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Is Makai Lemon the Top Rookie Receiver in Fantasy Football?
University of Southern California wide receiver Makai Lemon is viewed as one of the top prospects heading into Thursday's NFL Draft. Lemon excelled during his final season at school, catching 79 passes for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also had a pair of rushing touchdowns. Lemon is currently in a tight race with Ohio State's Cornell Tate for the title of top receiver in the upcoming rookie class. Perhaps whichever receiver is selected first on Thursday will give his school a leg up in the competition to see which college is Wide Receiver University. USC certainly has a decent case to be made, as NFL stars like Amon-Ra St. Brown, Drake London, and Jordan Addison were all Trojans. Lemon has the potential to join that list, as there's no disputing his star upside. The young prospect should make an immediate impact in fantasy football. He ranks as the No. 3 prospect and No. 2 wide receiver in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football rookie rankings.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Is Fernando Mendoza an Undisputed First-Round Pick in Rookie Drafts?
Indiana quarterback prospect Fernando Mendoza is the consensus No. 1 pick in Thursday's NFL Draft, but there's a little less certainty about his first-round status in rookie fantasy football drafts. Given that rookie drafts (and non-superflex fantasy leagues as a whole) place less relative value on the quarterback position than NFL teams, other names are in the mix for managers to select ahead of Mendoza. For example, running back Jeremiyah Love is the projected No. 1 pick in rookie fantasy drafts, followed by a slew of receivers. Mendoza is the top quarterback in RotoBaller's rookie rankings, but he's all the way down at No. 9 overall. At that point, he's a pretty safe bet to be a first-rounder in rookie drafts, but he's not a lock. If non-quarterback-needy managers are picking near the end of the first round, they could opt for a different position and let Mendoza fall to the early second. He'd be a bargain there, offering managers a mix of rushing and passing upside. Outside of a little concern about the weapons around him in Vegas, Mendoza has a very encouraging fantasy outlook.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Omar Cooper Jr. a Top-Five Rookie Receiver in Fantasy Football?
Indiana wide receiver prospect Omar Cooper Jr. could hear his name called in the first round of Thursday's NFL Draft. The national champion has been climbing up draft boards, and not only is he an intriguing selection for NFL teams, but he should continue to generate plenty of buzz among fantasy managers, too. During his final season at Indiana, Cooper caught 69 passes for 937 yards and 13 touchdowns. He was projected No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza's favorite target during the Hoosiers' championship run. Now, Cooper projects as a top-six rookie in 2026 fantasy football drafts. He ranks as the overall WR5 among the rookie class, and the only non-receiver ahead of him in the rankings is running back Jeremiyah Love. The landing spot could shift Cooper's value a little, but for now, he's a very appealing option in the front half of 2026 rookie drafts.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Puka Nacua Present for Rams First Day of Offseason Program
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua was present for the first day of the team's offseason program on Monday, according to Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times. Nacua led the NFL in catches (129) and receiving yards per game (107.2) in 16 regular-season contests while also posting a career-high 1,715 yards and career-high 10 touchdowns in just his third year in the NFL. The 24-year-old has been in the headlines this offseason for the wrong reasons, though, and he recently checked into a rehab facility last month. A civil lawsuit was also filed against Nacua in March, which stems from an incident on New Year's Eve in 2025. Nacua isn't expected to be in any danger of receiving a suspension from the league, so he'll be in play as the first receiver off the board in fantasy drafts this fall. He even beat out Seattle's Jaxon Smith-Njigba for the title of WR1 overall in fantasy points in 2026.
Source: Los Angeles Times - Gary Klein
Source: Los Angeles Times - Gary Klein
Odell Beckham Jr. Works Out for Giants on Monday
Former New York Giants star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. worked out for his old team, the Giants, on Monday, according to Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network. Rapoport writes that a "reunion seems possible." A lot has changed in New York since OBJ last played with the G-Men in 2018, but the three-time Pro Bowler does have experience playing for new Giants head coach John Harbaugh, who coached OBJ in 2023 with the Baltimore Ravens. New York took Beckham with the 12th overall pick in 2014 out of LSU, and he had four 1,000-yard seasons with the team in his five years with the organization. Since OBJ's last 1,000-yard campaign in 2019 with the Browns, he's fallen off a cliff in terms of production, and he'll likely be a long shot for any kind of stable fantasy relevance in 2026 if he returns to the Big Apple. He had just nine catches for 55 yards and no touchdowns in nine games for the Dolphins in 2024 and a 35-565-3 line in 14 games (six starts) with Harbaugh in Baltimore in 2023.
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
Cowboys Make Brandon Aubrey the Highest-Paid Kicker in the League
The Dallas Cowboys made kicker Brandon Aubrey the league's highest-paid kicker on Monday by giving him a four-year, $28 million deal, sources told Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. The deal includes $20 million guaranteed and was negotiated by agents Todd France and AJ Stevens of Athletes First. Aubrey becomes the first kicker in NFL history to average $7 million annually. He finished the 2025 campaign as the No. 3 fantasy kicker by making 36 of his 42 field-goal attempts (85.7%) and 47 of his 48 extra-point tries in 17 games played. The 31-year-old veteran has been a Pro Bowler for Dallas in each of his first three years in the league, and he now has an 88.2% success rate on field goals in 51 regular-season games. In a Dallas offense that should be among the highest-scoring in the league again in 2026, Aubrey qualifies as a high-end fantasy kicker target yet again. The fact that the Cowboys play half their games in a dome makes Aubrey even more attractive at the position.
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
K.C. Concepcion a Top-Five Rookie Wideout for Dynasty Managers?
Texas A&M wide receiver K.C. Concepcion is considered to be one of the better prospects at his position in the 2026 draft class and has a chance to hear his name called as early as the end of the first round later this week. Across 13 games for the Aggies in 2025, the 21-year-old recorded 61 receptions for 919 yards and nine touchdowns. Concepcion is known as an elusive route-runner in the short and intermediate areas of the field who is difficult to tackle in open space. However, he's undersized at 5'11" and 196 lbs., which leads to some questions about his ability to produce at the catch point in the NFL. Still, Concepcion's strengths make him an intriguing dynasty prospect. Depending on where he ends up being drafted, Concepcion could make an immediate impact in the NFL and offers some long-term upside as well. RotoBaller currently ranks Concepcion as the fifth-best wide receiver in the first-year player pool.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Eli Stowers Offers Long-Term Dynasty Upside
Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers is considered one of the top tight ends in the 2026 draft class and should come off the board at some point on Day 2 of the upcoming 2026 draft. Across 12 games for the Commodores in 2025, the 23-year-old recorded 62 receptions for 769 yards and four touchdowns. With a 45.5" vertical jump, Stowers also profiles as an elite athlete at the tight end position. His blocking ability is considered a major weak point in his game, which could be a reason why he might slip down the draft board. Stowers might also struggle to earn a true lead tight end role in the NFL right away without rapid improvement as a blocker. Still, he offers clear upside due to his athleticism and has already shown the ability to produce as a receiver. Stowers currently profiles as the second-best dynasty tight end in first-year player pools, behind only Kenyon Sadiq.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Alec Pierce Expected to Be Ready for Training Camp After Ankle Surgery
Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard said that wide receiver Alec Pierce (ankle) underwent ankle surgery, per ESPN's Stephen Holder. Pierce reportedly played through pain in the ankle last season. The surgery will keep him from participating in OTAs, but Pierce should be ready to go for training camp. The 25-year-old had the best year of his career in 2025, recording 47 receptions for 1,003 yards and six touchdowns on 84 targets across 15 games. The Colts rewarded Pierce earlier this offseason with a four-year, $114 million extension. The team also traded away veteran wideout Michael Pittman Jr., which could mean Pierce will be expected to expand his route tree beyond his usual downfield role. While it sounds as though Pierce should have a normal training camp, this ankle ailment will be something for fantasy managers to monitor heading into 2026. UPDATE: Ballard also said that Pierce is facing a "three-month recovery."
Source: ESPN - Stephen Holder
Source: ESPN - Stephen Holder
Jordyn Tyson Rising Up Rookie Draft Boards
Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson (hamstring) has been a riser late in NFL Draft season, with some experts now projecting that he will come off the board somewhere in the middle of the first round later this week. The 21-year-old recorded 61 catches for 711 yards and eight touchdowns across nine games for the Sun Devils in 2025. Tyson missed time with a hamstring injury, and hamstring issues have bothered him throughout the pre-draft process as well. Tyson also suffered three torn ligaments in his knee in 2022, which caused him to miss the majority of his sophomore season at Arizona State. Still, despite the injury concerns, Tyson is thought of as one of the top wide receivers in the 2026 draft class. He showed off what he can do in a fully healthy campaign in 2024, when he recorded 75 receptions for 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns across 12 games. In dynasty formats, Tyson profiles as the third-best wide receiver in first-year player pools behind only Makai Lemon and Carnell Tate.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Kayshon Boutte Emerging as a Trade Candidate
New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte is a "name that has come up in trade talks," per Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports. Boutte was a productive downfield threat for the Patriots in 2025, recording 33 receptions for 551 yards and six touchdowns on 46 targets across 14 games. However, New England signed former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs in free agency, and Schultz characterizes a potential trade for current Philadelphia Eagles wideout A.J. Brown as "eventual." As a result, Boutte could be the off man out in New England as he heads into the final year of his rookie contract. Particularly if the Patriots do end up acquiring Brown, a change of scenery would likely be the best-case scenario for Boutte's fantasy value.
Source: Fox Sports - Jordan Schultz
Source: Fox Sports - Jordan Schultz
Kenyon Sadiq Profiles as a High-Upside Dynasty Tight End
University of Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq is widely expected to be selected in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft later this week. Across 14 games with the Ducks in 2025, Sadiq hauled in 51 receptions for 560 yards and eight touchdowns. While Sadiq's numbers don't necessarily leap off the page, the 21-year-old showcased his elite athleticism at the 2026 scouting combine by running the 40-yard dash in 4.39 seconds and recording a 43.5" vertical jump. Dynasty managers may want to temper expectations for Sadiq in his first NFL season. However, Sadiq's long-term upside is tremendous, which allows him to profile as the clear top tight end in this season's first-year player pool.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Carnell Tate Likely the Safest Rookie Receiver in This Year's Class
Ohio State prospect Carnell Tate is expected to be the first wide receiver selected in this week's NFL Draft, and that will likely be the case in many rookie drafts as well. He is a long boundary receiver who moves smoothly and tracks the ball as well as any player in this class, but he has never been the Alpha in his own offense, and his NFL ceiling could top out as a high-end WR2. His physical profile has no glaring weaknesses, but his career target share at Ohio State is historically low for a player of his expected draft capital. Jordyn Tyson may have more pure upside, but his health and durability are legitimate concerns, while Makai Lemon could be the most consistent target-earner, but he projects to see most of his usage out of the slot. The NFL will soon tell us how they feel about these three prospects, and for dynasty rookie drafters picking in the wake of Jeremiyah Love's obvious 1.01 selection, the decision could come down to landing spot, personal preference, and risk tolerance.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Trent Williams Agrees to Two-Year Extension with 49ers
Three-time first-team All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams and the San Francisco 49ers have agreed to a two-year, $50 million extension that will keep him under contract through the 2027 season. Making 18 starts across the 2025 regular season and playoffs, all at 37 years old, Williams was still one of the most dominant blockers in the league, finishing the year with his twelfth Pro Bowl selection while being named a second-team All-Pro. The deal does not necessarily preclude San Francisco from using an early pick at the position in this week's NFL Draft, as Williams will turn 38 before the start of his 16th professional season, and the depth behind him is serviceable but thin.
Source: Adam Schefter
Source: Adam Schefter
Where Does Denzel Boston Slot into Rookie Drafts?
Washington wide receiver Denzel Boston has lost some of his shine throughout the pre-draft process, but he is still a rangy outside receiver with great size and some of the best hands in the class. In the right landing spot, he is capable of making an immediate fantasy contribution as a ball-winner at all levels of the field and a big-bodied red zone weapon. Dynasty managers picking outside the top five in superflex rookie drafts will likely miss out on a chance to select Jeremiyah Love, Fernando Mendoza, or any of the big three wide receivers, but Boston very much belongs in the next tier of prospects with KC Concepcion, Omar Cooper Jr., and Kenyon Sadiq. While the exact order among that group could be shaped by how the late-first and early-second rounds of the NFL Draft play out, Boston is currently RotoBaller's rookie WR4 and the overall WR34 in dynasty rankings.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
