Jeremiyah Love Leads 2026 Fantasy Rookie-Only Mock Draft

The new Cardinals running back comes off the board first in Michael Fabiano's four-round, 48-pick experiment.

Arizona Cardinals first-round draft pick RB Jeremiyah Love will be the top pick in most 2026 rookie-only fantasy drafts. | Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Round 1 Rookie Winners and Losers | Round 2-3 Winners and Losers | Draft Grades
| Veteran Winners and Losers | Rookie-Only Top 50 Dynasty Ranks | Rookie-Only Position Ranks in Dynasty

Traditional fantasy football drafts are still months away, but managers in dynasty leagues will be holding their drafts soon now that 2026 NFL draft has concluded. Dynasty teams are far more of a commitment than their redraft counterparts, as you’re running a fantasy franchise long term … more like a real NFL team. As a result, drafting the right rookies is even more important than in one-year formats.

With the NFL draft complete, let’s see what the first four rounds of a dynasty rookie-only mock would look like. As you’ll see, most of these players won’t make a Year 1 impact but will instead be selected for their potential long-term value for fantasy football managers. 

Fab's rookie-only mock draft

Round 1

Round/Pick	Fantasy Team	Player
1.1	1	Jeremiyah Love, RB, Cardinals
1.2	2	Carnell Tate, WR, Titans
1.3	3	Jadarian Price, RB, Seahawks
1.4	4	Jordyn Tyson, WR, Saints
1.5	5	Makai Lemon, WR, Eagles
1.6	6	Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Jets
1.7	7	KC Concepcion, WR, Browns
1.8	8	Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Jets
1.9	9	Denzel Boston, WR, Browns
1.10	10	Fernando Mendoza, QB, Raiders
1.11	11	Nicholas Singleton, RB, Titans
1.12	12	Eli Stowers, TE, Eagles

Love will be the 1.1 pick in almost every rookie-only draft, as he’ll take the lead-back role in Arizona right out of the gate. The second and third picks will be either Tate or Price, depending on fantasy team needs at those spots. Tate will be the top target in Tennessee for Cam Ward, and Price should be the top runner in Seattle in Week 1. Tyson and Lemon will be the No. 2 fantasy wideouts for their respective teams, and Sadiq could be a top-10 fantasy tight end in the long term.

The back half of the round starts with Concepcion, who should emerge as the top fantasy wide receiver in Cleveland. Cooper and Boston have more long-term value for the Jets and Browns, respectively, and Mendoza is the lone quarterback worth a first-round pick. He could go a few picks higher in some rookie-only drafts. The round concludes with Singleton, who has long-term sleeper appeal in Tennessee, and the Eagles’ future No. 1 tight end in Stowers. 

Round 2

Round/Pick	Team	Player
2.13	12	De'Zhaun Stribling, WR, 49ers
2.14	11	Germie Bernard, WR, Steelers
2.15	10	Kaytron Allen, RB, Commanders
2.16	9	Jonah Coleman, RB, Broncos
2.17	8	Chris Bell, WR, Dolphins
2.18	7	Antonio Williams, WR, Commanders
2.19	6	Chris Brazzell II, WR, Panthers
2.20	5	Malachi Fields, WR, Giants
2.21	4	Zachariah Branch, WR, Falcons
2.22	3	Kaelon Black, RB, 49ers
2.23	2	Mike Washington Jr., RB, Raiders
2.24	1	Ted Hurst, WR, Buccaneers

There are no sure bets in this round or in any following round, as the draft class simply wasn’t a strong one. Stribling was picked by the 49ers ahead of the Browns' Boston, and I could see him starting a few games as a rookie playing behind older veterans Mike Evans and Christian Kirk, as well as injury-prone Ricky Pearsall. Bernard will also be a slow burn for dynasty managers playing behind DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. in Pittsburgh. Allen is a potential sleeper playing in a Washington backfield that doesn’t have a true RB1, and Coleman could see some work in the Broncos backfield behind RJ Harvey and injury-prone veteran J.K. Dobbins in Year 1.

The remaining wideouts in the round—Bell (coming off a knee injury), Williams, Brazzell, Fields, Branch and Hurst—are mostly long-term options … though Williams could have some Year 1 value with the Commanders. Black and Washington Jr. will be rookie handcuffs at best, though the former could have some long-term value as Christian McCaffrey enters his age-30 season.

Round 3

Round/Pick	Team	Player
3.25	1	Skyler Bell, WR, Bills
3.26	2	Ty Simpson, QB, Rams
3.27	3	Kaelon Black, RB, 49ers
3.28	4	Emmett Johnson, RB, Chiefs
3.29	5	Ja'Kobi Lane, WR, Ravens
3.30	6	Caleb Douglas, WR, Dolphins
3.31	7	Elijah Sarratt, WR, Ravens
3.32	8	Max Klare, TE, Rams
3.33	9	Marlin Klein, TE, Texans
3.34	10	Oscar Delp, TE, Saints
3.35	11	Carson Beck, QB, Cardinals
3.36	12	Drew Allar, QB, Steelers

The dart throws continue! The four wideouts in this round—Bell, Lane, Douglas and Sarratt—will all be competing for targets in Year 1. Douglas has the best chance to make a rookie impact, though. Simpson is the second quarterback picked in this mock, but it could be multiple years before he sees meaningful NFL snaps while playing behind Matthew Stafford. The round also features two other quarterbacks in Beck and Allar, but both are long-term prospects. 

Randall could be the heir apparent to Derrick Henry in Baltimore, at least in a best-case fantasy scenario, and Johnson could push to become the top fantasy handcuff for Kenenth Walker III as a rookie. Klare, Klein and Delp all come off the board at the tight end position, but like many of the players in this round, their impact isn’t going to be felt anytime in the immediate future.

Round 4

Round/Pick	Team	Player
4.37	12	Brenen Thompson, WR, Chargers
4.38	11	Bryce Lane, WR, Saints
4.39	10	Seth McGowan, RB, Colts
4.40	9	Demond Claiborne, RB, Vikings
4.41	8	Zavion Thomas, WR, Bears
4.42	7	Nate Boerkircher, TE, Jaguars
4.43	6	Kevon Coleman Jr., WR, Dolphins
4.44	5	Reggie Virgil, WR, Cardinals
4.45	4	Colbie Young, WR, Bengals
4.46	3	Justin Joly, TE, Broncos
4.47	2	Eli Raridon, TE, Patriots
4.48	1	Michael Trigg, TE, Cowboys

More dart throws, anyone? No one in this round is projected to see any significant action as a rookie. The two backs, McGowan and Claiborne, likely will be third on their team’s respective depth chart to open 2026. At wide receiver, Thompson, Lance, Thomas, Coleman Jr., Virgil and Young will be either battling for target scraps … or roster spots. The tight ends—Boerkircher, Joly, Raridon and Trigg—are all in positions in which making an immediate fantasy impact for their respective teams will be difficult at best. 

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