Fantasy Football Outlooks for 7 Players on New Teams: Travis Etienne, Kenneth Walker, Mike Evans, Malik Willis, more

March 13, 2026

Dave discusses the fantasy football and dynasty outlooks for players joining new teams for the 2026 season. Mike Evans, Kenneth Walker III, Malik Willis, and more.

The NFL offseason has officially begun. Things started with a bang as we saw multiple big-name players change teams on Day 1 of NFL free agency.

We saw the likes of Travis Etienne Jr., Kenneth Walker III, Mike Evans, and a handful of others all join new teams. It will be interesting to see how they all perform with a change of scenery. But what are the fantasy football implications of all these moves? If you have been wondering that question over the last few days, well, you're in luck because today we will discuss the impact of some of free agency's biggest moves so far.

Make sure you’re following RotoBaller on X and download the RotoBaller app for all your fantasy football needs. Let's go over the fantasy football outlooks for several players with new homes for the 2026 season.

Travis Etienne Jr. - RB, New Orleans Saints

2026 Fantasy Football Outlook

Etienne inked a four-year, $52 million deal with the New Orleans Saints. He is poised to take over the team's RB1 role. His signing with New Orleans was a bit of a surprise and effectively takes the Saints out of the running in the Jeremiyah Love sweepstakes.

That aside, Etienne should be in for a healthy dose of volume in 2026 as it appears New Orleans will be moving on from longtime RB1 Alvin Kamara. Etienne had one of his better seasons in 2025, but he still struggled with efficiency as a rusher. He also gets an offensive line downgrade as the Saints ranked 31st in PFF's run blocking grade last year.

While Etienne may struggle as a rusher, the good news is that he should see enough work as a receiver to offset poor rushing efficiency. Gamers should consider Etienne a mid-range RB2 who is capable of producing back-end RB1 results.

Dynasty Fantasy Football Outlook

Etienne is now 27 years old, and that is a bit older than we'd like for running backs. However, the Saints felt comfortable giving Etienne a four-year deal, so he should operate as the team's lead back for the foreseeable future.

That could mean now is a good time for gamers to consider selling Etienne. He is an older running back, and it's uncertain how he will fare now that he won't be operating in Liam Coen's running back-friendly scheme.

Kenneth Walker III - RB, Kansas City Chiefs

2026 Fantasy Football Outlook

Here is the real fantasy football winner so far from NFL free agency. Walker got the premier landing spot when he signed a three-year, $45 million deal with the Kansas City Chiefs.

RB Kenneth Walker III to sign with Chiefs. (via @rapsheet, @tompelissero, @mikegarafolo) pic.twitter.com/dBw7Ccr2Nn

— NFL (@NFL) March 9, 2026

Even though Walker spent most of the 2025 season stuck in a committee with Zach Charbonnet, he continued to score very well in various advanced metrics. Among 49 backs with 100+ attempts, Walker finished:

• Seventh in explosive rushing yards, per Fantasy Points Data Suite
• Third in missed tackles forced, per Fantasy Points Data Suite
• First in missed tackles forced per attempt, per Fantasy Points Data Suite
• First in PFF rushing grade
• Fifth in PFF's elusive rating

Now, Walker will operate as the clear lead back in an Andy Reid/Patrick Mahomes offense. The hype surrounding Walker's 2026 season has blown through the roof, and rightfully so. This is a great pairing, and we could very well see Walker have a career year in 2026.

Expect to see Walker taken close to the Rounds 1/2 turn once draft season rolls around in August. If you want Walker on your fantasy team, be prepared to pay up.

Dynasty Fantasy Football Outlook

Walker is 25 years old and turns 26 in October. He is approaching an age where we typically try to move off running backs. However, Walker does not have a ton of tread on the tires, and with NFL defensive linemen being a bit smaller than we used to see back in the day, he could very well produce into his late 20s.

Obviously, his dynasty value has increased after signing with the Chiefs. There is nothing wrong if you decide you want to cash in on all the hype and trade Walker for a nice return. However, as someone with a ton of Kenneth Walker III exposure across my dynasty portfolio, it feels like the better move is to keep him and reap the rewards.

Walker is the most explosive running back the Chiefs have had since Jamaal Charles, and they will likely use him as such.

Isaiah Likely - TE, New York Giants

2026 Fantasy Football Outlook

After finally breaking free from Mark Andrews' shadow, Likely will get his chance to operate as his team's TE1. Going from Lamar Jackson to Jaxson Dart is a downgrade, but Likely is a talented player capable of producing big weeks. It will be fun to see what he can do alongside Malik Nabers in New York.

ISAIAH LIKELY SO GOOD

📺: #Kickoff2024 on NBC/Peacock
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/wusReXzb9I

— NFL (@NFL) September 6, 2024

Gamers can feel comfortable selecting Likely as their TE1 in all formats. He's finally set for a larger role and should have the best season of his career. Even though Giants offensive coordinator Matt Nagy has some issues, he helped oversee Travis Kelce's development in Kansas City. Nagy could have a similar role planned for Likely in New York's offense. That would be great news for Likely and fantasy managers alike.

Dynasty Fantasy Football Outlook

After signing with New York, Likely goes from a TE2 to a back-end TE1. As a result, his dynasty value is on the rise, and patient gamers who held onto him hoping he'd eventually get his shot have been rewarded.

Typically, it's not the best idea to buy a player at their peak value. In this instance, though, tight-end-needy dynasty managers in win-now mode should give strong consideration to acquiring Likely. Especially if their league includes some kind of premium for tight ends.

Wan'Dale Robinson - WR, Tennessee Titans

2026 Fantasy Football Outlook

After Robinson posted a career best 92-1,014-4 line in 2025, he agreed to a massive contract with the Tennessee Titans on the opening day of free agency.

Wan’Dale Robinson is getting 4-years, $70M from Tennessee. https://t.co/jLitFm0ax2

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) March 9, 2026

Even though Robinson has posted back-to-back solid years, this feels like an overpay on the Titans' part. Normally, when that's the case, the best course of action is to fade said player.

However, this is a bit of a unique situation as Tennessee's new offensive coordinator, Brian Daboll, was also Robinson's head coach during his time with the New York Giants. Daboll knows all of Robinson's strengths and weaknesses and should put him in the best position to succeed. That means we might see Robinson's success from the last two seasons carry over into 2026 with his new team.

Gamers should consider Robinson a WR3 or flex play with a boost in full PPR formats.

Dynasty Fantasy Football Outlook

While Robinson's signing appears to lock him in as quarterback Cameron Ward's top receiver, his place atop the depth chart could be short-lived. Tennessee could still draft a wide receiver with the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Such an event would obviously hurt Robinson's fantasy ceiling.

This is a tricky one to navigate because on the surface, Robinson seems poised for a big role with his new team. However, he may be quickly relegated to WR2 duties. Even if Robinson does operate as the Titans' clear WR1, is his ceiling with Ward any higher than what we witnessed in 2025 with Jaxson Dart?

The answer to that question feels a bit obvious. If that's the case, then dynasty gamers may want to capitalize on this signing and attempt to sell high on Robinson. He can still be a fine flex play in a start 12 or 13 league, but he could have a hard time being anything more than that in Tennessee.

Malik Willis - QB, Miami Dolphins

2026 Fantasy Football Outlook

The new regime in Miami gave Tua Tagovailoa the boot and replaced him by signing Willis to a three-year, $67.5 million deal. Willis has shown a ton of fantasy football upside over the last two years in a few spot starts. His ability to create with his legs is particularly appealing to fantasy gamers.

MALEAP WILLIS

📺: Peacock pic.twitter.com/lTWMKDJhuR

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) December 28, 2025

He also showed remarkable improvement as a passer in 2025.

MALIK WILLIS TO Christian Watson TIES IT UP

BALvsGB on @peacock
Also streaming on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/HovaSsIRM6

— NFL (@NFL) December 28, 2025

MALIK WILLIS DIME FOR 6

GBvsCHI on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/QXgtjLv5cT

— NFL (@NFL) December 21, 2025

The two big questions surrounding Willis are:

1. Is Willis' supposed improvement as a passer legitimate? Or is this another Matt Flynn situation?
2. Will Miami stick with Willis for the entirety of the 2026 season if things go sideways?

There's no way to know these answers today, but these risks should be baked into Willis' ADP once fantasy draft season rolls around.

Consider Willis a fine QB2 option with QB1 upside in superflex leagues. In traditional one-quarterback leagues, gamers should consider taking Willis and pairing him with a more stable option later in drafts.

Dynasty Fantasy Football Outlook

This one is really touch-and-go. On one hand, Willis looked like a potential league winner filling in for Jordan Love in 2025. On the other hand, that really was just a one-game sample, and we have seen many quarterbacks fool us over the years under similar circumstances. Still, it's noteworthy that Miami tied itself to Willis for at least two years after eating a record $99 million in dead cap money by moving on from Tagovailoa.

Basically, this is a situation where dynasty managers are going to have to call their shot. If you believe in Willis, go make a deal and get him on your team. If you don't, sell him and try to get a first-round pick plus a little something else in return.

For whatever it's worth, I had Willis stashed away in several superflex leagues and have been hoping for this scenario. He showed some Konami upside while filling in for Love back in 2024, and looked vastly improved as a passer in his one start last year. It's for that reason that I am holding onto all of my Willis shares and believe he will provide back-end QB1 production with high-end QB1 upside thanks to his legs.

Elite quarterbacks don't come cheap in superflex leagues. However, this might be a rare instance where you can potentially land one at a discount. It's risky, but if Willis' improvement as a passer is legitimate, then he could be the missing piece to a championship run.

Mike Evans - WR, San Francisco 49ers

2026 Fantasy Football Outlook

After deciding to leave his home of 12 years, Evans signed a three-year, $42.4 million deal to join the San Francisco 49ers. He will likely operate as the X receiver in Kyle Shanahan's offense, which should allow Ricky Pearsall to slide into a flanker/slot receiver role.

With George Kittle likely to miss a chunk of the season rehabbing from a torn Achilles tendon, Evans could very well operate as quarterback Brock Purdy's top target. The real question is, how much does Evans have left in the tank?

He'll turn 33 in August, and few receivers have been able to maintain a high level of play this late into their careers. Evans also struggled with several injuries in 2025 and was once again bothered by a recurring hamstring issue.

These factors will ultimately determine his true fantasy value. For now, though, gamers should view Evans as a WR3 or flex play with the potential for more if he can remain on the field.

Dynasty Fantasy Football Outlook

I released a dynasty sells article a few weeks ago, before the start of free agency. Evans' name was at the top of the list. At the time, my exact words on Evans were, "Right now is not the best time for managers to move Evans. Wait until he signs with a team and then try to make your move."

Well, here is your opportunity to get out. Many win-now managers love buying veterans at a discounted rate. This is a strategy you can exploit by selling Evans to one of these managers.

Evans is indeed a great player, and he could produce at age 33 like we have seen several times in the past. But for every Jerry Rice and Larry Fitzgerald (receivers who produced at age 33 or older), there is a Randy Moss, Chad Johnson, or Julio Jones whose careers sadly came to an end.

There's always more risk in acquiring older players than there is in trading them away. So, take this opportunity to cash out on Evans and address other needs on your roster.

Kenneth Gainwell - RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2026 Fantasy Football Outlook

Gainwell opted to leave the Pittsburgh Steelers and instead signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He is coming off his best season as a professional, where he set career highs in rushing yards, yards per carry, receptions, receiving yards, and total touchdowns.

Kenneth Gainwell's acrobatic catch shifted momentum before halftime 🔥 @Steelers | @Accenture pic.twitter.com/EUO4qjF1nX

— NFL (@NFL) December 22, 2025

Gainwell should conceivably slide into the role that Rachaad White previously occupied in Tampa Bay's backfield. While that won't result in a featured role for Gainwell, it should mean he provides some standalone value in PPR leagues and can be a viable flex play. Should Bucky Irving miss time with an injury, Gainwell could be in for a large workload.

Given what we saw from him last year in Pittsburgh, Gainwell can easily carve out his own role in Tampa Bay's offense and could force his way into a timeshare. Gamers should consider Gainwell one of the top handcuffs available in 2026 fantasy drafts.

Dynasty Fantasy Football Outlook

Not much changes about Gainwell's dynasty value with this move. He should continue to function as a pass-catching/change-of-pace back in Tampa Bay, similar to the role he had in Pittsburgh. That makes him a viable option in PPR leagues and deeper leagues with multiple flex spots.

The real loser from this move is Irving. Rachaad White has been one of the worst running backs in the league from an efficiency standpoint, and he continued to take work away from Irving in 2025. Gainwell is a better runner, and he is arguably a better pass-catching back, too.

That could be highly problematic for Irving. If Irving's sophomore slump carries over into 2026, we could see him outright lose the RB1 job to Gainwell.

All of this makes Irving a potential sell candidate, while also making Gainwell an intriguing, cheap buy for contenders/running back-needy owners.

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