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2026 NFL Draft Prospects - Full Skill Position Tier List · Upper Hand Fantasy

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_01: I'm ranking the most important skill position rookies in the 2026 NFL draft using a tier list.
• 0:05
  SPEAKER_01: SA at the top, these are your priority players.
• 0:08
  SPEAKER_01: D tier doesn't necessarily mean to avoid them.
• 0:10
  SPEAKER_01: Every player on this board is here because I think they matter.
• 0:13
  SPEAKER_01: Not a lot of late day three guys here.
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_01: I'll be mixing up running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends.
• 0:18
  SPEAKER_01: So let's go ahead and get started with Nick Singleton, running back out of Penn State.
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_01: Now he did just suffer a Jones fracture at the senior bowl, so that's gonna likely affect his draft stock.
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_01: But in a class where there aren't too many backs with three-down upsides, Singleton is a pretty attractive running back, especially because of his potential in the receiving game.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_01: Among all power conference running backs since 2014, Singleton's in the 98th percentile in career targets, receptions, and receiving yards.
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_01: He was third in this class in receiving yards per game, third in this class in yards per route run, and an 18% target per route run rate over his career is also a very strong number.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_01: He was also a touchdown machine.
• 0:55
  SPEAKER_01: His 45 total rushing touchdowns is in the 99th percentile among power conference running backs, but he also holds the Penn State record for combined touchdowns at 55.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_01: His freshman year was really when he made his mark, 1,000 yards rushing at 18 years old.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_01: He was insanely efficient that year, almost seven yards per carry, 96 percentile, yards after contact rate.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_01: He showed amazing big playability, he even showed some elusiveness, something that we haven't really seen as much since then.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, his efficiency overall has fallen off a little bit, even in that junior year when his production was back up to another thousand yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_01: Now, his teammate Katron Allen somewhat took over as the 1A in that backfield over the last couple of years.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_01: But Singleton's been the guy with the big playability and the primary receiver out of the backfield.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_01: When you look at the totality of his career, the efficiency did drop off big time.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_01: We're talking only 11th percentile missed tackles force rate for Singleton.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_01: That's bad.
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_01: 67th percentile yards after contact rate, but maintaining that 1.38 yards per route run at an 89th percentile is where I'm holding out some hope for him to be that better version of someone like Rashad White, right?
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_01: Who wasn't necessarily making a big difference in the run game, but was good enough in the receiving game to create a role for himself as a three-down back for a couple of seasons.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_01: Singleton has big playability, he's a bigger back, six feet, two twenty with a nose for the end zone.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_01: So those money touches could be his at the next level, which means the upside outcome for him is someone like David Johnson.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_01: So Singleton's going into the C tier.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_01: He's someone I am targeting in dynasty rookie drafts because of the three-down upside, but I'm not going out of my way.
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_01: Next up is wide receiver Jordan Tyson.
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_01: Let me start with the numbers because the numbers on this guy are almost unfair.
• 2:39
  SPEAKER_01: 98th percentile yards per route run for his career among college wide receivers over the last 12 seasons.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_01: 98th percentile first downs per route run, multiple seasons with a 30% dominator rating.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_01: Broke out as a freshman, barely 18 years old, and he should get first round draft capital.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_01: Worst case, I'm thinking late first, but it could be early first too.
• 2:58
  SPEAKER_01: If I never watched a single snap of film, I think Jordan Tyson would be my number one wide receiver in this class, and I mean that.
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_01: Based on the spreadsheet, you can almost close your eyes and click the draft button and be successful because you look at the production, you look at the efficiency, you look at the breakout age, you look at the draft capital, you look at the dominator ratings, you want to be all in, okay?
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_01: But I did watch some film, and I want to be up front here.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_01: I'm not claiming to be an elite film evaluator by any means.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_01: I own that, but what I saw didn't fully live up to those numbers.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_01: He has real separation ability, he's twitchy for his size, he's a good route runner, and he's made some genuinely jaw-dropping contested catches, but the consistency route to route was a little bit of an issue for me.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_01: Working through contact was an issue.
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_01: In the moments where he wasn't separating cleanly, he wasn't pulling those contested catches consistently either, even though I know he's physically capable of it.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_01: Here's where I land at the end of the day the analytical profile is elite, the freshman breakout is elite, the draft capital should be first round.
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_01: When you stack all that, you almost have to be in.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_01: And honestly, a lot of what I saw in Phil might just be noise, might be my eyes.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_01: Like I'm acknowledging that, but it's there, I have to be honest with you.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_01: I'm still putting him in the A tier.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_01: Too much good when it comes to Jordan Tyson.
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_01: Chris Brazzle is next up.
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_01: 437, 40 yard dash at 6'5, 200 pounds.
• 4:13
  SPEAKER_01: That has to mean something, right?
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_01: Well, we've seen that the 40 yard dash isn't really that important for wide receivers.
• 4:19
  SPEAKER_01: The next Tennessee wide receiver coming out and trying to prove all the doubters and all the haters wrong.
• 4:23
  SPEAKER_01: That offense does wide receivers way too many favors in terms of providing a ton of production, and it's not necessarily a good thing because so much of what they do takes advantage of the difference in spacing in college versus the NFL.
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_01: Will Chris Brazzle be different?
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_01: Can he break that stigma?
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_01: Let's start with the good stuff.
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_01: He's shown some serious ball tracking ability, he has some really good body control overall, his size and speed obviously super attractive.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_01: Anytime you have someone who can potentially separate deep, take the top off defenses, NFL offenses are going to be attracted to that, whether you earn targets or not, because it changes the dynamic of how defenses play against you, regardless.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_01: Now, my question for Brazzle is if he's actually going to end up being someone who can be that guy, or is he not going to be able to separate against NFL corners over the top and ends up being someone who has a role but doesn't earn targets?
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_01: I don't see him as a diverse route runner by any means.
• 5:15
  SPEAKER_01: I don't see him consistently separating when I watch him.
• 5:18
  SPEAKER_01: But again, like when I look at the numbers, I'm like, okay, the inconsistency kind of matches the numbers I'm seeing on his profile.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_01: Nothing super special.
• 5:25
  SPEAKER_01: 79th percentile yards per route run, not bad, but not special either.
• 5:28
  SPEAKER_01: 66 percentile first downs per route run, that's not that great.
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_01: Very poor after the catch numbers overall, 11th percentile yards after catch rate and miss tackle rate over the last 12 seasons.
• 5:38
  SPEAKER_01: It's also worth noting that he's coming off the tour ACL.
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_01: Apparently, it's a clean tear, so not really holding that against him too much, but it could end up delaying his early development a little bit.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_01: He's going in the D tier.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_01: Makai Lemon.
• 5:51
  SPEAKER_01: And I want to address something right away.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_01: Some people look at Lemon and see a slot only player.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_01: I don't see it that way at all.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_01: And the reason it matters, with the league moving heavily towards two wide receiver sets, slot only guys can actually be a liability because you're capping their route participation.
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_01: But Lemon is not that.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_01: He can play as the flanker opposite the X in two wide receiver sets.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_01: He can hold his own against man coverage, he can move to the slot in three wide receiver sets if necessary.
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_01: He's genuinely versatile.
• 6:19
  SPEAKER_01: That matters a lot in order to maintain that consistent high in production.
• 6:23
  SPEAKER_01: Now, the numbers.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_01: This might be one of the cleanest analytical profiles in this entire wide receiver class.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_01: Career yards per route run over three, 98th percentile among power conference wide receivers over the last 12 seasons.
• 6:34
  SPEAKER_01: Receiving yards per game, 92nd percentile, targets per route run, 95th percentile, first downs per route run, 98th percentile.
• 6:42
  SPEAKER_01: When you're a 98th percentile guy in both career yards per route run and first downs per route run in power four football, over 12 years of data, that is a signal that we should be chasing.
• 6:52
  SPEAKER_01: And the traits back it up.
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_01: He's a great route runner, excellent after the catch.
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_01: He's tough, physical, he's versatile.
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_01: There is a real case to be made that Lemon is the number one wide receiver in this draft class.
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_01: And I understand that argument completely.
• 7:04
  SPEAKER_01: For me, the guy coming up a little bit later has a slightly higher ceiling, but I would not fight you if you had Lemon first.
• 7:10
  SPEAKER_01: He's that good.
• 7:10
  SPEAKER_01: I'm putting him in the A tier.
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_01: All right, next up is Catron Allen.
• 7:14
  SPEAKER_01: He's a somewhat simple player to evaluate for me.
• 7:17
  SPEAKER_01: I mentioned earlier that he was alongside Singleton at Penn State for all four years.
• 7:21
  SPEAKER_01: Singleton holds the school's total touchdown record, and Allen owns the record for the most rushing yards.
• 7:27
  SPEAKER_01: And I think that's what his role translates to at the next level.
• 7:30
  SPEAKER_01: I don't think he's gonna provide much in the receiving game, only 0.74 yards per route run, only nine receiving yards per game, only 14% targets per route run.
• 7:38
  SPEAKER_01: That's one of the lowest marks in this class.
• 7:40
  SPEAKER_01: I think he's gonna be a solid early-down running back at best.
• 7:43
  SPEAKER_01: And he broke out alongside Nick Singleton in his rookie year with 864 yards and 10 touchdowns.
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_01: That's always good.
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_01: He was a consistent producer on the ground throughout his career, literally one of the best cumulative rushing production profiles that we've seen.
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_01: But when you get to the efficiency, it's not pretty, even in the run game.
• 7:59
  SPEAKER_01: We're talking 56 percentile career yards per carry.
• 8:02
  SPEAKER_01: And while he profiles as this powerful runner with good vision, he's at a 50th percentile in yards after contact rate, 69th percentile in missed tackles force rate.
• 8:11
  SPEAKER_01: Not great.
• 8:11
  SPEAKER_01: And when you look at his best season this past year, the overall production was there, but he's living in that 70th percentile in all the metrics that matter on the efficiencies.
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, kind of in that solid range for fantasy, these kind of profiles come and go.
• 8:24
  SPEAKER_01: So I don't see him as a potential difference maker at the next level.
• 8:27
  SPEAKER_01: And as a result, he's going into D tier.
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_01: Next up is Elijah Surratt.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_01: I really like this guy.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_01: For someone with his profile in the season that he just had, you just say, Man, like he looks like a potential first round pick.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_01: And then you see where he's being mocked.
• 8:39
  SPEAKER_01: Late day two?
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_01: Like, what is wrong?
• 8:42
  SPEAKER_01: First, let's look at the numbers.
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_01: He just got 15 touchdowns this past season on his way to a national championship, 31 total touchdowns in his career.
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_01: That's 98th percentile among college receivers since 2014.
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_01: His 74.5 receiving yards per game fell in the 95th percentile for his career, by the way.
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_01: And when you look at the efficiency, you see the 2.71 yards per route run.
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_01: Only Makai Lemon is higher.
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_01: So you see that 14% first downs per route rate as well.
• 9:07
  SPEAKER_01: To combine with that, that's first in the class.
• 9:10
  SPEAKER_01: And he also averages over 100 yards per game on 92 receptions this past season.
• 9:15
  SPEAKER_01: So, what's the knock?
• 9:16
  SPEAKER_01: Not the fastest, not the best athlete, doesn't provide much after the catch.
• 9:21
  SPEAKER_01: You watch him and he does have to depend on contested catches more often than not.
• 9:26
  SPEAKER_01: He's really good at it, but you don't see consistent separation on the outside.
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_01: So, do teams view him as that consistent perimeter option?
• 9:33
  SPEAKER_01: I think that's the question.
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_01: That could be one of the reasons why he's a bit down on NFL draft boards, because they will have to translate him to a different role potentially.
• 9:41
  SPEAKER_01: He played the ex-receiver role in college, but it doesn't seem like that will translate.
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_01: Maybe he moves to more of a Keenan Allen type role where he's primary slot.
• 9:50
  SPEAKER_01: He actually reminds me of someone like Allen, to be honest, with a little bit of development needed.
• 9:55
  SPEAKER_01: I have a special place in my heart for Surratt.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_01: He's like kind of like the guy that I'm rooting for.
• 10:00
  SPEAKER_01: I think he can outperform his NFL draft capital if he finds the right team and the right role at the next level.
• 10:06
  SPEAKER_01: Whether it's a slot, whether it's a flanker role.
• 10:08
  SPEAKER_01: With all that being said, I have to put him in the C tier.
• 10:11
  SPEAKER_01: Jonah Coleman's up next, and he might be one of my favorite players in this draft class.
• 10:15
  SPEAKER_01: And I can't really say that about many running backs in this particular class.
• 10:18
  SPEAKER_01: He checks a lot of boxes for me.
• 10:20
  SPEAKER_01: Sure, he's not crazy fast, he's not going to give you that 80-yard touchdown or anything.
• 10:23
  SPEAKER_01: He's not the best athlete in the world, but he is a chain mover.
• 10:26
  SPEAKER_01: He'll keep your offense on schedule.
• 10:28
  SPEAKER_01: He sheds tackles in more ways than one, he can pass block, and he's a receiver out of the backfield.
• 10:33
  SPEAKER_01: You look at his career production, power conference player his entire career, 96 percentile or above in career receptions, receiving yards, rushing yards, and scrimmage yards.
• 10:43
  SPEAKER_01: His most efficient season was his sophomore year: 5.1, no, not yards per carry, yards after contact per attempt.
• 10:50
  SPEAKER_01: That was 99th percentile among running back seasons since 2014, 36 missed tackle rate.
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_01: That was 97th percentile.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_01: And when you look at his efficiency throughout his career, 96 percentile in both yards after contact rate and missed tackles force rate.
• 11:05
  SPEAKER_01: You have to love that.
• 11:06
  SPEAKER_01: The fact that he's a solid receiver is really a cherry on top and why he should be a target for NFL teams, but also in dynasty rookie drafts, 84th percentile in career receiving yards per game, 76 percentile in yards per route run, 81st percentile in targets per game.
• 11:21
  SPEAKER_01: Like that's not elite pass catching by any means, but that is pretty legit.
• 11:25
  SPEAKER_01: He has every down size and ability, and I'm a fan.
• 11:28
  SPEAKER_01: Draft capital is gonna be huge for him, likely a day two guy, probably round three.
• 11:32
  SPEAKER_01: So he's gonna fall into the B tier.
• 11:34
  SPEAKER_01: Next up is Casey Concepcion.
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_01: Maybe I should say Kevin Concepcion, because then you're really saying Kevin Concepcion, Concepcion.
• 11:40
  SPEAKER_01: But anyway, he's another guy that I am a huge fan of.
• 11:43
  SPEAKER_01: What I love about Concepcion more than anything, that he's one of the best separators in this entire class, one of the best route technicians in this entire class.
• 11:51
  SPEAKER_01: And more importantly, he's not pigeonholed into any one role.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_01: He doesn't necessarily need a creative offensive coordinator to scheme him open.
• 11:58
  SPEAKER_01: He just plays football, he just gets open and he makes plays.
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_01: And that kind of versatility means his fantasy floor isn't tied to any particular system.
• 12:06
  SPEAKER_01: Now let's talk about that freshman breakout.
• 12:08
  SPEAKER_01: 71 catches, 839 yards, 10 touchdowns at NC State at 18 years old.
• 12:13
  SPEAKER_01: That already puts him in rare air for these early college producers.
• 12:17
  SPEAKER_01: You add potential first round draft capital to that, and a 46% peak dominator rating, these are exactly the type of players you want to target.
• 12:25
  SPEAKER_01: The career efficiency numbers aren't perfect, career yards per route run sitting at 2.3, hovering around the 75th percentile in a lot of categories.
• 12:33
  SPEAKER_01: So the spreadsheet isn't completely clean, but career targets per game, 93rd percentile.
• 12:39
  SPEAKER_01: He was a consistent target earner throughout his entire college career, and the film backs up what you see on the spreadsheet.
• 12:45
  SPEAKER_01: Smooth separator, competitive, can win at all three levels of the route tree.
• 12:49
  SPEAKER_01: Big fan of Kevin Concepcion.
• 12:51
  SPEAKER_01: Not much else to say here.
• 12:52
  SPEAKER_01: I think people are sleeping on his upside.
• 12:54
  SPEAKER_01: I think he has the ability to be the best receiver in this class when it's all said and done.
• 12:58
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm gonna be putting him in the A tier.
• 13:00
  SPEAKER_01: By the way, if you're tired of missing in Dynasty Rookie Drafts, I literally put together the exact framework I use to evaluate every player.
• 13:07
  SPEAKER_01: And it's free.
• 13:08
  SPEAKER_01: Find me on Instagram at UpperhandFantasy, follow me, and DM me rookie framework, and I'll send it over instantly.
• 13:14
  SPEAKER_01: All right, let's go to Emmett Johnson.
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_01: He's a favorite of many.
• 13:17
  SPEAKER_01: Some would call him a sleeper in this class, and I would agree to an extent, I do see a path for him to be a real contributor, but I also see a path where he fizzles out as a consistent producer.
• 13:27
  SPEAKER_01: First, he's a bit undersized at 5'10-202.
• 13:30
  SPEAKER_01: And while we can say that he can't handle a big workload because of it, he just did almost 300 touches this past season.
• 13:36
  SPEAKER_01: As far as his running style, he's definitely elusive.
• 13:39
  SPEAKER_01: He makes guys miss, but usually not after contact.
• 13:42
  SPEAKER_01: It's mostly before contact, and that's me watching.
• 13:45
  SPEAKER_01: Now, when you look at the numbers, it kind of supports that he averages three yards after contact per attempt over his career.
• 13:51
  SPEAKER_01: That falls in the 42nd percentile, and his missed tackle rate is good at 25, but it's only at the 80th percentile, so nothing super special there.
• 14:01
  SPEAKER_01: I think where he can be special is in the receiving game.
• 14:04
  SPEAKER_01: 92 receptions over his career, 85 of those coming over the last two seasons.
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_01: That is very impressive.
• 14:10
  SPEAKER_01: But then you look at the 1.15 yards per route run, like that is pretty solid, not elite though.
• 14:15
  SPEAKER_01: 17 targets per route run, solid, not elite, but 4.5 targets per game.
• 14:20
  SPEAKER_01: You know, that's a volume stat, obviously.
• 14:22
  SPEAKER_01: That is elite, that's a volume number.
• 14:24
  SPEAKER_01: That's okay.
• 14:25
  SPEAKER_01: I'll give him credit for that.
• 14:26
  SPEAKER_01: I kind of look at him like a theoretic type at the next level.
• 14:29
  SPEAKER_01: Can he be so good in the receiving game that he can get it done for you in full PPR leagues?
• 14:34
  SPEAKER_01: Maybe, but we don't see many backs do that anymore for more than like a small chunk of games, right?
• 14:39
  SPEAKER_01: He's gonna have to give some more production in the run game if he's gonna be that guy on the field.
• 14:44
  SPEAKER_01: So, because his role is tough to translate to the next level and the possibility that he ends up as this like scat back type, I'll be placing him in the D tier.
• 14:53
  SPEAKER_01: But I do think his receiving presence could end up making him more valuable than I'm giving him credit for here.
• 14:58
  SPEAKER_01: Eli Stowers, converted quarterback, all-time vertical jump at the combine, 45 and a half inches from Vandy.
• 15:05
  SPEAKER_01: When you look at the production numbers, they're honestly ridiculous.
• 15:09
  SPEAKER_01: Are you guys ready?
• 15:10
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, here we go.
• 15:10
  SPEAKER_01: 99th percentile in total receptions and yards for a tight end over the last 12 seasons, 96 percentile receiving yards per game, 98th percentile yards per route run, 99th percentile first downs per route run, 96 percentile targets per route run.
• 15:25
  SPEAKER_01: I'll be straight with you that profile analytically looks way better than the tight end that everyone's raving about.
• 15:31
  SPEAKER_01: He wasn't in a power conference his whole career, but he was in the SEC for the bulk of it.
• 15:35
  SPEAKER_01: So, this isn't a case of patting stats against bad competition.
• 15:38
  SPEAKER_01: He's a good route runner, he's tough to bring down, he just has a really good profile overall.
• 15:43
  SPEAKER_01: Here's the issue though the blocking is a massive question mark.
• 15:46
  SPEAKER_01: I know that you don't earn fantasy points by blocking, but we're talking about a converted quarterback who is still learning the full tight end position.
• 15:53
  SPEAKER_01: Whether he can be trusted to stay on the field in passing situations where he might need to block, that's a little bit of a risk.
• 15:59
  SPEAKER_01: If he lands somewhere that limits him because of blocking concerns, the analytical profile won't matter.
• 16:04
  SPEAKER_01: The upside is real, the production is real, the athleticism is there, but the landing spot matters enormously here.
• 16:10
  SPEAKER_01: And so does the draft capital.
• 16:12
  SPEAKER_01: We need an offensive mind to be more than willing to put him in the slot, put him in a full-time move tight end role, which brings us to his size as another potential deterrent to NFL production.
• 16:22
  SPEAKER_01: Otherwise, we'll just have like a Dalton Kincaid type who has to split his routes with another all-around tight end.
• 16:28
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm putting him in the B tier.
• 16:30
  SPEAKER_01: All right, Kenyon Sadiq.
• 16:32
  SPEAKER_01: I know what some of you are thinking right now top 12 overall pick, potentially best athletic testing ever recorded at the tight end position and any combine in history, the tight end that everyone has been talking about over the last few months.
• 16:45
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm putting him in the B tier.
• 16:47
  SPEAKER_01: Let me explain.
• 16:48
  SPEAKER_01: First round draft capital, potentially really early in the first round.
• 16:51
  SPEAKER_01: So that matters, right?
• 16:52
  SPEAKER_01: He he gets that check.
• 16:53
  SPEAKER_01: Best combine testing in the history of the tight end position.
• 16:57
  SPEAKER_01: Check excellent after the catch, 93rd percentile in missed tackles force per reception among power conference tight ends over the last 12 years.
• 17:04
  SPEAKER_01: Check good route runner, versatile, can move around the formation and create mismatches.
• 17:10
  SPEAKER_01: Check, check, check, check, check.
• 17:11
  SPEAKER_01: But it's not all clean, right?
• 17:12
  SPEAKER_01: His after-the-catch efficiency numbers actually dipped pretty heavily this past season.
• 17:17
  SPEAKER_01: He's undersized for an inline tight end, and the blocking questions are real.
• 17:21
  SPEAKER_01: Now, I will say that one thing that separates Sadiq over Stowers among the two undersized tight ends in this class is that Oregon actually trusted Sadiq to block.
• 17:30
  SPEAKER_01: Vanderbilt did not trust Stours there, and Sadiq just looks way more willing as a blocker.
• 17:36
  SPEAKER_01: But then you look at his career yards per route run at 1.74, 84th percentile.
• 17:40
  SPEAKER_01: That's solid, not elite for a player being talked about as a generational prospect, targets per route run in the same range.
• 17:47
  SPEAKER_01: So here's my honest overall take: the upside is absolutely insane, right?
• 17:51
  SPEAKER_01: It's bananas, but for me to put him in the A tier, I need him to land in a system where an offensive coordinator is going to use him on 80% of drop backs at least, not the next Dalton Kincaid, not a gadget piece, a true every down weapon who is schemed into the passing game as a priority.
• 18:06
  SPEAKER_01: And until I know that landing spot, I can't just put him above the wide receivers in this class who have cleaner past the fantasy production and at a position that simply has a lower hit rate with the same draft capital as wide receivers.
• 18:16
  SPEAKER_01: So, and this regardless of where they end up, right?
• 18:19
  SPEAKER_01: I think he's a guy where the situation matters as much as the talent.
• 18:22
  SPEAKER_01: And right now, I don't have the situation.
• 18:24
  SPEAKER_01: Jeremy Bernard, next up.
• 18:26
  SPEAKER_01: He is the do-it-all receiver in this class, like the jack of all trades, the master of none guy, right?
• 18:32
  SPEAKER_01: The Robert Woods of this class.
• 18:34
  SPEAKER_01: He'll contribute, maybe even be a legitimate fantasy receiver, maybe as a top 36 guy, but is he ever gonna crack the top 12?
• 18:40
  SPEAKER_01: Does he have that type of upside?
• 18:42
  SPEAKER_01: I'm not sure he does.
• 18:43
  SPEAKER_01: Good route runner, good feel for zone coverage, smart, great hands, QB friendly.
• 18:48
  SPEAKER_01: Does have some after the catch chops as well, but the efficiency stats aren't great.
• 18:52
  SPEAKER_01: 1.9 yards per route run for his career, 20% target rate, 9% first down rate.
• 18:58
  SPEAKER_01: This is one of those situations where watching looked better than the stats, but given the entire profile, I'm gonna put him in the C tier.
• 19:06
  SPEAKER_01: A nice landing spot could boost him a bit.
• 19:08
  SPEAKER_01: Denzel Boston.
• 19:09
  SPEAKER_01: Here's something I want to say up front.
• 19:11
  SPEAKER_01: I like Boston more after watching film than I did just looking at the numbers.
• 19:15
  SPEAKER_01: That doesn't happen all the time, but when it does, I do pay attention on paper, over 2.4 yards per route run last year, nearly a 26% target rate on his routes, over 1,000 yards.
• 19:26
  SPEAKER_01: Those are good numbers, not elite, but solid for his career over two yards per route run.
• 19:31
  SPEAKER_01: That's okay.
• 19:32
  SPEAKER_01: 11% first down rate, that's actually a really good number, and it tends to hold up at the next level.
• 19:36
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, but nothing on the stat sheet is really screaming out at you.
• 19:39
  SPEAKER_01: Context matters though.
• 19:40
  SPEAKER_01: Boston spent the early part of his career behind Romo Dunze, who was Washington's X receiver.
• 19:46
  SPEAKER_01: Boston is also an X receiver.
• 19:48
  SPEAKER_01: So he wasn't failing to produce, he was just waiting behind a legitimate NFL starter.
• 19:52
  SPEAKER_01: Once he got the opportunity, he delivered.
• 19:55
  SPEAKER_01: And what the film showed me, he doesn't drop the ball, he's a legitimately good separator, he's a good contested catcher, but I think he's a clean route runner at his size.
• 20:03
  SPEAKER_01: He profiles as an X receiver at the next level, same role that he had in college, and he should get first round draft capital.
• 20:09
  SPEAKER_01: Hopefully, when you combine the fact that you know teams value X receivers with size, by the way, and strength, which is what he has.
• 20:16
  SPEAKER_01: Sometimes they don't have the strength, but they have the size.
• 20:18
  SPEAKER_01: But in this case, he has both.
• 20:20
  SPEAKER_01: So that potential first round draft capital is real.
• 20:23
  SPEAKER_01: And then the film actually exceeded my expectations a little bit, you know, after looking at the numbers.
• 20:27
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm in on Boston here.
• 20:29
  SPEAKER_01: I'm putting him in the B tier.
• 20:31
  SPEAKER_01: All right, here we go.
• 20:32
  SPEAKER_01: Carnell Tate, my number one wide receiver in this class.
• 20:35
  SPEAKER_01: You watch this man's film, he just moves different, right?
• 20:38
  SPEAKER_01: He's the most polished route runner in this entire class.
• 20:41
  SPEAKER_01: Technically, mechanically, he's just the cleanest, right?
• 20:43
  SPEAKER_01: I would say he projects as an X receiver at the next level.
• 20:46
  SPEAKER_01: He's gonna get serious draft capital.
• 20:49
  SPEAKER_01: We're talking potentially top 10 here.
• 20:51
  SPEAKER_01: And for future fantasy and just future overall production in real life, draft capital is the name of the game.
• 20:56
  SPEAKER_01: And we know this.
• 20:57
  SPEAKER_01: Now, the analytical profile isn't his strongest suit.
• 21:00
  SPEAKER_00: I'll be straight about that, but context is everything.
• 21:02
  SPEAKER_01: He was but the competition for targets was real, and when you look at it on a per route basis, specifically this last season, 2.93 yards per route run.
• 21:19
  SPEAKER_01: That's 92nd percentile of all wide receiver seasons over the last 12 years.
• 21:24
  SPEAKER_01: He was above 80th percentile in targets per route run.
• 21:27
  SPEAKER_01: Impressive considering who he's splitting routes with.
• 21:29
  SPEAKER_01: Same story for first downs per route run, receiving yards, receiving yards per game.
• 21:33
  SPEAKER_01: So you apply that context, you look at the per route numbers, and then you layer on top of that that intensive catchability, the big playability, elite college as a route runner, and then potentially top ten draft capital, right?
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_01: Draft season.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_01: He looked apart at the senior bowl.
• 22:02
  SPEAKER_01: I witnessed a preview of that size speed combo myself in person, and it looked legit.
• 22:07
  SPEAKER_01: And then he put on a show at the NFL Combine.
• 22:09
  SPEAKER_01: He ran a 4-3-3-40-yard dash.
• 22:11
  SPEAKER_01: That was the fastest time among running backs this year and last year.
• 22:14
  SPEAKER_01: And you add the fact that he's 220 pounds, that makes a huge difference and it makes it even more impressive.
• 22:19
  SPEAKER_01: So we know he's an amazing athlete, but that's not all what makes a running back profile.
• 22:24
  SPEAKER_01: He has some red flags, okay?
• 22:26
  SPEAKER_01: And listen, he had a great 2025 season.
• 22:28
  SPEAKER_01: That was his fifth year in college, though.
• 22:30
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, he didn't show the type of after contact ability until this past season, until he was older and bigger.
• 22:36
  SPEAKER_01: And over the course of his career, 3.1 yards after contact rate, 75th percentile, missed tackle rate at 18%, that's 50th percentile.
• 22:45
  SPEAKER_01: Even last year, in the good year, his missed tackle rate was not high.
• 22:49
  SPEAKER_01: It was only at 20%.
• 22:50
  SPEAKER_01: And unfortunately, he's likely not going to provide much in the receiving game either.
• 22:54
  SPEAKER_01: Yards per route run, targets per game, targets per route run, all under the 50th percentile among running backs since 2014.
• 23:00
  SPEAKER_01: And the thing is, before this season, he was outside the power conferences.
• 23:04
  SPEAKER_01: So in theory, he should have played better.
• 23:06
  SPEAKER_01: And then he comes to a power force school in his fifth year and plays really well.
• 23:10
  SPEAKER_01: But you know, he's bigger and faster than a lot of the kids, younger than him.
• 23:13
  SPEAKER_01: So age adjusted production and efficiency is not where you want it to be when it comes to Mike Washington.
• 23:17
  SPEAKER_01: I think he can play an early down role, but is he gonna pan out as a difference maker, someone who won't be replaced in a year or two?
• 23:24
  SPEAKER_01: Will he be able to win a starting job even?
• 23:26
  SPEAKER_01: Will he get his fumbling problems in track?
• 23:28
  SPEAKER_01: There's a lot of questions around him, but there is also talk about him going as early as the second round, and even third round would make him someone worth grabbing in dynasty rookie drafts simply because draft capital is that important.
• 23:39
  SPEAKER_01: A day two running back is valuable, period.
• 23:42
  SPEAKER_01: But it could be a trap.
• 23:43
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm placing him in the D tier.
• 23:45
  SPEAKER_01: Judarian Price is next up, one of the most mysterious prospects in this year's draft class, and even more mysterious when you consider the fact that so much is pointing to Seattle taking him at the end of the first round.
• 23:56
  SPEAKER_01: You're gonna have to consider pricing your dynasty rookie drafts with that type of draft capital, period.
• 24:00
  SPEAKER_01: But is he worth it?
• 24:01
  SPEAKER_01: He played behind Jeremiah Love over the last two seasons, both guys behind Audric Estimate, their freshman years, of course, but price simply has such a limited sample.
• 24:11
  SPEAKER_01: Only 280 total career carries, 120 and 113 each of the last two seasons.
• 24:16
  SPEAKER_01: We look at guys like, you know, I remember Damian Pierce, who had limited carries but was very efficient, Roshan Johnson, who had really good efficiency behind B.
• 24:23
  SPEAKER_01: John Robinson a few years ago, and that really hasn't panned out.
• 24:26
  SPEAKER_01: Is Price going to be different?
• 24:28
  SPEAKER_01: I would imagine he's a complimentary back at the next level.
• 24:30
  SPEAKER_01: Maybe he ends up as the early-down guy for a team.
• 24:33
  SPEAKER_01: 98th percentile career yards after contact per attempt among running backs since 2014.
• 24:38
  SPEAKER_01: Pretty good.
• 24:38
  SPEAKER_01: Solid missed tackle rate of 25%.
• 24:40
  SPEAKER_01: That was uh 80th percentile.
• 24:42
  SPEAKER_01: He has that big play ability too, but what he doesn't have is the pass catching.
• 24:46
  SPEAKER_01: He's barely shown anything there in college.
• 24:49
  SPEAKER_01: Six percentile in targets per route run, 38th percentile in yards per route run, second percentile in targets per game.
• 24:56
  SPEAKER_01: So, what you're hoping for is like a you know, Tony Pollard, maybe a little bit better version of Tony Pollard, but you know, with potentially very good draft capital, right?
• 25:04
  SPEAKER_01: So, with all that being said, I don't think I can put him in the B tier, so he's going in the C tier.
• 25:09
  SPEAKER_01: Omar Cooper Jr., I'm banking on him getting first round draft capital.
• 25:13
  SPEAKER_01: And even if it slips to early day two, I still think he's going to be a really good wide receiver at the next level.
• 25:19
  SPEAKER_01: Here's what stands out he is electric after the catch, missed tackles force per reception at the 97th percentile among power conference wide receivers over the last 12 seasons.
• 25:28
  SPEAKER_01: That number is not a small deal.
• 25:30
  SPEAKER_01: Career yards per route run, 90th percentile, 95th percentile, first downs per route run.
• 25:35
  SPEAKER_01: And we know that number tends to translate well to the NFL.
• 25:38
  SPEAKER_01: And then last year, his yards per route run jumped all the way up to 2.78, up from an already strong career number of 2.47.
• 25:45
  SPEAKER_01: He's smooth, he makes plays downfield, he shouldn't be limited to the slot at the next level, he can play that flanker role.
• 25:51
  SPEAKER_01: So you're looking at a real every down player here.
• 25:54
  SPEAKER_01: I like Omar Cooper here a lot, actually.
• 25:56
  SPEAKER_01: I'm putting him in the B tier.
• 25:58
  SPEAKER_01: Don't need to overthink this one.
• 25:59
  SPEAKER_01: He's a playmaker.
• 26:00
  SPEAKER_01: Next up is Chris Bell.
• 26:01
  SPEAKER_01: What a polarizing name.
• 26:03
  SPEAKER_01: Some people think he's gonna be the next AJ Brown, and I get it.
• 26:05
  SPEAKER_01: 6'2, 220, the size, the physicality, the contested catch ability, the after catch ability playmaker.
• 26:11
  SPEAKER_01: I see the vision.
• 26:12
  SPEAKER_01: He's definitely intriguing.
• 26:13
  SPEAKER_01: The upside is obvious, but he has some flaws.
• 26:15
  SPEAKER_01: He could also be Xavier Legate, right?
• 26:17
  SPEAKER_01: Or he can end up being a poor man's Anquan Bolden after the catch, right?
• 26:20
  SPEAKER_01: So there's a huge range here.
• 26:22
  SPEAKER_01: The career numbers look closer to the bottom range, to be honest, and then the film boosts that a little bit because of that clear upside that you see.
• 26:29
  SPEAKER_01: Production-wise, only 46 receiving yards per game.
• 26:32
  SPEAKER_01: That falls under the 40th percentile, 151 total receptions, 44th percentile, 12 touchdowns, 22nd percentile, and efficiency-wise, it doesn't get that much better.
• 26:42
  SPEAKER_01: 2.01 yards per route run.
• 26:43
  SPEAKER_01: That's 47th percentile, 9% first down rate, 31st percentile.
• 26:47
  SPEAKER_01: You get the gist, not good.
• 26:49
  SPEAKER_01: Last year, his senior year, he looked great.
• 26:51
  SPEAKER_01: 2.55 yards per route run, awesome.
• 26:54
  SPEAKER_01: 12 first down rate.
• 26:55
  SPEAKER_01: He's showing improvement.
• 26:56
  SPEAKER_01: And can he keep that going?
• 26:58
  SPEAKER_01: By the way, he's coming off an ACL tier.
• 27:00
  SPEAKER_01: It seems to be a clean one, so I don't have any reservations around his recovery, whether he can contribute right away.
• 27:05
  SPEAKER_01: But some of his early development could be affected.
• 27:07
  SPEAKER_01: He can be that X receiver that teams are looking for, but I don't know if he's shown enough consistency in his overall game, opposed to what he did best in college and run these like short to intermediate routes and depend on that after the catch ability to produce.
• 27:19
  SPEAKER_01: It's hard to see what that translates to at the next level.
• 27:22
  SPEAKER_01: But if he can develop, there is some serious upside here.
• 27:24
  SPEAKER_01: So I'll put him in the C tier, even though his prospect profile should be closer to the D tier.
• 27:29
  SPEAKER_01: Last one, you probably already knew this was coming.
• 27:31
  SPEAKER_01: Jeremiah Love.
• 27:32
  SPEAKER_01: You've heard about this guy before, right?
• 27:34
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm not gonna tell you all the things he does well, but what I do wanna share is some specific numbers with you because I think they put into perspective just how different he is as a prospect.
• 27:43
  SPEAKER_01: I compared Love against the best running back prospects of the last decade: Ashton Genty, B.
• 27:47
  SPEAKER_01: John Robinson, Zeke Elliott, Saquon, Jameer Gibbs, Christian McCaffrey, Leonard Fournette, the class of the last 10 years, right?
• 27:53
  SPEAKER_01: Yards after contact per attempt, love ranks second among all of them, only behind Genty, and it's worth noting that Genty didn't even play out of power force school.
• 28:00
  SPEAKER_01: Missed tackles force per attempt, third behind Bijan and Genty.
• 28:03
  SPEAKER_01: Missed tackles force per reception, second, only behind Genty again.
• 28:06
  SPEAKER_01: And then this one explosive run percentage.
• 28:08
  SPEAKER_01: Love ranked first among all of them, McCaffrey, Saquon, Zeke, all of them first.
• 28:12
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 28:13
  SPEAKER_01: In a super flex format, there are going to be quarterbacks going in this range.
• 28:16
  SPEAKER_01: I understand the logic.
• 28:17
  SPEAKER_01: A great quarterback changes the franchise, but this player at this position in this class in a dynasty rookie draft, I'm taking Jeremiah Love over the quarterback going number one overall in the actual NFL draft.
• 28:27
  SPEAKER_01: There is one player in this class who gets his own tier, S tier for Jeremiah Love.
• 28:31
  SPEAKER_01: Drop your tier list in the comments.
• 28:33
  SPEAKER_01: I want to see where you have these guys.
• 28:35
  SPEAKER_01: And if you think I got something wrong, especially that Sadiq placement or anybody else, let me know.
• 28:39
  SPEAKER_01: I can take it.
• 28:40
  SPEAKER_01: And if you're tired of missing in dynasty rookie drafts, I literally put together the exact framework I use to evaluate every player, and it's free.
• 28:47
  SPEAKER_01: Find me on Instagram at UpperhandFantasy, follow me, DM me rookie framework, and I'll send it over instantly.