As dynasty rookie draft season starts to melt away, redraft season comes back to the forefront, and it becomes worth questioning which of these rookies will be worth drafting for fantasy football in 2026 alone.
This class is much maligned, but that’s more about depth than the top of the class. These are the players who have the best chance of scoring the most points among the rookie class.
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Highest Scoring Fantasy Football Roookies
Quarterback
Fernando Mendoza (QB – LV)
Let’s be real, there’s not much competition at the quarterback position. Unless Matthew Stafford suddenly retires or gets injured in training camp, Ty Simpson is unlikely to make any impact whatsoever in his rookie season.
Meanwhile, Fernando Mendoza is being set up to sit behind Kirk Cousins. Head coach Klint Kubiak has talked about the benefits he sees in that method, along with minority owner Tom Brady, who also expresses similar views.
FERNANDO FREAKIN’ MENDOZA HEISMAN MOMENT IN THE NATTY ????????
His family COULDN’T BELIEVE this TD pic.twitter.com/xCvyuhoiYO
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 20, 2026
The reality is that first-round rookie quarterbacks rarely sit for more than a couple of weeks. Even if Mendoza sits until Halloween, with so little competition behind him among rookie quarterbacks, it’s unlikely to matter.
The positive news for Mendoza is that with Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty waiting for him, they’ll make scoring points easier when he does take the field.
Running Back
Jeremiyah Love (RB – ARI)
The running back position isn’t too dissimilar to the quarterback position, as it’s also very top-heavy. It’s hard to imagine anyone outscoring Jeremiyah Love. The Cardinals drafted Love with the third overall pick, coming off consecutive seasons with over 6.8 yards per attempt on the ground and an average of 9.7 yards per reception.
Love was the only true three-down workhorse in the rookie class, and that element alone makes him a strong candidate to lead this category significantly. Jadarian Price is Love’s nearest competition, with a good landing spot in Seattle, where, due to Zach Charbonnet‘s injury, he could have a clear run for large volume.
The case against Price is that he had only 15 receptions in three full seasons of college. Without those high-value touches and easily accumulated points, the volume Price sees could be empty for fantasy football.
Wide Receiver
Jordyn Tyson (WR – NO)
The wide receiver position offers the greatest range of choices for this experiment, with Carnell Tate and Makai Lemon both worth consideration. Jordyn Tyson is where we land for the wide receiver who will score the most points.
Tate was the first wide receiver selected in the 2026 NFL Draft and will be a significant upgrade for Cam Ward and the Titans, who need it, having scored the third-fewest points per game in 2025 (16.7).
Admin can’t sleep
Up watching Jordyn Tyson highlights pic.twitter.com/qRj6g5vHp2
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) April 24, 2026
Tate operates at his best deep downfield, which won’t be a problem for a quarterback like Ward, who showed last year that he’s not afraid to push the ball when the opportunity is there, but it does mean the targets are higher-variance. Wan’Dale Robinson was brought in during free agency, coming off consecutive seasons of 140 targets in New York.
Robinson has earned those targets with a variety of different quarterbacks, and he’s unlikely to not see volume this year as well, which tempers Tate’s ceiling somewhat.
Tyson will face competition from Chris Olave, who finished the season in scorching hot form, but it’s easier to be bullish on the Saints’ offense because of the pace at which they play. New Orleans ranked 10th in plays per game last year, while Tennessee ranked 26th.
This has been a trend wherever Kellen Moore goes, with the Eagles ranking fourth in 2024 when he ran their offense. Tyler Shough showed significant ability with poor weapons around him. Adding an elite receiver who can get open with ease should help both their chances of fantasy success in 2026.
Tight End
Eli Stowers (TE – PHI)
It’s not the most thrilling class for this thought exercise, and the top tight ends don’t make it more enjoyable either, but we’ll get a little spicier at this position than most.
Kenyon Sadiq was drafted 38 spots ahead of Eli Stowers, but the New York Jets were hardly an ideal spot. Garrett Wilson is firmly entrenched as the No. 1 WR, averaging 5.4 receptions per game through his career. Breece Hall will also see plenty of receiving work near the line of scrimmage. Fellow rookie Omar Cooper Jr. should see plenty of action.
Sadiq will face competition for tight end reps with Mason Taylor, who’s entering his second year after a solid rookie season. Geno Smith is an upgrade over Justin Fields and Tyrod Taylor, but it’s hard to imagine this Jets offense being potent for fantasy, and there are a lot of mouths to feed.
The same exact thing can be said for the Eagles, of course, with DeVonta Smith ready to step into the No. 1 WR role, Makai Lemon also a highly drafted receiver and Dallas Goedert back for another year as their main tight end. Where Stowers could gain the edge, however, is in touchdowns and easy receptions.
The Eagles have signaled they plan to play more consistently with an intermediate passing game this year, drafting Lemon and Stowers, who thrive in those zones, and adding offensive coordinator Sean Mannion, whose history suggests he likes to feature that area of the field.
If Stowers can make that area his and secure receiving work there, then this battle comes down solely to touchdowns, and betting on the Eagles to score more than the Jets seems like a relatively straightforward bet.
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