NFL Rookies in Action: When, Where and How to Watch the 2026 Draft’s Top Picks Debut

The NFL’s 2026 schedule release didn’t just give fans the full 272-game slate, a record nine international bouts and plenty of prime-time matchups to look forward to—but also revealed when the league’s newest crop of players will first take the field.

The first round of the 2026 draft saw 32 players officially realize their dreams, finding their first professional football homes where they’ll set a foundation for what they hope to be long careers. Among them are two quarterbacks aiming to become franchise cornerstones, a pair of running backs from the same school, five wide receivers poised to make an immediate impact and countless others ready to make their mark in the NFL from Day 1.

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With that, here’s a look at when and where some of the top rookies drafted this offseason will make their NFL debut, and how to watch each game.

Fernando Mendoza, QB, Raiders

Date, Time: Sunday, Sept. 13, 4:25 p.m. ET
Opponent: vs. Dolphins
Location: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas
How to watch: Fox

Fernando Mendoza’s Raiders will begin the 2026 season at home, welcoming the Dolphins to Allegiant Stadium for a 4:25 p.m. ET kickoff on the first Sunday of the year.

While this will technically be Mendoza’s NFL debut, there’s a good chance it’ll come in backup quarterback fashion. Las Vegas signed Kirk Cousins this offseason in part to mentor its No. 1 draft pick, and could very well decide to open the year with him as their starter while Mendoza continues to develop in the background.

David Bailey, edge, Jets

Date, Time: Sunday, Sept. 13, 1:00 p.m. ET
Opponent: at Titans
Location: Nissan Stadium, Nashville
How to watch: CBS

David Bailey and the Jets are set to hit the road in Week 1 as they’ll travel to Nashville to take on the Titans.

Bailey—the No. 2 pick in the draft—is entering a New York edge defender room already manned by veterans Joseph Ossai, Will McDonald IV and Kingsley Enagbare, among others. It’s a quality room overall, but the former Texas Tech phenom should be able to crack the rotation early and generate pressure on Titans quarterback Cam Ward.

Jeremiyah Love, RB, Cardinals

Date, Time: Sunday, Sept. 13, 4:25 p.m. ET
Opponent: at Chargers
Location: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, Calif.
How to watch: CBS

The Cardinals took a bit of a swing with their first-round pick last month, selecting Jeremiyah Love out of Notre Dame. The former Fighting Irish ball carrier’s contract will pay him the most guaranteed money for a running back in NFL history—an inherent flaw in the rookie wage scale—and as such, will likely command plenty of carries as soon as he steps on the game field.

Arizona heads to Inglewood in Week 1, taking on the Chargers from SoFi Stadium for a 4:25 p.m. ET kickoff.

Carnell Tate, WR, Titans

Date, Time: Sunday, Sept. 13, 1:00 p.m. ET
Opponent: vs. Jets
Location: Nissan Stadium, Nashville
How to watch: CBS

The Titans enter 2026 with a brand-new coaching staff, hiring Robert Saleh to lead the charge while also bringing in two former head coaches in Brian Daboll and Gus Bradley to run the offense and defense, respectively. The first pick of the new regime? Wide receiver Carnell Tate out of Ohio State.

Tate, whom Tennessee used the No. 4 pick on, joins a wide receiver room led by Calvin Ridley, Chimere Dike and free agent signee Wan’Dale Robinson. He’ll make his NFL debut on the first Sunday of the season when the Titans welcome the Jets to Nashville’s Nissan Stadium.

Arvell Reese, LB, Giants

Date, Time: Sunday, Sept. 13, 8:20 p.m. ET
Opponent: vs. Cowboys
Location: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.
How to watch: NBC

Arvell Reese lined up just about everywhere during his time commanding the Ohio State defense, but with the Giants loaded on the edge with players like Brian Burns, Abdul Carter and Kayvon Thibodeaux, it would make sense for the former Buckeye to line up at a middle linebacker to begin his career.

The start of said career will begin in prime time, as Reese and the Giants welcome the Cowboys to MetLife Stadium for the NFL’s first Sunday Night Football bout of the season.

Jordyn Tyson, WR, Saints

Date, Time: Sunday, Sept. 13, 1:00 p.m. ET
Opponent: at Lions
Location: Ford Field, Detroit
How to watch: Fox

The Saints decided to add quite the weapon to quarterback Tyler Shough’s arsenal with their first-round pick, selecting Jordyn Tyson at the No. 9 spot. The former Arizona State star should see the field almost immediately as he joins a wide receiver corps headlined by Chris Olave—but without much proven depth behind him.

New Orleans will begin the 2026 season on the road when they head to Detroit to take on the Lions for a 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff.

Caleb Downs, S, Cowboys

Date, Time: Sunday, Sept. 13, 8:20 p.m. ET
Opponent: at Giants
Location: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.
How to watch: NBC

Caleb Downs was considered by some to be the best player in this year’s draft class, but fell out of the top 10 before Dallas traded up to select him with pick No. 11.

A do-it-all player at Ohio State, Downs and the Cowboys will travel to East Rutherford in Week 1 to face the division-rival Giants—setting up a prime-time matchup against his former Buckeye teammate in Reese.

Rueben Bain Jr., edge, Buccaneers

Date, Time: Sunday, Sept. 13, 1:00 p.m. ET
Opponent: at Bengals
Location: Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati
How to watch: Fox

The Buccaneers saw one of the draft’s top edge defenders fall into their lap in the middle of the first round and didn’t hesitate, selecting Rueben Bain Jr. out of Miami at pick No. 15.

Despite registering the NFL’s third-highest pressure rate last season behind only the Vikings and Broncos, Tampa Bay sacked opposing quarterbacks just 37 times—tied for the 18th-most in the league. Bain should only help that number increase in 2026, starting in Week 1 when the Bucs travel to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals for a 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff.

Makai Lemon, WR, Eagles

Date, Time: Sunday, Sept. 13, 4:25 p.m. ET
Opponent: vs. Commanders
Location: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
How to watch: Fox

Makai Lemon’s draft-night snafu is overshadowing just how important his role may be with the Eagles in 2026. With A.J. Brown as good as gone in Philadelphia, general manager Howie Roseman has made a concerted effort to restock the team’s wide receiver cupboard this offseason—with the biggest splash being trading up for the former USC pass catcher in the first round.

Lining up alongside the likes of DeVonta Smith, Hollywood Brown and Elijah Moore, Lemon’s NFL debut is set for a 4:25 p.m. ET kickoff at home against the divisional-rival Commanders.

Where, when and how to watch all 32 first-round picks in Week 1

Pick	Player, Team	Week 1 Matchup	Where to Watch
1.	Fernando Mendoza, QB, Las Vegas Raiders	vs. Dolphins; Sunday, Sept. 13; 4:25 p.m. ET	Fox
2.	David Bailey, edge, New York Jets	at Titans; Sunday, Sept. 13; 1:00 p.m. ET	CBS
3.	Jeremiyah Love, RB, Arizona Cardinals	at Chargers; Sunday, Sept. 13; 4:25 p.m. ET	CBS
4.	Carnell Tate, WR, Tennessee Titans	vs. Jets; Sunday, Sept. 13; 1:00 p.m. ET	CBS
5.	Arvell Reese, LB, New York Giants	vs. Cowboys; Sunday, Sept. 13; 8:20 p.m. ET	NBC
6.	Mansoor Delane, CB, Kansas City Chiefs	vs. Broncos; Monday, Sept. 14; 8:15 p.m. ET	ESPN
7.	Sonny Styles, LB, Washington Commanders	at Eagles; Sunday, Sept. 13; 4:25 p.m. ET	Fox
8.	Jordyn Tyson, WR, New Orleans Saints	at Lions; Sunday, Sept. 13; 1:00 p.m. ET	Fox
9.	Spencer Fano, OL, Cleveland Browns	at Jaguars; Sunday, Sept. 13; 1:00 p.m. ET	CBS
10.	Francis Mauigoa, OL, New York Giants	vs. Cowboys; Sunday, Sept. 13; 8:20 p.m. ET	NBC
11.	Caleb Downs, DB, Dallas Cowboys	at Giants; Sunday, Sept. 13; 8:20 p.m. ET	NBC
12.	Kadyn Proctor, OL, Miami Dolphins	at Raiders; Sunday, Sept. 13; 4:25 p.m. ET	Fox
13.	Ty Simpson, QB, Los Angeles Rams	vs. 49ers (Melbourne); Thursday, Sept. 10; 8:35 p.m. ET	Netflix
14.	Olaivavega Ioane, OL, Baltimore Ravens	at Colts; Sunday, Sept. 13; 1:00 p.m. ET	CBS
15.	Rueben Bain Jr., edge, Tampa Bay Buccaneers	at Bengals; Sunday, Sept. 13; 1:00 p.m. ET	Fox
16.	Kenyon Sadiq, TE, New York Jets	at Titans; Sunday, Sept. 13; 1:00 p.m. ET	CBS
17.	Blake Miller, OL, Detroit Lions	vs. Saints; Sunday, Sept. 13; 1:00 p.m. ET	Fox
18.	Caleb Banks, DL, Minnesota Vikings	vs. Packers; Sunday, Sept. 13; 4:25 p.m. ET	CBS
19.	Monroe Freeling, OL, Carolina Panthers	vs. Bears; Sunday, Sept. 13; 1:00 p.m. ET	Fox
20.	Makai Lemon, WR, Philadelphia Eagles	vs. Commanders; Sunday, Sept. 13; 4:25 p.m. ET	Fox
21.	Max Iheanachor, OL, Pittsburgh Steelers	vs. Falcons; Sunday, Sept. 13; 1:00 p.m. ET	Fox
22.	Akheem Mesidor, edge, Los Angeles Chargers	vs. Cardinals; Sunday, Sept. 13; 4:25 p.m. ET	CBS
23.	Malachi Lawrence, DL, Dallas Cowboys	at Giants; Sunday, Sept. 13; 8:20 p.m. ET	NBC
24.	KC Concepcion, WR, Cleveland Browns	at Jaguars; Sunday, Sept. 13; 1:00 p.m. ET	CBS
25.	Dillon Thieneman, DB, Chicago Bears	at Panthers; Sunday, Sept. 13; 1:00 p.m. ET	Fox
26.	Keylan Rutledge, OL, Houston Texans	vs. Bills; Sunday, Sept. 13; 1:00 p.m. ET	CBS
27.	Chris Johnson, DB, Miami Dolphins	at Raiders; Sunday, Sept. 13; 4:25 p.m. ET	Fox
28.	Caleb Lomu, OL, New England Patriots	at Seahawks; Wednesday, Sept. 9; 8:20 p.m. ET	NBC
29.	Peter Woods, DL, Kansas City Chiefs	vs. Broncos; Monday, Sept. 14; 8:15 p.m. ET	ESPN
30.	Omar Cooper Jr., WR, New York Jets	at Titans; Sunday, Sept. 13; 1:00 p.m. ET	CBS
31.	Keldric Faulk, edge, Tennessee Titans	vs. Jets; Sunday, Sept. 13; 1:00 p.m. ET	CBS
32.	Jadarian Prince, RB, Seattle Seahawks	vs. Patriots; Wednesday, Sept. 9; 8:20 p.m. ET	NBC

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