{"id":649651,"date":"2026-01-03T03:00:12","date_gmt":"2026-01-03T03:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/649651\/"},"modified":"2026-01-03T03:00:12","modified_gmt":"2026-01-03T03:00:12","slug":"take-note-of-these-late-season-fantasy-football-breakouts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/649651\/","title":{"rendered":"Take note of these late-season fantasy football breakouts"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\tGambling content 21+. The New York Post may receive an affiliate commission if you sign up through our links. Read our editorial standards<\/a> for more information.<\/p>\n

As the NFL<\/a> regular season wraps up and everyone\u2019s focus is on the upcoming playoffs, the true fantasy football champion is already taking stock in what happened this past season and thinking about how best to apply that knowledge in 2026.<\/p>\n

Frustrating tiebreakers and playoff criteria will likely inspire a dialogue regarding changes to league rules. Another season dominated by bell-cow running backs will certainly alter some people\u2019s draft strategy next year. But the real focus will be on late-season player performances, which typically push some players\u2019 ADP through the roof the following year.<\/p>\n

The biggest name on everyone\u2019s 2026 draft board will undoubtedly be Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III. Touted by many as a potential top rookie receiver this season, Burden\u2019s late-season surge has everyone ready to pounce. He tantalized us with a 101-yard, one-touchdown performance in Week 3, but he spent much of the next eight weeks working behind No. 3 receiver Olamide Zaccheaus, seeing only a small handful of targets.<\/p>\n

But when head coach Ben Johnson tired of Zaccheaus\u2019 drops, Burden\u2019s snap count and target share rose. He wasn\u2019t exactly lighting up the stat sheet, but when he helped everyone win a championship with his stellar Week 17 performance, the buzz started back up once again. Though it\u2019s difficult to imagine his ADP pushing him up to the third or fourth round, we\u2019ve seen crazier things happen.<\/p>\n

Other receivers to keep your eye on for next year include Arizona\u2019s Michael Wilson and Jacksonville\u2019s Parker Washington. Both players jumped from relative obscurity to fantasy savior status with their late-season performances, and both will be elevated on draft boards next year.<\/p>\n

\"JacksonvilleParker Washington #11 of the Jacksonville Jaguars runs the ball during the third quarter of the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 28, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Getty Images<\/p>\n

Washington\u2019s back-to-back 100-yard efforts during the fantasy playoffs will not be forgotten, and with all the buzz around Liam Coen\u2019s success with this team, we could see people drafting him over a disappointment like Brian Thomas Jr.<\/p>\n

Wilson is one to be wary of, simply because we don\u2019t know who the quarterback will be. His success came with backup Jacoby Brissett under center and while No. 1 receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. was injured.<\/p>\n

Will Wilson garner as much attention if there are changes in the Arizona offense? Impossible to tell. But people will focus on his free agent status after the 2026 season and use \u201cplaying for a contract\u201d as a way to justify drafting him early.<\/p>\n

Betting on the NFL? <\/p>\n

At running back, expect a lot of attention to go Javonte Williams\u2019 way should the Cowboys decide to retain his services, and depending on where he lands, Rico Dowdle as well. Disappointments in their early seasons, both had a year that fantasy managers who either drafted them or added them from waivers will not forget. People love to try to run it back with the same guys.<\/p>\n

The important takeaway from this isn\u2019t for you to add these names to your 2026 watch list. It is to keep you aware of who most mainstream fantasy managers will be targeting and, possibly, over-drafting next year. Continue to track the coaching and player movement, and be careful not to fall into the same traps where so many before you have fallen victim.<\/p>\n

Howard Bender is the head of content at FantasyAlarm.com<\/a>. Follow him on X @rotobuzzguy<\/a> and catch him on the award-winning \u201cFantasy Alarm Radio Show\u201d on the SiriusXM fantasy sports channel weekdays from 6-8 p.m. Go to FantasyAlarm.com for all your fantasy football<\/a> news and advice.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t