- Jeremiyah Love lands with the Arizona Cardinals: While there might have been better landing spots for Love, he remains the clear top option in dynasty rookie drafts, given his talent and draft capital spent on him.
- Ty Simpson flies up to seventh: The quarterback of the future for the Los Angeles Rams was selected much earlier than expected, and will pay dividends for a fantasy manager willing to be patient with Simpson.
- 2026 NFL Draft season is here: Try the best-in-class PFF Mock Draft Simulator and learn about 2026's top prospects while trading and drafting for your favorite NFL team.
The 2026 NFL Draft is in the books. Anyone with a top-seven pick will be happy with their options, but beyond that, the draft did not lend itself well to dynasty managers. Only three running backs were selected in the first three rounds. Some of the teams most in need of receivers, such as the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets, selected two early, while others waited to address the position. Several teams prioritized run-blocking tight ends over receiving options. This is also a weak quarterback class, with only four quarterbacks selected in the first three rounds.
These dynasty rookie rankings are for PPR superflex leagues.
1. RB Jeremiyah Love, Arizona Cardinals (RB1, Round 1-Pick 3)
Love is a top-five player on PFF's predictive big board and was picked third overall, the highest draft position for a running back since Saquon Barkley. Running backs selected in the top 10 have generally found immediate fantasy success. When a team spends a pick that high on a running back, it typically gives him significant volume in his rookie season, regardless of efficiency.
Ashton Jeanty, Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs are the only running backs selected within the first 20 picks over the past five seasons, and all three finished in the top 12 as rookies. Other first-round picks include Najee Harris, who finished as RB3 in his rookie season, as well as Omarion Hampton and Travis Etienne, who dealt with injuries as rookies.
One reason Love stands out is his receiving ability. While others have compiled larger raw totals, Love ranks second among the top 20 running backs in PFF receiving grade (79.2). That skill set will benefit both his NFL team and his fantasy value.
The Cardinals weren’t an ideal landing spot, with strong options in Tyler Allgeier, James Conner and Trey Benson. Arizona also ranked among the bottom 10 teams in points scored. Its 55.3 run-blocking grade ranked fourth-lowest in the NFL last season. However, Love’s talent, combined with the draft capital spent on him, is enough to overcome the situation and keep him as the top player in dynasty rookie drafts.
2. WR Carnell Tate, Tennessee Titans (WR1, Round 1-Pick 4)
Tate was expected to be a top-10 pick, but it was a surprise that the Titans selected him in the top five. The best-case scenario is that he ends up like Ja’Marr Chase or Malik Nabers, both of whom were top-six options at their position in their rookie seasons. Jaylen Waddle, Garrett Wilson and Tetairoa McMillan were other recent top-10 wide receivers who immediately worked out to be fantasy starters.
Tate joins Tennessee, where he should be the Titans’ top outside receiving option. Tennessee restructured Calvin Ridley, who will likely be the other outside receiver, while Wan’Dale Robinson was a big-name free agent addition to line up in the slot. In 2024, Robinson had Nabers as a rookie, and he generated the second-highest target rate at 29.8%. There is a chance Tate could be among the top-10 wide receivers in target share as a rookie.
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