Three Fantasy Football Predictions For The 2026 NFL Draft: Kenyon Sadiq The TE1 In Tampa?
Adam Pfeifer highlights a trio of fantasy football predictions that could come true this week during the 2026 NFL Draft.
Predicting fantasy football can be pretty difficult. Predicting fantasy football AND the NFL Draft?
Good luck.
With the draft just a few days away, so much is going to change when it comes to the fantasy landscape. And although madness is sure to ensue, let’s take out the crystal ball and try our best to see the future with three fantasy football predictions for the 2026 NFL Draft. For everything else in terms of draft prep, be sure to check out our NFL Draft Guide.
2026 NFL Draft - Three Fantasy Football Predictions
Kenyon Sadiq Becomes Tampa Bay’s Starting TE
While it is difficult to ignore Tampa Bay’s sudden need for secondary and linebacker help, let’s have some fun and plug Sadiq into this offense, shall we?
Bucs’ GM Jason Licht stated that if the team were to add a tight end in this draft, that player would have to bring an element that others in the tight end room simply don’t. Sadiq offers an entirely different dimension, running the fastest 40-yard dash by a tight end in NFL combine history (4.39). He’s 6-foot-3 and 241 pounds, and can be used in ways that Cade Otton simply cannot.
Ian Hartitz broke down Sadiq’s game in his Kenyon Sadiq scouting report, pointing out that he was utilized all over the formation. Whether it be in-line, from the slot, out wide or even out of the backfield, Oregon found ways to get the football to Sadiq. His 34% screen rate was one of the highest we’ve seen from a tight end, while Sadiq made plenty of defenders miss after the catch. Over the past two seasons in Tampa Bay, meanwhile, Otton has seen just nine total screen targets.
New offensive coordinator Zac Robinson utilized 12 personnel (2TE sets) 38% of the time last year in Atlanta, the second-highest rate in football. If he wants to implement a similar approach in Tampa Bay, especially with Mike Evans gone, adding a player like Sadiq could make a ton of sense.
Tony Pollard Is Released By Titans, Later Signs With Seattle
One of the most intriguing storylines surrounding this draft is Jeremiyah Love’s landing spot. Could he go as early as third overall to Arizona? If not, No. 4 overall to the Titans is firmly in play, and a popular NFL mock draft prediction. If that’s the case, the team will surely move on from veteran Tony Pollard, allowing them to save $7 million in the process.
Yes, everyone is penciling in a running back to the Seahawks in this draft. And for good reason. Kenneth Walker is now in Kansas City, while Zach Charbonnet is recovering from an ACL tear. But Seattle only has four total picks in this entire draft, with zero coming in Rounds 4 and 5. A team coming off a Super Bowl that still has a win-now roster might want a more proven, experienced running back to fill the void. And down the stretch last season, Pollard showed he still has plenty left in the tank.
Weeks 13-18:
- 17.0 carries
- 93.3 rushing yards
- 14.1 PPR PPG
- Three 100-yard games
This move would pave the way for Love to see a massive workload right away, while also giving the fantasy community a potential startable running back for, at the very least, the first half of the 2026 campaign.
Omar Cooper Brings His Physical Play To The Rams
There has been plenty of smoke surrounding the Rams and a Round 1 wide receiver. If they stay at 13th overall, they likely have a chance to draft Makai Lemon, who is just a flat-out better player than Cooper. But after trading one of their 2026 first-rounders to the Chiefs for Trent McDuffie, it is possible the Rams move down a bit in Round 1, which would make Cooper one of the top players on their board.
He’s such an ideal fit for a Sean McVay offense. Cooper brings elite YAC ability, averaging 7.5 yards after the catch per reception last year, while breaking a tackle on over 30% of his receptions over his collegiate career. He also didn’t lose a single fumble during his time at Indiana, an impressive feat given how many of his looks are designed screens and RPO concepts. But perhaps more importantly, Cooper is a willing and effective run-blocker, which is going to make McVay and the Rams very happy. The Rams' massive shift to 12 and 13 personnel would make it tough for Cooper to be incredibly fantasy relevant out of the gate, but there’s a path to him being the team’s WR2 in 2027.
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