Here is a list of the 319 prospects who will participate in the event, with notes on who fantasy fans should watch.
Nebraska Cornhuskers running back Emmett Johnson will be a player for fantasy managers to watch at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images
The first major event of the 2026 NFL offseason is this week, as the NFL scouting combine kicks off on Thursday in Indianapolis. In the realm of pro football, it’s a chance for teams to evaluate the top rookie prospects.
In the world of fantasy football, [I’ve written that the combine is much ado about nothing](https://www.si.com/fantasy/searching-for-next-fantasy-football-star-nfl-combine) because a good performance guarantees nothing. The same holds true for a subpar combine showing, and we won’t know their true fantasy values until we see where these players land in the 2026 NFL draft (April 23-25) in Pittsburgh.
With that said, it still makes sense to keep tabs on some of the best and worst players from this year’s combine. While an impressive combine isn’t a launching pad to fantasy stardom, it’s at least a good chance to get yourself familiar with some of the prospects before they’re drafted (or not) into the NFL in a few months.
Below is a list of the 319 prospects who will participate in the event, with notes on who fantasy fans should watch.
_Note: The date of the combine workout for each position is in brackets._
Quarterbacks (Feb. 28)
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Joey Aguilar, TennesseeDrew Allar, Penn StateLuke Altmyer, IllinoisCarson Beck, MiamiJalon Daniels, KansasJoe Fagnano, UConnTaylen Green, ArkansasHaynes King, Georgia TechCade Klubnik, ClemsonFernando Mendoza, IndianaBehren Morton, Texas TechGarrett Nussmeier, LSUDiego Pavia, VanderbiltCole Payton, North Dakota StateSawyer Robertson, BaylorTy Simpson, Alabama
**Notes:** Only two players at the position (Fernando Mendoza, Ty Simpson) are being projected as first-round picks, with the former being the top selection to the Raiders. I’d also keep tabs on the trio of Carson Beck, Garrett Nussmeier and Drew Allar, who will look to turn a solid combine into a move up draft boards in April.
Running backs (Feb. 28)
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Kaytron Allen, Penn StateMax Bredeson, MichiganDemond Claiborne, Wake ForestJonah Coleman, WashingtonCJ Donaldson, Ohio StateRahsul Faison, South CarolinaEli Heidenreich, NavyRoman Hemby, IndianaRobert Henry Jr., UTSAEmmett Johnson, NebraskaJeremiyah Love, Notre DameSeth McGowan, KentuckyJam Miller, AlabamaLe'Veon Moss, Texas A&MJadarian Price, Notre DameAdam Randall, ClemsonDesmond Reid, PittsburghNicholas Singleton, Penn StateJ'Mari Taylor, VirginiaMike Washington Jr., ArkansasNoah Whittington, Oregon
**Notes:** Running back fantasy value depends greatly on landing spots. Just ask anyone who thought TreVeyon Henderson was going to break out as a rookie. A number of the top running back prospects from a year ago ended up in committees or behind veterans and didn’t meet their statistical expectations.
However, a good performance at Lucas Oil Stadium could move a player up into a spot where he’d have a chance to make an immediate impact. So, any runner who “pops” at the combine should be at least noted.
Quinshon Judkins was a perfect example in 2025.
In terms of players to watch, Love is far and away the best running back prospect in the class. In fact, NFL.com draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah ranks Love second behind Mendoza in his most recent top 50 list. Who follows Love in terms of value could be helped or hindered, in part, by their combine performances.
The runners to monitor include another Notre Dame back, Jadarian Price, Jonah Coleman, Emmett Johnson, Nicholas Singleton, Mike Washington Jr. and Le’Veon Moss. But, as I have mentioned, the landing spot will determine fantasy value.
Wide receivers (Feb. 28)
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Aaron Anderson, LSUVinny Anthony II, WisconsinChris Bell, LouisvilleDillon Bell, GeorgiaSkyler Bell, UConnMalik Benson, OregonGermie Bernard, AlabamaDenzel Boston, WashingtonZachariah Branch, GeorgiaChris Brazzell II, TennesseeBarion Brown, LSUDeion Burks, OklahomaJeff Caldwell, CincinnatiJosh Cameron, BaylorKevin Coleman Jr., MissouriKC Concepcion, Texas A&MOmar Cooper Jr., IndianaCJ Daniels, MiamiCaleb Douglas, Texas TechMalachi Fields, Notre DameEmmanuel Henderson Jr., KansasChris Hilton Jr., LSUJordan Hudson, SMUTed Hurst, Georgia StateCaullin Lacy, LouisvilleBryce Lance, North Dakota StateJa'Kobi Lane, USCKendrick Law, KentuckyMakai Lemon, USCEric McAlister, TCUDonaven McCulley, MichiganEric Rivers, Georgia TechChase Roberts, BYUElijah Sarratt, IndianaDe'Zhaun Stribling, MississippiJ. Michael Sturdivant, FloridaCarnell Tate, Ohio StateZavion Thomas, LSUBrenen Thompson, Mississippi StateJordyn Tyson, Arizona StateReggie Virgil, Texas TechHarrison Wallace III, MississippiJalen Walthall, Incarnate WordKaden Wetjen, IowaAntonio Williams, ClemsonColbie Young, Georgia
**Notes:** This wide receiver group doesn’t have any can’t-miss prospects like Ja’Marr Chase or Justin Jefferson, but there is still plenty of talent. The top three players are almost universally ranked as Carnell Tate, Makai Lemon and Jordyn Tyson. The other top names include Denzel Boston, KC Concepcion, Omar Cooper Jr. and Malachi Fields.
Fantasy managers should also keep tabs on Zachariah Branch, Chris Brazzell II and Germie Bernard, all of whom will be looking to make a move at the position. I’d also keep tabs on the 40 times of the wideouts, as a speedy dash could make all the difference in a prospect’s value in the upcoming draft.
Remember how the stock of Matthew Golden, John Ross and Derius Heyward-Bey (among other wideouts) rose after impressive 40-yard dashes? Whether it’s right or wrong in terms of talent evaluation, speed is a major asset.
Tight ends (Feb. 27)
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Dallen Bentley, UtahNate Boerkircher, Texas A&MJosh Cuevas, AlabamaOscar Delp, GeorgiaKhalil Dinkins, Penn StateJack Endries, TexasJohn Michael Gyllenborg, WyomingMatthew Hibner, SMUJustin Joly, N.C. StateWill Kacmarek, Ohio StateJaren Kanak, OklahomaMiles Kitselman, TennesseeMax Klare, Ohio StateMarlin Klein, MichiganTanner Koziol, HoustonRJ Maryland, SMULake McRee, USCRiley Nowakowski, IndianaEli Raridon, Notre DameDJ Rogers, TCUSam Roush, StanfordJoe Royer, CincinnatiKenyon Sadiq, OregonBauer Sharp, LSUEli Stowers, VanderbiltMichael Trigg, BaylorDae'Quan Wright, Mississippi
**Notes:** Similar to the running back position with Love, there is one prospect that stands alone as the best at tight end: Kenyon Sadiq. He has a chance to be this year’s Sam LaPorta, Brock Bowers or Tyler Warren. He’s also the lone tight end projected to be a first-round pick in most 2026 mock drafts.
The other tight ends to watch at the combine include guys such as Michael Trigg, Max Klare, Eli Stowers, Joe Royer, Jack Endries and Justin Joly. One of those players could turn into the 2026 version of Harold Fannin Jr. in fantasy leagues.
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