With Week 8 officially in the books, we've reached the approximate halfway point of the 2026 NFL season. The weekly action has provided us with sample sizes to assess the 2026 NFL Draft class. Several rookies aren't meeting expectations thus far.
First-round picks are expected to immediately contribute . Having analyzed the top-32 selections weekly while tracking progress, many are struggling for different reasons. From injuries to questionable scheme fits and underperformers, not everything is going according to plan.
We've identified five first-round picks who have especially disappointed to date .
Jeremiyah Love's rookie season has been derailed by recurring ankle injuries that have caused him to miss multiple games. He was recently placed on IR, meaning more absences are coming. When Love was on the field though, he was totally outproduced by veteran Arizona Cardinals back Tyler Allgeier.
Allgeier is averaging an entire yard per carry (4.5) more than Love has (3.5). We assumed being a dual-threat pass catcher would play a role in Love's production, but he's generated just 36 receiving yards. It's been a forgettable rookie campaign.
There were predraft debates over Rueben Bain Jr.'s historically-short arms and how that'd impact his pro capabilities. An injury has also played a role, but so far, his production has been pretty muted for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Bain's tape has been inconsistent, and at times, downright ineffective.
Bain has recorded one sack and nine pressures in six appearances. Among nine rookie EDGEs with 100+ pass-rushing snaps, he ranks second-last in pass-rush WIN% (9.2), per Pro Football Focus. Bain hasn't looked comfortable with his role in Todd Bowles' defense yet.
New York Jets rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq appeared to have his breakout game in Week 3 . He registered seven receptions for 105 yards and a touchdown against the Detroit Lions. In five games since, Sadiq has totaled five receptions for 43 yards, including three outings with six-or-fewer yards.
Jets sophomore tight end Mason Taylor has surpassed Sadiq on the depth chart. Omar Cooper Jr. and Adonai Mitchell have become bigger weapons in the passing game. Sadiq just isn't producing consistent results.
The Houston Texans believed they'd field an offense that can rely on an improved offensive line. That necessarily hasn't been the case. And trading up for guard Keylan Rutledge at 26th overall hasn't moved the needle forward whatsoever.
There are 18 rookie lineman playing enough snaps to appropriately judge. Rutledge ranks dead-last in PFF's pass-blocking grade among them (34.1). He's allowed the second-most pressures (21) among them. He's also bottom-6 in run-blocking grade (51.5). Rutledge's rookie season has been a serious struggle.
Running backs are devalued assets , so the Seattle Seahawks let Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker walk in free agency. They drafted his replacement Jadarian Price at 32th overall. Easy, right? Wrong. So wrong.
Walker ranks third in rushing, and he's within 10 yards of being the league-leader again. Price endured a stint on IR, so the sample size isn't large enough to pass complete judgment, but the initial results have been very unimpressive. Price is averaging under 4.0 yards per attempt, and has lost two fumbles in four appearances. The Seahawks have been mentioned in the Jonathan Taylor sweepstakes.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/draft/onsi as 5 NFL Rookies Already Falling Short of Midseason Expectations .
