Carnell Tate Fantasy Overview

College Career Was A Slow Burn

Buried Behind Elite Talent Early

Tate arrived at Ohio State as a four-star recruit but struggled to find playing time in a stacked WR room.

The Buckeyes returned Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, and Julian Fleming in 2023, leaving Tate in a rotational role. He finished with 18 catches, 264 yards, and 1 TD as a freshman.

Stuck Behind Another Future Star

Harrison departed in 2024, but Ohio State added another superstar.

Freshman Jeremiah Smith exploded onto the scene, joining Egbuka as the focal points of the passing game. Tate still carved out a significant role, catching 52 passes for 733 yards and 4 TDs despite operating in a run-leaning offense that averaged just 28.4 pass attempts per game.

His raw production lagged behind Smith and Egbuka, but context matters. Smith looks destined for Top 5 NFL Draft capital in 2027, while Egbuka became a first-round pick in 2025.

Tate remained efficient, hauling in 77.6% of his targets and averaging 14.1 yards per catch. He closed the season with one of his best performances, leading Ohio State with 7 catches and 87 yards in the national semifinal against Texas.

Breakout Finally Arrives

With Egbuka off to the NFL, Tate entered 2025 poised for a featured role and delivered immediately.

Through the first eight games, he totaled 39 catches, 711 yards, and 7 TDs. He just barely trailed Smith in yards (725) and TDs (9) over that span.

A calf injury cost Tate the next three games, but he returned to finish his junior season with 875 yards and 9 TDs in just 11 games.

Among 270 FBS WRs with 50+ targets last year, Tate ranked:

• first in yards per target
• 10th in yards per route
• fourth in Pro Football Focus receiving grade

Tate emerged as one of college football's premier downfield weapons, scoring 5 TDs of 40+ yards. He paired that vertical ability with impressive ball skills, catching 85.7% of his contested targets and recording zero drops.

Perhaps most impressive, Tate maintained a 77.3% catch rate even as his average target depth jumped from 11.3 yards in 2024 to 14.6 in 2025.

In fantasy terms, Tate has the production and big-play juice to beat the usual rookie learning curve.

What The Film Says

Advanced Route Running Creates Separation

Tate consistently wins with technique rather than pure athleticism. He can defeat press coverage and flashes efficient footwork in his routes.

He understands leverage, creates separation at every level of the field, and has the ball skills to capitalize when the throw isn't perfect.

Vertical Threat Despite Average Speed

Tate's 4.53 speed doesn’t overwhelm defenders. But he routinely generated explosive plays on vertical routes by manipulating defenders with pacing, body language, and subtle route adjustments.

He won't win many footraces, but Tate has a knack for creating separation deep, allowing him to play faster than his timed speed suggests.

Trusted Target Along The Sideline

Ohio State frequently relied on Tate outside the numbers. He consistently works back to the football, extends to widen his catch radius, and maintains body control to stay inbounds.

Those traits should help Tate earn snaps early in the NFL, particularly in possession and intermediate-route situations.

More YAC Ability Than Expected

Tate isn't an elite open-field athlete, but he runs with vision, balance, and surprising power for a receiver. He consistently squeezes extra yards out of plays and has enough versatility to contribute on shorter routes, not just vertical concepts.

That could become especially important in the NFL, where a more diverse route tree would create opportunities for additional targets and PPR production.

2026 Opportunity & Projection

Projected Role & Competition

The Titans drafted Tate fourth overall. He could immediately become the team’s top target.

Tate’s stiffest competition figures to come from WR Wan’Dale Robinson, who inked a four-year, $70 million deal with Tennessee in free agency.

Robinson has racked up 185 catches and 1,713 yards over the last two years and spent the past four years with Brian Daboll, now Tennessee’s OC after the Giants fired him as HC. But Robinson is 5’8, 185 pounds, has run 75% of his career routes from the slot, and averaged just 9.2 yards per catch. He doesn’t profile as a No. 1 WR.

WR Calvin Ridley returns, but he averaged just 43 yards across his seven games last year before suffering a season-ending broken fibula. Ridley will turn 32 in December and no longer projects as a lead receiver.

Supporting Cast

The Titans are hoping to get a better Year 2 from QB Cam Ward. He struggled as a rookie, ranking 36th or worse among 42 qualifying QBs in:

• Completion rate
• Adjusted completion rate
• Yards per attempt
• TD rate
• Pro Football Focus pass grade

Ward was in a tough spot last season and still boasts plenty of arm talent and athleticism. He’s capable of taking a big leap this year.

Coaching & Offensive Scheme

The Titans will be operating a new offense under Daboll. He flamed out as Giants HC but had a nice run as Bills OC from 2018-2021.

Daboll has been willing to adjust his play-calling based on his personnel. His later Bills teams leaned pass under QB Josh Allen, but the Giants shifted toward the run with much worse QB play. Expect this Titans offense to be balanced to run-leaning, depending on Ward’s development.

Daboll has consistently been heavy on 3-WR sets and has helped produce a handful of big fantasy seasons from the position.

Here’s where Daboll’s top WRs have finished in PPR points per game:

Paths to Ceiling

Draft capital and talent give Tate the potential to be the Titans’ clear-cut No. 1 WR out of the gate. If Ward takes a big Year 2 leap, Tate could score as a top-20 fantasy WR.

Risk Factors

Ward is the biggest question mark on Tate’s 2026 outlook. If he doesn’t improve significantly from an ugly rookie year, it’ll be tough for Tate to climb beyond WR3 status.

There’s also a chance Tate doesn’t control targets in Tennessee after never doing so in college.