Fantasy Football Updated Rookie Report: Fernando Mendoza gets his shot

Nine weeks into the NFL season, we've seen enough from this rookie class to know who's for real, who's still finding their footing and who could make some noise down the stretch. From Carnell Tate's impressive start in Tennessee to Fernando Mendoza getting his opportunity in Las Vegas, here's my midseason check-in on 15 rookies, and what I'm expecting for the rest of the season.Most Valuable Rookies Rest of SeasonCarnell Tate, WR, Tennessee TitansCarnell Tate has been everything we hoped he would be — and then some. Through seven games, he's hauled in 34 receptions for 413 yards and a touchdown despite playing in one of the more inconsistent passing offenses in football. Cam Ward and the Tennessee Titans haven't exactly made life easy for their rookie receiver, but Tate continues to produce.The talent is undeniable, the opportunity is there and the chemistry with Ward continues to develop. I expect Tate to build on what's already been a successful rookie campaign. He's a weekly fantasy starter with plenty of room to grow.Jonah Coleman, RB, Denver BroncosJonah Coleman might be the rookie running back I'm most excited about for the second half of the season. He's rushed for 191 yards and three touchdowns while adding 13 receptions for another 128 yards. More importantly, look at how Denver is using him. He handled 21 touches in Week 9, and the coaching staff clearly trusts him.With R.J. Harvey on injured reserve and J.K. Dobbins getting older, the opportunity is sitting right in front of Coleman. He's already shown he can contribute in the passing game and handle meaningful carries. I wouldn't be surprised if Coleman finishes as one of the most valuable rookie running backs in fantasy.Omar Cooper Jr., WR, New York JetsOmar Cooper Jr. missed time early in the season, but the moment he got healthy, he made his presence felt. Through four games, Cooper has 20 receptions for 306 yards and two touchdowns, including back-to-back 100-yard performances. In Week 9, he followed those outings with eight receptions for 58 yards while Garrett Wilson was sidelined.What I've really liked is the rapport he's developing with Geno Smith. Cooper looks comfortable; he's earning opportunities and he's showing he can win in different areas of the field. Wilson's return could impact his volume, but I'm buying what we've seen. Cooper has legitimate weekly flex appeal moving forward.KC Concepcion Jr. / Denzel Boston, WRs, Cleveland BrownsKC Concepcion Jr. has quietly been one of the most impressive rookie wide receivers in football. He's sitting at 37 receptions for 437 yards and a touchdown, including 251 receiving yards over his last three games. What jumps off the screen is his ability to create after the catch. Get this young man the football in space and let him work.The Browns haven't exactly provided consistent quarterback play, but Concepcion continues to find ways to produce. He's dynamic, explosive and already showing flashes of a player who could eventually become a Pro Bowl-caliber receiver. For fantasy purposes, he's worked his way into weekly flex consideration.And how about Denzel Boston? The rookie has 507 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 32 receptions. Boston gives me some young Mike Evans vibes with his size, downfield ability and willingness to go make contested catches. He's already producing explosive plays despite the limitations of this Browns offense.What's encouraging is that both Boston and Concepcion are earning significant opportunities without cannibalizing each other's production. Boston has legitimate big-play upside every single week and continues to look like one of the steals of the rookie class. I love what we've seen and expect a strong finish.Germie Bernard, WR, Pittsburgh SteelersGermie Bernard's rookie season has been a little up and down, but I've seen enough to remain encouraged. He's caught 32 passes for 284 yards and a touchdown, highlighted by a phenomenal 11-reception performance in Week 6. The following two games weren't nearly as productive, but I wouldn't let that discourage you.Bernard has established himself as a trusted option for Aaron Rodgers in a Pittsburgh offense that's been better than advertised. His role makes sense. Get him the football quickly, let him operate in space and allow his natural ability to take over. Bernard feels like a buy-low candidate with a solid second-half outlook.Fernando Mendoza, QB, Las Vegas RaidersI can't believe I'm putting Fernando Mendoza on this list, but here we are. The No. 1 overall pick is taking over as the Raiders' starting quarterback after Kirk Cousins was traded to Minnesota. Mendoza has attempted just eight regular-season passes, completing six for 48 yards, so we have almost nothing to evaluate.But here's what we do know: Cousins threw 20 touchdowns in nine games and Mendoza gets to operate in that same Klint Kubiak offense featuring Brock Bowers. Listen, any quarterback throwing to Brock Bowers gets a touchdown bonus in my book. Add Ashton Jeanty, Trey Tucker and a potentially more favorable schedule down the stretch, and there's legitimate streaming appeal here. I'm not expecting Mendoza to be a league winner, but don't be surprised if he becomes fantasy relevant sooner than people think.Still Need More InformationJadarian Price, RB, Seattle SeahawksJadarian Price is one of those players where the box score doesn't tell the entire story. He's rushed for 172 yards and added 83 receiving yards on 10 catches without scoring a touchdown. The production hasn't been there consistently, but every time he touches the football, you see the explosiveness. Unfortunately, injuries and ball-security issues have limited his opportunities.With Zach Charbonnet still working his way back from a knee injury, there's a path for Price to earn a larger role. Seattle's offensive line should also improve as it gets healthier. I'm cautiously optimistic, but I need to see him string together consistent performances before trusting him in fantasy lineups.Makai Lemon, WR, Philadelphia EaglesMakai Lemon has been better than his rookie numbers might suggest. Through nine games, he's caught 37 passes for 312 yards and one touchdown, including 19 receptions for 185 yards over his last three games. The Eagles offense has been difficult to watch at times, and Lemon has dealt with inconsistent quarterback play while occasionally being asked to operate as the team's top receiver with DeVonta Smith unavailable.What I've loved is his ability to separate, particularly against zone coverage. He's consistently finding openings and earning targets. The big fantasy performances haven't arrived yet, but the underlying usage is encouraging. There's more here than the box score suggests.Jordyn Tyson, WR, New Orleans SaintsWe finally got our first look at Jordyn Tyson, and while it wasn't perfect, there were encouraging signs. In his NFL debut, Tyson caught four passes for 30 yards but also lost a fumble on his first reception. I'm not worried about that. What matters is that New Orleans immediately looked to get him involved.This Saints offense ranks among the league leaders in neutral-situation pass rate, meaning the opportunity should continue to be there. Getting Calvin Banks back should help Tyler Shough operate more comfortably behind that offensive line. The biggest question remains Tyson's health. If that hamstring holds up, I'm expecting his role to expand significantly.Mike Washington Jr., RB, Las Vegas RaidersMike Washington Jr. gave us one of the more surprising rookie performances of the season when he handled 25 carries for 83 yards. Then he turned around the following week and rushed six times for -3 yards. That's been the problem. Washington has 275 rushing yards and a touchdown this season, but his role remains difficult to project.Neither Washington nor Ashton Jeanty has consistently found success running behind this Raiders offensive line. Washington clearly has some ability, but can this coaching staff establish a defined role for him? Until that happens, he's difficult to trust. He's an interesting stash with upside if Jeanty misses time.Biggest DisappointmentJeremiyah Love, RB, Arizona CardinalsThere's no bigger fantasy disappointment from this rookie class than Jeremiyah Love. And before anybody gets upset, I'm not putting all of that on the player. Love has rushed for 268 yards, added just 36 receiving yards and scored two total touchdowns in six games. We've seen flashes of the talent that made him such a highly regarded prospect, but the situation in Arizona has been a disaster.The offense has struggled, the quarterback situation has deteriorated and now Love is sitting on injured reserve. If you invested a second-, third- or fourth-round fantasy pick in him, there's no way around it — it's been disappointing. The talent hasn't disappeared, but the fantasy return simply hasn't been there.Could Matter More Down the StretchAntonio Williams, WR, Washington CommandersAntonio Williams is one of those rookies who could become much more relevant over the second half of the season. He's caught 26 passes for 284 yards and a touchdown, including eight receptions for 79 yards over his last two games. The problem hasn't necessarily been Williams. It's been the Commanders’ offense.Jayden Daniels continues to deal with a significant elbow injury and Washington hasn't been particularly creative offensively. We've also seen Williams have some unfortunate plays wiped away. With Terry McLaurin out, there should be additional opportunities available. He's not a weekly fantasy starter yet, but there's a path for Williams to become a useful flex option.Emmett Johnson, RB, Kansas City ChiefsEmmett Johnson has quietly put together 348 yards from scrimmage and two total touchdowns, including that ridiculous 128-yard receiving performance against Denver in Week 8. We saw a 73-yard touchdown reception and a player who can absolutely make things happen with the football in his hands.The problem? Kenneth Walker III has been phenomenal since arriving in Kansas City.Johnson isn't taking that starting job anytime soon. But what if the Chiefs can turn him into a Jerick McKinnon-type receiving weapon? There's potential for standalone fantasy value in that role. And if Walker were to miss time, Johnson immediately becomes one of the most valuable backups in football.Kaelon Black, RB, San Francisco 49ersKaelon Black has 303 rushing yards and a touchdown this season, and I don't think enough people are paying attention to what he's doing. That's more rushing production than Jeremiyah Love, Mike Washington Jr. and Jadarian Price. The biggest obstacle is obvious: Christian McCaffrey.But we've seen San Francisco utilize multiple backs at times, and keeping McCaffrey fresh has to remain a priority. Black has demonstrated that he can be an effective runner when given opportunities. The receiving game hasn't been a major part of his role, so there are limitations to his standalone fantasy value. Still, this is a player I want rostered heading into the second half of the season.