6 Preseason Breakout Candidates You're Sleeping On in 2026

Every August, fantasy managers collectively agree on a consensus and then get humiliated by the four players they ignored. We're not here to build consensus — we're here to tell you exactly who those players are before your draft locks and you're left refreshing waiver wire receipts at 4 a.m. in Week 7. These six names are generating legitimate buzz right now for real, structural reasons — and most of them are still sitting undrafted or nearly undrafted in your leagues.

1. MarShawn Lloyd, RB, Green Bay Packers

Let's start with the most urgent name on this list. Lloyd is an explosive, elusive back with legitimate three-down upside, and Green Bay's backfield is far more wide open than the fantasy community is treating it. The Packers don't have a bellcow answer on their roster, and Lloyd has the traits — vision, burst, and pass-catching ability — to seize a lead role if he stays healthy through camp. We think he ends the season as a top-30 RB. The people drafting him in the late teens are not being aggressive enough.

2. Malik Washington, WR, Miami Dolphins

Here's a contrarian take: Malik Washington is the more interesting Dolphins wide receiver to target right now, not Caleb Douglas. Washington is a slot-heavy, route-running technician who thrives in short-to-intermediate concepts — exactly what Miami's offense has leaned on for multiple seasons. Douglas gets the hype because of his size, but Washington is the one logging consistent target share in camp reports. In PPR leagues especially, a receiver who can chain together 5-catch, 55-yard lines every week is more valuable than a boom-or-bust Z-receiver. Miami's passing volume is real. Washington is how you tap into it cheap.

3. Terrance Ferguson, TE, Los Angeles Rams

The tight end position is a disaster in 2025 drafts. The top-five options are overpriced, the cliff drops fast, and then there's a 60-player void of nothing. Ferguson is the way out of that trap. He's a willing blocker who also flashes as a seam-stretcher, and the Rams have historically — sorry, in recent seasons — deployed their tight ends as genuine passing-game weapons when the right personnel is in place. At his current rank, Ferguson is the kind of TE2 who finishes as a borderline TE1 six times by November. You'll feel very smart or very foolish by Week 4, but we're betting on smart.

4. Barion Brown, WR, New Orleans Saints

Nobody is talking about the New Orleans wide receiver room with any seriousness, and that's exactly why we're talking about it. Brown is a high-upside, vertical threat who has the athleticism to separate at the NFL level. The Saints don't have a dominant No. 1 receiver locking down targets, which means the opportunity funnel is wide open. Devaughn Vele is also in this mix — and worth mentioning — but Brown's profile as a contested-catch, downfield option gives him higher weekly ceiling potential. In deeper leagues and best ball formats, Brown is one of the most interesting fliers available right now.

5. Jalen Nailor, WR, Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders' offense gets zero respect every preseason, and every year at least one receiver there finishes as a surprise contributor. Nailor has legitimate speed — we're talking sub-4.4 range — and he's been working as a starter in camp. Tre Tucker is also in the Las Vegas mix, but Nailor projects as the higher-volume option if he locks down the outside role. The Raiders will throw the ball. They always throw the ball. Nailor at his current price is a gift in best ball and a smart late-round flier in redraft.

6. Justice Hill, RB, Baltimore Ravens

Stop sleeping on Justice Hill. We know what you're thinking — Baltimore is a run-by-committee franchise, the scheme limits individual fantasy ceilings, and there's always another back waiting in the wings. You're not wrong about the committee part. But Hill is the receiving back in that room, and Baltimore targets their pass-catching backs at a rate that produces real PPR value. Derrick Henry isn't getting younger, and Hill is the most natural beneficiary of any workload redistribution. In PPR leagues, a Ravens back who catches 4 passes per game is a weekly viable flex. Hill fits that profile better than anyone else on that roster right now.

Don't Blink on These Rosters

The next two weeks are everything in fantasy preparation. Depth charts will crystallize, injury reports will thin the field, and the managers who acted on legitimate camp intel — rather than waiting for consensus — will own the competitive advantage from Week 1 through the fantasy playoffs. We're publishing breakdowns of the Dolphins' target hierarchy, the Ravens' backfield usage splits, and the full Green Bay offensive opportunity map before Labor Day weekend. Check back daily — the window to be ahead of your league is closing fast.