Welcome into another episode of Beyond the Rankings.

Today we're going to deep, deep dive into the 2026 wide receiver sleeper prospects. It's a very, it's a very difficult game, but nonetheless, we're back at it. We're not going to quit. T.J. Wankert, who is your first wide receiver sleeper of the 2026 rookie class? Yeah, man. And I will say, I'm way more excited to talk about this group compared to the quarterbacks and tight ends last week. Though the tight end, you know, there were some fun conversations to be had there. I'll lead us off with Antonio Williams, man. Look, I got Antonio Williams as a second round prospect for me. And, I mean, that this year's class is kind of, I don't know, gluttonous, little full of maybe second round, third round guys. There's kind of like two buckets for me right now, 25 to 75 range, and then the 76 to 125 bucket that was late third to early fourth round guys. And to me, it's only way, it's comfortably in that first bucket. You know, I don't think he'll end up going late round one. But like anywhere day two, I think he's a really good football player.

Got hurt at the start of the season. And it's interesting, you'd almost look at his, when he got hurt at the beginning of the season, it almost directly correlates to Clemson and Kate Globnik having a rough start to the beginning of the season. And then he comes back and next thing you know, Clubnick's last five games of the season and end up being his five best from this last season to play.

So I don't think that's any coincidence you know he's a slot only guy i don't really foresee any usage for him on the outside but i mean if you're telling me and like my comp since summer has been josh down so it's like all i see with this guy is like shifty route runner good enough after the catch i don't think it's like his strong suit but he does bring punt return value he's done that multiple multiple years there at Clemson so I think it's just a rock steady solid football in this day and age yes we're starting to get you know the Sean McVay the Ben Johnson's pushing us back towards 12 personnel but the end of of the day, it's an 11 personnel game.

You know, it's a three receiver league. And this guy's your slot. Just plug and play option. He's going to get open. I can't tell you how many times I saw Clemson, third and five, you know, just play design up, you know, an out route for Antonio Williams. And everyone knows where the ball is going. and lo and behold, that third down becomes a first down because he converts on that third and five out route. So I think it's solid, steady player, very Josh Downs-like, does enough after the catch, gets open consistently. And because he was a summer scouting first rounder, and then he got hurt. And then his other receivers came on. I just feel like he's been lost into the wind in this year's receiver class.

But I think he's a rock solid pro at the next level.

And a guy who can contribute right away. Yeah. And, you know, I'll just give my quick two cents on this. Slot receiver is kind of getting a bad rat because it's a dying breed, apparently in the NFL. But no, it's still a necessity. and there are some quality guys in this league and there are some need in the NFL for it,

which I'll get into later with some of my candidates.

My first guy, though, Eric McAllister is anything but a slot receiver. But he operates and kind of performs his slot receiver at times. And he actually puts up numbers better than some slot receivers do, even though he plays out wide. Quick, quick breakdown. 2022 goes to, I believe he's a three-star prospect, maybe a four-star prospect, goes to Boise State, doesn't do anything his freshman year. 2023 breaks out for 800 plus yards, one touchdown. And he says, okay, now I'm going to go to the, I'm going to go to the Big 12 and, you know, and test myself at TCU right you know that's that's that's that's what

the transfer portal is there for you have guys that want to go prove themselves against better

competition razor stock he does nothing at tc u in 2023 he's being he's playing behind jack

bash and saving all williams both guys i liked a lot both guys who are in the nfl now so

understandably he doesn't do anything that year he doesn't do much that year 2025 they leave he goes nuts for 1,190 yards 10 touchdowns

right this guy is a efficient producer despite um despite he's limited playing opportunities you know

for like two years but you know he career yards per round run 3.01. Very, very. That's excellent.

That's, that is elite yards per hour run. That's what that is, right? And it's not everything,

but yards per hour run has a high correlation to fantasy success, right? And going back to

2023, he didn't have a yards per route run mark lower than 2.6. That's amazing, right? His career

first down run rate was 12.2%. High end chain

mover, right? Quick hits on the style of play, yards after contact. And I'm not just talking about,

you know, like little wispy ankle wraps, ankle wrap, waist wraps. This guy is a leg,

moves his legs through head-on contact, like early down running back.

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