As we get closer to the start of training camps, NFL teams will continue their ongoing voluntary OTA sessions, capping their offseason programs with mandatory minicamps. While we watch for developments from the ongoing work, I'll be revisiting and resetting some important positional issues heading into the summer. Two weeks ago, it was Quarterback Battles, Real and Imagined; last week, it was Know Your Frienemy; Ambiguous Backfields.
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This week, we're sorting out the wide receivers, from stem to stern. We started Monday with the Top-Shelf Tier and followed it up on Tuesday with the High-Confidence Tier. Today . . .
We Have Questions About These WR1 Candidates
The following players are being drafted as front-line fantasy assets, but with slightly less confidence than the top tiers. The questions vary, but the slight layers of uncertainty add intrigue to this entire group.
- WR7 Drake London (pick 2.05)
- WR8 Malik Nabers (pick 2.11)
- WR9 Nico Collins (pick 2.24)
- WR10 Rashee Rice (pick 3.01)
- WR11 George Pickens (pick 3.02)
- WR12 Chris Olave (pick 3.06)
Quarterback Questions
The uncertainty surrounding Michael Penix Jr.'s return from a torn ACL led the Falcons to sign veteran Tua Tagovailoa.
Penix would impact Drake London, who's currently being drafted as WR7 with the 17th pick overall. That second-round price leaves a lot of room for upside.
Remember, Penix suffered his knee injury in Week 11 last season, and London sprained his PCL in the same game -- knocking both out simultaneously.
In their nine games together before that week, London recorded 60 receptions for 810 yards and five touchdowns on 94 targets, earning double-digit targets in five of nine outings during that span. He recorded at least 100 receiving yards in five of his last six games before the injury.
That works out to 10.4 targets and 90 yards per game -- elite volume and production that would make him a bargain at his current price.
Penix has said he expects to be ready for Week 1, but will that be soon enough to put him in a position to compete with Tagovailoa for the starting job? It's a situation to watch.
Can We Turn Up the Volume?
Texans wide receiver Nico Collins heads into 2026 being drafted as WR9 -- mirroring his Footballguys 2026 Draft projection -- with the 24th pick overall.
While there's no questioning the talent, there is a question: What about his anticipated volume?
Since his 2023 breakout, Collins has maintained a steady, good-but-not-great target share while posting consecutive top-10 fantasy finishes (WR9 and WR8). Still, Collins is 10th among receivers in receiving yards (2,123), fourth in receiving yards per game (78.4), and tied for 14th in touchdowns (13) since 2024.
As FTN's Tyler Loechner noted, Collins averaged 15.7 yards per catch last season. He also had 1,529 air yards and 22 deep targets.
The issue is whether Houston feeds him enough.
Working in a run-heavy offense, with a still-unproven quarterback in C.J. Stroud, and for a team with the best defense in the NFL could be an issue. It helps explain Collins' 21.8 to 24 percent target share over the last few seasons, which looks modest next to Ja'Marr Chase's 30 percent or Jaxon Smith-Njigba's league-leading 35 percent.
That said, Stroud's willingness to push the ball downfield maximizes Collins' profile, giving him a low-end WR1 floor and a high weekly ceiling on fewer targets.