2026 NFL Draft WR Preview: Fantasy football outlook for Carnell Tate, Makai Lemon and a class lacking true No. 1

It’s NFL Draft week! Analyst Joel Smyth breaks down the 2026 WR class for fantasy football. With several teams looking for hope this offseason, who are the college wide receivers that can provide fantasy value for your teams?

More Positional Draft Previews Quarterback Running Back Wide Receiver Tight End Carnell Tate, Ohio State Measureables: 6’2”, 192 lbs Projected Draft Pick: Top-10 Selection The next Ohio State first-round WR is here, which will make it six in the past five years. Carnell Tate is on a long line of five-star Brian-Hartline-WR-products who’ve excelled alongside other top talent. Tate is a true X receiver with a ridiculous 69% contested catch rate, the highest of any prospect by a significant margin.

He’d pair nicely with an aggressive QB who’s looking to push the ball downfield. Although he is a fluid route runner, not just a big play WR, Tate wasn’t the target hog past OSU receivers have been. Even considering a generational talent in Jeremiah Smith beside him, Tate’s targets per route are at the 20th percentile of recent NFL prospects, easily the lowest of past Buckeyes and dangerously low for a first-rounder.

Looking back at 2024, Emeka Egbuka had 108 targets, Smith as a freshman had 107 and Tate had 69 as the clear WR3, scoring only four of the 29 TDs between the three. The question for Tate will be whether he can become a star or if he fits more as a top WR2. In terms of his floor, it’s tremendous.