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Corbin's 9 fantasy football breakout players and potential league-winning picks for 2026. His top breakout candidates include Nico Collins, RJ Harvey, Justin Herbert, and more.
We're at the point in the fantasy football draft season where we won't overanalyze things. The goal is for players to remain healthy for the rest of the preseason, with signs pointing to these players being regular starters in our fantasy lineups. Most of these players we highlight will come from the early to middle rounds.
Though these players are targets of mine, we want to be flexible with drafting and adjusting to the market prices. This list could have been 20 players long because there are several players to target and prioritize throughout different points in the draft.
Fantasy managers are sharper than ever, with average draft position being efficient, meaning it's harder to find edges with the range of tools, news sources, and advanced data. That said, my goal with this article was to highlight players to target at different rounds and points throughout the draft after the second round.
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Nico Collins, WR, Texans
FFPC ADP: 25.7, WR9
The Texans were one of seven teams with one pass catcher running a route over 75% of the time. Collins was the lone Texans pass catcher (WR/TE) to surpass the 75% route rate mark. He has strong usage, with a 28.1% first-read target share (No. 18) and 15.8 expected fantasy points per game (No. 13).
The Texans lost Jayden Higgins to a torn ACL, who was picking up steam in the preseason as a potential breakout. They acquired Kayshon Boutte from the Patriots this week, since New England had some receiving depth. That said, Boutte has been deployed as a downfield threat, with an average target depth of 17.5, yet is not a strong target earner (13%).
Theoretically, the already-consolidated passing offense for the Texans should continue to feed Collins. They invested in their offensive line throughout the draft and free agent acquisitions. That's evident by drafting Center Keylan Rutledge in the first and Left Guard Febechi Nwaiwu. Plus, they signed former Browns tackle Wyatt Teller, former Colts tackle Braden Smith, and backup center Evan Brown from the Cardinals.
Assuming the Texans' offensive line and run game improve after ranking 30th in adjusted yards before contact per attempt, 31st in rushing success rate, and 26th in EPA per rush, it should help C.J. Stroud and their passing offense. This is a bet on Collins being valued as a backend WR1 with top-5 WR upside based on the volume.
It looks like this year we want to target receivers early and find running back value later in somewhat of a HeroRB approach.
Zay Flowers, WR, Ravens
FFPC ADP: 35.4, WR15
Like the Texans, the Ravens were one of the teams with only one pass catcher (WR/TE) posting a 75% route rate or higher last season. Flowers plays on one of the more run-heavy offenses, ranking 31st in neutral script pass rate in 2025 and 28th in 2024 with Derrick Henry on the Ravens.
Flowers soaks up most of the team's opportunities, given his 33.3% first-read target share and 35.1% air yards share while generating 2.61 yards per route run (No. 9). Furthermore, Flowers accounts for 36.9% of the Ravens' team yardage, ranking third behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba (44.1%) and Puka Nacua (37.9%).
The Ravens have Declan Doyle as their offensive coordinator, the former Bears OC under Ben Johnson. Doyle previously was the tight ends coach for the Broncos in 2023-2024. Working under Sean Payton and Johnson suggests Doyle likely has a detail-oriented approach to crafting an NFL offense. That aligns with what Ravens' players have mentioned in interviews: attention to detail.
Flowers is coming off his most efficient season with 3.1 fantasy points over expected (FPOE/G), ranking sixth while maintaining his WR25 usage in expected fantasy points. Though Flowers hasn't surpassed six receiving touchdowns in his first three seasons in the NFL, we've seen his red zone target share increase to 9.4% last season from 6.1% (2024).
With Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar gone, there's a chance Flowers garners more targets in the red zone, potentially boosting his touchdown upside. We're buying Flowers as a WR2, but he possesses WR1 upside as we saw in 2025.
Jadarian Price, RB, Seahawks
FFPC ADP: 58.5, RB26
Maybe it's a fool's errand, but I've been into the trio of Seahawks running backs at their given prices. Price's top analytical comparisons based on draft capital, size, and speed were Josh Jacobs, Tyrion Davis-Price, Miles Sanders, Zamir White, James Cook III, and D'Andre Swift.
Playing alongside Jeremiyah Love, Price's most productive season came in 2025, rushing for 11 touchdowns, which led to a 31% RB Dominator. Price profiles as an explosive rusher with the ability to generate yards after contact and force missed tackles. That's evident in Price's 3.92 yards after contact per attempt, along with a 25.3% missed-tackle rate and a 51.2% breakaway-rush percentage in his career.
The visual below shows the running back prospects sorted by career breakaway rush percentage (15+ yards).
The Seahawks' offensive line ranked 18th in adjusted yards before contact per attempt with the third-lowest pressure rate allowed. They returned several of their starters and added 5th-round guard Beau Stephens and tackle Bobby Hart from the Chargers. There have been rumblings that Klint Kubiak's scheme could negatively impact their offensive line this season.
Price is similar to Kenneth Walker III as a prospect, given their ability to force missed tackles and lack of receiving opportunities in college. However, Walker had a better peak season in his final college season at Michigan State with over 1,600 rushing yards, 18 rushing touchdowns, and a 57% RB Dominator.
Whenever Zach Charbonnet returns, they will share the touches and opportunities, which can dampen Price's floor and ceiling. That said, there's a chance that variance hits and Price comes out of the gate strong, as an efficient rusher with explosive plays, leading to more work than expected when Charbonnet returns.
Price borders the RB2 and RB3 group in drafts, with potential RB1 spike weeks within the range of outcomes. Target Price on your team's RB2 or RB3 after taking one earlier because there are pieces to like and not being outpriced yet.
Jaylen Warren, RB, Steelers
FFPC ADP: 70.1, RB 29
Warren is coming off of his best usage, as RB19 in expected fantasy points per game, via a career-high in opportunities (256). That was on a Steelers team with Kenny Gainwell garnering 50% of the snaps, a 16% target share, and 28% of the team's rushing opportunities.
For context, Warren posted a 25% (2023), 12% (2024), and 9% target share (2025) over the past few seasons. Warren typically soaked up running back targets while rushing 211 times, a career high. With the higher rushing workload, Warren had 53.8% of the team's attempts inside the five-yard line, significantly higher than in 2024 (16%).
Warren consistently flashed juicy rushing metrics, with a 54.5% success rate, 21% missed tackle rate, 2.48 yards after contact, and 2.06 yards before contact per attempt. In the three previous seasons with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, not including 2024, he often targeted running backs.
That's evident in the expected fantasy points for receiving to running backs with the Steelers, Jets, and Packers. The down season with the Jets in 2025 was partly due to Garrett Wilson and Davante Adams accounting for 45.5% of the team's targets. The Steelers added Michael Pittman Jr. and Rico Dowdle during the offseason, with Dowdle likely sharing the backfield workload.
Warren showed he can handle a heavier rushing workload with the receiving upside, similar to prime Austin Ekeler. Keep buying Warren as an RB3 with high-end RB2 upside.
Jordan Mason, RB, Vikings
FFPC ADP: 90.5, RB38
Mason was in a recent bold predictions article. He doesn't typically rank highly in expected fantasy points because he lacks receiving upside. However, Mason had strong rushing advanced stats. That's evident in Mason handling 53.8% of the team's rush attempts with a 56% rushing success rate.
Furthermore, Mason forced missed tackles on 19% of his rush attempts, with 2.35 yards before contact and 2.42 yards after contact per attempt. Running backs who played alongside Kyler Murray have often been efficient rushers, seen in the rushing fantasy points over expected (ruFPOE).
That should bode well for Mason and his rushing efficiency with Murray as the starting quarterback. Aaron Jones Sr. will continue to factor into the backfield workload, especially through the air, with a 14% target share (No. 7) and 12% target share (No. 9) over the past two seasons with the Vikings.
Historically, Murray hardly threw to his running backs, given their low receiving expected fantasy points per game. That might dampen the expectations for Jones, since his fantasy value comes via targets. Fantasy managers won't need to pay up for Mason, as an RB3 or RB4 with RB2 upside, though he might be touchdown-dependent.
Jayden Reed, WR, Packers
FFPC ADP: 103, WR45
The Packers were one of six teams with zero pass catchers (WR/TE) with a route rate of 75% or higher last season. Romeo Doubs was the only one over 70%. With Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks gone, Reed and Matthew Golden elevate on the depth chart, though Reed was primarily deployed out of the slot (73.6%).
The draft market has been valuing Christian Watson higher, with plenty of steam, and rightfully so, after four WR1 performances last season. Watson should be a target in most leagues, though Reed is someone to prioritize with a WR4 price tag and boom potential.
Reed's downside is if he can't find his way onto the field in 2-WR sets, given his route percentage fell from 69.3% (2024) to 52.6% (2025). Logical coaching would tell us Watson, Reed, and Tucker Kraft should be the three focal points of the Packers' passing offense.
The visual below shows the Packers' pass catchers sorted by Average Separation Score against man coverage over the past two seasons.
Though has been deployed in the slot, he has shown above-average separation scores and efficiency over the past two seasons. That's evident in Reed's 0.125 Average Separation Score against man coverage last season, similar to his mark in 2024. Reed's broken collarbone early in the 2025 season impacted his playing time and effectiveness.
Buy the dip in Reed's price and reap the rewards, assuming full health, as an explosive back who can create separation and yards after the catch while having sneaky usage out of the backfield.
Justin Herbert, QB, Chargers
FFPC ADP: 107.3, QB8
There seems to be plenty of value at the quarterback position throughout the draft. Herbert ranked sixth in expected fantasy points per game (20) and 11th in rushing expected fantasy points (3.2) among quarterbacks.
The only quarterbacks with 3.0 or more rushing expected points and 15 passing expected points were Herbert, Patrick Mahomes, Daniel Jones, Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Murray, and Trevor Lawrence. That shows that these quarterbacks have rushing upside.
Furthermore, Herbert ranked 12th in completion rate over expected (CPOE), 27th in adjusted yards per attempt, and third in scramble rush attempts. With the Chargers having offensive line injuries, Herbert's pressure-to-sack rate was brutal at 20.2% (No. 42), though sacks have been an issue, given his 2024 rate of 25.3%.
The Chargers passed at the 10th-highest rate in neutral game scripts, with the Dolphins at 17th. Both teams used slow paces during neutral scripts, with the Chargers ranking 25th in seconds per snap and the Dolphins at No. 32, though Los Angeles ran significantly more plays (671) than Miami (480) in these situations. That indicates the Chargers have been and will continue to be a better offense with more volume.
We've seen Herbert produce as a passer with the most rushing yards of his career last season. There's a good chance Herbert has a spike season, with a top-3 QB within the range of outcomes on a Chargers team projected for the 12th-most implied points per game.
RJ Harvey, RB, Broncos
FFPC ADP: 88, RB 37
I've talked about Jonah Coleman as a later-round sleeper, and I won't hammer that home again. However, Harvey could be an interesting mid-round choice at running back. Under Sean Payton, the Broncos' running backs have been valuable in fantasy during 2025 and 2023.
It was a down season in 2024 from a rushing standpoint, with Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin leading the backfield, though Williams had a strong receiving profile. That indicates we want to target the Broncos' running backs, though they can mix in three of them at times, making it frustrating for managers.
After J.K. Dobbins was injured, Harvey had the 10th-highest target rate (25%) with the 16th-highest yards per route run (1.59) among running backs with 25 routes in Weeks 11-18.
During that time, Harvey handled 66.7% (No. 9) of the team's rush attempts inside the five-yard line while forcing a decent rate of missed tackles (16%). For context, Harvey handled 45% of the team's attempts inside the five with an identical 16% missed tackle rate across the season.
It sounds like Dobbins is dealing with a soft tissue injury after finishing 2025 with a season-ending foot injury. There's a chance Harvey takes on a heavier workload for the beginning of the season, with upside as a rusher and receiver. I'm avoiding Dobbins and taking chances with Harvey and Coleman to invest in the Broncos' backfield.
Juwan Johnson, TE, Saints
FFPC ADP: 114.3, TE16
After Rashid Shaheed was traded to the Seahawks, Johnson averaged 61.2 receiving yards and an 18% target share while playing on 66% of the team's snaps in Weeks 10-18. The Saints ranked fifth in neutral script pass rate and 1st in pace (26.3 seconds per snap).
This should be a high-volume offense that leans toward the pass game. With Jordyn Tyson injured to start the season, Johnson should garner the second-most targets behind Chris Olave. Johnson finished second on the Saints in first-read target share (19.4%), with his efficiency increasing to 1.93 yards per route run in Weeks 11-18 compared to the season-long average (1.76).
He was deployed as a slot receiver for the Saints, running a route in the slot 55.6% of the time. Until Tyson returns, Johnson should be a streaming tight end with TE1 upside. He finished as a TE1 in 53% of his games last season, averaging 13.9 PPR/G in those TE1 finishes. In deeper leagues with multiple flex spots, Johnson could be a starter.
Who Should I Draft Fantasy Football Tool
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Popular Player Comparison Searches - Who To Draft
Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Draft tool for 2026 drafts for Nico Collins, Jayden Reed, Zay Flowers, Jadarian Price, Jaylen Warren, Jordan Mason, RJ Harvey, Juwan Johnson:
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