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2026 fantasy football training camp battles to watch: wide receivers

Sports Illustrated · Jul 22, 2026 19:58 · 6 min read

2026 Fantasy Football Training Camp Battles To Watch: Wide Receivers

Projecting the leaders in fantasy value while evaluating the WR corps in Jacksonville, San Francisco, Cleveland and other places.

Updated ranks: QB | RB | WR | TE | DEF | K | Top 200 | Mock draft

With NFL training camps about to be in full swing and important depth chart battles set to get underway, it means the fantasy football draft season is almost here. During this period, you need the 411 on which camp battles are the most important to monitor for player values in the coming weeks.

In an effort to help educate you, the fantasy football fanatic, I’ll be researching the most vital camp competitions at each of the four major offensive skill positions: quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers and tight ends. I’ll also share my predicted winner and what it would mean for each player’s draft appeal as we inch closer to the start of the 2026 campaign.

I’ve addressed the quarterbacks and running backs, so let’s move on to the all-important wideouts.

Unlike the quarterback position, wide receivers will compete for a variety of roles based on their skill sets, experience and versatility. Offenses have “X” receivers, “Z” receivers, slot receivers, etc., so I’ll be projecting fantasy points instead of particular roles in each pass attack.

As a result, some of these battles aren’t really battles at all … they’re simply projections for which backs will have more fantasy value or could be better bargains in 2026 drafts.

Wide Receiver Camp Battles

Jacksonville Jaguars

Brian Thomas Jr. vs. Parker Washington vs. Jakobi Meyers: This competition isn’t on the field, but in the fantasy world. Current ADP data has BTJ coming off the board around 10 spots higher than Washington, with Meyers a distant third. However, we saw a shift in production last season, with Washington averaging 11.5 points per game to Thomas’ 9.9. Washington was also far more productive down the stretch, taking over as Trevor Lawrence’s top target. I’m taking the better ADP value in drafts, Washington, who has major sleeper potential for this season.

Receiver target: Washington

Philadelphia Eagles

Makai Lemon vs. Dontayvion Wicks vs. Hollywood Brown: Lemon is the clear favorite to be the Eagles’ top slot receiver in Week 1, and I see him being in the top three (at worst) behind Devonta Smith based on projected target share in the offense. He’s a fantasy sleeper with WR3/flex potential as a rookie. Wicks should be the starter on the perimeter opposite of Smith, but it’s hard to see him making a consistent fantasy impact in a lower-volume pass attack. The same holds true of Brown, who is barely on the draft radar based on current ADP information.

Receiver target: Lemon

San Francisco 49ers

Ricky Pearsall vs. Christian Kirk vs. De’Zhaun Stribling: Mike Evans will be the alpha wide receiver and the best fantasy option in San Francisco, even entering his age-33 season. The projected starters are Pearsall on the outside and Kirk in the slot, as Brandon Aiyuk’s time with the Niners is over.

While Pearsall has been brittle, he is still the Niners wideout to target in drafts. The talent and situation are in line for a productive season if Pearsall can avoid injuries. Meanwhile, Kirk has become an afterthought based on ADP, but I would keep an eye on Stribling. The 33rd overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft, he could push for value if injuries occur during the year.

Receiver target: Pearsall

Cleveland Browns

Cedric Tillman vs. Denzel Boston vs. KC Concepcion: Assuming Jerry Jeudy remains with the Browns, Tillman and Boston will battle for the second starting perimeter spot in camp. I’d prefer to go with the rookie, who is actually going ahead of Jeudy based on current ADP data.

However, the Browns wideout to target in drafts is their new starting slot receiver, Concepcion, the 24th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Texas A&M alum can also play on the outside, and it’s that versatility and upside that makes Concepcion so intriguing as a fantasy sleeper.

Receiver target: Concepcion

New York Jets

Omar Cooper Jr. vs. Adonai Mitchell: Mitchell will start opposite Garrett Wilson on the outside with Cooper taking over as the main slot man, so this isn’t a “positional” competition. The rookie holds a 30-spot lead based on ADP and is the player I’d target between the two, but both will have ample opportunities. In new offensive coordinator Frank Reich’s past two seasons as a head coach (2022 and '23), his offenses were in the top three in 11 personnel (three WR sets).

Receiver target: Cooper

Washington Commanders

Treylon Burks vs. Antonio Williams: There have been rumors about Washington adding a wideout (Brandon Aiyuk or Stefon Diggs), but for now, there’s not much to like beyond Terry McLaurin. Burks is the projected second perimeter receiver, while the rookie Williams has the look of their Week 1 starting slot receiver. We’re all familiar with Burks, a former first-round bust of the Titans, so Williams is the lone other Commanders wideout to target in drafts. In fact, Burks, Dyami Brown and Luke McCaffrey aren’t even in the top 350 based on ADP data.

Receiver target: Williams

Seattle Seahawks

Rashid Shaheed vs. Cooper Kupp vs. Tory Horton:

Receiver target: Jaxon Smith-Njigba is going to dominate targets in the Seahawks pass attack as he did last season with a near 33% target share, so the remainder of the opportunities will be split up between Shaheed, Kupp and Horton. I’m betting on a similar situation this year, but the player with the most playmaking ability is Shaheed (especially if you’re in a league that rewards points to players for return yards and touchdowns). This mirrors ADP, as Shaheed (132) has a near 100-spot advantage over Kupp (228) and even more ahead of Horton (290).

Receiver target: Shaheed

Miami Dolphins

Jalen Tolbert vs. Tutu Atwell vs. Malik Washington: The Dolphins have one of the worst wide receiver situations in the league. Their projected top option, Jalen Tolbert, was never more than a third option in Dallas. Atwell has never averaged more than seven fantasy points per game in his five-year career, and rookie Chris Bell is coming off a torn ACL suffered last November. No player among this trio is even in the 250 based on ADP, but the player I would target, Washington, is at 182. In fact, he’s one of my favorite late-round dart throws based on his potential target share in 2026.

Receiver target: Washington

Las Vegas Raiders

Tre Tucker vs. Jalen Nailor vs. Jack Bech: The wide receiver room in Sin City is, well, gross. Tight end Brock Bowers will dominate the target share, leaving Tucker, Nailor and Bech battling for opportunities. Tucker, the top perimeter receiver, is most likely to have some level of value in fantasy drafts … but it won’t be more than a WR5. I can also see Nailor being worth a late dart throw, but that’s the extent of either of their appeal. Bech, based on ADP, is not being drafted.

Receiver target: Tucker

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Jalen McMillan vs. Tez Johnson vs. Ted Hurst III: The Buccaneers’ top fantasy wideouts are clearly breakout candidate Emeka Egbuka and veteran Chris Godwin Jr., but there is a “fantasy” battle between McMillan, Johnson and Hurst to monitor as well. McMillan and Johnson have shown flashes in their short NFL careers (Hurst is a rookie), but I’l be targeting the former as a late-round dart throw. Over his past nine games dating back to his rookie season, McMillan has scored 16-plus points six times. I like him to start opposite Egbuka and Godwin as the No. 3 wideout. McMillan is currently going 100 spots ahead of Hurst based on ADP data, too.

Receiver target: McMillan