Fantasy Football Player Notes

Nico Collins has now managed back-to-back-to-back WR1 seasons (WR9, WR8, WR7) in fantasy points per game. It's impressive that Collins has managed to do this despite C.J. Stroud's struggles over the last two years. There's no reason to doubt his ability to do it again this season. Last year, among 109 qualifying receivers, Collins was 15th in target share (23.1%), eighth in receiving yards per game (74.5), fifth in deep targets (24), 16th in first-read share (28.1%), and 19th in first downs per route run (0.105, per Fantasy Points Data). Collins is an easy click in drafts with upside. If Stroud can flash even momentary glimpses of his rookie form in 2026, Collins could enter top five receiver territory this season.

We should always be looking to take swings on talented second-year wide receivers for fantasy football, and Jayden Higgins fits the bill as a possible late-round breakout candidate for 2026. Last year, in Weeks 8-18, Higgins had seven finishes as a WR3 or better in weekly scoring. During that stretch, Higgins, among 119 qualifying receivers, also ranked 24th in target per route run rate (24%) and 38th in first downs per route run (per Fantasy Points Data). During those 11 games, among the same group of 119 receivers, Higgins was also 28th in yards per route run and 25th in route win rate as a perimeter receiver. If C.J. Stroud can at least be a league-average passer in 2026, Higgins could be a weekly WR2/3 or flex option. He also has contingent upside if Nico Collins misses any time.

I loved Jaylin Noel as a prospect, and I'm willing to take a last-round flier on him again in 2026. I will acknowledge that if Tank Dell does come roaring back from his injuries this year, it's a death knell for Noel's fantasy value in 2026. In the four games last year that Noel played at least 33% of the snaps, he had a 25% target-per-route run rate, 2.46 yards per route run, and 0.132 first downs per route run (per Fantasy Points Data). Yes, that is an insanely small sample of 76 routes, but it does show that Noel's talent is real. If he can seize a full-time role in 2026, the sky is the limit, but he has an uphill climb to get there.