Post-Draft NFL Rookie Risers and Fallers for Fantasy Football
Who actually gained value after the draft… and who you should fade
The draft has come and gone, and we now enter the most crucial time for Dynasty fantasy football managers. I’ll be honest, this draft class was weak. But we knew that.
Now it’s about finding the slim chances: identifying the guys who landed in great spots and avoiding the ones with the odds stacked against them.
Let’s get into it.
Risers
WR — Carnell Tate, Tennessee Titans
If you’ve been following me this offseason, you know I’ve been very high on Carnell Tate. I loved what I saw last season at Ohio State, and his talent is undeniable. Plus, I like betting on OSU WRs, they usually pan out.
That being said, he really can’t go much higher in my rankings. I have him ranked third, but realistically it’s more like a 2B to Jordyn Tyson’s 2A.
He landed in an excellent situation in Tennessee with elite draft capital, going 4th overall. That tells you everything—you don’t take a WR that high unless you believe he’s your alpha. Tate now steps in as the potential true WR1 for an up-and-coming franchise QB in Cam Ward. Yes, Wan’Dale Robinson is there, but Tate should be the more dominant option given his size and skill set.
WR — Jordyn Tyson, New Orleans Saints
It’s hard to be all-in on someone with an injury history like Tyson’s, but I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and bet on the talent.
Another strong landing spot, another premium pick, Tyson goes 8th overall to the Saints.
He’s paired with Chris Olave and gets a QB in Tyler Shough who showed promise down the stretch last season. But the real win here is Kellen Moore.
Moore has consistently supported two fantasy-relevant wide receivers. We saw it with Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup in 2019, Cooper and CeeDee Lamb in 2020 and 2021, and even A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith in Philly. There’s room for both guys to eat in this offense.
Tyson and Olave stretching defenses on opposite sides is exactly what you want for fantasy upside, and I’m very excited about what that could look like.
TE — Eli Stowers, Philadelphia Eagles
This is hands down the best tight end landing spot in the entire draft.
Stowers lands in Philly as the clear successor to Dallas Goedert, who’s nearing the end of his run there. He’s a YAC monster and should fit perfectly with Jalen Hurts.
I don’t expect an immediate breakout, but I do expect him to flash late in his rookie year and then take off long term.
The size, the athleticism, the landing spot… it all checks out. In TEP leagues, he’s a must-draft.
RB — Jadarian Price, Seattle Seahawks
Price gets the draft capital you wanted, going late in the first round to Seattle.
Many people had him as the RB2 in this class, and he showed he can handle volume at Notre Dame alongside Jeremiah Love. Now he walks into a situation that couldn’t be much better.
Kenneth Walker is gone to Kansas City, and Zach Charbonnet is recovering from an ACL injury. That leaves the backfield wide open.
Price should get first crack at lead duties, and even when Charbonnet returns, this could easily turn into a 1A/1B split. Either way, Price is a must-draft heading into 2026.
WR — De’Zhaun Stribling, San Francisco 49ers
I’ll be honest, Stribling wasn’t even in my rankings pre-draft. I knew of him, but I wasn’t really paying close attention. Now I am.
Draft capital matters, and being the first pick of the second round is basically first-round capital. That’s too significant to ignore, especially when it’s the 49ers making the selection.
San Francisco needed help at wide receiver. Jauan Jennings is likely on the way out, and Ricky Pearsall hasn’t shown enough yet. Yes, they brought in Mike Evans, who is the clear WR1 when healthy, but he’s not a long-term solution at this stage of his career.
Stribling’s path to relevance is clearer than people think. With that kind of investment, he’s a major riser for me.
Fallers
TE — Kenyon Sadiq, New York Jets
The most talented tight end in the class lands with the New York Jets… and that’s exactly why he’s a faller for me.
The talent is elite, and the draft capital is strong. But situation matters, and this one is rough.
There’s no clear quarterback in New York, and the franchise hasn’t exactly inspired confidence in years. On top of that, they already have a pass-catching tight end in Mason Taylor who showed potential last season.
Two-tight end systems just don’t move me for fantasy.
If you want to bet on talent and draft capital, go for it. I’m out. Give me Stowers over Sadiq all day.
WR — KC Concepcion & Denzel Boston, Cleveland Browns
These were two guys I loved pre-draft, both inside my top 15 rookies. Now they’re falling.
Cleveland double-dipping at wide receiver makes zero sense to me, and it tanks both of their immediate outlooks.
Concepcion is that gadget-type weapon with a versatile skill set and a ton of upside. Boston is more of your traditional X receiver with size and strength. Both intriguing, both talented.
But the problem is simple, who is throwing them the ball?
The Browns’ quarterback situation might be even worse than the Jets, and that’s saying something. We haven’t seen consistent fantasy success come out of this kind of setup before, so I’m not betting on it starting now.
RB — Jonah Coleman, Denver Broncos
Coleman was my RB2 all offseason behind Jeremiah Love, and I still love the talent.
He runs low, plays physical, and still has enough burst to break away. There are shades of Nick Chubb in how he moves.
But the landing spot is brutal.
Denver is crowded with RJ Harvey, J.K. Dobbins, and now Coleman. I might be one of the few people still high on Harvey, but regardless, this backfield is messy.
And we all know Sean Payton has no problem rotating backs. That kills fantasy ceilings across the board.
I still believe in Coleman long term, but he might be stuck in the mud for a while.
Final Thoughts
Weak class or not, this is where edges are made.
Lean into landing spots. Trust draft capital. But don’t ignore bad situations, they matter more than people want to admit.
There are a few guys here who can swing leagues.
Just make sure you’re picking the right ones.