Fantasy Football Predictions: Three Round 1 Rookies Primed To Disappoint In 2026

Prime draft season is here, and while it's important to identify the guys you want to get in your drafts, it's equally as important to identify guys you want to avoid. Let's dive into some of my fantasy football predictions for 2026, namely a trio of rookies I expect to disappoint relative to expectations.

Carnell Tate | WR | Titans

If a promising, highly-drafted wideout lands with a team that is desperate for playmakers on offense, it would be easy to assume that this player would be significantly involved and productive in their rookie campaign.

While Carnell Tate fits that profile quite nicely, I'm here to throw some cold water on any hope you may have for Tate being a league winner in 2026.

The Titans spent the No. 4 overall pick on Tate, so, conversely, hopes and expectations are sky-high for the rookie. However, as of this writing, our projections have him finishing as the WR36 in PPR formats, just three spots ahead of his teammate, Wan'Dale Robinson.

I know, it sounds like blasphemy to have Tate & Robinson in the same sentence, let alone finishing in the same tier, but that's the world we're living in right now. With Robinson projected to see more targets and haul in more receptions, there's a strong case to be made for taking the veteran over the talented rookie given their respective price tags.

While it's true that many rookies, especially highly drafted ones, make the transition from college to the NFL look seamless, there are reasons why some of these teams, like the Titans, are picking so early in the draft. They simply are not very good.

Much will depend on Cam Ward being better in literally every category this season. However, even marked improvements across the board likely won't be enough for Tate to truly be anything more than a low-end WR3 this season. If Tate's value dips because of a lackluster season, we could be looking at him as a prime trade target in dynasty formats next offseason.

For now, stay patient and keep your expectations in check.

Omar Cooper Jr. | WR | Jets

It's never positive news when reports come out that a first-round wideout is tentatively slated to be the No. 4 option on his own team.

Unfortunately, that's where we're currently at with Omar Cooper, whom the Jets selected with the 30th overall pick last spring.

We all knew that Garrett Wilson was going to continue in his role as the No. 1 option for the New York Jets, but there was, perhaps, some optimism that Cooper could overtake Adonai Mitchell for the No. 2 role. Even worse than not beating out Mitchell have been the reports that Isaiah Williams, who doesn't even have 200 total receiving yards over his first two seasons, is running ahead of Cooper.

As it stands, it appears as though Wilson and Mitchell are slated to start on the outside with Williams in the slot. That leaves Cooper as the No. 4 option and he hasn't really had that strong of an offseason to give either the Jets or fantasy managers much confidence.

If you're looking for a silver lining, our projections have Cooper easily outpacing Williams this season and finishing within striking distance of Mitchell.

As the rest of the offseason program and preseason games finish up, we'll have to wait and see if Cooper gets additional reps with the first-team offense or shows some consistent flashes of production in a "real" game. Until then, temper your expectations for this talented, first-round wideout until we see exactly how this Jets offense is going to look in 2026.

For additional insight, here's what Dwain McFarland had to say after the first preseason game:

We don't want to overreact with a Round 1 WR, but it could take some time for Cooper to get going. But he remains a bet I want to make as a WR5/6 in drafts with the long view in mind.

Jadarian Price | RB | Seahawks

The final pick of Round 1 from the 2026 NFL Draft was RB Jadarian Price. The Super Bowl-winning Seattle Seahawks subsequently lost the Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker to free agency as he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Toss in the injury to Zach Charbonnet, and it's easy to see why the Seahawks spent a premium pick on an RB last spring.

With no other viable options on the depth chart besides Price and Charbonnet, what possible reason would we have to be worried about Price this season? Logic would assume he'd be given every opportunity to lead this backfield from Week 1.

Whenever things seem too obvious or too good to be true, it's never a bad thing to dig a little deeper. That's what's awesome about working with wildly smart people like Dwain McFarland. Here's what he had to say about Price:

The primary concern is if Price starts slow, because an eventual return from Charbonnet will theoretically impact his late-season production. 12 players drafted between picks 24 and 38 have averaged a 47% snap share over the first four weeks since 2015. They averaged 51% from Weeks 5-17. There hasn't been a significant difference.

Superpower: Round 1 Draft capital on a weak depth chart in the right setup.
Kryptonite: Below-average prospect for a Round 1 pick.

This is not to say that Price is a lock to underperform this season. He's just not someone who traditionally would have been drafted in the first round, which means the Seahawks were likely drafting for need rather than simply the best player on the board.

Regardless, like the other two players on this list, temper your expectations and hope that Price starts the season strong and firmly maintains his role as the RB1 for the Seahawks.

Players Mentioned in this Article

Published Aug 24, 2026, 4:00 AM ET

Fantasy Football Predictions: Three Round 1 Rookies Primed To Disappoint In 2026

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Carnell Tate | WR | Titans

Omar Cooper Jr. | WR | Jets

Jadarian Price | RB | Seahawks

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