Fantasy Football 2026 Draft Rankings - September Final!
Below you’ll find my 2026 fantasy football draft rankings for points per reception (PPR) and half-PPR leagues. Included are my rankings for the top 25 quarterbacks, top 60 running backs, top 70 wide receivers and top 20 tight ends. As you can see below, these are among the most accurate rankings you can find over the past three years.
Fantasy Football Draft Rankings
This is not a cheat-sheet, although you probably won’t get into trouble using it as one. This is how I have players ranked for your home-league draft, the cheat sheet is in a separate article here.
Rankings for the Fantasy Pros Accuracy competition will be published in September. They are more closely related to pure projections, but considerations for injuries, consistency, and pure gut feel are taken into consideration. You can click this link for the methodology FantasyPros uses for their Accuracy Competition.
Please join our Discord for updates and discussion, and you can let me know where you think I’m getting it wrong; it could help me improve my process.
Fantasy Football Rankings Perspective
When I began publishing fantasy football rankings, back in 2015, it was out of frustration that the most popular "analysts" were really just writers or entertainers that didn't know much about real football, let alone the strategy of this game. Sadly, the more things change, the more they remain the same.
There are some very good analysts out there, but most get swallowed-up by click-bait specialists or hype-beasts that just say outlandish things to be seen and recognized. Back when I started there was an ESPN analyst that touted Michael Vick as a first-round pick. While this person might have whole-heartedly believed what he was saying and doing, it was irresponsible of him to tout such an outlandish position to such a broad and naive audience. Please do yourself a favor and stay away from anything on ESPN, Barstool, or PFT (ProFootballTalk).
Quarterback
Josh Allen has finished each of the past six seasons no worse than second among quarterbacks in fantasy points. Despite seeing less passing volume the past two seasons (14th or lower in pass attempts both years), the 2024 NFL MVP has finished in the top 10 in passing TDs six seasons in a row and remains a major threat rushing (top five in carries and rushing TDs among quarterbacks all eight seasons of his career). Allen's 21.4 fantasy points per game in 2025 was actually his lowest since 2019, but it was still enough to lead the position.
Lamar Jackson is set up for a rebound season after an injury-plagued 2025. Jackson started the season strong (26-plus fantasy points in each of his first three games) but left Week 4 because of an injury and wasn't the same once he returned in Week 9 (13.5 fantasy points per game in his final nine outings). Jackson's rushing was down, but that was likely a product of him not being healthy, considering his scramble rate (8.4%) remained high. Jackson has a new coach (Jesse Minter) and play caller (Declan Doyle), but his supporting cast is otherwise similar to 2024 in which he paced all quarterbacks in fantasy points.
Drake Maye is entering his third NFL season and second full season as New England's starter. The 2024 No. 3 draft pick is fresh off a breakout 2025 campaign in which he finished in the top five among quarterbacks in pass completions, yards and TDs, as well as rush attempts and yards. Maye led the league in completion percentage (72%) and yards per attempt (8.9), trailing only Josh Allen in fantasy points (351.9), fantasy points per game (20.7) and top-10 fantasy weeks (10). The NFL MVP runner-up will need to overcome a tougher schedule, but the additions of AJ Brown and Romeo Doubs should give a boost to the passing game. The 24-year-old's combination of passing talent and rushing ability have him well positioned for another top-five fantasy season.
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 drop-backs 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.
Jayden Daniels is looking to bounce back after appearing in only seven games due to injury last season. The 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year began his career by tossing 25 touchdowns and rushing for 891 yards and six scores in his first season. He wasn't quite as dominant when healthy last season (16.3 points per game, compared to 20.9 in 2024), but he remained a major factor with his legs (58-278-2 in seven games, three of which were partial appearances). Daniels' supporting cast is underwhelming and he'll be working with a new playcaller David Blough.
Jalen Hurts threw for a career-high 25 touchdowns last season, but his rushing production was way down (105-421-8 after delivering at least 139 carries, 605 yards and 10 TDs in each of the prior four seasons). Hurts' fantasy production dipped, as his 18.7 points per game was his lowest as a starter and ranked eighth at the position after three straight top-five campaigns. Hurts' supporting cast remains strong despite losing AJ Brown, and new playcaller Sean Mannion very well could add some juice back to the offense.
Joe Burrow will try to bounce back after injuries limited him to eight games in 2025. The 29-year-old has missed at least six games in three of his six pro seasons, including two of his past three. Burrow was still a starting-caliber fantasy quarterback when active last season (top-12 scorer in five of his final six games), but his ceiling was limited by a near complete lack of rushing (41 yards on 14 carries). Burrow was a top-five scoring quarterback in each of his past two full seasons, and coach Zac Taylor cut back a bit on his extreme pass-heavy playcalling last season.
Brock Purdy is looking to rebound after injuries caused him to appear in only nine games. Purdy played well in his limited season, scoring 17-plus fantasy points in seven of the nine games, including 26-plus points in three straight games during Weeks 15-17. A highly effective passer and solid contributor as a rusher, Purdy has quietly finished in the top 10 in fantasy points per game in each of the past three seasons. With a good supporting cast led by Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle (once healthy) and free agent addition Mike Evans, Purdy is an underrated back-end QB1 in 2026.
Trevor Lawrence is coming off a breakout 2025 season in which he ranked no lower than seventh among quarterbacks in pass attempts, completions, yards and touchdowns, as well as top 10 in carries, yards and TDs. He reeled off seven consecutive top-10 fantasy outings to finish the season. Lawrence continues to generate big volume, having finished in the top 10 among QBs in pass and rush attempts in each of his four full seasons. With a strong, deep group of pass catchers and Liam Coen back as playcaller, Lawrence is well positioned for QB1 production.
Patrick Mahomes followed up a pair of disappointing fantasy seasons (2023-24) with an elite start to 2025 (24.5 points per game during Weeks 1-8) and a disappointing finish that included 15.0 points per game during his final six games and a torn ACL in Week 15. Mahomes' efficiency has dipped the past three seasons, and while he made up ground as a rusher in 2025 (fifth among QBs in rushing yards and TDs despite three missed games), he might not be able to run as often this season as he recovers fully from the knee injury. Mahomes might be ready to play in Week 1, but even if he does, he hasn't been a consistent fantasy QB1 since 2022. With the addition of Kenneth Walker defenses may not be able to play the cover-2 shell against KC as often which should open up the deep passing game where Mahomes had thrived in his peak seasons. Mahomes has been forced to check-down most of the time over the past three seasons and hasn’t had a healthy receiving corps during that time.
Bo Nix has finished exactly seventh among quarterbacks in fantasy points during each of his first two seasons. Nix's passing efficiency needs to improve (career 6.5 yards per attempt), but his dual-threat ability has kept him in the weekly QB1 mix. Nix has finished both seasons no lower than 11th in pass attempts, completions, passing TDs, carries, rushing yards and rushing TDs. Last season, he provided a solid floor (11 games with 15-plus fantasy points), but his ceiling was low (four top-10 weeks). In 2026, he'll have a new playcaller in Davis Webb and an upgraded group of pass catchers with Jaylen Waddle added to the mix.
Caleb Williams took a big leap forward in 2025. Williams finished last season no lower than 11th among QBs in pass attempts, completions, pass yards, passing TDs, carries, rush yards, rush TDs and fantasy points per game. While Williams' completion percentage was one of the worst in the league (58%), his dual-threat ability and turnover avoidance (seven INTs both seasons) has led to solid fantasy output. The 2024 No. 1 draft pick has a good supporting cast in playcaller Ben Johnson and a trio of young pass catchers in Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III and Colston Loveland.
Dak Prescott is coming off a successful 2025 season in which he led the NFL in completions and ranked no lower than fourth in dropbacks, pass attempts, passing yards and passing TDs. Prescott appeared in all 17 games and has now finished no worse than 11th in fantasy points during all seven seasons in which he has played at least 16 games. Last season, his nine top-10 fantasy weeks were tied for third most at the position. Prescott is no longer much of a threat with his legs, but he should continue to put up big passing numbers with CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens at his disposal.
Jaxson Dart is considered a strong 2026 breakout candidate by most analysts following an impressive rookie campaign in which he delivered eight top-10 fantasy weeks (tied for fifth most) despite playing in only 12 games. Dart was solid as a passer but elite as a rusher, finishing in the top five at the position in rushing attempts, yards, TDs and carries inside the 5-yard line. Dart's aggressive playing style raises concerns about his durability, and is a major reason we have him as a bust candidate. The new coaching staff led by John Harbaugh and a new playcaller in Matt Nagy does not give us optimism that he will develop as a passer. His supporting cast includes a hopefully healthy Malik Nabers and newcomers Isaiah Likely and Darnell Mooney, who seem to be more hype than substance.
Giants OC Matt Nagy said QB Jaxson Dart is “super talented,” but is experiencing “struggles” in training camp. According to Nagy, the Giants’ goals for Dart this offseason consisted of getting into the huddle, calling the play, getting up to the line of scrimmage, seeing the defense and playing fast. The New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard writes that Dart’s summer has not been “devoid of progress” because Dart has apparently mastered the first three items on the checklist — which seems like a fairly low bar to clear. Dart and his pass catchers have also reportedly struggled to connect downfield. Coaches like Nagy, pass game coordinator and QB coach Brian Callahan and senior offensive assistant Greg Roman dot coach John Harbaugh’s somewhat disconcerting staff. Dart is a talented player who may be able to overcome perceived schematic shortcomings. It would be really nice to see him perform well in the preseason, but Harbaugh has not yet revealed whether Dart will suit up this weekend. - Nic Bodiford
Running Back
Bijan Robinson has finished in the top five among running backs in carries, rushing yards, touches, yards and fantasy points in each of the past two seasons. He has ranked no lower than fifth at the position in routes, targets, receptions and receiving yards in his three pro seasons. In 2025, PFF tracked him with 86 forced missed tackles, which was easily the most among backs. The 24-year-old has a new coach in Kevin Stefanski, and former teammate, RB Tyler Allgeier, has moved on to the Cardinals clearing the path to a massive offensive role.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Quinshon Judkins is entering his second NFL season after a turbulent rookie year in which he missed time early because of an off-field issue and late because of a season-ending leg injury in Week 16. When on the field, Judkins handled a 71.4% share of Cleveland's designed rush attempts (16.4 per game). He was held to 3.6 yards per carry while he was dealing with a league-high 7.4 box defenders per attempt. He wasn't involved much as a receiver (2.6 targets per game), and was limited to 12.1 fantasy points per game (26th among RBs). The Cleveland offense has a new coach (Todd Monken) and quarterback questions remain, so Judkins has a clear path to a big carry total.
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.
Bucky Irving enters his third year coming off a disappointing 2025 season in which he missed seven games and struggled with efficiency. After averaging 5.42 yards per carry and producing 1,514 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie, Irving fell to 3.40 YPC (fourth worst among qualified RBs), 865 yards and four touchdowns in 2025. He failed to clear 4.2 YPC in any of his 10 outings. Irving remains positioned as the lead back in Tampa Bay, but the combination of his small frame (5-foot-9, 192 pounds) and the arrival of Kenneth Gainwell suggest he might play a lesser role moving forward.
Wide Receiver
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said Ladd McConkey (undisclosed) is “working through something.” Reporters haven’t spotted McConkey at recent practices, though Harbaugh said he will participate in individual drills today (June 16). This is likely just a minor injury and Harbaugh has said it “isn’t a big concern.”
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.
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.
Tight End
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.
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.
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.
