The 2026 NFL Draft is right around the corner, and with the help of our Mock Draft Simulator (MDS), here’s a fresh mock draft from PFSN expert Ian Cummings. Here’s the full breakdown of the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft following our simulation:
- Las Vegas Raiders – Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
- New York Jets – David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech
- Dallas Cowboys (trade) – Arvell Reese, OLB, Ohio State
- Tennessee Titans – Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
- Kansas City Chiefs (trade) – Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
- Cleveland Browns – Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia
- Washington Commanders – Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
- New Orleans Saints – Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami (FL)
- New York Giants (trade) – Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
- Cincinnati Bengals – Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
- Miami Dolphins – Francis Mauigoa, OL, Miami (FL)
- Arizona Cardinals (trade) – Spencer Fano, OL, Utah
- Los Angeles Rams – Makai Lemon, WR, USC
- Baltimore Ravens – Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Akheem Mesidor, EDGE, Miami (FL)
- New York Jets – Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
- Detroit Lions – Blake Miller, OT, Clemson
- Minnesota Vikings – Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
- Carolina Panthers – Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon
- Arizona Cardinals (trade) – Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn
- Pittsburgh Steelers – Olaivavega Ioane, OG, Penn State
- Los Angeles Chargers – Zion Young, EDGE, Missouri
- Philadelphia Eagles – Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana
- Cleveland Browns – KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M
- Chicago Bears – Peter Woods, DT, Clemson
- Buffalo Bills – Malachi Lawrence, EDGE, UCF
- San Francisco 49ers – Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah
- Houston Texans – Kadyn Proctor, OL, Alabama
- Kansas City Chiefs – Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State
- Miami Dolphins – Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
- New England Patriots – Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo
- Seattle Seahawks – Gabe Jacas, EDGE, Illinois
Here are the three biggest fantasy takeaways from this latest MDS simulation, which includes multiple first-round trades and an elite RB prospect taken in the first round.
Kansas City Chiefs Boost Offense by Trading for Star WR Carnell Tate
The Chiefs had a disappointing season in 2025, and things got even worse when Patrick Mahomes was ruled out in the final weeks of the campaign due to an ACL injury. However, Mahomes should be ready to suit up in Week 1 of the 2026 regular season. The Chiefs need to get him reliable weapons in the passing game outside of Travis Kelce, who’s not getting any younger, and that’s why the trade for Carnell Tate makes sense.
Tate figures to be one of the few wideouts who could contribute in fantasy right away as a rookie, and he would immediately slot as a reliable weapon in the passing game, probably with a WR3 floor and WR2 upside. The Chiefs have Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy as their top two receiving threats, and they already bolstered their backfield with the addition of Super Bowl LX MVP Kenneth Walker III. Adding Tate, who had a 51-875-9 receiving line while averaging 17.2 yards per catch in the 2025 college season, would be the cherry on top of a revamped offense for Kansas City.
Analyzing Jeremiyah Love’s Fantasy Impact with the Commanders
There’s no question that Jeremiyah Love is not only a top RB prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft, but he’s a top prospect overall, as he was the only RB selected in the first round of our MDS. This time, he fell seventh overall to the Washington Commanders, and among the top 10 picks, that was one of the best potential landing points for the star tailback. Love already showed what he can do in the 2025 college season with Notre Dame, where he was one of the best offensive weapons in the country.
He ranked fourth in the FBS with 6.9 yards per carry, fourth with 137.7 scrimmage yards per game, eighth with 1,372 rushing yards (199 carries), and tied for third with 18 rushing TDs. Love should be the RB1 for the Commanders right away, and in an explosive offense led by Jayden Daniels, he would thrive as a rushing combo with the star quarterback. Love is a massive upgrade compared to the Commanders’ current RB1, Jacory Croskey-Merritt, so he would have the chance to make a big impact right away.
Which Offensive Players Can Make an Immediate Fantasy Impact as Rookies?
Aside from Tate and Love, who were the only two skill-position players who landed in the top 10 of this simulation, there are other players who could make an immediate impact in fantasy as rookies, although neither profiles as a WR1 or TE1 right away. The best cases are KC Concepcion with the Cleveland Browns and Makai Lemon with the Los Angeles Rams.
However, Concepcion’s upside could be decimated due to poor quarterback play, and Lemon would probably start the season as a WR4 or lower on the depth chart, meaning he’d have to earn his reps right away. But Love and Tate are clearly the best options to make an immediate impact as rookies from a fantasy standpoint.
