With a very shallow quarterback class in 2026, the race for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year this upcoming season is going to be a fascinating one.
Not only was it a thin class at the quarterback position, but it was also a rather thin class at running back. Still, there is plenty of future star power on the offensive side of the ball coming to the league this season, and we could be in line for back-to-back years of a receiver winning the award.
After ranking the top 5 Offensive Rookie of the Year candidates in the NFC, our newest NFL Power Rankings are going to dissect the top candidates in the AFC this season. We're going to be watching this race all throughout the preseason to find out if there could be any surprise contenders, but these five players are the top candidates making noise during training camps around the league.
Top 5 Offensive Rookie of the Year candidates from AFC teams in 2026, ranked
5. Omar Cooper Jr., WR, New York Jets
With Garrett Wilson, AD Mitchell, and the young tight end duo of Mason Taylor and Kenyon Sadiq (not to mention RB Breece Hall), the Jets suddenly have a lot of mouths to feed on the offensive depth chart.
But you can't forget about 1st-round pick Omar Cooper Jr., one of Fernando Mendoza's favorite targets this past season at Indiana and one of the top Offensive Rookie of the Year candidates in the AFC.
Cooper's ability to win in a variety of ways from the slot will give him a legitimate chance of winning this award over the course of the season, even with so many other players needing to get fed in that Jets offense. He can create yardage after the catch, he has outstanding ability to make contested catches, and he finds ways to show his hands late and make adjustments on downfield throws.
His stock has been on the rise since the start of Jets training camp.
4. Ja'Kobi Lane, WR, Baltimore Ravens
According to ESPN Ravens reporter Jamison Hensley, Ja'Kobi Lane has been one of the early "stars" of training camp.
We did a little bit more talking this offseason about his draft mate Elijah Sarratt out of Indiana, but Lane has wasted no time in training camp stealing the spotlight.
OMG @cantGuardJak1 😮💨😮💨😮💨 pic.twitter.com/X2nkgB7bxd
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) August 4, 2026
Ravens offensive coordinator Declan Doyle recently said that Lane's hands remind him of former New Orleans Saints star receiver Mike Thomas, some high praise for a young player who was a 3rd-round pick in this year's draft.
He's already catching touchdown passes from Lamar Jackson over Marlon Humphrey during practices. His confidence is growing by the day, and with Zay Flowers getting his big-money contract, perhaps Lane is going to find a way to emerge as the WR2 for the Ravens in short order. If he can claim that role during camp, or at any point this season, he might get enough volume to be a Rookie of the Year candidate.
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