Training camps are underway. Pumpkin decorations are at Costco. That means it's almost point-scoring season, and a lot of dynasty rookie drafts are already done. But for some of us, we wait to see how camp news and injury rehab go before diving into our rookie drafts. For those of us who are still waiting (or are currently on the clock), finding the safe picks in rookie drafts is important.
"Hitting" on a dynasty rookie pick is all about expectation. A top three pick is expected to be a difference-making rock star. A middle-of-the-first-round pick can be a flex option, with hopes that they'll grow into more. But as we get deeper and deeper, a fourth-round rookie pick that sticks on a roster and can be used as a bye-week fill-in is more valuable than we give them credit for. With that in mind, let's look at the safest picks you can make in your dynasty rookie drafts in 2026.
Safest Picks in the First Round
Fernando Mendoza, Las Vegas Raiders
Ty Simpson, Los Angeles Rams
In superflex formats, both of these quarterbacks are as safe as you can go. Neither has the weight of being the immediate starter; both have first-round investment from their current teams, and that combination creates an insulated value that will keep them safe for at least a year. Every quarterback taken in the first round in the past five years gained value, regardless of their actual play.
This is big for folks in the back half of the first round, as Ty Simpson often falls past the sixth pick. For folks looking for points this season, Simpson isn't at the top of their lists. But for teams looking to maximize value and maintain flexibility, either as trade bait or as the Rams' starter in 2027 or beyond.
Eli Stowers, Philadelphia Eagles
In a similar vein, Stowers is going to get a mulligan this year. Dallas Goedert is the incumbent starter, and tight ends can take a while to flash on the field. We've been spoiled with the Colston Loveland and Tyler Warrens of the world, but Ben Sinnott is a good case study for the worst-case scenario. After the 2024 draft, Sinnott rocketed up to TE14, and even without showing anything for two full seasons, he still makes regular appearances as a sleeper option. In Sinnott's first offseason, he was still a top-20 dynasty tight end.
All this to say, even if Stowers does nothing in 2026, he'll hold relatively strong value moving into 2027.
Safest Picks in the Second Round
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