Five NFL Rookies Who Could Make an Immediate Impact in 2026

One of the most exciting parts of every NFL season is how the incoming rookie class will play a part in the upcoming year. Last season, players like Will Campbell and TreVeyon Henderson were key to the New England Patriots' revival, and their play helped them reach the Super Bowl in Year 1 under Mike Vrabel.

Because of the rookie wage scale, NFL franchises are putting rookies on the field earlier than ever and asking them to take on big roles. While there certainly is some risk to rookies playing early, they can also have a major impact in the right situations.

So, without further ado, here are five rookies who should have big roles right away and could be key contributors in the 2026 season.

Caleb Downs, FS, Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys had the NFL’s worst defense in 2025-2026 (and in franchise history), so it wasn’t a surprise when they spent most of the offseason trying to upgrade the unit. They traded up in Round 1 to pick No. 11 to select arguably the most complete defensive player in the draft, Caleb Downs.

Safeties rarely make a big impact in Year 1, but we did just see Nick Emmanwori transform Seattle’s defense into one of the best in the NFL in 2025. Downs isn’t as physically gifted as Emmanwori coming out of college, but he is much more well-rounded and has excelled in multiple schemes and at a variety of positions.

Downs is expected to be a Day 1 starter for Dallas and could play a bunch of snaps in the slot right away. If he can shore up one of the secondary spots for the Cowboys, he could help get this defense back to a respectable level. That would be a major win for Dallas, which has a championship-caliber offense that is ready to make some noise in the postseason. If Downs can help fix the defense, the Cowboys could be a major sleeper not only in the NFC East but in the NFL.

Makai Lemon, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

It was very apparent during the 2026 NFL Draft that the Philadelphia Eagles knew that they would be moving on from A.J. Brown. That is why it wasn’t a surprise to see Howie Roseman be aggressive when it came to finding his replacement. The Eagles jumped the Steelers, who were ready to select Makai Lemon at No. 21, making a deal with the Cowboys at No. 20.

Lemon isn’t the physical marvel that Brown was coming out of college, but he is a highly productive slot receiver who should be an excellent fit in Sean Mannion’s offense. The Eagles want to become more of a modern offense, and that means finding players who better fit that scheme. There is no doubt that Brown is the better player, but Lemon could excel as a slot in Philadelphia.

Expect DeVonta Smith to be the No. 1 receiver in this offense in 2026, but don’t be surprised if Lemon sees upwards of 100 targets in his first season in the NFL. And with the Eagles currently being the betting favorites in the NFC East, Lemon should see plenty of national attention early on in the season.

Jadarian Price, RB, Seattle Seahawks

If there is one position that translates well from college to the NFL, it’s at the running back position. Nearly every season, we see rookies walk onto the field have lead their respective teams in touches. That might not be the case for Jadarian Price in Seattle, but he is expected to help replace Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker, who left in free agency for the Chiefs.

Price was never a full-time starter at Notre Dame as he played behind Jeremiyah Love for the entirety of his career. And yet, he was still a first-round pick by the Seahawks due to his playmaking ability. Price never had more than 124 touches in a single season during his college career, but he did average a whopping 6.3 yards per touch over the course of three seasons for the Fighting Irish.

The Seahawks will lean heavily on a running-back-by-committee approach this season, but Price should be a key factor in an offense that was excellent last season. With Zach Charbonnet likely out for the first half of the season due to an ACL tear, that should allow Price to shine in Seattle right away.

Seattle isn’t the favorite to win the Super Bowl this year despite being the reigning champs, and they aren’t even favored to win their own division. But if Price can have a huge rookie campaign, maybe he can shift the odds back in their favor.

Cashius Howell, EDGE, Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals traded the No. 10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to the Giants for Dexter Lawrence because they believed there were no defensive tackles in this class who could have the same type of impact right away. Lawrence had a down season by his standards in 2025, but he can easily be the best defensive tackle in the league as he was voted No. 1 by NFL decision-makers at this time last season.

The Bengals' front office believed they could find pass rushers later in the draft, and that proved to be the case. The Bengals selected Cashius Howell in Round 2, an undersized pass rusher from the SEC with a bunch of production. Howell was an All-American selection in 2025 after recording 11.5 sacks and 14 tackles for a loss for Texas A&M.

The biggest reason Howell fell in the 2026 NFL Draft was due to his historically short arms and concerns about his ability to stop the run. While those issues shouldn’t just be waved off, the Bengals are more interested in what he can do as a pass rusher than in how he plays against the run.

With the Bengals likely to be in a bunch of shootouts again this season, Howell should get plenty of opportunities to rush the passer. He was one of the best defenders in the class at creating pressure, especially in obvious passing situations. Look for Howell to get on the field early for the Bengals as they try to improve one of the league’s worst defenses from last season.

C.J. Allen, LB, Indianapolis Colts

The Colts did not have a first-round pick in this year’s draft thanks to the Sauce Gardner trade at the deadline, but they still managed to find a really good player on Day 2. C.J. Allen was widely viewed as a potential first-round pick, but he slipped to the second round due to some knee injury concerns.

However, the expectation is that Allen will be fully healthy for Week 1, and that is great news for the Colts, who have a big need at linebacker heading into the season. Allen was an All-American selection in 2025 for the Georgia Bulldogs and was highly thought of by his teammates and the coaching staff.

Linebacker is a position where rookies can have a big impact, and a great example of this was Carson Schwesigner from a year ago. He won the Defensive Rookie of the Year award for the Browns and was instantly one of the league’s best linebackers. That might be too lofty a goal for Allen, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if he had a major impact right away for Indianapolis.

Expect Allen to earn a starting spot right away for the Colts, and don’t be shocked if he leads the team in tackles. He is a heady player who constantly finds himself in the middle of the action. And that’s exactly what the Colts were missing in the middle of their defense last season.