Fantasy Football Training Camp Battle: Carnell Tate vs. Calvin Ridley

Debating who is a better fantasy football option in the 2026 NFL season between Tennessee Titans WRs Carnell Tate and Calvin Ridley.

Jun 16, 2026; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Titans wider receiver Carnell Tate (14) talks with the media post practice during day 1 of mini-camp at Vanderbilt Health Football Center. | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

In one of the bigger shocks of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Tennessee Titans took WR out of Ohio State University, Carnell Tate. While the move at the time was surprising, the more time that has gone by, the more it has made sense.

Yes, Tennessee needed and still needs defensive help, but another top need for them in the draft was WR. It could be a slight reach to take Tate that high, but now, second-year QB Cam Ward for the Titans was in desperate need of weapons on the offensive side of the ball. And that need for him was amplified as heads into a prove-it season, following a 2025 campaign where he and the Titans went 3-14.

Last season, when Ridley went down, Tennessee had one of the worst WR rooms in the league. With the addition of Tate and a healthy Ridley going into the start of the 2026 season, that is no longer the case. The question is now who is their WR1? The rookie or the vet? Here is a breakdown on who is the better fantasy football option between the two going into the upcoming season.

Calvin Ridley

Nov 16, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley (0) takes the field against the Houston Texans during pre-game warmups at Nissan Stadium. | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

The combination of Ridley and Ward was all intriguing in 2025. But despite Ridley only playing seven games in his time on the field, the two never truly developed a high-level connection that made Ridley a notable fantasy player. In the season, he had 17 receptions for 303 receiving yards and had 0 TDs. There were flashes of the two being able to form an elite pairing. Against the Arizona Cardinals, Ridley recorded five receptions on 10 targets for 131 yards. But outside of that game, he did not have a single outing where he recorded over 60 receiving yards.

There are question marks if Ridley could even play the role of a true WR1 even if the Titans did not take Tate. He is coming off a fractured Fibula and is now 31 years old. One positive to lean on is that he did record 1,017 receiving yards back in 2024 with the Titans. So, despite the major injury and his age their should be some optimism that he can tap back into a similar level in 2026. 

Carnell Tate

Jun 16, 2026; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Titans wider receiver Carnell Tate (14) makes a catch during day 1 of mini-camp at Vanderbilt Health Football Center. | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Tate in the Titans OTAs has looked all the part of the #4 pick, and despite playing the role of WR2 at Ohio State, he has shown the makings of a potential WR1. With the Buckeyes last season, he had 51 receptions for 875 yards, and he had nine TDs.

Gimme dat @carnelltate pic.twitter.com/utaOpV8Tzw

— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) May 29, 2026

Tate is a savvy route runner who can take the top off a defense, and arguably has the best contested catch ability out of any WR in his draft class. That plays into Ward’s gunslinging playstyle. Also, a big knock that Titans receivers had in Ward’s rookie season was drop issues. Tate does not possess that problem whatsoever. Last season for Ohio State, he did not log a single drop in all of the 67 targets he had. 

Final Verdict 

When it comes to who is the better fantasy football option for the 2026 season between Tate and Ridley, the rookie Tate has the edge. Health problems for Ridley, along with coming off a season where he did not excel even when he was available, are enough on their own to make Tate the better fantasy option in his first year in the NFL. He has high upside, and in the offseason, it seems he and Ward are already getting a head start on him tapping into that level. He is worth the swing in fantasy drafts slightly above his average draft position.