Offseason Gives Way to Rookie Analysis
February features the Super Bowl, March brings free agency and April hosts the NFL Draft. That means May is when the real offseason begins. Rookie minicamps and organized team activities follow, but things remain quiet until late July when training camps open.
This gives us time to look ahead. With the draft complete, grades and best picks are now in the past. We can start examining Rookie of the Year odds, beginning with the offense.
2026 Rookie Class Overview
The 2026 rookie class is interesting because there's only one quarterback, Fernando Mendoza, expected to play significant snaps in Year 1. The Raiders brought in Kirk Cousins to mentor him and, for a while, play ahead of him.
Jeremiyah Love went No. 3 — the highest running back taken since Saquon Barkley in 2018. Wide receiver Carnell Tate went No. 4, one of the biggest surprises of the draft.
Nine offensive linemen went in the first round, but no offensive lineman has ever won Offensive Rookie of the Year, which began in 1967. In 2018, Quenton Nelson was a first-team All-Pro guard and still finished a distant third in OROY voting, behind Barkley and Baker Mayfield.
Current Odds
Jeremiyah Love (+250)
Fernando Mendoza (+350)
Jadarian Price (+750)
Carnell Tate (+500)
All odds are via DraftKings Sportsbook.
Bet Analysis and Best Pick
Love has the shortest odds for good reason. He's a special talent with the ability to turn any touch into a touchdown. However, +250 leaves us wanting more.
The Cardinals will not be good this season, largely due to an underwhelming offensive line. That could make life hard on Love. He should have a better debut than Ashton Jeanty did last year, but he could run into similar issues.
Mendoza might not play much unless Cousins performs poorly. The Raiders' wide receiver room might be the worst in the NFL, and there's only so much Brock Bowers can do to help.
Receivers Present Challenges
The three receivers in this tier are all intriguing but face obstacles. One is incredibly talented but has durability concerns. The bigger issue is the presence of established top receivers on their respective teams.
The last two wide receivers to win Offensive Rookie of the Year — Tetairoa McMillan (2025) and Garrett Wilson (2022) — entered situations where they were clearly the top pass catcher on their teams the moment they were drafted.
Best Bet: Carnell Tate (+500)
Tate fits exactly what the Titans and Cam Ward needed. Tate is a ready-made professional who runs good routes, presents a big catch radius and strong hands, and brings physicality.
He can win downfield, intermediate and short. Most importantly, he brings a level of simple professionalism to Tennessee. He will be in the right places at the right time.
Best bet: Tate (+500)