5 Fantasy Football Draft Sleepers: Undervalued Players to Target (2026)

May 8, 2026

Adam's fantasy football sleepers and under-the-radar draft picks. Read his undervalued draft targets for 2026 fantasy football, including Jayden Higgins, Jalen McMillan, and more.

I'm so happy to be back writing about fantasy football. With the NFL Draft in the rearview mirror, rosters are taking shape, and it's time to start our offseason fantasy football analysis.

My first article of the offseason focuses on undervalued players heading into the 2026 season. Every year, there are players who outperform expectations. It's our job to identify those undervalued players that will carry us to a fantasy football championship.

Last season, it was guys like Chris Olave, Travis Etienne Jr., Javonte Williams, Kyle Pitts, and Alec Pierce. They all smashed their average draft position (ADP). None of these guys had an ADP inside the top 75 players in 2025. Who will it be this season? Here are my top five most undervalued players heading into the 2026 fantasy football season.

Jalen McMillan, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Underdog ADP - 139.9 (WR58)

McMillan is priced well below his teammates heading into the 2026 fantasy football season. Emeka Egbuka has an ADP of 40.4, while Chris Godwin Jr. is going around pick 91. What gives?

Well, Egbuka was a first-round pick just a year ago. There's a lot of hype heading into Year 2, and rightfully so. However, he had an up-and-down rookie campaign. He had a few blow-up games, but on the whole, he was inconsistent, especially down the stretch when everyone was healthy.

Godwin played just nine games in 2025, returning from a dislocated ankle suffered in 2024. He averaged just 40 yards on 5.3 targets per game. His yards (1.51) and first downs (0.088) per route run left a lot to be desired (data via Fantasy Points Data). Godwin also just turned 30.

And then there's McMillan. The 2024 third-round pick played just four games a season ago after suffering a neck injury that left him in a brace for nearly four months.

Despite being thrust into a full-time role in his rookie season, McMillan got off to a relatively slow start playing alongside Mike Evans and Godwin. He also battled through a couple of hamstring injuries in 2024.

But then came the post-bye week rookie bump. In his last eight games, McMillan averaged nearly 50 yards per contest. He posted a respectable 1.8 yards per route run, had a 23.5% air yards share, and caught more touchdown passes than Evans (7 vs. 6) during that stretch.

Then, after missing nearly his entire sophomore season, McMillan returned in Week 15 and sent Egbuka to the shadow realm. He outproduced both the rookie first-rounder and Godwin in yards per route run (2.41) and first downs per route run (0.108) by a sizeable margin.

Baker to Jalen McMillan down at the one 👀

ATLvsTB on Prime Video
Also streaming on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/TSZuYDatNH

— NFL (@NFL) December 12, 2025

It was a small sample size, but it shouldn't be overlooked that he ran nearly the same number of routes as Egbuka in those four games after returning from a 13-game absence.

So that brings us to the 2026 season. Long-time Buccaneer Evans is gone. That vacates 36% of the air yards and 27.8% of the first read targets from a year ago. That's a massive opportunity in the Tampa Bay passing attack.

McMillan, like Evans, has historically played on the outside. He's likely on the field for a majority of the snaps to start the 2026 season. Despite multiple injury setbacks in his first two seasons, he's already shown an ability to be efficient on his reps.

If McMillan can stay healthy, he's got a real shot to be the Bucs' WR1, and that's no exaggeration. Some with intimate knowledge of the team dynamics believe the same thing.

Who is WR1 for the #Bucs ??? @LogansTwitty says Jalen McMillan
I’m sticking with Chris Godwin

What say YOU #BucsNation ??? #GoBucs #NFL #WeAreTheKrewe @BucsGameday pic.twitter.com/zS8qnwwobk

— Jay Recher (@jayRecher) May 3, 2026

Jalen Coker, WR, Carolina Panthers

Underdog ADP - 129.7 (WR55)

Coker showed flashes as an undrafted rookie in 2024. That year, he was second on the team in yards per route run (1.83) and receiving yards market share (22.8%) behind Adam Thielen. He easily beat out fellow rookie wideout Xavier Legette and almost all efficiency metrics.

Then, heading into Year 2, many expected Coker to hit the ground running alongside new rookie Tetairoa McMillan. But then he suffered a quad injury that kept him out until Week 7.

It took Coker a handful of games to get acclimated again, but then, after the Panthers' bye week, the flip switched. In the final five games of the season, he actually outperformed TMac in a lot of areas.

In his first career playoff game, Coker caught 9-of-12 targets for 134 yards and a touchdown. Not bad for an undrafted rookie out of Holy Cross!

Not only did he outperform McMillan, but Coker was one of the most efficient receivers in the league down the stretch last season.

Jalen Coker showed out in the Wild Card Round, yet he proved to be one of the most efficient WRs in the NFL since Week 10:

+ 1.93 YPRR (24th/77 WRs)
+ 3.71 YPRR vs. man (3rd)
+ 0.092 1st downs/route (26th)
+ 0.16 MTF/Rec (21st)
+ 9 for 9 on contested catch opps (1st)
(per…

— Dataroma (@ffdataroma) January 12, 2026

Entering Year 3, he begins the season firmly entrenched as the WR2 for Carolina. But based on how last season ended, the ADP gap probably shouldn't be as large as it is (33.8 vs. 129.7). The 2026 Coker discount will be talked about in fantasy football circles for years to come.

This dude can flat-out ball.

Bryce Young with a DIME to Jalen Coker to extend the @Panthers lead!

CARvsNO on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/hNjCsR7fa9

— NFL (@NFL) December 14, 2025

Josh Downs, WR, Indianapolis Colts

Underdog ADP - 103.9 (WR46)

The Colts had a crowded wide receiver room in 2025 that consisted of Downs, Pierce, Adonai Mitchell, and Michael Pittman Jr. Things look a bit different heading into the 2026 season, with Mitchell traded to the Jets last season and Pittman Jr. signing with the Steelers.

The question for Downs was never his talent. He's one of the most talented wideouts in the NFL. He's consistently earned targets throughout his career.

Last season, he was 26th among receivers in targets per route run (0.24). The year before that, he finished sixth in that category (0.30). The man earns targets.

The issue he has to overcome is playing time. In three seasons, his snap share has never been north of 75%, and his route participation rate has never been above 78%. In 2025, he played on just 63% of the snaps and had a route participation rate of just 68.3%, per PlayerProfiler.

Last season, he played 70% of his slots from the snap, yielding snaps to both Pittman Jr. and Pierce. With Pittman Jr. no longer in the way, it sounds like head coach Shane Steichen wants to get Downs some reps on the outside.

#Colts HC Shane Steichen stated a few days ago that he expects more targets for Josh Downs in 2026, and that Indy is going to give Downs some reps on the outside this spring https://t.co/u77h92TFAd pic.twitter.com/uKeeq92NsY

— The Coachspeak Index (@CoachspeakIndex) April 25, 2026

That'd be absolutely enormous for his fantasy value in 2026. For his career, Downs has earned 8.4 targets per game in 11 games he's played over 75% of the snaps. In two career games without Pittman, he's averaged 6.5 grabs for 55.5 yards on 9.5 targets per game.

A bet on Downs isn't a bet on his talent, but a bet on his opportunity. We know the talent is there, and we're being told (for really the first time) that the opportunity will be there as well.

That gives a bullish outlook on the fourth-year wideout in 2026 if he can earn those outside reps.

Keaton Mitchell, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

Underdog ADP - 147.1 (RB47)

Mike McDaniel is the new Chargers offensive coordinator in 2026. As such, the team wanted to make sure they got a De'Von Achane clone for him to work with. Subsequently, they prioritized the speedy Mitchell in free agency.

#Chargers OC Mike McDaniel printed out wanted posters for Keaton Mitchell and Alec Ingold, and put the posters up on GM Joe Hortiz’s wall pic.twitter.com/6e1HdV05eY

— The Coachspeak Index (@CoachspeakIndex) April 17, 2026

And it wasn't chump change either. He landed a two-year, $9.25M deal with $5M guaranteed.

The 24-year-old played three seasons in Baltimore for head coach John Harbaugh. Now, fittingly, he joins John's brother Jim in Los Angeles.

Mitchell has battled numerous injuries throughout his career, including a torn ACL in 2023 that forced him to miss the majority of the 2024 season.

It's never been a matter of talent for Mitchell. He's shown an ability to make guys miss with his speed and agility. He's averaged 6.34 yards per carry on 121 career carries.

Last season, fully healed from ACL reconstruction, Mitchell looked elite on limited work.

Every run of 10+ yards from new #Chargers RB Keaton Mitchell last season pic.twitter.com/hJ1NW1UfOZ

— Steven Haglund (@StevenIHaglund) March 22, 2026

With Omarion Hampton leading the way, we're not expecting Mitchell to be some sort of bell cow. Not even close. The hope, however, is that he can carve out a meaningful role for a Chargers team with an elite ground attack.

We all know Harbaugh wants to establish the run. That's his bread and butter.

The year before Harbaugh joined LA, the Chargers only ran the ball on 39% of their plays. Two years before he joined (in 2022), they ran the ball just 35% of the time.

In Harbaugh's first season, that jumped up to 45% (top 10 in the NFL). Their rushing play percentage came down a bit last season (42%) as the team battled numerous offensive line injuries.

But this season, they'll get both Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt back, which should allow them to find success on the ground. Expect Mitchell, who brings a different element to the running back room, to be a big part of that.

Jayden Higgins, WR, Houston Texans

Underdog ADP - 124.0 (WR53)

Higgins flew a little under the radar last season. His numbers didn't jump off the page, but the second-round pick out of Iowa State showed plenty of promise.

At 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, Higgins looks like a Nico Collins clone. And he plays a lot like Collins. He's a big, boundary receiver that can stretch the field with his size and athleticism.

As a rookie, Higgins finished second on his team in receiving yards per game (32.8), yards per route run (1.54), and first downs per route run (0.082), per Fantasy Points Data.

These aren't elite numbers, but they're respectable for a rookie wideout playing alongside an alpha like Collins.

Higgins also showcased his ability in the red zone, converting 5-of-9 end zone targets into touchdowns. Collins, by comparison, caught 4-of-12 end zone targets a season ago.

Higgins was also one of the more efficient rookie wideouts. He received the third-highest PFF receiving grade, while finishing fourth in yards per route run and fifth in targets per route run.

The Texans are hoping to get Tank Dell back from a gruesome leg injury that forced him to miss all of the 2025 campaign. There's no guarantee he'll be anywhere close to the same player he was pre-injury.

The team also lost Christian Kirk in free agency, so it'll be Jaylin Noel and probably Dell operating out of the slot.

That leaves Higgins to compete with Xavier Hutchinson for reps on the outside. Hutchinson looked good at times in 2025, but his 0.16 targets per route run and 1.10 yards per route run leave a lot to be desired.

One thing we love to see from rookie wide receivers is an efficiency bump coming out of the bye week.

Jayden Higgins on the season, per @FantasyPtsData:

Week 1-7:
+ 41.2% route share
+ 0.14 targets per route
+ 7.4% 1st read target share
+ 5.3% 1st downs per route

Week 8-11:
+ 54.6% route share
+ 0.23 targets per route
+ 16.3% 1st read target share
+ 8.9% 1st downs per route

— Dataroma (@ffdataroma) November 17, 2025

Higgins did exactly that. There's no reason to think the 23-year-old won't continue that upward trend in Year 2. Not to mention the contingency upside should oft-injured Collins be forced to miss any time in 2026.

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