2026 NFL Draft: Live Fantasy Tracker (Rounds 2-3)
The second and third rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft will be held today (beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET), while the remainder of the draft will finish up on Saturday (12 p.m. ET).
Throughout the second & third rounds, I'll be updating this page with player evaluations from the Rookie Draft Profiles produced by our partners over at Dynasty League Football. I'll also add receiver evaluation from Matt Harmon (Reception Perception). Finally, I'll add my own fantasy spin based on the player's opportunity, draft capital, and landing spot.
Reminder: Get 25% off any 2026 season subscription using the code JOHN25.
2.33 - 49ers - WR De'Zhaun Stribling, Mississippi
DLF Dynasty Profile: The well-traveled Stribling spent two seasons at Washington State and two at Oklahoma State before spending his last year at Ole Miss. He was solid last year for the Rebels, finishing second on the team with both his 55 catches and his 811 yards while leading the team with six receiving touchdowns. Even better, he ran a 4.36 40 at the NFL Draft Scouting Combine and scored in the top five overall. The challenge with Stribling has always been his lack of short-area quickness and slower-than-average feet out of his breaks. In short, Stribling looks like a project player but one who could surely get drafted higher than most think in both the NFL and rookie draft formats at this point in the process.
Harmon: Overall, I think De’Zhaun Stribling is a really nice sleeper candidate as a mostly outside prospect in the 2026 class. He is physical, shows flashes of strong separation skills against man coverage, and is already a credible ball-winner and carrier in the open field. He can play all three spots and projects as a usable outside option, given his success rates vs. man and press.
Opportunity: C+
Paulsen’s Fantasy Analysis: De’Zhaun Stribling is an outside receiver who does his best work after the catch. He posted a 90th-percentile yards after catch per reception (7.3) and an 89th-percentile PFF Receiving Grade (78.8) across 15 games at Ole Miss, with an absurdly low 1.8% drop rate (just one drop on 56 catchable targets). He lined up almost exclusively outside (80.5% wide rate), and the 25th-percentile aDOT (9.3) tells you he's working in the short-to-intermediate range and creating with the ball in his hands rather than winning vertically. The contested catch rate (39th percentile) is pedestrian, which limits his projection as a true alpha.
The 49ers don't need him to be an alpha—they already have Mike Evans on the outside and Ricky Pearsall developing into a legitimate starter. Christian Kirk handles slot duties. That's a crowded receiver room for Stribling to crack, and he's realistically the WR4 in this offense behind all three, though with a good summer, he could usurp Kirk and/or Pearsall. If he doesn't move up the depth chart, the target path is narrow. Pending his progress this summer, Stribling is at worst undraftable in most redraft formats and at best a WR3/WR4.
2.39 - Browns - WR Denzel Boston, Washington
DLF Dynasty Profile: Boston doesn't quite profile as one of the top three receivers in this year's draft, but don't let that fool you, as he can play. Boston was the University of Washington's top receiver this season and has posted over 1,700 yards and a whopping 20 touchdowns over the past two seasons combined, showing a clear ability to simply produce. An outstanding competitor with NFL toughness, Boston may not have elite-level speed, but there are no questions about his hands or ability to make tough catches. His performance has dipped against better competition, and that raises some red flags, but it's hard to see Boston falling out of the second tier of rookie draft prospects based on what looks like a pretty high floor.
Harmon: Denzel Boston belongs to an expanding archetype of receivers that looks like the classic X but can be weaponized by moving across the formation to create mismatches in the modern NFL. He’s not quite at the caliber of prospect of some of these names to come into the league the last few seasons, but he certainly brings a ton of ability to the table and is a much better route runner than he’s credited by most that I’ve seen. Boston should go off the board in the later portions of the first round of the NFL Draft and immediately add a reliable possession target who can also make plays in tight coverage. If he continues to hone his craft and improve against zone coverage down the field, he could be a high-volume option early on in your offense.
Opportunity: C
Paulsen’s Fantasy Analysis: Denzel Boston is the contested-catch alpha that Cleveland has been missing. He posted a 97th-percentile PFF Receiving Grade (87.2), a 93rd-percentile contested catch rate (76.9%), and an 87th-percentile yards per route run (2.44) at Washington, all while running an 84th-percentile aDOT (14.4). This is a true X receiver who wins downfield and in traffic. Eleven touchdowns on 95 targets across just 12 games is legit production. The YAC numbers are modest (50th percentile), which tells you Boston is a points-of-the-catch winner rather than a create-after-the-catch guy, which is fine when you're this dominant at the catch point.
The fit alongside Concepcion actually makes sense on paper. Concepcion moves around the formation while Boston attacks the boundary downfield. The problem is the quarterback situation. Until Cleveland figures out whether it's Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders, or Deshaun Watson, the entire passing game operates with a hard ceiling. Boston's downfield orientation makes him especially quarterback-dependent; a 14.4 aDOT needs accuracy and arm talent on the other end. He's a late-round redraft dart throw with more risk than reward in Year 1; dynasty managers should buy the talent at a depressed price and hope the Browns eventually find a passer worthy of this receiver room.
2.47 - Steelers - WR Germie Bernard, Alabama
DLF Dynasty Profile: Bernard is one of this year's most recognized names after spending time with Michigan State, Washington, and Alabama during his time in college. For his part, he posted 155 total catches for 2,203 yards and 13 touchdowns over his four years, showing solid ability wherever he went. Bernard looks like a player who has improved every year, but it's also fair to wonder just how high his ceiling really is. He may need to land on a team that will allow him some time to learn the NFL game instead of one that needs him right away, but he still looks like a pretty solid choice in the second round of a rookie draft this Spring.
Harmon: Bernard doesn’t come with the tantalizing size/speed combination you typically want when trying to outkick a Day 2 draft slot, but man, if you want someone to get on base and potentially give you even more in the right system, Bernard checks a lot of boxes. He gets open at a high enough rate, gets to the proper depths on his routes, and can do something with the ball in his hands. He’s one of the best receivers in the class, outside of the top tiers, on the dig and out route combination. That means a lot to me, considering how much production those patterns can feed to a player.
Opportunity: C
Paulsen’s Fantasy Analysis: Germie Bernard is a high-volume target earner whose PFF efficiency metrics don't quite match the draft capital. His PFF Receiving Grade (71.6) lands at just the 68th percentile, and his yards per route run (1.70) sits at the 50th percentile; neither number screams second-round pick. The contested catch rate (23rd percentile, 35.7%) is a genuine red flag for a receiver of his size. What Bernard does well is get open and avoid drops. He had just one drop on 102 targets at Alabama, which is remarkable, and he ran routes on 94% of Alabama's pass plays. He's a reliable, high-floor possession receiver more than a dynamic playmaker.
The landing spot limits his immediate fantasy ceiling. DK Metcalf is the clear WR1 on the outside, Michael Pittman Jr. handles the other boundary role, and Bernard will likely compete for slot and third-receiver snaps. Pittsburgh's run-first identity under Arthur Smith further caps passing volume across the board.
2.54 - Eagles - TE Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt
DLF Dynasty Profile: There's a big gap between Kenyon Sadiq and Stowers at tight end in this year's rookie draft analysis, but it's hard to argue against the merits of Stowers being the TE2. He was highly productive at Vanderbilt last season with a 62/769/4 line, and his combine performance was very impressive, solidifying his athletic ability as no worse than second-best at the position. His landing spot will be a key as he needs to go to a team with a clear need at tight end in order to produce early, but you could do a lot worse with a second-round rookie draft pick.
Opportunity: B-
Paulsen’s Fantasy Analysis: Eli Stowers is a freak athlete with legit production to back it up. Per Player Profiler, he tested at the 94th percentile in the 40-yard dash, 94th percentile in Speed Score, 100th percentile in Burst Score, and 100th percentile in Catch Radius. The PFF data matches the athletic profile: a 95th-percentile PFF Receiving Grade (85.3) and a 97th-percentile yards per route run (2.55) among all tight ends in the dataset. Vanderbilt deployed him heavily in the slot (95th-percentile slot rate at 66.4%), and he drew 85 targets on 301 routes — the kind of usage rate that shows how central he was to that offense. The contested catch rate (33rd percentile) and a 6.1% drop rate are areas to clean up, but the tools and production are undeniable.
The problem is Dallas Goedert. He's still entrenched as the TE1 in Philadelphia, and Jalen Hurts' offense doesn't traditionally support two fantasy-relevant tight ends. Stowers is likely looking at a part-time role as a rookie, some two-TE sets, some slot deployment to get his athleticism on the field, but not the kind of volume that moves the needle in fantasy. This is a Year 2 breakout candidate. Goedert turns 32 this season, and his contract is up after 2026, which sets up Stowers to inherit a massive role in one of the best offenses in football.
2.56 - Jaguars - TE Nate Boerkircher, Texas A&M
Paulsen's Fantasy Analysis: Curious pick in the second round given his 19 catches for 198 yards and three touchdowns as a senior. He must be a good blocker, and we don't award fantasy points for good blocks.
2.59 - Texans - TE Marlin Klein, Michigan
Paulsen's Fantasy Analysis: 24 catches for 248 yards and a touchdown as a senior at Michigan. Another curious pick in the second round.
2.61 - Rams - TE Max Klare, Ohio State
DLF Dynasty Profile: Klare seems destined to battle the likes of Eli Stowers and possibly a few more to be the TE2 this year behind Kenyon Sadiq. Klare needs to improve as a pass blocker to be a complete tight end at the NFL level but dynasty managers won't care much as long as he's adequate enough to stay on the field. Klare's speed and ability to adjust routes to snag catches should be alluring, and the former Purdue Boilermaker and Ohio State Buckeye should be a solid choice in rookie drafts this Spring. It's fair to wonder if he'll ever be able to reach true "set it and forget it" TE1 status in dynasty leagues, but few really do reach that pinnacle, and he looks like a solid choice in round two or three at this point in the process.
Opportunity: D
Paulsen’s Fantasy Analysis: Max Klare's final season at Ohio State was a step back from his junior year at Purdue (51-685-4), and the PFF data reflects it. His PFF Receiving Grade (66.5) sits at just the 52nd percentile among tight ends, with a 56th-percentile yards per route run (1.48) and a pedestrian 38th-percentile yards after catch per reception (5.2). The one bright spot is an 82nd-percentile contested catch rate (66.7%); Klare wins at the catch point when the ball is thrown his way, he just didn't get enough opportunity to show it consistently. The 6.9 aDOT tells you Ohio State used him as a short-area chain mover rather than a seam-stretching weapon.
The Rams are a terrible landing spot for Year 1 fantasy purposes. Tyler Higbee is still the starter, Colby Parkinson carved out a real role last season, and Terrance Ferguson provides upside and depth behind both. Klare is buried on this depth chart and would need multiple injuries to see meaningful snaps. He's completely off the fantasy radar in 2026 redraft. The contested catch rate hints at a skill set that could matter eventually, but the production regression, the depth chart, and the lack of elite athleticism make him one of the easier tight ends in this class to fade.
