6 Fantasy Football Breakout Candidates to Target (2026)

Every fantasy football season features a handful of players who make the leap from intriguing value picks to weekly lineup staples.

The challenge is identifying them before everyone else does.

In a recent FantasyPros discussion, Joey P, Andrew Erickson, and Tera Roberts highlighted six players they believe are positioned for breakout campaigns in 2026. Some are entering Year 2 with improved situations, while others finally have a path to the workload fantasy managers have been waiting for.

6 Fantasy Football Breakout Candidates to Draft Before Their ADP Climbs

Here’s why these players could dramatically outperform their current fantasy football draft cost.

Quentin Johnston (WR – LAC)

It’s easy to remember the drops.

Tera Roberts wants fantasy managers to remember everything else.

Johnston’s rookie struggles have continued to shape public perception, but Roberts argued that it’s time to move past those early disappointments. She pointed to the changes surrounding the Chargers offense as one of the biggest reasons for optimism.

With Mike McDaniel taking over the offense and improvements expected along the offensive line, Roberts believes the entire passing attack is positioned to take a significant step forward.

That includes Johnston.

Early last season, he briefly flashed what a breakout could look like, producing as the Chargers’ top receiver before injuries throughout the offense disrupted the passing game.

Now, Johnston enters the season as the team’s primary deep threat with a clearly defined role.

Rather than viewing him through the lens of his rookie year, Roberts believes fantasy managers should focus on the improved offensive environment and the opportunity that’s now in front of him.

Omarion Hampton (RB – LAC)

Andrew Erickson made one thing clear.

He’s betting on volume.

Hampton battled injuries during his rookie campaign but still flashed feature-back ability whenever he handled a full workload. Erickson highlighted several games where Hampton played more than three-quarters of the offensive snaps while producing RB1-level fantasy numbers.

The receiving role is what truly excites him.

Within Mike McDaniel’s offensive system, running backs have consistently earned significant target volume, and Erickson expects Hampton to benefit from that trend. Combined with his rushing efficiency and ability to generate yards after contact, the path to a true three-down role is easy to envision.

He also downplayed concerns about competition in the backfield, viewing Hampton as the clear centerpiece of the rushing attack.

With favorable early-season matchups and a healthier offensive line, the expectation is that Hampton could start the season quickly.

Cam Skattebo (RB – NYG)

Before injuries ended his rookie season, Cam Skattebo quietly established himself as one of the Giants’ most reliable offensive players.

Tera Roberts believes that stretch deserves far more attention.

What stood out wasn’t just the rushing workload.

It was his involvement as a receiver.

Roberts emphasized that Skattebo consistently contributed in the passing game while also generating yards after the catch, giving him the profile of a legitimate three-down back.

Even more encouraging was his consistency.

During his healthy stretch, Skattebo rarely fell outside RB2 territory despite playing on an offense that wasn’t producing efficiently. With improvements expected around him, Roberts believes his fantasy ceiling rises considerably.

For managers looking for a breakout running back outside the early rounds, Skattebo remains one of her favorite targets.

Emeka Egbuka (WR – TB)

Andrew Erickson isn’t interested in what happened during the second half of last season.

He’s focused on what happened before everything unraveled.

Through the first half of the year, Egbuka was producing like a top-10 fantasy receiver before injuries throughout Tampa Bay’s offense slowed the passing attack.

Despite those struggles, he still finished with 126 targets as a rookie.

Erickson believes that’s an important detail.

With Mike Evans no longer in the offense, there are additional opportunities available, and the coaching staff expects Egbuka to take on an even larger role. He also referenced Egbuka’s prospect profile, describing him as the type of receiver expected to command heavy target volume throughout his career.

If Tampa Bay returns to full health, Erickson believes fantasy managers could finally see the consistent version of Egbuka they expected coming out of college.

Tyler Shough (QB – NO)

Quarterback depth makes patience one of the easiest draft strategies this year.

That’s exactly why Tera Roberts likes Tyler Shough.

Rather than chasing quarterbacks early, Roberts sees Shough as a later-round option capable of outperforming expectations.

She pointed to the improvements New Orleans made around him this offseason, highlighting additions to both the skill positions and the overall offensive environment.

Just as importantly, Shough enters the season with continuity.

The offensive system remains in place, and Roberts expects the Saints to continue emphasizing an aggressive passing approach. Combined with Shough’s rushing ability, that creates multiple paths to fantasy production.

In Superflex formats especially, Roberts believes he offers tremendous value relative to his current draft cost.

Isaiah Likely (TE – NYG)

Fantasy managers have been waiting for Isaiah Likely‘s breakout for years.

Andrew Erickson believes the opportunity has finally arrived.

The biggest difference this time is opportunity.

With Mark Andrews no longer standing in his way, Erickson expects Likely to assume a featured receiving role. He also pointed to praise from the coaching staff, which has consistently described Likely as one of the offense’s most talented pass catchers.

History also supports the optimism.

Whenever Likely received extended opportunities in Baltimore because of injuries, he consistently produced at a top-five fantasy tight end level.

Now, Erickson believes those opportunities will finally become permanent.

Among late-round tight ends, Likely stands out as one of the highest-upside breakout bets available.

Why Situation Matters as Much as Talent

One common theme tied these six players together.

Opportunity.

Each enters the season with an improved offensive environment, expanded role, or both.

Fantasy breakouts rarely happen because talent suddenly appears overnight. More often, they’re the result of players finally receiving the volume and opportunity needed to capitalize on the ability they’ve already shown.

That’s exactly what this group offers.

Fantasy Football Takeaways

Quentin Johnston (WR – Los Angeles Chargers) has a defined deep-threat role in an offense expected to take a major step forward.
Omarion Hampton (RB – Los Angeles Chargers) profiles as a three-down back with significant receiving upside.
Cam Skattebo (RB – New York Giants) demonstrated both rushing and receiving ability before injuries cut his rookie season short.
Emeka Egbuka (WR – Tampa Bay Buccaneers) still commanded heavy volume as a rookie and could see an even larger workload this season.
Tyler Shough (QB – New Orleans Saints) offers intriguing late-round value thanks to offensive continuity, upgraded weapons, and rushing ability.
Isaiah Likely (TE – New York Giants) finally has a clear path to a featured receiving role after years of waiting for consistent opportunity.
Hampton and Egbuka received some of the strongest endorsements from the panel.
Likely stands out as one of the best late-round tight end breakout candidates discussed.