For some, a successful fantasy football draft strategy is more about who you don’t pick than who you do pick. Below are some of the better-known receivers climbing up FantasyPros’ expert consensus rankings (ECR) you should tap the brakes on.
- Fantasy Football Research & Advice
- Fantasy Football Expert Rankings
- 2026 Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer
Fantasy Football Wide Receivers to Avoid
Malik Nabers (WR – NYG) | ECR: WR16
This may seem like an obvious one, but it still bears repeating: Avoid Malik Nabers this season. The Giants’ third-year receiver burst on the scene his rookie season in 2024 after a 1,200+ yard campaign with seven touchdowns and a Pro Bowl selection.
Nabers’ accolades that season included becoming the first player in league history to total 20+ receptions and three touchdowns in his first three games, and he was the youngest wide receiver in history to record at least two touchdowns in a game. His potential was sky high.
Nabers’ sophomore campaign in 2025 was off to a fast start — including a nine-reception, 167-yard, two-touchdown performance in Week 2 — before he tore his ACL in Week 4, ending his season much too soon.
Since then, the injury updates haven’t exactly been good. Nabers had a cleanup procedure about a month ago, and new head coach John Harbaugh wasn’t even sure when he’d be back this offseason. With each passing day, it seems less likely Nabers is on the field to start the season.
But even Nabers’ on-field prospects don’t look appealing. The Giants don’t project to pass a lot this season under Harbaugh and new offensive coordinator Matt Nagy. As proof, just look at Nagy’s non-Chiefs offenses, where his teams finished no better than 21st in passing yards. Quarterback Jaxson Dart said as much during an early Harbaugh press conference.
The Giants also added several (small) pieces around Nabers, including tight end Isaiah Likely, to one of the biggest contracts in history for a tight end, along with veteran receivers Darnell Mooney and Calvin Austin. They also spent a third-round pick on Notre Dame receiver Malachi Fields.
A crowded wide receiver room on a run-first offense and coming back from a significant lower-body injury? You can do better.
Christian Watson (WR – GB) | ECR: WR27
After years of high hopes and false starts, there are no more excuses for Packers receiver Christian Watson. Not only is Watson in line to lead the wide receiver room after the departure of Romeo Doubs in free agency and Dontayvion Wicks via trade, but the Packers showed a lot of faith in him by signing him to a four-year, $110.5 million contract extension.
The former 34th overall pick has battled injuries throughout his career, which has subsequently prevented him from developing into a viable fantasy or real-life wide receiver. He’s averaged just 12 games per season, effectively playing three-quarters of a season each year, mostly due to lower-body injuries. Watson enters this season entirely healthy and hasn’t had any setbacks. Yet.
Why does he make our avoid list? In small doses, Watson has been very effective. His 17 yards per reception over the last four seasons rank towards the top of the league. And as previously mentioned, Watson is the most senior receiver on the Packers depth chart.
But if you spread out his play over the course of an entire season, his production is lacking. His 17-game career averages only 800 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.
Additionally, the Packers have finished 20th or worse in pass attempts during Jordan Love‘s three-year tenure as the Packers’ starting quarterback. Furthermore, the leading receiver in each of Love’s seasons as a starting quarterback has failed to top 900 receiving yards.
Between the heightened injury history and the fact that the Packers’ offense is not exactly known for its passing prowess, Watson is not a receiver to target in fantasy drafts.
Garrett Wilson (WR – NYJ) | ECR: WR18
It’s fair to say that everyone on the Jets’ offense should be avoided, but Garrett Wilson sticks out the most.
The fifth-year receiver has consistently been good-not-great, recording 1,000-yard seasons in each of his first three years in the league despite surviving a coaching change and Zach Wilson at quarterback (the Jets rectified that by signing Aaron Rodgers). Wilson didn’t have a chance to record a fourth 1,000-yard season after being shut down halfway through with a knee sprain.
The knee is the first landmine, as it was significant enough last season that Wilson missed more than half the season. Wilson is practicing this offseason, but the sprain was the first significant injury of his career, and it remains to be seen how he’ll bounce back.
Then there’s the quarterback situation. The Jets are now on their fourth starting quarterback in four seasons, trading forGeno Smith in the offseason. But the Jets are going to Jet, and even that is in jeopardy as Smith is currently being investigated for an off-the-field matter.
Even if the knee is fully healed and Smith plays well, the biggest red flag of all is all the weapons around Wilson, which he’ll be fighting for targets.
To the Jets’ credit, they’ve made moves to dramatically upgrade their offense. In the trade that sent cornerback Sauce Gardner to Indianapolis, the Colts sent back receiver and former second-round pick Adonai Mitchell.
All Mitchell did in his eight games as a Jet was nearly total his entire rookie-season yardage total and score the first touchdowns of his career while carving out a significant role.
Then there was the NFL Draft. The Jets had three first-round picks, two of which were pass-catchers. At 16 overall, they selected the highest-rated tight end in the draft, Kenyon Sadiq. It was a little curious as the Jets spent a second-round pick on tight end Mason Taylor last year, but the Jets felt strongly enough to add him.
At 30 overall, the Jets traded up to select receiver Omar Cooper Jr. Between the draft capital and future salary, the cost of drafting Cooper can be viewed as significant.
All in all, the Jets added great pieces to the offense, which is good for the team but not for Wilson’s fantasy prospects. And that’s even if the injury and quarterback questions are answered.
Subscribe: YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | iHeart | Castbox | Amazon Music | Podcast Addict | TuneIn