2026 NFL Draft Wide Receiver Rankings & Tiers Featuring Carnell Tate & Makai Lemon
The 2026 NFL Draft will be held in late April in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This is a solid class for the wide receivers, and they are always one of the most valuable positions for fantasy football owners. There are wide receivers in this class who will be immediate impact players in the NFL. This draft has both stars and depth at the position. These are the WR tiers for the 2026 NFL Draft.
Tier 1 Rookie Wide Receivers
Carnell Tate, Ohio State Buckeyes
Makai Lemon, USC Trojans
Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State Sun Devils
There are three locked-in star receivers in this draft. We have projected Tate to be the first wide receiver off the board in this draft. Lemon is the smallest receiver in this tier and likely profiles to play in the slot, which could push him down in the first round a bit, but you can also make a strong case that he's the best wide receiver in this class. Tyson almost got a tier of his own, but he made it into tier 1. While he is the most flawed receiver in this tier, he is also the most physically gifted and could have the most upside.
Tier 2 Rookie Wide Receivers
KC Concepcion, Texas A&M Aggies
Denzel Boston, Washington Huskies
Chris Bell, Louisville Cardinals
Elijah Sarratt, Indiana Hoosiers
Chris Brazzell II, Tennessee Volunteers
This tier isn't far behind tier 1. There could be multiple stars in this group. Concepcion lacks size, but he is the most explosive receiver in this class. He has superstar potential. Boston is one of the best football players in this class. He isn't a freak athlete, but he's big, physical, and one of the smartest wideouts in this draft. Bell could very well be in tier 1 if he didn't tear an ACL late in the season. If he ends up being the best wide receiver in this class long-term, no one should be surprised.
Sarratt is another great football player. He understands the game and does everything well. While he may not have the most upside, we are confident he will be reliable and reach his ceiling on the next level. Brazzell has the lowest upside in this group, but he also is one of the most well-rounded. He does everything well and projects to be a high-end WR2 on the next level.
Tier 3 Rookie Wide Receivers
Germie Bernard, Alabama Crimson Tide
Malachi Fields, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Ja'Kobi Lane, USC Trojans
Tier 3 is a group of wideouts who might not be stars in the league, but should profile as productive starters on the next level. Bernard is a smart and reliable receiver who should be a solid NFL player for a long time in the league. Fields is another excellent football player who knows how to play the position. He isn't going to blow anyone away at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, but he does everything well. Lane is a prototypical outside receiver who lacks breakaway speed but can dominate on contested catches with strong hands and an ability to go up and get the ball.
Tier 4 Rookie Wide Receivers
Omar Cooper Jr, Indiana Hoosiers
Zacharia Branch, Georgia Bulldogs
Deion Burks, Oklahoma Sooners
Skyler Bell, UConn Huskies
CJ Daniels, Miami Hurricanes
Cyrus Allen, Cincinnati Bearcats
Bryce Lane, North Dakota State Bison
Eric Rivers, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
This is a large tier of receivers who could all go either way. These guys could be productive wide receivers on the next level or could fade into obscurity. The talent is there, but how they develop and where they land could have a huge impact on their success.
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-0e06b43c57ceb063781f337e307e72d4.png "Mark Morales-Smith")
Mark Morales-Smith is a father of five, a former college football scout and semi-pro football player. Morales-Smith is a long-time competitive fantasy football player with well over a decade of professional writing experience at multiple high-level sites, including Sports Illustrated, FullTime Fantasy, FantasySP, and more.
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