2026 NFL Draft Sleeper Wide Receivers, Including Chris Bell And Two Late-Round Stars

Three of the top sleeper wide receivers in the 2026 NFL Draft class.

Louisville wideout Chris Bell (WO03) speaks to members of the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

The 2026 NFL Draft is now less than a month away. It will kick off on April 23 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. There are a handful of wide receivers getting all the headlines, but there are sure to be plenty of other wideouts who will have a major impact on the next level. These are some of the top sleeper wide receivers who we expect to be selected in this year's NFL Draft.

WR Chris Bell, Louisville

Bell may not be viewed as a sleeper on a larger scale because he's generally projected to be a second-round pick. The only reason he's not projected much higher is that he is coming off a torn ACL he suffered late in the season.

However, we have had him projected to climb into the first round of the NFL Draft, and if not for injury, he would be in the conversation with those top three rookie wideouts in this draft class. He is a better wide receiver than the second-tier first-round options like Denzel Boston, KC Concepcion, and Omar Cooper Jr.

While his rookie season could get off to a slow start due to the injury, long-term, he's going to be a draft steal. If he were fully healthy, he would probably be a top 20 pick in the NFL Draft. In the second round, we consider him a sleeper as a potential superstar wide receiver.

WR Zacharia Branch, Georgia

Branch could slip in the NFL Draft further than he should because he is locked in as a slot receiver on the pro level. While he's a bit undersized, he is also explosive, fast, and has the ability to cause defenses problems both underneath and downfield.

He is impressive with his yards after the catch because he has the speed and the agility to break tackles and force defenders to miss. We expect him to be a strong starter on the next level for a long time, even if he doesn't project to be a true NFL WR1 or X receiver.

WR CJ Daniels Jr, Miami

Miami Hurricanes wide receiver CJ Daniels (7) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats during the second quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Daniels is the wide receiver who made that highlight reel catch to help beat Notre Dame to start the Hurricanes' run to the Championship Game. However, he was much more than just one great catch.

He's an outstanding route runner who plays with toughness and can go up and win on contested catches. Daniels has elite hands and is dangerous once he gets the ball in his hands.

Perhaps most importantly, he doesn't have much of a learning curve for the NFL. The 6'2, 205-pound wideout has developed into an impressive blocker and has a nuanced route tree.

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