Why Saints’ WR Jordyn Tyson is a long-shot for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The New Orleans Saints used their first-pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to select Jordyn Tyson, the Arizona State wide receiver at No. 8 overall.
With a need for WR help, this pick made a ton of sense. He should be an instant help for Tyler Shough in the offense in 2026.
However, ESPN’s Ben Solak believes Tyson is a long shot for the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award and not one of the top contenders. He revealed why, and it’s a reasonable argument.
Why Jordyn Tyson is a long shot for OROY in 2026
“WR2s don’t typically win the award, and Tyson is surely the WR2 behind Chris Olave,” Solak writes. “The Saints were the fastest-paced NFL offense by a serious margin last season, so Tyson should see more opportunities for compiling stats. I’m intrigued but not ready to commit.”
New Orleans was a fun breakout offense last year, and should see some progress made in 2026 with Shough entering year-two.
Tyson could put together a solid season thanks to a decent amount of targets even as the No. 2 WR. But, Solak isn’t ready to put Tyson in the OROY race as Olave is still the top target in this offseason.
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It’s clear that if Tyson were the WR1 in New Orleans for an extended period of time, then his odds to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award would jump up a bit.
Fernando Mendoza, Jeremiyah Love, and Carnell Tate will be some tough competition for Tyson this year. But if Shough is truly a good QB, and Tyson can be the WR1 for a few weeks this season and put up strong numbers all year, he has a chance.
Tyson is a “long-shot” for this award, but he is Solak’s fifth-ranked candidate for the award at season’s end. It’s not likely, but it’s also not out of the realm of possibility either.