De'Zhaun Stribling Among the Biggest Fantasy Football Rookie Risers
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As training camp ramps up and preseason depth charts take shape, late-round targets and high-upside rookies are beginning to separate themselves. Whether you are building a redraft contender or planning for a dynasty rookie draft, here are four rookie risers gaining momentum across league formats.
1. Mike Washington Jr. (RB, Las Vegas Raiders)
The Fit: Head coach Klint Kubiak's scheme heavily prioritizes physical, explosive running backs, making Washington Jr, a natural fit.
Camp Buzz: Behind lead back Ashton Jeanty, the secondary depth chart is wide open. Washington has seperated himself from the rest of the backup unit, consistently taking steady second-team reps alongside occasional first-team snaps.
Profile: He possesses true three-down capability and the ideal frame to immediately step into a fantasy relevant workload if Jeanty were to miss any action.
.@Raiders RB Mike Washington’s inward analysis aptly aligns with how he’s fielding carries through his first two weeks of football practice as a pro.
— Vegas Nation (@VegasNation) August 12, 2026
STORY: https://t.co/xKYcFhdyDA pic.twitter.com/cFRsBvvMKl
Draft Strategy
Redraft: Priority late-round target (RB55-RB60 range) as a high-upside handcuff with standalone change-of-pace value.
Dynasty: An extremely appealing Round 3 rookie pick or buy-low candidate given his athletic traits and system fit.
2. Jeremiyah Love (RB, Arizona Cardinals)
The Fit: Love enters the league as one of fantasy football's most electrifying and polarizing draft picks. The Cardinals view him as a foundational building block for their offense.
Camp Buzz & Profile: His elite receiving skill set gives him a high floor in PPR formats, meaning he doesn't need 20+ carries every week to produce high-end numbers. While he shares early-season touches with Tyler Allgeier, his explosive, home-run ability raises his ceiling extremely high.
Future RB1 Jeremiyah Love🚀🚀
— TheFantasyFormula (@AFantasyFormula) August 10, 2026
He’s my Dynasty RB4 and climbing📈
pic.twitter.com/gJcX1lOH8f
Draft Strategy
Redraft: An aggressive-2nd-to-3rd round pick (RB12-RB15 range) for managers willing to ride out the early-season committee.
Dynasty: His draft-capital safety net and long-term upside lock him in as the 1.01 or 1.02 pick in 2026 Dynasty rookie drafts.
3. De'Zhaun Stribling (WR, San Francisco 49ers)
The Fit: Standing 6'2" and 207 pounds, Stribling pairs ideal size with outstanding acceleration and ball-tracking ability.
Camp Buzz: Reports out of training camp have been glowing, highlighting his ability to consistently beat defenders deep. Unofficial preseason depth charts already kist him as one of the team's top wideouts.
De’Zhaun Stribling has been ballin with the first, second, and third team offenses, per @nflnetwork
— Jasmin Valdez (@PurpleStarJV) August 11, 2026
The #49ers are trying to give the rookie WR as many looks as possible and he is shining during camp‼️📝🏈 @OurSf49ers pic.twitter.com/ex7f736mlb
Profile: With both Mike Evans and Christian Kirk on short-term deals, Stribling is on a fast track to becoming a major focal point for the offense. He benefits directly from playing in Kyle Shanahan's fantasy-friendly system with Brock Purdy distributing the ball.
Draft Strategy
Redraft/Dynasty: Stribling has quickly transformed from an intriguing 2nd-round rookie to a legitimate late-round target in redraft formats whose fantasy price has not yet caught up to his actual ceiling. If camp reports hold true, he is primed to heavily outperform his current draft position.
Omar Cooper Jr. (WR, New York Jets)
The Fit: Selected in the first round (30th overall) out of Indiana, Cooper Jr. brings elite run-after-catch (YAC) ability and inside-outside versatility to a Jets offense looking for a reliable second target opposite Garrett Wilson.
Camp Buzz: With a wide-open battle for the WR2 role in New York, Cooper Jr.'s playmaking flexibility and speed (4.42 40-yard dash) have allowed him to gain steady traction throughout offseason programs and camp.
Omar Cooper Jr. has been lighting up Jets camp.
— Polymarket Football (@PolymarketBlitz) August 7, 2026
Many believe he can challenge Garrett Wilson for his WR1 spot in his first year. pic.twitter.com/Srt2zlUzgc
Profile: Coming off a breakout national championship season with the Hoosiers, Cooper Jr. excels at creating yards after contact and capitalizing on manufactured touches. While his target share may start modest, he has a clear path to locking down the primary slot/WR2 job as the season progresses.
Draft Strategy
Redraft: An ideal late-round target (WR60-WR65 range) with immediate upside if he establishes early chemistry in the passing game.
Dynasty: A high-floor 2nd-round rookie draft target tied to first-round capital and premium YAC metrics.
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Daniel Outerbridge covers the NBA, NFL, WNBA, and MLB with an emphasis on the numbers behind the game. His work breaks down player performance, team strategy, and emerging statistical trends to provide actionable insights for fans and fantasy players. Outerbridge has written for a myriad of other outlets including Anubis Sports and FanSided.