After a rookie season where he only scored double-digit PPR points 4 times, Luther Burden is one of top breakout candidates in 2026. While the aggregate fantasy production wasn’t substantial in 2025, Burden ranked 3rd in yards per route run and 16th in yards after catch per game while only participating in 40% of routes. He was not getting the necessary volume for fantasy stardom but was performing like one on a per-touch basis.

D.J. Moore was traded to the Bills, which tells us 2 things. The first is that Chicago believes Burden can take a step forward. The second is that there are lots of vacated targets to scoop up for the former Missouri Tiger. If you’re not yet convinced, player-caller Ben Johnson himself stated a few weeks ago, “I’m buying Luther Burden stock right now.”

Walter’s Rank: WR18
Walter's Projected Ceiling: WR4

Alec Pierce only averaged 11 PPR points per game last season, but he was 6th in air yards per game, 18th in receiving yards per game, and 1st in yards per reception. He also had 5 games with 17 or more PPR points.

This offseason, the Colts gave Alec Pierce a 4-year, $114 million contract with $84 million in guaranteed money. They also traded Michael Pittman Jr. to the Steelers. It is abundantly clear that Indianapolis believes in Pierce to be a top WR in the NFL. He possesses one of the highest weekly ceilings in fantasy football, and the breakout has a great chance of coming to fruition, assuming his ankle cleanup surgery doesn’t prove to complicate things.

Walter's Rank: WR31
Walter's Projected Ceiling: WR15

Of the players on this list, Jalen Nailor is the longest shot, but is also the cheapest to acquire in drafts. In 2025, he only averaged 6 PPR points per game, but scored 19 or more PPR points twice on a Vikings team with terrible QB play. On top of that, Nailor was 10th in yards per reception (15.2), as well as 8th in receiving TD rate. He also had at least 2 TDs called back for penalties.

He is now, possibly, the WR1 on the Raiders, a team with a QB he’s familiar with. He’s played with Kirk Cousins before (2023). He only caught 3 passes that season, but there is some familiarity there. The only locked-in target competitors for the former Viking are Tre Tucker and Brock Bowers.

Walter's Rank: WR52
Walter's Projected Ceiling: WR33

One of the surprises of the 2026 NFL Draft was how early Carnell Tate was taken. He was the first WR off the board, going 4th overall. His versatile skill set meshes very well with the current options in the Tennessee WR room. Tate was touted as the most pro-ready WR in this class, and that bodes well for his chances of early success in a notoriously complicated Brian Daboll offense.

The Titans are likely going to be down in most of their matchups, which means more passing volume for an evolving Cam Ward. The higher the pass volume, the higher the amount of targets Carnell Tate will see. Currently, we have him projected for just over 4 receptions and 12 fantasy points per game.

Walter’s Rank: WR30
Walter's Projected Ceiling: WR9