Tier 5: The GigaPet Tier (Continued)
Vintage studs and hungry pups who need just a little hourly care.
41. Garrett Wilson, WR, NYJ (WR18, ▲9)
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. 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?
UPDATE (9/4/26): Geno Smith has looked solid. That’s all Wilson needs to return to borderline WR1 status.
42. Luther Burden III, WR, CHI (WR19, ▲20)
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 Burden should continue to see his role grow and has the potential to be a fantasy force as early as the upcoming season. 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.
UPDATE (9/4/26): As the offseason has progressed, I’ve gotten even more excited about the Bears offense.
43. Chris Olave, WR, NO (WR20, ▲10)
I foresee Chris 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. 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 yet. He finished fifth with 151 targets, caught 100 passes for the first time, and reached 1000 yards for the third time in four seasons. However, 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. 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.
UPDATE (9/4/26): The Jordyn Tyson injury is enough for me to move Olave up a handful of spots.
44. Tee Higgins, WR, CIN (WR21)
Tee Higgins is among the five receivers to have eight or more touchdowns in each of the past two years. Higgins reaching that mark may be the most impressive of the bunch, considering he missed multiple games due to concussions and was without his starting quarterback for most of the season. Joe Flacco was a step up from Jake Browning, but he’s still no Joe Burrow. Higgins will occupy his typical high-end WR2/low-end WR1 status again in 2026.
45. Rashee Rice, WR, KC (WR22, ▼32)
Rashee Rice is facing domestic violence allegations about a year after criminal charges stemming from a high-speed car accident in Dallas. When Rice is on the field with a healthy Patrick Mahomes, he’s an elite fantasy option, as made evident by his league-leading 7.98 yards after the catch. But his 2026 status is impossible to predict given his off-the-field issues and the unclear timeline for Mahomes’ return from a torn ACL.
Things were looking up in April when the league announced they would not pursue any discipline related to offseason allegations. Then Rice violated his probation in May, placing him in jail for 30 days. Rice used the timeline to undergo a cleanup surgery on his knee, which was expected to sideline him for two months. There’s no telling what Rice’s legal and health situations will look like come August.
If he’s all systems go with no off-field issues, he can easily maintain this ranking. For now, he’s an incredibly risky pick in your Best Ball drafts, and I’d rather spend an early-round pick on a more stable asset. When he and Mahomes are on the field, Rice is easily in contention for WR1 overall. But it’s a volatile situation that could change drastically by the time draft season rolls around.
UPDATE (9/4/26): Rice hasn’t looked good in camp, having issues separating, and the emergence of Cinderella story Cyrus Allen has put a few more chinks in Rice’s WR1 armor.
46. Colston Loveland, TE, CHI (TE4)
Although Colston Loveland didn’t have his first double-digit game until Week 9, he finished as a TE1 thanks to seven double-digit games over the final 10. Cole Kmet was much more involved early, but Loveland had the typical rookie second-half surge. With DJ Moore shipped out of town, more targets are available, and Loveland should easily finish as a TE1 in 2026, though I still fear he gets overdrafted.
47. Tyler Warren, TE, IND (TE5, ▼6)
Will the real Tyler Warren please stand up? The stud rookie averaged 13.6 points per game over the first 10 weeks before dropping to 7.5 from Week 11 on. His struggles began before Daniel Jones’ season-ending injury, but Jones is back in Indy and Michael Pittman isn’t. Arrow up for Tyler Warren.
UPDATE (9/4/26): A small knock with Keenan Allen coming to town.
48. David Montgomery, RB, HOU (RB19)
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. The usage led to Monty’s exit from Detroit, and it’s sad that “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.
49. D’Andre Swift, RB, CHI (RB20)
In the words of Nick Pollack, “Swift Doesn’t Miss.” D’Andre Swift has never finished outside the top 24 running backs in points per game and finished as RB17 in 2025 despite sharing a backfield with a capable runner in Caleb Williams and a promising rookie in Kyle Monangai. Swift ranked in the top 10 in yards per carry and yards per reception and in the top five in yards after the catch per reception. His skill set makes him useful in fantasy even with a partial workload, and Swift likely heads into 2026 underrated once again. Be like Swift. Don’t miss on D’Andre.
50. Jadarian Price, RB, SEA (RB21)
Another big-time riser thanks to a near-perfect landing spot, Jadarian Price finds himself in Seattle to replace the departed Kenneth Walker. With no timeline available for the return of Zach Charbonnet from a torn ACL, Price’s competitors for touches are currently Emanuel Wilson and George Holani. Price is a lot like his former 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. 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. He should be FLEX viable from day one.
Tier 6: The “Area 51” Tier
There’s definitely something there, but will it stay hidden from the public?
51. Kenneth Gainwell, RB, TB (RB22, ▲15)
When one door closes, another opens, something something darkside…. Kenneth Gainwell caught 73 passes on his way to 1,000 combined yards and an RB2 season on his way to free agency and eventually, Tampa Bay. I hate it for my boy Bucky Irving, but I LOVE it for Kenny. Gainwell should be in a favorable position for fantasy purposes thanks to his pass-catching chops. The coaching staff has been waxing poetic about Gainwell’s skill set and how it’s identical to Irving’s. Expect a full-blown committee, and if Irving fails to stay on the field, Kenny G could be one of the best draft values in 2026. That sweet, sweet sax-a-ma-phone music is a potential RB2 that can be drafted at FLEX pricing.
UPDATE (9/4/26): Irving hasn’t shown anything to convince me he’ll be able to hold off Kenny G from stealing more and more touches.
52. Davante Adams, WR, LAR (WR23)
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 can 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.
53. Christian Watson, WR, GB (WR24, ▲10)
Christian Watson was easily the Packers’ most consistent pass catcher in 2025 and one of the best in the league. He ranked fifth with 2.67 yards per route run, third with 17.46 yards per reception, and fourth with 11.11 yards per target. Granted, Watson did so with Jayden Reed hurt for much of the season. But Watson’s numbers didn’t change all that much when they were both on the field. Watson saw virtually the same number of targets, caught the same number of passes, and averaged just four fewer yards with Reed, as well as a negligible 1.3 fantasy points less per game. Watson may head into 2026 underrated, with many expecting his breakout solely due to Reed’s absence. If that’s the case, buy that delicious dip.
UPDATE (9/4/26): With Josh Jacobs on the commissioner’s exempt list indefinitely, chances are the Packers will have ot throw the ball even more.
54. Jaylen Waddle, WR, DEN (WR25, ▲20)
The jury’s still out on what kind of upside we’ll see from Jaylen Waddle in 2026. But he was able to overcome the Dolphins’ issues this season to rank in the top 12 in both targets per route run and yards per route run. He’s at worst a WR2 with WR1 talent if things click in Denver. We wanted him out of Miami, but a crowded Broncos receiver room isn’t ideal for his upside. Waddle is a WR1 talent who very well could finish the season in the WR2 range. But based on the offense and target competition, his floor is much lower than it was in Miami. I didn’t think that was possible.
55. Joe Burrow, QB, CIN (QB3)
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. The front office heard him loud and clear,
I initially thought the improved defense could ever-so-slightly ding Burrow’s ceiling. But as awful as there were, even with improvement, I’ve settled on the idea that if the blowouts from 2025 turn into close games in 2026, it likely winds up a wash. Burrow has thrown at least 34 touchdowns in each season that he’s played 16 or more games. Joe Brr is one of the only non-mobile quarterbacks with a shot at QB1 overall thanks to elite weapons and touchdown upside.
56. Caleb Williams, QB, CHI (QB4, ▲24)
Caleb Williams had his struggles, but man, when he was on, he was unstoppable. He rarely turns the ball over, but his sub-60 completion percentage is among the worst in the NFL. You could see how he progressed throughout the season, showing that Ben Johnson is working his magic on him. The Bears’ offensive line remains one of the best in the league despite losing Drew Dalman to retirement, and they hope to have found his replacement in either veteran Garrett Bradbury or center Logan Jones, whom they drafted in the second round. Even through the struggles, Williams finished as QB7 in points per game. He should be among the first quarterbacks off the board in 2026 and possesses QB1 overall upside.
UPDATE (9/4/26): Pretty much same as Burden, I’m more and more excited for Chicagos offense with each passing day.
Sidenote: I think it’s awesome when athletes in the same city but play different sports support each other. Kudos to Caleb for showing PCA love.
are they really your friends if they don't ride for you like this? pic.twitter.com/wEHBxNIEho
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) September 4, 2026
57. Terry McLaurin, WR, WAS (WR26)
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. Jameson Williams, WR, DET (WR27)
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. He’ll always have that boom upside, but how regular a bust he’ll be is still up in the air. New OC Drew Petzing should attack downfield plenty, keeping Jamo right around the same value as last season.
59. MarShawn Lloyd, RB, GB (RB23, ▲160)
One game in two seasons isn’t great news, but it’s enough to make people forget the hype MarShawn Lloyd had coming out of USC. If he can stay healthy, there are multiple routes for him to get meaningful touches in Green Bay this season.
UPDATE (9/4/26): Finally looks healthy and has the first opportunity to lead the Packers’ running game while Josh Jacobs is out. Don’t reach, but I like him as a back-end RB2 with room for more.
60. Quinshon Judkins, RB, CLE (RB24)
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.