It’s hard to hit on rookies with your fantasy football draft picks because rookies are very hit or miss.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire had massive expectations in 2020. His post-draft ADP climbed to around 19.5 overall/RB14 in early data. Though he had 1,100 scrimmage yards, he didn’t meet the expectations that fantasy managers were hoping for when he was taken highly in most fantasy drafts.
It’s possible to get lucky when drafting rookies. Saquon Barkley in 2018 had one of the best seasons in fantasy football history for a running back, as he was the No. 2 fantasy running back in 2018 behind Todd Gurley, accumulating 385.8 fantasy points. LSU WR’s Justin Jefferson and Jamar Chase had one of the best seasons in rookie history.
This season, there are a lot of rookies who will have an immediate impact on their teams, which will also impact fantasy managers’ teams; you just have to hope you draft the right ones. With that being said, here are six rookies you need to target in your fantasy drafts
WR Carnell Tate | Tennessee Titans
Coming into the NFL Draft, Carmell Tate was looked at as one of the next pro-ready WR’s in the draft, resulting in him being taken 4th overall by the Tennessee Titans.
Tate comes into the Titans WR room as the immediate Alpha WR1. Calvin Ridley and Wan’Dale Robinson are stud WR’s, but Tate’s presence on offense will give the Titans something different to work with. With Tate’s 6’2” height, he gives the Titans a classic build of an outside X-receiver who can absorb heavy NFL contact. Beating press coverage on the boundary, Cam Ward can lob it up to Tate when he is facing one-on-one coverage.
New Titans offensive coordinator Brian Daboll has a proven history of funneling massive target volume into his top wide receivers. Expect Tate to contribute to the Titans’ offense in massive ways. He has traits of a future WR1, as he has exceptional body control, precise route-running, and a dominant 85.7% contested catch rate.
Tate should be high on draft boards.
WR KC Concepcion | Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns invested the 24th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Concepcion, meaning that first-round wide receivers who are taken in the first round will earn early opportunities. Besides Jerry Jeudy, Concepcion should beat out depth players like Cedric Tillman and Isaiah Bond for a starting role on offense.
It’s worth noting that Browns head coach and play-caller Todd Monken has publicly stated his desire to get Concepcion the ball “as often as we can”, which is good to hear so far if you want to trust that a rookie WR will make any impact. Monken also praised Concepcion for his explosiveness, toughness, and balance in contact. His scheme will benefit Concepcion because it’ll plan to utilize him dynamically across the formation.
Concepcion comes into a Browns offense with question marks at QB. Luckily for him, he projects as a slot WR where he’ll run short-range routes that yield high-floor PPR value. He’s a YAC king, as he ranked in the top-35 in the FBS twice in yards after catch, and he has rushing upside too, which makes him more of a threat at WR than people think.
RB Jadarian Price | Seattle Seahawks
With Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker leaving in free agency to sign with the Kansas City Chiefs this offseason, the Seattle Seahawks selected Jadarian Price to add to their running backs room.
Even though Zach Charbonnet would be the lead back, he’s recovering from a torn ACL, leaving Price poised to handle early-down and goal-line work out of the gate. With the Seahawks transitioning to a stretch-zone rushing scheme, Price is a perfect fit for this Seahawks offense because he has the elite burst, long speed, and downhill vision for this system.
At Notre Dame, Price averaged nearly 6.0 yards per carry and scored 11 touchdowns in his final season. Jeremiyah Love took the majority of the snaps on offense, as Price only took 295 career touches, meaning that he has significantly less wear-and-tear than typical rookie running backs. Price will handle the majority of the workload in the first half of the season for the Seahawks. His volume over the course of the season will depend on the status of Charbonnet and Emmanuel Wilson.
RB Jonah Coleman | Denver Broncos
Jonah Coleman is definitely a rookie who falls into the sleeper category and someone who could have more involvement in the Denver Broncos’ offense.
Coleman has received praise from Sean Payton. When Payton pulled Coleman early in a preseason opener because he already liked what he saw, it signaled that he’ll have a secure rotational role alongside J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey. The Broncos feature a strong run-blocking unit, creating productive opportunities for anyone earning touches in their backfield.
With injury histories surrounding the backfield ahead of him, Coleman is a powerful runner who could inherit high-value touches and goal-line work if an opening occurs. Coleman is a rookie running back who should be targeted in late rounds, given his sturdy build (5-foot-9, 228 pounds), strong early praise from head coach Sean Payton, and high-upside handcuff potential in an efficient Sean Payton rushing offense.
TE Kenyon Sadiq | New York Jets
Kenyon Sadiq was taken 16th overall by the New York Jets this past April after having a monster of a combine. Running a 4.39-second 40-yard dash, which, by the way, is the fastest in combine history. Sadiq possesses elite, historic athleticism and first-round draft capital, making him a high-ceiling lottery ticket at a minimal cost.
Sadiq is very versatile, as he is a converted wide receiver who lined up in the slot 62% of the time during his breakout 2025 season at Oregon. The Jets’ offense should look completely different this year with Geno Smith under center and Frank Reich as offensive coordinator, with the goal of heavily utilizing multiple-TE formations.
He did suffer a setback in his recovery from hernia surgery, which suppressed his ADP, but he’s worth a bench spot as he could turn out to be a draft steal if he’s healthy and the Jets offense can put things together where he can make an impact.
WR Jordyn Tyson | New Orleans Saints
Besides Carnell Tate, Jordyn Tyson is the next best WR to come out of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Jordyn Tyson should be targeted in your fantasy drafts because his elite route-running metrics and high-volume offensive environment present massive second-half breakout potential at a steep draft day discount. Before a hamstring injury on August 13th, which sidelined him for two months, his injury caused his ADP to plummet. But he is now the ultimate injured reserve (IR) stash for managers looking for league-winning upside late in the season.
Tyson ranked number one in success rate against zone coverage among stars like Garrett Wilson and Drake London. He broke out at just 18 years old at Arizona State, accounting for a massive 47% of his team’s receiving yards and earning a 28.3% dominator rating.
He fits perfectly with the Saints as he’ll thrive in a Kellen Moore run offense. Under Kellen Moore, the Saints lead the NFL in both no-huddle rate (22.7%) and plays per minute (2.2), resulting in a massive total volume of plays. Chris Olave is the WR1 of the offense, but the Saints have a glaring hole at the WR2 position, leaving plenty of volume up for grabs once Tyson returns. Moore’s system relies heavily on pre-snap motion to get receivers away from press coverage, perfectly hiding Tyson’s historical weakness and matching him with QB Tyler Shough’s intermediate timing routes.
