Analysts identify potential 2026 NFL breakout players and defensive sleepers

Fantasy football analysts highlighted several second-year NFL players positioned for larger workloads as the 2026 season begins. Chicago Bears players Colston Loveland and Luther Burden are expected to take on expanded roles, with Burden competing for the primary wide receiver position. Other candidates for increased production include Saints quarterback Tyler Shough, Commanders running back Jacoby Croskey-Merritt, and Jaguars running back Bhayshul Tuten. Separately, experts identified the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, and Detroit Lions as defensive units to monitor for fantasy drafts based on personnel changes and schedule difficulty. While the Jacksonville Jaguars defense serves as a viable Week 1 streaming option against the Cleveland Browns, analysts suggest pivoting to different units thereafter due to a challenging upcoming schedule. These evaluations rely on roster adjustments from the offseason and projected team depth charts.

• 12:15 PMYahoo Sports — Second-year breakout candidates for 2026 fantasy football
• 12:05 PMYahoo Sports — D/ST sleepers for 2026 fantasy football