5 Wide Receivers We Love to Draft (2026 Fantasy Football)

When preparing for your fantasy football drafts, knowing which players to target and which to avoid is important. The amount of information available can be overwhelming, so a great way to condense the data and determine players to draft and others to leave for your leaguemates is to use our expert consensus fantasy football rankings compared to fantasy football average draft position (ADP). In this way, you can identify players the experts are willing to reach for at ADP and others they are not drafting until much later than average. Let’s dive into a few notable wide receivers Andrew Erickson loves to target in fantasy football drafts.

2026 Fantasy Football Draft Advice: Wide Receivers to Target

Andrew Erickson shares a few wide receivers he’s targeting everywhere he can.

A.J. Brown (NE)

A.J. Brown remains one of the NFL’s premier alpha receivers despite a frustrating 2025 season in Philadelphia (WR11 PPG). After being traded to New England, Brown should immediately command massive volume and reclaim high-end WR1 upside, with an ascending quarterback in Drake Maye. Even in a down year, Brown still posted elite target share numbers and remained highly productive on a per-game basis. With him on a pass-heavy offense that is willing to feature him as the focal point, a major fantasy bounce-back and WR1 szn is LOADING for AJB.

Zay Flowers (BAL)

There’s a world where Zay Flowers has the talent to be a top-5 fantasy WR if he can ever score TDs. Over 1,200 yards. 86 catches and 5 TDs (WR7) in 2025. WR3 over the last five games. 4+ catches in 13 of his 17 games: a testament to his reliable floor and consistent involvement. 5th in target share (28%). 11th in air yards share (35%). 4th in yards per route run behind Puka Nacua, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Luther Burden.

Emeka Egbuka (TB)

Emeka Egbuka‘s rookie season was a rollercoaster, but the underlying usage points toward a major Year 2 breakout in Tampa Bay. The former Ohio State standout earned elite target volume for a rookie and looked like a future star early in the season before injuries and shifting usage slowed his momentum late in the year (top-10 WR from Weeks 1-11). With Mike Evans gone, Egbuka is positioned for a much larger role in Zac Robinson’s offense. He is one of the more appealing second-year breakout WR candidates in fantasy football.

Christian Watson (GB)

Christian Watson returned to the lineup in Week 8 after tearing his ACL late into the 2024 season. Despite coming off a brutal injury, he supplanted Romeo Doubs as the WR1 in the Packers’ offense. Watson was the WR17 in PPG (11.5) to go with a 34% air yard share (over 1,000 air yards). Hit career highs in yards and yards per route run. Never saw fewer than four targets in any contest. With Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks gone, Green Bay enters 2026 with a surplus of vacated targets, representing a substantial opportunity opening that Watson is well-positioned to absorb if he can stay on the field.

Parker Washington (JAC)

Parker Washington flashed legitimate breakout potential late in 2025, thriving as Jacksonville’s primary slot weapon once injuries opened up additional opportunity in the offense. The former Penn State receiver was extremely productive down the stretch (over 14 PPG from Weeks 9-18), dominating air yards and target share while showcasing strong efficiency metrics. However, his second-half surge also coincided with Travis Hunter‘s injury absence, and the Jaguars now enter 2026 with a much healthier and deeper WR room. Washington proved he can capitalize on expanded volume, but his weekly role could become far less stable if Jacksonville deploys him primarily in three-WR sets.

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