Tier 4: The GigaPet Tier (Continued)
Vintage studs and hungry pups who need just a little hourly care.
41. Sam LaPorta, TE, DET (TE4, ▲1)
Sam LaPorta finished the season as TE7 in points per game, but it was cut short by a herniated disc in Week 10. The offense will look different in 2026 with the Lions looking for a new offensive coordinator, but LaPorta should stay involved enough to remain a TE1 for fantasy purposes. He’s TE1 overall in points-per-mustache leagues.
UPDATE (4/5): New Offensive Coordinator Drew Petzing comes to Detroit from Arizona, where he helmed an offense that produced one of the greatest fantasy tight end seasons of all time with Trey McBride. We back up with LaPorta, ba-bay!
42. Colston Loveland, TE, CHI (TE5, ▼1)
Although the rookie tight end didn’t have his first double-digit game until Week 9, he finished as a TE1 for the season thanks to seven of 10 games with 10+ down the stretch. Cole Kmet was much more involved early in the season, but Colston Loveland had the typical rookie second-half surge. It helped that various receivers were dealing with injuries, but the cat is out of the bag, and he’s not going back in. (Side note: who puts a cat in a bag? Seriously!) Loveland will be one of the first tight ends off the board next season, and deservedly so. But don’t buy all the risk and reach for him in the early-middle rounds.
UPDATE (4/5): DJ Moore being shipped outta town probably impacts Loveland more than anybody with more targets available. I still fear Loveland gets overdrafted, but he should easily finish as a TE1 in 2026.
43. Quinshon Judkins, RB, CLE (RB19, no change)
Quinshon Judkins had the fourth-lowest yards per carry, ranked 40th in explosive run rate, and had just one game with over 100 rushing yards. But I’m not ready to give up on him just yet. As disheartening as the Browns’ pass game was, teams loaded up against the run when they played Cleveland. Judkins ranked 46th of 49 in yards before contact (min 100 carries) and had the highest stuff rate in the NFL. He faced 7+ men in the box at the highest rate in the NFL (95%) and was one of five backs who faced a stacked box 54% or more of their carries. He was finally starting to get more involved in the passing game before suffering a gruesome dislocated ankle and fractured fibula in December. As awful as that sounds, it was a best-case scenario injury-wise, as he’s expected to be ready for Week 1 of 2026. If Judkins can get a little more room to work with, he can put up solid RB2 numbers.
44. De’Von Achane, RB, MIA (RB20, no change)
De’Von Achane was the only running back in the NFL with a double-digit explosive run rate this season, handling a career-high 238 rushing attempts to reach 1350 rushing yards, his first 1,000-yard season. A second consecutive top-five fantasy finish, yes. But there are some concerns heading into 2026. Mike McDaniel and his running-back-friendly offense are out the door, as is Tua Tagovailoa and the 74% of pass attempts under nine yards. The tendency to dump off passes. So much of Achane’s fantasy value comes from the passing game, where he’s averaged 72 catches, 540 receiving yards, and five receiving touchdowns over the past two seasons. At the time of writing, Miami was still searching for a head coach, and some of the names being interviewed were not conducive to fantasy production. The talent is elite and will remain so, but his role could change drastically if the offensive philosophy shifts to one that doesn’t pass the ball or one that is pass-happy. I’m afraid that Achane will be priced too high for my liking and carries a significant risk of being a bust in 2026.
UPDATE (4/5): Tua’s gone. Waddles gone. Tyreek Hill is gone. Achane is the last weapon standing in Miami, and not one I want to invest a whole lot of draft capital in. If he remains among the top-12 backs off the board, I won’t have a single share.
UPDATE (5/20): I know the drop his harsh, but that offense is going to be so, so bad.
45. David Montgomery, RB, HOU (RB21, ▲2)
We may have seen the last of Sonic and Knuckles in Detroit. Despite not missing a game for the first time in his career, David Montgomery had career lows in carries (158) and rushing yards (716), clearly taking a backseat in what once was a nearly 50/50 split backfield. A new team could be what’s best for his fantasy value.
UPDATE (4/5): Sonic and Knuckles is no more, but Monty’s arrow is pointing straight up. Traded to the Texans, he’ll form a 1-2 punch with Woody Marks that likely sees at minimum 50% of the work for Montgomery, and the goal line touches as well. I don’t want him as my RB1, but I’d be more than happy to have Monty as an RB2.
46. Jadarian Price, RB, SEA (RB22, ▲24)
Jadarian Price may have technically been the backup in South Bend, but he’d have been the bellcow just about anywhere else in the country. Price is a lot like his backfield mate Jeremiyah Love, but as my buddy Brett Ford likes to say, maybe more of a “sugar-free” version. Still pretty good, just not like the real thing. Price has incredible vision and elusiveness, but a limited passing game. His biggest knock is holding onto the ball: he lost three fumbles in 2025, all three inside the opponent’s 10-yard line. The landing spot will determine his ceiling in 2026, but he should be FLEX viable from day one. He’s a late-round pick in redraft and a second-rounder in dynasty.
UPDATE (5/20): Another big-time riser thanks to a near-perfect landing spot, Price landed in Seattle to replace the departed Kenneth Walker. With no timeline for Zach Charbonnet‘s return from a torn ACL, Price’s competitors for touches are currently Emanuel Wilson and George Holani. If Love’s touches are nerfed by the four-headed monster in the desert, Price could be a sneaky candidate for the top fantasy rookie from this class in 2026.
47. TreVeyon Henderson, RB, NE (RB23, ▼2)
If you read any of my work last season, you know how much I love TreVeyon Henderson‘s skill set. His frustrating usage in 2025 was a flame-throwing display every time he took a 50+ rushing touchdown to the house. But I fear that Rhamondre Stevenson isn’t going away anytime soon. Stevenson was actually the more explosive runner of the two and forced more missed tackles. Stevenson was also the better pass catcher, with higher yards per route run and yards after contact. Hendo was plenty good, as evidenced by his 5.6 explosive run rate and #1 yards before contact. That boy is fast. But Stevenson is signed through 2028 and the apple of Mike Vrabel‘s eye. His presence caps Henderson’s top-10 potential.
48. Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, ARI (WR18, ▲2)
Marvin Harrison Jr. is an enigma. He had the fourth-most end zone targets among all players, even with teammate Trey McBride ahead of him, but had just two touchdowns through the first eight weeks. Coming out of the bye, Harrison scored in back-to-back games… then had an emergency appendectomy. Harrison didn’t play all that badly in 2025, but the combination of his unreal hype coming out of college and Michael Wilson playing like Jerry Rice has a lot of people down on MHJ heading into 2026. But with a new offensive system and likely a new quarterback, hope still remains for Harrison to achieve his elite pedigree. He’s a buy-low for me.
UPDATE (4/5): Kyler Murray’s departure from Arizona is the best-case scenario for MHJ’s career, and Jacoby Brissett returning as the starter for 2026 isn’t the death knell that many think. Brissett had an undeniable connection with Michael Wilson and tight end Trey McBride. But I bet you didn’t know Marv only played three full games with Brissett as a starter. Week 7, which admittedly wasn’t great, with two catches on six targets for 58 yards. But he probably shouldn’t have been playing after suffering a concussion just a week prior. After a Week 8 bye, Marv had two straight games where that “generational prospect” potential started to flash. A combined 22 targets, 10 catches, 129 yards, and two touchdowns. Just when things started to click, Marv had to have an emergency appendectomy. He did return and technically played in three more games, but over 60% of snaps just once. Don’t hear what I’m not saying. I don’t think he’ll ever live up to the 1st-edition base-set Charizard, graded PSA 10, mint-level expectations placed upon him coming into the league. But some legitimately think Wilson is the best receiver on this team and value MHJ as a low-end WR2. He’s still just 23 years old.
49. Garrett Wilson, WR, NYJ (WR19, ▼2)
The lone bright spot in yet another dumpster fire of a season for the Jets, Garrett Wilson played in just seven games due to injury. Despite playing in less than half the team’s games, he led the team in receiving yards with 395. It’s pretty simple with Wilson. He’s an elite talent who’d be a perennial WR1 overall candidate if he could get a quarterback with a cannon. But he keeps getting ones with Nerf guns. His 30% target share kept him afloat and likely will remain high no matter who the quarterback is in New York next season. The draft has gotten shallow at the top, so who his thrower of the football will be is still a question, and will be for quite a while.
UPDATE (4/5): Geno Smith as his quarterback doesn’t give Wilson a cannon to work with, but he’s not a Nerf gun either. A BB gun, perhaps? Wilson can still be a borderline WR1 in 2026. Just stay healthy this year, okay?
50. Chris Olave WR, NO (WR20, ▼4)
The Saints’ season was a disappointment overall, but a perfect storm of no running game, no real competition for targets (after Rashid Shaheed’s trade), and a team constantly playing from behind led Olave to his best season. He finished fifth with 151 targets, caught 100 passes for the first time, and reached 1000 yards for the third time in four seasons. Among receivers with 100+ targets, Olave finished 17th in yards per target, 20th in yards per reception, and last in yards after contact. Only Olave and Davante Adams had yards after the catch under three. I foresee Olave having a hard time replicating his top 10 fantasy finish in 2026. He was a steal at his ADP last season, but he risks being over-drafted if he comes off the board among the top 12.
UPDATE (5/20): Even with the Saints drafting Jordyn Tyson in the first round, Olave still slots in as the WR1 in Nola. But you have to knock Olave down a few pegs with the new target competition.
Tier 5: The “Area 51” Tier
There’s definitely something there, but will it stay hidden from the public?
51. Jordyn Tyson, WR, NO (WR21, ▲19)
Jordyn Tyson is the third of the three amigos regularly touted as the top receivers in the 2026 class. Tyson may have been the consensus WR1 had it not been for a less-than-stellar injury history, missing time to injury in all of his seasons. Coached by Hall of Famer Hines Ward, Tyson is unsurprisingly a great blocker. His video game-like twitchiness stems in part from his lateral quickness and phenomenal footwork. Tyson’s been the alpha at Arizona State the past two seasons, and has zero issue coming down with the ball when everyone on and off the field knows the ball is coming to him. He has good ball skills, is not afraid of contact, and excels at contested catches. He’s a bit of an unpolished route runner and has just one season with 1,000 receiving yards, but he can line up all over the field. Tyson’s widely criticized as a one-trick pony versus press coverage, and needs to expand his moveset. High floor, but lower ceiling than you’d like from a player with his likely ADP. Mid-rounder who could bump to early-mid rounds in redraft if he lands in an optimal situation. Mid-first round in dynasty.
UPDATE (5/20): The former Sun Devil jumps to WR1 for this class over Tate. QB Tyler Shough has a strong arm, and Kellen Moore is one of the best offensive minds in the league. Tyson should start from day 1 on a team with a porous defense that plays half its games indoors.
52. Makai Lemon WR, PHI (WR22, ▲4)
Makai Lemon played all over the field at USC, but profiles more as a slot receiver in the pros. He’s a YAC-monster who breaks tackles like the Kool-Aid man busting through some random family’s living room wall. This year’s Biletnikoff Award Winner (Best College Receiver) has good hands and solid on-field speed but lacks explosiveness off the line. Lemon seems to always find the soft spot versus zone, but struggles against press coverage. His limited wingspan and smaller stature (5’11”, 190-ish) keep his catch radius, well, small. Regardless, Lemon is a first-round pick in the NFL Draft and could easily wind up the first receiver off the board. He would have to land in the right system to become an Amon-Ra St. Brown-like PPR stud, but he has the after-the-catch playmaking ability to have a top-15 season. Perfectly suited to be a 1a and form a dynamic duo with someone… say… Malik Nabers? Garrett Wilson? Early mid-round pick in redraft with upside. Early first-rounder in dynasty.
UPDATE (5/20): Man, I really wanted to see Lemon land in LA, but the Rams had…um… other ideas. If A.J. Brown is traded, Lemon likely leaps back into the top spot from a fantasy perspective from this class, but I’m ranking things as they stand at the time of writing. The selections of Lemon and classmate Eli Stowers appear to point towards a shift from Hurts’ tendency not to throw the ball over the middle. If there’s a dip, buy it.
53. Davante Adams WR, LAR (WR23, ▼2)
If you’ve poked around these rankings for more than just a player or two, you’ll see this same stat repeated a few times. But any player who is able to repeat something as unpredictable as touchdowns is worth mentioning, and Davante Adams is one of five who caught eight or more in each of the last two seasons. In fact, Adams has caught 8 or more in six straight seasons. That being said, he’s no longer the alpha he once was, and that’s okay. His 14 touchdown receptions more than made up for it, but he had the second-lowest yards after the catch per reception among receivers with 50+ targets, at 1.93. He basically became a goal-line receiver. Stafford’s back, so Adams slots right in as a solid WR2 who will win you some weeks when he catches a couple tuddys.
54. Jameson Williams WR, DET (WR24, ▼2)
Jameson Williams shed some of his boom-bust label and finished inside the top 12 for the first time in his career. But would he have if Sam Laporta had been healthy all season? The world may never know, but Jamo put on a clinic this season, ranking third in yards per target and yards per reception, and fifth in yards after the catch per reception. Like all the Lions I’ve blurbed so far, his value fluctuates greatly depending on who’s their new offensive coordinator. He’ll always have that boom upside, but how regular a bust he’ll be is still up in the air.
UPDATE: New OC Drew Petzing should attack downfield plenty, keeping Jamo right around the same value as last season.
55. Jayden Daniels, QB, WAS (QB3, ▲1)
Considering he dislocated his non-throwing elbow in an injury that looked much worse than it was, Jayden Daniels’ season could have been much worse. Daniels scored multiple touchdowns and gained 250+ total yards in every game he started and finished. Offensive Coordinator Kliff Kingsbury departed the team, much to the chagrin of Daniels. But Washington hired David Blough (whom Daniels has a close relationship with) to replace him, and it’s expected that Washington will maintain a similar style of offense as Daniels’ first two seasons. Daniels’ stature and propensity to take big hits have some concerned about his long-term viability in the league. But at least for 2026, Daniels has a full offseason to get healthy and stabilize the offensive system despite his new offensive coordinator, David Blough. That name again is Mr. Blough.
UPDATE (4/5): The Jayden Daniels comeback tour just got a little stronger with the additions of wide receiver Antonio Williams and running back Kaytron Allen in the NFL draft. Although they lack a true “superstar” (sorry, Scary Terry), the conglomerate of weapons Daniels will have in 2026 is the best of his three-year career.
56. Joe Burrow, QB, CIN (QB4, ▼1)
It was another lost season for Joe Burrow due to injury, and he was visibly frustrated with the state of the team toward the end of the season. He made a valiant effort to lead Cincy to an unlikely playoff berth and looked every bit the top-tier thrower of the football upon his return. Burrow heads into 2026 with arguably the best duo of receivers, and it wouldn’t be a shock to see the team do whatever Burrow wants this offseason to appease him. He’ll once again be an elite fantasy option at quarterback.
UPDATE (5/20): This may be ticky tack, but I dropped Burrow one spot after the acquisition of Dexter Lawrence. Why? Better defense = less of a need to play yolo ball and chuck it up to Chase and Higgins.
57. Terry McLaurin, WR, WAS (WR25, ▼2)
It wasn’t just Jayden Daniels who struggled to stay on the field for Washington. Terry McLaurin had injury issues of his own. But when he was on the field, he was the same ole Scary Terry, ranking sixth in yards per reception and 13th in yards per route run, despite playing more snaps with Marcus Mariota than with Jayden Daniels. His 10-touchdown season is likely a one-year wonder, but McLaurin is a perfect WR2 target who could come at a discount after a disappointing 2025.
58. Carnell Tate, WR, TEN (WR26, ▲1)
Despite some controversy surrounding his official 40 time at the combine, Carnell Tate is not the undisputed top receiver in this class, yet most consider him to be. Whether he ran a 4.4 or 4.5 doesn’t really matter; speed isn’t his game. A high football IQ and unreal body control make up for Tate’s lack of explosiveness, melding with his wingspan and catch radius to create a high-point specialist who can come down with just about anything thrown at him. There’s some concern with his weight and dealing with the physicality of defensive backs in the pros, but he’s already a thicker, taller DeVonta Smith. Tate can bulk up and be just fine. His play style helps his ability to be productive if he winds up in a less-than-favorable situation with an inaccurate QB (Cleveland, anyone?). At worst, a WR2. His ADP is entirely dependent on the landing spot, but he’ll still be one of the first three rookie receivers taken in redraft and an early first-round pick in dynasty.
UPDATE (5/20): Great landing spot in terms of opportunity, and Tate could be the WR1 as early as Week 1. His fantasy success hinges on whether Brian Daboll is enough to elevate Cam Ward’s game.
59. Luther Burden III WR, CHI (WR27, ▼3)
The Bears have an embarrassment of riches at receiver, and that has allowed them to ease Luther Burden into the offense. From a ranking standpoint, Burden doesn’t stand out (he finished as WR48 in PPR), but when Rome Odunze missed, Burden took full advantage of the extra playing time. In games without Odunze, Burden averaged an extra three targets, three catches, 51 yards, and nine points per game. Additionally, Burden finished third in yards per route run, only behind Puka Nacua and JSN. Rome isn’t going anywhere, but as DJ Moore transitions into more of a complementary receiver in the twilight of his prime, Burden should continue to see his role grow and has the potential to be a fantasy force as early as the upcoming season.
UPDATE (4/5): DJ Moore being traded to Buffalo skyrockets Burden’s floor, but likely also his ADP. Don’t buy all the risk and take him inside the top 20 or so receivers.
60. DJ Moore WR, BUF (WR28, ▼3)
DJ Moore had the worst season since his rookie year and is not so gracefully slipping into a more complementary role than the borderline alpha he came to Chicago to be. Moore has a pretty hefty price tag and is a realistic cut or trade candidate, especially with the emergence of Rome Odunze, Luther Burden, and Colston Loveland. Depending on where he lands next season, Moore is likely a boom/bust WR3 with limited upside.
UPDATE (4/5): Moore was traded to Buffalo and immediately becomes the top option for Josh Allen and a rock-solid WR2. He fills the ginormous X-receiver-sized role in Buffalo and reunites with Joe Brady, with whom Moore had some of his most productive seasons in Carolina.
UPDATE (5/20): After the reshuffle of post-draft ranks, Moore sits just outside the WR2 range. I’d be fine with him as my WR2 as long as I had a top-5ish WR1.