Buying or Selling Breakouts for the Biggest NFL Minicamp Standouts of 2026

We have reached another benchmark in the NFL offseason. At this point, most teams have wrapped up OTAs and mandatory minicamps. When the league's players next gather, it will be for training camp in earnest.

It will be time for contact. Time to really get a feel for what the NFL's 32 teams look like in 2026.

This isn't to say that minicamps don't have value. For new head coaches and coordinators, it's a chance to continue implementing new schemes. For veteran faces in new places and rookies, it's an opportunity to make a positive impression.

Some players have done just that, drawing rave reviews in minicamp. The question is whether those reviews could be a harbinger of a breakout season or just a fleeting summer storyline that signifies nothing.

That's the question we're going to attempt to answer here, by buying or selling the chances this year's biggest minicamp standouts will carry that success over into games that count.

WR Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars

AP Photo/John Raoux

Brian Thomas Jr. of the Jacksonville Jaguars has broken out already—as a rookie he topped 1,200 yards and found the end zone 10 times.

Last year was a mess, though. He missed three games, failed to catch 50 passes and had just two touchdowns.

However, Thomas has looked like a player intent on a big-time rebound in his third season, according to Michael DiRocco of ESPN:

"Thomas' 2025 season was a disappointment. He had 1,282 yards and 10 TDs as a rookie in 2024, but just 707 yards and two TDs last season, with ankle and shoulder injuries playing a role. In 2026, he has been the Jags' most impressive offensive player so far, and the chemistry between Trevor Lawrence and him—especially on deep throws—is the best it has been. He said a changed mindset and an emphasis on not overlooking small details in his preparation are the main reasons."

A breakout season isn't going to be easy for any wide receiver in Jacksonville this year. The team has one of the deepest rooms in the league, with Parker Washington and Jakobi Meyers also in town, and that's without taking second-year two-way player Travis Hunter into consideration.

But Thomas is the most physically gifted wide receiver on the roster and the team's best threat down the field.

With Trevor Lawrence headed into his second season in Liam Coen's offense, he could be headed toward a career year. If that's the case, Thomas should be a big-time beneficiary.

Verdict: Buy

QB Fernando Mendoza, Las Vegas Raiders

AP Photo/John Locher

There may not be a more scrutinized player in all of the NFL in minicamps than Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

After all, he was the first player selected in April's draft, and he's supposed to be the face of the franchise for years to come.

Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak told reporters that Mendoza has looked sharp in early workouts though there's only so much that can be gleaned from minicamp:

"He's working his tail off. He's gotten a ton better. With anyone coming into the league, you've got to put the work into it, and he's done that. The things we've asked him to improve on, he's been diligent at. You get what you can out of this time of year, and then the real evaluation comes with those 11 practices before we play that first preseason game."

That Mendoza has looked good on the practice field is no doubt music to the ears of Raiders' fans. But it's not especially hard for a quarterback to look good when there aren't any pass-rushers trying to knock his block off.

From all indications, Mendoza also remains firmly behind Kirk Cousins in the race to start in Week 1 for the Raiders.

Mendoza is the future under center in Vegas and will start games this season. But for all the success he had at Indiana, he still has a lot to learn about playing the NFL.

His breakout is going to have to wait until 2027.

Verdict: Sell

S A.J. Haulcy, Indianapolis Colts

AP Photo/Michael Conroy

The Indianapolis Colts have a lot of production to replace on defense this year.

Their leading tackler from a year ago, linebacker Zaire Franklin, was traded to the Green Bay Packers, and No. 2 tackler Nick Cross left for Washington in free agency.

The team used a pair of Day 2 picks to fill those holes, drafting Georgia linebacker C.J. Allen in Round 2 and circling back for LSU safety A.J. Haulcy in Round 3.

As Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated noted, Haulcy has wasted no time impressing his new team—so much so that many pundits are already penciling him in as a starter:

"Haulcy is a rookie to watch. His instincts and feel for the game have shown up right away. And while there's only so much you can see from a rookie before the pads go on, it's trending now toward the LSU product starting opposite Cam Bynum at safety. If he hits, it could give DC Lou Anarumo the best pair he's had at the position he puts a lot on, since Jessie Bates III and Vonn Bell helped lead the Bengals to a Super Bowl."

Haulcy was a productive player in college, especially when it came to taking the ball away—so much so that he earned the nickname "Mr. Give Me That." With a relatively clear path to a starting role, he should make a sizable dent in his first season.

And with better coverage skills than Cross, he may well be an upgrade at box safety from the jump.

Verdict: Buy

WR Ryan Flournoy, Dallas Cowboys

AP Photo/Ryan Sun

The Dallas Cowboys have one of the most formidable wide receiver duos in the NFL in CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. But the team's No. 3 wide receiver spot is a bit more nebulous—or at least it was.

To be clear, third-year pro Ryan Flournoy was considered the favorite to be that third wideout after catching 40 passes for 475 yards and four scores on 56 targets in 2025.

Dallas head coach Brian Schottenheimer told reporters that Flournoy is locking down that role more and more with each workout in OTAs:

"He earned it the right way, he earned it through special teams. He earned it by doing the run blocking, doing the things in the run game—the dirty work, if you will. Now he's one of those guys—because he does everything right—Dak [Prescott] doesn't hesitate when he looks at him. He just turns it loose. He gets to his spot."

Flournoy is a solid young player. The 26-year-old actually caught a higher percentage of his targets last year than both Lamb and Pickens.

But the math just isn't there for a breakout season.

Last year, Lamb and Pickens combined for a whopping 254 targets. Veteran tight end Jake Ferguson was targeted 102 times. That's over 350 pass attempts before Flournoy got even one.

Even if Dak Prescott attempts 600 passes again in 2026, it's hard to imagine Flournoy seeing a big spike in targets.

And without that spike, a breakout isn't coming.

Verdict: Sell

CB Riq Woolen, Philadelphia Eagles

AP Photo/Matt Rourke

The Philadelphia Eagles were eighth in the NFL in pass defense last year, allowing less than 190 yards per game through the air. But the team found itself with a hole at cornerback opposite young standout Quinyon Mitchell.

The Eagles settled on Riq Woolen as that replacement, signing the 27-year-old away from the Seattle Seahawks on a one-year deal.

While speaking to reporters, Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio sang the praises of the fifth-year veteran:

"He's a rare guy," he said. "You don't see many corners in the league that are 6'4". You don't see many that are 6'2" or 6'1", and there's a reason for that. It's hard to find guys at those heights that can move and mirror receivers that are hard to cover. He can do that for a guy his height."

Eagles slot corner Cooper DeJean concurred.

"A unique skill set," he said. "Very long, explosive, fast. It's crazy to see how explosive he is and how he can catch up to routes when guys are getting out of breaks. It will be fun to watch this year."

Woolen was a Pro Bowler after picking off six passes as a rookie in 2022, but by last year he fell from favor in Seattle, playing a career low in snaps. But if he can build on the momentum he has developed in his new home and recapture his previous form, the Eagles could have the best trio or cornerbacks in the NFL.

And Woolen could be in line for a big payday in 2027.

Verdict: Buy

RB George Holani, Seattle Seahawks

AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

When the Seattle Seahawks made Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price the final pick of the first round, the belief from most was that he would be Seattle's lead back while Zach Charbonnet recovers from an ACL tear.

Apparently, someone forgot to tell third-year pro George Holani. Not only did Holani open minicamps as the team's No. 1 back, but he is also making the most of the opportunity, according to Michael Hanich of Sports Illustrated:

"Not only is Holani one of the most talked-about players during mini-camps, but he also started the practices with the first-team offense. The Seahawks eventually gave Price reps at the No. 1 throughout the practices as the team intends to keep their one-two running back tandem from last season. Holani, however, matched Price's athleticism and intensity in drills and team reps. The team has been wanting Holani to get a chance to prove he is more than the third-string back from last season. He is capable of being one of the league's biggest surprises overall this upcoming NFL season."

That still feels optimistic, though.

Over two seasons in the NFL, Holani has 25 carries for 83 yards—total. He has averaged 3.3 yards a carry and battled nagging injuries.

Will Holani have a role in the Seattle ground game this year? Yes, but if the Seahawks were confident Holani and free agent-addition Emanuel Wilson could hold down the fort until Charbonnet returns, they wouldn't have used a first-rounder on Price in the first place.

Verdict: Sell

TE Greg Dulcich, Miami Dolphins

AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell

The Miami Dolphins gutted their wide receivers room in the offseason. Tyreek Hill was released. Jaylen Waddle was traded to Denver. Miami has a new quarterback in Malik Willis, but no go-to player to throw the ball to.

However, tight end Greg Dulcich may have emerged as a No. 1 target in the passing game in minicamp, according to Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN:

"Dolphins fans might remember Dulcich's late-season contributions, but he has emerged this spring as one of the primary targets in Miami's passing game. Quarterback Malik Willis has an entirely new group of skill players to build chemistry with, but during team drills, there was clear trust in Dulcich, who was one of the best tight ends in the league last season at making plays after the catch. He returned from injured reserve in Week 8 and finished the season averaging the second-most yards after catch per reception (7.6) in that span."

His best season came as a rookie in Denver. Last year with the Dolphins, he caught 26 passes for 335 yards and one touchdown.

But there were flashes in those modest numbers, especially after the catch. The Dolphins are likely to be playing from behind often this season, and Willis is going to have to throw the ball to someone.

Dulcich is as good a bet as any.

Verdict: Buy

WR Isaiah Bond, Cleveland Browns

AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki

The Cleveland Browns took a buzzsaw to the wideout corps in this year's draft, using two of their first three selections on KC Concepcion of Texas A&M and Washington's Denzel Boston.

However, after a modest rookie season in which he caught just 18 passes, Isaiah Bond has stood out in minicamp.

Bond added 15 pounds of muscle in the offseason and told reporters he believes that additional weight will help him become more than just a deep-ball threat on the boundary:

"If you want to be a great player, you've got to upgrade every facet of your game. So, weight room was one thing that I focused on all offseason this year, be able to play big, get in space more, stuff like that. That's one of the reasons I picked up a lot of weight to be able to catch balls over the middle, be able to block and outside more, just more intermediate in the box things, to add on top of the deep threat ability, for sure."

To his credit, Bond averaged almost 19 yards a catch a year ago. But it's hard to imagine a scenario where he is more than a bit-part player in his second season.

For starters, he'll more likely than not be the fourth receiver in Cleveland behind Jerry Jeudy and the two rookies. Add in tight end Harold Fannin Jr., and that leaves Bond fifth in the target pecking order. That equated to 40 targets in Cleveland last year.

There's also the matter of the Browns' quarterback situation, which has been highly inconsistent.

Verdict: Sell