With the NFL Draft Combine a mere few weeks away and the draft itself getting closer and closer, that means we are also inching closer to dynasty rookie draft season. That being the case, let's dive into a first-round of a dynasty rookie mock draft, focusing on a 1QB format.

2026 First-Round Rookie Mock Draft For Dynasty Leagues

1.01 - Jeremiyah Love, RB

Jake: I certainly won’t win a Hot Take Award with this selection. Love is as close to a definitive pre-draft 1.01 as we have in this class, though he doesn’t have quite the level of shine that Ashton Jeanty did last offseason. And that’s frankly a bit odd, because Love has the athleticism and versatility to put up gaudy numbers in any respectable offense.

Love’s the only running back we have projected in the first round of the draft, and the hit rate for RBs with that kind of draft capital is [Larry David voice] pretty, pretty, pretty good.

1.02 - Carnell Tate, WR

Sam: I know you're supposed to scout the player, not the helmet, but it's hard not to look at the history of Ohio State wideouts and not immediately get excited about Carnell Tate.

Tate is primed to continue the streak of high-upside wideouts from Columbus. He follows in the footsteps of players like Emeka Egbuka, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave.

Tate is a near-lock for a top-10 selection. He checks in at 6-foot-2/195 pounds and profiles as an immediate-impact player no matter where he ends up. If he lands with the Giants and teams up with Malik Nabers, that would give John Harbaugh one of the scariest duos in the league.

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1.03 - Makai Lemon, WR

Jake: A few weeks ago, someone in our Fantasy Life Discord asked me which incoming rookie receiver I was highest on. My answer was the same then as it is now: Makai Lemon. I don’t think even a rough combine showing or an iffy landing spot would move him off the top of the heap for me. 

He’s not a flashy prospect. Lemon won consistently at USC with squeaky-clean routes and hands so soft we have to assume he sleeps in lotion-filled gloves. Every NFL offense can use a guy like him. To put it simply, Lemon … ahem … has the juice.

1.04 - Jordyn Tyson, WR

Sam: For all your die-hard data junkies out there, here are some tantalizing Jordyn Tyson numbers for you:

• Dominator rating: 46.8% (94th percentile)
• College target share: 34.25 (97th percentile)
• Breakout age: 18.1 (99th percentile)

On paper, it's hard to find a better prospect. Assuming he gets Round 1 draft capital, he's going to have the potential to be a high-impact player from Day 1. Our own Matthew Freedman has him landing with the Jets, which, depending on their QB, could make for solid fantasy numbers.

1.05 - Kenyon Sadiq, TE

Jake: This pick is more about the gap between our previous picks and the remaining receivers and running backs. Without a bright neon sign pointing me in one specific direction, I’ll roll the dice on the Big Ten Tight End of the Year, Kenyon Sadiq. He’s got the combo of athleticism and blocking prowess that could allow him to thrive early and often, though his landing spot will be an important factor.

This is also the part in the draft where I start to seriously consider trading back or out of my pick for a more secure asset.

1.06 - KC Concepcion, WR

Sam: If you are not familiar with the Paul Hornung Award, it is given every year to the most versatile college football player. The 2025 winner was none other than KC Concepcion. Last season, he averaged more than 15 yards per reception, scoring 9 receiving TDs, added a rushing line of 10/75/1 TD and tacked on 2 punt return TDs.

A bit smaller than some of the other wideouts in this class (5-foot-11/190 pounds), he's likely a bit more landing-spot dependent, which could cap his immediate upside. However, Round 1 draft capital can (and often does) solve more than a few shortcomings.

1.07 - Denzel Boston, WR

Jake: It never feels good to be sniped, even in a mock draft in early February. So thanks for that, Sam! There are some legitimate concerns about Boston, primarily his late breakout age. But it’s hard to fault a guy who was competing for playing time with Rome Odunze, Jalen McMillan and Ja’Lynn Polk, all of whom were Day 1 or 2 draft picks.

In his last two seasons at Washington, Boston racked up more than 1,700 yards and scored 20 touchdowns. He’s an efficient route runner for a big fella and should fit into most offenses as a solid WR2.

1.08 - Jonah Coleman, RB

Sam: Jake wants to talk about getting sniped in a February mock draft, but what he won't tell you is that he snagged Kenyon Sadiq right in front of me. Ah well. Such is life this early in the offseason.

After Jeremiyah Love, I'm supremely interested to see how this RB class shapes up. Like so many other draft classes, much depends on draft capital and landing spot. Thankfully, Jonah Coleman does a bit of everything, so he feels less landing-spot dependent.

Over his final two seasons, Coleman racked up 349 rushing attempts for 1,811 yards and 25 TDs. He also tacked on 54 receptions for an additional 531 yards. Talk about dual-threat ability.

1.09 - Jadarian Price, RB

Jake: I agree with Sam. This is going to be a weird and interesting running back class. Perhaps the strangest thing about it is that two high-value backs are coming from Notre Dame. Jadarian Price’s stats don’t jump off the page because he was stuck behind Jeremiyah Love and had to deal with Riley Leonard vulturing oodles of touches as well.

But Price is lead back material and can sniff out a hole like a pig sniffs out a truffle. Behind a halfway decent offensive line, he can thrive.

1.10 - Kaytron Allen, RB

Sam: Kaytron Allen is the third of four consecutive RBs taken in this mock. That feels about right for this stage of the offseason, where we know a handful of wideouts are near-locks for Round 1 draft capital.

A few years ago, I would have preferred Nicholas Singleton as the Penn State RB of choice, but it's been Allen who has been better recently. This past season, Allen averaged more than 100 rushing yards per game (1,303 yards & 15 TDs).

Allen is an older prospect but has the physical traits to be a three-down back in the NFL.

1.11 - Emmett Johnson, RB

Jake: I thought about taking Fernando Mendoza here, and if he had more obvious rushing upside, I probably would’ve hit the big green button on him. But ultimately, I’m more comfortable with Johnson, who was a workhorse at Nebraska and offers substantial PPR upside.

Also, not for nothing, Johnson was the 2025 Big Ten Running Back of the Year. Previous winners include:

• Melvin Gordon
• Ezekiel Elliott
• Saquon Barkley
• Jonathan Taylor
• Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker

Then again, Kaleb Johnson won it the year prior so … who’s to say if this means anything?

1.12 - Fernando Mendoza, QB

Sam: I wrapped up Round 1 of a 1QB rookie mock draft with the expected No. 1 overall pick—Fernando Mendoza. I don't think it's out of the question to snag him here because, if you don't, you may not get him again.

Much has been written about Mendoza in recent months, so I won't get into a ton of detail, but he has all the physical and intangible traits to be successful at the next level. Let's hope the Raiders can effectively build around him and make him both a solid NFL contributor and a high-end fantasy football asset for managers everywhere.

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