Fantasy Football Rookie Stock Watch Week 1: Malachi Fields Is On The Rise After Giants Cut Darius Slayton

Despite not even playing a single NFL game yet, 2026 rookies are constantly seeing their value rise and fall. We will finally get to see many of them get on the field this week and get a better idea of what they are going to be like in the pros. However, all we have to go off of right now is training camp and reports. This is our Week 1 rookie stock watch.

Stock Up

WR Malachi Fields, New York Giants

Rumors had been swirling that Fields may have won the WR2 job in New York thanks to his physical presence on the field. Then, in the 11th hour, the Giants cut Darius Slayton, drastically improving both Fields' floor and upside.

With Malik Nabers also potentially starting the season at less than 100%, he has a chance to get his career off to a hot start. If he is sitting on your waiver wire, you should make it a priority to stash him on your bench.

WR Chris Bell, Miami Dolphins

Bell's stock couldn't possibly rise any higher for me, but the rest of the fantasy community seems to be catching up. He is a first-round talent who fell to the third round in the 2026 NFL Draft due to an ACL injury he suffered in December. For some reason, many expected him to miss half the season.

Nevertheless, he managed to play in the preseason, and the coach has now named him a starting wide receiver and said he will not be on any sort of snap count. He has been a hot waiver wire pick and will be a league winner this season.

Stock Down

Jeremiyah Love, Arizona Cardinals

Let's start by saying that Love is still the unquestioned best rookie option this season. However, his ADP has been dropping for the last few weeks for a few reasons.

First, he suffered a high-ankle sprain, which has held him out since the Cardinals' first preseason game. Then, this week, the team listed Tyler Allgeier as the starting running back on their unofficial depth chart. That is most likely a non-issue, but it's also something that's tough to just ignore.

Makai Lemon, Philadelphia Eagles

You can make a strong case that the stock has dropped significantly for all the first-round wide receivers since being drafted, maybe with the exception of KC Concepcion in Cleveland. However, Lemon has really faded to the back in Philadelphia.

He has been a non-factor, and we've already heard reports not to count on him early in the season. His ADP has continuously plummeted throughout training camp.

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