4 Must-Have Wide Receivers (2026 Fantasy Football)

Deep. Not just a character from The Boys; it’s also a good way to describe the wide receiver position in fantasy football. Makes sense. Teams deploy multiple wideouts on almost every play, whereas they typically utilize one running back or tight end at a time.

Once the obvious studs are off the board, finding productive receivers late in drafts can be the difference between a mediocre roster and one with championship upside.

We all know wideouts like Amon-Ra St. Brown and Drake London are game-changing receivers everyone wants. For this article, I looked past the top 20 names in FantasyPros’ average draft position (ADP) and highlighted four receivers fantasy managers should get their hands on.

Must-Have Fantasy Football Wide Receivers

Terry McLaurin (WR – WSH) | ADP: 45.2 (WR21)

New Commanders offensive coordinator David Blough made fantasy managers happy when he said he wants to build the Commanders’ offense “around getting Terry McLaurin 10 targets a game.” Well, Blough, you got my curiosity and my attention.

Spamming 170 or so targets to McLaurin is a lofty goal, one that I’m not sure actually comes to fruition. However, it’s encouraging that Blough recognizes he needs to get his best receiver — by a country mile — the ball as often as possible if this offense wants to succeed this season.

If McLaurin does see that kind of immense volume, it sounds like we could get a season similar to or better than his 2024 campaign, when he finished as the WR7 in total fantasy points. That year, he caught 82 passes for 1,096 yards and a career-high 13 touchdowns. That was on just 117 targets. Give McLaurin an extra two or three opportunities per game, and his ceiling starts to look sky-high.

Drafting someone like McLaurin in the fourth round gives you a steady receiver while allowing you to focus on running backs early. In dynasty, he can be a cheap, short-term mercenary for contenders. No matter the format, he’s someone I want on all my rosters at his current cost.

Jaylen Waddle (WR – DEN) | ADP: 45 (WR23)

Jaylen Waddle made the move from South Beach to Mile High this offseason after the Broncos traded three draft picks, including their 2026 first-rounder, to acquire him. With the move, the former No. 6 overall pick leaves behind a rebuilding Dolphins team and joins a Broncos squad with Super Bowl aspirations.

Sean Payton has been trying to find a true game-changer to plug into his flanker/slot role for years. Several players showed flashes, but none panned out. Enter Waddle, who is still only 27 and remains as efficient as ever.

Last season, Waddle ranked sixth in first downs per route run (0.127), 10th in yards per route run (2.41) and 10th in expected points added (EPA) with a mark of +64 among all wideouts.

In Denver, Waddle will benefit from a pass-happy offense. The Broncos were fourth in passing attempts in 2025, with Bo Nix leading the NFL in that category. Based on the draft capital Denver spent to obtain him, Waddle figures to be the top dog in this receiver room and should lead the team in targets.

If he does that — and continues his efficient ways — we could see a fantasy season from Waddle that rivals his 2022 season: 75 receptions, 1,356 yards and eight scores. That year, he finished as the WR8 overall, averaging 15.3 fantasy points per game (WR12).

Coming off the board late in round four, Waddle’s upside makes him one of my favorite receiver targets in this range. If he can stay out of the blue tent on Sundays, he should crush his ADP.

From must-have players to players to avoid, and everything in between, our Fantasy Football Draft Guide delivers the insight you need to build a championship roster.

Mike Evans (WR – SF) | ADP: 53 (WR27)

For the first time since being drafted No. 7 overall in 2014, Mike Evans won’t be wearing pewter and red. Rather than re-sign with the Buccaneers this offseason, he decided to take his talents to San Francisco. There, Evans figures to be the dominant X receiver in Kyle Shanahan’s offense, a system that could help create big opportunities for Evans as he heads into his age-33 season.

One reason for the move out West may have been Baker Mayfield‘s play. He dealt with multiple injuries down the stretch, and those caused his play to drop. Among all quarterbacks in 2025, Mayfield ranked 32nd in catchable pass rate (70.3%) and 25th in deep ball catchable pass rate (39.1%).

Evans’ new quarterback, Brock Purdy, ranked sixth in catchable pass rate (75.7%) and first in deep ball catchable pass rate (62.9%). When your job is winning downfield and bullying defensive backs, it’s nice to have the ball on the money. Purdy puts it where it needs to be more often than not.

Even at his age, Evans is still one of the best vertical threats in the game. Purdy’s accuracy and Shanahan’s system should mesh marvelously with Evans’ skill set. He should also benefit from defenses having to account for weapons all over the offense in the form of Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, Ricky Pearsall and Christian Kirk.

If Evans stays healthy, he could be this year’s version of Davante Adams. In the fifth round, the potential for him to put up high-end WR2 numbers is tantalizing. Because of that, I’ll take shots on the future Hall of Famer all day at cost.

Chris Godwin (WR – TB) | ADP: 85 (WR39)

One of the main beneficiaries of Mike Evans’ departure should be Chris Godwin, who is suddenly the elder statesman in Tampa Bay’s receiver room.

Now another year removed from 2024’s gruesome dislocated ankle, Godwin should see a steady diet of targets as the slot receiver in Zac Robinson’s offense. Expect a heavy dose of 11 personnel, with the Buccaneers playing to their strength and getting Godwin, Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan and rookie Ted Hurst on the field as much as possible.

Robinson comes from the Sean McVay coaching tree, so his offense should have some similar concepts to what Liam Coen ran in Tampa Bay. Coen is also a disciple of McVay and served as the Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator in 2024.

That year, Godwin was en fuego over the first seven games. He was second in fantasy points per game (19.7), trailing only Ja’Marr Chase, and was well on his way to a career year before getting hurt.

Nearly 20 fantasy points per game is a tough ask for a 30-year-old Godwin, but 15 per game seems doable if he sees anything close to the nine targets per game he received in 2024.

At WR39 prices, Godwin won’t hurt your fantasy team if he doesn’t resemble his old self. However, Godwin could be a huge league-winner if he’s healthy and gets featured. A 100-catch season isn’t out of the question, and that makes him a smart and exciting pick at the top of the seventh round.