WR |
| 3 | 6 | Jadarian Price | RB |
| 3 | 7 | Jonah Coleman | RB |
| 3 | 8 | KC Concepcion | WR |
| 4 | 9 | Fernando Mendoza | QB |
| 4 | 10 | Dante Moore | QB |
| 4 | 11 | Chris Brazzell II | WR |
| 4 | 12 | Nicholas Singleton | RB |
| 4 | 13 | Kenyon Sadiq | TE |
| 5 | 14 | Germie Bernard | WR |
| 5 | 15 | Chris Bell | WR |
| 5 | 16 | Eli Stowers | TE |
| 5 | 17 | Elijah Sarratt | WR |
| 5 | 18 | Ja'Kobi Lane | WR |
| 5 | 19 | Ty Simpson | QB |
| 6 | 20 | Emmett Johnson | RB |
| 6 | 21 | Malachi Fields | WR |
| 6 | 22 | Max Klare | TE |
| 6 | 23 | Kaytron Allen | RB |
| 6 | 24 | Eric Singleton Jr. | WR |
| 7 | 25 | Antonio Williams | RB |
| 7 | 26 | Omar Cooper Jr. | WR |
| 7 | 27 | LJ Martin | RB |
| 7 | 28 | Zachariah Branch | WR |
| 7 | 29 | Garrett Nussmeier | QB |
| 7 | 30 | Aaron Anderson | WR |
| 7 | 31 | Skyler Bell | WR |
| 8 | 32 | CJ Daniels | WR |
| 8 | 33 | Josh Cameron | WR |
| 8 | 34 | Caleb Douglas | WR |
| 8 | 35 | Darius Taylor | RB |
| 8 | 36 | Demond Claiborne | RB |
| 8 | 37 | Joe Royer | TE |
| 8 | 38 | Bryce Lance | WR |
| 8 | 39 | Ian Strong | WR |
| 9 | 40 | Michael Trigg | TE |
| 9 | 41 | Cade Klubnik | QB |
| 9 | 42 | Jake Endries | TE |
| 9 | 43 | Jack Endries | TE |
| 9 | 44 | Kevin Coleman Jr. | WR |
| 9 | 45 | Le'Veon Moss | RB |
| 9 | 46 | J'Mari Taylor | RB |
| 9 | 47 | Eric Rivers | WR |
| 9 | 48 | Carson Beck | QB |
| 9 | 49 | Brenen Thompson | WR |
| 9 | 50 | Jam Miller | RB |
| 9 | 51 | Drew Allar | QB |
| 9 | 52 | Nic Anderson | WR |
| 9 | 53 | Chase Roberts | WR |
| 9 | 54 | Deion Burks | WR |
