Fantasy Football Fades: Here are the wide receivers our analysts are avoiding for the 2026 season

Wide receiver is easily the deepest position in fantasy football. Each season, we see plenty of wideouts emerge as sleepers deep in your draft, while similar players bust out. While there are more chances to land a top WR, you also have to be aware of the players to avoid. Yahoo analyst Matt Harmon, Hayden Winks, Joel Smyth, Justin Boone, Ray Garvin and Scott Pianowski share the one WR they're fading in drafts in 2026.

Beyond off-field and medical concerns for Rashee Rice, I'm not so sure his role is as secure as many project. One-hundred-and-twelve wide receivers have run 600 or more routes since 2023, and Rice's 4.69 air yards per target ranks 112th, with a decent gap to 111th in Greg Dortch at 5.23. With Kenneth Walker III in town to provide a real-deal rushing game, some of those underneath "extension of the run game targets" could disappear, especially around the goal line.

The Chiefs were a massively underwhelming offense last year while funneling so many short targets to Rice; they have every incentive to mix up their approach. — Matt Harmon

The early warning signs surrounding Evans on the 49ers are not optimistic. The 33-year-old wideout has been in and out of practices this summer due to a variety of lower-body soft tissue injuries — the kind that have plagued him for a while now. Evans has missed 12 games over the last two campaigns and has dealt with hamstring issues every year since 2019. The veteran is also coming off arguably his worst statistical season with career lows in several categories, including yards per target, yards after the catch per reception and catch rate.

The opportunity for significant fantasy production still remains in San Francisco's offense — especially with Evans' touchdown potential — it's just hard not to avoid questions about his age and durability. Meanwhile, the target competition could be tougher than originally thought, with De'Zhaun Stribling emerging, George Kittle expected back in the opening weeks and Deebo Samuel Sr. joining the mix, on top of Christian McCaffrey commanding his usual volume. Any week Evans is healthy he'll have top-24 upside, but the red flags make him a risky fantasy WR3. — Justin Boone

I compared Tate to DeAndre Hopkins, Calvin Ridley and Jeremy Maclin before the draft, as my ninth overall player . He's pretty polished for a 21-year-old early declare but his skill set isn't necessarily fantasy friendly. He mostly plays outside and runs routes on the vertical stem. His speed and tackle breaking is fine, not elite, so there's less incentive to make sure he has 2-3 easy receptions per game like others who have gone as high in the draft. That role for the Titans is going to go to slot Wan'Dale Robinson, whether we like it or not. Beyond that, there are real concerns with the Titans. It's the first year in a new scheme, one that we don't even love. The OL might be the worst in the NFL and Cam Ward stunk behind it last year. Tennessee was 30th in scoring and 30th in passing yards last year. The preseason games haven't eased my concerns with Ward's development. Tate has gone catchless on 25 routes in them. — Hayden Winks

Metcalf's perception has been far better than his fantasy production for years. We have to go back to 2020 (!!) to find a top-20 fantasy season for the Year 8 wideout. That top fantasy season came on the back of 40 Russell Wilson touchdowns in a dominant offense. I believe you're doing yourself a disservice by not drafting a player with more upside. In a year with Metcalf as the bonafide WR1, Aaron Rodgers targeted him under 100 times in his 15 games, with much more volume going to quick routes rather than Metcalf's vertically focused route tree. Now that Michael Pittman Jr. — a true WR2 who fits Rodgers play style very well — is joining the Steelers, are we expecting Metcalf to show out with his 42-year-old QB? — Joel Smyth

Alec Pierce was activated off the PUP list on Thursday, but that does absolutely nothing to change how I feel about him for fantasy football this season. If anything, the amount of time he has already missed makes me even more concerned.

Pierce is coming off a breakout year with 47 catches for 1,003 yards and six touchdowns despite limited volume, and Indianapolis rewarded him with a massive contract extension. With Michael Pittman Jr. gone and Josh Downs dealing with his own injuries, the opportunity should have me excited. Instead, Pierce has spent essentially the entire offseason and training camp out while recovering from ankle surgery. That is valuable preparation time lost for a receiver whose game is built around speed and explosive plays.

Now add Daniel Jones returning from an Achilles tear, and there are simply too many variables here for me. I would rather take shots on players like Courtland Sutton or Chris Godwin Jr. Pierce may ultimately be fine, but I don't want to draft into this much uncertainty. He's a full fade for me in 2026. — Ray Garvin

Rashee Rice is probably my No. 1 fade on the entire 2026 draft board, but it doesn't make sense for us to double up on picks. Just understand I agree with Matt on this one.

Instead, I'll pivot to Tyson, the New Orleans rookie. I understand the buzz tied to him, as people are excited about his Arizona State production and tape. Alas, Tyson is dealing with a hamstring injury – the same problem that dogged him in college – and he will be out to start the season. Normally that would turn any player, especially an unproven one, to an auto-fade, but the market continues to price Tyson as a quasi-priority pick.

I don't like drafting into injuries during the summer, because I know injuries will come looking for us no matter what we do. Heck, look around the August landscape. Despite teams limiting starters in exhibition games and exercising all the precautions during practice, we already have an injury-riddled landscape. To the managers who think they'll draft Tyson and safely stash him on an IR spot, I warn that those IR spots will surely have company before September is over.

Also remember the gap-week concept – most players off long-term injuries probably need one "prove-it" week before we can trust them in our lineups. That costs you another game. And even if everything goes perfectly with the Tyson rehab, the upside still might be capped — the Saints already have an alpha WR in Chris Olave and a catch-gobbling tight end in Juwan Johnson, and Tyler Shough is an average-at-best quarterback. I know Tyson can be a fun fantasy pick, but let's wait until 2027 before we draft him proactively. — Scott Pianowski

The Playbook is powered by some of fantasy football's most-trusted analysts: Justin Boone (the top-ranked in-season ranker of 2025), Matt Harmon, Josh Norris, Joel Smyth, Scott Pianowski and Hayden Winks. This isn't one analyst's opinion. It's a consensus of the sharpest minds in fantasy football, featuring advice you can rely on.

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