8 Fantasy Football WR Risers or Fallers: Dynasty Player Outlooks (2026)

May 18, 2026

Andrew's dynasty fantasy football wide receiver risers and fallers for May 2026. His fantasy outlooks for top 2026 fantasy football wide receivers (WRs).

Nearly all of the offseason dominoes have fallen.

The NFL Draft has come and gone. Free agency, outside of a few stragglers, is finished. The trade market is still open, but mostly quiet at this time (with one notable, anticipated trade looming).

That means we can accurately gauge dynasty stocks throughout the NFL. Which wide receivers are on the rise entering the 2026 season, and which are we less excited about? Let's dive in.

Dynasty Fantasy Football Risers

Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts

Josh Downs may be the biggest dynasty winner this offseason, at least at the wide receiver position.

After a slip in opportunities (7.6 targets per game in 2024 to 5.5 last year), there was initial pessimism about how Downs could co-create and produce with tight end Tyler Warren soaking up short and intermediate targets. That's an area of the field in which Michael Pittman Jr. also excelled.

Pittman (as we'll discuss later) no longer has a horseshoe on his helmet, and the Colts didn't make any moves to replace him. Alec Pierce got the majority of the wide receiver budget ($28.5M per season, 12th in the NFL), and while his route tree has improved, he's not as crisp in some of his routes as some of the receivers making less than him.

The casual NFL fan (and even some weekly watchers) wouldn't be able to name another wide receiver on the roster without the assistance of Google or AI. It's Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, who caught all of 11 passes in Miami last season, Ashton Dulin, who has caught 40 balls in seven seasons, and seventh-round rookie Deion Burks.

Downs has rarely played in two-receiver sets; he ran just 17 routes in that formation last season. He still, however, earned a healthy target rate in those snaps. Overall, he saw 23.6% of Indianapolis' pass attempts. With the lack of talent in the room, Downs is almost certain to play more outside snaps.

He's proved that he can manufacture fantasy points with extra opportunities. Downs was the WR35 (not a great finish, but still a WR3) with 107 targets in 2024. The impressive part? He did it in just 14 games. Expect that number to rise, even if he's still limited to 14 games again in 2026.

Christian Watson and Matthew Golden, Green Bay Packers

131. That's how many targets are being vacated by two of Green Bay's top wide receivers from a year ago. Romeo Doubs led the team by a wide margin with 85. Dontayvion Wicks was third with 46.

Other teams with a large number of vacated targets at the position, like San Francisco, Miami, and Washington, signed or drafted replacements. The Packers pulled out the Colin Cowherd meme and said, "We're all good."

That means there are over 130 targets to divvy up between Christian Watson, Matthew Golden, Jayden Reed, and tight end Tucker Kraft. Reed, as has been the case for his entire career, rarely plays in two-wide receiver sets.

It's a vote of confidence for the two outside receivers. Watson, who only played in 10 games, averaged 3.5 receptions for 61 yards per game and scored six times (plus another one in the postseason). Injuries have always been a concern, but if he stays healthy, he's proved he's the most talented receiver and best red-zone threat on the roster.

Christian Watson's 2nd TD of the game turned out to be a game winner 🧀 @Accenture pic.twitter.com/mopGcmzUIH

— NFL (@NFL) November 18, 2025

Golden, however, was a disappointment in his debut campaign. Green Bay's first first-round wide receiver selection since 2002 caught 29 passes for 361 yards and has yet to score a regular-season touchdown on the NFL level. Some pundits didn't view Golden as a first-round talent coming into the league, but he was propped up by the fastest 40-yard dash time in his class.

So, the jury is still out on Golden. If he can't produce this season, it doesn't bode well for his future in this league.

Rashee Rice, Kansas City Chiefs

There was chatter about the Kansas City Chiefs using their uncharacteristically high draft pick to bolster their wide receiver room. Carnell Tate was mentioned. Jordyn Tyson was mentioned even more.

When the Chiefs traded up to Cleveland's sixth overall pick, it seemed inevitable that Tyson would be in red and gold. Rather, the Chiefs waited until the fifth round to nab Cyrus Allen. There were no additions in free agency (the opposite, actually, with Marquise Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster being let go). Rice remains in one of the best receiver roles in football.

Earlier this offseason, I had Rice as a sell-high candidate. He's the closest to Deebo Samuel Sr. as we've seen, despite how often that false moniker has been tossed around. The bulk of Rice's production has come after the catch, over five yards per catch every season.

Any other receiver who could diminish Rice's target volume and thus remove some YAC opportunities would be a thorn. Targets are earned, and there isn't anybody else on the roster earning opportunities.

While I still believe he could be sold (even at a higher price) now without a long-term contract and a lengthy list of off-field issues, he's going to deliver this season (assuming Patrick Mahomes plays most or all of the season).

DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles

It's the worst-kept secret in football: A.J. Brown will not be an Eagle this season, and is likely to be catching passes from Drake Maye instead of Jalen Hurts.

DeVonta Smith's stock will skyrocket (if it hasn't done so already) when that transaction goes through. The former Heisman Trophy winner has always been a WR2 with WR1 upside. Whenever Brown and Dallas Goedert were healthy, fantasy managers received WR2 consistency. When either (or both) were sidelined, Smith was a top-12 guy.

Yes, the Eagles replaced Brown with first-round rookie Makai Lemon. There is still a depth chart shuffle, with Smith taking the WR1 title and a chunk of the vacated targets that come with it. It's the first time he'll be in that role since he was a rookie.

A new offensive staff is in Philadelphia this season, following what many view as Hurts' worst fantasy season since his rookie season. Ironically, he set a career high with 25 passing touchdowns, but didn't run nearly as often.

Philadelphia's offensive output tanked from 27.2 and 367.2 yards per game in 2024 to 22.3 and 311.2 last season. The optimistic view, nay expectation, is that the Eagles are somewhere in between the averages in 2026.

The buy window on Smith has likely closed, so long as Smith's manager hasn't somehow dodged every Brown trade rumor. Smith's managers should just enjoy the fruits of their patience.

Dynasty Fantasy Football Fallers

Garrett Wilson, New York Jets

There's still no dispute: Garrett Wilson is the WR1 for the New York Jets. But the near-league-leading 34.3% target share from last season isn't sustainable, especially after the first-round investments that Gang Green made on the offensive side of the football.

Tight end Kenyon Sadiq, who is just as much of a downfield threat as most wide receivers in this class, was New York's 16th pick, followed by wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. at number 30. The offensive firepower is great for building a successful NFL franchise. It's not as great for a wide receiver whose fantasy success has been built on volume.

This is not to disparage Wilson as a wide receiver; he may very well be following the Allen Robinson career path of always teaming up with inaccurate quarterbacks, but a career catch rate of under 60 percent tells the whole story. Couple that with four or fewer touchdowns in three of his four seasons, and managers notice what's left on the table, even if he does volume his way to a decent afternoon.

Are Sadiq and Cooper going to be target hogs? Absolutely not, and that's why Wilson is just a slight slip in the dynasty landscape. However, they are upgrades over the likes of John Metchie III, Allen Lazard, Mason Taylor, and Adonai Mitchell.

There is still the quarterback issue, which, until resolved, will prevent Wilson from returning to WR1 territory. There were murmurs about the Jets being interested in Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, who wound up in Los Angeles, and he was essentially their only option to improve the position in this thin draft.

Cade Klubnik, who played himself out of first-round contention in his final season at Clemson, was selected in the fourth round. While Geno Smith is an upgrade over the Justin Fields, Tyrod Taylor, and Brady Cook trio, he's not a winning quarterback, especially at this point in his career. That means we could see Klubnik start at some point during the 2026 campaign, and that's terrifying for Wilson.

Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike, Tennessee Titans

Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike weren't drafted last year as guaranteed producers, but each, in different ways, flashed potential that allowed dynasty managers to see the path to success.

Ayomanor started his debut season on a strong note, scoring in Weeks 2 and 3, including a very memorable snag against the Rams, but struggled with consistency and drops when he suddenly became important at work.

WE GOT 5 ON IT‼️ @Cameron7Ward to @elicayomanor for their first career TDs!

📺: #LARvsTEN on @NFLonCBS & NFL+ pic.twitter.com/eQANrmlUCo

— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) September 14, 2025

That's when Dike slid into more of a featured role, showcasing more than his blazing speed by becoming a preferred red-zone option for Cam Ward. He was also an All-Pro punt returner. At least that job isn't going anywhere.

First came Wan'Dale Robinson, and that wasn't a doomsday scenario for the sophomore receivers. There were still plenty of snaps and targets for outside receivers. Then came Carnell Tate, the fourth overall pick. Robinson and Tate push veteran Calvin Ridley down the depth chart to a more respectable third option at this point in his career.

So, Ayomanor and Dike have moved from options one and two to four and five. While they're trending in the right direction, the Titans still have much to prove before they're considered a good offense.

Tre' Harris, Los Angeles Chargers

Brenen Thompson is not a full-time football player and won't often play in the base offense. Brenen Thompson is not a complete wide receiver. Brenen Thompson was a fourth-round draft pick.

However, Thompson is the type of player offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel will love to utilize in certain formations. McDaniel said during the NFL Draft, "If you can find a way to get Brenen Thompson, I will take my shirt off in here."

That's a problem for Tre' Harris, the former second-round pick who caught 30 passes for 324 yards and a touchdown in his rookie season. There were enough flashes of potential with the 24-year-old to build believers for a delayed breakout, especially with 122 vacated targets from Keenan Allen.

While in theory Harris moves up the depth chart, there is a plethora of mouths to feed in Los Angeles. Ladd McConkey figures to gather a portion of Allen's targets following an underwhelming sophomore season. Quentin Johnston does a lot of what Harris does best, but better.

There are two tight ends, Oronde Gadsden II and David Njoku, who factor into the division of labor. And, of course, the aforementioned Thompson, who will not be a target hog, but could take the other receivers, like Harris, off the field.

DK Metcalf, Pittsburgh Steelers

There's no subtlety here; the Steelers aren't so certain about DK Metcalf anymore, despite entering the first season of the four-year extension they agreed to when they traded for the former Seattle Seahawk.

First, the Steelers traded for Michael Pittman Jr. this offseason and rewarded him with a new extension. There was an obvious need for a second wide receiver, given that backup running back Kenneth Gainwell led the team in receptions.

And while it didn't work out because of a classic case of counting their eggs before they've hatched, the Steelers also wanted to select Makai Lemon in the first round. That screams of a team that is not happy with its wide receiver production. The Steelers ultimately drafted Germie Bernard in the second round.

The moment that Makai Lemon found out the Eagles were trading up to get him at No. 20 while he was the on the phone with the Steelers, who were planning to take him at No. 21. pic.twitter.com/Iqv7wfzbtu

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 24, 2026

The additions aren't a death knell, but it's an obvious target competition for a man who had none last season and still only had 60 receptions. Even in his Seattle days, when he competed with Tyler Lockett and later Jaxon Smith-Njigba, he totaled more than 80 catches twice.

Metcalf's best attributes are his speed and size, and Pittsburgh may be wasting the last years of the former with poor quarterback play. Drew Allar is not a solution from the draft. Aaron Rodgers is still mulling retirement. Regardless of what happens with the quarterback room, it's a bottom-5 starter for Metcalf and the rest of the receivers.

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