The action over at Underdog Fantasy never ends when it comes to NFL football. As soon as the Super Bowl was over, best ball for the 2026 season was already getting hot and heavy. Now, they’ve got season-long projections up for individual players. From passing yards and touchdowns to the same for rushing and receiving, there are endless ways to maximize your entries. Let’s focus on rookies and pick our favorite 2026 NFL rookie season projections on Underdog Fantasy.
Fernando Mendoza Lower Than 8.5 Regular Season Starts
What a fun projection this is! This one is a play on how much playing time do you think the #1 overall pick in the NFL Draft gets? I’m rolling with the worst side of things because I don’t think we’ll see much Fernando Mendoza in 2026. Kirk Cousins was brought in to be the starter and mentor for Mendoza. The Raiders might not be half bad this year with Cousins, but even if they are, I could see the Raiders of old feeling forced into playing Mendonza.
However, with Tom Brady there calling the shots, I believe Brad understands the importance of sitting behind a veteran like Cousins and learning before being thrown into the fire. The Raiders won’t win the Super Bowl this year, Mendoza is a long-term play, and there’s no reason to rush him. Maybe he starts the last 3-5 games to get his feet wet? But Cousins is starting more than half the year.
Jadarian Price Higher Than 799.5 Rushing Yards
This is my favorite projection for NFL rookies this year. Jadarian Price has all the pieces of the puzzle to have a successful rookie season; it’s on him to put them together. He was drafted to the Super Bowl Champion team to replace the Super Bowl MVP. The player he’s supposed to share the backfield with likely won’t be ready for the start of the season as Zach Charbonnet continues to recover from a torn ACL he suffered during Seattle’s playoff run.
That means Price is being dropped in as thee guy from day one on what is a really good team, with realistically no good competition. Charbonnet is likely a mid-to-late-season return, and even when he does come back, Price could have established himself as a star, and Charbonnet will need to share the load. This is an easy smash on the higher than side.
Jordan Tyson Higher Than 799.5 Receiving Yards
We’ve seen some rookie wide receivers burst onto the scene and make an immediate impact over the last few seasons. Talking about players set up in the right situation for an immediate impact, Jordan Tyson is next on that list. The rookie receiver from Arizona State was selected eighth overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, and drops into an offense that’s ready to be explosive this season.
Tyler Shough showed he might have what it takes to be the guy in New Orleans. I have a ton of faith in Kellen Moore, especially when it comes to offensive production. Chris Olave will still be the #1, giving Tyson plenty of room to work and produce. The team added Travis Etienne as their running back. New Orleans is a sneaky team in 2026, and Tyson will be a huge part of their success.
Jeremiyah Love Higher Than 974.5 Rushing Yards
The star of rookie fantasy picks this year will undoubtedly be Jeremiyah Love. Now, the question is, will he live up to the expectations? Love was productive last year on the ground for Notre Dame, totaling almost 1400 yards on the ground for the Fighting Irish. Last year, we saw rookie Ashton Jeanty just crack this number, checking in at 975 yards on the ground on a bad football team.
Will the Cardinals be a good football team? I don’t believe so, in fact, they may be the worst in the league. However, I expect their offense to be solid. Especially if Jacobi Brissett starts for the team. They have plenty of weapons in McBride, Harrison, and Wilson. Also, their defense is bad, forcing their offense to play catch-up more. Expect Love to break the century mark on the ground in 2026.
