Dark-Horse Candidates to Finish as a WR1: Quentin Johnston's Time to Shine

We’re all looking for league-winners in our fantasy football drafts. These players can fit multiple descriptions. It can be the guy being drafted as a low-end top-10 option at a position who explodes for a monster year (think Saquon Barkley in 2024-25). It can be a waiver wire addition who becomes a regular starter (think Alfred Morris in 2012-13 or Terry McLaurin in 2019-20). Or it can be a guy who was drafted as a fringe starter who becomes a slam-dunk every-week option (think Chris Olave last season).

This piece is going to focus on the latter group, specifically at the wide receiver position. We’ll dive into three players currently being drafted outside the top 36 at wide receiver who have a chance to finish as WR1s. That’s not an easy bar to clear, but all three of these players at least have a path to a big-time fantasy season in 2025-26.

Without further ado, let’s dive in.

Dark-Horse Candidates to Finish as a WR1 for 2026 Fantasy Football

Jayden Reed | WR | GB

• Consensus Ranking: WR40

The Packers receivers have been some of my favorite options to attack in fantasy drafts so far this season. They have a solid offense –  fourth in EPA per play and third in EPA per pass attempt last season – and they have 131 targets up for grabs after losing Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks this offseason. They also didn’t do much to replace those players, meaning the guys who were already on the roster should assume most of that production.

Christian Watson has emerged as the preferred fantasy target for most players, and that makes sense. He was outstanding down the stretch last season, and he was fifth among all receivers with at least 150 routes in terms of yards per route run. He could undoubtedly turn into a top-12 fantasy wide receiver, but that comes with a WR29 price tag.

Reed is significantly cheaper, checking in at WR47 in our ADP tool. Reed is coming off a down season after being limited to just seven games due to injury. However, he was the Packers’ most impactful receiver in each of the previous two seasons. He was WR26 in 0.5-PPR scoring in 2024-25 and WR23 in per-game scoring the year prior.

Reed managed to do this despite being a “part-time” player. He was rarely used in two-receiver sets, but that could change with Doubs and Wicks now out of the picture. He’ll still have to contend with Matthew Golden for those opportunities, but he has reportedly taken some first-team reps in two-receiver sets during training camp.

That gives Reed a solid chance to exceed his meager price tag, and an injury to Watson could potentially send him into WR1 territory. Watson has been far from the picture of health throughout his NFL career, appearing in just 48 total games through his first four seasons. That gives Reed some contingent upside in addition to the value he already offers at his current ADP.

Quentin Johnston, LAC

• Consensus Ranking: WR46

There was quietly a pretty significant development in Tuesday’s NFL Training Camp notes. ESPN’s Dan Graziano reported that the Chargers are not expected to sign a veteran receiver before the start of the season. There was some speculation that Keenan Allen could re-sign with the Chargers at some point, but it appears as though the Chargers are content to move forward with the receivers they already have.

That’s amazing news for Ladd McConkey, who figures to be the team’s top receiver this season. He had a near-30% target share down the stretch of his rookie season, but that figure was slashed with Allen in town last year.

However, it also makes Quentin Johnston a much more appealing option. Johnston has been an elite touchdown scorer to start his career, racking up 16 total TDs over 29 games the past two seasons. He also set a new career-high with 735 yards last season, despite playing fewer games than he had either of the previous two seasons.

With Allen now seemingly out of the picture, the coast is clear for Johnston to take on his largest role yet from a target standpoint. If he can add a handful of additional catches and yards to his typical touchdown production, a spot inside the top 12 at the position is not out of the question. 

Deebo Samuel | WR | SF

• Consensus Ranking: WR54

This is the biggest “hear me out” of this group. The odds of Deebo Samuel becoming a top-12 fantasy wide receiver once again are slim, but I do think it’s at least possible. He’s still just 30 years old, and he posted WR1 seasons in both 2021-22 and 2023-24 in San Francisco.

Things are already shaping up in Deebo’s favor. Ricky Pearsall is out for the year, while Mike Evans and Christian Kirk have been limited by injuries throughout training camp. Add in George Kittle’s recovery from an Achilles injury, and it leaves Samuel and De’Zhaun Stribling as the team’s top receiving threats.

Samuel is obviously extremely familiar with Kyle Shanahan’s offensive scheme, so he should be able to get up to speed quickly. If the injuries to Evans and Kittle extend for longer than expected – or recur during the regular season – Samuel could end up being the top pass-catcher for one of the most explosive offenses in football. I like his chances of paying off his WR57 price tag, and it wouldn’t shock me if he has one more big season left in him.