Week 8 ended up being the most impactful to this weekly series since we started in earnest back in September, as multiple players made their debuts, including a top-10 landing spot for a certain rookie running back.
While none of the new additions should have you racing to take advantage of the new PSA grading options , a number of rising players could add value to an expansive list of upcoming Topps NFL products. Let's dive into the changes.
Aug 08, 2026; Metairie, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Jordyn Tyson (0) catches a pass against linebacker Kaden Elliss (55) during training camp | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Nothing in this section has changed, but we may see some movement in the near future. While a potential first start for Fernando Mendoza took a hit with the Raiders' come-from-behind win over the Jets this week, Jordyn Tyson is expected to make his season debut after missing the majority of the year with a hamstring injury.
That's notable because injuries to Jeremiyah Love and Carnell Tate have hampered each player's chance to cement their status as the clear No. 2 of the 2026 class behind Mendoza.
1. QB Fernando Mendoza - Raiders (last week No. 1)
2. RB Jeremiyah Love - Cardinals (last week No. 2)
3. WR Carnell Tate - Titans (last week No. 4)
4. WR Jordyn Tyson - Saints (last week No. 3)
Nov 1, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos running back Jonah Coleman (20) leaves the field after defeating the Kansas City Chiefs at Empower Field at Mile High. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Perhaps it's rash to include Jonah Coleman in the top 10, who only had 127 total yards in the six subsequent weeks, after previously leaving the rookie Washington product unranked. It's also easy to argue that I was being unfairly critical of the Broncos RB, given that a high-ankle sprain cost him four games to begin the season and Denver has been desperate for any sort of explosiveness in an offense that has disappointed mightily this season .
After watching Sunday's win over the Chiefs, I'd be surprised if Coleman doesn't climb further in the rankings in subsequent weeks. With complementary RB RJ Harvey (knee) on injured reserve for the next four weeks and J.K. Dobbins, a perpetual liability who misses time due to injury, Denver has effectively no choice but to make Coleman a featured part of its offense.
The other notable player in this list is Carson Beck, who had an opportunity to play meaningful snaps Sunday against the Cowboys, but the franchise opted to replace embattled veteran Jacoby Brissett with journeyman Gardner Minshew, who improbably led the team to a victory. I still contend Beck will need to see the field at some point if the Cardinals have any hope of realizing value on their third-round selection, but perhaps we learned all we need to because Arizona opted not to play the rookie. His value could absolutely oscillate more in the coming weeks, but this might be the perfect time to buy low on Beck, who might have a moment or two for the 3-5 Cardinals come December.
5. WR Denzel Boston - Browns (last week No. 5)
6. QB Ty Simpson - Rams (last week No. 6)
7. RB Jonah Coleman - Broncos (last week unranked)
8. RB Jadarian Price - Seahawks (last week No. 8)
9. QB Carson Beck - Cardinals (last week No. 7)
10. WR KC Concepcion - Browns (last week No. 9)
Nov 1, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Las Vegas Raiders running back Mike Washington Jr. (4) rushes the ball against the New York Jets in the first half | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Mike Washington joined the list for the first time this season after tallying a whopping 25 carries in the win over the Jets on Sunday. The 2026 fourth-round pick notably saw a substantial workload bump over 2025 top-10 selection Ashton Jeanty, who merely operated as the team's pass-catching option out of the backfield.
Washington had moments as an explosive runner throughout the preseason, and he's had multiple carries of 20-plus yards to begin his career, but the knock on him was the lack of playing time behind Jeanty. If this is the expected playing time split moving forward, Washington will almost by default rise up this list higher.
That's in part due to the lackluster week-to-week performance of some of the other players in this range. Two straight weeks of superb play by Omar Cooper evidently led to a game in which he saw zero targets despite the teams combining to score 71 points. Makai Lemon has a first-round pedigree and has been getting more work with DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks injured, but the Eagles lost their sixth straight game and could be trading off a number of their pieces. Germie Bernard has turned into a useful pass catcher for the Steelers, but he's likely not going to have "wow" weeks just by virtue of the offense he's in. This tier will likely shuffle constantly, but that's not a good thing at this point.
11. WR Omar Cooper - Jets (last week No. 10)
12. WR Makai Lemon - Eagles (last week No. 12)
13. WR Germie Bernard - Steelers (last week No. 13)
14. TE Kenyon Sadiq - Jets (last week No. 11)
15. RB Mike Washington - Raiders (last week unranked)
Nov 1, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Emmett Johnson (10) scores a touchdown during the second quarter against the Denver Broncos | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Out go the defensive players. In go the backup running backs and injury-plagued receivers. Emmett Johnson was arguably more spectacular than Jonah Coleman in the aforementioned AFC West battle, but Kenneth Walker looms as a large presence, blocking a significant workload bump for the fifth-round rookie. Ja'Kobi Lane remains one of my favorite under-the-radar rookie wide receivers, but Lamar Jackson's potentially season-ending injury completely wipes out any Baltimore optimism I have.
Antonio Williams might be a player to watch here moving forward. With Pro Bowl WR Terry McLaurin (knee) done for the season, Washington will need to rely on Williams a bit more to extend drives. The rookie third-round pick now has 11 targets over the past two weeks coinciding with McLaurin's injury.
16. RB Kaelon Black - 49ers (last week No. 15)
17. RB Emmett Johnson - Chiefs (last week unranked)
18. WR De'Zhaun Stribling - 49ers (last week No. 17)
19. WR Ja'Kobi Lane - Ravens (last week No. 14)
20. WR Antonio Williams - Commanders (last week unranked)
This article was originally published on www.si.com/collectibles as NFL Rookie Report Week 8: Top 20 Players to Collect .
