If you’re pushing for a devy fantasy football championship, now is the time to evaluate the 2026 NFL Draft-eligible talent on your roster and decide who truly helps your NFL lineup next season and who to sell for an immediate return. Some players produce on paper but don’t show the traits needed to thrive at the next level. Others hold enough name value that you can move them for immediate NFL production and boost your odds of winning it all.
Every league is its own ecosystem, where value fluctuates based on scoring and roster construction. But if you’re a contender, only the elite devy stars are likely to improve your lineup week to week. Identifying those players and holding tight, while selling off the rest, can be the difference between building for the future and raising a banner.
The best time to sell a 2026 devy asset is usually the eve of the NFL Draft or even during it, when managers get freshman fever. That window can deliver peak value, but don’t hold a player so long you miss your championship opportunity. Building is fun, but winning is why we play.
Here’s how I’d approach several notable 2026 NFL Draft prospects if I’m chasing a playoff spot and a title run in devy fantasy leagues.
2026 NFL Draft-Eligible Players To Hold or Sell for a Devy Fantasy Football Championship Push
Fernando Mendoza (QB, Indiana) | Sell for Win-Now Help
Fernando Mendoza is on a two-man Heisman shortlist with Julian Sayin (2027 NFL Draft-Eligible) and has surged into the conversation as the QB1 in the 2026 NFL Draft. I was high on him early and wrote a long X thread last June about targeting him late in devy drafts.
NFL speculation already ties him to the Jets and Browns, franchises with shaky infrastructure and weak QB development records. Mendoza’s rising media presence and on-field play have the community falling in love with him. His value will peak closer to the draft, likely hitting its true ceiling before he even steps on stage.
If I’m a contender, I’m almost certainly set at quarterback. Fernando Mendoza is a perfect piece to move for a high-end upgrade at a skill position. Cash in on the profit of your low-cost investment.
Makai Lemon (WR, USC) | Clear Hold
Makai Lemon leads all Power Four receivers in yards heading into Week 13 with 1,090 and has broken out in a big way. His style is the key. Turn on the tape, and you see a receiver who wins the same way the league’s top fantasy wideouts win. He models his game after Amon-Ra St. Brown, and the similarities are obvious. Lemon creates separation, is technically sharp and versatile and thrives from the slot.
With his production, tape and translatable skill set, Makai Lemon is not a player you shop unless you’re acquiring an elite NFL difference-maker from a rebuilding team. He’s the exact type of prospect who becomes a future lineup cornerstone.
Carnell Tate (WR, Ohio State) | Mostly Hold
A year ago, I said Carnell Tate needed to follow the Emeka Egbuka development arc, and that read seems to have aged well. Tate carries the same sort of upside Egbuka flashed, and Egbuka has become an immediate NFL contributor (WR8 heading into Week 12). Tate is one of the safest devy wide receiver assets in the college game. He’s polished, reliable and on track to become an NFL WR1 if things fall into place.
If someone offers an aging mid-tier producer, it’s not enough. If you’re all-in, Carnell Tate is a player you can move only for a top-tier win-now piece plus a devy pick or secondary asset. Realistically, he’s in the class of players you’d rather hold.
Nic Singleton (RB, Penn State) | Sell
Nic Singleton remains one of the toughest devy running back valuations. His tools and pedigree are elite, but his efficiency and usage at Penn State haven’t met expectations.
The key is this: he still has significant name value. His profile is buoyed by traits, early-career buzz and athletic projection, not by current production. That means his value will spike during offseason workouts and the combine. You can take advantage of that, but don’t let the hype pull you back in.
Singleton isn’t a locked-in future RB1. Trading uncertainty for guaranteed points during a title chase is always the right move. Packaging him with another devy asset for a proven NFL difference-maker is the play.
Denzel Boston (WR, Washington) | Sell
Denzel Boston headlines the second tier behind the big three of Makai Lemon, Carnell Tate and Jordyn Tyson. He’s a productive boundary receiver with size and contested-catch ability, and he’s a real end zone threat.
But he lacks game-changing speed, which caps his NFL ceiling. We’ve seen plenty of big college jump-ball winners struggle to separate or maintain their roles against NFL athletes. Boston has talent, but his floor is a complementary piece at the next level, and many big WRs end up there.
He’s exactly the type of player devy contenders should sell. Denzel Boston is productive now, has tape questions long term and likely carries Round 2 dynasty rookie pick value. Cash out while he’s hot. Think Tre Harris from last year.
Jeremiyah Love (RB, Notre Dame) | Sell Only for an Elite Return
Jeremiyah Love might be the 1.01 in most dynasty rookie drafts and deserves every bit of the hype. He’s now being mentioned in the same tier as Ashton Jeanty and Bijan Robinson as a collegiate prospect. He’s that good.
Holding him is understandable. Running backs are often the final piece for contenders, and Love could instantly turn your team into a juggernaut. Adding him would feel like Thanos locking in the final Infinity Stone.
But championships are forever. If Love can net you elite production now, like a top tight end, a high-volume wideout or a weekly difference-maker, you have to consider the move. It’s one of the toughest decisions in devy because he projects as a star, but landing a championship matters more than landing a future RB1. Remember, even elite prospects like Jeanty can hit rough rookie situations where O-line play caps their value.
If you’re going all-in, Jeremiyah Love is one of the few chips worth flipping for a true game changer.
RELATED: Mid-Season 2026 Dynasty Rookie Mock Draft | Superflex, TE Premium
Turning Potential Into Points: The Smart Devy Contender’s Mindset
Smart devy managers know championships aren’t won by collecting the most promising prospects; they’re won by turning long-term potential into immediate points. It’s natural to form a bond with your devy players after tracking their recruitment, breakout moments and weekly progress. We invest time, emotion and pride into these prospects, and it can feel counterintuitive to move on from players we’ve believed in since they were freshmen.
But contending teams can’t afford sentiment. Only the most certain next-level game changers deserve to be held during a title push. Everyone else is a tool to strengthen your NFL lineup now. Trading a talented prospect for proven production isn’t disloyalty; it’s a strategic decision that separates managers who build forever from managers who eventually win.
Potential is exciting, but trophies are what last. Winning is why we play, and making the right hold or sell decisions with these 2026 devy prospects can make the difference in securing a championship.
Thanks for reading my article on “2026 NFL Draft-Eligible Players To Hold or Sell for a Devy Fantasy Football Championship Push.” For more Devy and College Fantasy Football content, follow me on Twitter/X @PoshplaysFF.
*Photo Credit: Troy Wayrynen – USA Today Sports*
