In dynasty football, it’s never too early to look ahead. Especially for rebuilding teams, understanding the value and potential of an upcoming class can be crucial in establishing a championship contender. If you are currently holding multiple 2026 picks, this article will hopefully provide some early insights on next year’s rookie class.
First, it’s important to note that the 2025 and 2026 WR classes share several similarities. Neither class boasts a standout, game-changing talent like Ja’Marr Chase or CeeDee Lamb, both of whom ranked in the 99th percentile in my rookie model. Instead, both classes feature several WRs who possess flawed production profiles, but have shown glimpses of potential and upside throughout their college careers. Keep in mind, much can still change throughout the regular season as prospects emerge, improve their draft stock, and potentially set career highs in their final campaign. With that in mind, this article will highlight several WRs from the 2026 class who could significantly impact the dynasty landscape as soon as next season.
To start things off, we have Jordyn Tyson out of Arizona State, who is currently my early pick as the WR1 of the 2026 class. Simply put, he checks so many of the boxes as a WR prospect. At 6’1” and 195 pounds, Tyson can win in a multitude of ways against the defense. Whether it’s at the line of scrimmage, at the catchpoint, or after the catch, he is an elite playmaker who thrives with the ball in his hands. That is especially evident in his elite efficiency profile, ranking the 99th percentile in both EPA per Target (1.07) and Success Rate (70%). In addition, his market share production also ranks near the top in a variety of metrics. First off, his 1.63 Receiving Yards per Team Pass Attempt as a true freshman grades in the 87th percentile since 2013. His third year was even more impressive (95th percentile), accounting for over 40% of Arizona State’s receiving production last season. The only major red flag is his injury history, suffering a knee injury in 2022 and missing a majority of the 2023 campaign. Even last year, Tyson dealt with a collarbone injury that prevented him from playing in their final regular-season matchup. However, when healthy, Tyson is a dynamic playmaker who should be the first WR taken in next year’s draft. Assuming he gets selected on day one, his profile would rank in the 94th percentile in my rookie model, giving him the edge as the WR1 of the 2026 class.
We have seen multiple USC receivers break out in the NFL in recent seasons, including Amon-Ra St. Brown, Drake London, and Jordan Addison. Makai Lemon could be next in line after setting career-highs in multiple metrics last season. After a quiet true freshman season, Lemon accounted for nearly 24% of the team’s receiving yards in 2024, averaging 1.75 receiving yards per team pass attempt. While those numbers represent a drastic improvement, his market share production only ranked in the 67th percentile, leaving plenty of room for improvement in his Junior season. On a positive note, Lemon’s efficiency profile stands out as one of the best in this class. Not only did he average 3.03 Yards per Route Run (89th percentile per PFF) last season, but he also currently ranks 2nd in the class in EPA per Target (0.79) and Success Rate (69%). In other words, when given the opportunity, Lemon can be an explosive playmaker out of the slot. Looking ahead to this season, he will continue to battle for targets with Ja’Kobi Lane, who is also projected to be a day one or two pick in next year’s draft. However, at this moment, Lemon has been the more accomplished prospect. Therefore, I fully expect him to once again lead the Trojans in receiving production, cementing his value as one of the top receivers in the 2026 class.
After a season hampered by injuries in 2023, Antonio Williams managed to set career-highs across the board with the Clemson Tigers last year. He led the team in metrics such as receiving yards market share (23.1%), receiving TDs market share (29.7%), and receiving yards per team pass attempt (1.70). While these numbers are far from elite (49th percentile), it was still encouraging to see Williams bounce back in his third campaign, reminding us of the true freshman receiver who led his team in production in 2022. From an analytical perspective, Williams has been consistent on a per-game basis, but he has yet to reach the elite thresholds we seek in a prospect. As he enters his final year, I expect him to lead Clemson in production once again. However, unless we see improvements in market share production and efficiency (currently in the 36th percentile in EPA per Target), Williams is unlikely to grade above the 80th percentile in my rookie model. For context, first-round WRs who received a sub-80th percentile prospect score have averaged a disappointing 15.4% breakout rate in the NFL. That is highly concerning for a WR who could be picked very early in rookie drafts next season. For now, keep an eye on Williams’ performance in his final year with Clemson, as it could significantly impact his dynasty value heading into the NFL.
One of the most intriguing prospects in the 2026 draft is Eugene Wilson III, a redshirt Sophomore for the Florida Gators. Even with a smaller sample size of only 14 games, Wilson has one of the most impressive analytical profiles in this class. First off, he was an immediate producer for the Gators, producing an 86th percentile season alongside Ricky Pearsall in 2023. On top of that, Wilson was on his way to an elite breakout campaign in 2024 when a knee and hip injury limited him to only four games. Despite that, he still averaged an impressive 2.63 Receiving Yards per Team Pass Attempt, ranking in the 90th percentile since 2013. As a result, he currently ranks second in his class in experience-adjusted production, behind only Jordyn Tyson. With all signs pointing to him being fully recovered from hip surgery, Wilson should bounce back this year and continue to improve his draft stock. If he can replicate or even elevate his performance from last season, he should be locked in as a day one or two pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Carnell Tate has been the WR3 at best on the Ohio State depth chart over the last two seasons, partly because of their elite talent at the position. In his first season, he accounted for only 8% of their receiving production while playing behind Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka. In 2024, his production was limited by Jeremiah Smith’s breakout, who had one of the most productive true freshman seasons in recent history. With Egbuka remaining heavily involved, Tate averaged just 1.7 receiving yards per team pass attempt in 15 games as a sophomore. On a positive note, with Egbuka entering the NFL, Tate should have every opportunity to break out this season as the WR2 behind Smith. Especially after ranking near the top in career EPA per target (0.65) and success rate (66%), Tate clearly has the talent to be one of the best receivers in the nation. To add further context, his career success rate ranks in the 94th percentile among all drafted receivers since 2013, placing him alongside some of the most efficient college receivers in recent history, such as Brian Thomas Jr., Malik Nabers, and Ladd McConkey. That alone should instill confidence that, even though Tate has yet to break out, he has the upside to be a productive receiver at the next level.
While efficiency metrics such as EPA per target and yards per route run are strong indicators for future success, receiving yards per team pass attempt continues to be the more predictive metric. As a result, Eric Singleton Jr. stands out with one of the most consistent production profiles in this class, averaging over 2.00 receiving yards per pass attempt in each of his last two seasons. His true freshman campaign stands out the most, emerging as an immediate contributor and producing a 95th percentile season to start his collegiate career. In addition, even though his numbers declined as a Sophomore, he still finished well above average in the 76th percentile. Beyond that, Singleton also possesses one of the better efficiency profiles in this class, ranking in the 90th percentile with a 62% success rate. That should not come as a surprise after watching his film, consistently displacing tremendous athleticism and an ability to make plays downfield. In short, while there is still room for improvement, Singleton Jr. is currently in the running to be the WR2 of this class behind Jordyn Tyson. And while he will have to acclimate to a new offense after transferring to Auburn, I expect him to remain one of the most productive and efficient receivers in the nation.
