2026 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings: Best Wide Receivers Outside the Top 5

Looking beyond the elite tier, these 2026 NFL Draft wide receiver prospects offer intriguing upside and could emerge as key fantasy football contributors at the next level.

Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. (3) against the Miami Hurricanes in the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

In the 2025 NFL Draft, four wide receivers were selected in the second round – Jayden Higgins, Luther Burden, Tre Harris, and Jack Bech. They combined to catch 138 passes for 1,725 yards and nine touchdowns on 200 targets. Puka Nacua (1,820) and Jaxon Smith-Njigba (1,829) had more combined yards. Burden led this group in catches (47) and receiver yards (652) while Higgins was the top scoring player (five touchdowns). 

No wide receiver drafted from the third round to the sixth round helped fantasy teams over the long haul. Tez Johnson 28/322/5 on 44 targets) offered some playing time when the Buccaneers' top wideouts were injured. Tampa added him with the 235th pick in the seventh round.

Click HERE to view our top five wide receivers entering the 2026 NFL Draft. Now, let's take a look at the next group of receivers who could hear their respective names called on draft night.

Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana

In 2024, Cooper flashed big player ability for the Hoosiers by leading the Big Ten in yards per catch (21.2). He finished with 28 catches for 594 receiving yards and seven touchdowns while adding two carries in the run game (2/23/1). With Fernando Mendoza behind center last year, Cooper developed into a more round wide receiver (69/937/13 with three rushes for 74 yards and one touchdown). He dominated Indiana St. in a 73-0 romp, leading to 10 catches for 207 yards and four touchdowns. His production was much lower over his final nine starts (2/2, 7/86/1, 6/32/1, 3/39/1, 3/64/1, 0/0, 3/45/1, 3/17/1, and 5/71, other than touchdowns (6).

At the 2026 NFL Combine, Cooper ran a 4.42 40-yard dash. Indiana featured him last year more on passes close to the line of scrimmage to take advantage of his speed and ability to make defenders miss. His release is above average while bringing a slot skill set to the NFL. Cooper isn’t quite where he needs to be in his route running, but he is going to be a problem for defenses on quick slants, crossing patterns, and one-on-one matchups downfield. Cooper gets a knock for his run blocking. I see pieces of Antonio Brown and Tyreek Hill in his game.

Chris Brazzell II, Tennessee

Tennessee wide receiver Chris Brazzell II (17) catches the ball in the end zone for a touchdown during a NCAA football game between Tennessee and Vanderbilt at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Nov. 29, 2025. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After an uptick season at Tulana (44/711/5) in 2023, Brazzell transferred to the Tennessee Volunteers. He was just another wideout the following year (29/333/2) while hitting his stride last year (62 catches for 1,017 yards and nine touchdowns. His best play came in the Volunteers' second to fifth games (9/125/2, 6/177/3, 5/62/1, and 6/105/1), with his top output coming against Georgia. 

Brazzell has an intriguing combination of size (6’4” and 200 lbs.) and speed (4.37 40-yards dash at the NFL Combine), with the ability to fight for wins in the deep passing game and be a threat to score at the goal line. On the downside, his jostling with defensive backs in the NFL will lead to some offensive pass interference calls and potentially a lower catch rate. Brazzell must prove himself over the short areas of the field against press coverage. When in motion in the open field, he eats up yards in chunks with the hands to snatch up passes outside his frame. Brazzell is more than a one-dimensional speed wide receiver, but there are enough flaws in his game to have an early learning curve in the NFL.

Zachariah Branch, Georgia

The Bulldogs upped Branch’s opportunity last year after showing growth over two seasons at USC (31/390/3 and 47/520/2). He led the SEC in catches (81) in 2025 while gaining 811 yards and scoring six times. Branch is a possession receiver based on his yards per catch (10.3 in his career). Over his final nine starts, he had a floor of five catches in eight matchups, highlighted by five games (9/57, 8/71, 10/112, 8/68, and 8/67/1). He scored his final three college starts.

Branch is an undersized slot receiver (5’9” and 175 lbs.) who has plus speed (4.35 40-yard dash) and quickness, with surprising strength (20 reps of 225 lbs. at the NFL Combine). Georgia featured him on many plays at or before the line of scrimmage, allowing him to beat defenders for some long plays and touchdowns due to his open-field running and acceleration. He could be a better version of Wan’Dale Robinson due to his ability to own the short areas of the field and test defenders downfield if they creep up to close to the line of scrimmage. Branch has some work to do in his route running over the first 10 yards of the field, while having a tight catch radius.

Skyler Bell, Connecticut

UConn Huskies wide receiver Skyler Bell (1) makes the catch and runs for a touchdown against the UAB Blazers in the first quarter at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field. | David Butler II-Imagn Images

After a rather pedestrian first three years at Wisconsin (69/915/6) over 26 games, Bell found his stride in his two seasons at Connecticut. He worked as a big plays wideout in 2024 (50/860/5 – 17.2 yards per catch), followed by an explosive year (101 catches for 1,278 yards and 13 touchdowns). He gained over 100 yards in seven matchups in 2025 (4/135/2, 11/107, 14/113/1, 10/125/1, 8/158/1, 8/149/3, and 8/125), with three other games with at least seven catches (7/92, 11/87/2, and 8/70).

Speed at the wide receiver position continued to be the theme in 2026. Bell ran a 4.40 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. His release needs work; Bell’s hands could be suspect in tight battles over the middle of the field. He has the tools to pile up catches close to the line of scrimmage, while also threatening them over the long field with or without the ball.

Germie Bernard, Alabama

Bernard has three stops on his college career resume – Michigan State, Washington, and Alabama. He scored only six touchdowns over his first 39 games, with 91 catches for 1,341 yards. The Crimson Tide pushed him to career-high levels in catches (64), receiving yards (862), and touchdowns (7) in 2025. His only game last year with over 100 yards receiving came in Week 1 (8/146). Bernard scored only twice over his final nine starts.

Defense should be able to handle Bernard at the line of scrimmage and in the deep passing game. In between, he does a lot well. His route running and hands grade as plus assets, while bringing the talent to line up anywhere on the field. His speed is about league average (4.48 40-yard dash) for a wide receiver while offering some size (6’1” and 205 lbs.). To reach a more playing fantasy ceiling, Bernard must get stronger and control more of the field over the first 20 yards.