Fantasy Football Sleepers, Breakouts, and Busts for 2026

As the Fourth of July has passed, the NFL training camps are just around the corner. The early 2026 Fantasy football ADP is beginning to take shape, with Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, Ja’Marr Chase, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Puka Nacua being the players going off the board first on average. However, deep Fantasy football rosters are built with strong picks in the later rounds.

Before setting your 2026 Fantasy football draft strategy, it’s essential to check out the 2026 Fantasy football rankings and cheat sheets from the proven computer model at SportsLine. This model has a proven track record of providing accurate Fantasy football tips, nailing Jonathan Taylor’s monstrous season in 2021, calling Rachaad White’s breakout in 2023, and identifying Isiah Pacheco as a bust in 2025.

Top 2026 Fantasy Football Sleepers

One of the 2026 Fantasy football sleepers the model is predicting is Buccaneers running back Kenneth Gainwell. The former Eagle set career highs across the board last year in Pittsburgh and finished with 1,023 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns. He then joined Tampa as a free agent, replacing Rachaad White, who departed for Washington.

Gainwell will be more than just a backup to Bucky Irving, as coach Todd Bowles labeled Gainwell as 1B to Irving’s 1A. Considering the former’s skill set and the latter’s 2025 season, Gainwell is coming off a career-best of 4.7 yards per carry and had as many touchdowns from inside the 10-yard-line (6) as Irving had carries from inside the 10.

The model likes Gainwell ahead of clear-cut RB1s such as Tony Pollard and Chuba Hubbard. Additionally, Gainwell had 73 catches last year and is now joining a Bucs team that loves to target RBs, as White has the third-most receptions at the position since 2022.

Top 2026 Fantasy Football Breakouts

One of the 2026 Fantasy football breakouts the model is predicting is Jaguars running back Bhayshul Tuten. A fourth-round pick in 2025, Tuten had 386 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie in backing up Travis Etienne. The latter has since joined the Saints, putting Tuten atop the depth chart.

Tuten impressed when given opportunities as a rookie, scoring in all four games he had at least nine touches. He is a home-run threat in an offense in need of playmakers, as he had the fastest 40-yard-dash time of any running back in the 2025 draft class.

Etienne had nearly 1,400 total yards and 13 touchdowns a year ago, and Jacksonville loves to run the ball, ranking eighth in attempts in 2025. Tuten is set to break out as a sophomore and presents as a value pick in the mid-rounds of Fantasy football drafts 2026.

Top 2026 Fantasy Football Busts

As for players to avoid, the model identifies Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold. The newest Super Bowl-winning QB’s on-field impact is undeniable, but that doesn’t necessarily translate to Fantasy.

Darnold plays in a run-first offense that ranked third in rushing attempts a year ago and just 29th in pass attempts. Even with limited opportunities, Darnold still led the NFL with 20 turnovers, as he had the second-most lost fumbles (6) and the third-most interceptions (14).

Add in that Darnold provides next to nothing as a rusher, as he had under 100 rushing yards and 0 TDs last year, and he has a low Fantasy ceiling. Losing Super Bowl MVP, Kenneth Walker III, won’t make things easier for the quarterback as defenses are likely to devote more resources to stopping the pass than Seattle’s run game.

After finishing as the QB14 last year, SportsLine’s advanced model has Darnold as the QB20 in its Fantasy football rankings 2026.