7 Must-Have Wide Receivers (2026 Fantasy Football)

I’ve written my fair share of “must-have” articles so far this fantasy football offseason, but I’m happy to circle back to the wide receiver position, since injuries and the preseason have shifted the landscape.

With the regular season barely over a week away, here are several receivers I’m looking to add to my teams whenever possible, who will outperform their current average draft position (ADP).

Garrett Wilson (WR – NYJ)

I mentioned Garrett Wilson earlier this season in a “bust” column about someone who I was actively pivoting away from, with the rationale that Geno Smith under center would cap his upside, coupled with a run-first mantra from offensive coordinator Frank Reich.

Yet, during training camp, Wilson was the Romeo to Smith’s Juliet, becoming the 1A, 1B and 1C read in this offense. Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic pointed out that Wilson led all Jets receivers with 42 targets during camp — the next closest was Adonai Mitchell with 27.

I don’t think Smith will suddenly find the fountain of youth, but if he plays with remote levels of competence, volume alone should drive Wilson into low-end WR1 territory without issues.

Luther Burden III (WR – CHI)

Everything has fallen into place for Luther Burden III to have a breakout campaign during his sophomore campaign, and I’m investing whenever possible. DJ Moore has departed for Buffalo, clearing up the crowded receiver room, and head coach Ben Johnson clearly wants to push the envelope with running up the score this season.

Burden’s efficiency metrics were off the charts whenever he was targeted last season by Caleb Williams, and it appears the passing game will center around Rome Odunze, Colston Loveland and Burden.

Few players are as dangerous as Burden with the ball in their hands in open space. Barring injury, he is a shoo-in to improve upon his 47/652/2 rookie numbers from 2025. Burden is a popular must-have selection by analysts, and for good reason.

Jaylen Waddle (WR – DEN)

When news broke that Jaylen Waddle was moving to Denver and away from Miami, his fantasy outlook shifted course. Following three stellar seasons from 2021-2023 opposite Tyreek Hill, Waddle’s totals have severely diminished, and he has averaged just a 61/827/4 split over the past two years.

A neutered dink-and-dunk offense that lacked explosiveness was mainly to blame, coupled with the rise of De’Von Achane as the focal point. Now the alpha receiver for the Broncos, Waddle will bring his electric route-running to an offense that thrives upon precision and isn’t afraid to sling it.

Fantasy managers can look for a spike in Waddle’s yards per route run and target rate, as Courtland Sutton draws away defensive attention downfield. Waddle is currently ranked as the final receiver in Tier 3 in the expert consensus rankings (ECR) as WR18, and he should beat that mark if he remains healthy for 2026.

DJ Moore (WR – BUF)

When watching tape of DJ Moore during training camp and the preseason, it was evident that the change in scenery did wonders for his mental well-being. Rather than pouting on the sidelines that he wasn’t being fed enough targets, Moore now walks around with a smile on his face as the clear featured wideout in Buffalo.

Moore’s uncanny knack for finding soft spots in zone coverage, coupled with his athleticism and ability to separate from cornerbacks playing press coverage at the line of scrimmage, will quickly make him Josh Allen‘s favorite target.

Jim Coventry pointed out that the coaching staff in Buffalo has remarked that Moore and Allen have shared one brain since his arrival, and their inherent mindmeld will allow Moore to flirt with WR2 production each week. It seems he has been in the league forever, but Moore is still just 29 years old; he has shown remarkable durability, not missing a game since 2020.

While his ECR is lagging far behind his ADP, I don’t think those numbers capture his true upside. I’ll take him as my WR3 all day long.

Parker Washington (WR – JAX)

Parker Washington is another player who has received a fair share of hype over the preseason, and even though he’s being drafted much earlier than he was a month or two ago, I’m still willing to make him a priority add.

Everything that you’d want to check off for Washington in a PPR format, you can. He’s still young (24 years old), is projected to draw mostly single coverage opposite Brian Thomas Jr. and Jakobi Meyers and he will feast as the slot receiver in this pass-happy Liam Coen offense.

Washington will feast on volume, as evidenced by his totals towards the end of last season, when he finished with 29 catches for 347 yards over the final three games. Washington also contributes on special teams as the Jaguars’ primary returner, which further boosts his value in leagues that reward special teams contributions.

Our projections have him finishing with a 63/862/6 line, but he should easily surpass 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in his career if he receives the target volume that most of us expect.

Chris Godwin (WR – TB)

Drafting Chris Godwin might not elicit a lot of “oohs and aahs” from your competition, but it is a smart move to bank on his return to fantasy relevance. The case for his upside is pretty obvious, as Godwin is the lone healthy remaining wideout in Tampa Bay for Baker Mayfield to target.

Emeka Egbuka is nursing a turf-toe injury that has kept him from practicing for multiple weeks, and Jalen McMillan is sidelined with a knee issue. Tampa Bay’s backfield is a mess, and with the NFC South division largely up for grabs in 2026, I’d expect the Buccaneers to come out throwing to stay competitive in contests.

Prior to injuries derailing his last two seasons, Godwin had topped 1,000 receiving yards in four of the prior five years, as a volume-based threat. Tampa Bay will rely on him to move the chains for their offense in third-down situations. Even though his yards per reception totals will remain middling, Godwin is a solid target in PPR formats.

Jalen Coker (WR – CAR)

After Jalen Coker missed the first six weeks of the 2025 regular season, he really came on strong as a solid Robin complement to Tetairoa McMillan‘s Batman. The Carolina passing attack will flow almost exclusively through those two players as the remaining alternatives are either too old (Darren Waller) or inconsistent (Xavier Legette, John Metchie III, Ja’Tavion Sanders).

The Panthers just rewarded Coker with a large extension, so it stands to reason he is a major factor in their offense for the coming season. A porous defense and unproven backfield will force Carolina into plenty of pass-happy contests, allowing Coker the time to shine.

If (and yes, it is a major if) Coker stays healthy all season, he should blow past his current WR58 ADP cost. Coker can be selected as a WR4/WR5 with WR3 upside.

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