Pre-NFL Draft Rookie Pick Values

The word is out. The 2026 rookie class is suspect, and the 2027 class is looking like it has the potential to be generational, one that changes the fantasy football landscape for years to come. Long gone are the days of trading an early second for a future first to an owner who is developing rookie fever, but this year it seems, fantasy gamers are also refusing to part with their 2027 picks for this year’s 2026 first-rounders. 

If trading for 2027 picks are already challenging, and if a fantasy manager is less than enthusiastic about this year’s rookie draft, what is there to do?

This is the perfect year to trade picks for vets. 

Leveraging rookie fever for “boring old veteran players,” remains one of the few major advantages left in dynasty. In this age of information overload, true sleepers are hard to find. Lopsided trades do not take place with the same regularity. But picks for vets—that’s exploitable. 

The following player targets do not take into consideration team makeup. In other words, if someone has an aging team that is a decent tight end away from contending for a championship, trading a late second in a weak class for Travis Kelce may make sense. For someone who has a younger team, weak tight end roster or not, that second round dart throw is going to be the better option. Know your roster, your needs, and your long-term outlook before making any moves. 

Each pick includes the player(s) that are expected to be the consensus rookies taken at those spots in superflex with tight end premium drafts, along with two veteran players per-position that would be worthy targets for those picks. The two players per-position are not an exhaustive list but a guide for the type of player I would want in return for those picks.

Pick 1.01 (Jeremiyah Love)

QB—Justin Herbert, Caleb Williams 

RB—Ashton Jenty, Jamyre Gibbs. 

WR—Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Drake London

TE—Trey McBride

Jeremiyah Love is the locked-in 1.01 in both 1QB and superflex. I would not trade him for any quarterback in 1QB and would expect a mid-low QB1 such as Herbert or Caleb Williams in return in superflex. 

Love’s ceiling is so high that I would need an elite running back or wide receiver in return to move the pick. Getting someone to move on from someone young and proven is highly unlikely. I imagine most gamers that own the 1.01 will end up happily using the pick to take the potentially elite rusher. 

Pick 1.02 (Fernando Mendoza)

QB—Trevor Lawrence, Bo Nix

RB—Ashton Jeanty, Omarion Hampton

WR—Drake London, Malik Nabers

TE—Trey McBride

Heading into the NFL Draft, Fernando Mendoza is the only rookie quarterback that is expected to step into a starting role his rookie season. Mendoza has most often been compared to a young Matt Ryan, steady, solid, but not likely to put up elite numbers as a pure pocket passer. 

More than any other pick, need will determine both the seller’s willingness to deal, and the desire for other managers to trade for the pick. In leagues where a couple of teams have employed the “QB hoarding” strategy to the detriment of other teams’ QB depth, someone with only one starting QB on their roster may be willing to overpay for the pick. A young elite RB/WR would be needed to move on from a 22-year-old starting QB in superflex. 

Picks 1.03—1.05 (Carnell Tate, Jordyn Tyson, Makai Lemon)

QB—Jaxon Dart, Brock Purdy 

RB—Jonathan Taylor, Kenneth Walker

WR—Nico Collins, Tetairoa McMillan 

TE—Trey McBride, Brock Bowers

While it seems that no one can agree on the order, there is very little debate about the trio of talented receivers being ranked as the 1.03—1.05. Each player comes with at least one small blemish on their profile, giving me enough concern to eagerly trade one of those picks for one of the veteran players listed, especially a quarterback in that range. 

Picks 1.06—1.09 (Kenyon Sadiq, KC Conception, Eli Stowers, Omar Cooper, Running back with best landing spot/Consensus RB2)

QB—Jared Goff, Baker Mayfield

RB—Josh Jacobs, Travis Etienne 

WR—Emeka Egbuka, Devonta Smith

TE—Harold Fannin, Tyler warren

The perceived drop off in the floor and ceiling from the top three wide receivers to those expected to be taken between picks 1.06—1.09 is steep. That said, the four-player tier includes a pair of athletic tight ends (Eli Stowers may not go this high, even in tight end premium), several wide receivers with interesting draft profiles, and possibly the #2 rookie running back. The running backs behind Love are littered with question marks, but there are players with strong size/speed athleticism, as well as strong receiving profiles. Draft capital and/or a landing spot with an unimposing depth chart should cause one or more backs to separate from the rest, potentially making him worthy of a mid-first. 

Rookie fever could cause someone in a soft or full rebuild to part with a player nearing the end of their career, even after several years of strong weekly production, such as Josh Jacobs. Ideally, a manager could land a younger player that is being undervalued, such as Emeka Egbuka, who flashed early, faded some, but is set to smash in his second season. Adding a second rounder or flex option type to an offer to get an aging but still effective quarterback or a young tight end would be a major win. 

Picks 1.10—1.12 (Omar Cooper, Denzel Boston, Ty Simpson, Consensus RB3)

QB—Malik Willis, Sam Darnold

RB—RJ Harvey, Bhayshul Tuten 

WR—Michael Wilson, DJ Moore

TE—Orande Gadsden, Isaiah Likely 

As it stands currently, late first round picks are expected to be filled with rookies with a number of question marks concerning their athletic profiles, college production, and/or injury history. Late firsts could rise in value based on landing spots and draft capital of the top remaining players, but if you are shopping picks, expect to get players in return that also come with a degree of uncertainty. 

Ideally, managers would be able to package their late first with their second, to level up to a tier above the players mentioned above. Targeting players in a tier, not being locked into any one player, and sending out a barrage of trades at different points leading up to and including draft day, are going to be key to getting maximum value in return. 

Question for the readers:

Are you trading 2026 rookie picks for veterans this year, or holding your picks until the draft?

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