Underrated rookies who could have an impact in 2026
NFL football is back. The Seahawks weren’t as dominant as they were 7 months ago in defeating the AFC-defending New England Patriots, but they showed once again that defense really matters, even in 2026. The defending Super Bowl champs are also a shining example of the importance of picking up late-round gems and ensuring they are ready to play immediately if needed. Names like Nick Emmanwori, Tory Horton and Elijah Arroyo all contributed to Seattle’s success a year ago, none of whom were taken in the 1st round. Many of you have likely just finished your dynasty drafts, so you should be familiar with quite a few of these offensive names, but below are 10 less heralded guys I'll be watching closely this season. There are only 3 criteria for inclusion on this list:
Drafted outside the 1st round
Made their team’s 53-man roster
Were players I liked as prospects
Here we go!
Quarterback: Drew Allar, Pittsburgh Steelers
I’ll be honest, this is not a great QB group. There will be zero rookie starters in Week 1, and there may not be more than one all season in Mendoza. Carson Beck has a chance in Arizona, and who knows in Cleveland, but I’m opting for Allar here. He had an impressive showing in preseason week 1 against the Packers, and while his play wasn’t at that level in the final 2 games, overall I think he can be proud of what he accomplished in his first NFL action. My big knock on Allar coming out was his decision-making in key moments, along with his footwork and mechanics, although I did have him as QB3 in a very poor class. During his time in the driver’s seat in Pittsburgh, he had zero picks, albeit against vanilla coverages and generally looked poised and consistent with his process. You can see noticeable improvement working with Mike McCarthy, and I think he is probably ahead of where many thought he would be at this stage. There is a path to the Steelers as a playoff team with Rodgers and Allar doesn’t see the field at all in 2026. Equally, there is a path to worse than mediocrity, and the Steelers know what they have in Rudolph, so roll with the rookie down the stretch, and he shows Pittsburgh enough to make the front office think twice about taking a signal-caller early in the 2027 class.
Running Back: Mike Washington Jr., Las Vegas Raiders
Washington Jr. is consistently going RB3 in rookie dynasty drafts, despite being drafted RB5, and it’s all down to his preseason showings. He went over 7 yards per carry across the 3 games, and given Ashton Jeanty’s injury history, the former Arkansas and New Mexico State runner could be in for a sizeable role, starting this weekend against the Dolphins. He has top-level burst and acceleration, punctuated by his 4.33 in the 40-yard dash at the Combine. He reminds me of former Seahawks RB Chris Carson, who had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in the late 2010s without much fanfare. By the end of the 2026 season, we could be looking at the Raiders’ 4th-rounder as among the best No.2 backs in the whole league.
Wide Receiver: De'Zhaun Stribling, San Francisco 49ers
I tried looking around the league for some unknown gem somewhere, but this pick has to be Stribling. I get that he has gotten plenty of buzz already, particularly after Ricky Pearsall went down for the whole season, but he does fit my criteria; hence the selection here. He is the only player on this list playing in Australia tonight, and could be set to impress despite the Rams’ offseason additions at CB. I was higher than consensus on Stribling, as many outlets were gobsmacked at the idea of the Niners taking him at pick 33, but he carried a Top-50 grade on my board. He can take the top off a defence with legitimate speed, which he showed at the Combine and can turn 5-yard ins into 75-yard TDs in a hurry. I was slightly worried about how his game would translate in terms of physicality, but no such concerns were present in his 2 impressive preseason performances, and if reports out of San Francisco’s training camp are to be believed, we could be looking at a future star at the WR position in the Bay Area.
Tight End: Sam Roush, Chicago Bears
Colston Loveland is among the best TEs in football and Cole Kmet is a more than adequate backup, but don’t count out Sam Roush having a role in the Chicago offense by season’s end. He went 5 for 64 in preseason action after the Bears spent the 69th pick on the former Stanford man. I had a mid-Day 2 grade on the hybrid TE, and thought he had a well-rounded skill set that could be suited to the NFC North. Roush has turned heads in Chicago with some of his explosive route running and ability after the catch, so in a Ben Johnson offense, known for running a lot of 12 and 13 personnel, we could see Roush feature more often than you think in 2026.
Offensive Line: J.C. Davis, New York Giants
Davis was a borderline Top-10 offensive tackle on my board, so it was a surprise to see him fall all the way to pick 192, but I’m sure the Giants were happy to get the former Illinois man in the 6th round. His back-to-back 70+ snap performances in preseason have more than earned him a roster spot, and he should occupy the backup LT spot behind former 2nd Team All-Pro Andrew Thomas. Thomas has had his injury troubles as well, so you could see Davis on the field before the 2026 season is over, although the G-Men have another solid option in swing tackle Marcus Mbow on the roster. I liked Davis’ movement skills coming out and thought if he could cut out the mental errors, he’d have a chance to compete for a swing tackle job. He may have already exceeded those expectations, and while he may not usurp Thomas any time soon, he could find a starting job sooner rather than later somewhere in the league.
Defensive Line: Christen Miller, New Orleans Saints
The Saints have emerged as a bit of a dark horse candidate in the NFC after finishing the season winning 4 of their last 5 games. While I am not in that particular boat, I do think they had a very strong draft this past April, and Miller might end up being the most effective in 2026. With 1st-rounder Jordyn Tyson on IR, Miller has taken the headlines in preseason with some highlight-reel plays. He is not currently listed as a starter on the depth chart, as he sits behind Davon Godchaux and Nathan Shepherd, but I expect him to be unleashed early and often by new DC Brandon Staley. I felt Miller had the versatility, strength and hand usage that NFL scouts cover in a 3-4 Nose and he should earn the starting nod in New Orleans before long and could be a big factor down in the Bayou.
Edge Rusher: Jaishawn Barham, Dallas Cowboys
Call him a linebacker, call him an edge rusher; it doesn’t really matter. All Barham does is make plays, and he’s been doing it since his days at Maryland. His game went to another level at Michigan, and he did enough for the Cowboys to spend a 3rd-round pick on him in April. He has played across the defence during the preseason, but may find more of a role on the edge, where Dallas could really use some early production to pair with 1st-rounder Malachi Lawrence. The 92nd pick flashes excellent instincts, size and versatility, and you could see his name pop up a few times in 2026, starting this Sunday night vs the Giants.
Linebacker: Anthony Hill Jr., Tennessee Titans
I made no secret in the pre-draft process of my love for Hill Jr. The former Longhorn backer was my LB3 behind the 2 Ohio State guys, and I would have taken him late on Day 1. The fact that he landed in a Robert Saleh defense at the end of the 2nd round was almost too perfect, and he showed out vs Seattle in preseason week 2, with a pick and 4 stops. His other 2 showings were up and down, but you expect that from a rookie LB, particularly one who had some variance at times in his college performances. With starting LB Cedric Gray in concussion protocol after a UTV accident this week, Hill Jr. may be asked to step in and play a meaningful role this Sunday vs the Jets, and ultimately earn enough trust to stay on the field in a full-time capacity.
Cornerback: Tacario Davis, Cincinnati Bengals
Davis joins a good, but not elite group of CBs in Cincinnati and certainly showed what he can do in coverage vs the Eagles, earning a pick and a PBU in 32 defensive snaps. I liked Davis as a Top-100 player, and the Bengals snapped him up early in Round 3 to initially sit behind Dax Hill and DJ Turner at outside corner. At one time, Davis was a 1st-round lock, but his final 2 years at Washington were inconsistent at best. He has a history of blanketing some excellent receivers in college, and if he can recapture that form, it will be hard for defensive playcaller Al Golden to keep him off the field.
Safety: Zakee Wheatley, Carolina Panthers
The Panthers are not afraid to throw young DBs out on the field, and Wheatley could be the next in line. After taking Lathan Ransom in the 4th round a year ago, they went back to the well on Day 3 and took another Big Ten safety in Wheatley. He was everywhere in the Hall of Fame game vs the Cardinals and practically locked up a roster spot based on that performance alone. The former Penn State man was as dependable as they come as a prospect and will man the backup FS role to start the season behind fellow Nittany Lion Nick Scott. Don’t be surprised if the 5th-round pick pushes for playing time in sub-packages, moving to eventual spot-starting opportunities in time.