Dynasty Rookie Draft Sleepers: Wide Receivers (2026 Fantasy Football)

Identifying fantasy football sleepers and under-the-radar players is one of the most fun parts of our fake game, but the process has changed over the last few years with so much information now at our disposal.

• 2026 NFL Draft Guide
• 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Reports
• Best Fantasy Football Tools
• Dynasty Rookie Mock Drafts

With a fresh new crop of rookies comes the opportunity to find draft-day bargains. When it comes to dynasty drafts and rookie sleepers for redraft/early best ball leagues, we have to dig pretty deep.

2026 NFL Draft Prospects: Dynasty Fantasy Football Rookie WR Sleepers

After researching and putting the final touches on my 2026 rookie dynasty rankings, I’ve identified a handful of wide receivers who could generate fantasy value in their first seasons like Chimere Dike, Isaac TeSlaa, Tory Horton, Jalen Coker, Jalen McMillan (my one hit in 2023), Jordan Whittington, Puka Nacua, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Darnell Mooney, Khalil Shakir and Rashid Shaheed did as rookies.

Remember that those Day 3 wide receivers seldom do what Nacua or St. Brown did in their rookie seasons, as I addressed in my pre-draft approach on how to value rookies in 2025 fantasy football (2026 version still in the works).

Finding the Next Wide Receiver Sleeper

What does a Day 3 rookie wide receiver look like who popped up in recent years? What, if anything, stood out?

Darnell Mooney not only posted a 33% career dominator rating at Tulane, but he also broke out during his freshman season at age 19. Gabriel Davis‘ 24% career dominator rating was less impressive, but he also posted an early breakout at the same age.

Mooney and Davis also showed that we want to chase big-play upside with late-round picks. We can find that upside in players who create chunk gains. For example, Mooney averaged over 20 yards per reception in a collegiate season. Davis finished fifth in deep-ball receptions in his final year at UCF.

I think intuitively chasing the “big-play” archetype makes a ton of sense, as these players gain value despite fewer opportunities (the biggest challenge that many late-round rookie receivers face).

And although St. Brown didn’t fit the big-play threat archetype coming out of USC, he still had a top-tier breakout age at 19 to go along with overall middling production and athletics. He fell because of testing.

However, players who flashed and accrued dynasty value as their rookie seasons progressed, like Joshua Palmer and Ihmir Smith-Marsette, entered the NFL with vertical-threat prowess on their resumes.

Khalil Shakir and Romeo Doubs both broke out at age 19. Shakir was highlighted as one of my favorite Day 3 rookie receiver sleepers in 2022 after he posted an extremely high dominator rating (46%) in his final year at Boise State.

Doubs wasn’t quite as productive at Nevada, but he still posted a top-10 dominator rating in the 2022 wide receiver class. He also thrived as a downfield threat, with 55 targets of 20+ air yards in his last two college seasons.

Shakir and Doubs have seen their values increase compared to starting as Day 3 rookies. Especially Shakir, who has emerged as one of Josh Allen‘s favorite targets.

Rashid Shaheed was an undrafted free agent in 2022. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints and didn’t make the active roster until October. But the team knew they had something in him based on his electric kick-returning profile from college. He broke out at 20 years old and averaged nearly 18 yards per catch in his final year at Weber State.

Shaheed was also targeted on throws of 20+ air yards on 33% of his targets. His ascendance has continued over the last three seasons, with him emerging as the Saints’ No. 2 WR before signing a long-term deal with the Seahawks (after the Seahawks traded for him). During his Saints career, Shaheed was at times outproducing Chris Olave.

As for the 2023 rookie class, should we have seen the Nacua breakout coming? I know I was extremely high on Jayden Reed, given his early breakout age, special teams ability and sheer production at 18 years old. Although the NFL wasn’t sleeping on Reed, given that he was drafted in the second round.

Nacua also had an early breakout age (19) and produced immediately in his first season at BYU. He commanded a bonkers target share (38%) and was heavily used downfield. Nobody could have projected Nacua for a record-breaking rookie campaign, but there were clear signs of sleeper appeal with his prospect profile.

Rashee Rice also had a 19-year-old breakout season. Tank Dell didn’t have an early breakout age, but he had one of the highest career dominator ratings in the 2023 receiver class.

And even though Marvin Mims Jr. didn’t quite fire as some had hoped in Year 1 — although he did make the Pro Bowl — his value stayed at least stagnant into Year 2 and even increased heading into Year 3 after a strong second-half for Denver (Year 4 breakout?). Mims entered the NFL super-young with a strong special teams background. But his career college dominator rating was a bit lackluster.

A.T. Perry had some glimpses/flashes in the 2023 season and was somebody I highlighted. He ranked highly in touchdowns of 20+ air yards. The same can be said for Dontayvion Wicks, who continues to have spells of production in the Packers’ offense.

Again, I highlighted Wicks before his rookie season as an honorable mention because of his big-play ability and vertical game. Wicks didn’t take the massive leap most hoped for in Year 2 or Year 3, but he still has some dynasty value.

Trey Palmer didn’t produce in Year 1 but made his way onto the field despite being a sixth-round pick. Again, another prospect who commanded an extremely high target share to go along with a serious threat and special-teams skill set.

DeMario Douglas was someone I was very late on as a rookie, given I was much higher on Kayshon Boutte. That was an error on my part. Well, at least it looked that way initially, but Boutte finally broke out in his third season with Drake Maye.

Douglas broke out at 20 years old and posted a top-five target share in the 2023 class at 32%. Like many sleepers that “hit” in the later rounds, Douglas also offered value as a special teams returner and posted a strong dominator rating (60th percentile).

The rookie wide receiver busts from 2023 that were drafted later — Cedric Tillman, Jonathan Mingo, Jalin Hyatt — all had breakouts at age 21 or older. There were way more hits at 20 or younger (especially at 19). There were more underwhelming rookie wide receivers ranked near the bottom in college career dominator ratings than at the top.

As for best season versus final season dominator ratings — when the final season was much worse than the best — it was a negative outcome in Year 1. The rookies had much better results when the final season/best season were the same.

As for the 2024 class, we had a lot more wide receiver sleeper busts compared to breakouts. A lot of the highly drafted players delivered.

The mega busts — Ja’Lynn Polk, Adonai Mitchell, Malachi Corley, Jermaine Burton, Roman Wilson, etc — had a lot in common with other busts.

Breakout ages of 20 years or older. Ideally, we want to see these rookie breakouts before age 20 at the college level. That matters more than their actual age entering the NFL. Especially with players staying in school longer due to NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals. And production matters (with the right context applied). Most of the busts were not on the higher end of the production spectrum.

If a prospect is missing both high-end production and an early breakout age, it’s a red flag. But if they possess both, it’s a reason to target them in rookie dynasty drafts.

I’d also add that with players staying longer in school, we get the chance to see how they do when faced with a higher level of competition.

What was the common theme between the three hits of Jalen Coker, Jalen McMillan (my one hit in 2024) and Jordan Whittington?

Coker was beloved by the film grinders (bravo, DBro) and checked off the analytical boxes with a dominant college profile and sub-19-year-old breakout age. The knock was his competition at Holy Cross, but that was more than factored into his free average draft position (ADP), and likely why he was undrafted in 2024.

I noted last season that rookies had much better results when the final season/best season were identical.

But interestingly enough, this wasn’t true for Whittington or McMillan, both of whom had better 2022 seasons than 2023 seasons.

But, hello, context. McMillan was battling top-tier NFL wide receiver competition in the Washington Huskies’ offense and got hurt in 2023.

Whittington was a bit harder to be bullish on, given his anemic production profile and non-existent breakout age. He did play at Texas for five seasons, so he was competing with top-tier talent (similarly to McMillan).

However, even after he flashed as a rookie, Whittington did not do much to raise his stock in Year 2 (major regression).

So what happened in 2025? As I alluded to at the top — not too many sleeper receivers hit.

• Kyle Williams was a nothing burger, although I’d say the Patriots’ other veteran receivers performed well above expectations.
• Tory Horton did flash (scored five touchdowns on 13 catches) but got hurt. With Rashid Shaheed back, there’s a major uphill battle for him to be relevant in Year 2. I think if you had him, he felt like a hit during his rookie campaign. Horton checked off all the boxes of a strong rookie wide receiver sleeper — deep threat, strong dominator rating, efficient in yards per route run (YPRR), No. 1 in target rate above expectation, special teams prowess,
• Players who have posted a 15% or higher target rate over expectation the last four seasons: Jordyn Tyson, Tory Horton, Rashee Rice and Puka Nacua.
• Isaac TeSlaa got strong draft capital from the Lions (they traded up to get him) after he showcased strong age-adjusted production in the college ranks with strong athletic testing to boot. What stood out the most about TeSlaa was his high passer rating when targeted (perfect on targets of 20+ air yards). He also generated one of the highest single-season dominator ratings in last year’s class. TeSlaa and Horton were first and second in that category last season (above 57%, even if it was not their final seasons). That translated to the NFL with TeSlaa converting six of his 16 catches into touchdowns as a rookie. Has the potential to see an expanded role in Year 2 with Kalif Raymond no longer serving as the No. 3 WR.
• Jack Bech was another nothing burger, but the Raiders’ offense was generally a disaster. He did have a late breakout age.
• Elic Ayomanor saw immediate playing time, but couldn’t capitalize in a bad offense environment. Also had questionable “alpha” traits.
• Jalen Royals. What actually happened to him? The Chiefs’ fourth-round pick suffered a mid-August injury (patellar tendonitis). He has now been plagued by injuries for the last two football seasons. Obviously, you can’t perform when you are hurt.
• KeAndre Lambert-Smith flashed big time in the preseason but fizzled out in the regular season. He was a big-play specialist at Penn State.
• Jayden Higgins/Jaylin Noel: The Texans kept the training wheels on their rookie receivers for far too long in 2025. Both had their stans during the draft season.
• Jaylin Noel was expected to be more of a 2026 play in favor of some of the Texans’ veterans, such as Christian Kirk. Treat his rookie season as a mulligan. He was Pro Football Focus’ (PFF) seventh-highest graded returner on 72 combined kick/punt returns in 2025.
• Jayden Higgins actually started to turn things around down the stretch. From Week 10 onward — when he started to play more — he was the WR40 in points per game (7.6). Also flashed touchdown upside in three games that Nico Collins fully missed with the following stat lines: 2-23-1, 4-43-1 and 6-59-0.
• Jaylin Lane didn’t have the strongest rookie profile, even though he did pop off some big plays when given opportunities. Alas, he couldn’t carve out any meaningful role despite injuries to Terry McLaurin, Luke McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel.
• Efton Chism never lived up to his preseason hype, but he did make the Patriots roster after boasting an extremely strong production profile at the FCS level despite going undrafted.
• Somebody I overlooked in last year’s rookie class was Chimere Dike. I liked Elic Ayomanor more (strong career dominator rating), and he was underwhelming as a rookie despite a very strong opportunity in Year 1 with the Titans. Dike popped off big, especially with his special teams contributions. It was probably also the reason why Dike was drafted ahead of Ayomanor in the 2025 NFL Draft.
• Pat Bryant was another rookie I was way low on. However, he had a strong dominator rating in his final season, and owned a modest breakout age at 20 years old. Obviously, the draft capital was his driving force.

Unearthing incoming rookies with high-end college production, a solid breakout age, kick/punt return ability and/or a vertical element to their game is a great way to scoop up sleeper value late in rookie dynasty drafts. As the NFL continues to embrace its new kick-off rules, NFL teams will value players with special teams skills even more in upcoming drafts.

But be sure to keep in mind the context of the other wideouts they play with. If you are playing on a college offense with another NFL-caliber receiver, your numbers will likely take a hit. But it doesn’t mean talent isn’t there. I think that’s where some of the best fantasy values can be found.

Now that we’ve outlined the parameters of the ideal “sleepers” at wide receiver, let’s look at the 2026 class to see who best fits the archetype. Breakout ages provided by PlayerProfiler. Note that prospect ages can vary by source (tricky information to dig up), but I used PlayerProfiler and Anthony Amico’s 2026 rookie database (ETR) as my reference points for age (and then calculating breakout age).

Breakout Ages (2026 Draft Class)

*Italics denote players who declared early.

**DR = Dominator Rating

Antonio Williams (WR – Clemson)

Antonio Williams operated as Clemson’s slot receiver in 2025 (93% slot rate and 20% target share), but he hardly lived up to the expectations he set in 2024 (along with most of the 2025 Clemson team). The 5-foot-11-inch and 187-pound wide receiver spent all four years playing for the Tigers, but broke out as a true freshman in 2022 at 19 years old. He led Clemson in catches, yards and targets from the slot.

In 2023, Williams looked like he was en route to a full-fledged breakout, but he suffered multiple lower-body injuries. As alluded to, 2024 was Williams’ best season from a counting perspective (despite eight drops).

Williams was used more downfield, earning a career-high average depth of target (aDOT) with 22 deep targets (13th in PFF receiving grade on 20+ air yard targets). He ranked 10th in deep receptions (10).

And although 2025 was an overall disappointment, Williams was still highly efficient going back into the slot (career-high 2.27 yards per route run).

Williams was very good versus man coverage (fourth-best in the class versus man coverage; 52% positive win rate, per Sports Info Solutions). He’s a good athlete and offers a ton of versatility. Totaled 25 carries for 187 yards and two rushing touchdowns during his college career. Also threw two touchdowns and combined for 164 kick/punt return snaps (40+ career punt returns).

Injuries aside, Williams checks off a lot of boxes of a rookie wide receiver sleeper with a high-volume slot role projection at the next level. From Weeks 4-14, Williams averaged over six receptions per game. After watching him, I compared him to Christian Kirk and Darnell Mooney. One of Williams’ closest comps, per MockDraftable, is Mooney.

Williams is projected as an early third-round pick.

Barion Brown (WR – LSU)

I’m not hopeful Barion Brown gets super strong draft capital (not getting much draft buzz), but his early breakout/profile does deserve some recognition.

First, Brown has legitimate track speed. And it translates to the football field.

At the Senior Bowl, he had the highest recorded speed. He is also an elite returner, leading college football, averaging 36 yards per kick return. On 65 career special teams returns, he scored six touchdowns. Also added 32 career carries for 228 yards and two touchdowns.

The issue with Brown’s career arc is that he never lived up to his early-career production. He had the most yards in his first season and finished 18th in the nation in yards after the catch per reception (YAC/REC) in 2022.

But I can’t completely ignore this kind of early production as a true freshman leading the Kentucky Wildcats in all receiving production. Did so again in his sophomore year but transferred after his junior season (the worst of his career). His routes and usage were way down. That usage may have led to his transfer at LSU, which also wasn’t that great.

That offense was kind of a mess last season (quarterback injuries, etc.) And yet, Brown still led the team in targets, catches and yards. He has done that in three of his four seasons at the SEC level. Posted a targets above expectation in 2025 of +9.5% (sixth in the class). He did have issues with drops, though, with seven.

Obviously, the tangible concerns are his size at 177 pounds. Keep tabs on where he lands in the NFL Draft. He’s an elite return man. That could boost his draft capital. And he just turned 22 years old.

College coaches definitely have valued his speed. But the wide receiver part needs work and development. NFL Draft insider Tony Pauline likes his route running and believes he will be a Day 3 steal for an NFL team, via the EssentiallySports DraftCast podcast.

A lot of his former coaches have ties in the NFL (Raiders, Buccaneers and Dolphins).

As a final note, Brown is on record as modeling his game after DeVonta Smith (another undersized receiver).

De’Zhaun Stribling (WR – Ole Miss)

De’Zhaun Stribling got more eyeballs on him after posting a strong performance at the NFL Scouting Combine, running a 4.36 40-yard dash at 6-foot-2 and 207 pounds.

NFL Draft Insider Tony Pauline suggested that Stribling would be a Day 2 selection after Ole Miss’s Pro Day. Via Pauline:

“Stribling told me that even though his receiving yardage was down a bit this season (811 yards in 2025 compared to 882 in 2024), he had fewer targets with more weapons around him. He also felt he played at a higher level this season in the SEC.”

Stribling initially showed up for me based on his early age-adjusted production, breaking out at 19 years as a redshirt freshman at Washington State University (played there from 2021-2022 with solid dominator ratings).

But he got hurt in 2023 (after leading the Oklahoma State Cowboys in receiving) and has been brutally inefficient throughout his college career across five seasons (1.68 career yards per route run). Although a lot of that stems from his early years at Washington State.

And his yards per route run have improved dramatically over the last two seasons (north of 2.00), thanks to playing in spread offenses versus air raid/run-and-shoot offenses.

Stribling has been able to win downfield while also showcasing yards after the catch (YAC) juice. In 2025, Stribling finished seventh in deep route rate while also finishing in the top 10 in YAC/REC among this year’s receiver class. He also ranked third in expected points added (EPA)/target in the class and positive win rate against zone coverage.

In 2024, Stribling was used more downfield (24 deep targets), but he converted just five of those targets into receptions. It’s pretty impressive that he still managed to average 73.5 receiving yards per game, with so much room for more.

Still, it’s hard to ignore that he was also not the true alpha No. 1 WR from this class who played for Ole Miss last year. That would be Harrison Wallace, who is also part of this draft class.

The NFL might be higher on Stribling, given how well he finished his collegiate career (84 receiving yards per game over the last five games) in some primetime spots.

One of his closest comparables per MockDraftable is Jalen McMillan, along with Romeo Doubs, Cedric Tillman and Jalen Tolbert.

C.J. Daniels (WR – Miami)

C.J. Daniels burst onto the scene at 19 years old at Liberty in 2021. He competed for targets with future NFL pro DeMario Douglas.

The 2023 season was a monster campaign for Daniels after he missed most of 2022. He logged 14 deep catches and a 34% dominator rating (and nearly four yards per route run). Daniels averaged 76.2 receiving yards per game that season.

However, his overall production tailed off after he transferred to bigger programs (LSU/Miami) after he had already logged four years at a smaller school. At LSU, he was outproduced by Kyren Lacy and Aaron Anderson.

But Daniels has operated as a serious deep threat. He posted a nearly perfect PFF rating on 20+ air yard throws in 2025.

Has good size at 6-foot-2 and 202 pounds. But the fall-off in production amid higher competition creates a scary projection for Daniels at the NFL level as a 24-year-old rookie receiver.

Single Season Dominator Rating (2026 Draft Class)

*Italics denote players who declared early.

**DR = Dominator Rating

Ted Hurst (WR – Georgia State)

Ted Hurst first played at Valdosta State University from 2022 to 2023, recording 60 receptions for 1,027 yards and 10 touchdowns. After the 2023 season, he transferred to Georgia State University.

Immediately was a dominant producer, especially downfield. Hurst’s 27 catches on targets of 20+ yards over the past two seasons are the most in the FBS, per PFF.

The 6-foot-4, 206-pound Hurst compiled a whopping 124 targets in 2025, and he was 14th in the nation in receiving yards per game (83.7).

Hurst finished second in target rate above expectation in 2025 (+11.9%) in the class, according to Sports Info Solutions, trailing only Jordyn Tyson.

When timed on Day 1 at the Senior Bowl, Hurst was the second-fastest player behind LSU’s Barion Brown. He blew up the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, running a 4.42 40-yard dash and hitting the 97th percentile in the broad jump.

DBro loves this Hurst. And I tend to agree.

Hurst had insane production over the last two years at Georgia State. And he had offers to transfer, but stayed.

It was reported that Texas A&M coach Mike Elko was “all in” on pursuing Hurst going forward. Would haven be fun to see how Hurst would have fared playing alongside KC Concepcion last season as a potential Aggie.

I also dug up a quote from Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea before a rematch against Hurst in 2025. He called Hurst the best receiver he had to face at that point in the season. The former Georgia State Panther lit up Vanderbilt in 2024, going seven for 128 yards on 10 targets. Even with additional attention thrown his way in the 2025 rematch, Hurst still corralled seven balls for 66 yards on 13 targets versus an SEC defense.

Hurst is a big, wide receiver who could make an immediate impact in a smaller NFL receiver room.

When I watched Hurst on tape, I saw a smooth route runner with good release moves. He goes up for the ball in contested situations. Operates as a legitimate red-zone threat. Hurst moves like a smaller receiver. Great body control. Maybe a tad bit raw, but he is oozing with potential upside.

Hurst is projected to go in the third round. Per MockDraftable, Hurst compares closely to A.T. Perry. It didn’t work out long-term for Perry, but he flashed.

Bryce Lance (WR – North Dakota State)

The North Dakota State Bison dominated production over the last two seasons, posting a 37% dominator rating over that span. He stands at 6-foot-3 and 204 pounds, and has shown a willingness to play a role in blocking assignments.

The concerns are that the age-adjusted production is very bad. Lance was already 23 years old before he did anything in college. He’s currently 24, turning 25 during his NFL rookie campaign.

We always need to be wary of late breakouts for receivers who play at even higher levels of competition. If the draft capital is there, you could see being more bullish on Lance.

Numbers are strong, averaging over three yards per route run. I also felt like Lance improved drastically from 2024 to 2025 (more polished, less raw after a full season under his belt).

To avoid the easy helmet scouting comparison to Christian Watson, I compared his game to a blend of Marvin Jones, James Jones, DJ Chark and Adonai Mitchell.

Obviously, it’s easy to see how Lance could emerge as a sleeper in this year’s class, given how he offers a downfield skill set.

In 2025, Lance finished fifth in the nation in catches of 20+ air yards, hauling in 76% of his deep targets (second-highest in the nation). Had zero drops on deep targets the last two seasons.

Lance also tested extremely well (94th percentile athlete or better in 40-yard dash, 10-yard split, and vertical and broad jumps. He is projected to go in round three.

Jeff Caldwell (WR – Cincinnati)

The highest single-season dominator rating in my sample of this year’s class belongs to Jeff Caldwell. Earned a 52% dominator rating in the 2024 season. His 38 deep targets resulted in 13 catches for 523 yards on just targets of 20+ air yards.

The 6-foot-5 and 216-pound wideout spent three seasons with Lindenwood University before transferring to Cincinnati in his final season.

Caldwell has a polarizing athletic profile. He’s elite by all accounts, with speed and jumps all in the 96th percentile or better. He scored a perfect relative athletic score (RAS score) of 10/10 at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine.

Athletic testing aside, Caldwell did all he could at a smaller school to move up in competition. However, I think we wanted just a bit more from his one year at the FBS level to feel confident about him in the NFL, especially given his age (25).

And considering how much of a freak Caldwell is as an athlete, the FCS defenses he faced probably never stood much of a chance.

Still, there’s tantalizing upside here based on the traits. Caldwell can clearly be a deep threat (43% deep route % in 2025) while offering some wiggle after the catch (fourth in broken tackle rate in the receiver class).

Malik Benson (WR – Oregon)

Malik Benson was a serious threat at Oregon last year, hauling in 65% of his deep targets. Possesses a strong track background.

Benson stands at 6-foot-0 and 189 pounds, and started his college career at Hutchinson Community College (JUCO). Eventually, he made his way to Alabama in 2023, Florida State in 2024 and then Oregon in 2025.

Benson’s early breakout age obviously lacks luster coming at the JUCO level. Interestingly, though, his production increased at each consecutive stop.

Let’s see if/when Benson gets drafted before getting ahead of ourselves. Seems like there’s always been genuine interest in him from both college and NFL coaches alike. Benson was the Ducks’ leading receiver in 2025, averaging 16.7 yards per reception.

Tyren Montgomery (WR – John Carroll University)

The 5-foot-11 and 193-pound receiver from John Carroll University turned heads and lit up defensive backs at the year’s Senior Bowl. He hardly looked like a Division III football prospect who didn’t play a single down of high school football.

Keep in mind that Montgomery said in a recent interview that he ran his first slant route at 19 years old in his backyard. Needless to say, the former LSU basketball walk-on is dripping with potential at the next level.

The soon-to-be 25-year-old posted a 39% dominator rating in his two seasons with the Blue Streaks, averaging over 1,000 yards and 13 touchdowns per season. Had a 36% target share in 2025, and is PFF’s third-highest graded receiver in the 2026 draft class. Was eighth in yards per route run. Benson had a top-5 dominator rating.

Career College Dominator Rating (2026 Draft Class)

*Italics denote players who declared early.

**DR = Dominator Rating

Skyler Bell (WR – UConn)

Skyler Bell has been taking about a third of his snaps from the slot for the Huskies over the past two seasons, with a 49-856-5 line in 2024, followed by a monster 1,282-102-13 line this past season.

At 6-foot-0 and 192 pounds, Bell projects favorably as an inside or outside receiver at the next level. With massive hands (10 inches, 87th percentile) to boot.

In terms of his career arc, Bell started at Wisconsin amid several future NFL talents. Flashed some rushing juice, logging 13 carries for 160 yards. In 2022, he played with future Titans wideout Chimere Dike and posted decent production in his first year as a starter (broke out) at age 20.

But 2023 was a really bad season, and that led to a transfer the following year, which was weird because Chimere Dike was also barely used in the offense. Both were out-produced by another slot wideout in Will Pauling (now at Notre Dame). However, he was the head coach’s former player, so that may have been why Pauling got the majority of targets.

Bell’s first season at UConn was 2024. He was the clear-cut No. 1 WR operating out wide and finished sixth in the nation in deep targets (31). But 2025 was his full-fledged breakout. However, he faced an easy schedule at 23 years old.

But even so, it was an overly dominant performance — 39% dominator rating while finishing second in the nation in receiving yards per game (98.3). That helped push his entire career college dominator rating inside the top 10 among the receivers I sampled.

Bell had elite target numbers last season, per Sports Info Solutions:

• 32% target share (second in the class)
• 10.2+% target sover expectation rate (fourth)
• 8.2 YAC/REC (third)
• 3.14 yards per route run (third)

Bell reminds me of Jalen Reagor (cringe), but I also saw some Stefon Diggs in his game as well. Per MockDraftable, he comps to so many other favorable late-round hits such as Dontayvion Wicks and Jalen Coker. And I’ve also heard some high-end comparables to Ja’Marr Chase. And frankly, I do get it (he also wears No. 1).

But I didn’t think he was super elusive, though; a lot of his YAC was him just outrunning defensive backs at a lower college level. Hence, his missed tackles forced per catch ranked 32nd in the class — a stark fall off for a receiver averaging nearly eight yards after the catch.

Considering he does have 4.4 wheels and 95th percentile jumps, Bell hardly lacks the athleticism to perform in the NFL. I also want to note one NFL team connection — his old wide receivers coach Alvis Whitted at Wisconsin.

Whitted was in the NFL in 2019 with the Packers. He compared Bell to another small school prospect, Michael Gallup. Whitted coached with new Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and Cardinals offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett

Eric McAlister (WR – TCU)

The 6-foot-4 and 194-pound Eric McAlister isn’t hard to find when you look at the advanced college receiver metrics. He boasts both a top-10 dominator rating and breakout age in the 2026 draft class. In 2025, he logged 119 targets (fifth-most in the class) and 91.5 receiving yards per game (sixth)

Last year, among this year’s receiver class, he ranks eighth in target share, second in YAC/REC and first in broken tackle rate, per Sports Info Solutions.

In his first season at TCU in 2024, McAlister competed for targets with future NFL Day 2 wideouts Jack Bech and Savion Williams. He was more efficient on a yards per route run basis. McAlister had more receiving yards than Williams on fewer targets (averaged 19.5 yards per catch).

In his final season at Boise State in 2023, McAlister was on an absolute heater: 90 targets and over three yards per route run before injuries derailed the season. He was also 11th in the nation in receiving yards per game (97).

McCalister’s first season with playing time at Boise State was in 2022 (2021 was a redshirt season). He really didn’t play until Week 8 (first catch of the year). From Week 8 onward, McCalister was PFF’s highest graded receiver. Again, a small sample size, but an indication of a player showing elite levels of age-adjusted production.

McAlister’s prorated dominator rating from Week 8 onward was 23% and coincided with an early breakout age (19 years old).

His yards per route run versus man coverage (4.0) ranks first in the class:

DBro mentioned how great he is on slant routes in our NFL Draft sleepers episode:

On-paper and on-the-field, McAlister is the perfect late-round dart throw. The reason he hasn’t generated more buzz is because of some off-field issues. He had a prior arrest in 2024 (aggravated assault, where he pleaded guilty).

And McAlister might not be entirely healthy. He has a documented right knee scope that kept him out of the combine and All-Star circuit. According to Tony Pauline, he cut his Pro Day short after doctors diagnosed him with a Jones fracture in his foot.

If McAlister falls far in the draft, it’s likely related to his off-the-field concerns. Seems extremely boom-or-bust, which isn’t the worst thing, as it’s easy to cut bait on dynasty rosters rather quickly.

Eric Rivers (Georgia Tech)

Eric Rivers‘ breakout age leaves a lot to be desired. And his size — weighing 176 pounds at 5-foot-10 — isn’t great. But somehow, despite these concerns, Rivers posted some convincing numbers at the collegiate level.

Specifically, his 2024 season at Florida International University (FIU), where he compiled nearly 1,200 yards and 12 touchdowns on 62 receptions. Had a 46% dominator rating. Against New Mexico State, Rivers hung 11 catches for 295 yards and three touchdowns.

He finished the year as PFF’s 12th-highest graded receiver in the FBS, ranking third in yards per route run (3.57), and commanding a 31% target share. He ranked seventh in the nation in receiving yards per game (97.7).

The issue is that Rivers was 22 years old at the time, after essentially redshirting for two years at Memphis (where he started as a defensive back before committing to wide receiver full time) from 2021-2022 (one being injury-related). And it was his second full season at FIU.

Furthermore, Rivers was not able to follow this up in 2025 after transferring to Georgia Tech. He was still the leading wideout for the Yellow Jackets, but the overall numbers nosedived. Although he reduced his drops and increased his catch rate. Also posted a +8.8% target rate over expectation.

The fact that Rivers has missed time with injury and started his career as a defensive back sheds some light on his breakout. And he checks off several other boxes when it comes to his on-field skill set that look for in sleepers: Vertical usage and punt return ability.

Rivers is explosive. In his breakout 2024 season, Rivers saw 30 deep targets, with eight going for touchdowns. In 2025, he returned punts on occasion.

Many of the advanced metrics also point to Rivers’ strong separation skills. Just a 13% contested target rate during his college career (deemed “open” on 87% of his targets). He also posted the second-fastest time in the NFL Scouting Combine gauntlet drill.

Rivers has not been discussed much in the NFL Draft cycle, but it was reported that he is recovering from hernia surgery.

One of Rivers’ comps per MockDraftable is DeMario Douglas.

Cyrus Allen (WR – Cincinnati)

NFL Draft Analyst Mike Renner opened my eyes to Cyrus Allen after he spoke about him on several different shows. He didn’t pop for me at first, given the unknowns about his age, so I did some more digging. He was also not invited to the NFL Scouting Combine, further bolstering his under-the-radar status. Allen ran at his Pro Day, posting modest numbers (4.47 40-yard dash with an 11-inch broad jump).

If we presume Allen was 18 coming out of high school as part of the 2021 recruiting class, that would make him 23 years old (confirmed by PFF) entering his rookie year. He started his first two years at Louisiana Tech, producing immediately as a true freshman despite competing for targets with future NFL wideouts Tre Harris. OK, I’m intrigued.

Allen played 10 games in 2022 and blew up in his first game of college action — five catches for 121 yards and two touchdowns on six targets.

If we prorate the 10 games he played, we get a “true” breakout for Allen at 19 years old. Impressive. Maintained his production in 2023 (averaged over 70 receiving yards per game) before transferring to Texas A&M for the 2024 season. Didn’t play much and got hurt before entering the transfer portal. He spoke about wanting “production,” which was clearly not happening in the Aggies’ offense.

Allen produced in 2025 with the Bearcats, with a 32% dominator rating. He scored 12 touchdowns as the team’s No. 1 WR while competing for targets with another sleeper in this year’s class in Jeff Caldwell, who was invited to the combine instead.

Allen has played both inside and outside over his four-year career (hitting over two yards per route run).

During his breakout 2025 season, Allen had just five of his 69 targets deemed as contested. Had over 100 targets the last two seasons, with eight labeled as contested. He clearly can create separation from defenders.

Final Notes

Looking, reflecting and “reminiscing” on previous versions of this article, I found the biggest misses were receivers from small school football programs.

Jalen Tolbert, Dai’Jean Dixon, Grant DuBose, etc., were my sleepers from those aforementioned programs and failed to fire, which is something to keep in mind when it comes to some of these late Day 2 and Day 3 prospects. Skyy Moore has been a colossal bust out of small-school Western Michigan, for example.

The wideouts with the highest projected draft capital from smaller programs in 2024 were Ryan Flournoy and Jalen Coker from Southeast Missouri State and College of the Holy Cross, respectively. Flournoy’s closest comp? Skyler Bell.

Coker has hit in a big way for a former undrafted free agent (UDFA), as I mentioned in the intro, with Flournoy having some glimpses and value in Dallas. Last year, Eastern Washington’s Efton Chism wore the honor of a small school prospect who beat the odds to make an NFL roster.

This year, Ted Hurst from Georgia State and Bryce Lance from North Dakota State are the small school darlings. Tyren Montgomery is the true super deep small school sleeper, stemming from John Carroll University.

But like I laid out earlier, the smaller school prospects are far and few between, as we are seeing so many transfers that NFL teams are getting more exposure to college players at bigger programs.

That said, you still need to be wary of some of these small school transfers before their senior/final seasons for similar reasons. We didn’t have any prime examples of this from 2023’s class, given Jayden Reed only played one year at Western Michigan before transferring. Puca Nacua transferred from Washington to BYU, but didn’t produce until his BYU career.

But players who “compiled” small school stats in the 2024 NFL Draft class that did virtually nothing as rookies included Jamari Thrash and Devontez Walker.

One last thing I want to note: As I explained in my 2025 how to value rookies pre-draft article (2026 update coming soon), the wide receiver talent/production pool can and typically falls off a cliff after round two.

Especially in less deep wide receiver classes (specifically at the top), NFL coaches and general managers should sniff out most, if not all, the top producers in the first two rounds. I do think that this year, in a deeper class, especially at the top, we might see some more talent trickling into round three, but not likely into Day 3.

Last year, we didn’t get many receiver rookie hits after the second round. That is nothing new.

In a sense, nobody aside from John Brown and Martavis Bryant in recent years has slipped through the cracks. Don’t go overboard with these sleepers if they fall very far in the draft. Pinpoint just one or two you like.

Dial in on the rookies with projected first-round or second-round draft capital and reap the rewards. Especially in the late rounds. Grabbing these late-round wide receivers allows you to stockpile running backs, quarterbacks and tight ends earlier in best ball or redraft leagues.

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