With only a few days before the 2026 NFL regular season begins, it's officially tinker time in fantasy football land.
The finalization of 53-man rosters has created some clarity on depth charts. We know which players are projected starters and the touches that will come with those roles. Nothing is set in stone -- plenty of early round picks and potential sleepers will still find ways to underwhelm while fantasy stars rise up from the ether -- but the tea leaves for a perpetually tumultuous season are a bit clearer.
The question now is how much you should faith you should put in the players rising up draft ranks and waiver wires. Week 1 is a blank slate, filled with high upside players languishing in rounds 13 and 14 or in the free agent pool.
Most will max out as bye week fill-ins. A select few will be the difference between making your league's playoffs and getting roasted for another losing season.
So let's see if we can't help you make some decisions on your receiving corps.
I'm joined by fantasy expert and Rhode Island Scumbag Mike "Yaj" Boyajian to break down the fast risers and late-draft/waiver wire sleepers generating buzz as the opening week of the 2026 season looms. We'll talk about those players, as well as the guys rostered around their level and reasonably higher, to figure out if you should add Denzel Boston, Kayshon Boutte or Chris Bell -- and who you should drop to bring them aboard.
The rules? There's pretty much only one; players have to be 33 percent owned or lessin Yahoo! fantasy football leagues. We’ll also look at each player’s average draft position (ADP) in half-PPR leagues thanks to datafrom Fantasy Pros. Who's been responsible for the most preseason chatter rising up from the bottom of draft guides? Let's start in Los Angeles.
WR Denzel Boston, Cleveland Browns (30 percent owned in Yahoo! leagues, ADP: 161)
We’ll begin with one of Yaj’s huckleberries — and a player who could be rain to Cleveland’s desert of receiving talent. Boston is a big-bodied downfield threat who lights up every time he’s asked to run a deep post. Will it matter given the Browns’ quarterback situation? And should you draft or add him over…
Keenan Allen, Indianapolis Colts (26 percent owned)
Yaj: Yes. I’ve waxed poetic in this space about Boston before, and do indeed love the potential for his talents to provide a glimmer of hope for the Browns’ future. I will always err on the side of upside, and I think Boston has it over Allen in spades. Allen’s best years are behind him, and although he will be helpful to owners in PPR leagues, Boston’s explosiveness and potential red zone usage make him hard to say no to.
Christian: Yes. There’s going to be a question of target volume and consistency here. Allen has the higher floor – same with most veterans around this level. But while he’ll get 100 targets and a bunch of catches, his yardage will be modest and there could be the issue of a preseason DUI hanging over his head.
Boston, on the other hand, will be the top downfield threat for a team that’s probably going to be trailing in the second half. A lot. There’s some real Blake Bortles Jaguars potential here, where a nothing stat line through three quarters turns into double digits in the fourth quarter against a mildly disinterested defense.
Khalil Shakir, Buffalo Bills (43 percent owned)
Yaj: Yes. Shakir may be a chain mover for the Bills, but he doesn’t offer the same boom potential that Boston offers due to his role in the offense. DJ Moore was brought in to provide Josh Allen with an element to the passing game that has been lacking as of late. Dalton Kincaid is having his best preseason of his young career and could finally emerge as a short yardage and red zone threat.
Shakir may provide a stable floor, but the TDs may be sparse. I’ll take Boston’s TD potential over Shakir’s stability here.
Christian: No. Shakir has a combination of a high floor and a lack of proven talent to compete for targets. While most of those targets will come within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage, his high catch rate and exceptional run after catch ability –plus-100 yards after catch over expected (YACOE) – make him a steadier option with the capacity to give you solid points every week while Boston will be streakier.
Xavier Worthy, Kansas City Chiefs (54 percent owned)
Yaj: Yes. This is most likely surprising, and potentially foolish when you consider the two offenses by comparison, but once again I like Boston’s upside more than what we have seen from Worthy over the course of his career. We can’t forget Cyrus Allen is breathing down Worthy’s neck as well, so the opportunities may dwindle as the season wears on. I’ll stick with Boston here, possibly to a detriment, but I’m okay with taking a bet on his talent.
Christian: Yes. Worthy’s catch rate over expected (CROE) on deep throws?-19.8 percent (he caught three passes in 17 targets). His YACOE on short throws? -5. Andy Reid has tried a handful of different ways to utilize him, but he remains more of a complement of elite tools than a reliable wide receiver. At this point, I’d prefer Boston’s upside.
WR Kayshon Boutte, Houston Texans (13 percent owned, ADP: 215)
Boutte was one of Drake Maye’s favorite targets and led all qualified receivers in catch rate over expected (CROE) thanks to his contested catch wizardry. But he was made redundant when the New England Patriots acquired A.J. Brown. Now he could be the Bert to Nico Collins’ Ernie in the Texans’ receiving corps. Should you add or draft him over…
Dontayvion Wicks, Philadelphia Eagles (13 percent owned)
Yaj: Yes. Wicks and Boutte are in very similar situations with their new teams, which does make this more of a toss-up to me than a definitive yes. Wicks has had a good preseason, flashing the potential he sparingly displayed in Green Bay.
This is a tough call, but I like what I’ve been hearing about the quick rapport C.J. Stroud and Boutte are building more than I do Wicks’ chances simply because the Eagles have such a (potentially) good run game. The Texans air it out more often, which Boutte could easily benefit from.
Christian: Yes. I like Wicks, but he was notoriously uneven as a Packer; promising rookie season, frustrating second year and a good-not-great 2025. The biggest concern with that last year? A career-low 2.1 yards of separation per target,which is counterintuitive to a Green Bay offense that thrives because it creates a ton of space for its receivers. Wicks could be Philly’s WR2, but you can say the same about Boutte, who is better at finishing catches and should create an immediate connection with C.J. Stroud.
Ja’Kobi Lane, Baltimore Ravens (18 percent owned)
Yaj: Yes. I would still lean toward Boutte here, albeit in a close one again. Honestly, it’s for the same reason that I chose Boutte over Wicks. Baltimore’s offense runs through Jackson and Henry. The Texans simply don’t have that type of firepower to lean into the run game as much. I do like Ja’Kobi Lane’s game and you could certainly make a case for him over Boutte, but I think Boutte will simply get more run, especially with Tank Dell being placed on IR.
Christian: No. This is a legitimate debate for me, the idiot who is buying into a Baltimore mid-round rookie’s preseason hype in hopes of defending his “fell for it again” award. Lane is on my Rhode Island Scumbag League roster over Boutte, in large part because I don’t trust Rashod Bateman or Devontez Walker but DO trust Lamar Jackson to put up MVP-adjacent numbers now that he has to prove himself to a new coaching staff.
Lane combines solid size (6-foot-4) with smooth routes and useful straight line speed (4.47-second 40) to serve as a deep threat who can also create space after the catch. With Baltimore’s tight end corps looking the worst it’s been in years, even the Ravens’ WR3 slot could pay dividends this year.
Tre Tucker, Las Vegas Raiders (23 percent owned)
Yaj: No. I’ve been using volume as the reason why I’ve chosen Boutte before, so I have to stay consistent here. Tucker is going to get plenty of work leading the Las Vegas WR room into 2026. Cousins (and possibly Fernando Mendoza) already look better than anyone throwing passes Tucker’s way last season.
He got a coaching upgrade as well, which should bode well for some positive scoring regression as well (three of his five touchdowns last season were in a Week 3 loss to Washington). Bowers should open up some space and attract most of the attention as well.
Christian: No. This is a bit of a toss-up. But Tucker has quietly expanded his route tree as the Raiders have needed, going from mostly being targeted deep to creating space in short and intermediate routes. Las Vegas is much better than it was in 2025, but still has to tread water in the AFC West, which means more second half deficits than the Texans will likely face. Factor in two different, competent quarterbacks who need to prove themselves (Cousins and Mendoza) and I could get on board with a Tucker breakthrough.
WR Chris Bell, Miami Dolphins (Four percent owned, ADP: 204)
Bell recovered from the ACL tear that ended his senior season at Louisville ahead of schedule. Now he’s got a chance to make an immediate impact for the league’s least imposing receiving corps. Is he a lottery ticket worth stashing over…
Malachi Fields, New York Giants (five percent owned)
Yaj: No. I do really like Bell’s profile, but the Giants seem to really like Fields, and have been giving him plenty of run this preseason. Fields is a big bodied receiver that can track down a desperate Jaxson Dart heave with ease. Malik Nabers’ knee being as questionable as it is makes Fields even more intriguing. The overall situation for the Giants helps make this decision easy here. Stick with Fields and avoid the growing pains of the rebuilding Dolphins.
Christian: No. Remember what I said about Lane above? Well, after dumping Zach Charbonnet on injured reserve, I’ve *also* got Fields on my bench. His reps as WR2 – and possibly WR1 should Malik Nabers’ knee remain a tragic problem – are intriguing, as is Jaxson Dart’s perpetual case of YOLO brain.
About 12 percent of his throws last season were deep balls that covered more than 20 air yards. He should have the green light again as he attempts to prove himself, and Fields looked like an NFL caliber downfield threat at Notre Dame.
Jauan Jennings, Minnesota Vikings (11 percent owned)
Yaj: Yes. I’ll take a swing at Bell’s upside here when compared to the logjam Jennings has in front of him. Bell is still playing a bit of catch up right now, but Miami can afford to ease Bell in without much urgency. If his talent plays out, Bell could easily take on a top-two WR role in Miami, something Jennings won’t have an opportunity to do unless there is an injury to either Jordan Addison or Justin Jefferson.
Christian: No. Jennings provides a stable floor in his new Minnesota home and needs to prove himself after injury helped derail his 2025 season. He’s playing with a quarterback who needs to prove himself after leaving Arizona. If healthy, he’s capable of turning modest playing time into big production – see his 975 receiving yards and six touchdowns on only 392 routes in 2024 – a top 15 yards per route run (YPRR) mark among wide receivers.
Adonai Mitchell, New York Jets (16 percent owned)
Yaj: No. I’ll stick with Mitchell here and take the chance on him actually figuring it all out this season. Geno Smith seems to believe in his abilities, which could go a long way for a player like Mitchell that may just need a break his way for everything to fall into place. He won’t have too much pressure on him with Garrett Wilson doing the heavy lifting, so he could see some really nice matchups to exploit. I’ll take the low risk bet on his talent, and if it doesn’t work out, to the wire he goes.
Christian: Yes. Mitchell’s tools are undeniable, but getting him to use them productively and consistently is an enormous challenge. In two seasons in the league he has yet to post a CROE above negative 11 percent. In two seasons he’s contributed -31.5 expected points added (EPA) when targeted. And I’m supposed to think the JETS can bring the best out of him? Give me an untested rookie instead.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Fantasy football waiver wire WRs: Should you pick up Kayshon Boutte?
