It is still too early in the season to figure out who the front-runners are for Rookie of the Year, but if things keep trending the way they are, Tennessee Titans wide receiver Carnell Tate is going to be one of the favorites.
He can make a strong statement with a big game against the Cleveland Browns for a few reasons. First, he and Denzel Boston are going to be playing on the same field, and people who want to see a side-by-side comparison of the best offensive rookies will be watching this game.
How good are Tate and Boston? They are sitting at 345 and 344 yards, respectively, and the next closest rookie is Germie Bernard, who has only 227 yards.
The rookie receiver tiers are starting to become more clear. By yards:
— Will Lomas (@jlomas72) October 20, 2026
1. #Browns Denzel Boston: 345
2. #Titans Carnell Tate: 344
-Big gap-
3. #Steelers Germie Bernard: 227
4. #Commanders Antonio Williams: 205
-Gap-
No one else has more than 190 yards
Titans WR Carnell Tate is a legitimate Rookie of the Year contender
Getting a chance to show out against a fellow rookie isn't the only reason why Sunday is important. Looking at the rookie class, it is hard to make an argument for an offensive rookie who is having a better October than Tate.
Through three games, Tate already has 16 receptions for 221 yards and a TD. Look up that earlier social media post, and you will see that in his last three games, he has outproduced a season's worth of work for every rookie receiver over Boston, himself, and Germie Bernard. That is an incredible stat.
With one more solid game, he could run away with the Rookie of the Month award, and those monthly honors are important when Rookie of the Year conversations come up later in the calendar year.
Right now, Tate is doing everything he can to dominate in a passing game that isn't helping him out. It would be nice for Tate, the coaching staff, and the franchise if they could win an award like this to provide more proof that this team is moving in the right direction.
Things were bleak a week ago, and it was hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Now there are things that Titans fans can tangibly point to and say, "Look, we beat an AFC South rival for the first time in over a year," or "We beat an AFC South team on the road," or "We had the defensive Rookie of the Month in Anthony Hill Jr. last month.", etc.
Robert Saleh is preaching that good process will lead to good progress, and it would be great if the Titans beat the Browns this weekend. Just imagine how nice it would be if the Titans could help Tate secure his offensive Rookie of the Month honors along the way.
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