Makai Lemon's 4 Most Likely NFL Draft Destinations and Their Fantasy Football Impact
The NFL Draft is expected to feature a run of wide receivers in the first round on Thursday night. The top names include Carnell Tate, Jordyn Tyson, Makai Lemon, and Denzel Boston. While the destinations appear quite unclear, we can aim to project where they end up. Most specifically, we turn a focus to where Lemon ends up tonight, and what each destination will mean for his fantasy football ranking.
No. 11 - Miami Dolphins
With Jaylen Waddle gone and possibly Tyreek Hill gone, the Dolphins need a new pass-catcher. They will certainly draft at least one in the top rounds, and, very well, they could go for one at 11th overall. The expectation is that Tate and/or Tyson will be gone by now. The Dolphins can get Lemon, surely enough.
If Lemon is a Dolphin, he can become the WR1 on the team, but not a WR1 in fantasy football. The volatility will remain high on Lemon, a player with top-15 potential who can also fall outside the top-40 wide receivers in fantasy football. Much will depend on the Dolphins' coaching and Malik Willis' skill as the team's projected starting quarterback.
No. 13 - Los Angeles Rams
The Rams seem ready to draft a receiver to play behind Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. Whoever they draft, if a wide receiver falls, will be the team's WR3. That limits his upside in target share and red zone scoring ability. Id drafted, Lemon will play in the slot opposite of Nacua, who also often plays in the slot. He would be a volatile 15% target-share type of player, lacking 5+-touchdown upside. Lemon would be an average Flex play.
No. 16 - New York Jets
The Jets will be reluctant to leave both rounds 1 and 2 without a wide receiver. All expectations point to the Jets going wide receiver at 16th overall, with Lemon being a hot name alongside Omar Cooper Jr. He will likely jump Adonai Mitchell as the Jets' WR2 on the depth chart and thus, have good upside in target share, but less in touchdowns to be scored. It will be hard to trust Lemon too much with Geno Smith. Lemon would play as a fantasy football Flex and top-40 wide receiver.
No. 21 - Pittsburgh Steelers
If the Steelers do not go for Ty Simpson here, Simpson shall risk falling out of the first round. The Steelers will also likely draft a wide receiver. The team desperately needs the opposite of DK Metcalf. It remains unclear who will throw the football for the Steelers in 2026. That adds risk to Lemon's profile if drafted. Nonetheless, he will have the volume of a solid NFL WR2, thus a high-end Flex with low-end WR2 upside. Volume will not be the concern; it will be efficiency coming from his passer.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/onsi/fantasy as Makai Lemon's 4 Most Likely NFL Draft Destinations and Their Fantasy Football Impact.
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This story was originally published April 23, 2026 at 10:06 AM.