The 2026 NFL Draft is approaching fast. We are two days away from finding out who will be selected in the first round, and these selections could have a major impact on fantasy football. Here, we will examine some first-round scenarios that could change fantasy football.
1. Where do the wide receivers go?
This 2026 wide receiver class is deep and has players through day three that could eventually have an impact on fantasy football. However, there is not the expected elite talent in this class that you had two years ago when Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, and Rome Odunze sat at the top of the board.
This year also has a trio of top players in Carnell Tate, Makai Lemon, and Jordyn Tyson. In no way am I saying that this trio isn’t talented, but I think fantasy owners should temper their expectations. This class reminds me more of the 2023 class of wide receivers, where Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Zay Flowers, and Jordan Addison went in the first round.
Tate, Lemon and Tyson are all sure to be round one picks this Thursday evening. They all have very similar talent levels, and all have some question marks going into the draft. The team that selects these players could have a huge impact on their immediate success in the NFL.
Their rankings going into fantasy drafts will likely be shaken up based on their situation. For instance, if one of them were selected by the Cleveland Browns, while the player’s talent level is high, it would likely push their draft stock below the other two. Cleveland is still searching for a consistent quarterback to distribute the ball, and there is not much there to take focus off the young rookie.
These kinds of factors need to be evaluated on a situation-to-situation basis. You don’t want too much pressure on rookies to be the sole focus right away, but you also want them to have the opportunity to see a solid target share. There is a fine line that needs to be examined closely.
The best situation for these players is to be drafted by a team with a solid quarterback situation and a secondary receiver or tight end who can draw attention away without limiting their target share. Having a running back who can pull players up into the box and open the deep area of the field for big plays is also helpful.
As stated above, this is a deep wide receiver class. It is very likely that Tate, Lemon, and Tyson aren’t the only wide receivers selected in round one. Position players are often selected toward the end of the first round by teams hoping to secure a fifth-year option.
Some players who could also go in the second half of the first round include Denzel Boston, Omar Cooper Jr., and K.C. Concepcion.
These three receivers aren’t quite as complete as the top trio, but they all have appealing traits. Concepcion has great route-running ability and athleticism, but he has had issues with drops. Boston has a prototypical wide receiver build with a huge catch radius. He could emerge quickly as a red-zone target, though he doesn’t create much separation. Omar Cooper Jr. lacks elite speed but has a knack for finding holes in the defense and has great hands. He could become an elite chain mover at the next level.
Another thing that could make these receivers appealing is the situation that they will likely be in. Being drafted in the second half of the first round usually means joining a more talented team. While this can be beneficial, it can also mean being buried on the depth chart and viewed as a long-term asset.
2. Does more than one running back get selected in the first round?
Running back Jeremiyah Love is the number one fantasy football asset in this draft and it’s not close. In a Superflex league as a rebuilding team you can argue going with quarterback Fernando Mendoza because you should get more longevity out of him. If you are rebuilding Jeremiyah Love may not have too many years left to support your team by the time you have a competitive team to work with.
At this point, everyone knows about Love. He is one of those rare top-tier talents that doesn’t come around often. He has the strength and power to break tackles, along with the quickness to make defenders miss. Love has excellent vision, finds running lanes quickly, and explodes through holes. He also has the breakaway speed to hit home runs.
But what about the running backs after him? This is not a deep class like last year. Entering the 2025 draft, many believed as many as 10 players could eventually become starters at the position.
This class is very much the opposite. After Love, fantasy production will likely depend heavily on draft position and landing spot.
Once a running back falls out of day two, the odds of making a significant impact drop drastically. The key question is whether any other backs sneak into round one. If that happens, I don’t expect more than one additional running back to be selected in that round.
One interesting team to watch is Seattle at the end of round one. They let Kenneth Walker III go in free agency, and Zach Charbonnet tore his ACL in the divisional round last season. He is expected to miss significant time in 2026.
This opens the door for a running back to have a major role in the Seahawks offense. If they select a running back in the first round, it would significantly increase that player’s draft stock. The best candidates would likely be Jadarian Price and Mike Washington Jr..
Jadarian Price would be the best fit in my opinion. He is a one cut runner with the physicality to run through tackles, mixed with elite vision and a unique ability to find the endzone
Mike Washington’s stock rose after his standout combine performance. He has elite speed, home-run ability, and enough agility to make defenders miss. He also shows potential as a pass catcher but is inconsistent in pass protection.
3. Where does tight End Kenyon Sadiq go?
Kenyon Sadiq is the consensus number one tight end in this draft class. Sadiq is an efficient blocker. He is smaller than you would like and lacked some consistency with his pass catching in college, but his athleticism is through the roof. He displayed his elite speed at the combine with a 4.39 second 40-yard dash.
His vertical speed was not on display too much in college as he was mostly used on quick routes using his athleticism to get yards after the catch. He has an explosive release and can separate with his speed.
Sadiq is an intriguing prospect, but he isn’t as complete as Colston Loveland or Tyler Warren were last year. His athletic skillset reminds me of Vernon Davis or Eric Ebron. Both players went high in the first round and never really lived up to the expectations of their draft position.
I don’t think Sadiq will be taken quite as high. I believe he will be picked somewhere between picks 14-27. The situation that he is placed in will truly impact his effectiveness especially as a rookie.
He may benefit from joining a team like the Baltimore Ravens or San Francisco 49ers, where he could learn from veterans like Mark Andrews or George Kittle. While this may limit his short-term fantasy value, it could maximize his long-term potential.
If Sadiq lands on a team where he is immediately thrust into a starting role, it will be crucial that he has veteran support and a reliable quarterback. Poor quarterback play and heavy reliance on his production could lead to underperformance.
4. Does quarterback Ty Simpson sneak into the first round?
I’ll start by saying I am not very high on Ty Simpson. At best, I see him as a low-end QB2 in fantasy football. Currently, he ranks as my 14th overall player in rookie dynasty rankings.
I don’t think that Simpson should be taken in the first round of this draft, but teams get desperate for quarterbacks, and a lot of teams look to trade up from the early second round into the first round to get the 5th year option on quarterbacks in the case that pick works out.
I could see a team like the New York Jets or Arizona Cardinals trading back into the end of the first round to select him. Regardless of the team, I don’t expect major success, but in Superflex formats, his draft stock would rise.
As a first-round pick, he would likely get multiple seasons to prove himself. This would give fantasy owners a few seasons to use him as a QB2-QB3 option.
The excitement surrounding the NFL Draft is reaching its peak. In just a couple of days, we’ll have answers to these questions.
If you are a serious fantasy football player and avid NFL fan, I urge you to keep your eye on these situations as round one progresses Thursday night. Pay attention to where these guys go and the situations that they are put in and adjust your boards accordingly. Getting these evaluations right could be the difference between a setback and a major leap forward for your dynasty team..
View my 2026 NFL mock draft here.
Take a look at my latest fantasy football rankings here.
Check out more dynasty fantasy football related articles here.
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