Fantasy Football Impact: Travis Hunter Could Play More CB Than WR In 2026 NFL Season

The fantasy football outlook for Travis Hunter in the 2026 season, with the possibility of him playing more defense than offense.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter (12) walks off the field during the third day of minicamp at the Miller Electric Center, Thursday, June 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

There seems to be a real chance that second-year player for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Travis Hunter, plays more offense than defense in the 2026 NFL season. National NFL Reporter Cameron Wolfe said the following regarding Hunter.

“The goal is to eventually have him play nearly all the snaps on defense in a particular game.” Wolfe also went on to say this: “He will still play a lot on offense and make an impact on that. But it may fluctuate game to game. Maybe you have a 40% snap game one week based on the opponent and the game plan, and maybe the other week, maybe 60 to 70%.

Travis Hunter 2025 Fantasy Review

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) runs a route before an NFL preseason matchup at EverBank Stadium, Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Hunter, in the 2025 season, was utilized significantly more on offense than on defense. He played in a total of just 36% of Jacksonville's defensive snaps and played in 67% of their offensive snaps. As talented as Hunter is–Heisman 2024 winner–although there were flashes of him being a big offensive contributor, his overall production was severely underwhelming. In the seven games he played, he had just 28 receptions for 298 receiving yards and one touchdown. His best game of the season was the final one he played against the Los Angeles Rams. He had eight receptions on 14 targets for 101 receiving yards and scored his lone TD of 2025. Outside of that performance in five out of six of his other games, he had fewer than five receptions.

Going into the season in PPR fantasy formats in 2025, ESPN had him ranked as WR34. This season, they have him listed as WR61. 

Travis Hunter 2026 Fantasy Outlook

With the potential of Hunter being more of a CB than a WR, and then adding on the fact that the Jaguars have a loaded WR room their is almost no path where Hunter is worth having on a fantasy football roster in 2026. 

Jacksonville had two WRs with 700 or more receiving yards in 2025, Parker Washington and Brian Thomas Jr.. Washington led the team with 847 receiving yards on 58 receptions, and Thomas Jr. was second on the team with 707 receiving yards on 48 receptions. WR Jakobi Meyers also had a standout season for Jacksonville. He did not have over 700 receiving yards with the Jaguars because he was acquired via trade in the middle of the season. In the nine games he played with them, he had 42 receptions for 483 receiving yards. All three WRs are on the Jaguars' roster in 2026.

Fantasy managers by no means should use a fantasy draft pick on Huter. The only path as of now for Hunter to become a starter-caliber fantasy player next season is if the Jaguars’ WR room gets significantly injured. Even if a couple of their top guys go out, there is still a chance that other WRs other than Hunter take up the majority of their snap share with what he is being asked to do on defense. Jacksonville did devote some draft capital to the WR position in the 2026 NFL Draft. They took Josh Cameron from Baylor University with the #191 overall pick and CJ Williams with the #203 overall pick.