Episode Summary: 2026 NFL Draft QB & TE Tier List w/ Mike Renner (April 13, 2026)
Mike Renner of CBS Sports joined us for the final installment of our draft tier series to break down every notable QB and TE in the 2026 class. One S-tier quarterback, a deep tight end group with no consensus after TE1, and a few names who could seriously outperform their draft slot in fantasy.
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Key Topics
- Renner’s full QB tier list: Fernando Mendoza (S), Ty Simpson (A), Cole Payton and Garrett Nussmeier (C), Drew Allar and Carson Beck (D)
- Renner’s full TE tier list: Kenyon Sadiq (A), Max Klare (B), Eli Stowers, Nate Boerkircher, and Sam Roush (C), Oscar Delp, Michael Trigg, and Eli Raridon (D)
Takeaway #1 (0:55): Mendoza is the best QB under pressure since Joe Burrow, and he lands in the perfect spot
- Mike Renner: Mendoza is an S-tier prospect. Would have been QB3 in the 2024 class behind Caleb Williams and Drake Maye, ahead of Bo Nix and Jayden Daniels. Prefers him to Cam Ward from last year. The best quarterback passing under pressure since Joe Burrow, and he’s got two years of it now between Cal and Indiana.
- Adam Levitan: Mendoza going to Las Vegas at No. 1 overall with Klint Kubiak and Brock Bowers is the dream setup for immediate fantasy production. Don’t expect much rushing. He’s a heavy-footed pocket passer, not a runner.
- Mike Renner: At 6-foot-5, 236 pounds, he sees all levels of the field. Not special tools, but cerebral. Tom Brady is probably in love with that. Think early-career accuracy of a guy who just processes fast and gets the ball out on time.
Takeaway #2 (19:13): Cole Payton is the fantasy sleeper of the QB class
- Mike Renner: Payton is QB3 on his board, C tier. 6-foot-3, 232 pounds, 40-inch vertical, 10-foot-10 broad jump. Almost 900 rushing yards at NDSU last year. Best thrower on the move in this class. 35 of his 161 completions went 20+ yards downfield. That’s a wild ratio.
- Evan Silva: Could Cole Payton be a surprise top-50 pick? The tools don’t come around often. 10-foot-10 broad jump on a 6-foot-3, 232-pound guy with a 40-inch vertical who’s completing downfield passes. Todd McShay has him in the 60s on his board.
- Adam Levitan: Already thinking about Payton for preseason DFS. Give him three quarters and let’s see if he can run for 100. The rushing upside makes him a fantasy darling even if he’s a developmental QB in Year 1.
Takeaway #3 (24:26): Kenyon Sadiq is the Vernon Davis comp, but the ball skills are the red flag
- Mike Renner: Sadiq is an A-tier TE. 4.39, 43.5-inch vertical, 11-foot-1 broad jump. The best testing we’ve seen at TE since Vernon Davis. More fluid athlete than even Davis. But he’s 6-foot-3, 240 pounds, can’t match power in line, and the ball skills worry him. Drops in contested situations, limited catch radius. Usage will be more Harold Fannin Jr./slot hybrid than traditional TE.
- Evan Silva: Sadiq just turned 21. These tight ends take years to break out. Vernon Davis didn’t until Year 4, Dallas Goedert and David Njoku took time. Short arms, all the drops. Boom-or-bust profile. One popular mock destination is the Rams at 13, but they just drafted Terrance Ferguson.
- Adam Levitan: The Harold Fannin Jr. comp is the one that matters for fantasy. Fannin’s usage was unique as a rookie. Detached, moved around, caught a ton of passes. That’s Sadiq’s ceiling. But we’ve been burned on these combine freaks before. Evan Engram, Noah Fant. Super interesting profile, outcome is all over the map.
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About Establish The Run
Establish The Run was founded by Adam Levitan and Evan Silva, two of the most respected analysts in fantasy football and sports betting. ETR delivers high-quality, actionable analysis across season-long, best ball, DFS, and props.
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