PodcastFrom Fantasy Football Today
FFT Express - Jamey Eisenberg’s 2026 All-Breakout Team! 7 Fantasy Football Players Ready to Explode! (FFT Express)
STACKED extracted the fantasy-relevant player signal from this podcast and kept the full transcript here for context.
13 min
Duration
Estimated from transcript
Aug 26, 2026
Published
Wed, August 26, 2026
5
Player insights
5
Players mentioned
Topics
DeVonta SmithEmeka EgbukaIsaiah LikelyLuther BurdenTrevor Lawrence
Player analysis
Player insights
DeVonta Smith
PositiveBreakout12:25
With A.J. Brown gone, Eisenberg projects Smith to challenge for a top-10 fantasy receiver finish. Smith averaged over nine targets per game in three outings without Brown over the last two years and is expected to be Jalen Hurts' primary target in the new offense.
Insight pageEmeka Egbuka
PositiveBreakout18:39
Despite a toe injury and a slide to the fourth round, Eisenberg maintains that Egbuka is the best receiver for the Buccaneers. He cites Egbuka's early-season performance (20+ PPR points per game) as evidence of his talent when healthy and receiving consistent targets.
Insight pageIsaiah Likely
PositiveValue16:37
Likely is highlighted as a top-five tight end caliber producer who can be drafted at a discount. Eisenberg notes that Likely has averaged 12 PPR points per game in games with at least six targets and expects him to be the second option in the Giants' passing attack.
Insight pageLuther Burden
PositiveSleeper14:08
Eisenberg recommends drafting Burden in the fourth round, noting his discounted ADP due to a groin injury. He expects Burden to become a focal point in Ben Johnson's offense, especially with 85 targets vacated by DJ Moore's departure.
Insight pageTrevor Lawrence
PositiveBreakout3:50
Jamey Eisenberg projects a potential top-five finish for Lawrence, citing his strong finish last season (30+ PPG in his final seven games) and continued development in Liam Cohen's system. Eisenberg expects 4-5 rushing touchdowns and 400 rushing yards, noting an improved receiving corps including Brian Thomas, Parker Washington, and Brent Strange.
Insight pageFull transcript
Episode Transcript
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2:06And welcome in, everyone. All right, Jamie, yesterday we did your all sleepers team today.
2:11Breakouts again at one quarterback, two running backs, two receivers, a tight end and a flex.
2:15Who was our breakout quarterback? Yeah, first, you know, apologies to anybody.
2:19I think some of these guys might be too obvious, but I'm expecting some career seasons for a few of these players
2:25or just building off of some segmented parts of the season that they're coming off of.
2:30And I'll start with Trevor Lawrence, who closed last season on an absolute tear, averaging over 30 fantasy points per game in
2:36his last seven games, including the playoffs. And now you're coming into this another year in Liam Cohen's system.
2:42I think the best receiving core collectively that he's going to play with, depending on how much Travis Hunter plays on offense,
2:48but a healthy Brian Thomas, Parker Washington clearing his injury situation back on track.
2:52Brent Strange, Jacoby Myers, all that whole group. It could just be another.
2:56It could be the first year of Trevor Lawrence putting it all together.
3:00We saw it in the second season, you know, when he went to the playoffs there for the Jaguars, like he didn't build off of that.
3:07I think now he's so dialed in. He's so in control of this offense.
3:11And I love that Cohen the last two seasons has really done wonders for his quarterbacks running.
3:16I don't think you're getting nine rushing touchdowns from Trevor Lawrence, but four or five, 400 yards.
3:21I think that's realistic for him. And so he could challenge to be a top five quarterback this year.
3:27How would you rank Jackson Dart, Caleb Williams, Trevor Lawrence?
3:30Lawrence, Williams, Dart. Okay. Give me your running backs on your all breakout team.
3:34So again, I'm going to stay on more of the high end side of things here.
3:39And Ken Walker, I think we'll finally put it all together and have the best year of his career.
3:44We saw it in the postseason last year, divisional round when Zach Charbonnet got hurt.
3:48He averaged more PPR points per game in the NFL playoffs than Christian McCaffrey did for the season.
3:54So a small sample size. But now you're talking about what he can do in this Chiefs offense.
3:59And specifically, I think what he can do as a pass catcher.
4:02And in 2024, he was on pace. He only played 11 games.
4:06But he was on pace for 71 catches for Seattle that season.
4:09I don't think he's going to be a 70 catch guy.
4:13But I think he's going to be around 50.
4:15And so if everything holds from what we're hearing in training camp.
4:19And so there might be more competition for touches than I'm giving credit for.
4:23Because I did think Emma Johnson looked good in the first preseason game for him.
4:27I still think Brashard Smith and Amari Di Mercado will have some semblance of maybe a combined role.
4:32Whether it's one of them working on some passing down situations.
4:35One of them being able to jump in there on some rushes.
4:39And then you've got to factor in Walker's injury history.
4:42But man, if he stays healthy, everything you're hearing, seeing, he looks explosive.
4:46Like they went out and got him for a reason to fix what was the worst part of their offense for the last two years.
4:53Maybe three years. I think there's a huge opportunity here for Ken Walker.
4:57I have no problem taking him in the beginning part of round two.
5:00Okay. Ken Walker, who's your other breakout running back?
5:03Amari Hampton. You know, we saw it in flashes last year.
5:06Beginning part of the season, he was starting to ramp up before the foot injury.
5:11Had some good moments in the second half of the season.
5:14Really, this is all about two factors here. And it has nothing to do with Amari Hampton himself.
5:19It has to do with his offensive line and his coach.
5:22So you get Joe Alt back. You get Rashawn Slater back.
5:25I know they lost Biotic. That sucks to have the center not being there.
5:30But the tackles last year, just with Joe Alt alone.
5:32Joe Alt played six games. They averaged a touchdown better per game as an offense.
5:37And for, I believe, two of those games, Hampton didn't play.
5:40So he comes back in the second half after the foot injury.
5:43And did not have the offensive line working for him against Slater.
5:47Missed the entire season. But Mike McDaniel, you've heard me say this a lot.
5:51But he's coached two different versions of running backs.
5:54Both were awesome. Raheem Mostert in the beginning part of his Dolphins tenure.
5:5718 rushing touchdowns he got out of Raheem Mostert.
6:00Then he gets Devon Achan. We saw all the superstardom that he got there, that he produced there.
6:05Over 20 PPR points per game last year. Was great the year before as well.
6:10I think this is an opportunity for Amari and Hampton to...
6:13I don't want to say challenge to be the rushing leader.
6:16But I think he could be in the conversation to be a top five fantasy running back this year.
6:22He's got the pass catching ability. He will work out the goal line.
6:25I'm excited about this Chargers offense, as you know.
6:28So these are two guys that I'm taking early part of round two.
6:32And who do you like better? I like Walker better, but it's close.
6:35Okay. We'll be right back with wide receivers, tight end, and flex after this on FFT Express.
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7:35So far on Jamie's breakout team, we've got Trevor Lawrence, Ken Walker, and Omari and Hampton, who are our wide receivers.
7:41So this will be the last like high-end guy that I'll talk about.
7:45And that's Devante Smith. And I think you look at what he's able to do now without A.J.
7:50Brown there. Thankfully, the hamstring injury is done. At least that's what we expect.
7:55And he's good to go locked in as the number one receiver for Jalen Hurts with A.J.
7:59Brown gone. Very small sample size. But in the three games that Brown missed over the last two years, 16 PPR points
8:06per game or more in two of those. I'm sorry, he averaged 16 PPR points per game in those three games.
8:12But more importantly, averaged over nine targets per game in those three outings.
8:16So I think we're going to see a big opportunity for him.
8:19We got the question on the full-length Fantasy Football Today episode that we did on Tuesday.
8:24What would Jalen Hurts look like in this new offense that he's going to play in under Sean Mannion?
8:29And I think it's going to benefit him eventually.
8:32Maybe some hiccups along the way. But I think that Hurts will lean on Devante Smith quite a bit.
8:38And I think Smith could challenge to be a top 10 fantasy receiver this year.
8:42And your other breakout wide receiver? So I'm torn on the two injured guys because I still think there's plenty of upside
8:48for them for Mecca, Buka, and Luther Burden. I'll go to Luther Burden because his ADP is actually lower.
8:54So I think people are running away from Luther Burden because the groin injury is a mistake.
8:59I also take him in round four. I think we're going to see him be the guy for Ben Johnson.
9:05Johnson's already come out and said he wants to lead the NFL in scoring or set the NFL scoring record.
9:10That's going to be fun to see. Williams is, I think, going to make Burden a priority in this offense.
9:16You mentioned Khalif Raymond. I think Raymond's having a good camp because of Burden being absent in practice.
9:21Romo Odundze is going to be a factor. We know Colson Love is going to be a factor.
9:27But 85 targets available without DJ Moore on the field.
9:30We saw Burden in the second half of the season when Odundze was dealing with a foot injury.
9:35Become a focal point. You cannot watch him and not see how good he can be.
9:39And so give him targets. Give him opportunities. Give him those chances to make plays.
9:44I think he will. So he's going to be one of these guys, I think, that benefits a lot of fantasy managers
9:50because you got him at a discounted price. All right.
9:53That gives us Trevor Lawrence, Ken Walker, Amari Hampton, Devontae Smith, Luther Burden.
9:57Who's our tight end? I'll go Isaiah Likely. You know, you look at what he is seemingly going to be for the
10:03Giants and could be an outlet option for Jackson Dart.
10:06We got the news yesterday. I don't know if you mentioned on the show.
10:10Theo Johnson got a little bit banged up in practice for the Giants.
10:14That's another boost for Likely. But we'll see how this all looks once we get Malik Neighbors on the field and how
10:20Neighbors and Malachi Fields and Darnell Mooney and Darius Slate and all these guys, you know, work together.
10:26But I think Jackson Dart showed last year. Theo Johnson was basically averaging 10 PPR points per game with Dart in the 12 games that he started.
10:33And Likely is a better talent. So Likely has – I want to make sure I get the stat correctly.
10:39But Likely, I think, has nine games in his career with at least six targets, averaging over 12 PPR points per game
10:46– or averaging 12 PPR points per game over that span.
10:49I think scored 12 PPR points or more in eight of those games.
10:53So that's basically top five tight end caliber production.
10:55And so I think we're going to see a guy that consistently gets five plus targets.
11:00I think he'll be number two on the team in targets.
11:03So very excited to take Isaiah Likely, and he comes at such a discounted price.
11:07It's well worth your sort of – it's worth making him a draft target because you can get him at one of
11:14these late options that we talk about, greater late.
11:16Last, we need a flex on the all-breakout team.
11:19So let's go back to Emeka Ibuka. And I think just looking at his – he's kind of fallen a little bit as well.
11:26Now he's into round four. This is a guy we were talking about in round three.
11:31And so the toe injury, hopefully it's not an issue.
11:34You referenced the comment that Baker Mayfield made on the radio talking about Ibuka's still going to be a big part of
11:40what we do and coming along with the toe injury.
11:43But really more about the other guys, talking up Chris Godwin, talking up Jalen McMillan, Ted Hurst.
11:48That's going to be a factor there, especially if Godwin's right.
11:51But Ibuka in the first five games of the season was averaging over 20 PPR points per game.
11:56Like you don't do that as a rookie and not have the ability to reduce when you're getting those chances.
12:02Baker got hurt. Godwin came back. Evans came back.
12:05It just became a huge problem. He also dealt with an injury midseason.
12:08I think Ibuka is still going to be the best receiver for the Bucs.
12:13And I'm excited to see him perform. So hopefully he gets healthy and ready for week one.
12:18All right. That gives us the all-breakout team of Trevor Lawrence, Ken Walker, Amarian Hampton, Devontae Smith, Luther Burden, Isaiah Likely, and Emeka Ibuka.
12:24Good stuff from Jamie Eisenberg. Thank you very much.
12:27Okay. Press. See you later. See you later. Sound Podcasts.
