Welcome back to our 2026 Rookie Draft Series! After breaking down the 2026 QB and RB prospects in Part 1, we now turn our attention to the wide receiver and tight end positions.
My goal in this two-part series is simple: to provide detailed, actionable insights into the entire 2026 rookie class. By understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the draft class, you will have a clear blueprint for how to value your rookie picks this offseason.
Dominating your rookie drafts is the most cost-effective way to increase roster value on your Dynasty teams, and that’s where Dynasty Football Factory is here to help. Get ready, because we’re bringing you 2026 rookie content all offseason to keep you one step ahead of the competition.
Wide Receivers
Let’s start with the clear strength in this draft class: the wide receiver position. The 2026 WR class boasts three wide receivers with elite fantasy upside in Makai Lemon, Jordyn Tyson, and Carnell Tate.
Makai Lemon
Lemon is my WR1 in the class, and this seems to be the consensus in Dynasty circles. The slot receiver out of USC broke out as a true sophomore in 2024 and took things to an entirely different level in 2025. Lemon’s season stats include over 1,100 receiving yards, 11 touchdowns, a 29.2% target rate, and 3.13 yards per route run. The volume and efficiency are excellent, he’s tremendous after the catch, and he projects to be a high-end WR2 in Dynasty before stepping onto an NFL field.
Jordyn Tyson
Tyson is next on my list, although I think he’s closer to #3 than he is to #1. Tyson is a redshirt junior who missed the entire 2023 season due to a serious knee injury. He struggled with some hamstring issues this season, and this is the one red flag I have with him. Availability is the best ability, and Tyson has yet to prove to us he can stay healthy. That said, when he’s on the field, he’s a special talent. Tyson demanded nearly a 33% target rate this season and has the versatility to operate in the X, Z, or slot. I fully expect Tyson to be a Top 20 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and a Top 4 pick in our Dynasty Superflex Rookie drafts.
Carnell Tate
Finally, we have Carnell Tate out of Wide Receiver U. Like Egbuka last year, Tate had to play second fiddle to the best receiver in the country, Jeremiah Smith. Still, he managed to prove to us this season that he has the potential to be an NFL team’s WR1. Tate is near the top of the country with 3.35 yards per route run, and his biggest strength is his hands and contested-catch ability. Tate has caught 12/14 contested catches this season and has had ZERO drops all year.
The Next Tiers
We have a tier drop after these three, which includes Antonio Williams, Kevin Concepcion, and Denzel Boston. These are all guys I expect will go in late-first round of Superflex Dynasty Superflex Rookie drafts, assuming they get Day 1 or early Day 2 draft capital. All three of these guys have their red flags; Williams has injury concerns, Concepcion has seen heavy manufactured usage, and Boston does not earn targets at a high rate.
My third tier of guys would be Eric Singleton Jr., Zachariah Branch, Germie Bernard, and Chris Bell. These are all prospects I expect will go in the second round of Dynasty Superflex Rookie drafts. Singleton and Branch may return to school in 2026 to strengthen their resumes; I’m concerned they end up just being return guys at the NFL level if they declare now. Bernard and Bell are both late breakouts who have surged up rankings this season. Bell was the more efficient receiver on a per-route basis this year, but I don’t expect to be particularly high on either prospect relative to the market.
Darkhorse Pick
I expect I will be targeting a ton of Elijah Sarratt in my rookie drafts this offseason, assuming he falls past the first two rounds. He’s certainly not a flawless prospect – his separation numbers are shockingly bad. However, if he’s going in the third round or later, I think there’s plenty to be bullish about with his game. Sarratt has seen a 24%+ target rate and 2.5+ yards per route run in each of the past three years. He’s made the jump from the FCS to the G5 to the P4 with zero struggles. He’s a target monster in the red zone. I think in the right situation, Sarratt could end up being a cheap version of Denzel Boston.
Compared to prior classes, I prefer the 2026 class to the 2025 class as prospects, but not the 2024 class. There are some questions regarding wide receiver depth in this class, but the top tier (Lemon, Tyson, Tate) has the potential to be special. The wide receiver position is the strongest of the four fantasy positions in this class. I expect the top three guys to be taken all within the top four picks of our rookie drafts.
Tight End
In my opinion, there are two clear top options at the tight end position in this draft class: Eli Stowers and Kenyon Sadiq. Stowers was a quarterback coming into college who converted to tight end, so he’s newer to the position, but he’s found immediate success. He was Pavia’s safety net all season, and his ability to switch positions really speaks volumes to his functional athleticism and skill set.
Sadiq is a smaller tight end with clear athleticism. He hasn’t posted eye-popping numbers in college, and he’s had some drop issues this season, so I’m giving the edge to Stowers here. Still, Sadiq is projected as a Round 1 talent on NFL Mock Draft Database, and he’s a competent blocker, which should allow him to see the field right away.
Outside of these two prospects, there are a handful of dart throws who may be interesting in Dynasty, depending on draft capital and landing spot. Here are my current TE rankings for the 2026 draft class:
- Eli Stowers
- Kenyon Sadiq
- Michael Trigg
- Tanner Koziol
- Jack Endries
- Max Klare
- Justin Joly
- Duce Robinson
- Garrett Oakley
- Oscar Delp
- Lawson Luckie
In tight-end premium formats, I could see Stowers and Sadiq sneaking into the late-first round of Superflex Dynasty Rookie drafts. The rest of these guys are major question marks. Trigg is an interesting prospect for me – fifth-year breakout, but the athleticism and ball skills are undeniable.
We’ve been spoiled in recent years with some early NFL breakouts at the tight end position. This tight end class doesn’t stand up to the 2025 TE class, and there are obviously no Brock Bowers-level prospects in this class. I do think this tight end group has the potential to be surprisingly good, however. There are enough eligible guys with decent profiles that I could see three or more pan out in the NFL.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article, and I hope you got some valuable information you can use for your fantasy team! If you’d like additional insight into Dynasty Football news and analysis, please follow me on Twitter at @jim_DFF. Until next time, keep grinding out there, DFF family! #DFFArmy #AlwaysBeBuilding
