Calvin Austin III 2026 Fantasy Outlook
#82 Wide Receiver
27 yrs 5'9", 162 lbs Memphis 5th Season
Fantasy · PPR
2025 Fantasy Season
2025 Regular Season
- 372REC YDS
- 31REC
- 3REC TD
- 12.0YPR
Our 2026 Preseason Outlook
Austin's profile is built for splash plays, not volume. Across three Pittsburgh seasons he peaked at a 12.6% target share, an 84.8-point campaign, and 548 yards in 2024, then slipped in 2025 to 31 catches on 55 targets for 372 yards and three scores over 14 games. The downfield role is real - 11.0 air yards per target, an 18.4% air-yards share, and a 19.5-yard average depth on his catches - but the efficiency cratered to a 43.6% success rate and minus-0.075 EPA per play, a steep drop from the plus-0.416 he posted the year before.
A one-year Giants deal slots him into the slot vacated by Wan'Dale Robinson, but he opens behind Malik Nabers in a crowded room. With a 53.5% snap rate and 0.184 targets per route as his recent ceiling, he's a deep-league dart at best - useful only if injuries open the field in front of him.
Target share
ModerateDownfield role
ModerateEfficiency
Average- Average depth of target
- 11.0
- Drop rate
- 3.6%
- Red-zone targets
- 4
- Route participation
- 51.6%
- YAC per reception
- 4.1
Risk
- InjuryHe's on injured reserve, knee.
- A new quarterbackJ.J. McCarthy is now the listed starter; Aaron Rodgers threw most of the passes through Week 9. How targets are distributed under McCarthy is unknown (68 attempts so far).
- Wk 10vs WAS9th vs WRsFavorable
- Wk 11vs JAX14th vs WRsNeutral
- Wk 12at IND22nd vs WRsNeutral
- Wk 13vs SF27th vs WRsTough
A mixed stretch: one top-10 matchup and one bottom-10 in the next four.
Fantasy playoffs (Weeks 15 to 17): vs Browns in Week 15 (24th), at Lions in Week 16 (7th) and at Cowboys in Week 17 (8th); two favorable, one tough.
Keep researching Calvin Austin Iii
- WR rest-of-season rankingsWhere every WR ranks for the rest of 2026Open
- Giants depth chartWho starts, who backs up, and who is next man upOpen
- WR strength of scheduleWhich defenses WRs face the rest of the wayOpen
- Trade value chartWhat every player is worth in a redraft tradeOpen
- Giants usage reportSnap share, targets and touches by playerOpen
- WR projectionsWeekly and rest-of-season WR projectionsOpen
- Giants scheduleEvery remaining opponent and the fantasy matchupOpen
WRs Like Calvin Austin III
Nearby wide receivers in 2025 fantasy points per game.
WR74Luke McCaffreyWAS6.4PPG1.9Targets/G25.4Rec Yds/G0.38Rec TD/GWR74, 6.4 PPG, Washington Commanders
WR76Greg DortchBUF6.3PPG2.8Targets/G17.2Rec Yds/G0.25Rec TD/GWR76, 6.3 PPG, Buffalo Bills
BUF
WR77Marvin Mims Jr.DEN6.2PPG3.4Targets/G21.5Rec Yds/G0.07Rec TD/GWR77, 6.2 PPG, Denver Broncos
DEN
WR78Calvin Austin IIINYG6.2PPG3.9Targets/G26.6Rec Yds/G0.21Rec TD/GWR78, 6.2 PPG, New York Giants
WR80Xavier LegetteCAR6.0PPG4.3Targets/G24.2Rec Yds/G0.20Rec TD/GWR80, 6.0 PPG, Carolina Panthers
CAR
WR81Jalen NailorLV5.9PPG3.1Targets/G26.1Rec Yds/G0.24Rec TD/GWR81, 5.9 PPG, Las Vegas Raiders
LV
WR82Tez JohnsonTB5.8PPG2.8Targets/G20.1Rec Yds/G0.31Rec TD/GWR82, 5.8 PPG, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TBCalvin Austin III Fantasy Outlook FAQ
What is Calvin Austin III's fantasy outlook for the rest of the 2026 season?
Calvin Austin III projects as a depth WR on the sideline for now for the rest of the 2026 season: waiver-wire material in 12-team PPR, 10-team PPR and half-PPR leagues. J.J. McCarthy taking over at quarterback makes the near term less predictable. See his live rank in Redraft Command.
What is Calvin Austin III's rest-of-season fantasy ranking?
Calvin Austin III is the WR74 in PPR points per game. That puts him in depth WR territory, waiver-wire material in 10-team PPR leagues.
Who is Calvin Austin III's quarterback?
J.J. McCarthy is the Giants' listed starting quarterback now. Aaron Rodgers threw most of the passes through Week 9; McCarthy has 68 attempts so far. How the targets are distributed under the new starter is the open question for Austin III's rest-of-season value.
What could hurt Calvin Austin III's fantasy value?
Calvin Austin III's risks: he is on injured reserve, knee and J.J. McCarthy has taken over at quarterback, so how the targets are shared is unsettled. See his injury status and history.
How difficult is Calvin Austin III's remaining fantasy schedule?
Mixed: of his next four games, one comes against a top-10 matchup for WRs and one against one of the stingiest defenses, by PPR points allowed to the position.
Is Calvin Austin III a good fantasy playoff option?
His Weeks 15 to 17 opponents are the Browns (24th in points allowed to WRs), the Lions (7th in points allowed to WRs) and the Cowboys (8th in points allowed to WRs); two of them are favorable.