Here are our initial fantasy football rookie rankings for the 2026 season. The next rookie update will come after the NFL Combine.
These NFL rookies are grouped into tiers, and players within a single tier are more or less meant to be seen as equal, with some minor exceptions. This might be a weak rookie class, but it's still important to make the right rookie picks, no matter whether you're drafting in a dynasty, best ball or redraft format. These rankings are meant to pertain to each of those formats mostly equally.
Be sure to check out our pre-Combine top-50 rankings with full analysis on the rookie class.
Tier 1 Fantasy Football Rookies
Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame (6-0, 214)
Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State (6-2, 200)
Jeremiyah Love is not a slam-dunk prospect, but it's not often a running back packs on 20 pounds and still keep his wheels. Jordyn Tyson projects as a 100-catch flanker at his NFL peak.
Tier 2 Fantasy Football Rookies
Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State (6-3, 195)
Makai Lemon, WR, USC (5-11, 195)
Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana (6-5, 225)
Carnell Tate and Makai Lemon both appear to be near first-round locks, which at wide receiver is major automatic currency in fantasy. Fernando Mendoza is the easy 1.01 in superflex and 2QB formats.
Tier 3 Fantasy Football Rookies
Emmett Johnson, RB, Nebraska (5-11, 200)
Jonah Coleman, RB, Washington (5-9, 220)
Nicholas Singleton, RB, Penn State (6-0, 221)
Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame (5-11, 210)
Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt (6-4, 235)
Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon (6-3, 235)
Elijah Sarratt, WR, Indiana (6-2, 213)
Josh Cameron, WR, Baylor (6-1, 223)
Ja'Kobi Lane, WR, USC (6-4, 196)
Emmett Johnson caught a lot of passes and withstood major volume in general at Nebraska, looking rather fast doing it. Jonah Coleman isn't very fast but he's a three-down player with some real burst.
Tier 4 Fantasy Football Rookies
Eric McAlister, WR, TCU (6-3, 205)
KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M (5-11, 190)
Denzel Boston, WR, Washington (6-4, 210)
Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama (6-2, 208)
You don't see many receivers with a production profile as solid, so if Eric McAlister tests well athletically it will be tough to fade him.
Tier 5 Fantasy Football Rankings
Dean Connors, RB, Houston (5-11, 208)
Kaytron Allen, RB, Penn State (5-11, 220)
Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia (5-10, 180)
Skyler Bell, WR, Connecticut (5-11, 187)
Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama (6-1, 204)
Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State (6-3, 207)
Malachi Fields, WR, Notre Dame (6-4, 218)
Chris Brazzell II, WR, Tennessee (6-5, 200)
Chris Bell, WR, Louisville (6-2, 220)
Luke Altmyer, QB, Illinois (6-2, 215)
Carson Beck, QB, Miami (FL) (6-4, 225)
Don't laugh at Dean Connors — he's pretty easily one of the best sleepers in the draft.
Tier 6 Fantasy Football Rankings
Justin Joly, TE, North Carolina State (6-3, 251)
Tanner Koziol, TE, Houston (6-7, 245)
John Michael Gyllenborg, TE, Wyoming (6-5, 251)
Cyrus Allen, WR, Cincinnati (5-11, 180)
Caleb Douglas, WR, Texas Tech (6-3, 198)
Aaron Anderson, WR, LSU (5-8, 177)
Omar Cooper, WR, Indiana (6-0, 204)
Eli Heidenreich, WR, Navy (5-11, 197)
Seth McGowan, RB, Kentucky (6-0, 215)
Robert Henry, RB, New Mexico (5-9, 197)
At tight end there is still a lot to sort out for Justin Joly, Tanner Koziol and John Michael Gyllenborg, but all three have a chance to push for Day 2.
Tier 8 Fantasy Football Rankings
Michael Trigg, TE, Baylor (6-4, 240)
Roman Hemby, RB, Indiana (6-0, 210)
Sieh Bangura, RB, Ohio (6-0, 216)
Rahsul Faison, RB, South Carolina (6-0, 218)
Chase Roberts, WR, BYU (6-3, 216)
Reggie Virgil, WR, Texas Tech (6-2, 188)
Eric Rivers, WR, Georgia Tech (5-10, 179)
Michael Trigg's production was merely not bad rather than good, and if his suspension history is any indication there might be character doubts circling him. Roman Hemby caught lots of passes before he played for Indiana, and that might be his best means of ever drawing NFL playing time.
Tier 9 Fantasy Football Rankings
Adam Randall, RB, Clemson (6-3, 233)
J'Mari Taylor, RB, Virginia (5-9. 205)
Kaelon Black, RB, Indiana (5-10, 208)
Mike Washington, RB, Arkansas (6-2, 220)
Adam Randall played admirably in 2025, his first at running back after previously playing receiver, but he's too tall. They need to move him to tight end.
