C.J. Stroud Headlines Dynasty Sleeper QBs For Startup Drafts

Dynasty startup drafts will forever remain one of the single greatest experiences in all of fantasy football. There's nothing quite like the exhilaration of carefully constructing your roster both for now and for the future. With startup drafts beginning to get this offseason underway, here are three QBs for you to consider in Superflex formats:

C.J. Stroud - Texans

The pendulum has swung too far on C.J. Stroud.

It feels like a lifetime ago when he topped 4,100 passing yards, along with 23 TDs and just five INTs, as a rookie back in 2023. Ever since that magical season, Stroud has steadily regressed. He bottomed out last year when he barely threw for 3,000 yards and a paltry 19 TDs.

The masses have him down at QB18, and that's just too low. I understand you're going to have to make some decisions about which QBs to put behind him, but Stroud is too talented, too motivated and has too many weapons around him to fall that far.

A supporting cast of Nico Collins, Jayden Higgins, Jaylin Noel, Dalton Schultz and David Montgomery is about all you can ask for at this point. Pair Stroud with a high-end QB1 and load up across the rest of your roster.

Sam Darnold - Seahawks

We may have just witnessed the completion of one of the greatest career revitalization efforts in NFL history.

From going third overall in the 2018 draft, to seeing ghosts, then to winning the Super Bowl with the Seahawks just one season after leading the Vikings to 14 wins, Sam Darnold is going to make one phenomenal 30 for 30 someday.

The Hawks just signed Jaxon Smith-Njigba to a massive extension (four-year/$168.6 million), ensuring Darnold will have a top-tier target for the foreseeable future. Top to bottom, this is a well-run organization that consistently puts its coaches and players in a position to succeed.

Currently valued as the QB20, Darnold offers 4,500-yard/35-TD upside. The departure of Kenneth Walker and injury to Zach Charbonnet mean the RB position is in flux right now, which could require Darnold to sling it a bit more next season.

Tyler Shough - Saints

I've written plenty on Tyler Shough this offseason, so here's another reminder that you’re too low on him. Even in dynasty formats, I don't care about his age. This dude can ball. From Weeks 10-18, he averaged:

22.9 PPG
9 passing TDs
4 INTs
3 rushing TDs

Shough is locked in as the Saints QB1 heading for next season, and they just added Travis Etienne as another viable playmaker for this offense. Regardless of what you think of the Saints offense moving forward, it's going to be better in 2026, and a QB22 consensus is far too low for a guy who's also a threat to score with his legs.

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Editors’ Picks

Before you lock in on the Sweet 16 today, here’s some football content to balance you out and ensure you don’t miss a beat …

NFL Draft Round 1 Prop Bets

Recently, ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky said that Ty Simpson is the QB1 in the 2026 class. Freedman is betting against him, refusing to believe Simpson goes on Day 1. Are you?

The Dynasty SF 1.01 Debate

Fernando Mendoza vs Jeremiyah Love has been a multi-month debate in the dynasty realm this offseason. Who are you taking with 1.01 in Superflex rookie drafts?

From 3-Star To All-American

Able to create separation in a phone booth, A&M wideout KC Concepcion brings a unique skill set to the NFL. Ian Hartitz breaks down five things to know about the incoming WR.

The Running Back Rookie Super Model Is Live

Have you ever wondered how NFL Draft prospects stack up across multiple factors—draft pick, collegiate production and film? Yeah, me too.

That's why Dwain built the Rookie Super Model. And it has a strong track record compared to NFL Draft pick alone. Using well-researched inputs that matter for RB prospects, we rate and tier the top 2026 running backs, with player comps and historical fantasy hit rates included.

So …

How Do The 2026 RB Prospects Compare To Previous Years?

Before we dive into the prospects, let's zoom out and assess the overall strength of this RB class. To do this, I have broken the prospects into three buckets:

Super Model Rating: 90 to 100 (elite prospects)
Super Model Rating: 80 to 89 (great prospects)
Super Model Rating: 70 to 79 (good prospects)

The data below shows the number of elite, great, and good prospects from each class since 2017:

2017: 2, 2, 2 (6)
2018: 1, 0, 8 (9)
2019: 0, 0, 5 (5)
2020: 0, 2, 6 (8)
2021: 0, 2, 4 (6)
2022: 0, 1, 4 (5)
2023: 0, 2, 3 (5)
2024: 0, 0, 3 (3)
2025: 1, 1, 8 (10)
2026: 0, 1, 3 (4)

For 2026, we are using mock draft data, so things will change when we get actual draft picks. But as of now, this RB class only offers one elite/great prospect, which is below the average of 1.4. If Jeremiyah Love goes in the first four picks, he will climb into the elite bucket—he is right on the borderline (89).

It is also worth noting that the three RBs in the good prospect bucket barely make the cut with ratings of 71, 71 and 70. There is a massive drop-off after Jeremiyah Love. This is a weak class, but needy RB teams could push some names up the draft board.

SUPER MODEL BREAKDOWNS OF EVERY RB

Carnell Tate and Patrick Mahomes, Who Says No?

The NFL rumor mill is only going to speed up with less than a month to go before the draft. Everyone is hoping their team will put itself on a path to hoisting the Lombardi Trophy by this time next year. So, let’s lean into the “fantasy” part of being an analyst and lay out our favorite landing spots for the top prospects in this year’s draft.

Carnell Tate | WR | Ohio State

Expected Draft Position: 9.6
Projected Team(s): Saints, Giants, Chiefs
Dream Spot: Chiefs

Let me zoom in on a point Hartitz made to set up why Carnell Tate to the Chiefs would be ideal:

“Smoothness is Olave-esque: While Tate won't be confused with an elite YAC producer, he wasn't exactly asked to operate in the underneath areas of the field very often, and there were plenty of flashes of him gliding past defenders in the open field either way. Independent of Tate's ability after the catch: His smoothness getting in and out of breaks is very impressive for a taller outside receiver.”

Two takeaways jump out regarding Tate’s profile. First, his ability to leverage his 6-foot-2 frame to not only win in contested-catch situations, but also an innate sense of how to use his speed and route-running to separate. Second, his on-field deployment. Per PFF, Tate spent no more than 26.9% of his snaps from the slot in a single season. And, no shade toward the Chiefs, but their preferred type of receiver over the last two seasons has left them with a redundant passing game.

Rashee Rice: 6-foot (height), 78 (targets), 39.4% (slot rate)
Xavier Worthy: 5-foot-11, 74, 38.3%
Hollywood Brown: 5-foot-9, 73, 29.3%

Adding Tate to Patrick Mahomes’ weaponry solves two problems. Kansas City adds a (much-needed) perimeter, vertical threat to the offense. Mahomes can get back to attacking the intermediate and deep parts of the field in back-to-back campaigns. Seems like a win-win to me.

IMAGINE KENYON SADIQ ON THE …

Is Freedman OUT OF HIS MIND?!

In the newest episode of The Fantasy Life Show, Ian Hartitz and Matthew Freedman break down the top six wide receivers in the 2026 NFL Draft class, all of whom could hear their names called in the first round.

We go prospect by prospect through the good, the bad, the comps and the fantasy football implications for each receiver. Plus, Freedman has Jordyn Tyson ranked above Carnell Tate. Is he right, or is he out of his mind?!

LET’S BREAK IT DOWN