- Luther Burden III is poised to lead Chicago’s wide receivers: The Chicago Bears wide receiver was excellent on a per-play basis and will play a larger role this season.
- Parker Washington finished last season as a top-10 receiver in PFF grade: Washington earned an 85.1 receiving grade in 2025. He caught 26 passes for 454 yards and three touchdowns over his final four games, including the playoffs.
- Quentin Johnston is trending up: Johnston recorded 70-plus receiving yards six times in 2025 after clearing 35 yards just four times as a rookie.
Several wide receivers have teased fantasy managers with breakout potential but haven't yet put everything together. That could change in 2026. These three receivers are well-positioned for career-best seasons, making them excellent values at their current ADP.
Luther Burden III, Chicago Bears (ADP: 5.10)
Burden flashed as a rookie but never earned a full-time role. His 77.7 PFF receiving grade led all Bears wide receivers by a significant margin, yet his 402 offensive snaps ranked fourth on the team behind Rome Odunze, DJ Moore and Olamide Zaccheaus. Burden failed to surpass a 30% snap share during the first half of the year but regularly exceeded 50% by season's end.
Chicago cleared a path for Burden to become a full-time starter in 2026 by trading Moore to the Buffalo Bills while allowing Zaccheaus to depart in free agency. The Bears' only notable additions at wide receiver were Kalif Raymond, who will turn 32 before the season begins, and third-round rookie Zavion Thomas. Neither profiles as a serious threat to Burden's playing time.
Burden ranked third among NFL wide receivers in yards per route run (2.69) as a rookie, trailing only Puka Nacua and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. He was especially effective out of 12 personnel, generating 6.51 yards per route run, the highest mark by any wide receiver in any personnel grouping with at least 40 routes run. Chicago could lean more heavily into 12 personnel in 2026 following the addition of third-round rookie tight end Sam Roush and the team's thinner wide receiver depth chart.
Burden suffered a groin injury on Aug. 8, which is expected to keep him out throughout the preseason, but he is expected back for Week 1. This shouldn't hurt his ceiling this season, but if the injury lingers, it could hurt his floor.
An expanded role, combined with increased usage in favorable personnel groupings, positions Burden for a breakout second season. Experienced fantasy managers are unlikely to let him slip far in drafts, but he could still emerge as a value in more casual leagues.
Parker Washington, Jacksonville Jaguars (ADP: 7.06)
Washington was a sixth-round pick by Jacksonville in 2023 and barely played over the first two-thirds of his rookie season. An injury to Christian Kirk eventually gave him an opportunity in the slot, and Washington responded with six catches for 61 yards and a touchdown in his first game with significant playing time. He was relatively quiet the rest of the season.
Jacksonville added Brian Thomas Jr. and Gabe Davis the following offseason, while Kirk returned healthy, pushing Washington back to fourth on the depth chart. Injuries to Kirk and Davis opened the door again in the second half of 2024. Washington emerged as Jacksonville’s No. 2 receiver, playing in both two- and three-receiver sets and producing three games with at least 50 receiving yards down the stretch.
The Jaguars then drafted Travis Hunter, who replaced Kirk in the slot, and Washington once again found himself waiting for an opportunity. For the third straight season, he moved into the primary slot role midway through the year, but this time it came in Liam Coen’s offense. Washington was already grading better before his production surged over the final four weeks, including the playoffs. He caught 26 passes for 454 yards and three touchdowns during that stretch. He also saw more opportunities outside and played well there, finishing with an 85.1 receiving grade that ranked in the top 10 among wide receivers.
Washington now returns to a crowded receiving corps alongside Thomas, Jakobi Meyers and Hunter. Jacksonville also drafted two tight ends, which could lead to more 12 personnel. Even with all of that competition, Washington and Thomas are expected to enter the season as the Jaguars’ top two wide receivers.
Coen’s history of producing elite fantasy wide receivers gives Washington significant upside at his current ADP. The more likely outcome is a balanced passing attack where the production shifts from week to week. Washington could deliver a 100-yard game one week and take a back seat to another receiver the next. That volatility could be frustrating for fantasy managers, but Washington has already shown enough to make the upside well worth chasing in the eighth round.
Quentin Johnston, Los Angeles Chargers (ADP: 10.10)
Johnston entered the league as a first-round pick in 2023 but began his rookie season behind Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and Josh Palmer. Injuries eventually pushed him into a major role, but the production rarely followed. He was held to 35 receiving yards or fewer in 13 of 17 games.
The Chargers moved on from Allen and Williams the following offseason, leaving Johnston as their X receiver, while rookie Ladd McConkey emerged as the top option. Johnston improved, particularly near the end zone, but remained inconsistent. That continued into 2025, although his production became less volatile and he reached 70 receiving yards six times.
The biggest reason for optimism in 2026 is the arrival of Mike McDaniel as offensive coordinator. McDaniel has built his passing attacks around speed, and Johnston’s tracking data suggests he plays faster than his 4.51-second 40-yard dash would indicate. That makes him one of the more natural fits for the new offense.
McDaniel’s offenses with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle also leaned heavily on go and post routes. Johnston has been used on those concepts before, but often on deeper targets. Bringing some of those opportunities closer to the line of scrimmage could improve his catch rate and give him more chances to create after the catch.
Johnston still profiles as a potentially frustrating, touchdown-dependent flex option, but his role in McDaniel’s offense gives him a legitimate path to another step forward. At the end of the 10th round, that upside is well worth the price.
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