I know what you’re probably thinking: the season just ended — it’s way too early to be thinking about 2026 right now. Wrong. While your league mates might tune out and avoid looking up fantasy football content until August, you’re already looking ahead. Kudos to you. That’s how you get an edge over your competition.
Below, I’ve listed five young receivers who I believe are poised to break out in 2026. Some showcased elite talent but didn’t get many looks as rookies. Others may have been hampered by injuries or buried on the depth chart. Whatever the case, I think their outlook for next season is on the come-up, and they should be on your radar.
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Fantasy Football Breakout Wide Receivers
Luther Burden III (WR – CHI)
I have a feeling Luther Burden III will be at the top of a lot of these lists in the offseason. After taking a backseat to Olamide Zaccheaus during the first half of 2025, Burden came into his own and started to blossom down the stretch of his rookie campaign. From Week 12 on, he was the WR23 on average, putting up 12.9 PPR points per game. That stretch included his breakout performance in Week 17, where he lit up the 49ers for 138 receiving yards and one touchdown on eight catches, earning overall WR1 honors that week.
The advanced metrics point to a star in the making. Burden finished top 10 in several efficiency categories: target separation (2.63), yards per route run (2.79), fantasy points per route run (0.55), and yards per target (10.9). There’s a chance DJ Moore is no longer with the Bears next season, which could leave the passing attack revolving around Burden, Rome Odunze and Colston Loveland. The arrow is pointing up for Burden, and he’ll likely be a highly sought-after player going into next season.
Jayden Higgins (WR – HOU)
It wasn’t the rookie season fantasy managers expected when Jayden Higgins was selected 34th overall by the Texans, but it was a solid first year nonetheless. He only played 58-percent of the snaps, yet still finished fourth among rookie wideouts with 525 yards on 41 receptions. Higgins was WR26 in fantasy points per target (1.90), showing he was productive when the ball came his way — he just needs more opportunities.
If Higgins can settle into a more consistent role in Year 2, he could be a solid value pick in 2026. At 6-4, he’s a big target for QB C.J. Stroud and already looks like a legit red zone weapon, evidenced by six receiving scores. With some better offensive line play and a bump in usage, Higgins might settle into being a productive WR3 for fantasy managers.
Ricky Pearsall (WR – SF)
Maybe 2026 is finally the year for Ricky Pearsall. We’ve seen flashes from the former first-round pick, but injuries have kept him from gaining any real momentum. He’s played in only 20-of-34 games as a pro so far. This past season, with Brandon Aiyuk sidelined, Pearsall was expected to take the reins as San Francisco’s WR1. Instead, he struggled with knee and ankle injuries all season and finished with 528 scoreless receiving yards.
The talent is there. In 2025, Pearsall averaged 1.97 yards per route run (WR23) and 0.105 first downs per route run (WR18). But as the old saying goes, “the best ability is availability,” and that’s been the missing piece so far. If Pearsall can finally get healthy, the opportunity could be there once more. With Aiyuk almost assuredly gone — and perhaps Jauan Jennings as well — Pearsall has a chance to step into the lead wideout role in 2026.
Chimere Dike (WR – TEN)
What an interesting rookie season for the fourth-round pick out of Florida. After a slow start, Chimere Dike took over the slot role for the Titans and provided some usable production mid-season…if you started him. Between Weeks 7 and 12, he logged one WR1 and three WR2 finishes, ultimately ending his first year with 423 receiving yards and four TDs on 48 catches.
Where Dike really shined, however, was in the return game. He led the league in all-purpose yards and was named to the Pro Bowl as the AFC’s return specialist, after finishing with 1,986 combined kickoff and punt return yards and two TDs. If Tennessee’s new coaching staff finds ways to feature Dike more on offense, he could make a nice leap in Year 2 — especially in leagues that reward return yardage.
Tre Harris (WR – LAC)
There was a lot of hype around Tre Harris when he got the Chargers landing spot. He received second-round draft capital and was set to catch passes from QB Justin Herbert. Well, Los Angeles threw cold water on that excitement by reuniting with Keenan Allen right before the season started. Stuck in a crowded WR room, Harris finished his rookie season with 30 catches for 324 yards and one score.
Heading into 2026, Harris could see an uptick in playing time if Allen isn’t re-signed. If he can earn the trust of Herbert, Harris may see some more targets in Year 2. He’s unlikely to be the no. 1 target in an offense that also features Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, Oronde Gadsden and Omarion Hampton, but Harris could carve out a decent role and possibly give fantasy managers flex-worthy numbers.
Wolf Trelles-Heard is a fantasy football contributor for FantasyPros. Find him on X at @DynastyFFWolf.
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