Rookie wide receivers have emerged as some of the most desirable players in fantasy football. That wasn’t always the case, as it used to take a year or two for a receiver to make the transition from college to the pros. But with more pro-style offenses in college and the NFL’s transition into a passing league, rookie receivers are making a far more immediate impact.
Case in point: We’ve seen 16 rookie wideouts score more than 200 fantasy points in the past six years. That includes nine who have scored 220-plus points and four who posted more than 274 points. That quartet is Justin Jefferson (2020), Ja’Marr Chase (2021), Puka Nacua (2023) and Brian Thomas Jr. (2024).
As we look ahead to the wide receiver group of 2026, I don’t see a Chase- or Jefferson-level player from a fantasy perspective in the bunch. However, there is a group of players who could certainly make an instant fantasy impact. The leader of the position, in most scouting reports, is Ohio State’s Carnell Tate. He’s one of five wideouts who have first-round grades as we head into the combine.
Of course, a solid performance in Indianapolis could push the value of other receivers up draft boards and potentially into prominent roles in Year 1. However, keep in mind that a player being present at the combine doesn’t necessarily mean he will participate in all the drills (or any drills at all) during the week.
With that said, here are five names that should be on your radar this week and throughout the offseason as we move toward the draft.
Top fantasy football rookie WRs to watch at the combine
Carnell Tate, Ohio State: Tate played opposite Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka and Jeremiah Smith during his time at Ohio State; otherwise, he would have been a superstar and not the “other guy.” He’s a strong route runner with great body control and ball skills, who averaged over 17 yards per catch last season. He’s a good bet to be a top-10 pick and could make an instant fantasy impact.
Makai Lemon, USC: Lemon was one of the most dangerous yards-after-catch threats in the nation while at USC. Predominantly a slot receiver, he’s drawn comparisons to fantasy stars like Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The recent fascination with slot men in the fantasy world makes Lemon even more intriguing, making him a player to watch at the combine. He has top-15 draft value.
Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State: Tyson might be the most exciting wide receiver in the 2026 draft class. A physical wideout who has proven to be a patient route runner with great body control, he has drawn comparisons to Tee Higgins. Injuries are a concern, though, as he injured his collarbone, tore his ACL, MCL and PCL at Colorado, and missed most of 2023. He also had a hamstring injury this past season (missed three games). He won’t work out at the combine, as he continues his recovery, but Tyson is a player fantasy managers should expect to hear a lot about in the coming weeks.
Denzel Boston, Washington: Boston is a big, powerful prospect at 6' 4" and 210 pounds, who produced 800-plus yards in each of his past two seasons with the Huskies. In that time, he also posted 20 touchdown catches. A classic NFL boundary receiver, Boston is a near lock to be a first-round pick for an NFL in need of an alpha-level player in the passing game. A good 40-time at the combine (his lack of speed is his lone “weakness.”) could move him up NFL draft boards.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Carnell Tate Leads 2026 Rookie Wide Receivers for Fantasy Football Fans to Watch.
