2026 NFL Draft | Day 3 Winners & Losers

by Samwise · Featured
2026 NFL Draft | Day 3 Winners & Losers

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2026 NFL Draft: Day 3 Winners

Emmett Johnson | RB, Kansas City Chiefs

(5th Round, 161st overall)

When Kansas City drafts a pass-capable running back, you pay attention, and we’ve seen this story hit before. Jerick McKinnon averaged over 16 fantasy points per game (FPPG) in the final six weeks of the 2022 season, largely on the back of receiving work. That role exists in this offense — it’s not theoretical.

While we chased it last year and got burned, it happens. The difference here is Eric Bieniemy is back in the mix; he was the architect of that role in 2022. Kenneth Walker is now a member of the Chiefs and is assumed to have that role, but the backup spot is up for grabs at the moment.

Johnson’s profile lines up with exactly what that job requires. During his breakout season in 2025, he rushed for 1,450 yards while amassing 46 receptions (not just checkdowns — real involvement). More impressive? The 89 missed tackles forced and 740 yards after contact.

I’m not expecting Johnson to carve out a significant role in a healthy backfield, but if he pops early in the work he is given, the upside is immense for the Richfield, MN product if there ever were an injury in front of him. That’s exactly the kind of late 2nd round, early 3rd round bet I want to be placing in this year’s rookie drafts.

Nicholas Singleton |  RB, Tennessee Titans

(5th Round, 165th overall)

Singleton’s draft capital doesn’t match the talent. A broken foot at the Senior Bowl likely suppressed his stock, but the profile is strong:

  • 6-foot-0, 220 pounds, and blazing fast speed (reportedly a 4.35 40-yard in 2025) led to 1,378 career yards on breakaway runs
  • Multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons, including one as a true freshman
  • 3,463career rushing yards to go with 986 career receiving yards

That’s a real workload history with genuine efficiency behind it, especially considering he shared a backfield with Kaytron Allen (Commanders, No. 187 overall).

Talent aside, the landing spot is what has me excited for Singleton. With both Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears set to hit free agency after the season, there’s a very clear runway for this backfield to turn over. Stack on top the precedence we have with Titan’s offensive coordinator Brian Daboll manufacturing production from Day 3 running backs: Cam Skattebo was a fourth-round pick in 2025, Tyrone Tracy Jr. a fifth in 2024, Zack Moss was a third, as was Devin Singletary. This year’s rookie might be the guy we look at a year from now as the pick of the later rounds in your rookie drafts.

Demond Claiborne | RB, Minnesota Vikings

(6th Round, 198th overall)

Claiborne is one of those players whose production doesn’t jump off the page immediately, but the more you look, the more it makes sense. His role at Wake Forest grew every year, culminating in 907 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns, ending his senior year with an impressive 5.1 yards per carry (Y/C). He also brings pass-catching upside, as he reeled in 28 balls for 140 yards. He’s not built to run through defenders — he’s built to avoid them. Quick feet, good pacing, and an ability to manipulate angles show up consistently on tape.

As is the case with most Day 3 winners, the landing spot is doing most of the work here. Minnesota’s backfield could reset after this season, with both Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason on expiring deals. Given Jones’ injury history, there’s also contingent upside if things break Claiborne’s way even sooner.

The Virginia transplant isn’t a must-draft in shallow leagues, but in deeper formats, this is exactly the type of stash that can flip in value with one depth chart shift.

Raiders Pass Catchers (read: Brock Bowers)

The Raiders didn’t meaningfully add to their pass-catching group. Malik Benson, the only wide receiver they drafted, profiles as more of a field-stretcher. His one-dimensional style is probably what earned him seventh-round draft capital. The organization declined to add a high-end target earner. That leaves a lot of opportunity on the table.

Brock Bowers is the obvious winner here. Volume has always been the path, and the lack of additional competition keeps it wide open. If this offense leans even moderately pass-heavy, Bowers has a real shot to push into elite target territory for the position.

Of course, it won’t all go to him. There’s still a significant number of targets available in this offense, and they’re going to have to be distributed somewhere. The exact allocation is unclear, but leaning into ambiguity is an edge in dynasty — especially if the price is right. Instead of guessing a specific breakout player, the sharp move is to recognize that this offense has concentrated opportunities and to buy the cheapest pieces. For me, I’d be eyeballing Jalen Nailor, who has a leg up on the rest of the wideouts due to his shared time in Minnesota with Kirk Cousins.

2026 NFL Draft: Day 3 Losers

Garrett Nussmeier | QB, Kansas City Chiefs

(7th Round, 249th overall)

Garrett Nussmeier going this late is a clear signal from the league. You can justify his falling behind some of the quarterbacks in this class. That part isn’t surprising. But slipping into Round 7 behind guys like *checks notes* Athan Kaliakmanis and Behren Morton was… unexpected. Go ahead and take your victory lap if you even had those two on your board, but I think a vast majority of us are taking our “L” on Nussmeier.

Then you add the landing spot. He’s sitting behind all-world Patrick Mahomes with no realistic path to playing time. Nussmeier isn’t even QB2 on the Chiefs. They brought in Justin Fields to serve in that role. In superflex leagues, Day 3 quarterbacks can sometimes hold value as stash-and-see options. This is not one of those cases.

Bryce Lance | WR, New Orleans Saints

(4th Round, 136th overall)

Bryce Lance needed help from the draft, and he didn’t get it. 

As an older prospect from a smaller program with a later breakout, the path to relevance was always going to rely on draft capital and a clean landing spot. Instead, he gets Day 3 capital and a crowded receiver room. That doesn’t end his chances — but it does shrink them considerably. Players with this profile can still hit, but they either require early opportunity or a depth chart that clears quickly. Right now, neither is in place. (Ed. Note: The Lance family can’t buy a break.)

Justin Joly | TE, Denver Broncos

(5th Round, 152nd overall)

Joly is a good prospect, and that’s precisely what makes this one frustrating.

  • Strong efficiency metrics to the tune of 20.8% career targets per route run (TPRR)
  • Excellent tackle-breaking ability, best in this class with 46 career avoided tackles

The issue is almost entirely situational. Denver’s pass-catching group is crowded, and more importantly, head coach Sean Payton’s offenses have consistently spread the ball around. That makes projecting consistent volume difficult, especially for a rookie tight end. The path to consistent targets becomes narrow.

There are certainly worse picks to make in your rookie draft, but my excitement for Joly has quelled significantly. The hope is that he might develop into a usable player long term, but expecting early fantasy relevance in this environment is a bet against how this offense has operated.

Jonah Coleman, RJ Harvey | RB, Denver Broncos 

(Coleman: 4th Round, 108th overall)

This backfield is going to frustrate people all season. Book it. Jonah Coleman‘s profile is strong — proven production, excellent tackle-breaking ability, and a fluid receiving ability. RJ Harvey has already shown he can earn snaps. And J.K. Dobbins just got extended.

That’s the problem. Since Payton took over, this has consistently been a multi-back system. Even when one player starts to separate, the workload doesn’t fully consolidate. Last season was a good example. Even with Dobbins’ injury opening up opportunities, touches didn’t funnel cleanly to Harvey. He was still losing snaps to Jaleel McLaughlin. And because Coleman is far and beyond a better player than McLaughlin, he’d earn more snaps, which would only divvy up the opportunities in a way that makes them both unstartable in fantasy.

Coleman and Harvey can both be good players and still cannibalize each other’s value. That’s the risk here—and it’s a real one.

Jon Machado is a fantasy football analyst and host of the Future 1st podcast for PlayerProfiler

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