The New Reality No. 247: 2026 Free Agent Wide Receivers

Navigating the ever-changing landscape of dynasty fantasy football, including everything from team-building and player evaluations to NFL research and forecasting.

Chad Parsons's The New Reality No. 247: 2026 Free Agent Wide Receivers Chad Parsons Published 11/25/2025

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The 2026 NFL free-agent class is loaded with big names at the skill positions. Here is a look at the wide receivers potentially on the move and the dynasty impact of their free-agent status.

Last year, and in general, the biggest names in free agency returned to their incumbent teams. Wide receivers of significant consequence rarely hit true free agency and are instead tagged or traded. The lone exception is aging options clearly past their prime.

Tier 1

George Pickens stands alone in the top tier with a career year in the works for Dallas. There is interest from Dallas in re-signing Pickens to a new contract, mimicking Cincinnati's outline of a top-tier quarterback contract paired with two massive wide receiver deals. Pickens is too strong a profile - at an ideally young age - to hit true free agency based on historical examples. Expect Dallas to tag Pickens even if a long-term deal is not immediately reached between the two sides.

Tier 2

Mike Evans has a chance to return for the fantasy playoffs. The overarching theme over the years has been Evans retiring as a Buccaneer. Deebo Samuel Sr. has started to bounce around, and Washington had a false start this season to consolidate their surprise contention in 2024. Washington's weaknesses were magnified by injuries, including Terry McLaurin (still under contract) and Deebo Samuel Sr. Washington has the look of needing a complete reboot around Jayden Daniels on offense with an aging (and free agent himself) Zach Ertz, a rag-tag running back room, plus older wide receivers, and a lack of depth.

Tier 3

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