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Frank's five breakout players and potential league-winning picks for 2026. His top breakout candidates include Brock Bowers, DeVonta Smith, and more.
We often think of late-round picks who smash ADP as league winners in fantasy football. While those late-round hammers are great, it's also important to nail your early round picks. Those can be league winners as well. Just think about Puka Nacua last year.
That's what we're focusing on in my league winners column: early round picks (first six rounds) who give you a significant profit at ADP. Last year, this article included Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Derrick Henry, Chris Olave, Emeka Egbuka, and Mark Andrews. JSN was an absolute home run call. Henry balled out at the end of the year. Olave was a major win. Egbuka had flashes in the early part of the year. But Andrews was a big miss.
This year, my five league winners are Ashton Jeanty, Brock Bowers, DeVonta Smith, Caleb Williams, and Marvin Harrison Jr. Find out why I'm drafting them whenever I can in 2026 fantasy football leagues.
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Ashton Jeanty, RB, Las Vegas Raiders
Ashton Jeanty came into the NFL considered one of the best running back prospects in recent memory. He put up video game numbers at Boise State in college.
It ended up being a disappointing season, as Jeanty rushed for 975 yards on 266 carries (3.7 YPC) while catching 55-of-73 targets for 346 yards and five touchdowns. Despite the inefficiency, Jeanty still finished as RB16 in fantasy points per game in PPR formats. But there's no doubt that was a letdown, especially since he went in the early second round.
But I'm all-in on Jeanty this season. For one, he's an absolute workhorse who put up 250+ carries with 70+ targets. That's unlikely to change in 2026, as new head coach Klint Kubiak has already publicly spoken about giving Jeanty heavy usage.
Speaking of Kubiak, he's become an elite play-caller in the NFL. Bringing a Shanahan-style scheme to the Raiders is going to pay massive dividends.
Fernando Mendoza is exactly why you should be all over Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty in 2026.
— Frank Ammirante (@FAmmiranteTFJ) January 2, 2026
Remember, last year, the Raiders were completely dysfunctional under Pete Carroll and Chip Kelly (who was fired in Week 11). This suppressed the production of the entire offense. Now with Kubiak, fresh off a Super Bowl, expect to see major improvement there.
I'm not worried about the offensive line, either. The Raiders brought in a stud offensive line coach in Rick Dennison, who was with Kubiak in Seattle. They also signed an elite center in Tyler Linderbaum. Add in the blocking scheme from Kubiak's system, and this unit will be better.
Then, you have to consider that the Raiders now have Kirk Cousins at quarterback. He's likely going to start the year, which is fine, considering he has familiarity with Kubiak, having played for him when they were both with the Vikings. Once Fernando Mendoza takes over, you're talking about a first overall pick with untapped upside. He can take the Raiders offense to another level.
To that end, here we have a talented running back slated for heavy volume in an improved situation. I have Jeanty as my RB3, willing to take him as high as sixth in drafts. You can get him as late as 12th overall.
Brock Bowers, TE, Las Vegas Raiders
Brock Bowers is my favorite pick in fantasy football this year. He's the skeleton key to winning your leagues. This is a generational prospect who is in a significantly improved situation.
Bowers put up 112 catches for 1,194 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie. Last year was disappointing, with 64 catches for 680 yards and seven touchdowns. But that was partly due to poor play-calling and also because of a PCL sprain, which he played through.
Expect Kubiak to put Bowers in positions to succeed. We just saw him do that with Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who exploded for 119 catches, 1,763 yards, and 10 touchdowns last year.
Everyone is looking for this year's JSN, but they're looking at the wrong position. It's not a wide receiver: it's Bowers. Just take a look at the Raiders receiver room: Tre Tucker and Jalen Nailor. Bowers is going to be absolutely peppered with targets.
My entire fantasy football draft strategy for the 2026 NFL season revolves around 2nd round Brock Bowers.
Bowers is the skeleton key to winning championships this year.
— Frank Ammirante (@FAmmiranteTFJ) July 15, 2026
I'm making a bold prediction that Bowers will set the single-season record for receiving yards by a tight end, currently held by Travis Kelce at 1,416 yards.
Whether it's Cousins or Mendoza under center, Bowers will be the focal point of the offense. The Raiders are likely going to be forced into shootouts this year as they try to keep pace with the Broncos, Chiefs, and Chargers. Bowers will be at the forefront of that.
I would take Bowers at any pick in the second round, as early as 13th overall. He sometimes can fall to you at the end of the round, making him a smash pick. I know there's hesitation to take a tight end so early, but with underrated running backs like Javonte Williams and wide receivers like Chris Olave available in the third round (sometimes fourth), you can catch up at those positions with relative ease.
Drafting Bowers will give you a major advantage at tight end. I prefer him over Trey McBride because we don't draft on last year's stats around here. McBride's numbers were inflated by an extremely pass-heavy situation that won't exist this year with Jeremiyah Love and Tyler Allgeier. Bowers is the one you want this year.
DeVonta Smith, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
DeVonta Smith's career year so far: 95 catches for 1,196 yards and seven touchdowns back in 2022. He's going to set new career-highs across the board in 2026.
With A.J. Brown now with the Patriots, Smith is the unquestioned top target in the Eagles offense. Yes, they drafted two talented players in Makai Lemon and Eli Stowers, but that's less target competition than Brown. The passing game is going to run through Smith.
I'm betting that the Eagles' passing game is going to be significantly improved this year. Former offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo was an absolute disaster last year, running a stale and lethargic offense.
New play-caller Sean Mannion shot through the ranks after joining the Packers coaching staff as an offensive assistant in 2024. He's a former quarterback who is going to install a more modern passing game, including more plays under center. That's going to help Jalen Hurts, which will help Smith.
DeVonta Smith played three games that mattered without AJ Brown in 2024+2025:
Removed W18 2025 because it meant nothing.
10 TGT, 7 REC, 76 YDS, 1 TD
10 TGT, 7 REC, 79 YDS
9 TGT, 6 REC, 84 YDSSmith had a 30.2% target share.
A preview of what's to come.
— Frank Ammirante (@FAmmiranteTFJ) July 14, 2026
While Smith's improved team context is baked into his price, as he goes in the early third round right now, I still think there's upside for more. This has always been a talented wideout who has been held back because Brown was the alpha WR1 and it was a run-heavy offense.
It wouldn't surprise me to see Smith outscore Brown this year. He already has an established rapport with Hurts, while Brown still has to develop one with Drake Maye.
I'm taking Smith every time he falls to the third round. Don't worry about a run-heavy offense. Hurts isn't Bryce Young. We've seen him average as many as 240+ passing yards per game in this league. It's not going to be a pass-heavy scheme, but he's also not going to be a game manager like last year. It wouldn't surprise me to see a 1,400+ yard season from Smith this year.
Caleb Williams, QB, Chicago Bears
Caleb Williams came out of the draft as one of the most hyped quarterback prospects in recent memory. After a disappointing rookie year where he was held back by play-calling, Williams showed flashes of brilliance in Year 1 with Ben Johnson. Here we have a rare combination of an elite talent with one of the best play-callers in the NFL. The sky is the limit in Year 2 of this offense.
Williams is surrounded by stud playmakers, including Colston Loveland, Luther Burden III, and Rome Odunze. Last year, each of these three players was still a question mark. Odunze had a disappointing first year, while both Loveland and Burden were rookies adjusting to a complex offense. But now, they're entrenched in their roles, so I'm excited to see what they can do for a full season.
Caleb Williams got more comfortable in Ben Johnson's offense as the season went along.
Weeks 1-8: 17.5 PPG (QB15)
Week 9-18: 20.1 PPG (QB7)The sky is the limit in Year 2 in Johnson's offense.
— Frank Ammirante (@FAmmiranteTFJ) July 28, 2026
We also have to acknowledge Williams' rushing upside. He only put up 388 yards and three touchdowns last year after going for 489 yards as a rookie. Williams said that he shed 10-15 pounds this offseason, so he feels like he'll be faster. It wouldn't shock me to see 500+ yards this time around. With his rushing ability, we could see more touchdowns as well, since three is a low number.
I'm betting that Williams takes his game to new heights this year. He's comfortable in Johnson's offense, and the upside is undeniable. All he has to do is hit those layups, as he can already make incredible throws off-script. This is a player with an overall QB1 ceiling. I have him as my QB3.
Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Arizona Cardinals
There once was a time when we were patient with young wide receivers, waiting for the third-year breakout. But in recent years, we've been spoiled by immediate production from players like Justin Jefferson and Ja'Marr Chase.
That's caused us to become impatient with young players who get off to slow starts, like Marvin Harrison Jr. Let's remember that when Harrison came out of the draft, he was considered one of the best wideout prospects in the last few years.
I think that the slow start to his career can be explained by poor usage from former offensive coordinator Drew Petzing. Petzing often isolated Harrison on the perimeter, which is not how he wins. You have to move him around and get him more involved in the short-to-intermediate passing game.
Marvin Harrison Jr. has gotten off to a slow start to his career.
You know who else got off to a slow start?
His dad.
Marvin Harrison didn't have a 1,000+ yard season until Year 4, when he put up 1,663 yards.
PATIENCE!
— Frank Ammirante (@FAmmiranteTFJ) July 24, 2026
Enter Mike LaFleur, who comes over from the Sean McVay coaching tree. I'm betting that LaFleur will put Harrison in better positions to succeed in this offense.
Yes, Michael Wilson balled out at the end of last year and will still be a factor, but when Harrison returned from injury, Wilson took a backseat. For all we know, if Harrison didn't get injured, he would have been the one to put up the huge numbers that Wilson did.
Simply put, this is a bet on a post-hype sleeper who has lost his shine. But he's only 24 years old. I'm not ready to give up just yet. You can get Harrison in the sixth round. For all his faults, one thing he's been good at is finding the end zone, scoring 12 touchdowns in 29 games in his first two seasons. It wouldn't shock me to see 10+ touchdowns this year.
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