In Dynasty fantasy football leagues, it’s smart to draft rookie quarterbacks and tight ends for the future. These players usually take time to develop, but their value grows as they become reliable starters. Focus on the long-term potential, not just immediate results.
Fantasy Football Outlooks, 2026 NFL Draft
Kenyon Sadiq (16th overall pick, New York Jets)
Kenyon Sadiq arrived in New York as the 16th overall pick. The former Oregon Duck had a breakout season in 2025, finishing with 51 catches, 560 yards, and a team-leading eight touchdowns.
His stats aren’t eye-popping, except for the touchdown count and that can work for us in fantasy world. What really impresses is his athleticism. He has plus speed, running a 4.39 in the 40-yard dash, and quick feet for someone who is 6-3 and 247 pounds. He plays more like a wide receiver because of that, but he still needs to improve as a blocker if he wants to stay on the field.
He sometimes struggles to pull away from defenders right away, since it takes him a few steps to reach top speed. He also needs to trust his hands more and avoid catching passes against his body, which caused some drops in college. Last year, he had six drops on 67 targets, though one was on a Hail Mary, so it’s really five. Still, that’s not ideal.
I’ve always thought Sadiq was a talented player who needs strong coaching to reach his potential. I’m a bit worried about whether he’ll get that with the Jets this season. On the bright side, Jets playcaller Frank Reich has a proven history of getting strong performances from his tight ends.
The question is, is Sadiq a viable tight end that we can trust in 2025 or more of a long term play? I see Sadiq as a high-upside, long-term dynasty play, there’s some need for development, so his peak fantasy value will likely come in 2027 and beyond.
Fernando Mendoza (1st overall pick, Las Vegas Raiders)
Fernando Mendoza was the first overall pick, heading to the Las Vegas Raiders. Last season, Mendoza completed 72% of his passes for 3,535 yards and 41 touchdowns, with only six interceptions. He also ran for 276 yards and seven touchdowns on 90 carries, leading Indiana to an undefeated season and a national championship.
Mendoza has polished mechanics, a strong arm, toughness, and underrated mobility. He’s also very accurate, at least when he isn’t under pressure. When defenders got to him, his accuracy and efficiency dropped. He wasn’t bad, just a bit more inconsistent.
Mendoza brings both a solid baseline and real potential for growth. His football IQ and ball placement should help him pass efficiently in the NFL. He’s also shown he can score in the red zone, especially with Brock Bowers as a main target.
His ability to run adds extra value. It’s realistic to expect 300 to 400 rushing yards and a few touchdowns in a season. However, Klint Kubiak’s offense doesn’t usually feature high passing volume.
Mendoza is a strong late first-round rookie draft option for teams that need a quarterback in 1-QB leagues. He’s a good bet to start as a rookie and has the potential to become a reliable starter in the future. In a year with an uncertain rookie class, Mendoza looks like a safe pick who can contribute right away.
A lot has been said about Mendoza as a passer but he may also have some untapped rushing upside. He is my clear QB1 for rookie drafts and around QB14-QB24 in overall dynasty ranks.
Matthew Hibner (133rd overall pick, Baltimore Ravens)
The Ravens traded up 21 spots to get Matthew Hibner in Round 4, which tells us they believe he’ll be a valuable piece. At 6-foot-4 and 250-pounds, Hibner has the ability to cause matchup problems. Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar left a void, and Hibner can help fill it right away. His last two years at SMU showed he evolved as a receiver, as he caught 55 passes for 804 yards and eight touchdowns in that span, lining up all over the formation. He also showed versatility as a blocker which gives him the ability to stay on the field and that’s a plus, even if blocking snaps aren’t racking up fantasy points.
Hibner has watched Mark Andrews play for a long time and admires him: he’ll benefit from being in the same room as him. He’ll learn from Andrews and from playing with other veterans and offensive weapons like Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry and Zay Flowers. As far as dynasty, Hibner offers value because there’s growth potential. He lands in a system where tight ends do not end struggle to earn volume, and he can contribute right away and then play a major role in his second year in the league.
Carson Beck (65th overall pick, Arizona Cardinals)
With a clear need at quarterback, the Cardinals chose to act quickly and selected Carson Beck with the 65th overall selection at the start of the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Friday.
The Cardinals wanted to move on from Kyler Murray’s contract for 2026 and beyond, so they released him. Beck, Arizona’s first shot at finding a long-term quarterback, transferred to Miami last year and led the Hurricanes to the National Championship Game.
Beck spent three seasons with Georgia, totaling more than 3,400 passing yards and threw for 24+ touchdowns in each of his last two seasons. He then transferred to Miami for the final year of his collegiate career and logged a 72.2 completion percentage on 468 pass attempts for 30 touchdowns, all career highs.
Veteran quarterbacks Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew are also on the Cardinals, but Brissett has missed offseason workouts while seeking a new contract. Beck has the size for the NFL at 6-foot-4 and 233 pounds. He became more comfortable outside the pocket and reading defenses as his college career went on; however there’s plenty of room for improvement as he struggled with deep throws and doesn’t have the strongest arm.
Turnovers were also an issue in college but he should get a chance to compete for the starting job during offseason workouts and training camp.
The concerns are real, but he’ll likely get the opportunity to start, which gives him quick dynasty value. As long as Beck keeps progressing, his size and experience can help him become a stable asset for a team with weapons like Marvin Harrison Jr., Trey McBride and Jeremiyah Love.
