2026 Dynasty Big Board: Mid-Year Rookie Rankings and Draft Insights

Kevin drops his mid-season 2026 big board!

We’re officially at the halfway point of the college football season, and it’s time to recalibrate. Welcome to my Mid-Year 2026 Big Board: Top 36 Prospects for Fantasy Football in 12-Team Superflex PPR TE Premium (1.50). What started as an early preview has now evolved into a clearer picture of who’s rising, who’s fading, and which players are shaping up to be cornerstone rookie picks for dynasty managers.

This Big Board isn’t just a ranking; it’s a strategic tool. Whether you’re trying to identify tier breaks, make informed trades, or get ahead of rookie draft trends, this serves as a pulse check on the class. I’ll walk through updated rankings, highlight key risers and fallers, and break down how current production and projected draft capital are shifting the landscape.

I’ve also updated the 2026 pick value context based on actual trades and market trends across Superflex leagues. Whether you’re rebuilding, retooling, or chasing a title, this mid-season check-in is designed to give you clarity, direction, and an edge as we approach the playoff push.

Let’s dive in.

2026 Draft Class: General Thoughts by Position

Quarterback: A Position in Freefall

Quarterback has been an absolute mess in the 2026 class, maybe the worst we’ve seen in recent memory. Coming into the year, there was hope that Arch Manning, Drew Allar, and Cade Klubnik could stabilize the top tier. Instead, they’ve all cratered. Arch has struggled with consistency and processing all season, and now looks like a near lock to return to Texas for another year, which, to be honest, he desperately needs. Klubnik and Allar? They’ve fallen completely off the radar. Allar’s season ended early with injury, but not before a disastrous performance against Northwestern and the firing of James Franklin. Klubnik hasn’t progressed, and both now look like day three dart throws rather than franchise passers.

If there’s any hope, it’s in a few names that could rise with the right trajectory, but even that’s shaky. Ty Simpson (Alabama), Fernando Mendoza (Indiana), and Dante Moore (Oregon) have shown flashes, but Mendoza and Moore could easily return to school. LaNorris Sellers still holds intrigue because of his tools, but the inconsistency is glaring, and I think he’s more likely to go back to school than declare. Right now, we may be looking at just one first-round quarterback in the 2026 draft. That’s a significant hit to the overall depth and value of this class. If you’re relying on this QB group to fill holes in superflex, it’s time to start making other plans.

Running Back: Solid Depth, Lacking Star Power

This running back class is shaping up to be solid but unspectacular. Outside of Jeremiyah Love from Notre Dame, I don’t see a true RB1 profile that screams first-round NFL draft capital. Love has held serve as the top back in this class; he’s explosive, versatile, and checks a lot of the boxes. But after him, it’s wide open. There’s depth, and there are plenty of guys who could be solid contributors, but no clear-cut second-round locks right now, let alone another first-rounder.

One guy I’m personally high on is Jadarian Price, who’s quietly made the most of his touches as Love’s backup and could rise if he declares. But overall, this group will need to win the pre-draft process; the Senior Bowl, Combine, and Pro Days will be huge. If these backs don’t test well or show out in drills, we’re likely staring at a class filled with Day 3 picks and committee projections, which will lower the ceiling for dynasty managers relying on RB talent in 2026 rookie drafts.

Wide Receiver: Biggest Winner of the Cycle So Far

The wide receiver group has been the biggest riser in this class since the season started, and it’s not close. Coming into the year, the position felt wide open and underwhelming. Fast forward to now, and we’ve got three legitimate first-round locks in Makai Lemon, Jordyn Tyson, and Carnell Tate, all of whom look like future fantasy WR1s if things stay on track and they hit their ceiling.

Beyond that top tier, the depth is impressive. There are vertical burners, physical X receivers, and versatile slot options, a much more complete and dynamic group than we anticipated this summer. If Lemon, Tyson, and Tate continue to hit, we’re potentially looking at three future fantasy WR1s in this class, which is a massive turnaround from where we were just a few months ago. This group has the tools, traits, and production to carry the value of the 2026 draft class.

Tight End: Depth, But Still Murky

The tight end group is… fine. That’s really the best way to describe it right now. Kenyon Sadiq has flashed enough to look like the potential TE1 in this class, but it’s still unclear if he’ll actually declare. If he returns to school, this position gets even more complicated. Max Klare has the athletic profile to be an NFL contributor, but he hasn’t been able to consistently produce at Ohio State, which keeps him in projection territory for now.

There’s some depth worth monitoring with names like Jack Endries, Michael Trigg, and Tanner Koziol, but until we get official declarations, this group remains a big question mark. No one has separated clearly as a Day 1 or even early Day 2 talent yet. The pre-draft process is going to matter a lot for this position, from Shrine Bowl invites to Combine testing, because as of now, we’re in wait-and-see mode.

🔍 The LaNorris Sellers Question

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