The NFL Draft is over, and Rookie Drafts in dynasty leagues can take place. Some have already happened, some will happen over the summer, mine is this weekend. Here's how the first three rounds might go.
A few notes. Mine is a start-1 QB league; those in Superflex leagues will take more and earlier quarterbacks. Although I think most are aware it's not a great year for the position, with just one certain standout (the other first-rounder was widely criticized). In my league, it's likely those are the only quarterbacks who will even be drafted; maybe one or two others, late.
This is also a TE-premium league, where tight ends get 1.5 points per reception. It was a rich NFL Draft in that area, with nine going in the first three rounds.
These are not my rankings, which I'm still working on; it's more a combination of how I think it should go and how I think it will go.
1.01. RB Jeremiyah Love, Cardinals
1.02. WR Carnell Tate, Titans
1.03. WR Makai Lemon, Eagles
1.04. WR Jordyn Tyson, Saints
Nothing too earth-shattering to start. Love will be the top pick in almost every draft. We discussed him a lot over the weekend. Landing spot not ideal, but it looks OK if you figure Trey Benson and James Conner will both be gone, either by training camp, September, or a year from now (again, this is a dynasty league). Yes he's stuck with Tyler Allgeier for a year regardless, but lots of teams use two backs and Allgeier has little guaranteed money after this season.
Cam Ward and the Titans improved the second half of last year, and Calvin Ridley is 31. Tate should be one of the top 3 immediately and could be the No. 1 at some point this season, by next year certainly. Spoiler, I'm assuming A.J. Brown will be gone before training camp. Lemon's highlights are truly special, making acrobatic catches in tight coverage look easy. Tyler Shough was awfully impressive as a rookie, especially the second half of the year. Tyson should be the No. 2 right away or at least fairly quickly, and while he has an injury history, so does Chris Olave.
1.05. RB Jadarian Price, Seahawks
1.06. WR KC Concepcion, Browns
1.07. TE Kenyon Sadiq, Jets
1.08. WR Denzel Boston, Browns
1.09. WR Omar Cooper, Jets
1.10. QB Fernando Mendoza, Raiders
1.11. WR Germie Bernard, Steelers
1.12. TE Eli Stowers, Eagles
The fascinating part of every rookie draft will be whether people let an understandable distaste for long-suffering offenses like the Jets and Browns drive them away from the talented skill position players those teams selected in the top 40 picks. I understand both teams have had some hits, and the Browns have a new coach, but we're talking about some serious organizational dysfunction here.
Price is a first-round running back going to the Super Bowl champs who currently lack a healthy, proven starter at the position. There are fair questions about his size, college production (stuck behind Love at Notre Dame) and skillset, but he'll be drafted this early pretty much everywhere.
I like Concepcion, drop concerns and landing spot notwithstanding. I'm a sucker for dual threats, and he can run, too. Yes he's going to Cleveland, but it's not all bad (Jerry Jeudy is the least-imposing No. 1 wideout this side of Miami). But Boston could also turn out to be the better pro, making the choice dicey. Love Sadiq as a player, wouldn't minded have seeing him land on a different roster. Cooper sure was huge for Indiana last year, my initial concern is that what worked for him in college won't work out as well in the NFL (as seen with Xavier Legette).
Mendoza is literally the only quarterback in this draft I'd consider taking. I see some people assuming he's going to hold a clipboard for much of the season behind Kirk Cousins, which is giving Cousins way, way too much credit.
Bernard is an intriguing prospect, and the landing spot (dynasty wise) is fine, neither Metcalf nor Pittman are on upward career trajectories. Dallas Goedert is 31 and Howie knows what he's doing.
2.01. WR Antonio Williams, Commanders
2.02. WR Chris Bell, Dolphins
2.03. RB Jonah Coleman, Broncos
2.04 WR De'Zhaun Stribling, 49ers
2.05. WR Elijah Sarratt, Ravens
2.06. WR Malachi Fields, Giants
2.07 WR Ja'Kobi Lane, Ravens
2.08. RB Mike Washington, Raiders
2.09. WR Caleb Douglas, Dolphins
2.10. WR Zachariah Branch, Falcons
2.11. TE Marlin Klein, Texans
2.12. RB Kaelon Black, 49ers
Honestly, I'm not sure just yet how these multitude of 2nd-4th round wide receivers are going to shake out. Stribling, as a for instance, was drafted with the 1st pick of the 2nd round, but nobody -- I mean nobody -- seems to agree with that selection. The Ravens have a laughably poor wide receiver room behind Zay Flowers, so either of their 3rd-4th round wideouts could open in the starting lineup. Sarratt's nickname at Indiana was Waffle House (cause he's always open), gotta love that. Fields with the Giants and Branch with the Falcons step into situations where they could be in the top 3 sooner rather than later.
Coleman is a decent looking prospect in a Denver backfield where the starter has an absurd injury history and no one else is proven. I saw a story after the draft that speculated he could be a goal-line vulture, which I'm not really sure where that's coming from. Because he's big? Unless it actually comes from Sean Payton, I take such speculation with a grain of salt. But both and Washington (immediate No. 2 behind Ashton Jeanty) will be second-round picks in rookie drafts, Coleman maybe a couple of picks earlier.
This is a TE-premium league, the problem is that all of the top TEs went to teams with established starters. Yes it's dynasty, but I don't think drafters will be falling over themselves to grab the No. 2 in New Orleans and the No. 4 with the Rams. But those guys will be taken in the 3rd round, below.
3.01. QB Ty Simpson, Rams
3.02. WR Skyler Bell, Bills
3.03. TE Will Kacmarek, Dolphins
3.04. TE Oscar Delp, Saints
3.05. TE Max Klare, Rams
3.06. WR Zavion Thomas, Bears
3.07. TE Eli Raridon, Patriots
3.08. WR Ted Hurst, Buccaneers
3.09. WR Colbie Young, Bengals
3.10. TE Matthew Hibner, Ravens
3.11. RB Nicholas Singleton, Titans
3.12. RB Emmett Johnson, K.C.
Somebody will draft Simpson, but not me, and I'm stupefied as to why the Rams did. They're smarter football guys than me so whatever, but I don't get why they'd limit their 2026 roster by using the 13th overall pick on a backup quarterback. I guess if Stafford gets hurt and Simpson steps in and wins a Super Bowl they look like geniuses. I like the Bills pick, but he's a fourth-rounder and there's a lot of bodies he has to get past to be one of the top 3. Lots of tight ends will go in this round, as will a few running backs.
After the draft I'll come back and post a recap next week, as always.
