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2026 NFL Draft Recap: Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings & Landing Spot Analysis
by Optimus Staff
The NFL Draft is the signal for fantasy football managers that spring has arrived. The draft is over. Our favorite prospects’ landing spots are locked in, and we can start to prognosticate on these players’ futures through our fantasy football crystal ball. That is exactly what we aim to do for you in this 2026 NFL Draft Recap with fantasy football rookie rankings insights & landing spot analysis.
If only it were that easy, amiright?
There are a plethora of things to consider now that we know where these players will spend their 2026 NFL season.
Who are they competing with?
Is this a good situation?
Do they have the coaching staff to support their growth?
Is this the right offensive scheme for them to succeed?
Fortunately for you, we eat, sleep and breathe fantasy football. We’ve spent every waking minute since Day One of the NFL Draft locked into studying draft capital, landing spots and outlooks with ownership, coaching staffs, personnel and schemes baked in.
Here is our breakdown of all seven rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft to help you navigate your dynasty rookie drafts over the offseason and your season-long fantasy drafts come August.
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Day One
Fernando Mendoza and Ty Simpson
It wasn’t a shocker when the Las Vegas Raiders selected Indiana QB and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza first overall. Las Vegas is a team in desperate need of consistent QB play, and with the first overall pick, it was a no-brainer that the organization didn’t bother to hide.
However, it’s not set in stone that Mendoza will start Week 1.
Las Vegas signed veteran QB Kirk Cousins on March 15th, shortly after new head coach (and former Seahawks offensive coordinator) Klint Kubiak indicated his preference to let rookie QBs sit behind a veteran.
What does that mean for his dynasty outlook?
Be prepared to taxi Mendoza for his rookie season, but you shouldn’t be turned off from drafting him if you have a top 3 pick in your dynasty rookie drafts. Patrick Mahomes played in one game in his rookie season, friends. Giving Mendoza time to sit is a good thing, for him and for your dynasty shares.
Ty Simpson is a far more curious case.
Until a few days before the draft, most analysts had him either falling out of the first round or landing in New York as a Jet. Instead, as reports in the days leading up to the draft indicated, Simpson was taken with the 13th pick by the Los Angeles Rams, as the heir apparent – one would assume – to incumbent QB Matthew Stafford.
While on the surface this seems far more cut-and-dry, it isn’t.
Head coach Sean McVay looked visibly irritated on national television when the pick was announced and sounded annoyed with Simpson during their “welcome to the team” call afterward. Maybe McVay was having a bad day, maybe he was caught in an odd moment. Who knows. However, it’s worth noting.
If you’re drafting Simpson, I would proceed with caution. Teams in need of immediate help at QB should steer clear. Stafford is an anomaly, and it could be a few years before he hangs up his cleats and the rookie from Alabama gets his shot. He’ll need to sit on your taxi squad with Jordan Love-esque patience.
Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price
Despite days of warning that this could happen, the Arizona Cardinals actually taking Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love with the third overall pick was still jarring. Arizona, which just released itself from the Kyler Murray experience, has a loaded – albeit mediocre – RB room. Including recently acquired veteran Tyler Allgeier, incumbent RB James Conner returning on a restructured contract, and the Cardinals’ 2024 3rd round pick, Trey Benson.
Love is currently the consensus 1.01 dynasty rookie draft, and that shouldn’t change. However, I would temper my expectations for year one, along the lines of how we should have for Ashton Jeanty in Las Vegas. This is still a bad offense with a new coaching staff that is in a rebuild. In addition, if you are a manager holding shares of any of the aforementioned RBs, I’d be very concerned (this one’s for you, Benson truthers). Over one weekend in April, they’ve all become part of the supporting cast.
Love’s teammate and backfield mate at Notre Dame, Jadarian Price, however, is a different story.
Price, the Knuckles to Love’s Sonic, landed with the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, seemingly replacing veteran RB and current Kansas City Chief, Kenneth Walker.
So what? Zach Charbonnet is still there.
The difference between Charbonnet and Walker’s fantasy production in 2025 was one-tenth of a point. 11.3 fantasy points per game for Walker to Charbonnet’s 11.2. At worst for Price, the Seahawks’ backfield is a 50/50 split, which would slot him in for roughly 200 carries.
On initial projected volume in year one alone, Price is worth the price tag of a late first-round rookie draft pick. With his draft capital and this team leaning run-heavy to protect QB Sam Darnold, his long-term outlook has a top-10 dynasty RB asset.
Carnell Tate, Makai Lemon, and Jordyn Tyson
It’s no accident I lumped these three specific WRs together. The top three receiver prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft all ended up in situations with major questions.
Carnell Tate, the WR1 in this draft class for many analysts and managers, took a perceived value hit when Tennessee snagged him with the fourth overall pick. I understand the concern, given QB Cam Ward‘s struggles in his rookie campaign.
However, what if Tate elevates Ward?
Don’t let the noise keep you sleeping on Tate. We’ve seen him going as a top-five pick in rookie drafts, and that’s valid. His competition for targets includes a washed Calvin Ridley, Elic Ayomanor and TE Gunnar Helm. Compared to Makai Lemon and Jordyn Tyson, this is a dream situation.
But Nate, Makai Lemon is in Philadelphia, a consistent contender!
Sure, and that’s certainly a positive. However, there’s a lot going on in Philly, folks. The A.J. Brown saga is still in full swing, the team also invested in TE Eli Stowers, and like it or not, DeVonta Smith still exists.
Worse yet, this isn’t a pass-happy offense. Head coach Nick Sirianni is content ot use the combo of RB Saquon Barkley and QB Jalen Hurts to run the ball down opponents’ throats. It’s a formula that’s worked well for them so far, and while there is passing volume to be had, Lemon’s value in this scheme relies on Brown being traded (at least in year one). I’m not going to say he’s a fantasy lemon (courtesy laugh, please), but patience is key.
Jordyan Tyson is the most confusing prospect of this trio, in my opinion.
Landing in New Orleans, a team in full rebuild mode under head coach Kellen Moore, Tyson joins a roster that includes former 11th overall pick Chris Olave at WR, veteran TE Juwan Johnson and RBs Travis Etienne and Alvin Kamara.
In a bad offense, how many touches can we reasonably expect for Tyson with that much competition? The real sticker is Olave, who earned 156 targets last season. Tyson’s time will come (probably), but he’s another asset you ned to be prepared to taxi for a season before he can make an impact on your dynasty squads, so draft (or don’t) accordingly.
Omar Cooper Jr. and KC Concepcion
More good receivers on bad teams, but with a different tone.
We’ll start with Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr., the 30th overall pick by the New York Jets. Yes, the Jets are a bad team, with a bad front office. But, head coach Aaron Glen seems competent enough to make this work.
Paired with veteran WR Garrett Wilson and TE Kenyon Sadiq (we’ll discuss him soon), Cooper will be catching passes from QB Geno Smith, who, while on the back side of his career (he’ll turn 35 this season), has been one of the more accurate QBs in the league over his last four seasons.
The Jets won’t be good. Let’s get that out of the way.
But Cooper could be. I’d be wary of spending first-round draft capital on him, but anything in the second round feels okay, which is where he’s been falling.
The situation for Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion is far trickier than Cooper’s, which is to be expected for anyone landing in Cleveland these days.
Concepcion, who was taken with the 24th overall pick, joins WRs Denzel Boston (the 39th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft), Jerry Jeudy, Cedric Tillman and Jamari Thrash, as well as TE Harold Fannin and RB Quinshon Judkins.
But the biggest question mark? QB.
Currently on the Browns QB depth chart: DeShaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel and rookie Taylen Green. So, who will be throwing balls to the plethora of pass catchers in this offense? No one knows.
If we’re being honest, it’s a crap shoot who will see relevant volume in the Cleveland offense. I love Concepcion’s talents, but as a first- or second-round rookie pick, it’s hard to be excited about his range of outcomes.
Kenyon Sadiq
It wouldn’t be an NFL season at any point without some confusion around the New York Jets decisions, amiright?
It’s hard to argue with the talent of Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq, or with any franchise’s decision to acquire the athletic specimen. However. The Jets had a lot of needs in this draft, and TE was hardly one of them. Last season, the team drafted TE Mason Taylor, who by the end of the season was seeing increased work and volume in the New York offense.
But alas…
If you’re a Mason Taylor manager, I’m sorry. It was over before it began. Given Sadiq’s draft capital going 16th overall, you’d be hard-pressed to think this offense won’t find a way to work him in.
Given the scarcity of viable TE assets in fantasy football, you’d be crazy to pass on Sadiq, too. Sure, the Jets are destined to be bad, as we covered when discussing Omar Cooper. But bad offenses produce volume, and Sadiq figures to be a staple of this Jets offense for the foreseeable future.
Day Two
Cam White here covering all of the Day 2 and Day 3 thoughts. After 16 hours of NFL draft coverage, my watch ends. Days 2 and 3 left me scratching my head, as many of the players with the skill sets to score fantasy points fell. It’s a good reminder for us that the NFL is trying to win games, not rack up stats. Sometimes an NFL team will draft 2 WRs in the same round, but in the opposite order we would have projected the players to go, like when the Miami Dolphins took Caleb Douglas over Chris Bell. Miami selected Bell nearly 20 picks after taking Douglas, and drafted a blocking TE in between the WR selections. We’ll talk more about the wide receivers Miami drafted later on. Let’s get into Day 2.
Carson Beck and Drew Allar
The Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers took QBs in the third round, hoping to land their QB of the future. The Cardinals selected Carson Beck 65th overall, and the Steelers grabbed Drew Allar at 76th overall. I’d understand rolling the dice in the 3rd round in your rookie draft on either of these QBs. Ultimately, they’re taxi guys for 2026.
De’Zhaun Stribling and Denzel Boston
I was way wrong on De’Zhaun Stribling, or at least the 49ers think so. I saw the writing on the wall when he was a popular name, attending top-30 visits with NFL teams. Then he went No. 33 overall to the San Francisco 49ers.
On tape, I saw a big, hulking WR who was more nimble than I expected. His highlights were rife with impressive catches. His game film was compelling, but you can also see instances where he gets caught up with clunky footwork. To me, he is a guy who does everything well at 6’4″.
I thought Denzel Boston ran crisper routes and was just slightly worse as a blocker than Stribling.
Boston went six picks after Stribling to Cleveland. Stribling enters an offensive ecosystem where he can be deployed immediately as a blocker, allowing the 49ers to mask their play call with him on the field. I have low expectations for Stribling in Year 1, but if Mike Evans misses time, it appears the 49ers might plan to use Stribling in the X role in the 49ers offense.
If you believed in Xavier Legette, maybe Stribling is your cup of tea. As a fifth-year senior, Stribling caught 55 balls for 811 yards and six TDs over 15 games. Stribling didn’t win on vertical routes, so I’m not sure how well it’ll go for fantasy purposes if the 49ers envision him in the X role long-term. I will go back and watch more of Stribling and reflect on where he should rank in my rookie rankings. He was my WR30 in pre-draft rankings and sits at WR18 in my early post-draft rankings.
For fantasy drafters with drafts starting in April and early May, I’m currently recommending teams avoid Stribling in the second round.
If you’re a manager with a solid roster and extra rookie picks, sure, gamble on the draft capital, take Stribling, and place him on the taxi squad for 2026. If you’re a Stribling guy, target him at the beginning of the third round.
Back to that reminder about the NFL not caring about stats as we do as fantasy managers. Blocking TEs flew off the draft board on Days 2 and 3. I like me a blocking tight end. If you read my prospect scouting reports, you’ll see that I discuss a player’s blocking at the bottom of each report. The NFL started taking blocking tight ends at pick 56.
Nate Boerkircher and Antonio Williams
I liked Nate Boerkircher at the Senior Bowl, but I did not see the dynamism to warrant taking him over most of the third-round draftees who came after him. There was a stretch of 20 picks, starting at the back end of Round 2, during which six tight ends were drafted. We’re being ushered into a period when the multiple-tight-end package will be more prominent in the NFL. Watch out, slot only WRs. The tight ends are stealing your snaps.
I watched Antonio Williams‘ tape early in the scouting process. It was when I went back a second time to record my notes on his film that I realized I was far too low on Antonio Williams in my pre-combine ranking him at WR20.
Williams was the ninth WR off the board, going to the Washington Commanders.
I love the fit with the Commanders. They currently lack a reliable short to intermediate-term target for Jayden Daniels. Antonio Williams is one of four WRs that I consistently see break off their routes in two steps. Williams also displays the ability to win with physicality and contact throughout his route, a skill that is often overemphasized for prospects with poor footwork. Lucky for Williams, he has some of the best route-running technique in this year’s draft class.
Williams will likely be the No. 2 target in the Commanders’ offense behind Terry McClaurin.
If Brandon Aiyuk comes to the Commanders at some point, as has been rumored, I’ll ever so slightly bump Antonio Williams’ short-term value down. Williams’ camp hype will be one to monitor. He is my WR5 in my early post-draft rankings.
Go use the promo code “ROOKIES” to check out the scouting report Cam White wrote on Antonio Williams.
Caleb Douglas, Chris Bell and Kevin Coleman
Caleb Douglas and Chris Bell are Miami Dolphins. And so is Kevin Coleman. The depth chart appears to be wide open for one of these WRs to grab the WR1 role and the majority of the WR targets in this offense. It looks like Malik Washington and Jalen Tolbert will land somewhere between role players and reserves on the Dolphins depth chart after a small amount of hype built around them after free agency.
Chris Bell has received A.J. Brown comps due to his physicality and impressive explosiveness at 6’2″, 220 lbs. Bell has one of the highest upside of the WRs in this draft cycle, but he tore his ACL last season and will likely be out until the start of the season. Bell is a raw route runner, often winning by overpowering his defender with his physicality and short-area burst.
Fantasy managers will need to be patient for him to recover and begin developing the skills to beat NFL defensive backs.
Caleb Douglas, on the other hand, is built like a Megatron Jr., or at least that’s who he told us he models his game after in interviews. You know, I can sort of see it if I squint. Douglas is a prototypical X at 6’4″, 206 lbs. Douglas has developed “late hands,” which is a fancy way of saying he doesn’t clue defenders into the fact that the ball is coming his way until he’s just about to catch the ball.
Douglas gets into YAC quickly by attacking the ball early. Douglas understands how to set defenders up on his stems and use his frame to his advantage on deep routes. With 4.4 40 speed, he can run past guys on the sideline in man coverage. He is adept at hand-fighting throughout his route and will get physical to win separation along the boundary.
The Dolphins hope these two prospects form a formidable one-two punch that will help Malik Willis orchestrate an effective offense. If you want to know more about Kevin Coleman, who outproduced Travis Hunter in their freshman year at Jackson State together, go check out my scouting report on him.
Use the promo code “ROOKIES” to get a free 7-day trial to the write-ups and tools.
There’s a chance De’Von Achane leads this offense in targets during 2026. I would consider Bell in the middle of Round 2 of rookie drafts, with Douglas and Coleman being Round 3 targets if I need a chance at immediate WR production. Bell is a fantastic taxi candidate, as you will likely not start him in 2026 as he works his way back into football shape.
Malachi Fields
Who is the WR2 on the New York Giants? Is it already Malachi Fields? Fields will compete against Darnell Mooney and Darius Slayton for the starting gig opposite Malik Nabers. He stands out in the WR room at 6’4″, and will likely see the field early due to his blocking prowess.
Notre Dame primarily tied Fields to the boundary and made him their deep threat option. It was clear to everyone in attendance at the Senior Bowl that Fields is capable of working the short and intermediate areas of the field. If the Giants plan to mimic his usage at Notre Dame, I will be lower on Fields than I am immediately post-draft. Fields may not have high-end upside, but he has a very safe floor due to the lack of wide receivers on the Giants’ offense.
I’ll likely target Fields in the middle of round 2 in rookie drafts. He’s a smash pick in the third round of rookie drafts.
Kaelon Black
Indiana RB Kaelon Black was the only RB to get drafted on Day 2, going to the San Francisco 49ers at pick 90. Black ran for over 1,000 yards last year at Indiana, splitting time with backfield mate Roman Hemby, who also ran for 1,000 yards.
At the Senior Bowl, Black was consistent throughout drills and scrimmages.
While he never popped, he consistently found running lanes against a dominant defensive line, caught his targets underneath the defense, and blocked his assignments off the quarterback. Black was one of the most popular top 30 visitors for NFL teams. The 49ers have made it a habit to draft RBs early.
Taking Black at the end of the third round made it clear they preferred his talents to those of the remaining RBs, who all have various holes in their games.
Day Three
Taylen Green
Real quick, Taylen Green is a Cleveland Brown. If you were interested in buying into Green for the upside in the running QB archetype, this is the perfect landing spot for Green to potentially produce fantasy points early. The QB1 in Cleveland is undecided. I wouldn’t consider taking him until midway through the 3rd round in leagues with short benches.
Skyler Bell and Cyrus Allen
The Buffalo Bills drafted one of my favorite WR prospects in this year’s class when they selected Skyler Bell at pick 125. The Bills traded back three times at the back of the first round and the start of the second round. Bell is the only pass-catching weapon the Bills drafted, and will likely compete for the No. 2 spot on the depth chart behind DJ Moore.
I was bullish on Bell’s talents after my film study and will remain high on him until I have reason to feel differently.
Bell is WR9 in my post-draft rankings. He was WR5 in my pre-draft rankings. He is tied to an elite QB. First-year Head Coach Joe Brady made Skyler Bell the only fantasy-relevant player in the Bills’ 2026 draft class.
Previously, Brady was the Bills’ Offensive Coordinator and is renowned for his passing-game coordination. Skyler Bell is a clear buy for me in rookie drafts, where I expect him to consistently be available in the third round.
I’ll keep this one short and sweet. He was third in the nation in receiving touchdowns last year. He crushed the American Bowl and was subsequently invited to the Senior Bowl. Allen received interest from several teams in the form of top 30 visits.
I like what I saw from Cyrus Allen on film and at the Senior Bowl. He’s an ankle-breaking slot WR who can flip his hips and get in and out of his breaks in two. Allen will likely be utilized in the short game and may see red zone usage as an underneath option out of the slot at some point. I was fairly high on Cyrus Allen pre-draft, ranking him as my WR18. He gets the Chiefs bump and will remain on the fantasy radar this offseason.
I’ll cover the WRs more in the coming podcasts and articles.
Jonah Coleman
Let’s shift our focus to the Day 3 RBs. Most of the RB prospects find themselves competing for the RB2 spot on their depth charts. While it wasn’t a great draft for RBs by talent, some of the RBs in this class have found themselves in a backfield that is less murky than it initially appears. Let’s get into it.
Jonah Coleman is a Bronco. Sean Payton is going to do Sean Payton things next year.
I think RJ Harvey has the physical talent to be a starting RB in the league, but I don’t think he reads and reacts to the game at the speed and precision needed of a starting RB.
J.K. Dobbins has long been one of my favorite RBs and will likely continue to lead the backfield.
What’s that leave for Jonah Coleman? Anywhere from 35-10% of the available RB snaps based on my Sean Payton RB usage tracking from his time with the Saints and Broncos. Once JK Dobbins is gone, we’re likely looking at an RB committee with Harvey and Coleman. The Broncos’ offensive line is talented, and I’ll buy into the Sean Payton circus to get an RB on a good offense.
Target Coleman in Round 3 of rookie drafts.
Mike Washington Jr. and Nick Singleton
Everyone’s favorite size-speed freak landed on a depth chart behind an elite RB talent. It’s Mike Washington. If Fernando Mendoza is the force multiplier, and I think he is, there is potential for Mike Washington to be fantasy relevant as an RB3 in his career.
If Jeanty goes down, there’s literally no one else in that backfield who can handle a full workload of touches. I like to have a full stable of RBs on championship-contending rosters, and will draft this mountain of a man in the middle of the third round of rookie drafts.
I don’t like Nick Singleton as much as the devy circles do.
I watched the tape, and I came away liking Kaytron Allen more than Singleton. Allen had better contact balance and vision than Singleton, ultimately setting the all-time rushing record at Penn State. Where Singleton bests Allen is in the passing game. Singleton has one of the better sets of hands in this RB class.
Pair that with his burst and long speed, and you have an interesting fantasy prospect.
The Titans took Singleton four picks after Emmett Johnson in the fifth round at pick 165. I was advocating for fantasy managers to buy shares of Tony Pollard pre-draft for a third-round draft pick. While I still like that move for 2026 fantasy production, I do believe Singleton has the talent to beat Pollard out for lead back in 2027. Singleton will be working his way back from a broken foot he suffered at the Senior Bowl, and we may not hear much about him for a couple of months. Singleton is my 18th-ranked player overall in SuperFlex formats. Target him in round 2.
Emmett Johnson and Adam Randall
Emmett Johnson is a Kansas City Chief. Ken Walker is also a Kansas City Chief, which makes me a lot less bullish on Johnson’s fantasy outlook. We saw the Chiefs use multiple RBs, but it appears they’ve found their workhorse in Ken Walker. Walker is often injured, which should open up time for Johnson to shine. There is a lot to like about his film, and he ran a 40-yard dash in the high 4.4s at his Pro Day. Johnson is my 28th-ranked player overall in SuperFlex formats. If you’re a contender, I would recommend getting shares of Johnson in the third round of rookie drafts.
Adam Randall is a converted WR who is being touted as a good pass-catching back.
There is a reason he didn’t work out at wide receiver, and it starts with his hands. Randall struggles with proper hand positioning so often that I sometimes forget he played WR for Clemson in 2024.
As a runner, Randall is physically imposing with high-end speed to take it the distance. Randall will compete for Derrick Henry‘s backup role, which is the high-end outcome for his archetype. Randall struggles with many of the RB skills I look for in my evaluations, such as vision, evasiveness, pad level and ball security. I have Randall far enough down in my rookie rankings that I would not advocate for anyone to draft Randall until round 4.
Kaytron Allen and Demond Claiborne
Penn State’s all-time leading rusher winds up in a backfield that is totally up in the air. Kaytron Allen will find himself competing with Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Rachaad White and UDFA Robert Henry Jr. for the Commanders’ lead back role.
Allen is the best pure runner of the bunch, but lacks the passing skills to play snaps in passing situations. With that said, I think Allen has the best shot behind Nick Singleton at winning the lead role in his backfield of all the Day 3 RB selections. Taking Kaytron Allen at the end of the second round may be considered a reach. There is plenty of WR and TE talent available in this range. I would begin targeting him in round 3.
One of the most electric RBs in this year’s class, Demond Claiborne, lands in Minnesota.
Claiborne will have to beat out Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason for touches in 2026. Claiborne is the best athlete among the three RBs. Claiborne can run between the tackles and is good in short-yardage situations. He has good hands and will be a threat in the passing game.
I’m higher on Claiborne than any of the other Day 2 and Day 3 RBs in this year’s class.
He has a lot of similarities to his game as De’Von Achane did coming out, albeit Achane was a better runner between the tackles. If you want to take a stab at RB in the second round and Jadarian Price is off the board, I’d recommend going with either Claiborne or Singleton. Learn how Clairborne succeeds as a running back and what he needs to do in order to secure a three-down role. Draft him in round 2 and be patient as he works his way into playing time during the season.
Eli Heidenreich, Seth McGowan and Jam Miller
Eli Heidenreich is a fun player to buy into in fantasy. A former WR who declared for the draft as an RB, and went through drills at the combine as an RB. The Steelers drafted him on Day 3, but I don’t think I can recommend spending more than a fourth-round rookie pick on the kid out of Navy.
I will likely have fewer shares of Heidenreich as his popularity has grown since the Combine.
The Colts drafted Seth McGowan to compete with DJ Giddens for the right to back up Jonathan Taylor. McGowan runs in a very animated fashion, but it makes his movement inefficient. I think he has a three-down skillset, and if called upon, I would grab him off the waiver and play him in my flex if I were in a worst-case scenario.
Jam Miller‘s 2024 tape was much better than his 2025 tape as he struggled with an injury that hampered his explosiveness. Jam is worth a fourth-round flyer, but is easily droppable if a hype train grows for someone on your waiver wire this offseason.
Is there more to say about this draft? Yeah. We’re at the beginning of the change curve of the 2026 NFL season. Check back in over the course of the offseason as we ingest the various signals and news coming from the NFL. If you have questions, please reach out to us on BlueSky at @WhiteHeatFF.bsky.social & @natepolvogt.optimusfantasy.com
The NFL Draft is the signal for fantasy football managers that spring has arrived. The draft is over. Our favorite prospects’ landing spots are locked in, and we can start to prognosticate on these players’ futures through our fantasy football crystal ball. That is exactly what we aim to do for you in this 2026 NFL Draft Recap with fantasy football rookie rankings insights & landing spot analysis.
If only it were that easy, amiright?
There are a plethora of things to consider now that we know where these players will spend their 2026 NFL season.
Who are they competing with?
Is this a good situation?
Do they have the coaching staff to support their growth?
Is this the right offensive scheme for them to succeed?
Fortunately for you, we eat, sleep and breathe fantasy football. We’ve spent every waking minute since Day One of the NFL Draft locked into studying draft capital, landing spots and outlooks with ownership, coaching staffs, personnel and schemes baked in.
Here is our breakdown of all seven rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft to help you navigate your dynasty rookie drafts over the offseason and your season-long fantasy drafts come August.
Want more from Optimus Fantasy? Join our Discord!
Day One
Fernando Mendoza and Ty Simpson
It wasn’t a shocker when the Las Vegas Raiders selected Indiana QB and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza first overall. Las Vegas is a team in desperate need of consistent QB play, and with the first overall pick, it was a no-brainer that the organization didn’t bother to hide.
However, it’s not set in stone that Mendoza will start Week 1.
Las Vegas signed veteran QB Kirk Cousins on March 15th, shortly after new head coach (and former Seahawks offensive coordinator) Klint Kubiak indicated his preference to let rookie QBs sit behind a veteran.
What does that mean for his dynasty outlook?
Be prepared to taxi Mendoza for his rookie season, but you shouldn’t be turned off from drafting him if you have a top 3 pick in your dynasty rookie drafts. Patrick Mahomes played in one game in his rookie season, friends. Giving Mendoza time to sit is a good thing, for him and for your dynasty shares.
Ty Simpson is a far more curious case.
Until a few days before the draft, most analysts had him either falling out of the first round or landing in New York as a Jet. Instead, as reports in the days leading up to the draft indicated, Simpson was taken with the 13th pick by the Los Angeles Rams, as the heir apparent – one would assume – to incumbent QB Matthew Stafford.
While on the surface this seems far more cut-and-dry, it isn’t.
Head coach Sean McVay looked visibly irritated on national television when the pick was announced and sounded annoyed with Simpson during their “welcome to the team” call afterward. Maybe McVay was having a bad day, maybe he was caught in an odd moment. Who knows. However, it’s worth noting.
If you’re drafting Simpson, I would proceed with caution. Teams in need of immediate help at QB should steer clear. Stafford is an anomaly, and it could be a few years before he hangs up his cleats and the rookie from Alabama gets his shot. He’ll need to sit on your taxi squad with Jordan Love-esque patience.
Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price
Despite days of warning that this could happen, the Arizona Cardinals actually taking Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love with the third overall pick was still jarring. Arizona, which just released itself from the Kyler Murray experience, has a loaded – albeit mediocre – RB room. Including recently acquired veteran Tyler Allgeier, incumbent RB James Conner returning on a restructured contract, and the Cardinals’ 2024 3rd round pick, Trey Benson.
Love is currently the consensus 1.01 dynasty rookie draft, and that shouldn’t change. However, I would temper my expectations for year one, along the lines of how we should have for Ashton Jeanty in Las Vegas. This is still a bad offense with a new coaching staff that is in a rebuild. In addition, if you are a manager holding shares of any of the aforementioned RBs, I’d be very concerned (this one’s for you, Benson truthers). Over one weekend in April, they’ve all become part of the supporting cast.
Love’s teammate and backfield mate at Notre Dame, Jadarian Price, however, is a different story.
Price, the Knuckles to Love’s Sonic, landed with the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, seemingly replacing veteran RB and current Kansas City Chief, Kenneth Walker.
So what? Zach Charbonnet is still there.
The difference between Charbonnet and Walker’s fantasy production in 2025 was one-tenth of a point. 11.3 fantasy points per game for Walker to Charbonnet’s 11.2. At worst for Price, the Seahawks’ backfield is a 50/50 split, which would slot him in for roughly 200 carries.
On initial projected volume in year one alone, Price is worth the price tag of a late first-round rookie draft pick. With his draft capital and this team leaning run-heavy to protect QB Sam Darnold, his long-term outlook has a top-10 dynasty RB asset.
Carnell Tate, Makai Lemon, and Jordyn Tyson
It’s no accident I lumped these three specific WRs together. The top three receiver prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft all ended up in situations with major questions.
Carnell Tate, the WR1 in this draft class for many analysts and managers, took a perceived value hit when Tennessee snagged him with the fourth overall pick. I understand the concern, given QB Cam Ward‘s struggles in his rookie campaign.
However, what if Tate elevates Ward?
Don’t let the noise keep you sleeping on Tate. We’ve seen him going as a top-five pick in rookie drafts, and that’s valid. His competition for targets includes a washed Calvin Ridley, Elic Ayomanor and TE Gunnar Helm. Compared to Makai Lemon and Jordyn Tyson, this is a dream situation.
But Nate, Makai Lemon is in Philadelphia, a consistent contender!
Sure, and that’s certainly a positive. However, there’s a lot going on in Philly, folks. The A.J. Brown saga is still in full swing, the team also invested in TE Eli Stowers, and like it or not, DeVonta Smith still exists.
Worse yet, this isn’t a pass-happy offense. Head coach Nick Sirianni is content ot use the combo of RB Saquon Barkley and QB Jalen Hurts to run the ball down opponents’ throats. It’s a formula that’s worked well for them so far, and while there is passing volume to be had, Lemon’s value in this scheme relies on Brown being traded (at least in year one). I’m not going to say he’s a fantasy lemon (courtesy laugh, please), but patience is key.
Jordyan Tyson is the most confusing prospect of this trio, in my opinion.
Landing in New Orleans, a team in full rebuild mode under head coach Kellen Moore, Tyson joins a roster that includes former 11th overall pick Chris Olave at WR, veteran TE Juwan Johnson and RBs Travis Etienne and Alvin Kamara.
In a bad offense, how many touches can we reasonably expect for Tyson with that much competition? The real sticker is Olave, who earned 156 targets last season. Tyson’s time will come (probably), but he’s another asset you ned to be prepared to taxi for a season before he can make an impact on your dynasty squads, so draft (or don’t) accordingly.
Omar Cooper Jr. and KC Concepcion
More good receivers on bad teams, but with a different tone.
We’ll start with Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr., the 30th overall pick by the New York Jets. Yes, the Jets are a bad team, with a bad front office. But, head coach Aaron Glen seems competent enough to make this work.
Paired with veteran WR Garrett Wilson and TE Kenyon Sadiq (we’ll discuss him soon), Cooper will be catching passes from QB Geno Smith, who, while on the back side of his career (he’ll turn 35 this season), has been one of the more accurate QBs in the league over his last four seasons.
The Jets won’t be good. Let’s get that out of the way.
But Cooper could be. I’d be wary of spending first-round draft capital on him, but anything in the second round feels okay, which is where he’s been falling.
The situation for Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion is far trickier than Cooper’s, which is to be expected for anyone landing in Cleveland these days.
Concepcion, who was taken with the 24th overall pick, joins WRs Denzel Boston (the 39th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft), Jerry Jeudy, Cedric Tillman and Jamari Thrash, as well as TE Harold Fannin and RB Quinshon Judkins.
But the biggest question mark? QB.
Currently on the Browns QB depth chart: DeShaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel and rookie Taylen Green. So, who will be throwing balls to the plethora of pass catchers in this offense? No one knows.
If we’re being honest, it’s a crap shoot who will see relevant volume in the Cleveland offense. I love Concepcion’s talents, but as a first- or second-round rookie pick, it’s hard to be excited about his range of outcomes.
Kenyon Sadiq
It wouldn’t be an NFL season at any point without some confusion around the New York Jets decisions, amiright?
It’s hard to argue with the talent of Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq, or with any franchise’s decision to acquire the athletic specimen. However. The Jets had a lot of needs in this draft, and TE was hardly one of them. Last season, the team drafted TE Mason Taylor, who by the end of the season was seeing increased work and volume in the New York offense.
But alas…
If you’re a Mason Taylor manager, I’m sorry. It was over before it began. Given Sadiq’s draft capital going 16th overall, you’d be hard-pressed to think this offense won’t find a way to work him in.
Given the scarcity of viable TE assets in fantasy football, you’d be crazy to pass on Sadiq, too. Sure, the Jets are destined to be bad, as we covered when discussing Omar Cooper. But bad offenses produce volume, and Sadiq figures to be a staple of this Jets offense for the foreseeable future.
Day Two
Cam White here covering all of the Day 2 and Day 3 thoughts. After 16 hours of NFL draft coverage, my watch ends. Days 2 and 3 left me scratching my head, as many of the players with the skill sets to score fantasy points fell. It’s a good reminder for us that the NFL is trying to win games, not rack up stats. Sometimes an NFL team will draft 2 WRs in the same round, but in the opposite order we would have projected the players to go, like when the Miami Dolphins took Caleb Douglas over Chris Bell. Miami selected Bell nearly 20 picks after taking Douglas, and drafted a blocking TE in between the WR selections. We’ll talk more about the wide receivers Miami drafted later on. Let’s get into Day 2.
Carson Beck and Drew Allar
The Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers took QBs in the third round, hoping to land their QB of the future. The Cardinals selected Carson Beck 65th overall, and the Steelers grabbed Drew Allar at 76th overall. I’d understand rolling the dice in the 3rd round in your rookie draft on either of these QBs. Ultimately, they’re taxi guys for 2026.
De’Zhaun Stribling and Denzel Boston
I was way wrong on De’Zhaun Stribling, or at least the 49ers think so. I saw the writing on the wall when he was a popular name, attending top-30 visits with NFL teams. Then he went No. 33 overall to the San Francisco 49ers.
On tape, I saw a big, hulking WR who was more nimble than I expected. His highlights were rife with impressive catches. His game film was compelling, but you can also see instances where he gets caught up with clunky footwork. To me, he is a guy who does everything well at 6’4″.
I thought Denzel Boston ran crisper routes and was just slightly worse as a blocker than Stribling.
Boston went six picks after Stribling to Cleveland. Stribling enters an offensive ecosystem where he can be deployed immediately as a blocker, allowing the 49ers to mask their play call with him on the field. I have low expectations for Stribling in Year 1, but if Mike Evans misses time, it appears the 49ers might plan to use Stribling in the X role in the 49ers offense.
If you believed in Xavier Legette, maybe Stribling is your cup of tea. As a fifth-year senior, Stribling caught 55 balls for 811 yards and six TDs over 15 games. Stribling didn’t win on vertical routes, so I’m not sure how well it’ll go for fantasy purposes if the 49ers envision him in the X role long-term. I will go back and watch more of Stribling and reflect on where he should rank in my rookie rankings. He was my WR30 in pre-draft rankings and sits at WR18 in my early post-draft rankings.
For fantasy drafters with drafts starting in April and early May, I’m currently recommending teams avoid Stribling in the second round.
If you’re a manager with a solid roster and extra rookie picks, sure, gamble on the draft capital, take Stribling, and place him on the taxi squad for 2026. If you’re a Stribling guy, target him at the beginning of the third round.
Back to that reminder about the NFL not caring about stats as we do as fantasy managers. Blocking TEs flew off the draft board on Days 2 and 3. I like me a blocking tight end. If you read my prospect scouting reports, you’ll see that I discuss a player’s blocking at the bottom of each report. The NFL started taking blocking tight ends at pick 56.
Nate Boerkircher and Antonio Williams
I liked Nate Boerkircher at the Senior Bowl, but I did not see the dynamism to warrant taking him over most of the third-round draftees who came after him. There was a stretch of 20 picks, starting at the back end of Round 2, during which six tight ends were drafted. We’re being ushered into a period when the multiple-tight-end package will be more prominent in the NFL. Watch out, slot only WRs. The tight ends are stealing your snaps.
I watched Antonio Williams‘ tape early in the scouting process. It was when I went back a second time to record my notes on his film that I realized I was far too low on Antonio Williams in my pre-combine ranking him at WR20.
Williams was the ninth WR off the board, going to the Washington Commanders.
I love the fit with the Commanders. They currently lack a reliable short to intermediate-term target for Jayden Daniels. Antonio Williams is one of four WRs that I consistently see break off their routes in two steps. Williams also displays the ability to win with physicality and contact throughout his route, a skill that is often overemphasized for prospects with poor footwork. Lucky for Williams, he has some of the best route-running technique in this year’s draft class.
Williams will likely be the No. 2 target in the Commanders’ offense behind Terry McClaurin.
If Brandon Aiyuk comes to the Commanders at some point, as has been rumored, I’ll ever so slightly bump Antonio Williams’ short-term value down. Williams’ camp hype will be one to monitor. He is my WR5 in my early post-draft rankings.
Go use the promo code “ROOKIES” to check out the scouting report Cam White wrote on Antonio Williams.
Caleb Douglas, Chris Bell and Kevin Coleman
Caleb Douglas and Chris Bell are Miami Dolphins. And so is Kevin Coleman. The depth chart appears to be wide open for one of these WRs to grab the WR1 role and the majority of the WR targets in this offense. It looks like Malik Washington and Jalen Tolbert will land somewhere between role players and reserves on the Dolphins depth chart after a small amount of hype built around them after free agency.
Chris Bell has received A.J. Brown comps due to his physicality and impressive explosiveness at 6’2″, 220 lbs. Bell has one of the highest upside of the WRs in this draft cycle, but he tore his ACL last season and will likely be out until the start of the season. Bell is a raw route runner, often winning by overpowering his defender with his physicality and short-area burst.
Fantasy managers will need to be patient for him to recover and begin developing the skills to beat NFL defensive backs.
Caleb Douglas, on the other hand, is built like a Megatron Jr., or at least that’s who he told us he models his game after in interviews. You know, I can sort of see it if I squint. Douglas is a prototypical X at 6’4″, 206 lbs. Douglas has developed “late hands,” which is a fancy way of saying he doesn’t clue defenders into the fact that the ball is coming his way until he’s just about to catch the ball.
Douglas gets into YAC quickly by attacking the ball early. Douglas understands how to set defenders up on his stems and use his frame to his advantage on deep routes. With 4.4 40 speed, he can run past guys on the sideline in man coverage. He is adept at hand-fighting throughout his route and will get physical to win separation along the boundary.
The Dolphins hope these two prospects form a formidable one-two punch that will help Malik Willis orchestrate an effective offense. If you want to know more about Kevin Coleman, who outproduced Travis Hunter in their freshman year at Jackson State together, go check out my scouting report on him.
Use the promo code “ROOKIES” to get a free 7-day trial to the write-ups and tools.
There’s a chance De’Von Achane leads this offense in targets during 2026. I would consider Bell in the middle of Round 2 of rookie drafts, with Douglas and Coleman being Round 3 targets if I need a chance at immediate WR production. Bell is a fantastic taxi candidate, as you will likely not start him in 2026 as he works his way back into football shape.
Malachi Fields
Who is the WR2 on the New York Giants? Is it already Malachi Fields? Fields will compete against Darnell Mooney and Darius Slayton for the starting gig opposite Malik Nabers. He stands out in the WR room at 6’4″, and will likely see the field early due to his blocking prowess.
Notre Dame primarily tied Fields to the boundary and made him their deep threat option. It was clear to everyone in attendance at the Senior Bowl that Fields is capable of working the short and intermediate areas of the field. If the Giants plan to mimic his usage at Notre Dame, I will be lower on Fields than I am immediately post-draft. Fields may not have high-end upside, but he has a very safe floor due to the lack of wide receivers on the Giants’ offense.
I’ll likely target Fields in the middle of round 2 in rookie drafts. He’s a smash pick in the third round of rookie drafts.
Kaelon Black
Indiana RB Kaelon Black was the only RB to get drafted on Day 2, going to the San Francisco 49ers at pick 90. Black ran for over 1,000 yards last year at Indiana, splitting time with backfield mate Roman Hemby, who also ran for 1,000 yards.
At the Senior Bowl, Black was consistent throughout drills and scrimmages.
While he never popped, he consistently found running lanes against a dominant defensive line, caught his targets underneath the defense, and blocked his assignments off the quarterback. Black was one of the most popular top 30 visitors for NFL teams. The 49ers have made it a habit to draft RBs early.
Taking Black at the end of the third round made it clear they preferred his talents to those of the remaining RBs, who all have various holes in their games.
Day Three
Taylen Green
Real quick, Taylen Green is a Cleveland Brown. If you were interested in buying into Green for the upside in the running QB archetype, this is the perfect landing spot for Green to potentially produce fantasy points early. The QB1 in Cleveland is undecided. I wouldn’t consider taking him until midway through the 3rd round in leagues with short benches.
Skyler Bell and Cyrus Allen
The Buffalo Bills drafted one of my favorite WR prospects in this year’s class when they selected Skyler Bell at pick 125. The Bills traded back three times at the back of the first round and the start of the second round. Bell is the only pass-catching weapon the Bills drafted, and will likely compete for the No. 2 spot on the depth chart behind DJ Moore.
I was bullish on Bell’s talents after my film study and will remain high on him until I have reason to feel differently.
Bell is WR9 in my post-draft rankings. He was WR5 in my pre-draft rankings. He is tied to an elite QB. First-year Head Coach Joe Brady made Skyler Bell the only fantasy-relevant player in the Bills’ 2026 draft class.
Previously, Brady was the Bills’ Offensive Coordinator and is renowned for his passing-game coordination. Skyler Bell is a clear buy for me in rookie drafts, where I expect him to consistently be available in the third round.
I’ll keep this one short and sweet. He was third in the nation in receiving touchdowns last year. He crushed the American Bowl and was subsequently invited to the Senior Bowl. Allen received interest from several teams in the form of top 30 visits.
I like what I saw from Cyrus Allen on film and at the Senior Bowl. He’s an ankle-breaking slot WR who can flip his hips and get in and out of his breaks in two. Allen will likely be utilized in the short game and may see red zone usage as an underneath option out of the slot at some point. I was fairly high on Cyrus Allen pre-draft, ranking him as my WR18. He gets the Chiefs bump and will remain on the fantasy radar this offseason.
I’ll cover the WRs more in the coming podcasts and articles.
Jonah Coleman
Let’s shift our focus to the Day 3 RBs. Most of the RB prospects find themselves competing for the RB2 spot on their depth charts. While it wasn’t a great draft for RBs by talent, some of the RBs in this class have found themselves in a backfield that is less murky than it initially appears. Let’s get into it.
Jonah Coleman is a Bronco. Sean Payton is going to do Sean Payton things next year.
I think RJ Harvey has the physical talent to be a starting RB in the league, but I don’t think he reads and reacts to the game at the speed and precision needed of a starting RB.
J.K. Dobbins has long been one of my favorite RBs and will likely continue to lead the backfield.
What’s that leave for Jonah Coleman? Anywhere from 35-10% of the available RB snaps based on my Sean Payton RB usage tracking from his time with the Saints and Broncos. Once JK Dobbins is gone, we’re likely looking at an RB committee with Harvey and Coleman. The Broncos’ offensive line is talented, and I’ll buy into the Sean Payton circus to get an RB on a good offense.
Target Coleman in Round 3 of rookie drafts.
Mike Washington Jr. and Nick Singleton
Everyone’s favorite size-speed freak landed on a depth chart behind an elite RB talent. It’s Mike Washington. If Fernando Mendoza is the force multiplier, and I think he is, there is potential for Mike Washington to be fantasy relevant as an RB3 in his career.
If Jeanty goes down, there’s literally no one else in that backfield who can handle a full workload of touches. I like to have a full stable of RBs on championship-contending rosters, and will draft this mountain of a man in the middle of the third round of rookie drafts.
I don’t like Nick Singleton as much as the devy circles do.
I watched the tape, and I came away liking Kaytron Allen more than Singleton. Allen had better contact balance and vision than Singleton, ultimately setting the all-time rushing record at Penn State. Where Singleton bests Allen is in the passing game. Singleton has one of the better sets of hands in this RB class.
Pair that with his burst and long speed, and you have an interesting fantasy prospect.
The Titans took Singleton four picks after Emmett Johnson in the fifth round at pick 165. I was advocating for fantasy managers to buy shares of Tony Pollard pre-draft for a third-round draft pick. While I still like that move for 2026 fantasy production, I do believe Singleton has the talent to beat Pollard out for lead back in 2027. Singleton will be working his way back from a broken foot he suffered at the Senior Bowl, and we may not hear much about him for a couple of months. Singleton is my 18th-ranked player overall in SuperFlex formats. Target him in round 2.
Emmett Johnson and Adam Randall
Emmett Johnson is a Kansas City Chief. Ken Walker is also a Kansas City Chief, which makes me a lot less bullish on Johnson’s fantasy outlook. We saw the Chiefs use multiple RBs, but it appears they’ve found their workhorse in Ken Walker. Walker is often injured, which should open up time for Johnson to shine. There is a lot to like about his film, and he ran a 40-yard dash in the high 4.4s at his Pro Day. Johnson is my 28th-ranked player overall in SuperFlex formats. If you’re a contender, I would recommend getting shares of Johnson in the third round of rookie drafts.
Adam Randall is a converted WR who is being touted as a good pass-catching back.
There is a reason he didn’t work out at wide receiver, and it starts with his hands. Randall struggles with proper hand positioning so often that I sometimes forget he played WR for Clemson in 2024.
As a runner, Randall is physically imposing with high-end speed to take it the distance. Randall will compete for Derrick Henry‘s backup role, which is the high-end outcome for his archetype. Randall struggles with many of the RB skills I look for in my evaluations, such as vision, evasiveness, pad level and ball security. I have Randall far enough down in my rookie rankings that I would not advocate for anyone to draft Randall until round 4.
Kaytron Allen and Demond Claiborne
Penn State’s all-time leading rusher winds up in a backfield that is totally up in the air. Kaytron Allen will find himself competing with Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Rachaad White and UDFA Robert Henry Jr. for the Commanders’ lead back role.
Allen is the best pure runner of the bunch, but lacks the passing skills to play snaps in passing situations. With that said, I think Allen has the best shot behind Nick Singleton at winning the lead role in his backfield of all the Day 3 RB selections. Taking Kaytron Allen at the end of the second round may be considered a reach. There is plenty of WR and TE talent available in this range. I would begin targeting him in round 3.
One of the most electric RBs in this year’s class, Demond Claiborne, lands in Minnesota.
Claiborne will have to beat out Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason for touches in 2026. Claiborne is the best athlete among the three RBs. Claiborne can run between the tackles and is good in short-yardage situations. He has good hands and will be a threat in the passing game.
I’m higher on Claiborne than any of the other Day 2 and Day 3 RBs in this year’s class.
He has a lot of similarities to his game as De’Von Achane did coming out, albeit Achane was a better runner between the tackles. If you want to take a stab at RB in the second round and Jadarian Price is off the board, I’d recommend going with either Claiborne or Singleton. Learn how Clairborne succeeds as a running back and what he needs to do in order to secure a three-down role. Draft him in round 2 and be patient as he works his way into playing time during the season.
Eli Heidenreich, Seth McGowan and Jam Miller
Eli Heidenreich is a fun player to buy into in fantasy. A former WR who declared for the draft as an RB, and went through drills at the combine as an RB. The Steelers drafted him on Day 3, but I don’t think I can recommend spending more than a fourth-round rookie pick on the kid out of Navy.
I will likely have fewer shares of Heidenreich as his popularity has grown since the Combine.
The Colts drafted Seth McGowan to compete with DJ Giddens for the right to back up Jonathan Taylor. McGowan runs in a very animated fashion, but it makes his movement inefficient. I think he has a three-down skillset, and if called upon, I would grab him off the waiver and play him in my flex if I were in a worst-case scenario.
Jam Miller‘s 2024 tape was much better than his 2025 tape as he struggled with an injury that hampered his explosiveness. Jam is worth a fourth-round flyer, but is easily droppable if a hype train grows for someone on your waiver wire this offseason.
Is there more to say about this draft? Yeah. We’re at the beginning of the change curve of the 2026 NFL season. Check back in over the course of the offseason as we ingest the various signals and news coming from the NFL. If you have questions, please reach out to us on BlueSky at @WhiteHeatFF.bsky.social & @natepolvogt.optimusfantasy.com
The NFL Draft is the signal for fantasy football managers that spring has arrived. The draft is over. Our favorite prospects’ landing spots are locked in, and we can start to prognosticate on these players’ futures through our fantasy football crystal ball. That is exactly what we aim to do for you in this 2026 NFL Draft Recap with fantasy football rookie rankings insights & landing spot analysis.
If only it were that easy, amiright?
There are a plethora of things to consider now that we know where these players will spend their 2026 NFL season.
Who are they competing with?
Is this a good situation?
Do they have the coaching staff to support their growth?
Is this the right offensive scheme for them to succeed?
Fortunately for you, we eat, sleep and breathe fantasy football. We’ve spent every waking minute since Day One of the NFL Draft locked into studying draft capital, landing spots and outlooks with ownership, coaching staffs, personnel and schemes baked in.
Here is our breakdown of all seven rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft to help you navigate your dynasty rookie drafts over the offseason and your season-long fantasy drafts come August.
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Day One
Fernando Mendoza and Ty Simpson
It wasn’t a shocker when the Las Vegas Raiders selected Indiana QB and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza first overall. Las Vegas is a team in desperate need of consistent QB play, and with the first overall pick, it was a no-brainer that the organization didn’t bother to hide.
However, it’s not set in stone that Mendoza will start Week 1.
Las Vegas signed veteran QB Kirk Cousins on March 15th, shortly after new head coach (and former Seahawks offensive coordinator) Klint Kubiak indicated his preference to let rookie QBs sit behind a veteran.
What does that mean for his dynasty outlook?
Be prepared to taxi Mendoza for his rookie season, but you shouldn’t be turned off from drafting him if you have a top 3 pick in your dynasty rookie drafts. Patrick Mahomes played in one game in his rookie season, friends. Giving Mendoza time to sit is a good thing, for him and for your dynasty shares.
Ty Simpson is a far more curious case.
Until a few days before the draft, most analysts had him either falling out of the first round or landing in New York as a Jet. Instead, as reports in the days leading up to the draft indicated, Simpson was taken with the 13th pick by the Los Angeles Rams, as the heir apparent – one would assume – to incumbent QB Matthew Stafford.
While on the surface this seems far more cut-and-dry, it isn’t.
Head coach Sean McVay looked visibly irritated on national television when the pick was announced and sounded annoyed with Simpson during their “welcome to the team” call afterward. Maybe McVay was having a bad day, maybe he was caught in an odd moment. Who knows. However, it’s worth noting.
If you’re drafting Simpson, I would proceed with caution. Teams in need of immediate help at QB should steer clear. Stafford is an anomaly, and it could be a few years before he hangs up his cleats and the rookie from Alabama gets his shot. He’ll need to sit on your taxi squad with Jordan Love-esque patience.
Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price
Despite days of warning that this could happen, the Arizona Cardinals actually taking Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love with the third overall pick was still jarring. Arizona, which just released itself from the Kyler Murray experience, has a loaded – albeit mediocre – RB room. Including recently acquired veteran Tyler Allgeier, incumbent RB James Conner returning on a restructured contract, and the Cardinals’ 2024 3rd round pick, Trey Benson.
Love is currently the consensus 1.01 dynasty rookie draft, and that shouldn’t change. However, I would temper my expectations for year one, along the lines of how we should have for Ashton Jeanty in Las Vegas. This is still a bad offense with a new coaching staff that is in a rebuild. In addition, if you are a manager holding shares of any of the aforementioned RBs, I’d be very concerned (this one’s for you, Benson truthers). Over one weekend in April, they’ve all become part of the supporting cast.
Love’s teammate and backfield mate at Notre Dame, Jadarian Price, however, is a different story.
Price, the Knuckles to Love’s Sonic, landed with the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, seemingly replacing veteran RB and current Kansas City Chief, Kenneth Walker.
So what? Zach Charbonnet is still there.
The difference between Charbonnet and Walker’s fantasy production in 2025 was one-tenth of a point. 11.3 fantasy points per game for Walker to Charbonnet’s 11.2. At worst for Price, the Seahawks’ backfield is a 50/50 split, which would slot him in for roughly 200 carries.
On initial projected volume in year one alone, Price is worth the price tag of a late first-round rookie draft pick. With his draft capital and this team leaning run-heavy to protect QB Sam Darnold, his long-term outlook has a top-10 dynasty RB asset.
Carnell Tate, Makai Lemon, and Jordyn Tyson
It’s no accident I lumped these three specific WRs together. The top three receiver prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft all ended up in situations with major questions.
Carnell Tate, the WR1 in this draft class for many analysts and managers, took a perceived value hit when Tennessee snagged him with the fourth overall pick. I understand the concern, given QB Cam Ward‘s struggles in his rookie campaign.
However, what if Tate elevates Ward?
Don’t let the noise keep you sleeping on Tate. We’ve seen him going as a top-five pick in rookie drafts, and that’s valid. His competition for targets includes a washed Calvin Ridley, Elic Ayomanor and TE Gunnar Helm. Compared to Makai Lemon and Jordyn Tyson, this is a dream situation.
But Nate, Makai Lemon is in Philadelphia, a consistent contender!
Sure, and that’s certainly a positive. However, there’s a lot going on in Philly, folks. The A.J. Brown saga is still in full swing, the team also invested in TE Eli Stowers, and like it or not, DeVonta Smith still exists.
Worse yet, this isn’t a pass-happy offense. Head coach Nick Sirianni is content ot use the combo of RB Saquon Barkley and QB Jalen Hurts to run the ball down opponents’ throats. It’s a formula that’s worked well for them so far, and while there is passing volume to be had, Lemon’s value in this scheme relies on Brown being traded (at least in year one). I’m not going to say he’s a fantasy lemon (courtesy laugh, please), but patience is key.
Jordyan Tyson is the most confusing prospect of this trio, in my opinion.
Landing in New Orleans, a team in full rebuild mode under head coach Kellen Moore, Tyson joins a roster that includes former 11th overall pick Chris Olave at WR, veteran TE Juwan Johnson and RBs Travis Etienne and Alvin Kamara.
In a bad offense, how many touches can we reasonably expect for Tyson with that much competition? The real sticker is Olave, who earned 156 targets last season. Tyson’s time will come (probably), but he’s another asset you ned to be prepared to taxi for a season before he can make an impact on your dynasty squads, so draft (or don’t) accordingly.
Omar Cooper Jr. and KC Concepcion
More good receivers on bad teams, but with a different tone.
We’ll start with Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr., the 30th overall pick by the New York Jets. Yes, the Jets are a bad team, with a bad front office. But, head coach Aaron Glen seems competent enough to make this work.
Paired with veteran WR Garrett Wilson and TE Kenyon Sadiq (we’ll discuss him soon), Cooper will be catching passes from QB Geno Smith, who, while on the back side of his career (he’ll turn 35 this season), has been one of the more accurate QBs in the league over his last four seasons.
The Jets won’t be good. Let’s get that out of the way.
But Cooper could be. I’d be wary of spending first-round draft capital on him, but anything in the second round feels okay, which is where he’s been falling.
The situation for Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion is far trickier than Cooper’s, which is to be expected for anyone landing in Cleveland these days.
Concepcion, who was taken with the 24th overall pick, joins WRs Denzel Boston (the 39th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft), Jerry Jeudy, Cedric Tillman and Jamari Thrash, as well as TE Harold Fannin and RB Quinshon Judkins.
But the biggest question mark? QB.
Currently on the Browns QB depth chart: DeShaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel and rookie Taylen Green. So, who will be throwing balls to the plethora of pass catchers in this offense? No one knows.
If we’re being honest, it’s a crap shoot who will see relevant volume in the Cleveland offense. I love Concepcion’s talents, but as a first- or second-round rookie pick, it’s hard to be excited about his range of outcomes.
Kenyon Sadiq
It wouldn’t be an NFL season at any point without some confusion around the New York Jets decisions, amiright?
It’s hard to argue with the talent of Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq, or with any franchise’s decision to acquire the athletic specimen. However. The Jets had a lot of needs in this draft, and TE was hardly one of them. Last season, the team drafted TE Mason Taylor, who by the end of the season was seeing increased work and volume in the New York offense.
But alas…
If you’re a Mason Taylor manager, I’m sorry. It was over before it began. Given Sadiq’s draft capital going 16th overall, you’d be hard-pressed to think this offense won’t find a way to work him in.
Given the scarcity of viable TE assets in fantasy football, you’d be crazy to pass on Sadiq, too. Sure, the Jets are destined to be bad, as we covered when discussing Omar Cooper. But bad offenses produce volume, and Sadiq figures to be a staple of this Jets offense for the foreseeable future.
Day Two
Cam White here covering all of the Day 2 and Day 3 thoughts. After 16 hours of NFL draft coverage, my watch ends. Days 2 and 3 left me scratching my head, as many of the players with the skill sets to score fantasy points fell. It’s a good reminder for us that the NFL is trying to win games, not rack up stats. Sometimes an NFL team will draft 2 WRs in the same round, but in the opposite order we would have projected the players to go, like when the Miami Dolphins took Caleb Douglas over Chris Bell. Miami selected Bell nearly 20 picks after taking Douglas, and drafted a blocking TE in between the WR selections. We’ll talk more about the wide receivers Miami drafted later on. Let’s get into Day 2.
Carson Beck and Drew Allar
The Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers took QBs in the third round, hoping to land their QB of the future. The Cardinals selected Carson Beck 65th overall, and the Steelers grabbed Drew Allar at 76th overall. I’d understand rolling the dice in the 3rd round in your rookie draft on either of these QBs. Ultimately, they’re taxi guys for 2026.
De’Zhaun Stribling and Denzel Boston
I was way wrong on De’Zhaun Stribling, or at least the 49ers think so. I saw the writing on the wall when he was a popular name, attending top-30 visits with NFL teams. Then he went No. 33 overall to the San Francisco 49ers.
On tape, I saw a big, hulking WR who was more nimble than I expected. His highlights were rife with impressive catches. His game film was compelling, but you can also see instances where he gets caught up with clunky footwork. To me, he is a guy who does everything well at 6’4″.
I thought Denzel Boston ran crisper routes and was just slightly worse as a blocker than Stribling.
Boston went six picks after Stribling to Cleveland. Stribling enters an offensive ecosystem where he can be deployed immediately as a blocker, allowing the 49ers to mask their play call with him on the field. I have low expectations for Stribling in Year 1, but if Mike Evans misses time, it appears the 49ers might plan to use Stribling in the X role in the 49ers offense.
If you believed in Xavier Legette, maybe Stribling is your cup of tea. As a fifth-year senior, Stribling caught 55 balls for 811 yards and six TDs over 15 games. Stribling didn’t win on vertical routes, so I’m not sure how well it’ll go for fantasy purposes if the 49ers envision him in the X role long-term. I will go back and watch more of Stribling and reflect on where he should rank in my rookie rankings. He was my WR30 in pre-draft rankings and sits at WR18 in my early post-draft rankings.
For fantasy drafters with drafts starting in April and early May, I’m currently recommending teams avoid Stribling in the second round.
If you’re a manager with a solid roster and extra rookie picks, sure, gamble on the draft capital, take Stribling, and place him on the taxi squad for 2026. If you’re a Stribling guy, target him at the beginning of the third round.
Back to that reminder about the NFL not caring about stats as we do as fantasy managers. Blocking TEs flew off the draft board on Days 2 and 3. I like me a blocking tight end. If you read my prospect scouting reports, you’ll see that I discuss a player’s blocking at the bottom of each report. The NFL started taking blocking tight ends at pick 56.
Nate Boerkircher and Antonio Williams
I liked Nate Boerkircher at the Senior Bowl, but I did not see the dynamism to warrant taking him over most of the third-round draftees who came after him. There was a stretch of 20 picks, starting at the back end of Round 2, during which six tight ends were drafted. We’re being ushered into a period when the multiple-tight-end package will be more prominent in the NFL. Watch out, slot only WRs. The tight ends are stealing your snaps.
I watched Antonio Williams‘ tape early in the scouting process. It was when I went back a second time to record my notes on his film that I realized I was far too low on Antonio Williams in my pre-combine ranking him at WR20.
Williams was the ninth WR off the board, going to the Washington Commanders.
I love the fit with the Commanders. They currently lack a reliable short to intermediate-term target for Jayden Daniels. Antonio Williams is one of four WRs that I consistently see break off their routes in two steps. Williams also displays the ability to win with physicality and contact throughout his route, a skill that is often overemphasized for prospects with poor footwork. Lucky for Williams, he has some of the best route-running technique in this year’s draft class.
Williams will likely be the No. 2 target in the Commanders’ offense behind Terry McClaurin.
If Brandon Aiyuk comes to the Commanders at some point, as has been rumored, I’ll ever so slightly bump Antonio Williams’ short-term value down. Williams’ camp hype will be one to monitor. He is my WR5 in my early post-draft rankings.
Go use the promo code “ROOKIES” to check out the scouting report Cam White wrote on Antonio Williams.
Caleb Douglas, Chris Bell and Kevin Coleman
Caleb Douglas and Chris Bell are Miami Dolphins. And so is Kevin Coleman. The depth chart appears to be wide open for one of these WRs to grab the WR1 role and the majority of the WR targets in this offense. It looks like Malik Washington and Jalen Tolbert will land somewhere between role players and reserves on the Dolphins depth chart after a small amount of hype built around them after free agency.
Chris Bell has received A.J. Brown comps due to his physicality and impressive explosiveness at 6’2″, 220 lbs. Bell has one of the highest upside of the WRs in this draft cycle, but he tore his ACL last season and will likely be out until the start of the season. Bell is a raw route runner, often winning by overpowering his defender with his physicality and short-area burst.
Fantasy managers will need to be patient for him to recover and begin developing the skills to beat NFL defensive backs.
Caleb Douglas, on the other hand, is built like a Megatron Jr., or at least that’s who he told us he models his game after in interviews. You know, I can sort of see it if I squint. Douglas is a prototypical X at 6’4″, 206 lbs. Douglas has developed “late hands,” which is a fancy way of saying he doesn’t clue defenders into the fact that the ball is coming his way until he’s just about to catch the ball.
Douglas gets into YAC quickly by attacking the ball early. Douglas understands how to set defenders up on his stems and use his frame to his advantage on deep routes. With 4.4 40 speed, he can run past guys on the sideline in man coverage. He is adept at hand-fighting throughout his route and will get physical to win separation along the boundary.
The Dolphins hope these two prospects form a formidable one-two punch that will help Malik Willis orchestrate an effective offense. If you want to know more about Kevin Coleman, who outproduced Travis Hunter in their freshman year at Jackson State together, go check out my scouting report on him.
Use the promo code “ROOKIES” to get a free 7-day trial to the write-ups and tools.
There’s a chance De’Von Achane leads this offense in targets during 2026. I would consider Bell in the middle of Round 2 of rookie drafts, with Douglas and Coleman being Round 3 targets if I need a chance at immediate WR production. Bell is a fantastic taxi candidate, as you will likely not start him in 2026 as he works his way back into football shape.
Malachi Fields
Who is the WR2 on the New York Giants? Is it already Malachi Fields? Fields will compete against Darnell Mooney and Darius Slayton for the starting gig opposite Malik Nabers. He stands out in the WR room at 6’4″, and will likely see the field early due to his blocking prowess.
Notre Dame primarily tied Fields to the boundary and made him their deep threat option. It was clear to everyone in attendance at the Senior Bowl that Fields is capable of working the short and intermediate areas of the field. If the Giants plan to mimic his usage at Notre Dame, I will be lower on Fields than I am immediately post-draft. Fields may not have high-end upside, but he has a very safe floor due to the lack of wide receivers on the Giants’ offense.
I’ll likely target Fields in the middle of round 2 in rookie drafts. He’s a smash pick in the third round of rookie drafts.
Kaelon Black
Indiana RB Kaelon Black was the only RB to get drafted on Day 2, going to the San Francisco 49ers at pick 90. Black ran for over 1,000 yards last year at Indiana, splitting time with backfield mate Roman Hemby, who also ran for 1,000 yards.
At the Senior Bowl, Black was consistent throughout drills and scrimmages.
While he never popped, he consistently found running lanes against a dominant defensive line, caught his targets underneath the defense, and blocked his assignments off the quarterback. Black was one of the most popular top 30 visitors for NFL teams. The 49ers have made it a habit to draft RBs early.
Taking Black at the end of the third round made it clear they preferred his talents to those of the remaining RBs, who all have various holes in their games.
Day Three
Taylen Green
Real quick, Taylen Green is a Cleveland Brown. If you were interested in buying into Green for the upside in the running QB archetype, this is the perfect landing spot for Green to potentially produce fantasy points early. The QB1 in Cleveland is undecided. I wouldn’t consider taking him until midway through the 3rd round in leagues with short benches.
Skyler Bell and Cyrus Allen
The Buffalo Bills drafted one of my favorite WR prospects in this year’s class when they selected Skyler Bell at pick 125. The Bills traded back three times at the back of the first round and the start of the second round. Bell is the only pass-catching weapon the Bills drafted, and will likely compete for the No. 2 spot on the depth chart behind DJ Moore.
I was bullish on Bell’s talents after my film study and will remain high on him until I have reason to feel differently.
Bell is WR9 in my post-draft rankings. He was WR5 in my pre-draft rankings. He is tied to an elite QB. First-year Head Coach Joe Brady made Skyler Bell the only fantasy-relevant player in the Bills’ 2026 draft class.
Previously, Brady was the Bills’ Offensive Coordinator and is renowned for his passing-game coordination. Skyler Bell is a clear buy for me in rookie drafts, where I expect him to consistently be available in the third round.
I’ll keep this one short and sweet. He was third in the nation in receiving touchdowns last year. He crushed the American Bowl and was subsequently invited to the Senior Bowl. Allen received interest from several teams in the form of top 30 visits.
I like what I saw from Cyrus Allen on film and at the Senior Bowl. He’s an ankle-breaking slot WR who can flip his hips and get in and out of his breaks in two. Allen will likely be utilized in the short game and may see red zone usage as an underneath option out of the slot at some point. I was fairly high on Cyrus Allen pre-draft, ranking him as my WR18. He gets the Chiefs bump and will remain on the fantasy radar this offseason.
I’ll cover the WRs more in the coming podcasts and articles.
Jonah Coleman
Let’s shift our focus to the Day 3 RBs. Most of the RB prospects find themselves competing for the RB2 spot on their depth charts. While it wasn’t a great draft for RBs by talent, some of the RBs in this class have found themselves in a backfield that is less murky than it initially appears. Let’s get into it.
Jonah Coleman is a Bronco. Sean Payton is going to do Sean Payton things next year.
I think RJ Harvey has the physical talent to be a starting RB in the league, but I don’t think he reads and reacts to the game at the speed and precision needed of a starting RB.
J.K. Dobbins has long been one of my favorite RBs and will likely continue to lead the backfield.
What’s that leave for Jonah Coleman? Anywhere from 35-10% of the available RB snaps based on my Sean Payton RB usage tracking from his time with the Saints and Broncos. Once JK Dobbins is gone, we’re likely looking at an RB committee with Harvey and Coleman. The Broncos’ offensive line is talented, and I’ll buy into the Sean Payton circus to get an RB on a good offense.
Target Coleman in Round 3 of rookie drafts.
Mike Washington Jr. and Nick Singleton
Everyone’s favorite size-speed freak landed on a depth chart behind an elite RB talent. It’s Mike Washington. If Fernando Mendoza is the force multiplier, and I think he is, there is potential for Mike Washington to be fantasy relevant as an RB3 in his career.
If Jeanty goes down, there’s literally no one else in that backfield who can handle a full workload of touches. I like to have a full stable of RBs on championship-contending rosters, and will draft this mountain of a man in the middle of the third round of rookie drafts.
I don’t like Nick Singleton as much as the devy circles do.
I watched the tape, and I came away liking Kaytron Allen more than Singleton. Allen had better contact balance and vision than Singleton, ultimately setting the all-time rushing record at Penn State. Where Singleton bests Allen is in the passing game. Singleton has one of the better sets of hands in this RB class.
Pair that with his burst and long speed, and you have an interesting fantasy prospect.
The Titans took Singleton four picks after Emmett Johnson in the fifth round at pick 165. I was advocating for fantasy managers to buy shares of Tony Pollard pre-draft for a third-round draft pick. While I still like that move for 2026 fantasy production, I do believe Singleton has the talent to beat Pollard out for lead back in 2027. Singleton will be working his way back from a broken foot he suffered at the Senior Bowl, and we may not hear much about him for a couple of months. Singleton is my 18th-ranked player overall in SuperFlex formats. Target him in round 2.
Emmett Johnson and Adam Randall
Emmett Johnson is a Kansas City Chief. Ken Walker is also a Kansas City Chief, which makes me a lot less bullish on Johnson’s fantasy outlook. We saw the Chiefs use multiple RBs, but it appears they’ve found their workhorse in Ken Walker. Walker is often injured, which should open up time for Johnson to shine. There is a lot to like about his film, and he ran a 40-yard dash in the high 4.4s at his Pro Day. Johnson is my 28th-ranked player overall in SuperFlex formats. If you’re a contender, I would recommend getting shares of Johnson in the third round of rookie drafts.
Adam Randall is a converted WR who is being touted as a good pass-catching back.
There is a reason he didn’t work out at wide receiver, and it starts with his hands. Randall struggles with proper hand positioning so often that I sometimes forget he played WR for Clemson in 2024.
As a runner, Randall is physically imposing with high-end speed to take it the distance. Randall will compete for Derrick Henry‘s backup role, which is the high-end outcome for his archetype. Randall struggles with many of the RB skills I look for in my evaluations, such as vision, evasiveness, pad level and ball security. I have Randall far enough down in my rookie rankings that I would not advocate for anyone to draft Randall until round 4.
Kaytron Allen and Demond Claiborne
Penn State’s all-time leading rusher winds up in a backfield that is totally up in the air. Kaytron Allen will find himself competing with Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Rachaad White and UDFA Robert Henry Jr. for the Commanders’ lead back role.
Allen is the best pure runner of the bunch, but lacks the passing skills to play snaps in passing situations. With that said, I think Allen has the best shot behind Nick Singleton at winning the lead role in his backfield of all the Day 3 RB selections. Taking Kaytron Allen at the end of the second round may be considered a reach. There is plenty of WR and TE talent available in this range. I would begin targeting him in round 3.
One of the most electric RBs in this year’s class, Demond Claiborne, lands in Minnesota.
Claiborne will have to beat out Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason for touches in 2026. Claiborne is the best athlete among the three RBs. Claiborne can run between the tackles and is good in short-yardage situations. He has good hands and will be a threat in the passing game.
I’m higher on Claiborne than any of the other Day 2 and Day 3 RBs in this year’s class.
He has a lot of similarities to his game as De’Von Achane did coming out, albeit Achane was a better runner between the tackles. If you want to take a stab at RB in the second round and Jadarian Price is off the board, I’d recommend going with either Claiborne or Singleton. Learn how Clairborne succeeds as a running back and what he needs to do in order to secure a three-down role. Draft him in round 2 and be patient as he works his way into playing time during the season.
Eli Heidenreich, Seth McGowan and Jam Miller
Eli Heidenreich is a fun player to buy into in fantasy. A former WR who declared for the draft as an RB, and went through drills at the combine as an RB. The Steelers drafted him on Day 3, but I don’t think I can recommend spending more than a fourth-round rookie pick on the kid out of Navy.
I will likely have fewer shares of Heidenreich as his popularity has grown since the Combine.
The Colts drafted Seth McGowan to compete with DJ Giddens for the right to back up Jonathan Taylor. McGowan runs in a very animated fashion, but it makes his movement inefficient. I think he has a three-down skillset, and if called upon, I would grab him off the waiver and play him in my flex if I were in a worst-case scenario.
Jam Miller‘s 2024 tape was much better than his 2025 tape as he struggled with an injury that hampered his explosiveness. Jam is worth a fourth-round flyer, but is easily droppable if a hype train grows for someone on your waiver wire this offseason.
Is there more to say about this draft? Yeah. We’re at the beginning of the change curve of the 2026 NFL season. Check back in over the course of the offseason as we ingest the various signals and news coming from the NFL. If you have questions, please reach out to us on BlueSky at @WhiteHeatFF.bsky.social & @natepolvogt.optimusfantasy.com
