2026 Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings
Every fantasy-relevant NFL rookie, ranked by projected points.
The top fantasy football rookies for 2026, ranked by projected points, are Fernando Mendoza (QB, LV), Jeremiyah Love (RB, ARI), Carnell Tate (WR, TEN), Jadarian Price (RB, SEA), Makai Lemon (WR, PHI).
Last updated August 27, 2026 · PPR scoring
How this is built: we pull rookies straight from the official player data (players with zero years of NFL experience), then rank them by our projected PPR points, using average draft position as the tiebreaker. Where a rookie has no projection yet, ADP fills in. We do not invent names or stats.
| # | Rookie | Pos | Proj PPR | ADP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Fernando Mendoza LV | QB | 212.2 | 164.7 |
| 2 |  Jeremiyah Love ARI | RB | 211.8 | 27.8 |
| 3 |  Carnell Tate TEN | WR | 177.3 | 78.4 |
| 4 |  Jadarian Price SEA | RB | 170 | 75.2 |
| 5 |  Makai Lemon PHI | WR | 168.5 | 115.9 |
| 6 |  KC Concepcion CLE | WR | 156.4 | 121 |
| 7 |  Denzel Boston CLE | WR | 134.7 | 138 |
| 8 |  De'Zhaun Stribling SF | WR | 128.4 | 132.8 |
| 9 |  Omar Cooper NYJ | WR | 127.1 | 165.1 |
| 10 |  Jordyn Tyson NO | WR | 111 | 156.1 |
| 11 |  Malachi Fields NYG | WR | 105.2 | 163.3 |
| 12 |  Ja'Kobi Lane BAL | WR | 104.9 | 157 |
| 13 |  Kenyon Sadiq NYJ | TE | 100.2 | 158 |
| 14 |  Germie Bernard PIT | WR | 98.9 | 169.6 |
| 15 |  Ted Hurst TB | WR | 97.9 | - |
| 16 |  Mike Washington LV | RB | 97.5 | 145.8 |
| 17 |  Caleb Douglas MIA | WR | 94.8 | 171.2 |
| 18 |  Cyrus Allen KC | WR | 94.5 | 148.8 |
| 19 |  Eli Stowers PHI | TE | 81.4 | - |
| 20 |  Zachariah Branch ATL | WR | 78.5 | - |
| 21 |  Antonio Williams WAS | WR | 75.2 | - |
| 22 |  Chris Bell MIA | WR | 67.2 | - |
| 23 |  Emmett Johnson KC | RB | 65.2 | 158.1 |
| 24 |  Jonah Coleman DEN | RB | 63.9 | 149.5 |
| 25 |  Kaelon Black SF | RB | - | 157.9 |
| 26 |  Kaden Wetjen PIT | WR | - | 174 |
Proj PPR = our projected full-season fantasy points in PPR scoring. ADP = average draft position from real drafts (dash means not yet drafted enough to register). Projections via Sleeper, ADP via Fantasy Football Calculator. Rookie projections carry more uncertainty than veterans, so weigh opportunity and landing spot too.
Frequently asked questions
Who are the top rookies for fantasy in 2026?
The top fantasy rookies for 2026 by projected points are Fernando Mendoza (QB), Jeremiyah Love (RB), Carnell Tate (WR), Jadarian Price (RB), Makai Lemon (WR). Rankings are driven by projected PPR points, with average draft position as the tiebreaker.
How are these rookie rankings calculated?
We identify rookies from the official player data (players with zero years of NFL experience), then rank them by our season projection of PPR fantasy points. When a projection is not yet posted, we fall back to average draft position. Rookies with neither are left off rather than guessed at.
Should you draft rookies in fantasy football?
Rookie running backs and receivers in strong offenses can pay off immediately, which is why they rise up draft boards. But rookies have no NFL track record, so their projections are less certain than veterans. Use these rankings as a starting point and factor in landing spot and expected role.