Evan Tarracciano | Mon, Jun 22nd 2026, 6:58am EDT

5 Must-Have Wide Receivers (2026 Fantasy Football)

In most fantasy football leagues, the running back and wide receiver positions form the backbone and core of one’s roster. Savvy managers prioritize covering these spots first, smattering their roster with a solid mix of proven veterans and potential breakout candidates for upside.

The rise in popularity of half- PPR formats has put a spotlight on receivers in particular, making it critical for managers to have a firm grasp not only of the first few tiers of players but also of those who can be acquired in the final few rounds.

It would be foolish of me to state that someone like Ja’Marr Chase or Jaxon Smith-Njigba is a “must-have” player at receiver in 2026. Of course they are. It would be fantastic to walk away with as much talent from the top 15/top 20 wideouts as possible.

That sort of analysis is obvious. I’d much prefer to dig into options that are going outside of the first several rounds and share with you a quick list of my favorite targets for this upcoming season.

Must-Have Fantasy Football Wide Receivers

Without further ado, here are five of my “must-have” fantasy football wide receivers who have an average draft position (ADP) outside of the top 50 selections in drafts.

Terry McLaurin (WR – WSH)

One of my favorite strategies to use in the mid-rounds of drafts is buying the perceived “dip” in value for certain players, especially those who have proven they can be successful in the past but are coming off a down season. Enter Terry McLaurin.

There are plenty of factors working in favor of McLaurin for 2026, even though he is entering his age-30 season. Remarkably consistent from 2020-24, he eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark each season, highlighted by his breakout 82/1,096/13 campaign in 2024 that resulted in him finishing as the WR6 for fantasy.

Last season, McLaurin was hampered by a lingering quad injury that held him to just 10 starts, the majority of which came without Jayden Daniels under center. Both players return to Washington at full strength this year and will look to rekindle the magic they once demonstrated.

McLaurin has little proven competition for targets in this Commanders offense, and he should easily be the first read for Daniels whenever Washington looks to pass. Currently ranked as the WR20 in FantasyPros’ expert consensus rankings (ECR), I value McLaurin as a steal at his current ADP (around pick 5.12 in half-PPR leagues).

Provided Daniels can stay on the field in 2026, McLaurin should return a lot of value for his managers this year.

Parker Washington (WR – JAX)

Volume is king in fantasy football. Finally given a chance to shine in the Jaguars’ offense after two quiet years, Parker Washington set career highs across the board, finishing with a 58/847/5 split across 16 starts. He was the WR27 in fantasy.

What stuck with me the most about Washington was the way that he managed to end the season, clearly asserting himself as the No. 1 WR for quarterback Trevor Lawrence in the Jaguars’ pass-heavy offense. During his final three games, Washington saw 29 targets and caught 19 passes for 347 yards and two touchdowns, as the unquestioned focal point of the offense.

Jacksonville beat reporters have stated that former first-round selection Travis Hunter will be shifted to defense full-time in 2026, clearing additional targets for Washington in this offense. His detractors will point out that Brian Thomas Jr. and Jakobi Meyers will muddy the waters and provide competition for targets.

However, their presence will also provide Washington with less coverage, and their versatility allows them to line up all over the field as a mismatch. Jacksonville has an easier strength of schedule for wideouts on paper, and I anticipate that Washington will have little issue outproducing his ADP as the WR34 off the board.

Makai Lemon (WR – PHI)

As a whole, the 2026 NFL Draft was filled with disappointments in terms of landing spots for the elite offensive playmakers. Jeremiyah Love being selected by Arizona and Tennessee taking Carnell Tate were both “remote-throwing” choices, but I was happy Makai Lemon landed in Philadelphia, where he should immediately produce in a high-octane offense.

It was abundantly clear that the Eagles were high on Lemon after they traded up to the 20th overall selection to acquire his talents. A former standout player at USC, Lemon has the size and speed to line up both inside and outside for Philadelphia, and immediately slots in as the No. 2 WR for the team following the departure of A.J. Brown to New England.

New offensive coordinator Sean Mannion runs a very friendly scheme that favors spreading the ball around, so even with DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert challenging him for targets, Lemon should still see plenty of volume.

The former Fred Biletnikoff Award winner drew plenty of comparisons to Amon-Ra St. Brown by draft pundits, and if he can come remotely close to that sort of production, fantasy managers will be thrilled.

I’ve been aggressively pursuing Lemon as my WR4, but I feel he has the potential to produce low-end WR2 numbers if things break his way. He is the rookie wideout I’m most intrigued by this year.

Ricky Pearsall (WR – SF)

While other managers are once-bitten, twice-shy by the history of Ricky Pearsall’s injuries, I’ll happily draft him at a discount and laugh my way to the bank. He simply checks off too many boxes not to take a shot at.

First-round pedigree? Check.

Age? Check. (Turns 26 in September.)

Plays in an elite offense with a proven play-caller? Check.

Clear path to targets with Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings gone? Check.

Another plus for Pearsall is that George Kittle is recovering from a torn Achilles.

The list goes on. When Pearsall has been able to take the field, he has produced. My colleague Andrew Erickson kindly pointed out that Pearsall actually led the 49ers in receiving yards per game.

Health is the lone obstacle holding Pearsall back from a massive breakout. In the territory where he is being drafted, I’ll happily take his upside over alternatives in the same range (such as Michael Pittman Jr. or Wan’Dale Robinson).

Quentin Johnston (WR – LAC)

Quentin Johnston has largely failed to live up to his first-round selection by the Chargers, but there have been glimpses from his career that make me willing to take the chance on him in 2026. Johnston has steadily increased his yardage total and fantasy finishes each season, culminating in last year’s WR31 finish.

For those who may have wiped out the memory, Johnston started off 2025 on an absolute tear, catching four touchdown passes and piling up 337 receiving yards over his first four starts.

Oddly enough, he is much closer to that version of himself than to the one we saw for the remainder of the season, when he was largely phased out of the Chargers’ offense in favor of Ladd McConkey and Oronde Gadsden II.

Injuries to both offensive tackles and to quarterback Justin Herbert forced Los Angeles to continually throw close to the line of scrimmage, and I can’t envision that scenario recurring. The Chargers are clearly hopeful that Johnston is capable of a major statistical boost during his fourth season, as they opted to exercise his fifth-year option in April.

Johnston’s upside is too enticing to simply dismiss, and the gamble is worth the risk later in drafts for managers focused on upside.

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