The Tennessee Titans’ plans were likely shifted when the Arizona Cardinals took Jeremiyah Love at No. 3 overall. They stuck with the offensive side of the ball, though, and secured a need by selecting WR Carnell Tate from Ohio State. Let’s examine how Tate fits with the Cardinals from a fantasy football perspective.
What to Expect from Carnell Tate in Fantasy Football
Tate is widely considered one of the best wideouts in the 2026 class, and a strong argument could be made that he was the third-best offensive player in this class behind Fernando Mendoza (Raiders) and Jeremiyah Love (Cardinals), who went first and third overall, respectively. Tate brings elite pass-catching ability to an anemic Titans offense that ranked among the worst offenses in football in most metrics in the 2025 season (30th in our Offensive Impact metric, ahead of only the Raiders and Browns).
Tate should be the Titans’ No. 1 wideout right away. He should be a top target option for QB Cam Ward, who desperately needs a reliable target in the passing game. Tate had 51 receptions for 875 yards and 9 touchdowns on just 65 targets during the 2025 college season, and he should earn consistent playing time on offense. An aging and declining Calvin Ridley is not a threat. Neither is the more gadgety Wan’Dale Robinson.
The domino effect of Jeremiyah Love to the Cardinals has the Titans drafting Carnell Tate. He’s a safe, high floor player. Very unlikely to bust. This is a sneaky good spot for fantasy, as he becomes the immediate favorite to lead the team in targets. pic.twitter.com/aJEdp7XJ3O
— Fantasy Sports HQ (@FSHQ365) April 24, 2026
It’s hard to trust Tate in standard drafts, but as a rookie with elite potential, he could be a popular mid-to-late-round pick. Tate should have a ton of upside in dynasty formats, as he is an early declare and won’t turn 22 until January.
Tate continues the tradition of Ohio State wideouts being selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. Since 2022, Tate is the sixth Ohio State wideout selected in the first round. The others were Emeka Egbuka, Marvin Harrison Jr., Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Garrett Wilson, and Chris Olave.
How Carnell Tate Fits into the Tennessee Titans’ Offense
Tate might not be the fastest wideout in this class, but he’s a dependable target who can get the job done in a variety of plays and routes. He had five touchdowns on throws of at least 40 yards in 2025, leading the FBS in that category.
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Tate also had six touchdowns on contested targets in 2025, leading all Big Ten wideouts in that regard. He brings a true WR1 presence to the Titans, something they haven’t really had since A.J. Brown was traded. He’ll look to build rapport with Ward right away.
Tate and Robinson are likely locked in as the target leaders for the Titans. Ridley should be a functional WR3, although it wouldn’t be surprising if he’s traded between now and the start of the season. Other wideouts, such as Chimere Dike and Elic Ayomanor, are bound for lesser roles that won’t have any impact in fantasy.
