Heading into the 2026 offseason, the New Orleans Saints clearly wanted to support second-year quarterback Tyler Shough. In an attempt to add a weapon to their offense, they selected former Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson with the eighth pick in the NFL Draft.
Tyson is set to step in as the team's second receiver opposite Chris Olave. Fans hope to see the duo quickly become one of the best in the NFL. If he can stay healthy, expectations are sky-high for the rookie wideout.
ESPN's Mike Clay has no intention of tempering those expectations. In his stat projections for the league's top rookies, he had Tyson reaching 917 receiving yards and five touchdowns in 2026. If he can hit those numbers, his rookie season will be a resounding success.
Saints' Jordyn Tyson projected to put up big numbers in 2026
While historical data is shaky for rookie receivers selected late in the first round, it paints a positive picture for those picked in the top ten. Clay lays it out perfectly, saying, "It's a small sample, but 12 of the 16 wideouts produced at least 865 yards. The 13 receivers on the list who appeared in at least 14 games averaged a hefty 25% target share (Rome Odunze's 19% was the lowest). History tells us [Carnell] Tate and Tyson will be very busy and productive as rookies."
The average target share of 25% is likely higher than Tyson should expect. Olave will still be the top receiver for the Saints, especially after a career year in 2025. But the rookie should be able to earn a significant amount of work early in the season. New Orleans doesn't have many options outside of its top two receivers, so the targets could be heavily concentrated between them.
Of course, one of the main obstacles keeping Tyson from reaching his rookie projections is health. He has dealt with various injuries throughout his collegiate career, including a hamstring issue that hindered him throughout the draft cycle. If he can stay on the field for all 17 regular-season games, he could challenge Tate for the top spot among rookie pass catchers.
Sure, it would be great to see the rookie hit the 1,000-yard mark in 2026. But fans would be thrilled to see him meet Clay's projections. At the expected rate, Tyson would help form one of the most dangerous wide receiver duos in the sport.
Add us as a preferred source on Google