Carnell Tate Week 1 Outlook - Jets at Titans

By Derek Brown (FantasyPros), Sun, Sep 13th 2026, 12:44pm EDT

Well, Carnell Tate didn't have a banner preseason as he failed to secure any of his six targets, but I don't put this slow start on Tate. I think it rests at the feet of Cam Ward. I'm not fading Tate's talent off a small 25-route preseason sample. Tate displayed in college that he's an amazing route runner who can separate at all three levels of the field after ranking tenth in yards per route run and fourth in receiving grade last season (per PFF). He finished college with an otherworldly 68.8% contested catch rate, and he had zero drops in his final season despite a 14.6 aDOT. The outside corner tandem of Brandon Stephens (2025: 67.1% catch rate and 126.4 passer rating) and Nashon Wright (2025: 64.5% catch rate and 98.0 passer rating) doesn't strike fear in my heart. Tate could walk away from Week 1 with a wonderful stat line that has everyone reconsidering their offseason fade of him. It all comes down to Cam Ward and his ability to get Tate catchable targets.