NFL Free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft will completely shake up the fantasy football landscape in the coming months.
Before the roster movement begins, Justin Boone is identifying one fantasy-relevant player from every team who’s most likely to break out during the 2026 season.
Early Breakout Candidates
NFC West
NFC South (Jan. 16)
AFC East (Jan. 19)
AFC North (Jan. 20)
AFC West (Jan. 21)
AFC South (Jan. 22)
Early NFC West Breakout Candidates
Arizona Cardinals – Trey Benson, RB
Benson appeared to be on the verge of a breakout when James Conner went down with a season-ending ankle injury in Week 3. Unfortunately, a week later Benson suffered a meniscus tear in his knee and wasn’t able to return the rest of the year.
While it was a small sample size, Benson looked and performed like the more effective runner at the start of the season, gaining 170 scrimmage yards on 29 touches during the first three contests to Conner’s 133 yards on 40 attempts.
Coming off a serious injury can be difficult for any back, but is particularly concerning for one who turns 31 years old before next season. Expecting Conner to return to his previous form seems unlikely.
The team also drafted Benson two years ago to be their succession plan and we saw him earning a larger role before the two backs got hurt. A passing of the torch only makes sense at this stage of their careers, since the former third-round pick is seven years younger than Conner.
While a lot still needs to be sorted out in Arizona this offseason, including the hiring of a new coaching staff, Benson has an excellent chance to emerge as the Cardinals’ lead back in 2026.
Fantasy breakout potential: ★★★★☆
Los Angeles Rams – Terrance Ferguson, TE
Speaking of succession plans, the Rams made a notable investment in Ferguson, taking him 46th overall in last year’s draft.
The move was a clear sign they were preparing to replace 33-year-old Tyler Higbee, who is a free agent this offseason.
Despite being buried on the depth chart for most of his rookie campaign, Ferguson managed to make a fantasy impact on several occasions. In the five games where he saw at least three targets, Ferguson posted 50 yards and/or a touchdown four times.
Ferguson also finished the season with double-digit fantasy points in back-to-back contests, while Higbee was sidelined.
There’ll be plenty of quality fantasy tight ends to choose from in 2026 and a big reason for that is the infusion of talent that came with last year’s rookies, led by Colston Loveland, Harold Fannin Jr., Tyler Warren and Oronde Gadsden II. But there’s even more members of that class who could emerge as fantasy starters with Ferguson, Mason Taylor and Gunnar Helm already flashing their upside.
Fantasy breakout potential: ★★★★☆
After beginning the season with two 100-yard games in the first three weeks, Pearsall seemed destined for a breakout before a knee injury derailed his year in Week 4.
When he initially attempted a return to the lineup in Week 11, he didn’t seem like himself and managed just five catches for 20 yards over the next three games.
Since then, he’s been in and out of the lineup but did post stat lines of 6-96-0 in Week 15 and 5-85-0 in Week 17, helping managers who were willing to take a chance on starting him during the fantasy playoffs.
The good news coming out of Pearsall’s sophomore campaign is that he was a top-24 fantasy wideout four times in the six appearances where he wasn’t limited due to injury.
Brandon Aiyuk isn’t expected to return to the team and George Kittle is dealing with a torn Achilles that could sideline him for most of 2026. So, Pearsall will be a key piece of this offense moving forward and a possible fantasy WR2 if he can stay healthy.
Fantasy breakout potential: ★★★★★
Seattle Seahawks – Tory Horton, WR
Horton was a fifth-round rookie who immediately earned a role in the Seahawks’ offense and was playing around 48% of the snaps before groin and shin injuries sidelined him for the rest of the season.
Before getting hurt, Horton was becoming a true playmaker in Seattle’s passing attack with five touchdowns in his first eight games and two top-10 weekly fantasy finishes.
If he was able to contribute like that as a part-time piece, imagine what he’ll be able to do when his number gets called more frequently in the future.
It’s also worth noting that his offensive coordinator, Klint Kubiak, cited Justin Jefferson when he was asked early in the season if there was a wideout he’s worked with that reminds him of Horton.
With Cooper Kupp fading entering his age-33 season and Rashid Shaheed set to hit free agency, we could see Horton move into a more significant role in 2026. He’ll be an intriguing late-round target in this year’s fantasy drafts, with his value only being held down because he missed half the season.
Fantasy breakout potential: ★★★★☆