DeVonta Smith vs. Zay Flowers: Who’s the Better Fantasy Pick in 2026?
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If anything is promising in fantasy football, it’s a young receiver that’s finally getting his chance to shine.
Few players across the league fit that bill quite like DeVonta Smith and Zay Flowers heading into the 2026 season. Both wideouts have shown plenty of star potential, and each enters the year with plenty to prove and now the opportunity to do so. Smith is now finally able to step into the WR1 role in Philadelphia, while Flowers continues to grow as a key piece of Baltimore’s offense.
With both receivers in talks of making a major fantasy leap this year, the question is simple: Which one should fantasy managers draft?
Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens
To say the least, it was a career year for Zay Flowers (#42 ADP, #17 among WRs) in 2025.
The Ravens’ WR1 has seen his numbers increase steadily since entering the NFL, with last year marking his highest peak thus far. Flowers logged career-highs in targets (118), receptions (86), and receiving yards (1,211) while also tying his high in touchdowns. This was good enough for a WR7 finish in PPR leagues, the best fantasy ranking of his career by a wide margin.
What makes Flowers’ breakout even more interesting, though, is that there’s still plenty of room for his fantasy production to improve. While he did finish as WR7, he also did so on just five touchdowns, which is notably low by a wideout of his caliber’s standards. He was outscored last season by Denver’s Troy Franklin and Detroit’s Isaac TeSlaa, despite both having a much smaller role in their respective offenses compared to Flowers.
While these numbers are absolutely exciting, there are still plenty of reasons to pump the brakes on Flowers. Entering just year four, he’ll need to prove he can replicate that production before fantasy managers can assume he will be a consistent WR1.
And, arguably more worrisome, Baltimore’s offense has historically leaned towards the running game, which could easily cap Flowers’ involvement. The Ravens were third in the league last year in rushing attempts, and if Flowers wants to make a jump into the top five, he’ll need to find a way to work around such.
As of now, Flowers’ ADP seems like a pretty good price for his recent production. Whether he will continue that trend, however, remains to be seen.
DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles
It’d come as a surprise if 2026 isn’t the best season of DeVonta Smith’s (#46 ADP, #20 among WRs) career.
Despite being the WR2 in Philadelphia’s offense last season, Smith still had more than a respectable year. He saw 113 targets for 77 receptions, 1,008 receiving yards, and four touchdowns en route to a WR44 finish.
What makes Smith’s profile particularly fascinating heading into 2026 is his expected volume increase in targets. With A.J. Brown now in New England, the WR1 spot is Smith’s alone. And, as a result, a large chunk of Brown’s 121 vacated targets will likely go his way. Considering Smith has a career average of 13 yards per reception, he’ll absolutely find a way to make the most of them.
Another interesting aspect to Smith’s 2026 season is the potential for a large increase in both receiving yards and touchdowns. With new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion now running the show, the team is expected to run a motion-heavy, West Coast offense. For a receiver like Smith, that’s lightning in a bottle. His elite route-running ability should allow him to thrive in an offense designed to create space and get the ball in the hands of its playmakers. From there, let the YAC and touchdowns pile up.
However, there are still reasons for caution. Philadelphia’s offense will continue to circle around Saquon Barkley and Dallas Goedert, meaning that Smith isn’t guaranteed targets in favorable scenarios. But, at his current WR20 price, he offers a rare combination of proven production and high upside.
Zay Flowers vs. DeVonta Smith Fantasy Verdict
Although this debate is unbelievably close, if forced to choose, Smith is the safer choice between these two.
While this season was a career-best for Flowers, he still has more to prove to fantasy managers before being considered such a high pick. In his two previous seasons, he finished as WR25 and WR31, which is a steep drop-off from his career-best finish this season.
Smith, meanwhile, finished near those marks while sitting as WR2 in Philadelphia’s offense. He also enters 2026 with a much clearer path to sturdy production, in both targets and receiving yards. And, truthfully, he has a much more established track record of fantasy production.
Flowers is still absolutely a great pick, but if we’re forced to choose, Smith is the better option.
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Zach is a Temple University graduate with a degree in journalism and sports media, bringing a lifelong passion for storytelling and athletics to his work. With years of experience covering a myriad of sports at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels, he seeks to bring a polished and informed approach to every story he tells.
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