2026 Fantasy Football Rookie Outlooks: Sleepers, Stashes, Draft Targets

May 19, 2026

Rob's 2026 fantasy football rookie sleepers and busts. His predictions of the top rookies for fantasy football include Jeremiyah Love, Jadarian Price, and more.

The 2026 NFL Draft is officially completed, and with it, rookie fever is officially in full bloom. Rookies, by virtue of never having played a down in the NFL yet, have never had the chance to disappoint any fantasy manager. That often leads to eternal optimism. Fantasy managers often ask, what could be?

Being optimistic is far more enjoyable than being pessimistic. For this particular report, we'll be looking at all the fantasy football rookies who have a chance to be fantasy-relevant. The reality is that most rookies won't be every-week starters, but this article will place all fantasy-relevant rookies into specific categories based on their fantasy potential.

We’ll be skipping the quarterback and tight end class for this article. Let’s get started. Please be sure to use promo code "BOOM" for 10% off any premium purchase.

Week 1 Top-20 Starter

Jeremiyah Love, Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals made the confusing decision to select Love with the third overall pick in this year's NFL Draft, but now he is entrenched as their starting running back. Yes, they signed Tyler Allgeier in free agency and still have James Conner. Fantasy managers could be concerned about Allgeier dating back to his Atlanta days, given his pairing with Bijan Robinson.

However, Robinson didn't have an Allgeier problem; he had an Arthur Smith problem. In Robinson's lone season with Smith in 2023, he finished as the RB17. In 2024, he finished as the RB4 with a 17.6 half-PPR PPG average, and last year, he was the RB3 with a 20.3 half-PPR PPG average. Allgeier was healthy and in Atlanta in all three of those years.

There's little reason to be concerned with Conner. He just turned 31 years old and suffered a season-ending foot injury early last year. While the veteran is expected to be healthy enough for the start of training camp, Conner's injury history in Arizona should give fantasy managers optimism.

In 2022, Conner was the RB10, averaging 13.6 half-PPR PPG, and the following season, he was the RB15, averaging 13.3 half-PPR PPG. He averaged 14.4 half-PPR PPG in 2024, finishing as the RB14.

The Cardinals are under new leadership, which doesn't make it a perfect comparison, but it still shows Love's upside as Arizona's lead back. Love has home run potential and is an elite pass-catcher. Arizona's quarterback, Jacoby Brissett, has virtually no mobility, which historically has led to a high number of running back targets.

Love is all but locked into 230 carries and 40 receptions, giving him immediate top-20 value. Love has top-12 upside and is currently being drafted as the RB13.

Jadarian Price, Seattle Seahawks

Recent reports indicated Price won't be Seattle's workhorse back early in the season, but given their putrid depth chart, it's hard to imagine Emanuel Wilson being a threat to Price, given his first-round draft capital.

Last year, Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet had 405 carries, 1,757 rushing yards, and 17 rushing touchdowns. They also had 60 targets, 51 receptions, and 426 receiving yards. Walker is now a member of the Kansas City Chiefs, and Charbonnet tore his ACL in January and did not have surgery until February.

Walker and Charbonnet combined to average 20.3 half-PPR PPG last season. While it would be incredibly optimistic to assume Price would get 100% of that, there's little reason to think that 60-75% isn't on the table. That would be a 12.2-to-15.2 half-PPR PPG range.

The Seahawks ranked in the top five in points per game and rushing attempts per game in 2025. They were also top-ten in yards per game and team running back half-PPR PPG.

Price is walking into an elite situation, with elite draft capital, and even though he didn't have prolific collegiate stats due to Love, he was incredibly efficient. He averaged 4.28 yards after contact per attempt, broke 0.259 tackles per attempt, and averaged 6.0 yards per attempt. Price should be viewed as a weekly RB2 from the get-go with top-12 upside.

WR3 with Upside

Being drafted in the top 10 has come with plenty of upside over the past five years, as receivers have become more explosive and NFL-ready. Additionally, the WR position is in higher demand than ever before and is seen as more valuable. Over the past five years, receivers drafted in the top 10 have averaged 78 catches, 1,045 yards, and just over six touchdowns per game. Both of these receivers inherit that recent historical upside. 

Jordyn Tyson, New Orleans Saints

Last year, the Saints threw passes to the following receivers: Rashid Shaheed, Devaughn Vele, Brandin Cooks, Kevin Austin Jr., Mason Tipton, Dante Pettis, Ronnie Bell, and Samori Toure. Shaheed is now in Seattle, and Vele is the only other wide receiver worth anything, and even that isn't much. When you include soon-to-be 30-year-old Juwan Johnson, this group of misfit receivers had 290 targets last year.

This group finished with 201 receptions, 2,245 yards, and nine touchdowns. The Saints' offense has struggled over the past few years, and with Chris Olave already in town, there may be feelings that there isn't enough to go around. As you can see, that isn't at all the case. The Saints have plenty to go around.

Shaheed had a 21.8% target rate and was actually top-20 in targets in New Orleans before getting traded. Vele had a 20.3% target rate after getting traded to the Saints. Tyson had target rates of 29%, 31%, 31%, and 32% across his four college seasons.

There's a new QB-WR connection in NOLA 👀 @Saints@tylershough2 | @tyson_jordyn pic.twitter.com/zgNPMOg4Ao

— NFL (@NFL) May 5, 2026

In Tyler Shough's nine starts as a rookie, he averaged 251 yards per game and completed just shy of 70% of his passes. Adding Tyson will only help ensure that those numbers continue. Shough played well as a rookie. There's real upside in this offense.

Carnell Tate, Tennessee Titans

Cam Ward had a very forgettable rookie season, but in his defense, his top pass-catchers were two fourth-round rookies, Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike, and tight end Chig Okonkwo. He was essentially thrown to the wolves and all but forgotten. However, he was the No. 1 overall pick for a reason, and there have been many changes in Tennessee recently.

Brian Callahan, the former head coach, was fired during the 2025 season. The Titans have since hired Robert Saleh, who has brought in Brian Daboll as offensive coordinator. They drafted Carnell Tate and signed Wan'Dale Robinson in free agency. Calvin Ridley appeared in only seven games and was never healthy, yet he's still with the team.

Last year, if Tennessee had three receivers on the field, the majority of the time, that was Ayomanor, Dike, and Van Jefferson. In 2026, those three receivers will be Tate, Robinson, and Ridley. Quite a difference, so before knocking Tate indirectly for having to catch passes from Ward, the former No. 1 overall pick probably deserves a second chance.

Is Carnell Tate Poised for Immediate Stardom in Tennessee? https://t.co/MS1Xh4kWfz

— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) May 13, 2026

Tennessee selected Tate with the fourth overall pick in this year's draft, indicating just how much they believe in him as a player. That draft capital also speaks to their belief and desire to make him a focal point of their offense. Fantasy managers should expect Tate to immediately become Ward's No. 1 target.

Last year, Tennessee threw the ball 540 times. If Tate has a 22% target share, he'd finish with 119 targets. If he has a 25% target share, he'd have 135 targets. If Ward takes a step forward in his second season, Tate will likely be the reason and the biggest beneficiary.

Boom or Bust Flex Starter

Makai Lemon, Philadelphia Eagles

This is written with the expectation that A.J. Brown is already a New England Patriot. Given their selection of Lemon, their signing of Hollywood Brown, and their trade for Dontayvion Wicks, Philadelphia seems to be doing all they can to ensure they have the talent and numbers to replace Brown.

Why isn't Lemon in the same tier as Tate and Tyson? Well, there are a few reasons. For starters, DeVonta Smith is significantly better than the target competition Tate will face in Tennessee against Ridley and Robinson. While Smith and Chris Olave are similar players, Dallas Goedert is a solidly better No. 2 option in Philadelphia than what Tyson will have to face in New Orleans.

The other part of this, maybe the bigger part, is simply volume. The Titans had 540 pass attempts in 2025. The Saints had 591. The Eagles were at just 497. When you factor in more difficult target competition and significantly less pass volume, Lemon's ability to be a consistent fantasy producer is negatively impacted, not due to his own talents but rather because of his environment.

Makai Lemon has been drafted #20 by the Eagles.

Makai Lemon 79 REC, 1156 YDS, 14 Total TDs 2025 Season Highlights: pic.twitter.com/TLDc3lp1uv

— Football Performances (@NFLPerformances) April 24, 2026

Lemon had an elite final season at USC, and it's reasonable to think that he's going to push Goedert to be Jalen Hurts' No. 2 target-earner in Philadelphia, but if he's unable to separate himself from Goedert, it's hard to think the No. 3 option in a volume-strapped offense can be a consistent fantasy producer.

However, Lemon has the skill and the talent to have splash weeks. He finished his collegiate career with a yard per route run rate over 3.00 and had a 27.6% target rate. Those are elite numbers and give him plenty of potential to have an impact in his rookie season. Whether that translates to usable fantasy production is the question.

Over the past two years, Hurts has had one of the lowest passer rates over the middle of the field. This is where Lemon is best able to utilize his strengths, but it raises concerns about whether the Eagles will be able to use him to the fullest. Drafting Lemon is a bet on talent, and he's got plenty of it. In Philadelphia, we just may not get to see that regularly.

Backup with Upside

KC Concepcion & Denzel Boston, Cleveland Browns

Grouping these two players makes sense since they were drafted in the same range and by the same team. The Browns return Harold Fannin and Jerry Jeudy, who were the team's leading pass-catchers last season, both finishing with more than 100 targets. That will make the situation more difficult for Concepcion or Boston to become fantasy-relevant as rookies.

That task was made even more difficult when the Browns double-dipped at receiver.

To make matters worse, the quarterback situation in Cleveland is disastrous. It'll be Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson, or Dillon Gabriel. Last year, the Browns finished with the 15th-most pass attempts but ranked 31st in yards, 30th in touchdowns, 30th in net yards gained per pass attempt, while throwing the fourth-most interceptions.

Given his excellent rookie season, fantasy managers should expect Fannin to be the team's No. 1 option in the passing game. Jeudy is coming off a terrible 2025 season, but in 2024, he had 90 catches and 1,229 yards. Jeudy will still be on the field, which will affect Concepcion's and Boston's snaps and routes.

Given that Jeudy, Boston, and Concepcion will all eat into their own snaps, routes, and targets, it becomes more difficult to see true fantasy-relevance in 2026 for the two rookies. Adding Fannin and arguably the worst quarterback depth chart in the NFL makes it all but impossible.

Boston appears to be a better bet in standard-scoring leagues. His size and length could make him an early red-zone target. Concepcion is the better bet in half-PPR leagues, where he could be utilized as the team's slot receiver and have manufactured touches catered to him.

Todd Monken sees some similar traits between Browns rookie WR KC Concepcion and Ravens' Zay Flowershttps://t.co/W6bhJnMg5G pic.twitter.com/p0afQ5eyLL

— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) May 13, 2026

If Concepcion is used like Zay Flowers, he has some fantasy potential, but the question remains if Cleveland has the quarterbacks to help him realize that potential. Head coach Todd Monken will likely create touches for Concepcion, giving him the potential to be the team's No. 1 receiver in targets, but he'll still likely be behind Fannin in one of the league's worst offenses with arguably the worst quarterback play in the NFL.

Omar Cooper Jr., New York Jets

Garrett Wilson is the team's clear and undisputed No. 1 receiver. The team also employs Adonai Mitchell, Mason Taylor, and newly drafted Kenyon Sadiq. Given Wilson's elite talent, the likely poor quarterback play, and offensive production, Cooper's upside is somewhat capped.

Geno Smith was one of the worst quarterbacks in the league last year, finishing with the most interceptions. Smith appears to be something of a one-hit wonder, and given his advancing age and being on a new team, fantasy managers will need to keep their expectations in check for this Jets' offense.

Since 2023, Wilson has had a 26% target share or higher in every season, and twice has finished with a target short of 30%. With such a target hog already in town, Cooper's pathway to fantasy relevance is more difficult. Given Smith's recent play and the lack of offensive production, it becomes even more troubling.

How confident can fantasy managers be that Smith can produce two fantasy-relevant pass-catchers? The odds are low. Cooper is also not guaranteed to be Smith's No. 2 target-earner. That distinction could go to Mitchell, Sadiq, or Breece Hall. If he's unable to separate from this group, the odds become impossible.

Cooper should be viewed as a fantasy backup with some upside. Hopefully, the change in scenery helps Smith rediscover his talents, and Cooper can separate himself from the other ancillary pass-catchers.

Cooper had a great senior season at Indiana, finishing with 69 catches and 937 yards. However, in his first three years, he produced just 861 yards, or roughly 287 yards per season. Fantasy managers should keep their fantasy expectations for Cooper in check for 2026.

Antonio Williams, Washington Commanders

Washington has 1,800 vacated air yards, 222 vacated targets, and 12 vacated targets inside the 10-yard line. While many expect Brandon Aiyuk to eventually end up in Washington, this is no guarantee. Washington's depth chart is a disaster. Behind Terry McLaurin, it's Dyami Brown, Luke McCaffrey, Jaylin Lane, Jefferson, and Treylon Burks.

Williams has a real chance to be Washington's No. 2 receiver and finish with the second-most targets. His size and skill set seem to favor Williams working as Washington's primary slot receiver. With Jayden Daniels and a likely pass-happy offense, Williams has a real chance to become a fantasy starter by the second-half of the season.

Antonio Williams

- YAC guy who is very shifty after the catch
- beat in short/intermediate game. Lots of targets behind LOS in college
- best in slot
- can win across middle
- quick separator
- more quick than fast

Reminded me of a faster Wan’Dale Robinson

— Michael F. Florio (@MichaelFFlorio) April 25, 2026

The biggest challenge for Williams will be his playing time. Williams could be a candidate to come off the field in 12- and 13-personnel groupings, only playing when the team has three receivers on the field. That would put him in a role similar to that of Jayden Reed and Josh Downs.

That could limit him a touch, but given Washington's potentially porous defense and assuming Daniels reverts back to the way he looked as a rookie, Williams could have plenty of usable weeks and become a weekly fixation in your starting lineup late in the season.

Other Rookies on the Fantasy Football Radar

• WR Chris Brazzell II, Carolina Panthers
• RB Kaelon Black, San Francisco 49ers
• WR Chris Bell, Miami Dolphins
• RB Jonah Coleman, Denver Broncos
• RB Mike Washington Jr., Las Vegas Raiders
• RB Nicholas Singleton, Tennessee Titans
• RB Kaytron Allen, Washington Commanders

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