Dynasty Rookie Rankings 2026

Dynasty football fans live for this time of year. The NFL Draft represents the single most important inflection point in the dynasty calendar, where franchises rebuild, and rosters transform overnight. New blood floods the league, bringing hope, hype, and the promise of league-winning upside for those who draft correctly.

The reality, however, is far messier than the pre-draft projections suggest. For every blue-chip selection that pays off with immediate dividends, there are busts that never materialize and slow-burning prospects that take years to unlock their potential. The draft community will crown winners and losers within hours of the final pick, but history tells a different story. True evaluation requires patience, context, and the willingness to let talent develop on its own timeline.

This is where dynasty managers separate themselves from the pack. While redraft players chase immediate production and flip rosters annually, dynasty builders understand that rookie evaluation is a multi-year process. They dub themselves the “Howie Roseman” of the Dynasty when they hit and quickly bury bad draft capital when they miss. Dynasty football is a full time comitment that is 100% worth it if you’re a big fantasy football fan

The 2026 rookie class brings another wave of talent with legitimate long-term upside. This is an interesting year, as the landing spot (as usual) will have a massive impact on these Dynasty rookie rankings. Some will hit immediately. The following are Gridiron Experts Dynasty Rookie Rankings for 2026. Updates will happen through the next four months, so make sure to bookmark this page.

Jeremiyah Love

RB | Notre Dame

Jeremiyah Love enters the 2026 NFL Draft as the consensus top running back prospect and top pick after back-to-back elite seasons at Notre Dame. The 6-foot, 214-pound junior from St. Louis combines rare speed with well-rounded skill that translated to 2,497 rushing yards and 35 rushing touchdowns across his final two collegiate seasons. His 2025 campaign earned him the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s best running back, becoming the first Notre Dame player to win the honor, while also finishing third in Heisman Trophy voting.

Love’s athleticism stems from a track-and-field background, including a 10.76-second 100-meter dash that won the Missouri state championship in high school. That blazing speed manifests as legitimate breakaway ability on the football field, evidenced by multiple 90-plus-yard touchdown runs during his Notre Dame career. He averaged 6.9 yards per carry over his final two seasons while adding 55 receptions for 517 yards, demonstrating the receiving chops that make him a three-down weapon.

Love will set the stage for dynasty rookie rankings this season. He is currently projected as a top 12 pick, but who takes him will be massive in terms of first-year value

Radiers – Medzona (lock)
Jets – Too many other needs
Cardinals – Too many other needs
Titans – Possible landing spot
Giants – Possible landing spot
Browns – Possible landing spot, but too many other needs
Commanders – Possible landing spot
Saints – Heavily Mock Drafted to land here
Chiefs – This would be amazing for Dynasty
Bengals – I don’t see it.
Dolphins – No chance
Cowboys – Jerry would 100% pick him here

His running style favors zone concepts where he can plant once and explode through creases with excellent acceleration. Love shows natural contact balance for his lean frame and surprising pass protection ability for a young back. The primary developmental concerns center on durability, given his build, and whether he can handle a full NFL workload without a complementary power back. Some scouts note he occasionally lacks patience between the tackles, bouncing outside rather than waiting for blocks to develop.

Love projects as an immediate-impact starter in a zone-heavy system, with RB1 upside in dynasty formats. His combination of speed, receiving ability, and big-play threat gives him an elite fantasy ceiling despite questions about early-career workload management.

Carnell Tate

WR | Ohio State

Carnell Tate enters the 2026 NFL Draft as the consensus top receiver prospect after a polished three-year career at Ohio State. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound junior from Chicago finished his collegiate tenure with 121 receptions for 1,872 yards and 14 touchdowns across 39 games, averaging a robust 17.2 yards per catch as a junior. Despite missing three games in 2025 with a calf injury, Tate posted career-high numbers with 875 yards and nine touchdowns while recording zero drops according to Pro Football Focus.

Tate’s game centers on technical precision rather than explosive athleticism. He wins with elite route running, outstanding body control, and the ability to consistently high-point contested catches. His 183-yard performance against Minnesota showcased his ability to dominate as a featured weapon, though he spent most of his career playing opposite Jeremiah Smith and facing lesser coverage attention. The five-star recruit from IMG Academy arrived at Ohio State ready to contribute immediately, posting better freshman numbers than former Buckeyes stars Chris Olave and Marvin Harrison Jr.

The primary developmental concern is his projected 40-yard dash time, which is projected to be in the 4.48 to 4.58 range, limiting his ability to separate vertically against elite NFL corners. His yards after catch production remains functional rather than dynamic, averaging just 4.5 yards after reception in 2025. The lean frame and injury history raise durability questions about handling a full NFL workload.

Tate projects as a Day 1 starter in timing-based offenses where route precision matters more than raw speed. His floor appears exceptionally high given his polish, championship experience, and strong academic profile, making him a safe early-round investment with clear WR1 upside by year two.

Jordyn Tyson enters the 2026 NFL Draft as one of the premier receiver prospects despite an injury-marred collegiate career that limited him to just 22 games over four seasons. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Arizona State product transferred from Colorado after a promising freshman campaign and delivered when healthy, posting consecutive 700-plus yard seasons in 2024 and 2025. His breakout 2024 campaign featured 75 receptions for 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns, earning Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year honors before a collarbone injury ended his season.

Tyson’s game centers on nuanced route running and elite body control rather than overwhelming speed. His projected 4.50 forty-yard dash time positions him as a technician who creates separation through craft, precise footwork, and understanding of leverage. The basketball background shows up prominently in contested catch situations, where he boxes out defenders and high-points the football with exceptional timing. His versatility allows him to win from the slot or outside, giving offensive coordinators flexibility in deployment.

The primary red flag remains a history of devastating injuries. A torn ACL, MCL, and PCL cost him the entire 2023 season, followed by the collarbone fracture in 2024 and hamstring issues in 2025. He has missed more than 40 percent of his potential collegiate games, raising legitimate durability concerns for teams investing early-round capital. Additional developmental areas include struggles against physical press coverage and average play strength when defenders get their hands on him.

Tyson projects as a mid-first-round selection who can contribute immediately in timing-based offenses. His polish and route savvy provide a solid foundation, though his medical profile caps his dynasty ceiling relative to healthier prospects in this class.

Jordyn Tyson

WR | Arizona State

Jordyn Tyson is one of the premier receiver prospects despite an injury-marred collegiate career that limited him to just 22 games over four seasons. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Arizona State product transferred from Colorado after a promising freshman campaign and delivered when healthy, posting consecutive 700-plus yard seasons in 2024 and 2025. His breakout 2024 campaign featured 75 receptions for 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns, earning Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year honors before a collarbone injury ended his season.

Tyson projects as a mid-first-round selection who can contribute immediately in timing-based offenses. Tyson has a chance to land on a great team and produce right away, which is causing some to say he could flip dynasty rookie rankings altogether. If Tate lands with the Titans, and the Chiefs or Lions snag Tyson, things could get interesting. Other popular landing spots are the Rams, Vikings, and Bills.