It’s now draft season for us fantasy GMs, and no draft is more important than a dynasty draft. Which rookies will have a long-term impact, which will make big waves this season, and which are risky propositions? I will rank the top 10 most exciting dynasty rookies and give pros and cons for drafting them in your upcoming drafts.
#10. Emeka Egbuka, WR, Tampa Bay Bucs
It was quite surprising when the Buccaneers selected Egbuka at 19th overall, given their already talented receiver room. However, Mike Evans isn’t getting any younger, and Chris Godwin has some serious injury concerns. Long term, Egbuka is the future. If you need a huge impact day 1 from your rookies, Egbuka might not be the best option. But in a year or two, he has the potential to be a strong #1 receiver with reliable yards and touchdowns for your fantasy team.
#9. Tyler Warren, TE, Indianapolis Colts
Everyone had Tyler Warren penciled in to the Colts at 14, and for good reason. He’s a huge athletic target with excellent hands for their struggling quarterbacks. He will provide a great security blanket for the winner of the mid-off between Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson. He should thrive especially in the Red Zone, and constantly threatens to run after the catch. Last year was pretty up and down from tight ends in fantasy, so it’s hard to project surefire winners at that position. However, Warren has all the tools to thrive in the NFL and make an impact on your fantasy team, both short-term and long-term.
#8. Cam Ward, QB, Tennessee Titans
Just like real NFL teams, if you’re QB needy, this isn’t a great draft for you. However, Cam Ward went #1 overall for a reason. He has a cannon arm and isn’t afraid to throw it around the yard. He’s also the rookie in the least crowded QB room. While it’s unclear whether Shedeur Sanders, Will Howard, or Jaxson Dart will be starting this year, Cam Ward almost definitely will. In fact, he’ll probably be starting week 1 despite Brian Callahan’s mealy-mouthed press conference about splitting reps. So, if your team is desperate for a QB or if you think he has superflex upside, Cam Ward could be a great addition to your team this year.
#7. RJ Harvey, RB, Denver Broncos
RJ Harvey is an explosive young back with tons of upside. He had a ton of production in college, tied for 4th in TDs and 6th in yards in the FBS. Given the Broncos’ tendency to do running back by committee, he may have to compete for touches with Audric Estime and Jaleel McLaughlin. He is listed as first on the depth chart, which is encouraging, although apparently at camp, he has been taking the second rep. His ability to catch the ball out of the backfield may be what he relies on to get touches and what propels him to a strong fantasy option.
#6. Treveyon Henderson, RB, New England Patriots
Treveyon Henderson has an uphill battle against Rhamondre Stevenson to get touches in his rookie year. But his speed and breakaways have already impressed in training camp. The Patriots will look to make a huge leap this year and should have a fairly effective offense. As he develops, the Pats may part ways with Rhamondre after the 2026 season, and he has the chance to be a fantasy stud. For teams who are seeking an immediate impact, Henderson may or may not provide that. But long term, he could develop into a bellcow back.
#5. Quinshon Judkins, RB, Cleveland Browns
The Browns’ QB room will be the big story of the offseason, but Quinshon Judkins might quietly be the most impactful addition to the Browns’ offense. He’s strong and aggressive and runs like a madman. With Nick Chubb gone, they will need a new bell cow back to anchor their offense. And whoever the QB is, Judkins will get his touches and score some points every week. He’ll be a strong pickup for any dynasty team that needs to beef up their RB room.
#4. Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Carolina Panthers
Adding a great big body WR should be an amazing weapon for Bryce Young as he continues to develop. Although they took Xavier Legette last year, their WR room is still not great overall, and McMillan should have no problem getting touches this year. He wins jump balls and has a big catch radius to make Bryce Young’s job easier. He’ll be a reliable third-down and red zone target and have a nice floor of touches since he wins one-on-ones in the slot.
#3. Omarion Hampton, RB, Los Angeles Chargers
I’ve been talking up Omarion a lot in my coverage of the Chargers, and I’m excited for a reason. He’s the consensus #2 running back, and the fact that he fell to LA at #22 was a huge win. We all know Harbaugh loves to run the ball, and that Omarion will get touches. Though Najee Harris might vulture some goalline touches, Hampton has the chance to turn any run into an explosive one. Long term, he won’t be competing with Najee Harris and will eventually get the lion’s share of the touches in LA. Hampton is a solid pick in the short term and long term and will be gone by the third pick in most fantasy drafts.
#2. Ashton Jeanty, RB, Las Vegas Raiders
Everyone knows Jeanty was the best RB in the draft, and his college production was insane. His yards after contact were more than most college running backs had in their whole season. He’s big and athletic, and very hard to get down on first contact. Pete Carroll loves big bruising backs (recall his success with Marshawn Lynch), and Ashton will be the engine of this offense. Geno Smith has always thrived with a good run game, so there’s no doubt Jeanty will get plenty of touches in an otherwise unremarkable RB room and will give you yards and touchdowns every week. He’s a no-brainer to grab as soon as you can.
#1. Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jags moving up to draft Travis Hunter was one of the biggest stories of the draft, and for good reason. Hunter is a unicorn and one of the most exciting prospects in a long time. He provides value on both sides of the ball, and for leagues that use IDP, he will essentially provide you with an extra WR in your corner slot (as well as being a great corner!). The value here is just insane, and though he shares targets with BTJ, the upside of playing him on defense is huge. Hunter would be my first pick overall for all IDP leagues, and even without that he’s still a dynamic athlete who will have big production in the NFL.
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