2026 NFL Draft Day 2 Winners & Losers (Fantasy Football)

Welcome back to my fantasy football breakdown of the 2026 NFL Draft’s Day 2, where 60+ rookies finally found their new NFL homes.

In this featured piece recapping rounds two and three, I will delve into the immediate impact of the newly minted rookies and how their arrival alters the dynamics for veteran players within their teams.

From soaring fantasy stocks of rookies poised to make a significant mark in their debut seasons to veterans who might find their positions threatened or bolstered by these young additions, we’ll explore who emerged as the winners and losers of this pivotal day in the NFL calendar.

Join me as we break down the changing landscapes of NFL squads and assess the potential shifts in strategy and performance prompted by this year’s Day 2 selections. Find my Round 1 breakdown here.

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2026 NFL Draft Day 2 Winners & Losers | Fantasy Football

2026 NFL Draft Day 2 Winners

Rookies in prime landing spots

De’Zhaun Stribling

Round 2 wasted no time in getting the night started with a bang. The 49ers selected Stribling 33rd overall despite some higher-ranked WRs across several consensus boards. I know I was a bit higher on Stribling versus consensus – featured in my sleepers article – based on the fact that I felt strongly he would be a Day 2 pick. But 33rd overall was beyond my highest expectations.

The fact that he was drafted so early makes him a winner. But he is going to skyrocket up rookie draft boards as a result. Don’t chase if the cost gets way out of control.

The 49ers still have Mike Evans, Ricky Pearsall and Christian Kirk. Now it remains to be seen how healthy these guys can stay for a full season. So there’s an opportunity for Stribling there.

But there are also major red flags in his profile. Stribling noted that his numbers dipped this past year due in part to more weapons around him, along with playing at a higher level in the SEC. Spoiler. Won’t get easier at the NFL level.

He posted a bottom-10 target share this past season at 15%. Hard to ignore that he was also not the true alpha No. 1 WR from this class who played for Ole Miss last year. That would be Harrison Wallace, who is also part of this draft class.

The DC confirmed the NFL was higher on Stribling, but I think part of that is boosted by his late-season performances (84 receiving yards per game over the last five games) in some primetime spots.

He has played 5 years of college football across three different schools (already 23 years old). And his best season dominator rating doesn’t crack the top-25 in the class. His career DR is also outside the top-20.

I liked Stribling when he was a sleeper. But with high-end draft capital attached to his name, I am concerned he projects more like a rookie landmine.

Antonio Williams (WR – WAS)

I love Antonio Williams‘ landing spot. He was one of my favorite sleepers among the WRs in this year’s class. He was actually my WR of choice for the NFL Draft Dream Landing Spots (2026 Fantasy Football) article.

Williams operated as Clemson’s slot receiver in 2025 (93% slot rate and 20% target share), but he hardly lived up to the expectations he set in 2024 (along with most of the 2025 Clemson team). The 5-foot-11-inch and 187-pound wide receiver spent all four years playing for the Tigers, but broke out as a true freshman in 2022 at 19 years old. He led Clemson in catches, yards and targets from the slot. Injuries aside, Williams checks off a lot of boxes of a rookie wide receiver sleeper with a high-volume slot role projection at the next level. From Weeks 4-14, Williams averaged over six receptions per game.

Washington’s best WR is Terry McLaurin. Deebo Samuel and his 308 slot routes (8th-most in the NFL last season) are gone. One of Chig Okonkwo or Williams is going to see a decent chunk of volume this season – especially with TMC not profiling as a monster alpha target earner. I suggest being high on both players across all formats.

I’d take Williams over Stribling in a heartbeat despite the stark contrast in draft capital.

Chris Bell (WR – MIA)

Miami is a perfect spot for Chris Bell. No need to rush him back from his ACL injury, given the team’s long-term outlook. And once he returns…he could easily step in as the No. 1 WR for Miami (albeit in a run-heavy offense). I’m not overly concerned that the team drafted Caleb Douglas 19 picks before Bell in the third round. One guy has alpha traits, and the other does not.

Also. Greg Dulcich TE1 szn (Miami drafted blocking tight end, Will Kacmarek in Round 3).

Zachariah Branch (WR – ATL)

The former Georgia Bulldog lands on a WR depth chart that is completely devoid of established talent outside of Drake London. And better yet, he has the potential to play with a QB that would love to pepper him with screen passes.

Carson Beck (QB – ARI)

“Prime” landing spot is generous for Carson Beck. The Cardinals selected him in the third round, and I think he has a legitimate chance to start games in 2026. But outside some immediate value and production in superflex formats, I’m not convinced Beck will be able to establish himself as the long-term answer in Arizona. Obviously, there is always a chance (Arizona has good weapons, and would be wise to see what they have in Beck), so I think there is some short-term appeal if the market just decides Beck has no shot of anything in 2026. QBs are currency in Superflex, and given the sheer amount of QBs that start games (and conversely miss games), he has to be considered at some point in rookie drafts. Just keep in mind that he offers little to no rushing upside. Beck is more of a “price enforcer, value option” pick in rookie drafts, rather than one you are giddy about making. Eat your vegetables, kids, and draft QBs in Superflex formats (like it or not)

Eli Stowers (TE – PHI)

Will the Eagles’ real slot WR please stand up?

A lot to unpack here as the Eagles continue to revamp their receiving corps in preparation for an A.J. Brown departure to the Patriots (my analysis is under this presumption of AJB WR1 szn in New England).

I didn’t touch on Makai Lemon‘s landing spot in my winners and losers from Night 1, as I didn’t feel strongly enough in either direction to have him featured.

Now adding Vanderbilt TE Eli Stowers to the conversation makes things interesting. Especially with him in the same rookie tier as Kenyon Sadiq, who did not land favorably with the New York Jets in Round 1.

 

The Eagles re-signed Grant Calcaterra and Johnny Mundt in free agency. Dallas Goedert eventually signed a one-year $7 million contract extension with Philadelphia. But DG could be gone in 2027, along with some of these other TEs. And the fact that all of these guys are blockers suggests to me that Philly might be one of the teams that views Stowers as a big receiver (and potentially a 1-for-1 replacement for Brown’s big-bodied departure and play style).

Both DeVonta Smith and Makai Lemon are sub 192 pounds (sub 30th percentile). Stowers is 240 pounds.

The question remains how much Stowers will actually play in comparison to Lemon. Is Lemon coming off the field in 3 WR sets as the main slot? Or is he getting pushed out wide? Or is Stowers the primary big slot option? Keep in mind, new OC Sean Mannion is coming from the Packers, who notoriously used WR rotations and limited their slot WRs (see frustrating Jayden Reed snap shares).

For 2026, the path to playing time will be much easier for Lemon than for Stowers, partially due to the presence of Dallas Goedert. But as soon as 2027, we could see Stowers fully take over as TE1 in Philly. I think Stowers’ addition does make me like the Lemon selection less as well, just because I see an overlap with some of the slot usage. Not that Lemon can’t play out wide, just think he’s better inside.

Stowers and Lemon were second/fourth in PFF receiving grade from the slot in 2025.

Considering their prices in dynasty rookie drafts (and the fact that Stowers has TE eligibility), I like my odds waiting on him at the back of rookie drafts, hoping he is the one who carves out the big “WR” slot role in the Eagles offense. And if that TE-eligibility sticks? Cooking with gas.

Malachi Fields (WR – NYG)

There were concerns about how far Malachi Fields would fall after posting a poor 40-yard dash time at the NFL Combine. He was taken 74th overall in the third round by the Giants. He provides another big-bodied target and downfield weapon for Jaxson Dart (who is very capable of pushing the ball downfield). And given the injury to Malik Nabers, Fields could provide an immediate impact early in the 2026 season. He should see plenty of looks from Dart during training camp while Nabers rehabs. He will compete for targets with Darnell Mooney and Darius Slayton.

Kaelon Black (RB – SF)

Our only RB was selected on Day 2. Woof. But give credit where credit is due. The NFL had a lot of interest in Black (a ton of 30 visits) despite his lack of a combine appearance. The sheer amount of visits was probably because the NFL screwed up by NOT inviting him despite playing for the National Champion Indiana Hoosiers.

He is coming off by far his best season (over 1,000 rushing yards, 4th in SIS’s boom% and positive% run rates).

That being said…don’t go vaulting up Black too high up rookie draft boards. As I’ve outlined in my pre-draft rookie RB value articles, Round 3 and 4 RBs project fairly similarly, even though they take place on two different days.

I’m not convinced Black is a superior player to the 49ers’ second-year RB, Jordan James, who projects as the RB2 behind Christian McCaffery this year. All things being equal, I’d rather have James (just turned 22 years old in March), even if he was a 2025th 5th-round pick.

Black is 24.5 years old and played in college for six seasons (suffered a serious knee injury early in his career). His career dominator rating is below 10%. College target share is below 5% (caught five passes last season). Also split time with Roman Hemby in 2025 (who I liked more pre-draft). Hemby was the team’s leading rusher in 2025.

Black just looks like RB depth the 49ers felt that they needed to blow a third-round pick on (wouldn’t be the first time they’ve done this).

Eli Raridon (TE – NE)

Eli Raridon to the Patriots. Love it. The team needed a tight end with Hunter Henry in the last year of his deal. Also helps in 12 personnel.

The Notre Dame tight end battled through knee injuries to start his college career while fighting for snaps with future NFL tight ends. But he made the most of targets, especially this past season. Averaged over 15 yards per reception – 8th highest mark in the nation. 11th in yards per route run at 2.23. 7th in broken tackles forced per catch (SIS).

When he was involved as a receiver, he was very productive. 59 receiving yards per game when he saw at least three targets.

Raridon also tested very well at the NFL Combine, and he’s built tall at 6-foot-6/245 pounds.

Marlin Klein (TE – HOU)

I highlighted Michigan’s Marlin Klein as a “player to watch” in my pre-draft TE value article.

“Michigan’s Marlin Klein is another candidate who could potentially sneak into Day 2 (84th-ranked player in Daniel Jeremiah’s top-150). Another guy without a ton of production, but there’s context behind the lack of box score stats. Came over from Germany and was a backup behind Colston Loveland until this past year. He was targeted on 21% of his routes run this past season (22% career target rate per route run).

He blew up in Week 1 of this season, but then suffered an ankle injury shortly after. Also got hurt in Michigan’s Bowl Game (forced to miss Senior Bowl). And he still declared early with one year of eligibility remaining (one for just four TE early declares, including Sadiq, Klare, and Endries).

In a 2024 article, future NFL tight end standouts Loveland and AJ Barner cited Klein as the most athletic guy in Michigan’s TE room.”

Obviously, Klein will have to stay behind Dalton Schultz (signed on for another season) with an out in his contract in 2028. Even so, I am very interested in the former Wolverine based on his profile and Round 2 draft pedigree in deeper dynasty formats.

Veterans:

QBs With Upgraded Personnel:

WRs/TEs without additional competition from a Day 2 pass-catcher

2026 NFL Draft Day 2 Losers

Rookies in an unfavorable spot

Denzel Boston

Denzel Boston falls into the “loser” category for a few reasons. First off, I don’t love that he fell out of Round 1 entirely. I think that does matter somewhat – although not a complete death nail. Boston at 39th overall to the Browns isn’t too different from WRs going in that early Round 2 range, such as Jayden Higgins, Luther Burden, Keon Coleman, Ladd McConkey, Ja’Lynn Polk, Jonathan Mingo, Christian Watson, Elijah Moore, Michael Pittman Jr. and Tee Higgins.

Obviously plenty of hits and misses – but the misses were guys that went WAY earlier than expected (see Stribling above). Boston was a late Round 1, early Round 2 guy. And very possible the Browns take him 24th overall if KC Concepcion is off the board.

Now team fit. Todd Monken expressed a desire for the following in a WR: Big. Size. Physicality. Toughness. Ball skills.

Boston adds an element that the Browns’ WR room is missing — especially at the catch point (pour one out for Cedric Tillman).

But as I outlined in the video, sharing targets with first-rounder KC Concepcion will be no easy feat. Especially if Boston is not granted easy, schemed-up targets like his rookie WR teammate. He feels much more boom-or-bust as an outside “X” WR, likely being dependent on red-zone usage.

And there’s the QB play in Cleveland. However, I feel slightly optimistic about how the Browns have improved their offensive line, which should have a trickle-down effect on the passing efficiency. Even so, Boston feels more dependent on effective QB play without the YAC to his game.

And we still have at least Jerry Jeudy for potentially one more year, and second-year tight end Harold Fannin Jr.as a staple in the offense (who is an under-the-radar loser after the team drafted two WRs in the top two rounds).

Max Klare (TE – LAR)

We know the Rams love their tight ends…but it’s getting a bit out of control. I still firmly believe that last year’s second-round pick, Terrance Ferguson, will be a stud. Tyler Higbee is 33 years old, even after signing a two-year contract extension with L.A. this offseason. He has been hurt the last two seasons, playing just 13 regular-season games. Colby Parkinson is also still under contract for another year, as is Davis Allen. Maybe in 2027, the optics for the former Ohio State tight end look better. But he will still likely be splitting with Ferguson regardless of how the Rams handle the rest of their veteran TEs.

Germie Bernard (WR – PIT)

I think this is a really great fit for the Steelers’ real-life offense, but it makes it hard to get really excited about Bernard in fantasy. Every year, we get rookie WRs who land on depth charts behind two decently strong veteran WRs. Bernard looks to be that “lucky” WR in 2026 – although many of those before him were drafted in Round 1. Pittman is under contract until 2030 (with a potential out in 2027) while Metcalf’s contract is set up the same way. Furthermore, we are looking at a Pittsburgh QB situation potentially led by 2026 third-round pick Drew Allar. Not great, fam.

If Bernard falls enough in rookie drafts, I could see taking some stabs on the decent floor his profile offers (also a top-50 overall pick). But I think the ceiling in Year 1 and beyond is very far out of reach.

Sam Rousch (TE – CHI)

Rousch is a really fun player and a great real-life fit in the Bears’ offense that loves to deploy a ton of 12 personnel.

He blew up the 2026 NFL Combine, posting in the 94th percentile in both the vertical and broad jumps. The Stanford tight end is built at 6-foot-6 and 267 pounds. Last year, he posted a 22% target share (second in the nation in routes run), which ranked third best in the class (behind Stowers and Tanner Koziol). Rousch is definitely more of the full package at tight end, offering blocking and receiving abilities (Y tight end) as an underneath/checkdown option.

Alas, being on the same team as Colston Loveland is going to hurt your fantasy appeal pretty substantially.

FWIW, Cole Kmet also has an out in his contract, so the team could move on from him to shift MORE focus toward Loveland and their third-round rookie tight end.

However, the Bears love to use two-TE sets… so I don’t think they’ll dump Kmet given the value he adds to the offense in 2026.

Rookie Running Backs

Let’s not bury the lede here. We had one RB drafted during the entirety of Day 2. Going in, we knew this was a weak RB class behind Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price. But the fact that we only had one RB drafted (Indiana’s Kaelon Black at 90th overall to the 49ers) is pretty glaring. Black was not even invited to the 2026 NFL combine this year (although NFL teams seemed to have more interest in him than the consensus).

We shall see where some of these guys, such as Emmett Johnson and Mike Washington Jr., land on Day 3.

Top Rookie WRs not yet drafted:

Veterans:

QBs Without Upgraded Personnel:

WRs/TEs with additional competition from a Round 2 pass-catcher

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Andrew Erickson

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Andrew Erickson is a fantasy football analyst at FantasyPros. LFG.