All of our worst fears about the 2026 rookie class were confirmed during the 2026 NFL Draft. In fact, at the running back position, it was even worse than we feared. Only three running backs were drafted in the first three rounds of the draft. Then some of our favorite backs were drafted by teams that didn't need them. That's one of several reasons why 10 of the top 15 players in the rankings below are wide receivers.
What I expect is that we have a lot of disagreement in just how to rank those wide receivers, and for good reason. There wasn't much consensus after WR4 before the draft. To try to help you see how I distinguish between them, I both ranked and tiered my top 40 rookies. For the most part, I don't see much separation at all, though Makai Lemon is a pretty solid fifth overall player, even if there are two other wide receivers in his tier.
The rankings below are for Superflex Dynasty leagues without tight end premium scoring. Because I know how fast the TEP world is growing, I put each tight end's ranking in that format next to their name.
1. Jeremiyah Love, RB, Arizona Cardinals2. Fernando Mendoza, QB, Las Vegas Raiders
Love comes in at RB6 in my updated Dynasty running back rankings. He has the upside to crack the top three in short order. I do not love the landing spot, as the Cardinals could be a bad offense with a committee approach in Year 1, but Love doesn't even turn 21 until the end of May and has the type of skillset that could produce multiple seasons over 20 FPPG.
That being said, I do have Mendoza in the same tier and would completely understand if a team early in a rebuild prefers the quarterback. He ranks at QB15 in updated Dynasty rankings, but would be QB11 for teams not trying to contend this season. I believe that Mendoza's intangibles, in combination with Klint Kubiak calling plays, could make him a high-end QB2 in Fantasy as soon as he gets his legs under him.
3. Carnell Tate, WR, Tennessee Titans4. Jordyn Tyson, WR, New Orleans Saints
Tate was my WR1 before the draft, the first wide receiver drafted, and has an excellent chance to lead his team in targets in Year 1. But I totally understand if someone had Tyson as WR1 coming in to the draft, why they may prefer him still. These two are back to back in my wide receiver rankings at WR15 and WR16, basically tied with Emeka Egbuka.
5. Makai Lemon, WR, Philadelphia Eagles6. Jadarian Price, RB, Seattle Seahawks7. KC Concepcion, WR, Cleveland Browns8. Omar Cooper, WR, New York Jets
If you wanted to put Lemon in a tier of his own, I wouldn't argue. I expect some people will even have him ranked ahead of Tate or Tyson based on the expectation that A.J. Brown will be traded this summer. That is my expectation, but I still have plenty of questions about this fit with the Eagles. First, it has been a very low-pass-volume offense. Second, I am not sure how well Lemon's skill set fits with Jalen Hurts, particularly over the middle of the field. The team still has DeVonta Smith, who I project as the clear WR1, and also added Eli Stowers, who is more of a receiver in a tight end's body.
Price was by far the biggest winner of Day 1, and then got another boost when there were no running backs we were interested in drafted on Day 2. The running back position is both getting more important in Fantasy Football and arguably getting thinner with this year's draft class failing to fully restock the cupboards. If Price earns and keeps the lead role in Seattle, he could be a top 12 Dynasty running back in the future. For now, he is my RB19.
9. Denzel Boston, WR, Cleveland Browns10. Ty Simpson, QB, Los Angeles Rams11. Antonio Williams, WR, Washington Commanders12. Kenyon Sadiq, TE, New York Jets (8)13. Germie Bernard, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers14. Chris Bell, WR, Miami Dolphins15. Malachi Fields, WR, New York Giants16. Eli Stowers, TE, Philadelphia Eagles (12)
We have reached the "choose your own adventure" portion of the rankings. Well, unless you want a running back. Chris Bell and Malachi Fields are two wide receivers I expect to be higher on than the consensus. I really liked their games coming out of college, and both have an opportunity to earn significant targets in Year 1. Bell is recovering from a torn ACL, but by the time we get to Week 1, he will be more than nine months removed from the injury. He's a better pick for rebuilders than contenders, just because he could get off to a slow start due to missing offseason work.
Matt Waldman, one of my guests on Fantasy Football Today Dynasty in April, loved Fields before the draft. Check out why here:
17. Chris Brazzell, WR, Carolina Panthers18. Zachariah Branch, WR, Atlanta Falcons19. Jonah Coleman, RB, Denver Broncos20. Mike Washington, RB, Las Vegas Raiders21. Ted Hurst, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers22. Nicholas Singleton, RB, Tennessee Titans23. Emmett Johnson, RB, Kansas City Chiefs24. De'Zhaun Stribling, WR, San Francisco 49ers25. Eli Raridon, TE, New England Patriots (17)26. Drew Allar, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers27. Elijah Sarratt, WR, Baltimore Ravens28. Max Klare, TE, Los Angeles Rams (18)29. Oscar Delp, TE, New Orleans Saints (19)30. Demond Claiborne, RB, Minnesota Vikings31. Tanner Koziol, TE, Jacksonville Jaguars (27)32. Caleb Douglas, WR, Miami Dolphins33. Carson Beck, QB, Arizona Cardinals34. Skyler Bell, WR, Buffalo Bills
We finally got to RB3! Coleman edges out Washington and Johnson simply because it is easier to see a path for him to win a lead job in 2027. That being said, if Klint Kubiak runs the same system he did in Seattle, it is possible Washington matters as the Raiders' RB2 in 2026. The first four running backs in this mega tier all rank between RB43 and RB46, directly behind Blake Corum. I actually like the opportunity better for Claiborne, but I am not sure he is big enough to be a lead running back in the NFL.
Allar is probably ranked too high if Aaron Rodgers returns to Pittsburgh, but I thought both he and Beck landed in close to the best-case scenario. I am more hopeful Allar could be a starting quarterback in the NFL than Beck, but if Jacoby Brissett's contract situation doesn't get worked out, then Beck could get a chance to start this year.
35. Eli Heidenreich, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers36. Brenen Thompson, WR, Los Angeles Chargers37. Taylen Green, QB, Cleveland Browns38. Cade Klubnik, QB, New York Jets39. Kaytron Allen, RB, Washington Commanders40. Adam Randall, RB, Baltimore Ravens
Honestly, you could add 10 more names to this tier, but there are my favorite six guys left, mostly because of upside. Heidenreich could be a PPR cheat code in the right role, Thompson is a Mike McDaniel favorite, and Green offers huge dual-threat upside if he ever gets on the field. Allen is the one exception. I don't actually think he has much upside at all, but it is a wide open running back room, and the opportunity alone helps him sneak into the top 40.