RADIO
2026 fantasy football rookie outlooks for Makai Lemon, Eric McAlister, Jordyn Tyson. Should you draft these NFL rookie WRs for 2026 fantasy dynasty rookie drafts?
With dynasty rookie drafts on the horizon, fantasy managers are beginning to analyze the top prospects in this year's class. While several factors, such as Combine performance and more importantly, landing spots, have yet to be determined, managers can still go on to identify their top targets in the year's rookie class.
In this piece, we will spotlight three of the top wide receivers and determine who managers should prioritize in their upcoming rookie drafts.
Should you draft Makai Lemon, Eric McAlister, or Jordyn Tyson? What are their 2026 fantasy football outlooks? Let's answer those questions below.
Featured Promo: New Novig users get a $25 purchase match (50% discount up to $25) on your first Novig deposit, and a free month of RotoBaller's "Big-4" Premium Pass (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL) which includes exclusive tools for Betting, Props, DFS and more! CLAIM IT NOW
Makai Lemon 2026 Fantasy Football Outlook
Makai Lemon isn’t going to light up the Combine, but he is a polished, productive receiver who understands leverage, manipulates coverage, runs pristine routes, and rarely wastes a target.
His 502 yards after the catch ranked second among all players with an average depth of target north of 10 yards, while his 3.13 yards per route run ranked sixth among receivers playing at least 70% of their snaps from the slot.
As a slightly undersized USC receiver who refuses to be outworked and routinely goes full Grinch heart at the catch point, the Amon-Ra St. Brown comparisons are both unavoidable and well-earned, and he might be the safest pick in this year’s draft.
Makai Lemon is an ELITE Wide Receiver Prospect⭐️ pic.twitter.com/bv58B1f4xo
— PFF College (@PFF_College) December 27, 2025
Eric McAlister 2026 Fantasy Football Outlook
Eric McAlister is one of the most complete receivers in this class, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to understand how he’s flying so far under the radar. At 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, he looks the part of an NFL X receiver, but he moves like someone 20 pounds lighter.
After lining up on the boundary for more than 90% of his snaps at Boise State, McAlister expanded his role at TCU. Taking roughly a fifth of his snaps from the slot, he was able to win routinely with an almost unfair burst for a player of his size.
His 27 missed tackles in 2025 were third-most among all receivers nationally and the most in this draft class, and he showed a knack for coming up biggest in gotta-have-it moments. Nearly 70% of his receptions went for first downs, a testament to both his route savvy and his ability to finish plays.
🏆 Eric McAlister is First Team All-Big 12‼️#GoFrogs 🐸 #ForTheWorthy pic.twitter.com/7F02WBKzPO
— TCU Football (@TCUFootball) December 4, 2025
Some NFL team is going to fall hard for McAlister’s blend of size, explosiveness, and reliability, making him a riser candidate throughout the draft process and a name that dynasty managers should not be ignoring.
Jordyn Tyson 2026 Fantasy Football Outlook
Don't let the drop in Jordyn Tyson's yards per reception trick you into thinking he's not still the top wide receiver prospect in 2026. Arizona State's offense has regressed this season without Cam Skattebo to lead the run game and with quarterback Sam Leavitt now hurt, but Tyson is still an elite player.
Jordyn Tyson with a sick acrobatic one-handed contested catch between two defenders. #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/ttph9F4QBC
— WBG84 (@WBG84) October 25, 2025
The 6-foot-2 wideout is a skilled route runner with enough speed to create separation. No, he's not going to consistently burn defenses, but he's got strong hands and knows how to find his spots. He can be a top-10 wide receiver in the NFL.
NFL Rookie Rankings for Fantasy Football (Pre-NFL Draft)
| Tier | Rank | Player Name | Pos. |
| 1 | 1 | Jeremiyah Love | RB |
| 2 | 2 | Jordyn Tyson | WR |
| 2 | 3 | Carnell Tate | WR |
| 2 | 4 | Makai Lemon | WR |
| 3 | 5 | Denzel Boston | WR |
| 3 | 6 | Jadarian Price | RB |
| 3 | 7 | Justice Haynes | RB |
| 3 | 8 | KC Concepcion | WR |
| 4 | 9 | Jonah Coleman | RB |
| 4 | 10 | Nicholas Singleton | RB |
| 4 | 11 | Chris Brazzell II | WR |
| 4 | 12 | Dante Moore | QB |
| 4 | 13 | Fernando Mendoza | QB |
| 5 | 14 | Kenyon Sadiq | TE |
| 5 | 15 | Germie Bernard | WR |
| 5 | 16 | Eli Stowers | TE |
| 5 | 17 | Ty Simpson | QB |
| 5 | 18 | Chris Bell | WR |
| 5 | 19 | Elijah Sarratt | WR |
| 6 | 20 | Ja'Kobi Lane | WR |
| 6 | 21 | LJ Martin | RB |
| 6 | 22 | Emmett Johnson | RB |
| 6 | 23 | Kaytron Allen | RB |
| 6 | 24 | Malachi Fields | WR |
| 7 | 25 | Eric Singleton Jr. | WR |
| 7 | 26 | Max Klare | TE |
| 7 | 27 | Omar Cooper Jr. | WR |
| 7 | 28 | Zachariah Branch | WR |
| 7 | 29 | Antonio Williams | WR |
| 7 | 30 | Josh Cameron | WR |
| 7 | 31 | Garrett Nussmeier | QB |
| 8 | 32 | CJ Daniels | WR |
| 8 | 33 | Demond Claiborne | RB |
| 8 | 34 | Caleb Douglas | WR |
| 8 | 35 | Skyler Bell | WR |
| 8 | 36 | Michael Trigg | TE |
| 8 | 37 | Ian Strong | WR |
| 8 | 38 | Kevin Coleman Jr. | WR |
| 8 | 39 | Darius Taylor | RB |
| 9 | 40 | Bryce Lance | WR |
| 9 | 41 | Cade Klubnik | QB |
| 9 | 42 | Jake Endries | TE |
| 9 | 43 | Le'Veon Moss | RB |
| 9 | 44 | Brenen Thompson | WR |
| 9 | 45 | J'Mari Taylor | RB |
| 9 | 46 | Jam Miller | RB |
| 9 | 47 | Carson Beck | QB |
| 9 | 48 | Drew Allar | QB |
| 9 | 49 | Eric Rivers | WR |
| 9 | 50 | Nic Anderson | WR |
More Fantasy Football Analysis
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!
