We asked our Featured Pros who their must-have fantasy football draft targets are in 2026. Here are the running backs and wide receivers you should be targeting in your drafts right now.
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Must-Have Fantasy Football Draft Targets
What one RB outside the top 15 in the expert consensus are you hoping to end up with in all your leagues and why?
Blake Corum (RB – LAR)
“Blake Corum is a strong RB2 who continues to be overlooked. Sean McVay has shown a lot of confidence in Corum, and the Rams have every incentive to increase his workload while keeping Kyren Williams fresh for a playoff run. Last season, the Rams offense was scoring points with its eyes closed, Matthew Stafford won MVP, and BEAST DOME was the only site to rank Stafford as a QB1 entering the season. That same explosive offense returns in 2026, and Corum should have a larger role than he did last year.”
– Muntradamus (Beast Dome)
“I’ve been aggressively targeting Blake Corum. One of my favorite maxims for fantasy drafts is, “Miss small, hit big.” At worst, Corum will be the backup to Kyren Williams all season in what should be an outstanding Rams offense. Corum won’t catch many passes (he had only eight catches in 2025), and it’s possible he’ll be less efficient after a season in which he averaged 5.1 yards per carry. A down season for Corum in 2026 would be a small miss, given his low-end RB3 ADP. But what if Kyren Williams goes down? What if Rams head coach Sean McVay tips the balance of power in the Rams’ backfield toward a talented young runner who had forced a near-even split of the workload by the end of last season? Corum would become the lead back for the Rams, who are the current championship favorites and are likely to have a season full of run-friendly game scripts. Corum offers the potential of a handsome payoff.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)
Jordan Mason (RB – MIN)
“Jordan Mason quietly turned in an efficient 2025, finishing sixth in rushing yards over expected per attempt and 10th in yards after contact per attempt among 51 RBs with 90+ carries. He now enters a contract year with Kyler Murray raising the ceiling of Minnesota’s offense. Aaron Jones is back, but his age (31) and lengthy injury history leave plenty of room for Mason to return value at an RB3-level ADP.”
– Kevin English (Draft Sharks)
Jadarian Price (RB – SEA)
“I’m targeting Seahawks rookie Jadarian Price in every draft. Let me start by saying that during the pre-draft process, I wasn’t in love with Price and his skill set, but if we have learned anything, it’s that opportunity matters more in redraft fantasy leagues than talent. Sure, if I’m in a dynasty, I wouldn’t want to place a long-term bet on him, but in a one-year scenario where I get the starting running back of the defending Super Bowl champs with little backfield competition as RB26, it’s simply a bet that cannot fail.”
– Aaron St Denis (Fantasy Sports Advice Network)
Javonte Williams (RB – DAL)
“If I end up with a late pick, Javonte Williams is the running back I’m targeting when I get to Round 3. Last year, he was awesome in his first year with Dallas, racking up 1,338 total yards and scoring 13 touchdowns. His expected fantasy points per game were even better at 16.6, seventh-best at the position. Williams was rewarded with a three-year contract for his efforts and now enters 2026 as the unquestioned lead back in an explosive offense. With almost no competition for touches or snaps behind, I like Williams to smash again this year and want him as my RB2 on as many teams as possible.”
– Wolf Trelles-Heard (FantasyPros)
D’Andre Swift (RB – CHI)
“D’Andre Swift is a smash for me at RB19. It seems undeniable that the Bears will be a top 8 offense this season with arguably one of the most balanced and explosive attacks in the league. A dual-threat like Swift will not only eat up yardage on the ground and through the air, but he should also have his fair share of goal-line work like he did last season. Last year’s RB15 now has a hobbled Kyle Monangai set to cede him even more as the offense continues to creatively use space to break off big chunk plays. I’m all in with Swift, who is currently being drafted at his absolute floor.”
– Jeremy Shulman (Fantasy Football Universe)
“I am looking at D’Andre Swift as someone I want in all of my leagues at RB2. Swift has been a beacon of consistency year in and year out, no matter what team he is on. He may not have “league winner” upside, but at an ADP of RB23, you get an RB who has played at least 13 games in every season of his career. An RB who has finished as a top 21 RB in PPR formats every season of his career, and an RB who, from weeks 1-17, had at least 9 PPR points in 14 of 15 games played (missed one due to injury). Swift is a rock-solid RB2 being treated like a flex play at best. I will take him at his ADP all day, every day.”
– Shawn Gill (Super Fantasy Bros)
“D’Andre Swift. I’ve actually been toying with the idea of making Swift a “must-have” target. He’s a rare “Dead-zone” RB that has always hit his floor, but I think there’s still juice to squeeze with the ceiling in the 2026 Bears offense. Swift’s Half-PPR finishes over the last six seasons: RB18, RB19, RB22, RB23, RB19, RB15 (last year). People aren’t ready for the Swift Year 7 LeGarrette Blount-esque RB1 breakout, coming off a career year with nearly 1,100 rushing yards. He EASILY would have finished as an RB1 in 2025 had he not missed the Bengals game (Kyle Monangai dropped a 30-burger). How do we get Caleb Williams to complete 70% of his passes? RB targets. Monangai is also dealing with an August week-to-week knee injury, which could mean more opportunities for Swift earlier in the season.”
– Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros)
MarShawn Lloyd (RB – GB)
“MarShawn Lloyd is one of my favorite late-round upside picks because the talent has never been the question. The only concern has been his ability to stay healthy. Green Bay invested a third-round pick in Lloyd after he displayed exceptional burst, power, receiving ability, and big-play potential in college, and he now appears to be the favorite for the backup role. Josh Jacobs remains the starter, but he’s 28, has significant mileage, and is already dealing with a groin injury, making his hold on a true workhorse role less secure than his draft price suggests. If Lloyd stays healthy and capitalizes on his opportunities, he has enough talent to force a committee and potentially take the starting job if Jacobs slows down or misses time. With an RB ECR around 56 and an RB ADP of 55, Lloyd is more than a handcuff. He is a free late-round swing with standalone value and legitimate league-winning upside.”
– Tal Malachovsky (The Fantasy Scout)
Bhayshul Tuten (RB – JAC)
“My answer really depends on my team build. In a vacuum, it’s Bhayshul Tuten. I think he’s an electric RB who will burst on the fantasy scene with some long TD runs. However, full transparency, I was in a PPR draft tonight where I started off with RB/RB and thought it best to go WR in the 5th round instead of Tuten. Later on, I’m targeting Isiah Pacheco because he has a supporting role on an explosive Lions’ offense. I also want to add that I think it would be wise for Jeanty owners to be aggressive in targeting Mike Washington Jr. as a valuable insurance policy just in case Jeanty’s ankle injury worsens over the course of the season.”
– Mark Ringo (Sleepers and Busts)
“Bhayshul Tuten is the running back outside the top 15 I want on as many teams as possible this season. As a rookie, Tuten ranked fifth in rushing success rate and 11th in missed tackle rate despite playing behind Travis Etienne, who is now gone. Tuten took advantage of bigger workloads last season as well, averaging 12.8 PPG when seeing 10+ touches. If Tuten can secure 60-65% of the backfield in Liam Coen’s offense, his combination of efficiency, explosiveness, and a favorable schedule gives him legitimate breakout potential at his current price.”
– Ryan Linkletter (Blitz Sports Media)
TreVeyon Henderson (RB – NE)
“I didn’t think I would be taking much TreVeyon Henderson, but at an RB26 ranking, it’s hard to find more talented players or those with more upside. Henderson is being called by many the bust of the year already, and he does have some risk, but so do Tuten, Warren, and Price, who may be bench players at the end of the year. It’s not what we have learned to expect, but a year-2 leap in running back production has been a major theme in recent years. We have seen a massive jump in production from Bijan, Gibbs, Achane, Chase Brown, and James Cook in year 2 for rushing and receiving despite similar backfield competition. He is tied to an elite offense and has taken away a lot of work toward the end of last season from Stevenson, including 80 carries to 47 for Stevenson in the last 6 games of the season.”
– Justin Weigal (FantasySharks)
David Montgomery (RB – HOU)
“David Montgomery landed in a great situation in Houston! He is running behind a much-improved, revamped line. He is going to be the lead back for this team (regardless of the coachspeak we are hearing about a 50-50 split with Woody Mark). The backfield will be his because he is an elite pass blocker, a power runner who will push the ball in at the goal line, and has great hands, which weren’t needed as much in Detroit due to Jahmyr Gibbs‘ amazing pass-catching ability. For all those reasons, David Montgomery is a player I am not leaving any drafts with, especially because this potential top-12 running back can be drafted.”
– Adam Dove (The Fantasy Couriers)
Travis Etienne Jr. (RB – NO)
“Travis Etienne is sitting around RB18 in Half-PPR ECR after finishing as the RB13 in points per game last season and putting up 1,399 total yards. New Orleans gave him a four-year deal, and Alvin Kamara is now expected to miss at least a month with a sprained MCL, so Etienne should open the year with a big role. I already have him at RB15, and at this price he is one of the backs I want on as many teams as possible.”
– Justin Fuhr (Pro Football Mania)
Quinshon Judkins (RB – CLE)
“One running back outside the top 15 that I’m hoping to land in all my leagues is Quinshon Judkins. He fits the exact profile of an undervalued mid‑round asset with legitimate championship‑winning upside. After a brief injury scare last week, he’s already back in team drills and looks explosive following last season’s setback. Before last year’s injury, he was pacing toward 1,000 rushing yards and double‑digit touchdowns, showing the kind of production that matters in fantasy. Getting a player with a low‑end RB2 floor and a true RB1 ceiling at this price is the type of value that wins leagues.”
– Lawrence Iacona (FantasyPros)
What one WR outside the top 15 in the expert consensus are you hoping to end up with in all your leagues and why?
Christian Watson (WR – GB)
“Christian Watson managed a WR19 finish in PPR points per game last year while returning from a 2024 ACL tear. Now fully healthy, he’s positioned to lead a thinner Packers receiving corps. Green Bay reinforced their confidence by signing Watson to a four-year, $92 million extension in June.”
– Kevin English (Draft Sharks)
“Christian Watson is going to get a chance to shine this year! He came into the league from North Dakota State, and owners expected too much, too soon from a player that didn’t play against the level of competition that many of his peers did in college. He was always in a crowded wide receiver room. Then he tore his ACL. That is not a great way to start a career. Upon returning from his ACL injury, Watson emerged as a threat for the Green Bay Packers offense, coming back stronger and more efficient than before the injury. He enters the season as the WR1 for Jordan Love and will have every opportunity to excel, especially with Dontayvion Wicks and Romeo Doubs no longer on the team. All those reasons point to a breakout season for Watson, making him a player that I refuse to leave drafts with this year!”
– Adam Dove (The Fantasy Couriers)
Parker Washington (WR – JAC)
“Jacksonville’s Parker Washington is currently going for WR30, and at that price, I will have as many shares of him as I possibly can. Washington isn’t the flashy name in this receiving corps, which is why he is far lower in ADP than he should be, but he has proven that even with Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter competing for targets, he is likely to be the WR1 for the Jaguars. Trevor Lawrence is capable of supporting a solid fantasy receiver, and I expect Washington to challenge for WR10 overall. His current price tag is at such a discount that even if Thomas Jr. emerges as the WR1, Washington will still pay off that cost as their WR2.”
– Aaron St Denis (Fantasy Sports Advice Network)
“At one point, Jaguars WR Parker Washington was seen as the heir apparent to Christian Kirk in a Trevor Lawrence-led offense. And although the breakout was delayed under a new HC/GM combination, I think dying on his 6th-round draft capital (even though he was underrated as a prospect) isn’t the right way to approach it. Simply put, why wouldn’t the Jaguars just let him do the same thing he did at the end of last year after it worked so well? I think that holds more weight and stickiness than Brian Thomas Jr.‘s star-studded 2024 finish under a different QB/HC combination. Nine games without Travis Hunter: Weeks 9-18 – 14.2 PPG. He was also the team’s air yards leader over this stretch (32% air yards share), averaging 73 yards/game (2.8 yards per route run and 25% target rate) as the team’s primary slot option. According to Sharp Football Analytics, Washington earned a 31% target share with Brian Thomas Jr. and Jakobi Meyers on the field, averaging 3.17 yards per route run in that look. The biggest takeaway from my identifying breakout WR1s piece is that 2026 might be Parker Washington 2026 szn. Full stop.”
– Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros)
Stefon Diggs (WR – WAS)
“Stefon Diggs is a true superstar at WR who never gets the love he deserves because, quite frankly, DIVA is an understatement when describing him. Landing in Washington is a great situation, where he is not only close to home, but also has a QB in Jayden Daniels who can get him the ball early and often. With Scary Terry McLaurin lining up on the other side, Diggs should consistently see favorable coverage. Diggs has a great chance to deliver another WR2 season, yet you can still find him sitting there in the later rounds of your draft.”
– Muntradamus (Beast Dome)
Zay Flowers (WR – BAL)
“I’m smelling the flowers and want Zay on all my teams if I can get him. I’ve been high on Baltimore’s WR1 all offseason, and it seems like the Ravens are too after giving him a four-year, $140-million extension recently. It’s hard to argue after he balled out last year with career highs in receptions (86), receiving yards (1,211) and touchdowns (five). The efficiency metrics weren’t bad, either. Flowers ranked first in juke rate (22.9%), fifth in yards per route run (2.62), and sixth in target separation (2.15). He also finished as the third-best receiver in PlayerProfiler’s Explosive Rating (125.7). With Mark Andrews slowing down, Rashod Bateman dealing with legal issues, and rookies Ja’Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt trying to learn the pro game, Flowers could set new personal bests across the board in 2026. In full-PPR, I’m considering him at the Round 2-3 turn all day long.”
– Wolf Trelles-Heard (FantasyPros)
“Zay Flowers is sitting around WR14 in Half-PPR ECR, but his consensus ADP is closer to WR15 and No. 42 overall. He caught 86 passes for 1,211 yards last season and finished as the WR12 in points per game even though he only scored five touchdowns. If that touchdown number comes up at all, which I think it will, Flowers can beat this price pretty comfortably.”
– Justin Fuhr (Pro Football Mania)
Tetairoa McMillan (WR – CAR)
“Personally, I’m taking WR17 Tet McMillan over WR15 Zay Flowers in drafts anyway. It’s the touchdown and volume upside for me that has me banking on the superior player despite an inferior offense. Yes, Bryce Young has significant limitations to his game, and yes, Carolina could struggle to pose any significant threat elsewhere on the field, lending coverage to roll to Tet… and still, I don’t care. McMillan saw 122 targets as a rookie en route to a PPR WR16 finish in 2025. In his second season in the league, I expect that number to jump to the 150 range, meaning Tet’s 70 receptions for 1014 yards and 7 TDs could look more like 90 for 1250 and 10. I’ll take those numbers all day in the 3rd round, well ahead of a guy in Flowers, who I like, but who also struggles to find the end zone consistently.”
– Jeremy Shulman (Fantasy Football Universe)
Jaylen Waddle (WR – DEN)
“Jaylen Waddle is one of my favorite targets this year because I think people are looking too much at last season’s final numbers and not enough at how well he actually played. He ranked 12th in targets per route run, 12th in yards per route run, and seventh in first downs per route run, so the talent and efficiency are clearly still there. Denver gave up a first-round pick and a third-round pick while swapping fourth-rounders to get him, which tells me they have a real plan to feature him. He is moving from an offense that ranked 29th in neutral passing rate to one that ranked fourth, and I believe Bo Nix is a huge upgrade over Tua. Nix’s ability to scramble and extend plays will give Waddle more time to get open downfield and create additional opportunities for the explosive plays he is best at. With Waddle being drafted around WR21, I am getting a player with legitimate top-12 upside at a fourth-round price.”
– Tal Malachovsky (The Fantasy Scout)
Luther Burden III (WR – CHI)
“I love a lot of WRs outside the top 15; perhaps no one has more upside than Luther Burden. D.J. Moore‘s departure opens up a huge role in Chicago for Burden to fill. I expect the Bears’ offense to take a huge step forward, given that this is their second year in Ben Johnson‘s offense. Everyone should be familiar with the playbook. Unlike his teammate, Rome Odunze, Burden has some serious wheels, which can create separation and turn short completions into long gains. Bottom line: if Luther Burden is healthy, he’s a potential top-15 WR in any scoring format, imo. Honorable mention: Jameson Williams, Parker Washington, Quentin Johnston, Marvin Harrison Jr. Longshots for large leagues (12+ teams with deep rosters): Jalen Nailor and Ted Hurst.”
– Mark Ringo (Sleepers and Busts)
Jameson Williams (WR – DET)
“Jameson Williams has probably been my most frequently drafted player. Don’t write off Williams’ late-season surge in 2025 as a byproduct of TE Sam LaPorta‘s back injury. Jamo’s fabulous finish was more attributable to Lions head coach Dan Campbell taking over playcalling duties and making it a point to dial up easy-button throws to Williams closer to the line of scrimmage to let the blazing-fast receiver raise hell after the catch. From Week 10 on, Williams was WR9 in half-point PPR scoring, right behind teammate Amon-Ra St. Brown, with less than a point per game separating them. Williams has averaged 11.0 yards per target each of the last two years. The Lions play a lot of indoor games this year; their shaky secondary could lead to a lot of track meets. Williams is a terrific player who falls too far in almost every fantasy draft.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)
Ladd McConkey (WR – LAC)
“There are not many receivers outside of the top-12 that have top-5 upside, besides Ladd McConkey. He was the WR12 overall and WR19 in PPG his rookie year, and that should be his floor entering this year. Target hog Keenan Allen is gone, so he has very similar competition to 2024, when he had an excellent 24.5% target share. This is on top of his new OC having a history of absolutely feeding his WR1. See examples like Deebo Samuel‘s and Tyreek Hill‘s 1,700-yard season or Jaylen Waddle‘s 1300 yard season.”
– Justin Weigal (FantasySharks)
“One wide receiver outside the top 15 that I’m hoping to land in all my leagues is Ladd McConkey. With Keenan Allen now in Indianapolis, McConkey steps into a clear path for the primary target role after drawing 66 targets in his second year. His chemistry with Justin Herbert has taken a major leap this offseason, and he’s returned bigger, faster, and stronger and has dominated camp all summer. His elite route running, tracking ability, and versatility give him weekly upside few mid‑round receivers can match. At this price, securing a player with this kind of target ceiling is exactly how you build a championship roster.”
– Lawrence Iacona (FantasyPros)
Chris Godwin (WR – TB)
“One WR I am looking at is Chris Godwin. Not a crazy name, but a guy who has proven he can carry the load when healthy. Towards the end of last season, we saw flashes of what Godwin used to be, while playing alongside Mike Evans. Evans is gone, and people are forgetting that Egbuka struggled mightily down the stretch after his hot start. Before Godwin’s devastating injury in 2024, he was a top-3 WR with Jefferson and Chase, averaging 19.7 PPR points per game. And I can get this guy who has more targets open in the offense, on a team that likes to throw with Baker, at WR39 right now? Sign me up.”
– Shawn Gill (Super Fantasy Bros)
De’Zhaun Stribling (WR – SF)
“De’Zhaun Stribling has quickly become one of my favorite late-round wide receiver targets. The 6-foot-2 rookie averaged at least 2.15 yards per route run in each of his final two collegiate seasons, posted a 9.88 Relative Athletic Score with 4.36 speed and has carried that production into the preseason with 109 receiving yards through two games. Ricky Pearsall being out for the season creates a path to playing time in San Francisco, and Stribling’s current shoulder injury has been described as day-to-day rather than a long-term concern. At his price, I’m willing to bet on his size, athleticism, and early production in a Kyle Shanahan offense that could give him a meaningful role sooner than expected.”
– Ryan Linkletter (Blitz Sports Media)
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