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Should you draft Carnell Tate, Jordyn Tyson, and Makai Lemon in fantasy football in 2026? Quincy breaks down the fantasy outlooks for these three rookies.
The NFL Draft has come and gone. All of our favorite prospects have now landed with their prospective teams. This means we can finally begin projecting how these players will fare in Year 1. With the rise of rookie running backs and wide receivers across the league, the next few weeks often prove to be among the most exciting for both NFL fans and fantasy football players.
While this year's draft featured serious depth at wide receiver, three stood above the rest. Carnell Tate, Jordyn Tyson, and Makai Lemon were in a tier of their own. Many draft experts would not have been surprised if all three went in the top 15 picks. Lemon, often considered the best of the three, slipped to Philadelphia at No. 20 while the other two were both selected in the top 10.
We can now look ahead at the prospects of all three players in the 2026 fantasy football season. Frankly, all three of these players landed in solid spots. They should see good volume in Year 1, and there aren't currently any questions about who their quarterbacks will be. Let's dive in and see who you should draft in 2026.
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:- 2025 fantasy football rankings
- Running back (RB) rankings
- Wide receiver (WR) rankings
- Quarterback (QB) rankings
- Tight end (TE) rankings
- Defense (D/ST) rankings
- Kicker (K) rankings
- FLEX rankings
- Dynasty rankings
Carnell Tate Fantasy Football Outlook
Tate was the first off the board at No. 4 to the Titans, and of the top three wide receivers, he likely has the path to the most volume in 2026. Tennessee did a nice job keeping this pick under wraps. Many expected them to go in another direction, given the preferences of new head coach Robert Saleh. In any case, Tate will make an excellent weapon for young quarterback Cameron Ward.
In many circles, Tate was ranked No. 3 at his position heading into the draft. However, he fits in well in this offense at 6-foot-2, 192 lbs. He will be a true X receiver, while free agent acquisition Wan'Dale Robinson roams in the mid-range of the field. The team also has an aging Calvin Ridley. Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike to add depth to the wide receiver room.
YOU CANNOT COVER CARNELL TATE.
TOUCHDOWN BUCKEYES 🔥 pic.twitter.com/WznkZRNToC
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) October 18, 2025
The question here is, how far has Ward come in his development? Ward got off to an awful start during his rookie year, but he ended the season with a nice stretch of games.
After throwing seven interceptions through 13 games in 2025, Ward did not throw a pick over the final month of the season. He also added six passing touchdowns during that stretch. Additionally, Ward was able to support solid production from Ayomanor and Dike at times throughout the year. While it was not unbelievable, neither player is the same caliber as Tate.
Quarterbacks of Ward's caliber typically make huge strides in Year 2. Adding elite wide receiver talent often aids significantly in this jump. As long as Ward's shoulder injury suffered at the end of the season does not hamper him in 2026, he should support a WR2 type of season from Tate.
Jordyn Tyson Fantasy Football Outlook
Tyson was selected No. 8 by the New Orleans Saints. New Orleans was not done there, adding tight end Oscar Delp and wide receivers Bryce Lance and Barion Brown later in the draft. This team is clearly loading up on talent to support its top wide receiver, Chris Olave, and second-year quarterback, Tyler Shough.
There is a huge opportunity for Tyson to step into an immediate every-down role for this team. While Olave will likely remain as the No. 1 target in this offense, at 6-foot-2 and 203 lbs, Tyson gives this team a more prototypical target. He is often compared to Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens. That is pretty good company to find yourself in.
JORDYN. TYSON. pic.twitter.com/rii9IxwBjp
— Arizona State Sun Devils (@TheSunDevils) September 27, 2025
Tyson has the ability to win at every level of the field. He will also give the Saints a great 50/50 ball target. Olave stands to operate in the midrange of the field, leaving Tyson to receive high-value targets down the field. At his size, he should also be a factor in the red zone. Head coach Kellen Moore is a maestro when it comes to scheming touches for his top players. Tyson should be a huge beneficiary of that genius.
Moore's offenses tend to have plenty of targets to go around. He loves to run a high-paced scheme that results in a lot of plays and numerous opportunities for touches. As such, Tyson and Olave should be able to coexist without issue. Consider the fact that in Moore's lone season as the Philadelphia Eagles' offensive coordinator in 2024, both DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown finished with solid seasons.
Look for Tyson to enjoy plenty of scoring opportunities in an offense that now has the potential to be one of the best in the league. If Shough can continue his development and build off a solid rookie season, Tyson could be a scary player in this league. He should absolutely be on fantasy rosters in 2026.
Makai Lemon Fantasy Football Outlook
Lemon brings up the rear at pick No. 20. This is a savvy route runner who was the No. 1 overall wide receiver on many big boards. With Brown likely on his way out of town, Lemon will step into a huge role opposite Smith. Neither Lemon nor Smith is a particularly big player, but both guys know how to operate in the zone-heavy NFL, and they should play well off of each other.
The only issue here is that the Eagles' wide receiver room is suddenly crowded in one of the run-heaviest offenses in the league. Although Brown and Smith were simultaneously high-quality fantasy assets, the wide receiver room was short on depth.
In 16 games in 2025, quarterback Jalen Hurts threw only 454 passes. In 15 games the year before, that number stood at 361. In a league in which most of the top quarterbacks in the league are throwing between 500 and 600 passes per year, Hurts' numbers may be too low for a lot of fantasy fun for Lemon.
Makai Lemon you are insane 🤯 #GoodFor6
📺 NBC
— USC Football ✌️ (@uscfb) October 12, 2025
During this offseason, the Eagles have added wide receivers Marquise Brown, Dontayvion Wicks, and Elijah Moore in addition to Lemon. While the former three are not world beaters, each one will play a role in this offense. Additionally, all three have enjoyed some level of solid success at times throughout their careers. Lemon is unlikely to play behind any of them, but his overall volume could be capped given their roles.
On the flip side, Lemon's potential for poor volume could make him a value during draft season. Other fantasy players will know this, and they may shy away from Lemon as a result. Even so, this will be a difficult situation to assess throughout the draft process, given the uncertainty surrounding the wide receiver room. Adding to the uncertainty is how this offense will fare with yet another new offensive coordinator entering the fold.
However, that new offensive coordinator is Sean Mannion. Mannion is coming to the Eagles from the Packers, who have boasted one of the league's best offenses for several years. The Packers have done well to find niche roles for each of their skill players that result in a lot of fantasy points across the board. Perhaps Mannion can mold Lemon into a role that provides him with a smattering of high-value touches.
Lemon should be on fantasy rosters this year, but he would be my least preferred of the top three rookie wideouts until we are able to see what he can be in this offense. If he slips in fantasy drafts, however, you should not be afraid to go get him for the upside he could provide.
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