The NFL’s 2026 schedule release didn’t just give fans the full 272-game slate, a record nine international bouts and plenty of prime-time matchups to look forward to—but also revealed when the league’s newest crop of players will first take the field.
The first round of the 2026 draft saw 32 players officially realize their dreams, finding their first professional football homes where they’ll set a foundation for what they hope to be long careers. Among them are two quarterbacks aiming to become franchise cornerstones, a pair of running backs from the same school, five wide receivers poised to make an immediate impact and countless others ready to make their mark in the NFL from Day 1.
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With that, here’s a look at when and where some of the top rookies drafted this offseason will make their NFL debut, and how to watch each game.
Fernando Mendoza, QB, Raiders
Date, Time: Sunday, Sept. 13, 4:25 p.m. ET
Opponent: vs. Dolphins
Location: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas
How to watch: Fox
Fernando Mendoza’s Raiders will begin the 2026 season at home, welcoming the Dolphins to Allegiant Stadium for a 4:25 p.m. ET kickoff on the first Sunday of the year.
While this will technically be Mendoza’s NFL debut, there’s a good chance it’ll come in backup quarterback fashion. Las Vegas signed Kirk Cousins this offseason in part to mentor its No. 1 draft pick, and could very well decide to open the year with him as their starter while Mendoza continues to develop in the background.
David Bailey, edge, Jets
Date, Time: Sunday, Sept. 13, 1:00 p.m. ET
Opponent: at Titans
Location: Nissan Stadium, Nashville
How to watch: CBS
David Bailey and the Jets are set to hit the road in Week 1 as they’ll travel to Nashville to take on the Titans.
Bailey—the No. 2 pick in the draft—is entering a New York edge defender room already manned by veterans Joseph Ossai, Will McDonald IV and Kingsley Enagbare, among others. It’s a quality room overall, but the former Texas Tech phenom should be able to crack the rotation early and generate pressure on Titans quarterback Cam Ward.
Jeremiyah Love, RB, Cardinals
Date, Time: Sunday, Sept. 13, 4:25 p.m. ET
Opponent: at Chargers
Location: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, Calif.
How to watch: CBS
The Cardinals took a bit of a swing with their first-round pick last month, selecting Jeremiyah Love out of Notre Dame. The former Fighting Irish ball carrier’s contract will pay him the most guaranteed money for a running back in NFL history—an inherent flaw in the rookie wage scale—and as such, will likely command plenty of carries as soon as he steps on the game field.
Arizona heads to Inglewood in Week 1, taking on the Chargers from SoFi Stadium for a 4:25 p.m. ET kickoff.
Carnell Tate, WR, Titans
Date, Time: Sunday, Sept. 13, 1:00 p.m. ET
Opponent: vs. Jets
Location: Nissan Stadium, Nashville
How to watch: CBS
The Titans enter 2026 with a brand-new coaching staff, hiring Robert Saleh to lead the charge while also bringing in two former head coaches in Brian Daboll and Gus Bradley to run the offense and defense, respectively. The first pick of the new regime? Wide receiver Carnell Tate out of Ohio State.
Tate, whom Tennessee used the No. 4 pick on, joins a wide receiver room led by Calvin Ridley, Chimere Dike and free agent signee Wan’Dale Robinson. He’ll make his NFL debut on the first Sunday of the season when the Titans welcome the Jets to Nashville’s Nissan Stadium.
Arvell Reese, LB, Giants
Date, Time: Sunday, Sept. 13, 8:20 p.m. ET
Opponent: vs. Cowboys
Location: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.
How to watch: NBC
Arvell Reese lined up just about everywhere during his time commanding the Ohio State defense, but with the Giants loaded on the edge with players like Brian Burns, Abdul Carter and Kayvon Thibodeaux, it would make sense for the former Buckeye to line up at a middle linebacker to begin his career.
The start of said career will begin in prime time, as Reese and the Giants welcome the Cowboys to MetLife Stadium for the NFL’s first Sunday Night Football bout of the season.
Jordyn Tyson, WR, Saints
Date, Time: Sunday, Sept. 13, 1:00 p.m. ET
Opponent: at Lions
Location: Ford Field, Detroit
How to watch: Fox
The Saints decided to add quite the weapon to quarterback Tyler Shough’s arsenal with their first-round pick, selecting Jordyn Tyson at the No. 9 spot. The former Arizona State star should see the field almost immediately as he joins a wide receiver corps headlined by Chris Olave—but without much proven depth behind him.
New Orleans will begin the 2026 season on the road when they head to Detroit to take on the Lions for a 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff.
Caleb Downs, S, Cowboys
Date, Time: Sunday, Sept. 13, 8:20 p.m. ET
Opponent: at Giants
Location: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.
How to watch: NBC
Caleb Downs was considered by some to be the best player in this year’s draft class, but fell out of the top 10 before Dallas traded up to select him with pick No. 11.
A do-it-all player at Ohio State, Downs and the Cowboys will travel to East Rutherford in Week 1 to face the division-rival Giants—setting up a prime-time matchup against his former Buckeye teammate in Reese.
Rueben Bain Jr., edge, Buccaneers
Date, Time: Sunday, Sept. 13, 1:00 p.m. ET
Opponent: at Bengals
Location: Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati
How to watch: Fox
The Buccaneers saw one of the draft’s top edge defenders fall into their lap in the middle of the first round and didn’t hesitate, selecting Rueben Bain Jr. out of Miami at pick No. 15.
Despite registering the NFL’s third-highest pressure rate last season behind only the Vikings and Broncos, Tampa Bay sacked opposing quarterbacks just 37 times—tied for the 18th-most in the league. Bain should only help that number increase in 2026, starting in Week 1 when the Bucs travel to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals for a 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff.
Makai Lemon, WR, Eagles
Date, Time: Sunday, Sept. 13, 4:25 p.m. ET
Opponent: vs. Commanders
Location: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
How to watch: Fox
Makai Lemon’s draft-night snafu is overshadowing just how important his role may be with the Eagles in 2026. With A.J. Brown as good as gone in Philadelphia, general manager Howie Roseman has made a concerted effort to restock the team’s wide receiver cupboard this offseason—with the biggest splash being trading up for the former USC pass catcher in the first round.
Lining up alongside the likes of DeVonta Smith, Hollywood Brown and Elijah Moore, Lemon’s NFL debut is set for a 4:25 p.m. ET kickoff at home against the divisional-rival Commanders.
Where, when and how to watch all 32 first-round picks in Week 1
| Pick | Player, Team | Week 1 Matchup | Where to Watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Fernando Mendoza, QB, Las Vegas Raiders | vs. Dolphins; Sunday, Sept. 13; 4:25 p.m. ET | Fox |
| 2. | David Bailey, edge, New York Jets | at Titans; Sunday, Sept. 13; 1:00 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 3. | Jeremiyah Love, RB, Arizona Cardinals | at Chargers; Sunday, Sept. 13; 4:25 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 4. | Carnell Tate, WR, Tennessee Titans | vs. Jets; Sunday, Sept. 13; 1:00 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 5. | Arvell Reese, LB, New York Giants | vs. Cowboys; Sunday, Sept. 13; 8:20 p.m. ET | NBC |
| 6. | Mansoor Delane, CB, Kansas City Chiefs | vs. Broncos; Monday, Sept. 14; 8:15 p.m. ET | ESPN |
| 7. | Sonny Styles, LB, Washington Commanders | at Eagles; Sunday, Sept. 13; 4:25 p.m. ET | Fox |
| 8. | Jordyn Tyson, WR, New Orleans Saints | at Lions; Sunday, Sept. 13; 1:00 p.m. ET | Fox |
| 9. | Spencer Fano, OL, Cleveland Browns | at Jaguars; Sunday, Sept. 13; 1:00 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 10. | Francis Mauigoa, OL, New York Giants | vs. Cowboys; Sunday, Sept. 13; 8:20 p.m. ET | NBC |
| 11. | Caleb Downs, DB, Dallas Cowboys | at Giants; Sunday, Sept. 13; 8:20 p.m. ET | NBC |
| 12. | Kadyn Proctor, OL, Miami Dolphins | at Raiders; Sunday, Sept. 13; 4:25 p.m. ET | Fox |
| 13. | Ty Simpson, QB, Los Angeles Rams | vs. 49ers (Melbourne); Thursday, Sept. 10; 8:35 p.m. ET | Netflix |
| 14. | Olaivavega Ioane, OL, Baltimore Ravens | at Colts; Sunday, Sept. 13; 1:00 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 15. | Rueben Bain Jr., edge, Tampa Bay Buccaneers | at Bengals; Sunday, Sept. 13; 1:00 p.m. ET | Fox |
| 16. | Kenyon Sadiq, TE, New York Jets | at Titans; Sunday, Sept. 13; 1:00 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 17. | Blake Miller, OL, Detroit Lions | vs. Saints; Sunday, Sept. 13; 1:00 p.m. ET | Fox |
| 18. | Caleb Banks, DL, Minnesota Vikings | vs. Packers; Sunday, Sept. 13; 4:25 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 19. | Monroe Freeling, OL, Carolina Panthers | vs. Bears; Sunday, Sept. 13; 1:00 p.m. ET | Fox |
| 20. | Makai Lemon, WR, Philadelphia Eagles | vs. Commanders; Sunday, Sept. 13; 4:25 p.m. ET | Fox |
| 21. | Max Iheanachor, OL, Pittsburgh Steelers | vs. Falcons; Sunday, Sept. 13; 1:00 p.m. ET | Fox |
| 22. | Akheem Mesidor, edge, Los Angeles Chargers | vs. Cardinals; Sunday, Sept. 13; 4:25 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 23. | Malachi Lawrence, DL, Dallas Cowboys | at Giants; Sunday, Sept. 13; 8:20 p.m. ET | NBC |
| 24. | KC Concepcion, WR, Cleveland Browns | at Jaguars; Sunday, Sept. 13; 1:00 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 25. | Dillon Thieneman, DB, Chicago Bears | at Panthers; Sunday, Sept. 13; 1:00 p.m. ET | Fox |
| 26. | Keylan Rutledge, OL, Houston Texans | vs. Bills; Sunday, Sept. 13; 1:00 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 27. | Chris Johnson, DB, Miami Dolphins | at Raiders; Sunday, Sept. 13; 4:25 p.m. ET | Fox |
| 28. | Caleb Lomu, OL, New England Patriots | at Seahawks; Wednesday, Sept. 9; 8:20 p.m. ET | NBC |
| 29. | Peter Woods, DL, Kansas City Chiefs | vs. Broncos; Monday, Sept. 14; 8:15 p.m. ET | ESPN |
| 30. | Omar Cooper Jr., WR, New York Jets | at Titans; Sunday, Sept. 13; 1:00 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 31. | Keldric Faulk, edge, Tennessee Titans | vs. Jets; Sunday, Sept. 13; 1:00 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 32. | Jadarian Prince, RB, Seattle Seahawks | vs. Patriots; Wednesday, Sept. 9; 8:20 p.m. ET | NBC |
