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Adam's fantasy football sneaky bench stashes, sleepers, and late-round draft targets for 2026. Potential league-winners, including Terrance Ferguson and Dontayvion Wicks.
I drafted this article with the intention of highlighting 49ers rookie WR De'Zhaun Stribling, but after the team's first preseason game, he might not be a "sleeper" any longer.
This article is meant to help you identify players that are being slept on by the fantasy football community at large. These guys are forgotten. I'm here to put them on your radar for the 2026 season.
All six of these players are talented, and all six will have a real opportunity to contribute in a big way this season. Draft these guys in the last rounds of your fantasy football drafts. By doing so, you'll be one step ahead of your league-mates running to the waiver wire after Week 1.
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Terrance Ferguson - TE, Los Angeles Rams
Ferguson led all tight ends in deep targets (15) as a rookie in a crowded tight end room in Los Angeles.
He did so while running just 196 total routes with a 35.1% route participation rate, per Fantasy Points Data.
Ferguson's 17.9-yard average depth of target is completely unsustainable, but it goes to show you how trusted he was as a vertical threat last season.
Terrance Ferguson pic.twitter.com/NMDkp4n8uu
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) May 5, 2026
As mentioned, there are a lot of tight ends in Los Angeles. They played 13 personnel (three tight ends, one running back) at the highest rate in the league in 2025 (30%).
Their tight ends are going to be on the field quite a bit. What we need from Ferguson for a true breakout is to be on the field more.
How you get on the field more as a tight end is to excel in all facets of the game. It sounds like Ferguson is doing just that in Training Camp.
Terrance Ferguson Consistently Showing Up in All Phases https://t.co/4RInaCnzPI
— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) August 13, 2026
Don't forget, this is a guy who outplayed Jets first-round tight end Kenyon Saddiq back in 2024. It's no fluke that he's thriving at the next level.
Davante Adams is nearly 34 years old; Puka Nacua has a groin strain and multiple off-the-field issues hanging over his head; Konata Mumpfield and Jordan Whittington round out the wide receiver room.
In fantasy football, we want to take chances on talented players in good offenses with a consistently positive drumbeat in camp.
That's exactly what you're doing by drafting Ferguson in the late rounds this season.
Adonai Mitchell - WR, New York Jets
Who!? Yup, AD Mitchell. The former second-rounder didn't get a fair shake in Indianapolis competing for snaps with Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce, and Josh Downs.
He flashed at times for the Colts but never got enough consistent playing time to make much of a difference.
But after being traded to the Jets midway through the 2025 season, Mitchell has new life.
Not only does he have new life, but he's been thriving as the clear WR2 throughout Training Camp.
#Jets WR Adonai Mitchell has emerged as a real weapon and seems to have found a home:
“We all thought that was a throw-in to the Sauce Gardner trade. … He was like the talk of the offseason with how he progressed. … They think they got a steal from the Colts.” ~ @RichCimini https://t.co/phRrzyyUcp pic.twitter.com/hT6fERnZGt
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) August 12, 2026
Mitchell complements Jets' WR1 Garrett Wilson really well. Mitchell is the vertical threat, excelling on post and go routes, while Wilson generally operates in the short and intermediate areas.
Mitchell should also benefit from new quarterback Geno Smith, who never hesitates to chuck it deep.
Adonai Mitchell really looks like a perfect fit for Geno Smith@FantasyPtsData https://t.co/TI8AmwfVBM pic.twitter.com/QA4Z0UVcMl
— Scott Barrett (@ScottBarrettDFB) June 19, 2026
This could be a match made in heaven, on a team that's likely to be playing from behind in many contests this season.
And for those worried about the "increase" in competition, don't be. Omar Cooper Jr. played deep into the team's first preseason game, while Kenyon Saddiq is still recovering from hernia surgery.
Rookie tight ends also rarely make much of a difference in the passing attack unless they're named Brock Bowers, Colston Loveland, or Tyler Warren.
After Wilson, Mitchell, and Breece Hall, the pass-catching depth chart becomes a little murky. So, why not Mitchell with your last pick in 2026?
Denzel Boston - WR, Cleveland Browns
He's the starting "X" receiver for the Browns, and he's going to play nearly every snap. Boston earned that through his play this offseason.
He turned heads back in OTAs and continues to do so in Training Camp.
Cleveland takeaways:
🔸Denzel Boston
🔸Rookie WR Denzel Boston
🔸Browns’ second-round draft pick Denzel Boston
🔸No. 12 for the Browns, the wideout
🔸Boston, the kid from Washington
🔸that big rookie receiver, Boston
🔸Denzel Boston— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) August 5, 2026
And then what does Boston go out and do in his first-ever NFL action? That's right, a beautiful comeback route.
Uses his strong hands and turns upfield for a nice chunk of yards.
Denzel Boston's first preseason target is a clean stop route aligned at "X" with clean timing and some YAC. pic.twitter.com/opRxMFxyf4
— Browns Film Breakdown (@BrownsFilmBDN) August 15, 2026
Boston is an extremely polished wide receiver. Some might even call him a technician at the position.
Per PlayerProfiler, he had an 86th percentile college target share (28.7%). He dominated in his last two seasons at Washington, totaling 1,700+ yards and 20 touchdowns.
Matt Harmon said on the Yahoo Fantasy Forecast that Boston is the closest thing he's seen to Mike Evans.
He's probably not Evans, but Boston has a real shot to lead the Browns in receiving as a rookie.
While fellow rookie KC Concepcion battles with Jerry Jeudy and Harold Fannin Jr. for targets on the inside, it'll be Boston routing up cornerbacks on the outside.
Despite likely lackluster quarterback play from either Deshaun Watson or Shedeur Sanders, new head coach Todd Monken gives the Browns at least some semblance of competence heading into the 2026 season.
Dontayvion Wicks - WR, Philadelphia Eagles
Wicks' situation is similar to Mitchell's. He's the clear WR2 for a new team after being the odd man out on his former team.
But in this situation, Wicks reunites with Sean Mannion, who spent the last two seasons coaching in Green Bay after nine years playing quarterback in the NFL.
Wicks signed a one-year, $12.5 million deal ($9 million guaranteed) with the Eagles back in April. It's just a one-year deal, but that's certainly not nothing.
The 25-year-old suddenly finds himself in a contract year with arguably the best opportunity in his life. And so far, he seems hungry to prove his worth.
"I like **** like that." pic.twitter.com/YZM2ISlhX0
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) July 30, 2026
This kid's a baller, and Jalen Hurts knows it. According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, Hurts called Wicks "twitchy" and a player who "attacks the ball."
He's right. Per Fantasy Points Data, Wicks recorded the eighth-highest rookie season yards per route run (2.27) over the last three years.
The top five in this category are Luther Burden III, Puka Nacua, Rashee Rice, Brian Thomas Jr., and Ladd McConkey.
Wicks can ball, but for whatever reason, he found himself dropping on the depth chart throughout his time in Green Bay.
But with DeVonta Smith and rookie Makai Lemon both nursing hamstring injuries in Training Camp, the former Packer wideout has started to build real chemistry with Hurts.
Wicks went from WR4/5 in Green Bay to, all of a sudden, being the clear WR2 in Philadelphia with a lot of money up for grabs in an offense that is guaranteed to look better than it did with Kevin Patullo in 2025.
The unique alignments and route concepts littered within this Sean Mannion offense is fun to study even this early on.
He’s got RBs flexed out, WRs at the wing behind an OT, pony personnel (two RBs), on top of the pre-snap motion (orbit/return) that’s ingrained in his scheme…
— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) August 13, 2026
Caleb Douglas - WR, Miami Dolphins
What if the Dolphins have a more competent offense than we think? What if Malik Willis is what he showed us late last season?
If that's the case, I want pieces of this offense. And at the cost of a bag of chips, you can get their WR1, Caleb Douglas.
Caleb Douglas oh my 😮
MIAvsWAS
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/21vkGuMeTb— NFL (@NFL) August 14, 2026
Douglas played every snap with Willis and the first-team offense in the Dolphins' first preseason game. Like Boston, he appears to be WR1 right out of the gate.
That's exciting, especially when paired with Willis, who might just be the real deal throwing the football.
The Dolphins signing Malik Willis to a big contract is like buying five boxes of pigs in a blanket from Costco because that small sample you tried was so good. pic.twitter.com/L5bZcSpJm1
— Alfredo Brown (@AlfredoABrown) August 12, 2026
And it sounds like Miami's offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik is a big fan of Douglas' game.
Miami Dolphins OC Bobby Slowik on rookie WR Caleb Douglas:
“He’s an immensely talented dude. He's got long arms. He's fast. He's got really good feet.”
— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) August 4, 2026
His competition for targets is Greg Dulcich, Jalen Tolbert, Malik Washington, Terrace Marshall Jr., and fellow rookie Chris Bell.
Douglas is going undrafted in most fantasy leagues right now, but that should change. He's worth taking a shot on with your last pick considering his mix of opportunity, talent, and athletic ability.
While the Dolphins could surprise some people, they'll still be playing from behind in many games this season.
That's where the opportunity piece comes into play for Douglas, who should be on the field for a majority of the snaps.
Who Should I Draft Fantasy Football Tool
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