Every season, there are fantasy players who come out of nowhere to become fantasy stars. These players often go late in drafts or undrafted in most fantasy leagues, only to become unexpected difference-makers.

Picking up that league winner in the double-digit rounds or off waivers goes a long way toward becoming a fantasy football champion. Recognizing potential out-of-nowhere fantasy stars before the season starts can make a huge difference.

We'll look back at the last two seasons of unexpected fantasy stars and identify three candidates who could fit this category in 2026.

What happened:

No one was interested in drafting Sam Darnold before the 2024 season. He went mostly undrafted in 1QB leagues and had finished as the QB29 the last time he was a starter back in 2021.

Darnold landed in a great situation with the Minnesota Vikings that offseason. He had an elite WR1 in Justin Jefferson to throw to, along with an offensive-minded head coach in Kevin O'Connell calling the plays. Darnold went on to finish as the QB9 across all fantasy formats.

The 2026 version: Kyler Murray

Why:

Murray's fantasy value is way down following an injury-riddled 2025 campaign. He's currently going as the QB21 with a 152.7 ADP in Sleeper leagues, and as the QB18 with a 112.9 ADP in Underdog drafts.

But his arrival in Minnesota should help him finish as a QB1 this season. He joins a much better offense with the Vikings and has two elite wide receivers to throw to in Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. The last time Murray had a receiver of Jefferson's caliber in the passing game was DeAndre Hopkins earlier in his career. He finished as the QB3 (2020) and QB10 (2021) in those two seasons.

While his fantasy value isn't as low as Darnold's was when he signed with the Vikings in 2024, this is a very similar situation. Both quarterbacks were looking for a fresh start, signed one-year deals in free agency, and landed with a Vikings team that had solid pass catchers already in place.

WalterPicks has Murray ranked as the QB14 in drafts this year with a QB2 ceiling. His situation has improved, and he remains a constant threat on the ground. The new Vikings quarterback has rushed for at least 400 yards in every season he's played at least 10 games.

What happened:

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson didn't carry much fantasy value as the Cardinals' WR2 to start the 2025 season. He was drafted only in deeper leagues and averaged just 5.7 weekly PPR fantasy points in the first 10 weeks.

Then Marvin Harrison Jr. went down with an injury, opening up the No. 1 WR role for Wilson in Arizona's offense. Wilson averaged 21.2 PPR fantasy points from Week 11 onward and ranked as the WR2 during that stretch.

The 2026 version: Jalen McMillan

Why:

Like Wilson, Jalen McMillan won't be a consistent fantasy option to begin the 2026 season. McMillan enters the year as Tampa Bay's No. 3 wide receiver, behind both Chris Godwin and Emeka Egbuka.

That's why the Buccaneers playmaker carries a 181.4 ADP in Sleeper leagues and a 147.5 ADP in current Underdog drafts. There are simply too many mouths to feed in this offense, with Godwin, Egbuka, Bucky Irving, and Kenneth Gainwell all in the mix.

However, McMillan could quickly emerge as an unexpected fantasy star if Egbuka or Godwin ever misses time. The third-year receiver would step into a bigger role, and fantasy managers already got a glimpse of his upside as a WR2 during his rookie season.

In 2024, McMillan moved into the WR2 spot in Tampa Bay's offense after Godwin suffered a season-ending ankle injury. The former Washington product went on to average 19.8 PPR fantasy points over the final five games of that season and scored above 16 PPR fantasy points in each of those five contests. This stretch helped plenty of fantasy managers win a championship.

If Godwin or Egbuka goes down with an injury, McMillan could really emerge as a fantasy star. He totaled eight touchdowns as a rookie and ranked sixth among all wide receivers in fantasy points per target that season.

What happened:

Not many fantasy managers drafted Cleveland Browns tight end Harold Fannin Jr. last year. There were concerns about Cleveland's quarterback play, and David Njoku was clearly the TE1 in that offense.

But Fannin made an immediate impression as a rookie. He averaged 10 PPR fantasy points through the first six weeks and eventually overtook Njoku for the TE1 role by midseason. The 21-year-old finished as the TE6 in PPR formats in 2025.

The 2026 version: Eli Stowers

Why:

The parallels between Fannin last year and Philadelphia Eagles tight end Eli Stowers this year are striking. Both were Day 2 picks who began their rookie seasons behind an aging tight end, playing with a quarterback under some scrutiny.

For that reason, Stowers isn't on many fantasy managers' radars entering the season. Dallas Goedert is the clear TE1 in Philadelphia's offense, and Jalen Hurts likely can't support two fantasy-relevant tight ends.

But Stowers could emerge as this year's unexpected fantasy star. Goedert appears to be on his last legs after totaling just 60 catches for 591 yards and a career-low 9.85 yards per catch last season. He's also dealt with injuries over the years, which could open the door for the rookie to eventually take over the TE1 role.

Stowers is the new, shiny toy in this Philadelphia offense. The quarterback-turned-tight end caught 62 passes for 769 yards and four touchdowns in his final college season at Vanderbilt, and posted elite measurements at the NFL Combine. He had a 4.51 40-yard dash, a 45.5-inch vertical jump, and posted the all-time tight end record for broad jump at the combine (11'3").

If there's a rookie tight end who could make a leap similar to Fannin's, it's Stowers. He has the speed and athleticism to make an impact in Year 1, and AJ Brown's departure could open up even more targets for the rookie to chase.