The 2026 NFL Draft wasn't packed with stars, but it stands to bring a new generation of Sunday starters to the league. And Sunday starters, of course, lead to the overwrought dissection and projection of fantasy stats for nerds, gamblers and casual football fans alike.
Much of whether a skill player will thrive or simmer as a rookie lies with the team that selected him. Ashton Jeanty was by far the most talented running back in 2025's draft class, but he averaged a meager 3.7 yards per carry and didn't even rank among the top five when it came to rookie rushing touchdowns thanks to a talent-devoid Las Vegas Raiders team. Tight ends like Harold Fannin and Tyler Warren, however, thrived in offenses that utilized them as valued playmakers capable of lifting up flawed quarterbacks.
We're gonna focus on 2026's Jeantys -- the players with undeniable talent who may be a first-year letdown thanks to situations that could prevent them from reaching their NFL potential right out of the gate. Joining me is fantasy analyst and Rhode Island Scumbag Mike Boyajian. We'll break it down in a mini-draft, dropping our picks for 2026's fantasy disappointment in order -- and starting with the guy who could be stuck for a frustrating Ashton Jeanty campaign this fall.
Yaj's pick: RB Jeremiyah Love, Arizona Cardinals
I don’t blame Arizona for taking the best available player. Looking at this move through a fantasy football lens however, I couldn’t have been more disappointed.
It’s not so much James Connor being there, but more so the signing of Tyler Allgeier. Allgeier sapped Bijan Robinson’s value his rookie year, and we could be in a very similar situation with Love this year. Once Arizona gets near the goal line, we could see the Cardinals turn away from their stud rookie in favor of their power back platoon.
Christian's pick: RB Mike Washington Jr., Las Vegas Raiders
I am very excited about a Ashton Jeanty-Washington platoon in Las Vegas. Just not from a fantasy standpoint.
Washington landed in a promising spot. The Raiders' run game was a mess last season; their -0.304 expected points added (EPA) was nearly twice as bad as 31st place New Orleans (-0.155). That ruined Jeanty's rookie campaign and led to an overhaul. In came Tyler Linderbaum at a record-setting price ($27 million annually! For a center!). Spencer Burford signed and Trey Zuhn III was drafted in the third round. Things may not be fixed, but they'll be better than they were -- especially with Fernando Mendoza and whatever remains of Kirk Cousins behind center in a Klint Kubiak offense.
But! Jeanty is undeniably the top option here, which makes it a tough spot for the player I ranked as this year's second-best running back prospect. Washington will be the hard-running hammer next to, uh, the more compact but similarly hard-running former sixth overall pick. To borrow from Kubiak's last coaching gig, he'll be, best case, the Zach Charbonnet to Jeanty's Kenneth Walker II. And anyone who has rostered Charbonnet knows that's merely signing up for 14 weeks of fantasy madness.
Washington will have some great games. He may snipe some short yardage opportunities from Jeanty. But he's going to have plenty of games where he fades into the background as Jeanty justifies his draft slot for a team desperate to prove it's no longer a joke.
Yaj's pick: TE Kenyon Sadiq, New York Jets
I was so disappointed to see Sadiq go to New York. He now most likely enters a rotation with Mason Taylor and has to compete for targets with Garrett Wilson, Omar Cooper Jr., A.D. Mitchell and Taylor.
I have little to no faith that Geno Smith is revitalized in his second stint with the Jets. His 2025 was a disaster, his downfield game fell apart and the accuracy that made him a Pro Bowler is declining with age. This is just a bummer considering the hype Sadiq had going into the draft.
Christian's pick: TE Sam Roush, Chicago Bears
This was a weird draft for tight ends. The second one selected is more of a mega-slot receiver. The third one off the board was Nate Boerkircher, who'd been expected to be taken somewhere around the fifth round. Another potential reach followed when Marlin Klein and his 364 receiving yards in three seasons at Michigan went three picks later.
Roush's spot in the third round wasn't peculiar from a talent standpoint; he was a top five prospect at the position who can fill a traditional in-line role well with the capacity to be a big time target. His place was. The Bears invested a top 10 pick in Colston Loveland last spring. They have former second round pick Cole Kmet still on the roster through 2027 (though with no guaranteed money left on his contract). Roush is an ascendant player who, barring injury, won't see too much of the field.
Yaj's pick: WR Malachi Fields, New York Giants
The Giants traded up to acquire Fields, but the fit is somewhat puzzling to me. Although their alpha (Nabers) lacks Fields’ size (6-feet vs. 6-foot-4), he should be their go to guy in the red zone.
Yes, Fields provides size and run blocking skills, but they just brought in Isaiah Likely… a 6-foot-4 red zone target with plus run blocking skills. It seems redundant to me. It also seems more ...likely [Editor's note: Dammit, Yaj] that Harbaugh relies on the veteran he brought in this year rather than the rookie.
Christian's pick: WR De'Zhaun Stribling, San Francisco 49ers
Let's stick with our theme of weird drafts. Niners general manager John Lynch had one of the strangest of all, selecting a smorgasbord of overlooked players that really did make it seem as though he were taking advice from a chatbot.
San Francisco's continued efforts to trade down landed with a shrug and Stribling's arrival at the top of the second round. The well-traveled college wideout is the kind of downfield threat NFL teams covet, but he may not be an ideal fit in a Kyle Shanahan offense that prioritizes space and running after the catch. Stribling's relatively basic route tree needs to be expanded, but it seems his role for 2026 will be as the downfield and intermediate flier that gives Ricky Pearsall and, uh, Christian Kirk room to operate. He can make screens work, but his best NFL option is as a deep shot threat.
That's already a potentially limited role when your quarterback is Brock Purdy, whose 8.8 percent deep ball rate ranked 23rd among starting quarterbacks. It's even worse when the team you're playing for just signed Mike Evans, who has been drawing defensive attention downfield with aplomb the last decade-plus. Stribling could see extended time this season if injuries strike, but his fantasy relevance may have to wait until 2027 -- and even then, it may be inconsistent.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Worst rookie fantasy football fits, from Jeremiyah Love to Malachi Fields
