Every fantasy football season delivers a few players who go from “interesting sleeper” to “why didn’t I draft this guy everywhere?” Identifying those breakouts before the rest of your league catches on is one of the easiest ways to gain an edge on draft day.
We asked our Featured Pros to highlight early breakout candidates for 2026. Some of their answers are trendy names already climbing draft boards. Others might still be flying under the radar… for now.
Here are the players our experts believe could be this year’s “I swear I meant to draft him” stars.
- Fantasy Football Expert Rankings
- NFL Free Agency Fantasy Football Winners & Losers
- Fantasy Football Trade Tools
- NFL Team Needs: 2026 NFL Draft & Free Agency Targets
Early Fantasy Football Breakout Candidates
Kyle Monangai (RB – CHI)
“Kyle Monangai – The Chicago Bears are yet to make any additions to their running back room this offseason, and the draft seems an unlikely place for them to make a big swing either, with this maligned running back class. Monangi had 783 rushing yards in his rookie year, averaging 4.63 yards per carry and a respectable 4.1 explosive run rate. Last year, he saw 169 attempts, 54 fewer than D’Andre Swift. In his second year, he should have every opportunity to gain a bigger slice of the pie.”
– Tom Strachan (NFL Best Ball)
Tyler Allgeier (RB – ARI)
“Tyler Allgeier came into the league with a 1,000-yard season in 2022. Then, Atlanta drafted Bijan Robinson, and for the last three years, Allgeier has been a solid backup to Robinson. There was excitement for him going into free agency after his 8-touchdown season in 2025. Then, he signed with the Arizona Cardinals to play alongside James Connor and Trey Benson. Many owners don’t like this landing spot for him, but he could surprise, as Connor will be 31 years old in season, and Benson has been inconsistent and hurt during his NFL career. Allgeier might take a month or so to take over this role, but by mid-season, it should be his backfield to lead.”
– Adam Dove (The Fantasy Couriers)
Tank Dell (WR – HOU)
“Tank Dell, remember him? He had a gruesome injury at the end of 2024 and wasn’t seen all of 2025. He is expected to be ready for off-season training in Houston. Dell was handpicked by C.J. Stroud to join the Texans and began his career as a top option for Stroud, along with Nico Collins. He returns to a crowded wide receiver room with Nico Collins, Jayden Higgins, and Jaylin Noel, but he should work his way back to the top of the wide receiver corps due to his speed (which looks great in a video online where he is sprinting in sand!), and rapport with Stroud. Look for Dell to be back on the fantasy radar as the season progresses.”
– Adam Dove (The Fantasy Couriers)
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