2026 Fantasy Football Rankings - Underdog

Chase was the overall WR1 in 2024 at nearly 20 points per game. In 2025, with Burrow missing significant time, he finished WR5 overall and WR4 per game, which is still elite. The underlying metrics remain at the top of the position: 98th-percentile route grade, 91st-percentile YPRR, and a 94th-percentile ESPN YAC score that reflects his elite run-after-catch ability, which shows up in his 84th-percentile PFF YAC per reception as well. He's going as the WR1 overall, and the entire bet is Joe Burrow's health–Chase with a functional Burrow is the best receiver in fantasy football.

Nacua led all receivers in ESPN OVERALL score (100th percentile) and was 99th in OPEN, and his PFF route grade (100th percentile) and YPRR (3.71, 100th percentile) were both the best in the entire sample. He backed it up: 129 receptions, 1,715 yards, 10 touchdowns, and a WR1 overall finish at 19.3 points per game in 2025. He also had a 91st-percentile contested catch rate and 86th-percentile YAC per reception, making him effective at every phase of the route. The only flag on his profile is the durability history–he played 11 games in 2024 before returning for a full 2025–and Matthew Stafford's age. Both are real risks, but Stafford was elite last season (91st-percentile EPA) and Nacua's separation ability means he doesn't require elite quarterback play to produce. He's going as the overall WR2, and the metrics make it very difficult to argue with.

Every meaningful receiver metric points in the same direction with JSN. He led all wide receivers in ESPN OPEN score (100th percentile) and ranked 98th in OVERALL, and his PFF route grade (99th percentile) and YPRR (3.62, 99th percentile) were both at the top of the sample. The production matched: 119 receptions, 1,793 yards, and 10 touchdowns in 2025–a WR2 overall finish at 18.1 points per game. He also added an 82nd-percentile contested catch rate, which tells you he's not just a soft-route slot receiver who needs clean looks to function. Sam Darnold is a minor concern at quarterback–93rd percentile CPOE sounds great until you see the 14 interceptions–but Darnold got the job done last year and JSN is the rare receiver whose separation ability is good enough to overcome questionable quarterback play. He's going as the WR3 overall, and the metrics justify it.

Gibbs has finished as the RB3 and RB4 in back-to-back seasons, putting together one of the most consistent two-year runs at the position. His production is built around pre-contact efficiency–his YBC/Att ranks at the 95th percentile, stemming from Detroit's zone-running scheme and his ability to hit gaps quickly. He's less effective once contact arrives (20th-percentile YAC/Att), so the offense needs to keep creating clean looks for him, and it likely will. His receiving ability is elite–his route grade (97th percentile) and target share (96th percentile) rank among the best at the position, and his 1.67 YPRR underscores how efficiently he converts catches into yardage. The opportunity picture looks improved entering 2026. Detroit has 161 vacated RB carries–5th-most in the NFL–including 16 vacated carries inside the five. With David Montgomery out and Isiah Pacheco stepping in as the handcuff, Gibbs could absorb more of that red-zone and overall touch volume.

Robinson has quietly been one of the more consistent backs in the league, finishing RB4 and RB3 in back-to-back seasons. What sets him apart is the receiving profile–he led all running backs in YPRR (99th percentile) and ranked 2nd in targets (97th percentile), posting 79 catches for 820 yards and four scores. As a rusher he's well-rounded–97th-percentile elusive rating, 85th-percentile YBC/Att–without a glaring weak spot. Atlanta enters 2026 with 143 vacated RB carries, 6th-most in the NFL–via Tyler Allgeier’s departure, though Brian Robinson will replace him–so there's a chance Bijan’s touch volume grows. A high-floor, high-ceiling RB1.

Taylor finished as the RB2 in half-PPR formats in 2025, trailing only Christian McCaffrey. After an injury-shortened 2024 that dropped him to RB14 in 13 games, he returned with a full workload and validated his standing as a top-tier bell cow. The efficiency leans heavily on what he does after contact–his YAC/Att ranked at the 88th percentile among qualified backs. His 82nd-percentile PFF run grade confirms he's operating at an above-average level as a runner even when the blocking isn't generating much pre-contact space (57th-percentile YBC/Att). The receiving role is solid but not spectacular–54 targets, 46 catches, 378 yards–enough to support his half-PPR ceiling without driving it. A locked-in workhorse with elite after-contact traits. Draft him as a high-floor RB1.