With Topps Chrome 2026 close at hand, the rookie market is starting to settle in, and the NFL’s first-year class is giving collectors a clearer picture by the week. The top 10 still looks stable, but the names just below that line are shifting fast, especially as several teams keep uncovering value from multiple rookies at once.
Carnell Tate is one of the biggest movers. Tennessee’s offense has been rough in almost every way, but the Ohio State rookie keeps carving out a bigger role anyway.
After a naturally difficult matchup with the Texans in Week 5, he now has 21 catches for 273 yards and a touchdown over his last four games. That production has pushed his value higher, and it’s fair to say he’s starting to look like an alpha WR even in a bad offensive environment.
Jordyn Tyson’s absence is part of that story too. The top-10 pick still has not made his regular-season debut, and he is not expected back until Week 9 after a hamstring injury suffered in the preseason. That raises real concerns, especially since the Arizona State product also missed multiple college games last year with a similar injury.
The top tier remains unchanged for a second straight week, and there wasn’t a new addition to break into it. That could still change if the last first-round receiver keeps climbing, but for now the order feels set.
Arizona’s upset win over the Rams also seems to make a Carson Beck move less likely in the immediate moment, though the expectation remains that the former Georgia quarterback will eventually become the second rookie signal caller to start in the 2026 campaign.
The biggest movement came from the receiver group, which should not be a surprise. Outside of the two Notre Dame first-round running backs, pass catchers were always going to drive a lot of the collecting conversation. And now both Germie Bernard and Omar Cooper have established themselves in mid-October.
Cooper’s rise stands out in particular. After missing four games with an ankle sprain, the first-round wideout came back and posted a 6-103-1 line.
That kind of return matters, especially for the Jets, who are still looking for someone to line up opposite Garrett Wilson. Kenyon Sadiq flashed earlier in the year, but those moments haven’t lasted, and the appeal of New York’s huge stash of first-round picks in 2027 only adds fuel to the speculative buzz in what should be a QB-heavy draft class.
Bernard’s case is tied to opportunity as well. With Michael Pittman sidelined by a foot injury and Roman Wilson out with a finger issue, he has been forced into a larger role, and neither is expected back before mid-November. Aaron Rodgers has not exactly been eager to lean on rookie wideouts over the years, but Bernard’s 17 catches for 167 yards and a touchdown over the last two weeks should at least force some trust by default.
- WR Germie Bernard - Steelers (last week unranked)
On the defensive side, David Bailey has made a move of his own. His rise in Defensive Rookie of the Year odds has become impossible to ignore, even if this rookie class is not especially strong overall.
The New York connection matters too, with the team’s three first-round picks this year and three more projected next year likely to drive plenty of future conversation. In a hobby where conversation can turn into hype quickly, Bailey fits the kind of profile collectors will keep circling.
As for market value, this year’s class may not match the usual level for a Defensive Rookie of the Year winner, but Bailey still belongs on this list as one of the most valuable rookies to collect.
- WR De'Zhaun Stribling - 49ers (last week No. 15)
- QB Jalon Daniels - Buccaneers (last week No. 13)
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Steelers Escaped Tampa But One Late Decision Will Be Debated
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The defense delivered enough high-leverage moments to keep Pittsburgh alive, with interceptions from Jamel Dean and Daylen Everette and sacks from Jaylen Ramsey and Nick Herbig helping shape a tense finish. Still, the late-game management will linger as a talking point, especially after the Steelers had a chance to close it out in regulation and instead left the outcome hanging until overtime. [Read more 🡒]