- Mike Evans could find a new home: While the long-time Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver could return for a 13th season, he could have more opportunities in a new home with less competition for snaps and targets.
- Jauan Jennings is a WR2 if healthy: The San Francisco 49ers wide receiver showed sparks over the last two seasons and he could also find a new home where he receives more targets.
- 2026 NFL Draft season is here: Try the best-in-class PFF Mock Draft Simulator and learn about 2026's top prospects while trading and drafting for your favorite NFL team.
Estimated reading time: 16 minutes
Free agency is a week away, and several players are slated to become unrestricted free agents and could be changing teams. Depending on where they land, they could be fantasy starters next season.
This article aims to rank the wide receivers and connect players with realistic landing spots that make sense for the player, the new team and should increase the player's fantasy value more than it hurts.
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens was given the franchise tag, so he is not included in this article.
1. WR Mike Evans
Evans has been among the NFL's top wide receivers over the last decade. He was a top-16 fantasy wide receiver in fantasy points per game each year from 2018-2024. Evans dealt with injuries for most of 2025 but played in the last four games of the season and scored the 14th-most fantasy points among wide receivers during that stretch.
Evans turns 33 years old before the start of the season, and there are already some signs of decline. However, he’s been elite thanks to his size and ball skills, more so than his speed, and it is typically speed that declines for wide receivers. For fantasy purposes, Evans' size will continue to make him a red-zone target wherever he lands. Evans has averaged a high 0.61 touchdowns per game in his career, and he scored three times during his seven healthy games last season.
There are younger wide receivers with more upside than Evans, but his dependability and touchdown potential make him the safest option of the class.
Ideal fantasy landing spot: Cleveland Browns
Evans has spent the first 12 seasons of his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While it would be great if he could end his career with the Buccaneers, that might not happen. Tampa Bay has Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin, Jalen McMillan and Tez Johnson under contract, so Evans might not have a full-time role if he returns. There is a chance Evans could sign a much larger contract with another team.
An ideal spot would be with the Cleveland Browns. Todd Monken is the new head coach, and he spent 2016-2018 as the Buccaneers' offensive coordinator. Evans set a career-high in receiving yards per game (95.3) in 2018 in Monken’s offense. In 2016, Evans led the league in targets in Monken’s offense.
Jerry Jeudy was the Browns’ X receiver last season, but he is better suited to play Z or in the slot. Shedeur Sanders had the seventh-highest accuracy rate on deep passes last season, which could make Sanders a good fit for Evans. Deshaun Watson could also win the job. He consistently had a high deep target rate as recently as 2023, where 14% of his attempts were deep, ranking sixth among quarterbacks. However, that rate fell to 8.8% in 2024.
2. WR Jauan Jennings
Jennings started his career as a slot receiver for the San Francisco 49ers and at the bottom of the target priority order compared to Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel and George Kittle. Injuries allowed Jennings to have more opportunities on the outside in 2024, allowing him to finish tied for 28th in fantasy points per game at 14.0. He had four excellent games with at least seven receptions for at least 90 yards and six combined touchdowns. He failed to score in the other games and was held under 60 yards in more than half of them.
With both Aiyuk and Samuel out of the picture in 2025, Jennings was consistently in the starting lineup when healthy. He dealt with calf, shoulder, ankle and rib injuries throughout the season, leading him to miss two games and play hurt during the others. He was relatively healthy from Week 9 on, averaging 14.0 fantasy points during that stretch. He was highly dependent on scoring touchdowns during that stretch. He scored eight, which was tied for the most among wide receivers, but his 431 receiving yards were only the 26th-most.
Ideal fantasy landing spot: Tennessee Titans
The 49ers would like to keep Jennings, but this offseason is Jennings's one opportunity to sign a significant contract, and multiple teams need a wide receiver and could pay Jennings a lot more money than the 49ers can, including the Tennessee Titans, Las Vegas Raiders, Washington Commanders and New York Jets.
The Titans are the best fit for Jennings. He would join Cam Ward, who needs a new top wide receiver. It’s unclear what the offense in Las Vegas and New York will look like. Jennings has an 81.3 PFF receiving grade over the last two seasons when lined up on the line of scrimmage, compared to 70.6 off the line. While Jennings has experience at each receiver spot, he’s best suited for an X-receiver role. The Commanders have an X in Terry McLaurin, while the Titans could use an X.
As a bonus, the Titans' new head coach is Robert Salah, who spent last season as the 49ers' defensive coordinator. Jennings might not have the same touchdown potential as he had in San Francisco, but he would more consistently see targets.
3. WR Alec Pierce
Pierce was an Indianapolis Colts second-round pick in 2022, but he was off fantasy radars during his first two seasons, with only one four-plus-reception game. He finished 53rd in fantasy points per game in 2024 and 26th last season.
His role with Indianapolis has been as a deep threat. His 21.3-yard average depth of target over the last two seasons is the most for any wide receiver with at least 50 targets. The only two receivers within five yards are Christian Watson (18.3) and Marquez Valdes-Scantling (16.4). Typically, wide receivers with high average depths of target are ones to avoid in redraft leagues because they will have some games with a deep catch for a touchdown and others where they are rarely involved. His 16% target rate is the 85th-best among wide receivers with at least 50 targets over the last two seasons.
His fantasy value improved in 2025, thanks to his target rate increasing from 14.6% in 2024 to 17.4% in 2025. The only wide receivers with similar usage who turned into fantasy starters in the last 20 years were Roddy White and Mike Wallace, but White had a ridiculous 22.4% target rate with a 20.4-yard average depth of target in 2006, catching passes from Michael Vick, while Wallace saw his average depth of target decline and target rate increase after his rookie season.
Either Pierce will remain in a similar role, where his ceiling will remain a WR3, or he will start seeing more shorter passes, and it’s unclear how well he would play in that role. Pierce only had 14 targets last season with a sub-nine-yard depth, 105th among wide receivers.
Ideal fantasy landing spot: New Orleans Saints
Pierce was among the top deep threats at wide receiver last season, catching 12 deep passes for 451 yards and five touchdowns. While the Indianapolis Colts will make a strong push to keep him, Pierce could be a bigger part of other offenses.
The Saints are a uniquely strong fit for Pierce. The Saints need wide receivers beyond Chris Olave, after moving on from both Rashid Shaheed and Brandin Cooks in the middle of last season. Tyler Shough was the fourth-most accurate passer on deep passes last season, often connecting with Olave. The Saints would allow Pierce to be second on the team in targets, finish with a higher target rate than in Indianapolis and earn more quality deep passes, improving his fantasy value.
4. WR Wan’Dale Robinson
Robinson was similarly a second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft but is at the opposite end of the average depth of target spectrum. Pierce has the highest average depth of target among wide receivers over the last four seasons with at least 250 targets, while Robinson and the next person on the list, Deebo Samuel, have the lowest.
Robinson has been the New York Giants‘ slot receiver, and he dealt with injury early in his career. He emerged as a high-target option in 2024, as he and Malik Nabers accounted for over 50% of the Giants' targets. He caught at least five passes in 12 of 17 games but never gained more than 75 yards in a game. He averaged 10.7 PPR points per game that season, ranking 46th among wide receivers.
In 2025, he became a more well-rounded player. His average depth of target jumped from 5.1 yards to 9.1, while his target rate also increased. He lined up more as an outside wide receiver last season than in his first three seasons combined. He finished 17th in fantasy points per game, although that was in part due to a lack of other options in New York. No other player on the Giants had more than 600 receiving yards, and the only players with more than 300 were Darius Slayton and tight end Theo Johnson. There is a chance neither Slayton nor Johnson starts in 2026. While Robinson will likely be a slot receiver wherever he lands, and potentially play on the outside in two-receiver sets, it’s unlikely his target rate will be nearly as high.
Ideal fantasy landing spot: Washington Commanders
Robinson has been a featured part of Brian Daboll’s offenses in recent seasons. Daboll is now the offensive coordinator of the Tennessee Titans, and Tennessee already has Chimere Dike as a promising young slot receiver.
A potential landing spot for Robinson is the Commanders. Washington tried to find success with a veteran slot receiver last season with Deebo Samuel, but the Commanders have the salary cap space to aim for a younger slot receiver to help Jayden Daniels. Robinson led all wide receivers in receiving yards out of the slot last season at 675.
5. WR Deebo Samuel
Samuel was a top-five fantasy wide receiver at his peak, but injuries have impacted him, so he hasn’t played as well in recent seasons. He’s generally started seasons strong before falling off by the end of the year. For example, last season, he was WR12 in fantasy points per game over the first six weeks and WR51 over the last six weeks.
He earned a 74.0-plus PFF receiving grade each of the first five seasons of his career, but under 71.0 each of the last two, giving him similar recent grades to Robinson. While Samuel might have more upside if he can return to the play of earlier in his career, he is also five years older with more injury history and wear and tear. This pushes Samuel below Robinson in the rankings.
Ideal fantasy landing spot: Miami Dolphins
If Samuel isn’t returning to Washington, the Dolphins would make for a great destination for Samuel. The team already moved on from Tyreek Hill and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. Jaylen Waddle was the only Miami wide receiver to achieve at least 325 receiving yards last season, so there is room for significant targets for Samuel.
Miami promoted Bobby Slowik as its offensive coordinator this offseason. Slowik was the 49ers' pass game specialist in 2021, which was Samuel’s one year as an All-Pro player. He caught 77 passes for 1,405 yards and earned 14 total offensive touchdowns that season. Miami would be the best place for Samuel to revitalize his career.
6. WR Romeo Doubs
Doubs has started 50 games in his four seasons with the Green Bay Packers. His receiving grade has been in the 70.0’s each of the last three seasons. He’s never had a 100-yard game in the regular season, but he’s shown sparks of greatness when the Packers have needed him the most. He’s averaged 93 receiving yards per game over his four playoff performances. He also played well over the last three games of his 2025 season, earning 80.0-plus PFF receiving grades in all three games, as he totaled 16 receptions for 270 yards and two touchdowns during that stretch.
The most likely scenario is that Doubs signs with a team to be a starter and continues to be a player that can be put in fantasy starting lineups when a typical fantasy starter has a bye week or injury. However, a new team could see what worked for Doubs in his best games and make him a more consistent part of the offense, turning him into a fantasy starter.
Ideal fantasy landing spot: San Francisco 49ers
Doubs has spent the last few seasons as the Green Bay Packers‘ X receiver, but Doubs might not be a high priority for Green Bay this offseason. They have veterans Christian Watson, Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks in addition to drafting Matthew Golden in the first round of last season’s draft. Golden started taking some snaps as an X receiver late in the season, suggesting Golden might be the Packers' X receiver going forward.
The 49ers will need an X receiver next season if Jennings doesn’t re-sign. Jennings has spent most of the last two seasons as their X receiver, as Brandon Aiyuk played the X position before that. Packers head coach Matt LaFleur spent most of 2008-2016 as an assistant under 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan with three different franchises, so Doubs would be a strong schematic fit with the 49ers offense.
7. WR Tyreek Hill
Hill scored the second-most fantasy points among wide receivers in both 2022 and 2023 but hasn’t found the same success in the last two seasons. His PFF receiving grade has fallen to 81.0 or lower in each of the last two seasons after sitting at 83.0 or above in each of the previous seven. His yards after the catch per catch had been elite, 4.0 or better in each of the first eight seasons of his career, but that fell to a career-low 3.5 in 2024, followed by a new career low at 2.9.
Hill’s game was built on elite speed, but his speed has declined each of the last two seasons, according to tracking data. Hill tore his ACL, among other ligaments, early in the 2025 season, and it’s unclear when Hill will be ready to play again. Hill arguably has the most upside of the group, given his past as an early first-round fantasy wide receiver. However, there is a high likelihood that Hill misses part of 2025 and is not able to return to the same player he was in 2025, let alone the same player he was in 2023. There is also a chance Hill retires. There is a chance his days of being a fantasy starter are over.
Ideal fantasy landing spot: Kansas City Chiefs
Hill spent the first six seasons of his career with Kansas City, playing with head coach Andy Reid and catching passes from Patrick Mahomes. Kansas City already had one reunion, bringing back offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, who was the coordinator from 2018-2022. Hill was a Pro Bowl receiver for Reid and Bieniemy’s offense in all five seasons and a first-team AP All-Pro in three of those five.
Kansas City also needs a wide receiver. Hollywood Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Tyquan Thornton are all headed toward free agency. Rashee Rice could be suspended for most of the season. Xavier Worthy had fewer receptions per game and touchdowns in his sophomore season than as a rookie. Tight end Travis Kelce could potentially retire. If Hill can play most of the season, there is a chance Hill leads the team in targets during his games played.
8. WR Rashid Shaheed
Shaheed is similar to Pierce in that he’s a speedy deep threat but hasn’t had Pierce's consistency. Shaheed’s role has slowly but surely increased over his first three seasons, and he finally reached the status of a full-time starter in 2024, playing over 75% of his team's offensive snaps. He was a classic deep threat, finishing four games with 70 or more yards but two games with a combined one reception for 11 yards. An injury cost him the rest of the 2024 season.
In 2025, he started the season as a rotational starter for the New Orleans Saints, but then he was traded to the Seattle Seahawks, where he played in three-receiver sets. He had a few big games over the 2025 season but was held to single-digit receiving yards in seven games with Seattle.
Shaheed is one of the most high-risk, high-reward players on this list. While he can have some big games, which particularly helps in best ball leagues, he will need to have a full-time role as he did early in 2024 in order for him to be a fantasy starter. If he returns to Seattle or goes to a team that only views him as a part-time weapon, then he won’t be worth having in fantasy starting lineups in redraft leagues.
Ideal fantasy landing spot: Los Angeles Chargers
If Shaheed’s goal is to chase championships, then it could make sense to remain with the Seahawks. However, the Seahawks have too many weapons for him to become a fantasy starter, especially if he only plays in 11 personnel.
If he leaves the Seahawks, one fun landing spot would be with Mike McDaniel and the Los Angeles Chargers. McDaniel’s offense with the Miami Dolphins was built on speed. Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill are two of the top five wide receivers with the highest average max speed when running a route over the last four seasons.
While Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston are faster than the average receiver, Shaheed ranks among the top-15 wide receivers in average max speed over the last four seasons. Shaheed in McDaniel’s offense would have the chance to be something special, even though he would also have notable competition for targets in the Chargers' offense.
- Honorable Mention X Receivers: Brandon Aiyuk, Kendrick Bourne, Gabe Davis, Van Jefferson
- Honorable Mention Z Receivers: Keenan Allen, Hollywood Brown, Jalen Tolbert, Noah Brown, Dyami Brown, Tyquan Thornton
- Honorable Mention Slot Receivers: Christian Kirk, Jalen Nailor, Tutu Atwell, Calvin Austin III, Olamide Zaccheaus, Greg Dortch
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