The 4 Likeliest NFL Draft Night Trade to Shake Up the Fantasy Football Universe
Thursday night comes the NFL Draft, and trades will happen. They occur every year, with very different angles for each one. Some teams will come up to get their "guy," while other teams will dip back to retain assets better suited to their preferences. No matter how they play out in 2026, they will come with an impact, with some being very impactful in fantasy football. These are the 4 likeliest trades to be made in round 1.
Cardinals Trade Out of No. 3
The Cardinals are the favorites to draft Ty Simpson at 3rd overall. They are also the likeliest team to trade out of their spot. The Cardinals may run with Jacoby Brissett and favor other top positions of need. Their most likely partner in this will be the Chiefs, who go for Arvell Reese or David Bailey.
The trade then shifts Simpson toward the LA Rams, New York Jets, or Pittsburgh Steelers. These destinations would dip Simpson's fantasy football stock. The only team he would project to start for is the Steelers, so we must hope for that, if not Arizona.
Chiefs Trade Up from No. 9
Many fans are hoping to see the Chiefs draft a wide receiver at pick 9. Whether they got Jordyn Tyson or Makai Lemon, it would be great for those players' upside, as Pat Mahomes is their quarterback. With the Chiefs aiming to move up, grabbing an edge rusher, the next-best wide receiver outside of Carnell Tate will have an array of destinations, all with varying value to be had. Stay tuned for our Draft Day Analysis.
Browns Trade Back from No. 6
The Browns are reported to have interest in leaving pick 6 to fall back. In turn, a team may move up for a wide receiver or even Jeremiyah Love, if he does not go to the Titans or Giants (unlikely they both pass). If a team did trade up, it could force the wide receiver to go quite fast, with this pick being Carnell Tate followed by, Tyson/Lemon quickly thereafter. Denzel Boston could go mid-1st round, and before we know it, everyone has a home.
Cowboys Move Back from Either 1st Round Pick
The Cowboys are rumored to have eyes on a wide receiver. George Pickens has yet to sign his franchise tag, and for all we know, he could feature a blockbuster trade on draft night. Though unlikely to occur, it would shake up the entire fantasy football universe and thus boost CeeDee Lamb to WR1 potential. Nonetheless, the Cowboys have the keys to shake up the whole night, and with that, we would have a drastic fantasy football analysis to put out for our readers.
If the Cowboys draft a wide receiver and keep Pickens, it will be interesting. That draftee will likely have little upside, so fantasy football managers should hope the Cowboys do not go with that position.
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Thomas Carelli is a sportswriter based on Northern New Jersey. He is a massive New York Jets and Mets fan, but that is not where is sports fandom stops. He loves to watch and play golf, all things football, baseball, and much more. If he can watch it, he will. Thomas graduated from William Paterson University in 2018 with a Bachelor's Degree in Sport Management. He spent 4 years working at a local golf course, volunteered past PGA events, and spent some part-time experience with the New York Jets events team. His passions for sport runs deep and his articles show for it.