The question, of course, is which rookies are actually worth your time? It's never an easy thing to figure out, as player health, role, and positional difficulty all factor into the equation.

Some rookie fantasy picks look better than others, but once you start incorporating ADP into the mix, the picture arguably gets clearer. With that in mind, I've pinpointed five rookies I want to go out of my way to get in 2026 fantasy football drafts, particularly at their current cost.

RB Jeremiyah Love, Arizona Cardinals (ADP: RB15)

Let's get the party started with Jeremiyah Love, who looks like a great pick as things stand, but a recently reported high ankle sprain could very well drop his ADP.

Cardinals rookie running back Jeremiyah Love is dealing with a high ankle sprain, per sources. It makes it unlikely that Love plays again this preseason, with the team hoping he can return for the Sept. 13 regular-season opener vs the Chargers. pic.twitter.com/H0vb0R7x4k

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 17, 2026

This is a long-term pick in Round 4 or later, seeing as Love may miss some time to start the regular season. That said, this dude is a stud waiting to happen, and Arizona didn't invest the No. 3 overall draft pick in him to have him watch Tyler Allgeier run wild.

I do think there is risk here, but the upside at his current ADP makes it worth the dice roll. My plan is admittedly to bank on a massive second half once Love is back to 100%.

Here's the good news:

• Arizona clearly wants to get him the ball (14 touches in preseason debut)
  
• The Cardinals offense should be better than it was last year
  
• Love's skill set is highly dynamic
  
• Love's athleticism is top shelf
  
• Love's ADP should slide due to his injury

If you are drafting right this very minute, it's possible the price isn't exactly right for Love. But if you give it a little time and can wait, more concrete news should solidify Love as a smash value.

Just remember, this isn't about projecting Love to be a top-10 lock for the year. It's about drafting him to be a potential top-10 guy when he's healthy for the second half of the season.

Think: Rashee Rice last year.

Rice didn't actually start playing until Week 7. However, he blew up immediately with 23 fantasy points in his season debut and was the WR7 during the weeks he was active.

WR Carnell Tate, Tennessee Titans (ADP: WR31)

Love is the top rookie to draft in fantasy football, and he just got cheaper. It only gets better from here, and I think the fun could really start with Carnell Tate.

The Tennessee Titans spent the No. 4 overall pick on the Ohio State product, who was quite productive with a 51-875-9 stat line in just 11 games last year. Tate profiles as an elite size-speed prospect, and he figures to be the main guy for the Titans right away.

It's quite possible Wan'Dale Robinson gets a bit more volume, and there is risk here since Cam Ward has yet to prove he's actually any good. However, Malik Nabers was the WR6 overall under Brian Daboll's direction two years ago, while wide receivers taken inside the top five historically fare quite well.

This isn't the same situation as Love, who is currently not 100% and has already seen his ADP affected by the injury. Tate, on the other hand, is discounted because of the offense he's playing in. He's the 31st wide receiver off the board when he easily has the talent and role to crack the top 20, if not higher.

WR Cyrus Allen, Kansas City Chiefs (ADP: WR90)

After talking about two stud NFL rookies, let's talk about some serious values. One is none other than training camp darling Cyrus Allen, who has gone from fifth-round pick to Kansas City's offensive savior.

That might seem hyperbolic, but Allen has quickly ascended a Chiefs wide receiver depth chart that includes banged-up options in Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy. Both seem to be fine for now, but Worthy dealt with a lingering shoulder issue last year, and Rice has been slow to return to form following offseason knee surgery.

Allen doesn't have elite draft capital, but he was featured in KC's preseason opener, and he's been the star of their training camp all summer.

.@Chiefs rookie WR Cyrus Allen climbed the ladder to get that one.

LARvsKC on @NFLnetwork
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/8hhBAGi4K1

— NFL (@NFL) August 15, 2026

It's fair to wonder if the hype will translate to actual production, but this was never a guy who was short on talent.

He may have slid to Round 5 in the NFL Draft, but Allen grades out as a fantastic athlete and flashed absurd red-zone chops with 13 touchdowns last year at Cincinnati.

The best part? The athleticism and upside can be had for cheap, as any risk involved with rolling the dice on him is baked into his WR90 draft price. Allen is no longer a secret, though, and is already climbing draft boards. He also may be one Worthy or Rice injury away from being a guaranteed stud.

WR Caleb Douglas, Miami Dolphins (ADP: WR92)

Someone in the same draft range who seems less sexy but may be safer with just as much upside is Miami rookie Caleb Douglas. The team invested a third-round pick in him, and for the moment, he's even listed as their No. 1 receiver.

That tracks, especially after seeing him sacrifice his body for a highlight-reel catch in his preseason debut.

Caleb Douglas oh my ��

MIAvsWAS
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/21vkGuMeTb

— NFL (@NFL) August 14, 2026

Douglas is honestly even more compelling than Allen. Sure, he's in an inferior system, but he has better draft capital, graded out as the more tantalizing athlete, and appears to be looking at a safer role from the jump.

Miami's receiving room is very weak, so if Douglas holds down his spot on the depth chart, he could be the top dog in their passing game. At his current price, that just might make him the biggest steal of the draft and certainly one of the best rookies to roster.

RB Jonah Coleman, Denver Broncos (ADP: RB50)

I'll leave you with Denver Broncos rookie running back Jonah Coleman, who impressed in his preseason debut and has been turning heads all summer.

Sean Payton with high praise for Jonah Coleman explaining why he pulled him quick in preseason Week 1, via @ZacStevens:

"I didn't need to see additional evidence of what I've been seeing for 3 weeks."pic.twitter.com/dsDJAwpkqO

— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) August 17, 2026

The former Washington star has always been known as an early-down grinder and red-zone menace, while he also boasts top-shelf pass-catching chops. However, his less-than-ideal top speed, draft capital, and landing spot initially had many doubting his ability to contribute in redraft circles.

Perhaps that's still something to consider, but if we're judging J.K. Dobbins by his injury history, as well as how the Broncos clearly prefer to utilize RJ Harvey, Coleman could be a total smash.

The reality is Harvey isn't the better early-down runner, and I don't trust Dobbins to stay healthy. I only need to be right about one of those things for Coleman to return value at his current price tag.

Targeting Rookies in 2026 Fantasy Drafts

Guys like Makai Lemon (hamstring) and Jordyn Tyson (hamstring) are also solid bets when factoring in value, but they carry legitimate injury risk right now.

That isn't to say you can't or shouldn't buy the dip on some of these guys. You absolutely can, depending on your strategy and how your roster comes together. However, you should be seeking some combination of talent + role + value + availability.

The guys making my list check just about every box and are arguably smashes at their current ADP. You may want to act fast, however, as the price for each of these guys is only going to go up.