Fantasy Football Flag Plants: Chase Brown Leads Zain's Zeals For 2026

Christian Watson | WR | GB

Watson is No. 49 overall and WR24 for me against an ADP of 55.8 and WR29, and I keep coming back to him because almost every change points in the same direction. He only ran 243 live routes after returning in Week 8 last season, but his 2.51 YPRR ranked fifth among 118 WRs with at least 200 routes, and his 18.0-yard aDOT ranked third in the league. The preseason sample was tiny, but Green Bay almost inverted his route tree: on 9 charted first-unit routes, Watson ran 4 in-breakers, 2 out-breakers, 2 quick-game routes and only 1 vertical; after verticals made up 38% of his 2025 role. That change moved his deployment from .158 expected targets per route and .285 expected FP per route last season to .208 and .375 in August—if he is not just a deep threat and the Packers find ways to get him the ball underneath and in space, he could break fantasy. Add an offense projected to play faster, throw more and rotate WRs less, and Watson becomes an obvious bet to smash his ADP if he can stay healthy.

Harold Fannin Jr. | TE | CLE

I have a major disagreement with the fantasy industry on Fannin. I have him No. 72 overall and TE5, nearly three rounds ahead of his 107.2 ADP and TE8 price. Clearly, people don't love the added target competition or Cleveland's QB situation, but the QB play and PROE were already bad last season. He still finished fifth among TEs with 107 targets and sixth in fantasy points despite missing the finale, and his YAC ability gives him a path to survive poor QB play because so much of his value can come after the ball reaches him. Fannin has done nothing but exceed expectations at every level without consistently strong QB play—I'm betting on the talent and an improved scheme leaning into him even more in Year 2.

Kyler Murray | QB | MIN

I have Murray No. 96 overall and QB11 against an ADP of 115.4 and QB17. This one is pretty simple—it's hard to find a QB this late who still runs and has already finished as high as QB2 overall. The rushing didn't disappear in last year's five-game sample—Murray averaged 34.6 rushing yards per game, slightly above the 33.7 he averaged in 2024. He now gets the most favorable environment he's had in years with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Jauan Jennings and Kevin O'Connell, who has generated huge fantasy lines from Josh Dobbs, Nick Mullens, Carson Wentz and several other QBs with much less talent. At QB17, I'm betting on the player who has already proven he can be an elite fantasy QB finally getting the coaching and supporting cast to bring that ceiling back.

Parker Washington | WR | JAX

I have Washington No. 50 overall and WR25 against an ADP of 53.9 and WR27 because I believe he can be the top weapon in one of the NFL's best offenses. His route participation climbed from 57.6% over Jacksonville's first nine games to 77.3% over his final eight, and he averaged 14.6 PPR points per game from Week 10 on as the offense took off with Washington in a larger role and Jakobi Meyers added to the group. Washington is the slot receiver in Liam Coen's offense; camp has made it look like he will barely come off the field, and his growing chemistry with Trevor Lawrence gives me confidence that the targets will follow. Coen even texted Washington to start the offseason and got back that he was "ready to kill"—now Washington enters a contract year with every reason for Jacksonville to find out how large the role can get. I am betting on the entire combination of role, quarterback trust and offensive ceiling, and I am happy taking him early in Round 5.