6 Fantasy Football WRs You’ll Regret Passing On: A.J. Brown, Emeka Egbuka, Parker Washington & More (Ep. 2122)
The FantasyPros crew (Tara Roberts, Pat Fitzmaurice, Derek Brown) each pitched wide receivers they believe are undervalued at current ADP/ECR heading into 2026 drafts, spanning top-60 picks like A.J. Brown and Emeka Egbuka down to late-round values like Josh Downs and Christian Watson. The central argument is that offensive scheme changes, departed teammates, and improved health/roles make these six receivers likely to outperform their draft cost.
# PLAY ACTION Brief: 6 WRs You'll Regret Passing On
This FantasyPros episode has Tara Roberts, Pat Fitzmaurice, and Debro each pitching wide receivers they believe the market is undervaluing, spanning from top-60 ADP picks down to double-digit-round fliers. The through-line: several of these receivers have real usage or offensive-context upgrades that current ADP hasn't caught up to yet, making them values worth prioritizing before drums get louder.
The arguments
Jameson Williams is being mispriced because his second-half surge wasn't about Sam LaPorta's injury. Pat argues the shift came from Dan Campbell moving Williams into short-area concepts (crossing routes, screens) that let him use his speed after the catch, and he expects new OC Drew Petzing to keep that usage since Campbell and Petzing likely discussed it in Petzing's interview. Debro agrees, framing Williams as a low-risk WR2 given the clean quarterback situation and schedule, though both flag Detroit's shaky offensive line (center Cade Mays hurt) as a minor concern that's mitigated by Williams' short-area role and Goff's quick release.
A.J. Brown could hit career highs across targets, yardage, and touchdowns after leaving Philadelphia's run-centric offense for New England. Debro's case rests on the Patriots' neutral passing rate jumping from 15th to 9th and their red-zone passing rate (10th-worst last year in Philly at 32nd) improving to 15th with the Patriots — a shift Debro argues directly translates to touchdown opportunities Brown lacked. Debro also pushes back on "washed" narratives, citing Brown's 16th-ranked route win rate and top-20 marks in yards per route run and first downs per route run among 109 qualified receivers last year; Debro ranks him as high as WR5 against a current ADP of WR10/23rd overall.
Emeka Egbuka has true WR1 breakout potential despite Tampa Bay's offense collapsing last season. Tara attributes the offense's struggles to injuries (Egbuka played through a hamstring issue, Baker Mayfield banged up) and an overmatched offensive coordinator rather than to Egbuka's talent, pointing to his two 100-yard games right after Mike Evans went down in Week 3 — produced alongside a healthy, heavily-used Chris Godwin, which Tara says disproves the idea Egbuka can't coexist with Godwin.
Parker Washington's role in the Jaguars' slot/Z rotation makes him a value even as his price rises. Pat cites his torrid four-game finish (10.3 targets, 113.5 yards per game) plus a strong full-season target-per-route-run rate that beat Brian Thomas Jr. and Jakobi Meyers, tying it to Liam Coen's history of feeding slot receivers and Trevor Lawrence's preference for that target. Both hosts still endorse buying despite ADP (WR30/71st overall) now outpacing consensus rank, with Debro and Pat landing at WR26 and WR28 respectively.
Christian Watson is being disrespected at WR27 given his per-route efficiency and expanding target share. Debro notes Watson finished as a top-21 fantasy WR in points per game from Weeks 8-18, and with Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks gone, his 68% route share should climb further. Both hosts rank Watson above Mike Evans, DJ Moore, and Davante Adams, with only Terry McLaurin placed above him among the veteran comparisons — and both note his new contract as a signal the Packers are committed to expanding his role.
Josh Downs is a double-digit-round league-winner because of Alec Pierce's lingering injury and Michael Pittman's departure. Tara argues Pierce's post-surgery recovery is running behind schedule (unlike routine camp nicks), while Pittman's exit removes 110 targets with a nearly identical 8.4 average depth of target to Downs, positioning Downs to inherit volume even once Pierce returns.
What it means for your roster
- Draft Jameson Williams around WR28 (66th overall) — Pat calls this a "crying steal" given the offensive coordinator continuity and Goff's quick-strike passing style.
- Consider reaching for A.J. Brown as high as WR5 if you buy the Patriots' improved red-zone passing context; Debro is comfortable well above his current WR10 ADP.
- Prioritize Emeka Egbuka in the WR1 breakout tier (currently WR18, 37-41 overall) rather than treating him as a floor-only WR2.
- Get Parker Washington now before ADP (WR30) fully catches up — both hosts have him ranked several spots higher (WR26-28) and note his price is actively climbing.
- Rank Christian Watson above Mike Evans, DJ Moore, and Davante Adams in draft rooms; treat him as a WR2-value pick at his WR3 draft cost.
- Grab Josh Downs in double-digit rounds as a trustworthy Week 1 flex — his value hinges on Alec Pierce's recovery timeline, so monitor that injury closely before your draft.
“Just draft A.J. Brown and enjoy.” — Derek Brown
Players in this episode
↑ Moving to a Patriots offense with higher neutral passing rate and more weapons (Drake May, Romeo Doubs) gives him career-high upside in targets, yards, and touchdowns; not declining per efficiency metrics despite age concerns.
→ Mentioned as one of the players who was reportedly injured over the weekend, causing concern among the hosts during preseason camp injury news discussion.
↑ Rookie who garnered 127 targets through injury and offensive chaos; produced alongside both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, seen as a breakout WR1 candidate for Tampa Bay.
→ Hosts rank him slightly above Christian Watson, the only veteran in that group they'd still take over Watson.
↓ Both hosts rank Christian Watson ahead of him in their WR rankings.
↑ Coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, his shift to short-area/YAC-focused usage under Dan Campbell should stick and could improve with more targets; hosts call him a steal at WR25-28 range.
↓ Both hosts rank Christian Watson ahead of him in their WR rankings.
→ Referenced as having gone down in week three, after which Egbuka had two 100-yard games; also compared unfavorably in ranking to Christian Watson by both hosts.
↑ Was WR21 in fantasy points per game from weeks 8-18 last year; with Doubs and Wicks gone and further removed from ACL injury, poised for a bigger role and elite efficiency metrics support a breakout.
↑ Torrid finish to last season (113.5 yards/game over final four games) and strong per-route efficiency; expected to toggle between slot and Z receiver roles with Trevor Lawrence's trust, though price is rising.
→ Pat pushed back on the idea that Jameson Williams' second-half surge was due to LaPorta's back injury absence, attributing it instead to scheme changes.
→ Played over 70% of snaps and had 14 targets in a stretch where Egbuka also produced two 100-yard games, countering the narrative that Godwin's presence limits Egbuka.
↓ Coming off surgery and running behind recovery timeline compared to other players with offseason procedures, opening opportunity for Josh Downs.
→ His departure from Indianapolis frees up roughly 110 targets that should flow to Josh Downs, given similar average depth of target and yards per route run profiles.
↑ With Alec Pierce dealing with a non-minor post-surgery recovery and Michael Pittman gone, Downs has a legitimate shot at being Colts' WR1 and outperforming his very late ADP.