Welcome to the 2026 NFL season! As we kick off the year, we can learn a few things to help us improve our fantasy football knowledge as we head into Week 1.
First, we can pay attention to how the new rookies perform. Several talented rookies are entering the league this year, and we'll want to see how they adjust to the NFL level and, more importantly, how their respective teams utilize them. We have an idea of how some rookies will perform, but there is always that feeling of uncertainty until we witness their success at the next level. Here is a list of the top fantasy rookies to watch as we enter Week 1 of the NFL season.
Week 1 Rookies To Monitor
Quarterback
The 2026 NFL Draft was quiet at the top of the board for instantly fantasy-relevant quarterbacks compared to years past. While Indiana's Fernando Mendoza went #1 overall to Las Vegas and Alabama's Ty Simpson went mid-first round to the Rams, no rookie quarterback is expected to take the field as a guaranteed Week 1 starter across the league.
Fernando Mendoza, Las Vegas
Mendoza finds himself as the quarterback of the future for the Raiders, but he will begin his rookie campaign on the bench behind veteran Kirk Cousins. By all accounts, he showed great poise and processing throughout training camp, saying and doing all the right things with the media and on the practice field. He knows his role, his job, and the patience required for his development. Given Cousins' age and recent injury history, Mendoza could easily force his way onto the field by midseason.
Mendoza's college stats highlighted clean decision-making, strong pocket navigation, and an accurate deep ball. The Raiders' offense under new management is looking to build a sustainable passing attack, which bodes well for his long-term ceiling. There are still areas to polish, though. Like all rookie quarterbacks, Mendoza will need to prove he can handle complex NFL coverage disguises and speed up his release under pressure. In Superflex and dynasty formats, he remains a high-priority stash with midseason QB2 upside.
Ty Simpson, LA Rams
The Rams surprised many by trading up to select Simpson at No. 13 overall. He sits firmly in a developmental spot behind Matthew Stafford. Simpson put together a steady preseason, showing sharp footwork and an ability to make off-platform throws. Rams coaching has a clear long-term plan for him, making him a prime dynasty target even if redraft value is nonexistent early on.
The fantasy outlook for secondary rookie signal-callers like Carson Beck, Drew Allar, and Cade Klubnik is strictly long-term, though each enters an intriguing organizational situation.
Carson Beck was selected by Arizona in the third round and steps in as the clear developmental option behind Jacoby Brissett. Beck possesses classic pocket-passer size and real-game operational experience, but he recovers from college mechanical inconsistencies and likely sits firmly on the bench for year one. In redraft, he has zero appeal, but his presence makes him a sensible taxi-squad hold in Superflex dynasty leagues if Arizona looks to re-evaluate their long-term options.
In Pittsburgh, Drew Allar landed in a physical, run-first environment after being taken in the middle rounds. Allar brings prototype size and arm strength, but his processing speed under pressure remains a work in progress. Sitting behind veteran leadership allows him to redshirt his rookie campaign without the pressure to step on the field before he's ready.
Meanwhile, Cade Klubnik enters a New York Jets room that continues to look for long-term stability under center. Klubnik's dual-threat flashes give him a higher fantasy ceiling than pure pocket passers down the road, but he enters Week 1 buried on the depth chart.
None of these secondary signal-callers are worth drafting or starting in standard single-quarterback redraft formats for Week 1. In dynasty and deep Superflex leagues, however, they represent classic patient-play stashes who will need an injury or a late-season collapse ahead of them to see the field.
