February 5, 2026
Chicago Bears offensive guard Joe Thuney was named the 2025 Protector of the Year on Thursday night, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. It's the first award of its kind. Thuney made an immediate impact for Chicago after the team acquired him in March of last year from the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for a fourth-round pick in this year's NFL Draft. The 33-year-old veteran then signed a two-year, $35 million contract with the Bears in May. The biggest surprise may have been the fact that a left guard, and not a left tackle, won the inaugural Protector of the Year award. Thuney played a key role in helping the Bears win the NFC North division while also helping the team advance to the Divisional Round of the postseason in quarterback
Caleb Williams' second year in the league. The Bears' offensive line allowed the third-fewest sacks (24) in the NFL in 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
February 5, 2026
San Francisco 49ers running back
Christian McCaffrey was named the 2025 Comeback Player of the Year on Thursday night, according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic. McCaffrey was limited to only four games in 2024 due to Achilles and knee issues, but he played in all 17 regular-season games in 2025 and led the 49ers in both rushing (1,202) and receiving yards (924). The four-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro handled a career-high 311 carries and scored 10 rushing touchdowns while also catching 102 passes on 129 targets with an additional seven trips to the end zone as a receiver. The Offensive Player of the Year in 2023 was the RB1 in half-PPR fantasy scoring this year after he slipped to the late first round of many drafts following his injury-plagued 2024 campaign. CMC is entering his age-30 campaign and has a lengthy injury history, but it's simply too hard to ignore his game-changing dual-threat abilities out of the backfield as the engine of San Fran's offense.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Matt Barrows
February 5, 2026
Denver Broncos outside linebacker Nik Bonitto (wrist) had a cleanup surgery on his wrist this week, multiple sources told Luca Evans of The Denver Post. Bonitto injured his wrist in the Week 2 loss to the Indianapolis Colts after slamming the ground in frustration, and he played the rest of the year with a club on his right hand. The procedure was a simple clean-up and shouldn't affect his preparation for the 2026 campaign. The 26-year-old had surgery to remove a bone spur in his foot in the preseason, and he admittedly was beat up during the 2025 season. Bonitto still managed to play in every game in his fourth year in the league and made the Pro Bowl for the second straight season, recording 46 tackles (31 solo), a career-high 14 sacks, 14 tackles for loss, 28 QB hits, and two forced fumbles in 17 regular-season contests. The former second-round pick will enter the 2026 campaign as one of the best pass-rushers in the NFL, with 17.5 sacks the last two years.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Denver Post - Luca Evans
February 5, 2026
Carolina Panthers first-round wide receiver
Tetairoa McMillan was named the 2025 Offensive Rookie of the Year on Thursday night, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. McMillan got to work right away after Carolina took him eighth overall in the 2025 NFL Draft out of Arizona. The 22-year-old operated as quarterback
Bryce Young's top target from the get-go and finished his rookie campaign with 70 receptions on 122 targets for 1,014 yards and seven touchdowns in 17 regular-season games. He also caught five of his seven targets for 81 yards in the Wild-Card loss to the Los Angeles Rams in his first career playoff game. McMillan's strong chemistry with Young bodes well for his future, and he'll head into Year 2 in 2026 with clear WR1 potential, although the lack of passing volume in Carolina's offense could be an issue.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
February 5, 2026
Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett became the second player in NFL history to unanimously win the Defensive Player of the Year award on Thursday night, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. J.J. Watt was the only other defensive player to do so back in 2014 with the Houston Texans. The 30-year-old seven-time Pro Bowler and five-time first-team All-Pro was a man among boys in terms of rushing the passer in 2025 in his ninth year in the NFL. Garrett set the NFL's single-season sack record with 23 in 17 games for the Browns. In addition to becoming the second player to ever win the award unanimously, Garrett also won the award for the second time in his career, with the first coming in 2023, when he had 14 sacks in 16 games. The former first overall pick in 2017 out of Texas A&M now has a whopping 125.5 sacks in 134 regular-season games played.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
February 5, 2026
Seattle Seahawks quarterback
Sam Darnold (oblique) was a full participant in practice on Thursday, according to Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic. Darnold was upgraded after being listed as limited on Wednesday's injury report. The 28-year-old signal-caller injured his left oblique in practice just days before the team's Divisional Round win over the San Francisco 49ers. He attempted only 17 passes in the 41-6 blowout win over the Niners, but Darnold bounced back for fantasy managers in the 31-27 win over the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship, going 25-for-36 for a season-high 346 yards and three touchdowns. Darnold won't have an easy test against the New England Patriots' defense in Super Bowl LX this Sunday, but he should be able to move the ball enough to put Seattle in position to win the game. Fantasy managers should not be worried at all about his oblique affecting his performance.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Michael-Shawn Dugar
February 5, 2026
Former Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden's attorneys will seek testimony from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and at least four current and former NFL owners in his lawsuit over whether the league leaked the emails that forced his departure as the Raiders' coach, according to a court filing this week. Gruden resigned in October of 2021 after the publication of emails he sent years earlier that included racist, misogynistic, and anti-gay language. Gruden's lawsuit accuses the league and Goodell of a "malicious and orchestrated campaign" to destroy his career. To this point, there have been no settlement talks. Gruden was an on-air analyst for ESPN from 2011 to 2018 when the emails were sent. In its filings to seek dismissal of Gruden's lawsuit, the NFL has said Gruden's case "hinges solely on unsupported allegations that fail as a matter of law or fall far short of stating a claim and should have been promptly dismissed when the NFL Parties first so moved."
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Don Van Natta Jr.
February 5, 2026
New York Giants tight end
Theo Johnson established himself as the team's clear top option at the position in his second NFL season in 2025. Across 15 games played, the 24-year-old hauled in 45 receptions for 528 yards and five touchdowns on 74 targets. Johnson played at least 80% of the Giants' offensive snaps in 12 out of the 15 games he was active for. Additionally, all five of his touchdown grabs came from Giants rookie quarterback
Jaxson Dart, an encouraging sign for the chemistry between two young pieces in the New York offense who should be able to grow together in the coming years. Heading into 2026, the Giants should be getting star wideout
Malik Nabers (knee) back from the knee injury that sidelined him for the majority of 2025, which will take some targets away from Johnson. Still, New York's offense profiles as an improving unit as a whole, which should only help Johnson's overall production. He may not have a superstar ceiling, but Johnson profiles as a tight end whose stock is on the rise in dynasty fantasy formats.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
February 5, 2026
Atlanta Falcons tight end
Kyle Pitts Sr. arguably had the best season of his career in 2025, recording 88 receptions for 928 yards and five touchdowns on 118 targets across 17 games played. The 25-year-old stepped up for Atlanta late in the season when star Falcons wideout
Drake London missed time due to a knee injury and established a good rapport with veteran quarterback
Kirk Cousins. However, heading into 2026, Pitts Sr.'s outlook is in flux. Pitts Sr. is set to hit unrestricted free agency, although Atlanta could look to keep him around via the franchise tag or with a new contract. If he remains with the Falcons, Pitts Sr. will have a new coaching staff around him and will no longer be catching passes from Cousins, who is expected to be released at some point this offseason. Pitts Sr. remains a highly talented player, and his 2025 output may be an indication that he's finally starting to put all the pieces together. However, his track record of inconsistency and uncertain future in Atlanta makes it difficult for fantasy managers to value him heading into 2026 and beyond.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
February 5, 2026
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver
Jakobi Meyers entered the 2025 season as a member of the Las Vegas Raiders and got off to a relatively slow start to the year, recording 33 receptions for 352 yards and zero touchdowns across seven games with Las Vegas. However, the 29-year-old hit the ground running after a mid-season trade sent him to Jacksonville, hauling in 42 catches for 483 yards and three touchdowns on 61 targets across nine games played with the Jaguars. Jacksonville also locked Meyers up on a three-year extension shortly after acquiring him, proving that he had earned the faith of the organization. Between wideouts
Parker Washington and
Brian Thomas Jr., tight end
Brenton Strange, and wide receiver/cornerback
Travis Hunter (knee), Meyers has plenty of competition for targets in Jacksonville. However, recent reporting indicates that the Jaguars may deploy Hunter primarily at cornerback in 2026. Additionally, Meyers established himself as arguably the favorite option of Jaguars quarterback
Trevor Lawrence even while sharing the field with Washington and Thomas Jr. in 2025. Meyers is getting closer to the wrong side of 30 years old, putting his long-term dynasty value in question, but he profiles as a reliable PPR option over the next couple of years in Jacksonville.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
February 5, 2026
After an injury-marred campaign in 2024, Kansas City Chiefs running back
Isiah Pacheco entered 2025 in need of a bounce-back effort. Unfortunately, the 26-year-old struggled with inefficiency, recording 563 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns on 137 touches across 13 games played. Pacheco averaged just 3.9 yards per carry, his second-straight season under four yards per rush attempt after averaging 4.7 yards per carry over the first two years of his career. Pacheco spent most of the 2025 season splitting backfield work with veteran Chiefs running back
Kareem Hunt, with Hunt dominating touches in short-yardage situations and around the goal line. Pacheco is now set to hit unrestricted free agency, so he's not guaranteed to be back in Kansas City. Based on his performance over the last two seasons, it's not hard to imagine a scenario where Pacheco finds himself in a committee backfield or even a straight RB2 role for the 2026 season. In dynasty formats, Pacheco's future fantasy value profiles as uncertain at best coming off his shaky 2025 campaign.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
February 5, 2026
Green Bay Packers tight end
Tucker Kraft (knee) suffered a torn ACL in Week 9 of the 2025 season, putting an early end to a promising breakout campaign. Across his eight games played before getting hurt, the 25-year-old recorded 32 receptions for 489 yards and six touchdowns on 44 targets. Even with the injury, recent reporting indicates that the Packers have begun extension negotiations with Kraft, signaling that the young tight end remains a big piece in the team's plans. Green Bay traditionally spreads the ball around to a multitude of pass catchers, which limits Kraft's volume-related production. However, he has proven the ability to be highly efficient on a low number of targets. For his career, Kraft is averaging 13.7 yards per reception and has hauled in 15 touchdown grabs on just 154 total targets. Given the timing of his injury, Kraft has a chance to be ready for the start of the 2026 season. Despite the unfortunate injury setback, Kraft remains a high-end tight end option for dynasty fantasy managers coming out of 2025.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
February 5, 2026
Detroit Lions wide receiver
Amon-Ra St. Brown posted another excellent season in 2025, recording 117 receptions for 1,401 yards and 11 touchdowns on 172 targets across 17 games played. The 26-year-old has established himself as one of the most consistent pass-catchers in the NFL, logging three straight seasons with at least 115 catches, 1,200 receiving yards, and double-digit touchdown grabs. Heading into 2026, St. Brown will be entering his age-27 season and should remain locked in as the top pass-catcher in the Lions' offense. Detroit should get tight end
Sam LaPorta (back) back from the back injury that sidelined him for a significant part of 2025, and the Lions have other talented receiving options in wideout
Jameson Williams and running back
Jahmyr Gibbs. Still, St. Brown has proven to be the number one option for Detroit quarterback
Jared Goff. St. Brown remains a high-end wide receiver option for both dynasty and re-draft fantasy managers as he continues his prime seasons.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
February 5, 2026
Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said on Thursday that rookie safety Nick Emmanwori (ankle) is fully expected to play in Super Bowl LX on Sunday against the New England Patriots, but the team will be overly cautious with him going into the weekend to make sure he's fine after rolling his ankle in practice on Wednesday, according to ESPN's Jeff Darlington. The 21-year-old second-round pick was limited on Wednesday and is currently dealing with a low-ankle sprain. Emmanwori might be limited in practice the rest of the week, but it sounds like he's going to give it a go for the big game this weekend, which is great news for Seattle's secondary. In his first year in the NFL, Emmanwori totaled 81 tackles (56 solo), 2.5 sacks, nine tackles for loss, four QB hits, an interception, and 11 pass breakups in 14 regular-season games to put himself in contention to win Defensive Rookie of the Year.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Darlington
February 5, 2026
The Green Bay Packers have already started contract-extension talks this offseason with tight end
Tucker Kraft (knee), according to Wes Hodkiewicz of Packers.com. Before Kraft's season-ending torn ACL on Nov. 2 against the Carolina Panthers, he was the team's leading receiver with 32 catches for 489 yards and six touchdowns in eight games, and he was well on his way to his first Pro Bowl appearance in his third year in the league. The 6-foot-5, 259-pounder is entering the final year of his four-year, $5.54 million rookie deal, and the Packers would like to lock him down for the long-term. "Obviously, he's a really important part of this football team," Gutekunst said. The 25-year-old is ahead of schedule in his recovery from ACL surgery, which means he's currently expected to be ready for Week 1 of the 2026 regular season. Despite his major knee injury last year, if Kraft is a full-go for the start of next season, he'll be a high-end TE1 target in fantasy football drafts.
--Keith HernandezSource: Packers.com - Wes Hodkiewicz
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