Marvin Harrison & Rome Odunze Among 2026 Third-Year Wide Receiver Breakout Candidates

A look at the top third-year wide receivers poised for fantasy football breakouts in 2026, headlined by Marvin Harrison Jr. and Rome Odunze.

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) scores a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys in the first half at AT&T Stadium. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Every fantasy football season, we see third-year wide receivers break out. There are a number of reasons why some receivers take longer to break out, whether that's due to coaching, injuries, or coming into the league as a raw talent. We do not expect 2026 to be an exception. These are the third-year wide receivers who will break out in 2026. 

Marvin Harrison Jr, Arizona Cardinals

This will be the year that Harrison finally lives up to his lofty expectations as a prospect. The Arizona Cardinals will have a new coach and, more importantly, a new offensive coordinator in 2026. You can make a strong case that while Harrison has struggled with drops at times, he has been held back by a horrific offensive scheme. The Cardinals will likely have a new quarterback as well, which probably won't hurt either. A new supporting cast should allow him to put it all together and maximize his talents.    

Rome Odunze, Chicago Bears

Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze (15) celebrates after the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Odunze looked like he was having his breakout season early in 2025, but then saw a significant drop off in production. The Bears are a young team with a new offense and a lot of mouths to feed. With both quarterback Caleb Williams and Odunze getting another year under their belt, we'd expect them to excel next season. There is also a chance that Chicago looks to move on from DJ Moore this offseason. 

Ricky Pearsall, San Francisco 49ers

Pearsall was a first-round pick, but has been plagued by injury since coming into the league. He has entered both of his first two seasons in the league injured. If he can manage to stay healthy heading into September, he is poised for a breakout season in an offense that is going to need a top option. Jauan Jennings is solid but not special, George Kittle probably won't be ready for the start of the season, Brandon Aiyuk isn't coming back, and Christian McCaffrey could be running on fumes at his age with his usage in 2025. 

Jalen McMillan, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan (11) catches the ball in the first quarter at Bank of America Stadium. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

When on the field, McMillan has exceeded expectations in each of his first two seasons. Despite there being so many options in Tampa Bay, he has still managed to stand out. After missing over half of 2025 with a neck injury, he returned and immediately jumped star rookie Emeka Egbuka in the pecking order in the passing attack, and was unfazed by the return of Mike Evans. 

Devaughn Vele, New Orleans Saints 

Vele was traded from the Denver Broncos to the Saints prior to the 2025 season, and came on strong in the back half of the season before going down with an injury. His spike in production coincided with Rashid Shaheed getting traded to the Seattle Seahawks. If New Orleans doesn't make any big moves at the position this offseason, Vele could serve as the 1b to Chris Olave's 1a.