While every draft class brings excitement, this year’s group stands out for its handful of elite offensive prospects headlining the class and a noticeable drop-off in immediate fantasy impact beyond the early selections. For dynasty managers, first-round draft capital remains one of the strongest indicators of long-term opportunity—but not all picks are created equal. Landing spots, positional value, and projected usage will ultimately determine whether these rookies become foundational assets or trade chips.
As teams begin integrating their new talent, now is the critical window to evaluate which players are worth building around, which are best used to capitalize on market hype, and which may already be trending toward becoming roster cloggers.
This article will focus on the key 1st Round selections from a dynasty perspective, helping you navigate the early stages of rookie valuation with a clear strategy to determine who to draft, who to try to trade away and/or trade up for, and who to avoid drafting in each round.
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Who To Draft
Jeremiyah Love | Arizona Cardinals | Keep
Jeremiyah Love was the consensus 1.01 in rookie drafts before the NFL Draft, and nothing has changed post-NFL Draft. While the backfield in Arizona is crowded currently, talent will always rise to the top, and Love is clearly the most talented back in the Cardinals’ running back room. Currently, I have Love as my RB4 in startup drafts and an overall ADP of 20.
Makai Lemon | Philadelphia Eagles | Keep
Coming into the NFL Draft, Makai Lemon was viewed as my WR2 pre-draft, and much like Jeremiyah Love, nothing has changed post-NFL Draft. Lemon is expected to step into an immediate starting role, potentially filling the void left by A.J. Brown’s expected departure from the Eagles. Often being selected at the 1.04, Lemon plays bigger than his 5’11’ frame would suggest while showing excellent body control. His toughness cannot be overlooked, and he is not afraid to work in the middle of the field. Lemon’s yards after the catch ability makes him dangerous with the ball in his hands. Currently, Lemon is the WR21 in our dynasty ranks, but in my personal ranks, I have Makai Lemon as my WR17 and a late-4th round, early-fifth round startup draft selection.
Carnell Tate | Tennessee Titans | Keep
The Tennessee Titans finally have their WR1 with their selection of Carnell Tate. Tate is a versatile wide receiver who can line up in the slot or play the X. His hands and body work in one fluid motion, and his field awareness makes him the safest wide receiving prospect in this draft. If you walk away from your rookie drafts with Carnell Tate, you should sleep soundly knowing you nailed your first-round rookie pick. Currently, Tate is my WR12 and a mid-to-late 3rd round pick in startup drafts.
Fernando Mendoza | Las Vegas Raiders | Keep
Fernando Mendoza is typically being selected at the 1.02 in rookie drafts. I have no complaints if you choose Carnell Tate over Mendoza, but 1.03 should be the floor of where Mendoza is selected in Superflex tight end premium drafts. While next year’s class does have some promise at quarterback, the wide receiver class is going to be elite and I would prefer to already have my long term quarterback on my roster giving me the flexibility to improve my roster in other areas.
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Who to Trade
Jordyn Tyson | New Orleans Saints | Trade Away
Jordyn Tyson landed in a great situation when the New Orleans Saints drafted him at 8th overall. In my predraft ranks, Tyson was my WR3, and even with an excellent landing spot, he stays as my WR3 post-draft. Primarily, my concerns with Tyson are not his gameplay, but his lengthy injury history. Tyson has missed roughly 34% of his total college games. He suffered a major left knee injury (torn ACL/MCL/PCL) in 2022 during his time with Colorado, a broken collarbone at Arizona State in 2024, and hamstring issues in 2025. Let us also not forget that Tyson did not participate in any of the on-field drills at the NFL Combine. It is hard to score fantasy points from the sideline.
Jadarian Price | Seattle Seahawks | Trade Away
One of the shocking picks in the 1st Round of the NFL Draft was the selection of Jadarian Price by the Seattle Seahawks. Coming into the NFL Draft, I was not the biggest fan of Jadarian Price as he was my RB5 during the predraft process, and I viewed him as more of a late Day 2, early Day 3 selection. As Rich and Garret said on the podcast, late 1st Round draft capital doesn’t always equate to fantasy success. Price’s rookie draft ADP is 1.06, which is often considered a tier break. I would look to shop this pick to a running back-needy team and add a more stable asset. I was recently able to flip the 1.06 and a 2027 second-round draft pick for A.J. Brown and Chris Godwin.
KC Concepcion | Cleveland Browns | Trade For
One of the few rookies that did find themselves in a favorable landing spot was KC Concepcion. Concepcion was my WR4 ahead of Denzel Boston during the predraft process, which many believed was a hot take. The Browns seemingly felt the same, as they took Concepcion in the 1st Round and Boston in the 2nd Round of the 2026 NFL Draft. In our latest rookie mock draft, I selected Concepcion with the 1.07, but I have seen drafts where Concepcion has fallen to the 1.11. If you are trying to trade up into the back end of the draft, Concepcion would be a player to target. If I am in a rebuild, I would look to move on from an older receiver in the WR3 range, like D.K. Metcalf or Davante Adams on your roster, to a team that needs immediate impact.
Omar Cooper Jr. | New York Jets | Trade For
Clearly, Omar Cooper Jr. was a target of the New York Jets as they traded up in the Draft to select him. Much like KC Concepcion, Omar Cooper Jr. is being drafted between the 1.07 – 1.11 range of rookie drafts. What separates Cooper from Concepcion is his elite yards after the catch ability. If you are unable to secure Concepcion in your rookie drafts, Omar Cooper Jr. is a fantastic second option. In terms of trading for Cooper, I view his trade value much like Concepcion.
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Who To Cut (Avoid)
Kenyon Sadiq | New York Jets | Cut (Avoid)
During the predraft process, I was torn on who my TE1 was between Kenyon Sadiq and Eli Stowers. The Jets selection of Sadiq and the Eagles selection of Stowers made this situation much clearer for me. It is weird to say this given the Jets offense last year, but Sadiq is joining a crowded group of offensive targets, while Stowers is joining a more concentrated passing attack. Commonly, Sadiq is being drafted at the 1.07-1.10 range of rookie drafts, which is the start of a tier break in the rookie ranks in my eyes. I would prefer to move away from this pick and acquire a reliable, proven option or draft Eli Stowers as I have Kenyon Sadiq as TE12 and Eli Stowers as my TE10 in my personal dynasty ranks.
Ty Simpson | Los Angeles Rams | Cut (Avoid)
The biggest surprise in the 1st Round of the NFL Draft was the Los Angeles Rams selection of Ty Simpson. During the pre-draft process, I had Simpson as my QB3 and viewed him as a 2nd round selection. I worried about his limited starts in college, his decision-making under pressure, and his internal clock at the next level. I saw a lot of similarities between his game and J.J. McCarthy‘s, who we have also seen struggle to evolve in the NFL. The good news for Simpson is that he gets to learn under the tutelage of Sean McVay and Matt Stafford. However, I am not comfortable with using pick 1.07 – 1.09 on Simpson and would look elsewhere if I was in need of a quarterback.
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Thanks for reading, Nerds. Make sure you check out our post-draft mock draft, where the other Dynasty Nerds writers and I participate in a four-round, superflex, tight-end-premium mock draft! Please continue to follow this series where we address Day 2 and Day 3 players and determine who to draft, who to try to trade away and/or trade up for, and who to avoid drafting. Good Luck and God Bless!
