Fantasy football: The five highest-scoring rookies through Week 5

• Denzel Boston offers big-play upside: The Cleveland Browns wide receiver ranks WR19 in PPR formats with 67.0 points, 330 receiving yards and three touchdowns through five weeks.

• Carnell Tate leads the group in targets and receptions: The Tennessee Titans receiver has caught 23 of 36 targets for 274 yards, with 21 targets coming over the past two weeks.

• Jeremiyah Love‘s workload has yet to deliver strong efficiency: The Arizona Cardinals running back ranks RB24 in fantasy scoring despite 67 carries and 11 receptions, averaging 3.7 yards per carry.

Five weeks into the 2026 NFL season, the 2026 rookie class has given fantasy managers several different paths to production. Denzel Boston has supplied big plays and touchdowns for the Cleveland Browns, Carnell Tate has accumulated receptions for the Tennessee Titans and Jeremiyah Love has benefited from a workload that spans both phases of the Arizona Cardinals offense.

Those early returns also come with questions about efficiency, playing time and sustainability. Here are the five rookies leading the way in PPR scoring, with a closer look at what their production means going forward.

WR Denzel Boston, Cleveland Browns

Boston has turned 28 targets into 16 receptions for 330 yards and three touchdowns, combining an impressive 20.6 yards per reception with a 77.1 receiving grade. He leads this particular group in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns despite having seven fewer catches than Carnell Tate. It has translated into the Browns pass-catcher being the WR19 in PPR formats, with 67.0 points.

His 17.5-yard average depth of target explains the opportunities for sizable gains, but Boston has also generated 111 yards after the catch and forced four missed tackles. He is also yet to drop a pass.

For fantasy managers, that combination offers considerable upside. However, 16 receptions across five games leaves his weekly production more dependent on big plays and touchdowns than a receiver who gets more volume. Boston’s next step is adding more catches without sacrificing the explosiveness that has powered his early success.

If he and the Browns can strike that balance, Boston is an intriguing WR2 option going forward.

RB Jeremiyah Love, Arizona Cardinals

Love has accumulated 245 rushing yards on 67 carries, adding 11 receptions for 36 yards. With one rushing touchdown and one receiving touchdown, he has contributed in both phases, although the receiving work has supplied relatively little yardage.

His 71.3 rushing grade provides some encouragement, but the efficiency remains modest. Love averages 3.7 yards per carry and 2.48 yards after contact per attempt, with six missed tackles forced and two runs of at least 10 yards.

It is all of that inefficiency that has Love placed as the RB24 so far this season, and some fantasy managers who bet big on Ashton Jeanty last season may be feeling equally burned by Love’s relative lack of fantasy production.

The workload gives him a foundation, but fantasy managers need more production from those opportunities. His 44.9 receiving grade and 0.55 yards per route run highlight another area for improvement. More explosive runs or greater impact as a receiver would help Love turn his existing volume into stronger weekly returns.

WR Carnell Tate, Tennessee Titans

Tate’s PPR value has come primarily through reception volume. He has caught 23 of his 36 targets for 274 yards, giving him the most targets and receptions among these five rookies. He has achieved that production without scoring a touchdown.

It should also be noted that 21 of his 36 targets have come in the last two weeks, and his nine-catch, 145-yard Week 4 performance against the Baltimore Ravens has boosted his stock and helped him settle in as the WR34.

There are encouraging details beneath the totals. Tate has secured six of seven contested targets — an 85.7% success rate — and averaged 1.78 yards per route run across 154 routes.

His 62.2 receiving grade and three drops show that there is still room for improvement. Nevertheless, the opportunities are valuable. Maintaining that target volume while improving his efficiency would give Tate a stronger foundation, with any eventual touchdown production adding to the reception-driven value he has already established.

TE Kenyon Sadiq, New York Jets

Sadiq has caught 14 passes for 146 yards and a touchdown, supplemented by a 3-yard rushing touchdown. His seven-catch, 105-yard receiving performance in Week 3 produced 23.5 PPR points. That those points are over half of his 40.9 total points is slightly less encouraging.

He has earned a 64.6 receiving grade, averaged 1.85 yards per route run and generated 85 yards after the catch. He has also avoided recording a drop.

The concern is how unevenly that production has arrived. Half his receptions came in one game, and he has run just 79 routes across five appearances. Sadiq then suffered a concussion in Week 5 amid a crowded tight end rotation. His early scoring makes him worth monitoring, but health and a larger role will be essential before managers can trust him regularly.

WR Antonio Williams, Washington Commanders

Williams has caught 15 of his 21 targets for 155 yards and a touchdown, earning a 74.4 receiving grade. His 72.7 overall grade also reflects a promising start, and zero drops suggest he has handled his receiving opportunities reliably.

He has averaged 1.52 yards per route run across 102 routes, with 54.0% of his passing snaps coming from the slot. That usage gives him a route to additional PPR value if his opportunities increase.

Even with his limited use, his WR57 status still keeps him above DJ Moore, Jordan Addison and Ladd McConkey.

Williams has yet to accumulate the target volume of Tate or the explosive production of Boston. His early efficiency nevertheless gives fantasy managers a reason to watch closely. A larger role would make that encouraging receiving performance more useful in weekly lineups.