Jalen Hurts Leads 5 Fantasy Football Bounce-Back Stars for 2026

Fantasy football managers have fantastic memories, but sometimes that can come back to haunt them.

An underwhelming season can make it easy to cross a player off the draft board, but one bad year doesn't erase talent, opportunity, or proven production. In reality, some of the best draft values come from players that managers are willing to take a chance on. Whether injuries, a poor supporting cast, or coaching changes derailed their 2025 campaigns, many still have everything needed to rebound in a major way.

Here are five bounce-back candidates ready to prove their worth in 2026 fantasy football drafts.

Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders

Several factors played into Terry McLaurin's (#45 ADP, #23 among WRs) disappointing 2025 season. That won't be the case in 2026.

McLaurin averaged an abysmal 7.62 fantasy points per game across his 10 games last season, finishing as WR54 in PPR leagues. He saw his streak of consecutive 1,000-yard seasons come to an end, totaling just 582 yards to break a record he's held since his rookie season. But this output needs context.

For starters, missing 7 games during the year isn't ideal for fantasy production. And, when you factor in quarterback Jayden Daniels missing 10 matches of his own, McLaurin's dip in numbers starts to make sense. That shouldn't repeat in 2026.

McLaurin and Daniels will return at full strength this season, and with wideout Deebo Samuel now out of the picture, even more targets should be available for Washington's prized wideout. All signs point towards a healthier and far more productive 2026 campaign.

Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens

Mark Andrews (#125 ADP, #11 among TEs) has seen his fantasy stock plummet in recent seasons, largely due to the emergence of Isaiah Likely. This year, however, he'll have a chance to remind fantasy managers why he was once among the position's elite.

Andrews finished as fantasy's TE16 in PPR leagues in 2025 despite appearing in all 17 games, as Baltimore frequently split tight end targets between him and Likely. Now, with Likely signing with the New York Giants this offseason, Andrews should once again reclaim the lion's share of both snaps and targets. And, given Lamar Jackson's tendency to routinely trust his veteran tight end, Andrews' volume should rebound.

The path back into the TE1 conversation is fairly straightforward for Andrews.

Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings

Justin Jefferson (#10 ADP, #6 among WRs) isn't typically a wideout you'd see on a bounce-back list. But after a complicated 2025 outing, it's clear to see why.

Jefferson dropped all the way to WR21 in PPR leagues in 2025, marking career lows in both receiving yards and touchdowns. Which, for fantasy managers, is extremely out of the ordinary. Jefferson struggled mightily amid mediocre quarterback play last year, making consistent production virtually impossible.

With Kyler Murray now under center and Minnesota's offense returning at full strength, Jefferson is more than capable of regaining his status as one of the NFL's elite fantasy receivers. And while Murray will likely turn some passing downs into rushing attempts, a more stable passing attack overall should provide the consistency necessary for Jefferson to return to form.

Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles

2025 was a head-scratching season for both the Eagles and Jalen Hurts (#71 ADP, #7 among QBs). Luckily, there's a clear explanation for that.

The Eagles' offense struggled mightily last year, and Jalen Hurts was a direct byproduct of those difficulties. He finished with his worst fantasy points per game (18.7) across a season since 2021, and also saw a notable dip in rushing numbers. But, like McLaurin and Jefferson, there are a few direct reasons for this.

Hurts was required to juggle numerous issues in 2025, with the most apparent being offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo. The Eagles' franchise quarterback was forced to throw away from the middle of the field, and his distinct rushing ability was routinely underutilized. Pair that with A.J. Brown publicly demanding targets on a week-to-week basis, and the picture begins to take shape.

Since then, Philadelphia has given Patullo the boot and dealt Brown to the New England Patriots. To replace them, the Eagles installed Sean Mannion as offensive coordinator and drafted Makai Lemon to reload Hurts' arsenal. And, considering Mannion recently helped former-Packer Malik Willis nab a multi-year deal in Miami, fantasy owners should be high on Hurts.

Hurts and Philadelphia's offense as a whole are set up for a much better 2026.

Emeka Egbuka, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Emeka Egbuka (#34 ADP, #16 among WRs) started out hot in 2025 before going ice-cold for the remainder of the season. It'd be a shock if that happens again in 2026.

Egbuka averaged 20.48 fantasy points throughout his first 5 NFL appearances before injuries began to decimate Tampa Bay's season. Numerous wideouts and linemen were ruled out throughout the year, forcing Egbuka to shoulder the Buccaneers' offensive load. To make matters worse, quarterback Baker Mayfield played through multiple injuries for much of the year.

Now in 2026, Egbuka faces just Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan for target competition following the departure of franchise icon Mike Evans. Furthermore, Tampa Bay will enter this season at full strength, giving the offense as a whole much more stability.

Egbuka is well-positioned to build on his impressive rookie season and emerge as a fantasy football mainstay in 2026.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com/onsi/fantasy as Jalen Hurts Leads 5 Fantasy Football Bounce-Back Stars for 2026.

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This story was originally published July 16, 2026 at 2:00 PM.