In dynasty rookie drafts, avoiding landmines is equally as important as finding those diamonds in the rough. To ensure you’re maximizing value in your rookie drafts this offseason, I’ve put together a list of four rookies I’m avoiding at all costs in fantasy football, along with my reasoning for fading each prospect.
Fantasy Football: Dynasty Rookie Busts to Avoid in Drafts
Omar Cooper Jr. (WR – NYJ)
Through nearly 10 dynasty rookie drafts now, I’ve only come away with one Omar Cooper Jr. share, and that was at the 2.03 spot. In almost every other case, he has gone in the first round of my rookie drafts, which aligns with expert consensus rankings (ECR) of 10th overall in Superflex formats.
I’ve yet to hear a strong bull case for Cooper outside of him going in the first round of the NFL Draft. He has some intriguing aspects to his prospect profile, like strong hands and elite yards after the catch (YAC) ability, but zooming out, this doesn’t look like a true “round one” profile.
Additionally, the landing spot is concerning in the short term. While Geno Smith should help kick-start the Jets’ offense, they still project to be among the worst offenses in the NFL in 2026. And I’m not positive Cooper is even a top-three receiving option in this offense, with Garrett Wilson, Kenyon Sadiq and Adonai Mitchell there. It’s hard to squint and see a ceiling case where Cooper actually pays off at his current average draft position (ADP).
Nicholas Singleton (RB – TEN)
Nicholas Singleton is frequently going in the mid-second round of dynasty Superflex rookie drafts, which feels a bit much for a Day 3 running back. I understand that this rookie class is especially weak from a fantasy perspective, but I’d prefer to trade this pick for a veteran or trade back for a package of picks, rather than reach for Singleton here.
Devy players remember Singleton as the hot commodity in supplemental drafts following his 1,000-yard, 12-touchdown true freshman season. Unfortunately, he never truly improved on his 2022 season and regressed in terms of rushing efficiency.
When we’re looking at Singleton’s green flags, I think they start and end with his athleticism. He has poor vision behind the line and lacks any lateral agility or nuance between the tackles. While this was a great landing spot, and the competition in this backfield is limited, I’m not confident Singleton will ever become an every-down player.
Emmett Johnson (RB – KC)
Like Singleton, I’m seeing Emmett Johnson drafted in the mid-second round in most cases, consistently within the top 20 overall picks. I will admit that the contingent upside is exciting, assuming he earns the No. 2 RB role in the Kansas City offense.
That said, I don’t expect Johnson to see enough volume to become a FLEX option in fantasy as long as Kenneth Walker III is healthy. According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Johnson averaged FEWER than three yards after contact per attempt (YCO/A) and a breakaway rate below 30% in 2025.
On top of this, the Chiefs signed five rookie running backs after the NFL Draft to compete for a roster spot. The primary backup role for Johson is not set in stone quite yet. I don’t think he’s a bad prospect by any means, but using your second-round draft capital on a backup running back isn’t the wisest investment to make. I’d rather roll the dice on a wide receiver like De’Zhaun Stribling, Ted Hurst or Skyler Bell in this range.
Chris Brazzell II (WR – CAR)
Call it helmet scouting, but I hate betting on Tennessee wide receivers in fantasy. Just within the past few years, we’ve had Cedric Tillman, Jalin Hyatt, Velus Jones and Dont’e Thornton all come from this Josh Heupel offense and fail to translate at the NFL level. It’s a high-tempo spread offense with very simple route trees for the receivers, leading to underdeveloped skill sets.
Brazzell is a speedy boundary receiver with a monstrous catch radius, but struggles against physical defensive backs and in contested-catch situations. His playstyle fits well with that “sacrificial X” field-stretching role, similar to what Thornton has been asked to do in Las Vegas. Quite useful for real-life football, not useful for fantasy. I’ve yet to see Brazzell fall to the third round of rookie drafts, and I’m not comfortable grabbing him in the second.
Thanks for checking out today’s article. If you have any questions regarding this 2026 rookie class or who to select in your dynasty rookie drafts, send me a message on X @jim_DFF. I’d love to help you win your drafts.
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