April 1, 2026
By Ryan Baker
The rookie classes seem to improve year over year. Last season, a Chicago rookie finished second in MVP voting, and three others (all in Oakland) received various All UFA honors. Replicating those lofty achievements will be tough, but here are seven rookies who could stand out during the 2026 season.
Lander Decraene, Boston Glory
As the brother of the league MVP and reigning champion, Lander Decraene enters his rookie season with high expectations. A European Championship title and two World Championship silver medals for the U24 Belgian team are on his resume that he is bringing over and may secure a sizable defensive role for the Glory. Decraene’s ability to anticipate and react gives him an edge whenever he is on the field, helping him achieve runner-up status for the European Defensive Player of the Year award in 2023. Boston could feature a Decraene on each line this season.
Wiebe van der Brink, DC Breeze
Wiebe van der Brink is set to join DC for the 2026 season after building his career in the Netherlands. He’s a two-time gold medalist at the mixed European Ultimate Championships and is known as “The Flying Dutchman” for his impressive closing speed and fearless play that Breeze Head Coach Xavier Maxstadt thinks will translate nicely into the UFA.
“He can be a game changer,” said Maxstadt. “It’s difficult to create block opportunities on the bigger UFA field, but he has that playmaking ability and speed to take advantage of it. He’s also got a strong array of throws that he’ll showcase.”
Owen Suelflow, Minnesota Wind Chill
Another brother duo we could see this year is Owen Suelflow joining Kyle on Minnesota. Wind Chill’s Head Coach Ben Feldman highlighted that Owen’s speed and explosiveness are going to make him valuable on the big field in the UFA. Feldman also expects him to be a plug-n-play option on defense, a similar strategy deployed with Kyle last year. With a Nationals appearance this year on the mixed team, Drag-N-Thrust, that hosts a lot of Wind Chill players, Owen’s integration should be relatively seamless. There’s a chance we get a Suelflow tandem running down on pull coverage together in heavy defensive point games.
Anton Orme, Oakland Spiders (Pictured)
If Anton Orme works out like the four rookies did last year for the Spiders, this team is going to be at the top of the league for a long time. Orme is a member of Cal Poly-SLO and has built a much-decorated college career, and represented Team USA for the U24 team. Viewed as one of the best college players right now, Orme isn’t afraid of the bright lights, continually putting up major numbers while the Cal Poly-SLO offense runs through him. He can get open in a phone booth and has a very high throwing IQ, limiting turnovers.
Simon Ruelle, Montreal Royal
Simon Ruelle represented France at the World Games last summer and carries over his defensive explosiveness to a Montreal team that could use a defensive sparkplug like Ruelle. He rises to the top of this year’s rookie crop in terms of immediate impact because Montreal only had three guys over eight blocks in 2025. Ruelle’s layout block ability was a big factor in him winning European Defensive Player of the Year in 2024, and could produce highlights all season. Also, Ruelle has a quick motor, allowing for incredibly smooth cutter movement on transition offense, and could easily be in Rookie of the Year conversations at the end of the season.
Kai Creed, Indianapolis AlleyCats
When asking Indy’s Head Coach Nathan Bussberg about what Kai Creed brings to the table, the response was, “Athleticism, for sure.” Creed is one of those natural athletes, where everything he does has a smooth connotation to it. Coming from Vancouver, Canada, his frisbee experience includes representing Team Canada on the U20 and U24 teams, and playing with AlleyCat teammate, Jake Felton, at the college level for Davenport University. Creed could be a sparkplug for Indy if they start to see struggles with the bigger names on the team.
Caoba Nichim-Luta, New York Empire
Caoba Nichim-Luta is a 19-year-old who has been on the Empire’s Head Coach Anthony Nunez’s radar since he was playing at a high level in just eighth grade. Nichim-Luta stands at 6’3” with the ability to get open on a moment’s notice. He’s also a grinder, as Nunez mentioned, Nichim-Luta never missed a practice, worked hard, and earned his spot on the team. He will also be representing Team USA for the U20 Boys team in Spain this summer. His involvement this year will be tricky with New York being incredibly deep, but Nichim-Luta is attending a local college, so he will be with the team for the majority of the year, which isn’t typically the case for young rookies.
“Caoba brings high energy and a real willingness to learn and grow,” Nunez said. “His impact is that he makes whoever he’s defending work hard, no matter what the situation.”
