This is the second part of our third-year fantasy football player breakdown series that focuses on receivers and tight ends. Well, only one tight end. However, we have seven first-round receivers to analyze, plus some intriguing second-round selections.
After a disappointing 2026 NFL Draft class, it’s refreshing to look back to when we were spoiled with NFL talent. In this article, I will break down each player’s first two seasons and see how they stack up going into their third year. Previously, we broke down all five first-round quarterbacks and three running backs. Without further ado, let’s dive into the pass-catchers.
- Fantasy Football Research & Advice
- Fantasy Football Expert Rankings
- 2026 Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer
Third-Year Fantasy Football Outlooks
Wide Receivers
Marvin Harrison Jr. (WR – ARI)
One of the best prospects to come out of college has left a lot to be desired. By no means is it over for Marvin Harrison Jr., but the dream of being the next Ja’Marr Chase has seemingly passed. Still, there is a lot of potential for Harrison to be a valuable NFL receiver and fantasy contributor.
In his first two seasons, Harrison has yet to record more than 52 yards per game. That said, his 11.6% touchdown rate is impressive.
It would have been great to see what he could have done when Jacoby Brissett took over, and the Cardinals led the league in pass attempts. Unfortunately, that was also when he started missing time with a concussion, appendicitis and a heel/foot injury that placed him on injured reserve (IR).
Based on what Michael Wilson was able to do in his absence, we potentially could have seen the breakout of the elite prospect. Personally, I still believe Harrison is a far more talented receiver than Wilson, making him a potential buy-low candidate, projecting on what could have been. That said, it is a projection, and we have yet to see a true breakout.
One thing is clear: Harrison is not the player we had hoped for when he was drafted. However, there is plenty of room for him to be a steady WR2 with WR1 potential if he cleans up his game.
Malik Nabers (WR – NYG)
If there is a Ja’Marr Chase-level player in this receiver class, it would be Malik Nabers. Unfortunately, we still need to wait to see it come to fruition. After an electric rookie season, Nabers’ sophomore season was cut short with a severe ACL tear.
Although Nabers should be close to fully back, he has had some setbacks and a cleanup procedure this offseason. As a result, it’s looking like we won’t get him at 100% until 2027.
This makes him a tough selection in redraft or best ball leagues. However, if you aren’t contending in your dynasty league, he is a fantastic buy even at his high cost. That said, if you are contending and have him, he is not a bad sell for a solid return.
We all hope Nabers can return to form, but there is a risk after a serious injury. In his rookie season, we saw enough to confidently say he could be a star in this league. You don’t stumble into 170 targets, 127 receptions, 1,204 yards and seven scores as a rookie. If I’m rebuilding, that’s a bet I’d be willing to make.
Rome Odunze (WR – CHI)
The last of the “big three” receivers from this class is on the team with the most promising outlook. It is all systems go for Ben Johnson and the Bears, and the journey has just begun.
After an electric start to his 2025 campaign, it was looking like Rome Odunze was everything we hoped Marvin Harrison Jr. would be. That pipe dream came crashing down to earth after he dealt with a few injuries.
It’s tough to say how much these injuries hampered his production. After scoring five touchdowns and averaging 74 yards in his first four games, regression was going to hit regardless. However, from Week 6 on, he was the WR70 in points per game. That’s a massive fall off.
The answer, as always, is somewhere in between (and likely closer to the first four weeks). Odunze is a talented, big-bodied receiver on a powerful offense.
The issue is that he has two exciting talents competing with him in Luther Burden III and Colston Loveland. Unless we see this team forget about defense and turn into the Bengals, it will be tough for Burden or Odunze to crack the WR1 mix. That said, a great WR2 season could be coming for the third-year receiver.
Brian Thomas Jr. (WR – JAX)
This would be a lot easier if we could just pick one of Brian Thomas Jr.’s two seasons to analyze. Instead, we have to contrast one of the best rookie seasons with one of the worst second seasons in recent years.
As a rookie, Thomas had 1,292 yards, 87 receptions and 10 touchdowns. This led to a WR4 finish on the season and a second-round pick in redraft leagues the following season.
Thomas then repaid ambitious fantasy managers with a WR44 performance in points per game in 2025. Considering the entire team took strides forward on offense, and Liam Coen was at the helm, falling 40 spots in fantasy is almost impressive.
Not only did he fall in fantasy, but the team also traded for veteran receiver Jakobi Meyers, whom they signed to a three-year, $60 million extension.
We also saw the potential breakout of Parker Washington at the end of last season and Brenton Strange‘s extension this offseason. Oh, and don’t forget Travis Hunter will be back and healthy this season. If you are thinking that this sounds like a mess for fantasy, you’re not wrong.
If you are stuck holding in dynasty, there is no point moving Thomas. He could/must bounce back to some degree. Plus, with last year’s trade talks, there is a world where he could get a fresh start. Whatever the case, he has to get better, right?
Ricky Pearsall (WR – SF)
Ricky Pearsall’s start to his NFL career sounds like a story you would tell rookies to scare them. Heading into the season, Pearsall was caught in the crossfire of a shooting and took a bullet to the chest. Miraculously, he not only fully recovered but also played in 11 games that season.
We have seen flashes from Pearsal across his first two seasons, but any positive stretch of games has ended abruptly due to injury. As a result, he ended up playing more games in his rookie season after being shot than in his second season.
Now he is joined by likely Hall of Fame receiver Mike Evans and journeymen Christian Kirk and Demarcus Robinson. Let’s not forget Christian McCaffrey out of the backfield and potentially George Kittle when he returns from his torn Achilles.
Even in a crowded offense, there is only one way Pearsall can carve out a role. To do that, he has to stay healthy. It’s not like the options around him have clean injury histories either. In the end, if he can stay healthy, he could take advantage of any opportunity that might come his way. That’s a big if.
Xavier Worthy (WR – KC)
Not many players get a clear chance to operate as the No 1 WR for Patrick Mahomes in their second season, but Texas prospect Xavier Worthy did. So what happened? Well, in his first game with Rashee Rice suspended, he ran into Travis Kelce and blew up his shoulder.
Thankfully, he returned in time to take advantage of the opportunity presented by an aging Kelce and no Rice. At least, that was the plan. In reality, he proved he cannot be the focal point of an offense and, aside from his speed, lacks all-around receiving ability.
Fear not, Worthy is attached to Andy Reid. If there is a coach outside of Mike McDaniel who loves utilizing speed, it would be him. Still, Worthy failed to crack the top 50 in fantasy points per game at the position, finishing as the WR58. Believe it or not, that was not as bad as the next player we’re about to talk about.
Worthy is an intriguing pick this year. With Rice once again making questionable decisions, along with returning from injury, there could be an opportunity. It wasn’t that long ago when a receiver’s third year was considered their breakout season. It would take some development, but the environment couldn’t be better for the young speedster.
Xavier Legette (WR – CAR)
It was not a great 2025 season for Xavier Legette. Despite being one of the biggest and best personalities in the league, his charisma has not translated to fantasy production.
Before coming into the league, Legette had an incredible final season in college — 1,255 yards, 71 receptions and seven scores. The season prior, he had 167 yards, 18 receptions and three scores. That’s a mind-boggling jump in production.
So what prompted this spike in production? Honestly, no one really knows. However, he relied heavily on his incredible size and speed to dominate opposing defenses. In the NFL, where everyone is a monster, it’s a lot harder to out-athlete your opponents.
The Panthers recently extended undrafted free agent (UDFA) Jalen Coker and spent their 2025 first-round pick on Tetairoa McMillan, who had a very solid rookie season.
Add in 2026 third-rounder Chris Brazzell II, who is a 6-foot-5 behemoth in the slot, and that’s the competition. Thankfully, there are no real tight end threats or elite pass-catching running backs. That said, when Bryce Young is under center, any amount of options greater than one makes fantasy points hard to come by.
Much like Xavier Worthy, all you can do now is hold onto the old narrative of third-year receivers breaking out. That said, nothing else is pointing in the right direction in fantasy for Legette.
Ladd McConkey (WR – LAC)
What was it with this class and having disappointing second seasons?
Thankfully, Ladd McConkey was nowhere near the most disappointing of the class. That said, it was an underwhelming year for a Chargers team that was the king of the offseason. Largely, this was no one’s fault, resulting in a ridiculous amount of injuries, especially on their offensive line.
Despite Justin Herbert‘s heroics, the offense could not overcome losing in the trenches. Impressively, despite the addition of Jim Harbaugh, McConkey’s numbers were not dissimilar to those of his rookie season. However, he fell from 1.149 yards to 789 yards on only six fewer targets.
Much of this was due to a leaky offensive line, but it was also because his counterparts were eating into his usage. When 33-year-old Keenan Allen leads the team in targets, it’s not a great sign. With the departure of Allen and the addition of Mike McDaniel, there is reason to once again be excited about this offense.
It’s likely the Chargers will want to continue distributing targets across all their receivers. However, McConkey is by far the most talented and should rarely leave the field. In the end, a bounce-back season should be expected. However, finishing in the top 15 at his position may be a tall task.
Keon Coleman (WR – BUF)
It’s hard not to feel a little bad for Keon Coleman. After winning the hearts of fantasy managers with his iconic media pressers, he failed to translate his likability into on-field success. Come to think of it, Coleman is a cross between Xavier Worthy and Xavier Legette.
Like Worthy, he had the opportunity to lead a wide receiver room with one of the best quarterbacks throwing to him. He also possesses high-end athleticism (although not quite at the same level), much like Legette. Like Legette, he failed to be productive for fantasy at the next level.
There is reason to keep the candle going. After being tormented by the team’s management and becoming a healthy scratch, Coleman seems to be gathering coaches’ support this offseason.
Reports from minicamp are that the team still believes in his ability and is rooting for his success. Then again, they also overpaid in a trade to bring in DJ Moore. No matter how you cut it, being a healthy scratch for multiple games in your second season is not a good look.
I am not expecting Coleman to completely turn around his career trajectory. However, out of Legette, Worthy and Coleman, I can see a world where the latter carves out the largest role in his offense.
Tight Ends
Brock Bowers (TE – LV)
We now get to take a breather from talking about second-year receiver disappointments and praise a true superstar in this league. Brock Bowers was not only a dominant player throughout college but has also maintained his elite production at the highest level.
As a rookie, Bowers set the rookie record for most receptions and yards at the position. Buckle up and hold onto your knickers. These stats will knock your socks off: 153 targets, 112 receptions, 1,149 yards, five touchdowns. That was Bowers’ rookie season.
Bowers was plagued by injuries last season. He played through a couple of lingering injuries at the start of the season, and ultimately ended his season after 12 games. If there was a season to miss part of, it is a good choice to miss the Geno Smith and Pete Carroll-led Raiders. Let’s not cloud the Bowers analysis by reminding you how bad this team was.
Instead, let’s talk about Fernando Mendoza being selected with the first overall pick and Super Bowl champion Klint Kubiak being hired as the Raiders’ new head coach. Oh, and let’s not forget signing star center Tyler Linderbaum to a record-setting contract.
This team is going to run through Bowers and Ashton Jeanty. Unless you don’t believe in Mendoza or are worried about Kubiak’s move from offensive coordinator to head coach, I don’t think you can be too high on Bowers heading into 2026.
Subscribe: YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | iHeart | Castbox | Amazon Music | Podcast Addict | TuneIn