WR Sleepers for Fantasy Football 2026: Josh Downs & More

With the WR position as deep as ever, there are plenty of high-floor players lurking in the later rounds of your draft, giving you the ability to address RB, TE, and QB early on without fear of suffering too much of a drop-off in talent. Below are three players I have circled on my cheat sheet heading into my drafts, including Josh Downs, who is trending up while Alec Pierce is recovering from an injury.

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WR Sleepers For Fantasy Football 2026

Josh Downs | WR | Colts

With Michael Pittman gone, the spotlight is shining brighter on Josh Downs, who will now have the chance to carve out a role as the Indianapolis Colts' WR2. With Alec Pierce dealing with a nagging injury, Downs may see a higher usage rate to help keep their pass attack afloat. When in pass sets, Downs was able to capitalize on his opportunities, ranking 20th in targets/route run.

Not only is Downs in a position to receive a heavier workload, but the return of Daniel Jones will help elevate their offense as a whole. Before going down with an injury, Jones was putting together a productive campaign, hovering in the top 10 of all qualified QBs in EPA per play, CPOE, bad throw percentage, and air yards/reception.

It is worth noting Downs is also dealing with a calf injury, which is worth monitoring, but it has already been reported it is just minor and he will be good to go for week one. Draft Downs late, potentially securing a WR1 early on in the year should Pierce need to miss more time.

Stefon Diggs | WR | Commanders

After a successful stint in New England, Stefon Diggs is taking his talents to Washington, giving Jayden Daniels a WR2 to pair with Terry McLaurin. Even in the twilight years of his career, Diggs has still been able to play at a very high level, finishing last season ranked seventh in EPA per play while rattling off a top-20 finish in PPR.

While the drop-off in arm talent at QB may indicate negative regression is looming large, Diggs will be able to overcome it by playing alongside a WR1, using the extra space McLaurin provides to help beat any single coverage he may receive. Daniels' elite running ability will also force opposing linebackers to stack the box at a high rate, creating wider passing lanes on the outside for Diggs to take advantage of.

Adonai Mitchell | WR | Jets

A New York Jet on a list of valuable sleepers? You betcha. Since the start of the offseason, the Jets have raved about Adonai Mitchell’s performance in training camp, keeping him firmly in the mix as their WR2. Omar Cooper has also struggled to find his footing during this span, widening the gap between the two on the depth chart.

It may sound crazy, but I also think the Jets will be slightly more efficient on offense than the public thinks, fielding a productive offensive line to help reduce the amount of Havoc in Geno Smith’s throws. When given time in his routes, Mitchell was able to stretch the field, finishing last season ranked seventh in aDOT with an average of 14.89. Stash Mitchell on your bench for now with hopes of the Jets WR turning into a consistent performer as the season progresses.