NFL Draft 2026 Sneaky Dynasty Values | Scholar’s Spotlights

by John Laub · Featured
NFL Draft 2026 Dynasty Values Spotlights

In years past, I would conclude my prospect profile series with a sleepers column to help dynasty managers navigate the later rounds of their drafts. Alas, the NFL Draft Class of 2026 is not deep, and sleepers do not adequately define the remaining prospects I want to feature. Instead, let’s shine our spotlights on some players who are worthy of selection or overpriced at their current ADP (both in dynasty and FastDraft), inspiring confidence in their rookie value.

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Under the Microscope | Dynasty Values from the NFL Draft

Drew Allar, QB | Penn State

FastDraft Origins ADP 41.7 | QB4

Prospect Resume

Listening to the industrial scouting complex machine, I have heard this narrative countless times. In the ’90s, Dan McGwire (1991), Trent Dilfer (1994), Tony Banks (1996), Jim Druckenmiller (1997), Ryan Leaf (1998), and Tim Couch (1999) were all big, strong-armed quarterbacks who were “going to become stars” in the NFL. Since the turn of the century, Kyle Boller (2003), Jason Campbell (2005), JaMarcus Russell (2007), Josh Freeman (2009), Blaine Gabbert (2011), Brandon Weeden (2012), Christian Hackenberg (2016), and Drew Lock (2019) all possessed rocket launchers and were highly-touted gunslingers entering the NFL Draft. Sometimes, I wonder if scouts and organizations ever reflect on their past mistakes. 

In 2025, Drew Allar mirrors the aforementioned quarterbacks, yet he is highly rated by many national draft experts and scouting services. I see Allar ranked among the top quarterbacks in the class, and I just shake my head in disbelief. The former Penn State signal caller is my No. 8 prospect at the position, and only that lofty because of the group’s weakness. He understandably fits the prototype at the position, but his career production in my model does not illuminate success at the next level.

Coming out of high school, Allar earned five stars as a recruit and the third-ranked quarterback in the 2022 Class after being named Ohio Prep Mr. Football and leading his team to a Greater Cleveland conference championship. After seeing limited snaps as a true freshman, Allar inherited the reins of the offense as a sophomore in 2023. He completed a career-best 25 touchdowns while passing for over 2,600 yards. Two years ago, he threw for a career-high 3,327 yards and 24 aerial strikes, leading Penn State to a spot in the CFP. In 2025, the senior only played in six games before suffering a season-ending broken left ankle. On a bright note, he offers fantasy production with his legs, scampering for 732 yards and 12 touchdowns. While there are scouts enthralled with Allar, I have far too many concerns and have seen this story end in disappointment too many times. 

Scouting Report

Allar is the quintessential prototype of the tall, big, and cannon-armed flamethrower at 6’5” and 228 pounds, looking the part that tantalizes scouts and coaches. He fires passes to all three levels of the defense and can drill the ball on crossing routes to his playmakers. The ball effortlessly leaves his hand with velocity. He throws an excellent deep ball and rarely turns the ball over, with only 13 career interceptions in over 1,000 attempts. Standing tall, he climbs the pocket well to avoid the rush and find the open receiver. Allar is fearless in taking contact and puts pressure on linebackers in pass defense with his legs. 

Despite his raw talent and traits, the former Penn State signal caller completed fewer than 65% of his passes and averaged less than 8 yards per pass attempt during his tenure in State College. On the run, his accuracy drops, and he can be flustered while scrambling. At times, he eyeballs his top target, and his mechanics fall apart, which impacts his throws. He has also been inconsistent at Penn State and not impressive in big games. In a weak crop of quarterbacks, it takes only one franchise to pluck Allar off the board on Day 2 of the NFL Draft. I will gladly let Allar fall to another owner in my rookie drafts—I have read this script and am not interested in being convinced by the big-media narrative. 

Nicholas Singleton, RB | Penn State

FastDraft Origins ADP 18.4 | RB6

Prospect Resume

Looking only at Nicholas Singleton (Nick) through the lens of a running back prospect model, he appears as an intriguing runner in the NFL and a future fantasy producer. He has a good Body Mass Index (BMI), logged over 100 career receptions, and scored 54 times. According to numerous reports, the former Nittany Lion is a tremendous athlete with an impressive size-and-speed ratio. Regrettably, he suffered a broken bone in his left foot at the Senior Bowl and did not participate in drills at the NFL Combine, so there is no confirmation on his high-end athletic abilities. He also did not partake in the Penn State Pro Day but will reportedly be healed by the NFL Draft. 

To fully evaluate Singleton, it is necessary to examine his up-and-down production over four seasons at College Station. A five-star recruit coming out of high school, he rushed for 2,059 yards and 44 touchdowns as a senior and was named Gatorade National Player of the Year in 2021. As a true freshman in 2022, Singleton dashed for 1,061 rushing yards and 12 scores, earning the Big Ten Freshman of the Year award. He was also named Freshman All-American and All-Big Ten Third Team. As a sophomore, he rushed for 852 yards and 8 touchdowns, while being named All-Big Ten Third Team and Penn State’s Co-Offensive MVP.

Singleton bounced back in 2024, dashing for 1,099 yards and 12 touchdowns, and adding 41 catches for 375 yards and five scores. Despite flirting with a career in the NFL afterward, he returned to campus. Sadly, he recorded his least impressive campaign last fall, rushing for only 548 yards but scoring 13 touchdowns. For his career, he finished fourth all-time at Penn State with 3,461 rushing yards and first with 45 rushing touchdowns.

Scouting Report

At 6’0” and 219 pounds, Singleton was named to Bruce Feldman’s Freak List three times. A one-cut-and-go runner, he was an immediate starter who rapidly accelerates off the snap and blasts off in the open field. Running downhill, he follows his blockers outside well and eliminates angles by defenders on the perimeter. In the passing game, he is a difference-maker as a pass catcher, with very good hands, and a good pass protector. The four-year runner is top-notch at the goal line and provides special teams utility as a returner. 

Woefully, Singleton does not dominate between the tackles and needs a runway to hit a home run. He has poor vision in traffic, missing cut-back lanes in gap runs. He slams into contact too often and fails to make defenders whiff. A straight-line runner without a lot of wiggle, Singleton did not produce a ton of yards after contact last year. Despite his flaws, his open-field speed and pass-catching ability give him a high fantasy ceiling, which is promising at his current ADP.

Eli Heidenreich, RB/WR | Navy

FastDraft Origins ADP 48.1 | RB15

Prospect Resume

College football fanatics uncovered Eli Heidenreich as a playmaker last year at Navy. The senior played the snipe position in the Midshipmen’s updated Wing-T attack, which led the nation in rushing. Heidenreich earned touches on the ground and in the air for Navy: he carried the ball 77 times for 499 yards and three touchdowns, and snatched 51 passes for 941 yards and six scores. He averaged 18.5 yards per catch (ypc) and earned All-AAC Second Team at receiver. His six touchdown receptions tied the single-season school record, and he scored a receiving touchdown in four consecutive games. PFF graded him as the second-best receiver in the country with a 92.9 score.

During his college career, Heidenreich posted 109 catches for 1,994 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also earned 169 rushing attempts for 1,157 yards and seven scores. At the Navy, there were a few concerns regarding his playmaking ability. Yet, did he have the athleticism to succeed as a professional? At the NFL Combine, Heidenreich displayed the athletic ability to earn a roster spot on an NFL team. He recorded a 4.44 seconds in the 40-yard dash and logged a 35.5” and 10’0” in the vertical and broad jumps, producing a 98 athletic score on PlayerProfiler and 9.12 Relative Athletic Score (RAS).  

Scouting Report

Heidenreich is a versatile player who can be employed as a hybrid slot receiver and running back. Incredibly tough, the Pittsburgh native has a powerful frame at 6’0” and 198 pounds, and he embraces contact and is difficult to tackle. A one-cut runner, he has great short-area quickness, smoothly changing directions to gain extra yards. With a high football IQ, Heindenreich runs crafty routes and uses leverage and tempo to get open. To create late separation, he sharply ends routes and makes impressive cuts. He owns stupendous hands and concentration to corral the ball. He is a high-effort blocker with great ball security, rarely fumbling. 

A likely situational third-down weapon, he ran a limited route tree—predominantly used on go, slants, and posts—with lots of manufactured touches. He also lacked pass-protection reps in the Navy offense. Despite his athleticism, he does not show much wiggle or elusiveness on film. He did not play special teams for the Midshipmen and will need to illustrate to coaching staffs that he is willing and capable of contributing on kicks and punts. He fails to project as a top-flight fantasy producer due to limitations on tape and potential NFL usage. At the current rookie ADP, Heidenreich has the profile that I am willing to take a shot on late in drafts.

Germie Bernard, WR | Alabama

FastDraft Origins ADP 16.8 | WR8

Prospect Resume

Examining rankings by my PlayerProfiler teammates, I am lower than consensus on Alabama wideout Germie Bernard. My rating among his classmates is based on my analysis of a perceived lack of a fantasy ceiling. He is a very good football player and will provide clear utility for an NFL team. But will he ever be a 1,200-yard pass catcher with double-digit scores? It seems like an unlikely scenario for a professional. 

In high school, Bernard was a 4-star prospect from Nevada, the No. 239 player overall and the No. 28 receiver. As a freshman in 2022, he played at Michigan State and saw a little action for the Spartans. Afterward, he suited up for the Washington Huskies and recorded 34 catches for 419 yards and two touchdowns. In fairness, he played with excellent receiving teammates Ja’Lynn Polk, Rome Odunze, and Jalen McMillan, all of whom were drafted. 

Once again, he entered the transfer portal and followed his coach, Kalen DeBoer, to Alabama in 2024. As a member of the Crimson Tide, he snatched 50 passes for 794 yards and two scores, pacing the team in catches. Last year, he recorded the best season of his college career. He made 64 catches for 862 yards and 7 scores while averaging 13.5 ypc, leading the team in catches and yards. Bernard was also named a Biletnikoff Award semifinalist. The cherry on top was that the Las Vegas native also rushed 18 times for 101 yards and two scores, as well as completing two passes.

Scouting Report

A polished route runner, Benard, 6’1” and 206 pounds, is a smooth athlete and runner with the ball in his hands. He can be employed all over the formation and excels in the middle of the field on crossers, digs, and curls. He creates separation with excellent technique as he changes tempo. With outstanding hands, Benard extends arms to reel in passes and is savvy after the catch. Nimble feet on curls and comebacks, he exploits holes in zone coverage and employs excellent ”spidey-sense” in open space to gain additional yards. He tracks the ball well vertically and is a good blocker, and engages defenders. 

Benard does not have a second gear to hit home runs, and at times, he gets tackled from behind on long passes. He needs to improve his coverage against the press and create counter moves to get off the line of scrimmage. Not overly elusive, the former Crimson Tide playmaker lacks a long wingspan and catch radius. He is not as physical as his size and frame might indicate. While watching the film, I constantly asked: How does he win at the next level? Is there one trait to dominate opponents? I might be proven wrong in my analysis. Nevertheless, unless he drops into the third round of rookie drafts, I will bypass Bernard this year.

Eric McAlister, WR | TCU

FastDraft Origins ADP 38 | WR19

Prospect Resume

There are two concerns regarding Eric McAlister and his possible draft capital. First, he was arrested and pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge in 2024. Second, at the TCU Pro Day, he suffered a Jones fracture in his foot that may keep him from participating in OTAs and training camp. The two incidents could lower his draft stock with some organizations, and he might fall to the fifth round, which would provide nice value in rookie dynasty drafts.

In high school, McAlister was a three-star recruit and top 100 prospect at WR in the nation after corralling 70 passes for 1,498 yards and 20 scores as a senior. In 2021, he kicked off his college career at Boise State and redshirted his first season on campus. During his second year on the Blue Turf, he had 11 receptions for 259 yards and four touchdowns. He blasted off in 2023, catching 47 passes for 873 yards and five touchdowns before leaving the program after nine games.

In 2024, McAlister moved south to Fort Worth, TX, to play for the Horned Frogs. A home run hitter, he averaged 19.5 ypc, finishing tenth in the FBS and sixth among P4 players, and scored the go-ahead touchdown from 84 yards out versus Texas Tech. He also paced the nation with 89.7% of his receptions going for a first down. Last year, he became the alpha dog in the aerial assault and recorded career-bests across the board with 72 catches for 1,190 yards and 10 touchdowns. He surpassed 100 yards receiving in six contests and recorded three multi-touchdown games. He also posted 21 explosive plays, in which eight produced six points.

Scouting Report

McAlister is a big-play receiver who beats opponents over the top and after the catch at 6’4” and 194 pounds. A long strider, the former Horned Frog rapidly stacks defenders and has very good deep speed to threaten defenses vertically. With the ball in his hands, he explodes upfield and gains additional yardage, erasing tackle angles and running with anger and purpose. Fearless in the middle of the field, he also has the strength to push through tacklers. He plays with swagger and confidence and makes tacklers whiff in the open field. With a long frame and massive catch radius, he uses his arms and length to beat opponents at the high point of the pass. A fluid athlete, he easily sinks his hips and adjusts to the football in flight. 

Despite his possessive attributes, can he separate himself from elite-level corners? In college, his success came predominantly on go, slant, and crossing routes. He will need to add more routes to his repertoire as a professional. At the line of scrimmage, he occasionally gets pushed off routes against press/jam coverage. He has an inconsistent technique and can be lackadaisical in rounding off routes. At times, he appears to drop the ball because of a lack of concentration. McAlister has a complex profile and is going under the radar by dynasty players. He is one of my top targets in the fourth round of drafts.

Jeff Caldwell, WR | Cincinnati

FastDraft Origins ADP 36.8 | WR18

Prospect Resume

It is easy to dismiss Jeff Caldwell as a future fantasy performer. Nonetheless, I do believe that there is a path for success at the NFL level as a pass catcher. There is an adage that you cannot coach size and speed, and Calwell has both at 6’5” and 216 pounds. Bruce Feldman added him to his Freaks List last summer, and Calwell smashed at the NFL Combine. On PlayerProfiler, the former Bearcats’ playmaker scored in the 100th percentile for Speed Score and 99th percentile for Burst Score while producing a 9.99 RAS score, which is second-best for all receivers since 1987.

Caldwell’s college production, combined with his athletic traits, makes him a noteworthy prospect. He enrolled at Lindenwood University (FCS) in the Ohio Valley Conference in 2022. He did not see many targets as a freshman but began to impact the passing game as a sophomore the following season. In 2023, he caught 32 passes for 599 yards and eight scores. As a junior the next season, he earned All-Big South First Team for the second year in a row. He recorded 53 catches for 1,032 yards and 11 touchdowns. He was also named a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, known as the FCS Heisman, and to the FCS All-American Second Team (Stats Perform).

Caldwell moved up in competition last year and signed with Cincinnati. In his only season as a Bearcat, he secured 32 catches for 478 yards and six touchdowns, earning All-Big 12 honorable mention. A home run hitter, he averaged 18.0 ypc on 125 receptions and scored on every fourth catch during his four seasons in college. Only playing one year at the highest level of competition, Caldwell’s elite athletic abilities are worthy of rolling the dice on.

Scouting Report

Caldwell does not profile as an immediate contributor at the next level. He is a developmental prospect who will provide needed speed on the outside to vertically attack the safeties and open the middle of the field for underneath routes. He is a hands catcher with good ball skills on deep passes. With a massive catch radius, stupendous leaping ability, and great feet on the boundary, there are impressive one-handed catches on tape. A quick-twitch athlete, Caldwell is a long strider with a second gear and uses natural radar to track deep balls. In the run game, he is a competitive blocker. 

In four years, Caldwell ran a limited route tree on film with both programs and needs to develop more route diversity to consistently beat defensive backs. He does not win contested catches (or 50/50 balls) well enough for a player with his size and skills, and drops too many passes. His production fell when the level of competition increased from the FCS to the Big 12. Caldwell is not a finished product and will need time to develop, but his potential makes him worth the investment in Dynasty leagues. 

Sam Roush, TE | Stanford

FastDraft Origins ADP 46.6 | TE7 

Prospect Resume

Stanford football has fallen on hard times over the past decade—The Cardinals have not posted a winning season since 2018. During the prior decade, from 2009, Stanford dominated competitors, earned 10 Bowl invites, including three Rose Bowl appearances, and had All-American candidates who impacted fantasy rosters. Many of the top prospects (Zac Ertz, Austin Hopper, and Dalton Schultz) played tight end. Sam Roush is the highest-ranked tight end from the program in years, and Dynasty owners seeking a value at the position have identified the former Cardinal in rookie drafts.

Before the NFL Combine, I became interested in Roush after watching film. Nevertheless, I had concerns about his athleticism given his size. All of my reservations were alleviated after his performance in Indianapolis. He hit a home run in every drill: 4.70 seconds in the 40-yard dash, 7.08 in the 3-cone drill, and 4.37 in the 20-yard shuttle. He exceeded every benchmark in my TE model. On PlayerProfiler, he garnered a 116.5 athletic score and recorded a Burst Score (130.4) in the 95th percentile at the tight end position. I am now all in on Roush as a prospect, and he is my fourth-ranked TE in the class.

In four years at Palo Alto, Roush improved every season as a pass catcher. As a freshman, he only caught two passes for 24 yards. As a sophomore, he leaped forward with 28 catches for 288 yards. Two seasons ago, he corralled 40 passes for 334 yards and two scores. As a senior in 2025, he earned All-ACC Second Team after nabbing 45 passes for 545 yards and two touchdowns. He also collected the Tommy Vardell award given to the program’s top player who excels in the classroom and on the field.

Scouting Report

I picked up two draft magazines at Barnes & Noble (Yes, I am old), and neither one featured Roush among the top 10 among tight end prospects. I am still stunned and hope that he remains under the radar. At 6’6 and 267 pounds, Roush projects as a traditional in-line “Y” tight end who blocks and catches well. With sticky hands, he excels in the short-passing game, showing very good body control to adjust to poorly thrown passes. He runs with a low pad level, is difficult to tackle, and obliterates arm tackles. A maximum effort player, he enjoys the grunt work at the position. He enjoys popping defenders off the line of scrimmage and seals the edge in the run game. He is from an athletic family with college and pro athletes.

Roush lacks the field-stretching speed to threaten defenses vertically, and he does not create much separation against defenders. He must improve hand usage after drops in 2024, or it could be a challenge to remain on the field. He also needs more moves and better technique to release off the line of scrimmage. Despite the athleticism, he lacks crisp footwork in and out of breaks and cuts. I have partaken in three rookie mock drafts and selected Roush each time in the third round of TE-premium scoring. Let’s hope his ADP does not rise and that PlayerProfiler readers benefit from the poor pre-draft rankings.

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Chase down “The Scholar,” John Laub on X @GridironSchol91 for all of your pre-NFL college content and dynasty draft needs!