With the 2026 NFL Draft concluded, landing spots for the 2026 rookie class have changed the landscape of fantasy drafts. Below are some of the rookie winners and losers of the NFL draft, largely based on where they landed. Use this list to either prioritize or fade these rookies in your upcoming drafts.
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Winners
Antonio Williams | WR, Washington Commanders
The Commanders were rumored to take a wide receiver in the draft as early as the seventh pick in round one. However, it was not until their second pick in the draft, in round three, that the team selected Antonio Williams. As a Commander, Williams enters a receiving room that is wide open for target opportunities behind established veteran Terry McLaurin. Williams is squarely in the mix for a full-time role on the Commanders’ offense, having to fight off Treylon Burks and Luke McCaffrey for snaps. While Brandon Aiyuk appears destined to join him on the depth chart, it’s anyone’s guess what quality of player Aiyuk will be after missing so much time on the field. Williams has a clear path to first-year opportunity and should be targeted as early as the end of round one in rookie drafts.
De’Zhaun Stribling | WR, San Francisco 49ers
There is no bigger “winner” than De’Zhaun Stribling in this year’s NFL draft. Stribling was an afterthought for most dynasty gamers prior to the selection. Now, after being tapped by the 49ers as the first pick in Round 2, Stribling is easily a top 24 selection in rookie drafts. The three-school collegiate has elite size and speed for the position with a 116.1 — 97th percentile — Speed Score. He also possesses a great breakout age of 19.7 years, placing him in the 72nd percentile of wide receivers. With his second-round draft capital, Stribling should see the field early and often for the 49ers. He should push former first-round pick Ricky Pearsall for opportunities alongside Mike Evans this season.
Nicholas Singleton | RB, Tennessee Titans
When a NFL record low of only 12 running backs selected in the NFL draft, rookie running back winners are hard to come by. However, Nicholas Singleton is the best-positioned day three rookie running back in the draft. Singleton joins a crowded backfield with Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears. He will likely start the season behind both on the depth chart. However, both Pollard and Spears are free agents after this season. If Singleton, who reportedly possesses great athleticism but was unable to partake in pre-draft testing due to a foot injury, can flash behind both backs, he could be on a fast track to be the Titans’ 2027 starting running back. He is a priority pick in the second round of rookie drafts.
Losers
Denzel Boston | WR, Cleveland Browns
Denzel Boston was the second rookie wide receiver selected by the Browns after Cleveland took KC Concepcion in round one. Boston, who was selected with the seventh pick in Round 2, complements Concepcion well as a receiver. The idea of Concepcion being used all over the field while Boston stretches the defense on the boundary as a jump-ball threat has a bit of a poor man’s Ja’Marr Chase/Tee Higgins dynamic. The issue with this landing spot for Boston is two-fold. First, he will at best be the second fiddle to Concepcion, assuming both rookies hit. Second, the Browns are still without a credible solution at quarterback. Best case, it won’t likely be until year two of Boston’s career that he can be trusted in a fantasy lineup. He makes for an easy fade in rookie drafts, even with an early second-round price tag.
Omar Cooper Jr. | WR, New York Jets
The Jets traded back into the first round to take Cooper at No. 30 overall. Cooper is now squarely behind Garrett Wilson for targets in the pecking order. He also has fellow first-rounder Kenyon Sadiq to compete with for passes, as well. The Jets are still searching for a viable quarterback. With these circumstances in New York, Cooper will struggle to find year one fantasy relevance. While his talent profile is worthy of a first-round rookie pick, dynasty players will likely have to wait to insert Cooper into their lineup confidently.
Mike Washington Jr. | RB, Las Vegas Raiders
Mike Washington Jr. went from presumed RB3 in this class to a pure handcuff when the Raiders took him with the 22nd pick in round four. Washington still has that elite size-speed combination with a 126.9 — 100th percentile — Speed Score. However, dynasty players will likely not be able to confidently place him in lineups unless Ashton Jeanty misses games.
