NFL Draft 2026: Here's where we want every fantasy-relevant prospect to land

Matt HarmonWed, April 22, 2026 at 2:05 PM UTC

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The 2026 NFL Draft is upon us. We’ll use this space to do one last bit of wishcasting as I’ll give out my somewhat realistic but ideal landing spots for all of the fantasy-relevant prospects inside the top 105 of the Consensus Big Board — top 100 would have certainly been a smoother headline, but I wanted to throw a couple wideout prospects I like at the end, so sue me.

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It won’t be long until we officially know where these rookies will be playing for real in 2026 and beyond, so let’s do one final round of fan fiction.

Quarterback -

Fernando Mendoza - Las Vegas Raiders

No need to make this complicated. Mendoza will be a member of the Raiders in just a matter of days. He might take some time to adjust to the under-center world Klint Kubiak wants to live in but Vegas has Kirk Cousins to serve as a desirable bridge. In time, Mendoza’s accuracy and ball placement will bring this scheme to life.

Ty Simpson - Arizona Cardinals

Simpson needs seasoning and Arizona has a capable bridge in Jacoby Brissett to give him that. Also, the Cardinals need at least something to sell this season. At his best, Simpson has the arm strength and placement to drive throws over the middle, which is a must in the offense Mike LaFleur will bring from Los Angeles. If he’s a Round 2 pick and this doesn’t work out quickly, Arizona can just flush the pick and draft a quarterback in next year’s class.

Garrett Nussmeier - Pittsburgh Steelers

Even if Aaron Rodgers is starting for this team in 2026, it’s at best a one-year arrangement, and based on how last season ended, it would be wise to have a real backup plan in-house. Nussmeier played hurt last season but still has promise. He would fit Mike McCarthy’s West Coast offense.

Drew Allar - New York Jets

The Jets intend to start Geno Smith all of 2026 and for those of us interested in some of their players in fantasy, that’s preferable to any rookie they could grab. Allar is a dart throw of upside that, if everything works out, he can be the developmental future plan. If it doesn’t, he won’t be taken high enough where they can’t just move on next year.

[Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2026 NFL season]

Running Back -

Jeremiyah Love - Washington Commanders

Love would immediately be a massive upgrade as an explosive option out of the backfield for Washington. The Commanders plan to go to a more traditional under-center offense this year with David Blough as the offensive coordinator. They have a fine committee in place to pull that off but Love would really weaponize it. I’d be willing to push Love into my Round 1 fantasy rankings with this landing spot.

Jadarian Price - Denver Broncos

The Broncos have RJ Harvey and J.K. Dobbins in place, which is fine but each presents his own set of questions. Harvey was capable in the passing game but didn’t bring much as an early-down rusher. Price could be his long-term running mate in that role.

Mike Washington Jr. - Seattle Seahawks

Josh Norris sold me on this one in his episode of Mock Draft Monday on the Yahoo Fantasy Forecast. Washington fits the mold of the big and explosive backs with some flaws in their games whom Seattle has chased previously. Washington could be the bell-cow by the end of his rookie season and give them some of the big-play potential, even if he’s a different style of runner, they lost when Kenneth Walker III bolted for Kansas City.

Jonah Coleman - Minnesota Vikings

I’m a fan of Coleman’s game in how he works at the line of scrimmage and succeeds at the little things of playing running back: pass protection, ball security and receiving. The Vikings need a little more depth at this position and Coleman could go from a late Day 2 or Day 3 pick and become the starter at some point during his rookie year.

Emmett Johnson - Green Bay Packers

Johnson doesn’t profile as a feature back but has explosive ability when/if he can reach the second level on his runs. The Packers lost Emanuel Wilson in free agency and may want to consider more of a change-of-pace option to keep Josh Jacobs fresh at some point. Johnson could find himself on waiver-wire speed dial in this role.

Wide Receiver -

Carnell Tate - Kansas City Chiefs

I’ve been standing on this match since the NFL Scouting Combine and while I think it’s unlikely to happen, Tate landing in Kansas City would be a dream. The Chiefs need a true boundary receiver who can handle volume and win against man coverage. Tate checks all the boxes.

Makai Lemon - Los Angeles Rams

There are places where receivers of Lemon’s archetype may end up pigeon-holed as slot-only and low-snap options; those teams won’t spend high draft capital on him. None of that would be a problem in L.A., where the Rams have had multiple success stories with players just like this, notably Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. It’s been pretty clear the Rams are in the mix for a wideout this offseason. This would be a win for Lemon in fantasy but might cloud the target tree for Davante Adams and Nacua, the latter of whom has had a tumultuous offseason, to say the least.

Jordyn Tyson - New Orleans Saints

Tyson is going to be landing-spot sensitive because we need him in a place that will spread the field and maximize his reps at Z and slot. The Saints used a ton of three-plus wide receiver sets last year and got everyone snaps at multiple spots because of Kellen Moore’s deep bag of motion concepts. Tyson and Chris Olave would be a dangerous one-two punch where the former would thrive in the intermediate areas against zone, while Olave wins at all three levels against man coverage and is the primary vertical option.

Omar Cooper Jr. - Philadelphia Eagles

I have a strong feeling that the Eagles both love this player in particular and won’t hesitate to use a Round 1 pick even after adding Dontayvion Wicks, Elijah Moore and Hollywood Brown as they prepare for life after A.J. Brown. Cooper would be an instant hit as the Z and slot option in tandem with DeVonta Smith. He has yards-after-catch potential that this team has been missing for years.

KC Concepcion - Buffalo Bills

Even after trading for DJ Moore, the Bills could still use more pop and separation skills in their wide receiver room. My thought all along was that they should overcorrect at this position with a veteran addition and an early draft pick; here we go. Concepcion would be the best separator this team has employed since Stefon Diggs. He’d be a top-three dynasty rookie receiver with this landing spot, which he already is for me pre-draft.

Denzel Boston - San Francisco 49ers

Boston can play X-receiver in the NFL but would be best used on digs, crossers, slants and deeper over routes rather than pure vertical patterns. That’s exactly what the Shanahan X-receiver’s route portfolio looks like, so Boston is a perfect fit. He would get to learn under Mike Evans for a year and then form an excellent tandem with Ricky Pearsall in 2027 and beyond.

Chris Bell - Tennessee Titans

The Titans need perimeter receiver options after signing Wan’Dale Robinson in free agency. If Bell hits, he’s got a big ceiling and provides them with YAC skills the other options in the room don’t possess. Bell at the top of Round 2 is an upside swing but the Titans have enough useful bodies in the room that they can wait on him while he gets healthy from his November ACL tear.

Chris Brazzell - New York Giants

The Giants signed guys like Darnell Mooney and Calvin Austin III to bring depth to a room that will need it as Malik Nabers gets healthy. They aren’t long-term answers. Brazzell is a risky bet but if developed correctly, could be a starter as a vertical perimeter receiver. The Giants could finally upgrade on Darius Slayton in that role if he hits.

Germie Bernard - Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens have some skilled separators in Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman, but the latter is coming off a painfully slow season. They need someone who can play multiple positions and bring more heft to the room. Bernard is a consummate glue guy and runs the intermediate in-breakers a Ben Johnson-style offense under new OC Declan Doyle is sure to heavily feature.

Zachariah Branch - Chicago Bears

The Bears have more than enough true target-earners at receiver and tight end but my guess is Ben Johnson will always have some greed for offensive playmakers. Branch would help bring the scheme to life with speed off motion at the snap to create leverage for Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III. Plus, Branch could be useful on the occasional screen or designed touch. Essentially, he will take the Kalif Raymond role, in time.

Malachi Fields - Green Bay Packers

The Packers are a lock to take a big-bodied wideout with an intriguing skill set at some point during the NFL Draft. Fields makes a ton of sense and checks a lot of their boxes as a big, tough, smart player. He can play all three receiver spots credibly and will win against zone coverage.

Elijah Sarratt - Washington Commanders

I want Sarratt to kick inside in the NFL to ease some of my separation concerns at the next level. He is a smart, rugged receiver who beats zone at a high level. He’s a great power slot candidate. Here, he would work with a team that already has a true X and a new OC who wants to install a Ben Johnson-style offense, which is, of course, the offense that once pulled a similar conversion story off with Amon-Ra St. Brown.

Antonio Williams - Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals have one of the best duos at wide receiver but I’ve quietly felt for years that they’ve needed more of a needle-mover at WR3. Remember, they took a big gamble on Jermaine Burton in Round 3 in 2024 and while that didn’t work out, it showed intent. Williams is a consummate pro who can play slot and Z. He’d be at home in some of the Bengals’ spread concepts.

Ted Hurst - Indianapolis Colts

I’d be shocked if Chris Ballard didn’t have his eye on a big athletic presence like Hurst at this position. Hurst looks like a big X but would be best deployed as a slashing Z receiver on in-breaking routes. He’s not the exact same type of receiver but that’s essentially the same role that Michael Pittman Jr. played for this team for years. Hurst would get the developmental time he needs working as the fourth target behind Alec Pierce, Josh Downs and Tyler Warren.

Skyler Bell - New York Jets

Bell is an ultra-productive wideout who can play Z and slot at the NFL level. Some of his best work came as an off-ball outside receiver in the intermediate area on out-breakers. He would be able to work in tandem with Garrett Wilson as the flanker/slot player while AD Mitchell sticks out at the X-receiver spot. The Jets certainly need a third receiver in a barren room beyond those two.

Bryce Lance - Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders don’t have a WR1 but they have intriguing options in Jalen Nailor, Jack Bech and Tre Tucker to compete for targets behind Brock Bowers. However, none of them profiles as a true vertical X-receiver. Lance can rip it on deep routes and flashed some quality routes toward the end of his college career. He needs development but is a nice arbitrage play on volatile players who will go ahead of him within this vertical outside receiver archetype.

De’Zhaun Stribling - Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins’ new front office is full of former Packers philosophy and the late-rising Stribling looks like a Green Bay target in the last few years. He’s a long, athletic wideout who is both explosive with the ball in his hands and tough as nails as a blocker. He could step into a big role right away on this team and fits on a run-first offense that will move a guy like this all around the formation.

Deion Burks - Carolina Panthers

Burks is an explosive player who wins against man and zone coverage. He has some slot and outside versatility despite a smaller frame, so he would allow for deployment flexibility for Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker. Burks brings a speed element they don’t currently have in the room. I’m a bigger fan of his game than consensus.

Tight End -

Kenyon Sadiq - Baltimore Ravens

My hunch is that while Sadiq is a talented prospect, he doesn’t have the instant fantasy ceiling of guys like Brock Bowers or Colston Loveland. So, I’m less concerned about getting him to a spot that will present high Year 1 target upside, rather than a coaching staff that will know how to deploy him. The Ravens offense will be a lot like the Bears last year and the Lions under Ben Johnson; tight ends are used as motion blockers to kick out, slice across the formation and block in the open field. That suits Sadiq’s game more, rather than an in-line option. This allows him to see the field and grow before he steps into a high-volume receiving role down the line.

Eli Stowers - Denver Broncos

This feels too chalky to the point it won’t happen. However, Stowers brings upside as the tight end hybrid player that the team wanted and didn’t get out of Evan Engram last year. Sean Payton has had a ton of success with big interior players and Stowers looks ready to blur the line between power slot and flex tight end. Denver could still use more diverse skill sets in the pass-catching department, even after adding Jaylen Waddle.

Max Klare - Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles have been busy adding a bevy of tight ends this offseason but should still be looking at some options in the draft. Klare would be able to develop in Year 1 with Dallas Goedert still on the roster and could be ready to take over more snaps in Year 2.

Oscar Delp - Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings brought back T.J. Hockenson on a restructured deal this offseason but the veteran is only likely to be around for one last year. Delp is a more than solid developmental backup who could be ready to take his spot as the starter in Year 2. He has the frame to be an in-line option with flashes of receiving skills.

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Source: “AOL Sports”