’s 2026 NFL rookies guide has turned the Rookie Of The Year race into a Week 1 story. Jeremiyah Love, the Cardinals running back, is among the names being watched early after a preseason outing that hinted at how quickly he could matter, even as the No. 1 draft pick, Fernando Mendoza, will not make an appearance for at least a few weeks.
That makes the timing of the guide matter now. Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season is loaded with rookie debuts, and the list of early Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year contenders has become part award watch, part fantasy cheat sheet. Jordan Reid and Pamela Maldonado have already pointed to the field, while Matt Bowen, Dan Graziano, Eric Moody and Mike Clay have filled out the picture with players to monitor, rookie quarterback notes, fantasy projections and stat leaders.
Love is the clearest reason the conversation has picked up. He was the first running back drafted in the top five since Saquon Barkley in 2018, and he looked ready for a fast start when he posted 58 rushing yards and 15 receiving yards on 14 touches against the Raiders in his lone preseason game. He is also expected to be the focal point of Mike LaFleur’s offense in Arizona, which is the kind of role that can put a rookie on the award board before September ends.
The broader guide reaches beyond Love and into the early fantasy tier. Price is expected to replace Kenneth Walker III in Seattle’s offense after never surpassing double-digit receptions at Notre Dame, while Carnell Tate should become a go-to target for Cam Ward after averaging 17.2 yards per catch in his final season at Ohio State, a figure that ranked seventh in the FBS among players with at least 50 receptions. De’Zhaun Stribling, meanwhile, had seven receptions in his first preseason game and also enters with 409 yards after the catch last season, which ranked 33rd among all FBS wide receivers. Concepcion is also being framed as a sleeper candidate for OROY.
There is still a built-in delay at the top of the class. Mendoza may be the No. 1 draft pick, but his debut is not imminent, and that leaves the early spotlight on the rookies already lining up for Week 1 work. A.J. Haulcy, the Colts safety, and the rest of the early contenders now have a chance to build a case before the most famous name in the class even takes the field.
That is why the rookie of the year conversation feels different this year: it starts with immediate opportunity, not just draft position. If Love keeps the workload he flashed against the Raiders, he could force his way into the center of the race while Mendoza waits, and the first month of the season may tell more about these awards than the draft did.
