Dynasty Fantasy Football Rankings - June 2026
- Kev Wheeler
- 3 days ago
- 28 min read
The Process
Dynasty Fantasy Football rankings can be interpreted in many ways. During the spring these rankings will be ranked as if we are using them for a start-up draft, during the season they will be focused on winning championships without destroying long-term value. During the winter these rankings will reflect trade value with a scaled 3-year outlook.
Play on Underdog! Click the link and use promo code WHEELER for a 100% initial deposit match up to $1000!!!
Start-up Season is HERE!!!
These rankings are designed for drafting your Dynasty Fantasy Football team, most dynasty league start-up drafts happen between February and May so we are in full swing now. Before you start drafting, it is a good idea to develop a plan and then build a coherent draft strategy around it. Building a plan means deciding when you expect your team to establish its long-term dominance over the league.
Some strategies include, Win Now, Win Soon, and Productive Struggle.
Win Now: Establish your dominance immediately. While your competitors focus on youth in the startup draft, scoop up proven veterans at discounted prices and build a roster that will be a favorite for the league title in Year 1.
Win Soon: Focus on youth but mix in some proven veterans. Your young roster might not have the juice to win right away, but you’ll have a collection of players whose value will likely be higher a year from now, positioning you to contend in Year 2.
Productive Struggle: (Ryan McDowell of Dynasty League Football is credited for coining the term.) Committing to a slow build that will put you in title contention in 2-3 years. Focus heavily on youth in the startup draft and be willing to trade startup picks for picks in future rookie drafts.
Dynasty Fantasy Football Rankings
When examining these dynasty fantasy football rankings take into consideration that we are looking at positional ranks, not flex or overall rankings. Rookies will be added periodically, with most being added after the NFL Draft. The emphasis on scouting for rookies is one of the most exciting parts of dynasty fantasy football. Preparing for rookie drafts is an integral part of team management in a dynasty league. A major influence on a rookie’s value is draft capital and the situation of the team that drafts him.
Quarterback
When ranking quarterbacks for dynasty fantasy football we can take a VERY long-term outlook (5-10 years) while factoring what type of QB we are examining. We always want a QB that is going to give us a nice rushing floor, but we must keep in mind that rushing production is also the first thing that fades away as players get older.
Drake Maye was a 74% passer for 2474yds in the 1st half of games in 2025. This was the best rate for any QB for either half in both metrics. He also had the 7th most dropbacks of any QB in either half, the 2nd most TDs, the most scrambles, and 2nd most points per opportunity. There could be a higher ceiling with better opponents in the future.
Sam Darnold 2025 numbers (rank among QB) via @ftnfantasy.com StatsHub:
4,048 yds (5th)
8.4 yds per attempt (2nd)
99.1 passer rating (11th)
67.7% completion rate (7th)
11.9% explosive rate (5th)
Dolphins Sign QB Malik Willis for $22.5M/Year. It's essentially a 2-year, $45M deal with a team option afterwards. That's a step up from Justin Fields' contract last year, yet below Sam Darnold's Seahawks deal.
In an extremely small sample of 159 plays, Willis is the QB1 in EPA per play out of 75 qualifiers over the past 3 seasons. He's also 1st in completion percentage over expected and 11th in success rate. Willis has real physical tools to work with beyond being a small-sample legend, and the well-run Packers seemed to really like him. Teams can’t be sure he will be their long-term starter given his inexperience, but Willis is an intriguing bridge for teams in uncertain situations like the Cardinals, Vikings, or NY Jets.
The Colts made a poor choice re-signing Daniel Jones. Jones Achillies tear is on the "throwing push-off side." Jones has also ended seasons with ACL and neck injuries.
NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe said the Falcons think QB Michael Penix (knee) “will be healthy at some point in training camp.” Penix underwent surgery to reconstruct a partially torn ACL after suffering the injury in November 2025. Tua Tagovailoa will get to work with the first-team offense until Penix is ready to practice, which could give Tagovailoa an edge in the competition. It seems likely that both players will start at times during the regular season.
Vikings signed QB Kyler Murray, formerly of the Cardinals, to a one-year contract.
Jets acquired QB Geno Smith and a 2026 seventh-round pick for a 2026 sixth-round pick.
Chiefs acquired QB Justin Fields from the Jets in exchange for a 2027 sixth-round pick.
NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe believes that the Browns will “likely” draft a wide receiver and a left tackle with their two first-round picks this year. The Browns’ quarterback competition is between Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson, seemingly rendering Dillon Gabriel a locked-in backup. New HC Todd Monken certainly has his work cut-out for him.
Running Back
Dynasty Fantasy Football rankings for running backs aren’t very different from regular season rankings, although we tend to devalue running backs over 25 years old. Running backs tend to get injured more often than other positions and when an older RB gets injured it tends to be career ending or marks a sharp decline in production. In 2024 we saw a counter argument for this philosophy, but it was likely an outlier year, we shouldn’t expect the trend to continue. As soon as a running back turns 26 years old we will consider them to have a 1-year window.
Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson was already our RB1, but his fantasy value is growing even larger following the team's offseason moves. The Falcons' allowed Tyler Allgeier to depart for Arizona in free agency, leaving Robinson as the only relevant name in Atlanta's backfield. That bodes well for the 24-year-old's chances to build upon an incredible 2025 in which he tallied 1,478 rushing yards, 820 receiving yards, and 11 touchdowns even though Allgeier vultured eight touchdowns from him.
Jahmyr Gibbs has finished in the top 10 among running backs in yards per carry, routes, targets, receptions, touchdowns and fantasy points in each of his first three seasons. His 38 touchdowns over the past two seasons are four more than any other player. Gibbs has finished as a top-three fantasy back in each of the past two years, but he has yet to finish a season higher than seventh in touches. We could see that change this season with David Montgomery moving onto the Texans. The 24-year-old Gibbs is one of the NFL's top playmakers in one of its best offenses.
Ashton Jeanty is looking to take a leap forward after an uneven rookie season, in which the first-round pick enjoyed a ton of volume (seventh among backs in carries, targets and receptions) and played fairly well (eighth among RBs in forced missed tackle rate, per PFF) but struggled to overcome the awful Las Vegas offense. The good news is that the Raiders' offense should improve in 2026 with a better/healthier offensive line, a new coach in Super Bowl champion Klint Kubiak and a new quarterback in No. 1 NFL draft pick Fernando Mendoza. Jeanty has a clean path to a massive offensive role and is a strong bet to break out in 2026.
De'Von Achane has become one of the best running backs in the NFL. The 2023 third-round pick has scored 11 or more touchdowns in each of his three seasons and put up a career-high 1,838 scrimmage yards in 2025. Achane's elite receiving production is nothing new (he has finished in the top five among backs in targets and receiving yards in each of the past two years), but he made another leap forward as a rusher last season, finishing fifth at the position in rushing yards. His 5.62 yards per carry is best among qualified backs since he entered the league. The 24-year-old is eyeing his third straight top-five fantasy finish, but will face challenges in an overhauled Miami offense led by quarterback Malik Willis.
Jeremiyah Love was selected by the Cardinals with the No. 3 overall pick of April's draft. Love has good size and terrific speed (4.36 40-yard dash) to go along with a three-down skill set. He led this year's rookie class in both yards per carry (6.66) and yards after contact (4.16) while ranking second in forced missed tackle rate (3.5) during his collegiate career. He's a capable receiver, a competent pass blocker and protects the ball well (one fumble on 496 career touches). Love might have some competition for touches with the Cardinals acquiring Tyler Allgeier before the NFL draft.
Breece Hall was given the franchise tag during the offseason and will return for his fifth season with the Jets. Being in the Jets' stagnant offenses for the past two years, Hall has struggled to finishes of 17th and 21st in fantasy points per game among RBs, which was disappointing after top-eight finishes during his first two seasons. The 2022 second-round pick saw a dip in receiving work in 2025 (career-low 10% target share) but finished fourth in that category in both 2023 and 2024, so a rebound is possible with pocket QB Geno Smith now under center.
Jonathan Taylor enters the 2026 season having improved in fantasy points per game in each of the past three years. Last season, he delivered his best production since his huge 2021 breakout, as he paced the NFL in carries and TDs while finishing second in carries inside the 5-yard line (19) and fourth in fantasy points. He saw increased usage in the passing game, ranking in the top 10 among backs in routes, targets, catches and receiving yards, setting career highs in each. Taylor's season likely would've been even better had QB Daniel Jones not been injured, as the running back averaged 24.8 points with Jones but 12.9 without him. Jones is expected to be ready to play in Week 1, but at a diminished capacity.
James Cook signed a contract extension last offseason and was immediately given the biggest role of his career. The 2022 second-round NFL draft pick finished in the top five among backs in carries, rushing yards (league-high 1,621), touchdowns and yards per carry (5.25). The one limiting factor in Cook's fantasy output was a minimal receiving role (his 40 targets ranked 26th among RBs), but he still came through with a sixth-place finish in fantasy points. The 26-year-old is set to play the same role in Joe Brady's scheme and will be a candidate for his third straight double-digit touchdown output.
Kenneth Walker signed with the Chiefs after spending his first four NFL seasons with the Seahawks. Having worked in a committee most of last season, Walker was limited to only five touchdowns and 11.3 fantasy points per game (both career lows), but he still generated 252 touches and a career-high 1,309 yards. He has yet to finish a season better than 18th in fantasy points (12th on a per-game basis) and has missed at least two games in three of four seasons.
Omarion Hampton is primed for a breakout second season following an impressive but injury-shortened rookie year. During his nine appearances, he averaged 13.8 carries and 3.9 targets. He scored five touchdowns, averaged 15.1 fantasy points per game (13th best) and ranked third among backs in forced missed tackle rate, per PFF. With Kimani Vidal and Keaton Mitchell as his primary competition, Hampton has a clear path to lead rusher duties in 2026, and his targets only figure to increase with Greg Roman out and Mike McDaniel in as the team's playcaller. The offensive line will have star tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater back healthy, Hampton has elite upside.
Chase Brown’s 2025 season got off to a rocky start (10.1 fantasy points per game and one touchdown during his first seven games), but it turned around drastically down the stretch (21.2 points per game and 10 TDs during his final 10 games). The improvement coincided with Cincinnati's improved QB play, which should continue into 2026 with a healthy Joe Burrow. Brown has yet to finish a season higher than 16th in carries or rushing yards, but he has scored 11 TDs and has finished fifth in receptions in each of the past two years, both of which have resulted in top-10 fantasy campaigns. Brown was conceding touches to Gio Bernard during the back end of the season, but it certainly didn’t slow him down much.
Travis Etienne signed with the Saints after spending the first five seasons of his pro career with the Jaguars. The 2021 first-round pick has produced at least 1,399 scrimmage yards in three of the past four seasons and scored a career-high 13 touchdowns in 2025. Etienne has reached 1,000-plus rushing yards three times and has 35-plus catches in each of the past four seasons. Even if the Saints retain Alvin Kamara as a situational player, Etienne will have a clear path to feature-back duties in an ascending offense led by second-year QB Tyler Shough.
Christian McCaffrey finished the 2025 season leading all running backs in snaps, routes, touches, targets, receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns and fantasy points. McCaffrey's rushing efficiency wasn't great (3.86 yards per carry), and he's entering his age-30 season after handling 450 touches (including the playoffs) in 2025. The history of overworked backs suggests we should expect a step back in 2026. There's obvious risk here, but McCaffrey is an elite option whenever he's on the field.
Saquon Barkley is looking to rebound after a rough 2025 season. After producing 2,283 yards and 15 touchdowns on 378 touches in his first season with Philly, Barkley dipped to 1,413 yards and nine scores on 317 touches in 2025. Barkley fell from first among backs in fantasy points per game (22.5) to 15th (14.5). Now 29 years old, it's possible Barkley's best days are behind him, but he's still positioned as a clear feature back in a good offense that will have a healthier offensive line and a new playcaller in Sean Mannion.
Derrick Henry continues to defy the odds, playing at a high level despite now entering his age-32 season. In 2025, he finished second in the NFL in rushing yards, and his 24 carries inside the 5-yard line were easily the most in the league. Henry leads the NFL in carries inside the 5-yard line (42) and is second in touchdowns (34) since joining Baltimore prior to the 2024 season, and he hasn't finished lower than eighth among RBs in touchdowns since 2017. Henry continues to run at a high level (his 5.20 yards per carry last season ranked fifth among qualified backs), but he's still a nonfactor as a receiver (outside the top 45 backs in targets, catches and yards last season).
Josh Jacobs' 2025 season was marred by injury. While healthy during his first nine games, Jacobs picked up where he left off from a terrific 2024 season, averaging 21.1 touches and 19.6 fantasy points while scoring 11 TDs. After playing very limited snaps during Weeks 11 and 12, Jacobs wasn't quite the same, averaging 14.6 touches and 11.3 points while totaling three touchdowns in his final five games. Jacobs, 28, was still effective overall (PFF's fourth-highest-graded back) and has a clear grasp on lead-back duties in a good Green Bay offense that has afforded him 30 touchdowns (fifth most in the NFL) in 32 games. His legal issues have caused a 2-3 round drop in ADP making him an incredible value in the late fourth round or later.
Javonte Williams re-signed with the Cowboys following a successful first year with the team. After failing to produce a top-25 fantasy season during his final three years in Denver, Williams finished as the RB12 in 2025, setting career-best marks in carries, rushing yards, touches (287), scrimmage yards (1,338) and yards per carry (4.77). He also scored a career-high 13 touchdowns after totaling 16 during his first four seasons, and his 16 carries inside the 5-yard line were fifth most among backs. He did struggle in the receiving department, as his 2.7 yards per target was last among qualified RBs.
Kyren Williams continued to produce as the Rams' lead back in 2025. The 2022 fifth-round pick has produced 1,350-plus scrimmage yards in three straight seasons (including a career-high 1,533 in 2025), and he's one of 11 backs in NFL history who have scored 13-plus touchdowns in three of his first four seasons. Williams' carry share dropped quite a bit last season, but it was offset by a boost in efficiency, and he still averaged 15.5 fantasy points. Williams doesn't do much as a receiver having never cleared 36 catches in a season.
The Athletic’s Nick Kosmider reports the Broncos coaching staff believes RJ Harvey “is ready for a Year 2 jump.” Denver wound up bringing back JK Dobbins and most suspect that Dobbins will at least open as the lead back, as he did last year, but not paying a major premium for a back is probably an endorsement of the idea of Harvey breaking out in his second season.
Many analysts will tell you that Cam Skattebo is a Year 2 breakout candidate following an injury-shortened rookie season. The fourth-round pick first played a significant offensive role in Week 2 and went on to average 16.0 carries, 4.7 targets and 96.3 yards while scoring six TDs during his six full games. His 19.1 fantasy points per game during the span would've ranked sixth over the full season. The 24-year-old enters 2026 with a new coach (John Harbaugh) and playcaller (Matt Nagy), but his competition for touches are the same guys he beat out for work in 2025 (Tyrone Tracy Jr., Devin Singletary). It is our contention that Skattebo is completely overrated and cannot maintain his style of play without getting injured. He plays recklessly while being extraordinarily slow, which is not a great combo for maintaining health in the NFL.
Rachaad White was effective as a receiver for his first 3 seasons (54% success rate on 185 targets), then that went away without OC Liam Coen in 2025. White's rushing success rate went from 45% in his first 3 seasons up to 57% in 2025, despite playing behind an injured OL. White should be a well-rounded RB2 who can be trusted in the pass game. White signed with The Commanders to play with Jayden Daniels and is on a very team friendly deal.
Tyler Allgeier started his career with a 1,000-yard rushing season, but he has taken a back seat to Bijan Robinson since then. Allgeier has been a very effective compliment to Robinson for the past 3 seasons. His 52% career rushing success rate stands out, even if he's more of a short-yardage hammer than a well-rounded back.
Kenneth Gainwell carved out an interesting pass-first role with the Steelers this season, earning the trust of Aaron Rodgers, who would audible at the line of scrimmage to get him quick receptions all the time. His 4.6 yards per carry were a career-high, and he had a huge fill-in start when Jaylen Warren missed games.
Rico Dowdle averaged 4.8 yards per carry and has a 50% success rate throughout his career. His size makes him a quality short-yardage option at the very least, but he can play all three downs.
Najee Harris has visited with several teams, but the 28-year-old running back is still recovering from a torn Achilles he suffered last season. He has been seen running at full speed in recent videos.
Falcons signed RB Brian Robinson, formerly of the 49ers, to a one-year, $2.5 million contract. It’s backup money, and Robinson will now be a breather back for Bijan Robinson after spending the 2025 season behind Christian McCaffrey. Brian Robinson enjoyed a career-high 4.6 yards per carry as Christian McCaffrey's low-volume backup, and he stayed healthy throughout. His 225-pound frame stands out as a low-volume hammer.
J.K. Dobbins will be forced into 1-year deals for the rest of his career due to his injury history. A lisfranc foot injury ended an efficient 2025 season (5.0 yards per carry), a new one after knee, ankle, and Achilles injuries the seasons prior. Dobbins will be 28 years old in 2026.
Wide Receiver
The wide receiver position is of the utmost importance in dynasty fantasy football. Most dynasty leagues use PPR scoring, and most require you to start at least three wide receivers every week (usually with the option to start additional receivers in flex spots). These settings make it imperative to get extra depth at WR. The average NFL lifespan of a wide receiver is longer than the average NFL lifespan of a running back, and top receivers are often productive through their late 20’s.
Ja'Marr Chase has finished four of his five NFL seasons ranked no lower than fifth in fantasy PPG. Chase actually saw a big dip in yardage (1,740 to 1,426), TDs (17 to 8) and fantasy PPG (23.7 to 19.6) from 2024 to 2025 with Joe Burrow missing nine games, but still put up big numbers thanks to pacing the league in pass routes and targets. Chase's 125 receptions make him the third receiver in NFL history with 125-plus catches in multiple seasons. The 26-year-old remains the top target in a high-scoring Bengals offense.
Puka Nacua has become one of the most relied upon and productive offensive players in the league. Nacua has finished each of his first three seasons sixth or better among receivers in fantasy PPG and including a first-place finish last season. Matthew Stafford's top target led the league with 129 receptions and finished no lower than third among receivers in targets, yardage and touchdowns, while also adding 105 yards and one score as a rusher. Despite not seeing many endzone targets Nacua's heavy usage in an elite offense locks in the 25-year-old as one of the the top receivers in fantasy.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba is coming off a breakout season in which he was named the NFL Offensive Player of the Year. He paced all receivers in target share (36%), receiving yards (1,793), air yards (1,858) and yards per route run (3.8), while finishing no lower than fourth in targets, catches, touchdowns and fantasy points. JSN delivered top-10 fantasy weeks 10 times throughout 2025 and scored at least 13 points in 16 of 17 games. The 24-year-old is just now entering his prime and remains well positioned to handle one-third of the targets in Seattle's offense.
Amon-Ra St. Brown is the only player in NFL history with 90-plus catches in each of his first five NFL seasons. The 2021 fourth-round pick has finished exactly third among receivers in fantasy points three seasons in a row, ranking no lower than fourth in catches, yards and touchdowns each year. St. Brown actually enjoyed a career-high target share in 2025 (31.6%), which helped him to 13 top-20 fantasy outings. The 26-year-old has no added target competition and remains Jared Goff's clear No. 1 target. We do expect Sam LaPorta to see and uptick in targets if he remains healthy, which could cut into St. Browns share some, but not enough to deter us from taking him in the first round.
CeeDee Lamb is looking for a bounceback season following a 2025 campaign in which he finished 12th among receivers in fantasy PPG, his worst finish since 2021. Lamb did go over 1,000 yards for the fifth season in a row, while missing three games. He led all receivers with eight drops and was unlucky in the TD department, only scoring three touchdowns (6.6 expected) despite seeing 11 end zone targets. Lamb, 27, remains in his prime and he was fantasy's top-scoring receiver the last time he played a full season (2023).
Justin Jefferson is coming off a disappointing season. After finishing in the top 10 among receivers in fantasy PPG during each of his first five seasons, Jefferson fell to 30th in 2025. The team's quarterback issues limited the star receiver to career-low showings in yardage (1,048), touchdowns (two), catch rate (60%) and yards per target (7.4). Jefferson's fall came despite him seeing a career-high 30.1% target share and ranking in the top six at the position in targets (141) and end zone targets (15). The 27-year-old remains an elite player, but the quarterback concerns remain, with dual-threat Kyler Murray having just one receiver who managed a top-25 fantasy season during his time as a starter in Arizona.
Drake London broke out with a 100-1271-9 receiving line and a fifth-place finish in fantasy points (14th PPG) in 2024. Last season, he missed five games and fell to 19th in fantasy points, but he was actually better on a per-game basis (seventh) and was the top scorer among receivers three times between Weeks 6 and 10. London remains heavily targeted (career 28% share) and sees plenty of work near the goal line (25 end zone targets over the past two seasons). As long as one of Tua Tagovailoa or Michael Penix Jr. can play somewhat competent ball, the 25-year-old London shouldn't have trouble providing WR1 fantasy production.
Malik Nabers is attempting to bounce back after a torn ACL limited him to only four appearances last season. In 18 full games in his career, Nabers has a massive 35% target share (11.3 per game) and he's averaging 18.2 fantasy PPG. As a rookie, the 2024 sixth overall pick finished seventh or better among receivers in targets, receptions, yards and fantasy points despite missing two games in a poor offense. Nabers' massive target share allowed him a high floor, as he was a top-30 fantasy scorer in 13 of 15 games, including 10 straight to end the 2024 season. The only question about Naber’s is how long it takes to recover from his ACL and will he stay healthy.
Nico Collins heads into his sixth NFL season yet to play a full 17-game schedule. He has cleared 1,000 yards and scored at least seven touchdowns each of the past three seasons, finishing in the top 10 in fantasy PPG and top 12 in yards per route run in all three. Near the goal line, Collins ranked fourth among receivers with 13 end zone targets in 2025. The 27-year-old's target share is lower than other top receivers (he has never cleared 24.4%), but his high-end efficiency is just enough to keep him in the back-end WR1 mix.
Zay Flowers' rise in production continued in 2025, as the 2023 first-round pick posted career-best marks in target share (29%), targets (118), catches (86) and yardage (1,211). Despite still lacking a role near the goal line (he has never cleared seven end zone targets or six touchdowns in a single season), Flowers finished seventh among receivers in fantasy points (13th PPG). A highly targeted, short-range specialist, Flowers' ceiling is lower than other top receivers, but the 25-year-old remains positioned as Lamar Jackson's top target in Baltimore's new-look offense.
Garrett Wilson was disappointing in an injury-shortened 2025 that limited him to seven games. It was the first time Wilson had missed time, having appeared in all 51 games during his first three seasons. The 2022 first-round pick ranked no lower than sixth among receivers in targets in each of those years, but he failed to produce a fantasy campaign better than 20th (PPG) due to the Jets quarterback issues. Wilson was off to a hot start last season (four TDs, 14.2 fantasy PPG) thanks to a massive 33% target share (second highest). New York's QB problems still aren't solved, but Geno Smith should provide an upgrade over last year's mess.
Tetairoa McMillan has the potential to make the leap into the "elite" conversation at wide receiver this season after winning the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2025. McMillan was top 15 among WRs in snaps, routes, target share, targets, yards, end zone targets and touchdowns. While he finished 16th among receivers in fantasy points (22nd PPG), he only produced one top-10 outing (Week 9). Improving on a 56% catch rate will be key, though that will also require improvement from Bryce Young.
Carnell Tate was selected by the Titans with the fourth overall pick of the NFL draft. He didn't accumulate top tier volume at Ohio State, but he was efficient, averaging 13.1 yards per target (first in this rookie WR class) and 3.06 yards per route run (third) in 2025. He also paced the class in YPT for his career (11.6) and caught an impressive 75% of his targets during the 39-game span. Wide receivers selected in the top 10 handle, on average, one-quarter of their team's targets and generally deliver WR2/3 fantasy production.
Emeka Egbuka had a rookie season that defined the term “rookie wall” with a tremendous start (five TDs and 20.5 fantasy PPG during his first five games), but that fell apart from there (one TD and 7.8 PPG during his final 12 games). By season's end, Egbuka sat in the top 10 in targets and air yards, but a horrific 49% catch rate led to a 34th-place finish in fantasy PPG. The good news is that, with Mike Evans out of the picture and Chris Godwin now 30 years old, Egbuka has a shot to emerge as Baker Mayfield's favorite target.
DeVonta Smith has finished no lower than 30th among receivers in fantasy PPG in each of his five seasons (top 30 in PPG each of the last four). The "slim reaper" saw a big dip in touchdowns last season (four, after at least seven the prior three seasons), but remained very efficient (career 9.1 yards per target and 2.1 yards per route run). Smith has handled roughly one-quarter of the Eagles' targets throughout his career, and that may rise slightly after AJ Brown was traded to New England.
George Pickens was given the franchise tag from Dallas after a career year in which he ranked near the top of the wide receiver position in most categories, including catches, yards, TDs, end zone targets (second with 18) and air yards (fourth with 1,576). Pickens certainly benefited from CeeDee Lamb missing time (24% target share, or 8.8 per game, and 24.2 fantasy PPG in four games Lamb was injured), but he was still strong with Lamb on the field as well. In 12 full games with Lamb, Pickens handled a 23% target share (8.3 per game) and averaged 16.1 fantasy PPG, which would've ranked eighth at the position over the full season.
Pickens said he will not hold out or hold in at training camp, but he is a diva so we can never be sure if he will “quiet quit” at some point during the season.
CeeDee Lamb’s health clearly played a role in Pickens’ 2025 season, as did Dallas’ extremely bad defense. Still, he has a chance to finish as a WR1 this year if he can keep his head straight.
A.J. Brown was traded to the Patriots June first, as expected. The veteran receiver enters 2026 looking to continue his streak of finishing in the top 15 in fantasy points per game during each of the four seasons he was with the Eagles. Brown finished as the WR11 in 2025 in which he reached the 1,000-yard mark for the sixth time in his seven NFL seasons while finding the end zone seven times for the third year in a row. Brown continues to benefit from elite usage (he has finished no lower than seventh among WRs in target share each of the past seven seasons) and elite efficiency (he has finished 80th percentile or better in yards per route run all seven years). He should see more end zone targets in New England as he is set to work as Drake Maye's top target in a good Patriots' offense.
Rashee Rice was sidelined for most of 2024 due to injury and missed nine games last season due to suspension (Weeks 1-6) and injury (Weeks 16-18). Rice remained highly productive when active, averaging 9.8 targets per game and he was a top-12 fantasy receiver in five of his eight outings in 2025. Rice is Patrick Mahomes' top target, and his 8.0 RAC is tops among qualified receivers over the past three seasons. Assuming Mahomes (ACL recovery) is ready to play early this season as expected, Rice will find himself in the WR1 mix.
Chris Olave had a career year in 2025, he reached new highs in targets (156), receptions (100), yardage (1,163) and touchdowns (nine). He finished eighth among receivers in fantasy PPG, which beat out his previous career best of 19th in 2023. Olave finished no lower than seventh among receivers in nearly every counting stat, including end zone targets (12) and air yards (1,816). His 2024 season was riddled with concussions, but we saw no sign of re-occurance in 2025. Even with No. 8 overall pick Jordyn Tyson added to the mix, Olave should remain Tyler Shough's top target.
Terry McLaurin is looking to bounce-back following a lost 2025 season in which both he (seven missed games) and quarterback Jayden Daniels (10 missed games) were sidelined for extended periods. The poor season came after Daniels helped McLaurin to a career year in 2024, which included 13 touchdowns (second most among WRs) and a WR7 finish. McLaurin's target ceiling remains a concern (he's been in the 21-25% target share range each of his seven seasons), but with his quarterback healthy and a new playcaller in David Blough,
McLaurin is poised for a rebound.
Tee Higgins may be overshadowed by teammate Ja'Marr Chase, but that hasn't stopped him from getting targets near the goal line in the Bengals' pass-friendly offense. Despite missing seven games over the past two seasons, Higgins sits eighth among receivers in end zone targets (24) and fourth in touchdowns (21) during the span, finishing both seasons in the top 20 in fantasy points (overall and per game). Durability (he hasn't played a full season since 2020) and a limited target share are concerns, but Higgins' combination of talent and role in this offense are enough to draft him with confidence in the late third or early fourth round.
Jaylen Waddle was traded to Denver after spending his first five seasons in Miami. Waddle was solid during his Dolphins tenure, finishing in the top 30 among receivers in fantasy PPG four times, though never reaching the top 10 while often playing second fiddle to Tyreek Hill. He has been a reliable target and has missed only seven games in five years, but Waddle hasn't finished a season higher than 20th in targets or catches since 2021. In Denver, the 27-year-old Waddle will compete with Courtland Sutton for the team lead in targets in a scheme that likes to spread the ball around.
Davante Adams led the wide receiver position in touchdowns in 2025 for the third time in the past six seasons. His 27 end zone targets were nine more than any other player and he now sits second in that category (148) and in TDs from scrimmage (117) since entering the league in 2014. Adams' ninth-place finish in fantasy PPG marked his ninth top-10 in his past 10 seasons. Now 33 years old, he isn't targeted as much as in years past (24% target share in 2025 was his lowest since 2016), but he's the clear No. 2 behind Puka Nacua in the Rams' elite offense.
Ladd McConkey is looking to rebound after falling short of expectations in 2025. The 2024 second-round pick was terrific as a rookie (82-1,155-7 receiving line and a 12th-place finish among WRs in fantasy points), but dipped to 66-789-6 line and a 30th-place finish last season. McConkey ran considerably more routes, saw similar target numbers and was used a lot more near the goal line (seventh among WRs with 12 end zone targets), but his efficiency plummeted. His catch rate dipped from 74% to 62% and his yards per target from 10.4 to 7.4. The good news is that there's reason for optimism that he'll bounce back, as he has a new playcaller in Mike McDaniel, the Chargers' offense figures to improve with a much healthier line, and Keenan Allen is out of the picture.
John Keim reports that the Commanders “still want to add someone who can be a strong complement” to No. 1 WR Terry McLaurin. 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk obviously comes to mind, and multiple team sources tell Keim that the Commanders are “well aware” of Aiyuk’s “desire” to be reunited with his former college quarterback, Jayden Daniels, but Keim believes the Commanders are unlikely to trade for him.
The Athletic’s Daniel Popper believes Ladd McConkey could “have a bounce-back season in [Mike] McDaniel’s offense.” Popper also believes Tre’ Harris is in line for a bigger role. Popper lists Harris as a starter and notes that with Keenan Allen unsigned, he should be expected to see more work. Harris’ involvement steadily picked up in the second half of the season and it’s possible he finds fantasy relevance in 2026.
California Post’s Vincent Bonsignore reports that the Raiders are “digging really deep” into the incoming rookie wide receiver class. The Raiders’ second draft pick is No. 36 overall, which could be used to draft a No. 1 wide receiver.
Ryan McFadden reports the Raiders completed a top-30 visit with Texas A&M WR Kevin Concepcion this week.
D.J. Moore had career-low receptions and yards with Bears in 2025
Trading Moore before June 1st:
2026 Dead Cap: $12M
2026 Savings: $16.5M
Trading Moore after June 1st:
2026 Dead Cap: $4M
2027 Dead Cap: $8M
2026 Savings: $24.5M
George Pickens
The franchise tag is $28M, which is around Tee Higgins, Terry McLaurin, Brandon Aiyuk, and Garrett Wilson per-year money. If the Cowboys can't re-sign him to a monster deal long term, which they absolutely should and are incentivized to do with Dak Prescott's huge cap hit, then Pickens isn't going anywhere with the tag available.
Alec Pierce averaged a career-high 70 yards per game before Daniel Jones' Achilles injury. His primary strength is as a single-high downfield threat with his speed and ball skills, but Pierce has flashed breaking route ability in smaller samples, too. He was expected to disappear when weak-armed Phillip Rivers took over the offense, but Pierce continued to produce which is why he is now garnishing a lot of interest.
Brandon Aiyuk gave up quite a bit of money by allowing the 49ers to void his contract guarantees. Finding a situation he is happy with will likely be more difficult than he imagines it will be given the mentality of NFL organizations.
Romeo Doubs is a versatile WR that has played a lot of X receiver with some man coverage wins in the red zone in particular. His 40 yards per game is average, but Doubs' 58% success rate when targeted over the past two years is a confidence builder for QB’s and OC’s.
Rashid Shaheed has been one of the most explosive receivers on a per-target basis (9.3 yards per target). His speed and special teams value are obvious on tape, and he's flashed intermediate route running, too.
Wan'Dale Robinson set career highs in yards per game (63) and yards per reception (11.0) in a contract year. He was running more downfield routes, even if his long-term role is as a slot receiver. He followed OC Brian Dabol to Tennessee.
Tight End
There are more quality tight ends than there has ever been, but there’s still a finite supply of difference making tight ends.
Brock Bowers 2025 season was stalled by an injury that limited him for three weeks and led to five full missed games. Bowers remained productive when healthy, finishing second among tight ends in fantasy PPG. He tied for fifth in the NFL with 13 end zone targets despite all the missed action. Bowers, who posted a 112-1194-5 receiving line as a rookie in 2024, will be the top target for No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza.
Trey McBride has emerged as one of the league's top pass catchers as he trails only Ja'Marr Chase in targets (317) and receptions (252) over the past two seasons and is sixth in receiving yards (2,385). McBride led the tight end position in every fantasy-relevant counting stat in 2025, and his league-high 15 top-12 fantasy weeks were six more than any other player at the position. He finished third in the NFL with 17 end zone targets.
Colston Loveland - After averaging 4.1 targets and 8.5 fantasy PPG during his first 14 NFL games, Loveland leaped to 12.0 targets (10-plus in each) and 20.0 fantasy PPG during his final four games of 2025 (including the playoffs). Loveland's overall efficiency was terrific, as he ranked eighth or better among tight ends in YPR, YPT and YPRR. With DJ Moore gone, he enters the season all but locked into a massive workload alongside Rome Odunze and Luther Burden.
Harold Fannin:
Todd Monken's last decade as an offensive coordinator, and where those teams ranked in touchdowns to tight ends per @pffnatejahnke.bsky.social :
Buccaneers 2016-2018: 2nd (Cameron Brate and O.J. Howard)
Browns 2019: 4th (Ricky Seal-Jones and Demetrius Harris)
Georgia 2020-2022: 7th (Bowers)
Ravens 2023-2025: 1st (Andrews and Likely)
The Athletic’s James Boyd believes that “regardless of whom the Colts add at wideout,” Tyler Warren will be the team’s No. 2 pass catcher in 2026.
The Athletic’s Daniel Popper believes Chargers TE Oronde Gadsden’s receiving skill set will be “maximized” in Mike McDaniel’s offense. Gadsden was a surprise in fantasy last season, totaling 664 yards and three touchdowns on 49 receptions. He ranked 14th among 50 qualifying tight ends in yards per route run, in line with Tyler Warren and Harold Fannin. If he runs 60 or 70 percent of the Chargers’ routes in 2026, Gadsden could be a tight end target in drafts.
The Athletic’s Dan Duggan reports TE Isaiah Likely is “expected to be a featured piece” of the Giants offense in 2026. Likely followed former Ravens head coach John Harbaugh to New York in free agency, as expected, and signed a three year deal worth up to $47.5 million — a hefty deal considering Likely’s 2025 struggles in Baltimore. With the signing, the Giants “essentially swapped Likely in for Wan’Dale Robinson, signaling the shift in their offensive approach,” Duggan said (Robinson signed with the Titans). Likely will be “paired often” with TE Theo Johnson in a New York offense that should be among the league leaders in two tight end usage, just like Harbaugh’s Ravens, Duggan added. Likely, who should operate as a big slot receiver for Jaxson Dart, could have volume-based upside in 2026.
The Athletic’s Nate Atkins believes Rams TE Terrance Ferguson should see “a significant uptick” in snaps and targets in 2026. Ferguson dealt with a late-season hamstring injury that masked how his snaps and targets were growing late in the year. The Rams have enough weaponry that it’s hard to believe Ferguson would be a consistent TE1 this year without injuries ahead of him.
TE David Njoku was released by the Browns as the new league year began, designated as a post-June 1st cut. The 29-year-old spent the first nine seasons of his career in Cleveland, making a Pro Bowl in 2023 when he caught 81-of-123 targets for 882 yards and six touchdowns. Njoku played in 12 games last season as Harold Fannin Jr. slowly took over, catching 33-of-48 targets for 293 yards and four touchdowns.
