March 20, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver
Quentin Johnston had the best season of his young career in 2025, and he could make an even bigger impact with a potentially larger target share next year. Johnson finished his third NFL campaign with 51 catches, 735 yards, and eight touchdowns. This ended up being just four fewer catches and 24 more yards than his 2024 marks, as well as the same number of trips to the end zone. His 2025 stats resulted in a career-best WR34 finish. The 24-year-old continued to deal with some of the struggles that plagued him at the start of his career, including drops. However, he has started to show signs of turning the corner and being a productive fantasy option week in and week out. Now, Johnston could be headed for even more volume after teammate
Keenan Allen hit free agency. Allen leaves behind a whopping 112 vacated targets that will likely be allocated to some combination of Johnston,
Ladd McConkey, and
Tre' Harris. We wouldn't be surprised to see Johnston get triple-digit targets in 2026, and if his hands become a little more reliable, he could push for 1,000 yards. All in all, he has top-30 receiver upside heading into his fourth NFL season, especially with Allen no longer stealing volume.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
March 19, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James (undisclosed) suffered a minor injury earlier in the week before reporting to the Fanatics Flag Football Classic. As a precaution, six-time Pro Bowler Harrison Smith will step in to replace James. It's unclear what type of injury James is dealing with, but it doesn't sound like it will really affect his preparation this offseason as he gets ready for his eighth year in the NFL in 2026. The 29-year-old former 17th overall pick in 2018 out of Florida State has established himself as one of the best all-around safeties in the league. James has 100-plus total tackles in four of his seven seasons, and he racked up a healthy 94 tackles (50 solo), two sacks, six tackles for loss, eight QB hits, a career-high three interceptions, seven pass breakups, and a forced fumble in 16 regular-season starts in 2025 for the Bolts. He was the No. 20 fantasy defensive back in IDP scoring and should once again be a strong target at DH in the same formats in 2026 if he's fully healthy.
--Keith HernandezSource: Fanatics
March 19, 2026
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver
Jaxon Smith-Njigba did it all in 2025 in just his third year in the NFL after the Seahawks took him 20th overall in the 2023 draft out of Ohio State. Smith-Njigba set career-highs across the board, led the NFL with 1,793 receiving yards, and capped it all off by winning a Super Bowl ring and the Offensive Player of the Year award. The 24-year-old caught 119 of his 163 targets and added 10 touchdowns in 17 regular-season starts. He added 17 catches for another 199 yards and two touchdowns in three playoff games. There's a good chance JSN will be one of the first receivers off the board in the first couple of rounds of fantasy football drafts later this year. He also had 1,000 receiving yards last year and now has 3,551 yards and 20 touchdowns on 282 receptions in 51 games in his first three years in the NFL. Smith-Njigba has quickly become an elite threat at his position with tremendous yards-after-the-catch ability.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
March 19, 2026
The Kansas City Chiefs failed to make the postseason for the first time in a decade in 2025, and star quarterback
Patrick Mahomes (knee) also tore his ACL and LCL late in the year. Yup, it was a season Chiefs fans would like to forget. Mahomes ended up playing in 14 games in his ninth year in the league, completing a career-low 62.7% of his passes for 3,587 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. His 22 TD passes were his lowest since his rookie season, when he appeared in just one game. The 30-year-old added 64 carries for a career-high 422 rushing yards and five touchdowns to finish just inside the top 12 at the position in 2025. Mahomes is hoping he'll be fully recovered from knee surgery for the start of the 2026 season this fall, but it's not a guarantee. We wouldn't bet against the six-time Pro Bowler, two-time All-Pro, and three-time Super Bowl MVP, but Mahomes' injury uncertainty definitely puts him on more of the low end of QB1 options for the upcoming fantasy football season. If the gunslinger's mobility is affected at all next season, his fantasy ceiling and floor will definitely be lowered.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
March 19, 2026
ESPN's John Keim writes that the Washington Commanders are still seeking another receiver "who can serve as a No. 2 wideout" opposite
Terry McLaurin this offseason. The Commanders did sign backups
Dyami Brown and
Van Jefferson and also re-signed
Treylon Burks, but they still want someone who can be a true No. 2 behind McLaurin, like
Deebo Samuel Sr. was last year. An intriguing name that Keim thinks the Commanders could pursue is San Francisco 49ers receiver
Brandon Aiyuk (knee) once he's released. The team is aware of Aiyuk's desire to play with quarterback
Jayden Daniels, but they likely won't sign him for more than a one-year, prove-it deal after he missed all of the 2025 season. The Commanders could also look to the upcoming NFL draft for another wideout to pair with McLaurin. Neither McLaurin nor Daniels was healthy last year, leading to a disappointing season overall for the franchise. If McLaurin and Daniels stay healthy in 2026, he could be a solid WR2 for fantasy managers, regardless of whether they bring another WR.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - John Keim
March 19, 2026
Thankfully for fantasy managers, Los Angeles Chargers quarterback
Justin Herbert's playoff woes don't count. Herbert was named a Pro Bowler for the second time in his career in 2025, but he looked bad again in an ugly playoff loss to the New England Patriots. During the regular season, the 28-year-old completed 66.4% of his passes for 3,727 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions in 16 games to finish as the QB10 in overall fantasy points. He added a career-high 83 rushing attempts for 498 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. The fact that L.A.'s offensive line was so banged up and ineffective led to Herbert taking off and running more than he ever has in his career. It helped him stay in the top-12 overall fantasy QBs. With a healthier offensive line in 2026 and with new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel leading the offense, Herbert should be in better hands. He might even return to the 4,000-yard passing mark, which he hasn't reached since his third year in the league in 2022. Herbert's dynasty and redraft stock is on the rise, making him at least a low-end QB1 target in drafts later this year.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
March 19, 2026
Philadelphia Eagles running back
Tank Bigsby began the 2025 season with the Jacksonville Jaguars but was traded to the Eagles after just one game played. In 16 games (one start) with Philly, Bigsby served as the direct backup to star
Saquon Barkley, seeing 58 rushing attempts for 344 yards and two touchdowns while adding three catches for 32 yards through the air. In his lone start in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Washington Commanders, the 24-year-old averaged 4.7 yards per carry for 75 rushing yards and a touchdown on 16 carries, adding a 31-yard catch to his tally. The former third-round pick in 2023 by the Jaguars out of Auburn has averaged a healthy 4.5 yards per carry in his three years in the NFL on 281 rushing attempts, and he's also found the end zone 11 times on the ground in 50 games (two starts). Bigsby isn't going to have much value on a week-to-week basis in 2026 outside of being a handcuff for those who roster Barkley, but he'll be a valuable RB stash in dynasty/keeper leagues. If Barkley were to miss time with an injury, Bigsby would immediately become a must-start fantasy RB.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
March 19, 2026
The Philadelphia Eagles announced on Thursday that they agreed to terms on an undisclosed one-year deal with free-agent running back
Dameon Pierce. The 26-year-old was originally drafted in the fourth round (107th overall) by the Houston Texans in 2022 out of the University of Florida. He had 1,648 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns on 405 rushing attempts in his first three years in the league with Houston before spending 2025 with Houston and the Kansas City Chiefs. Pierce saw only 14 rushing attempts last year for 36 yards. He has not been able to replicate his rookie season in 2022, when he ran for 939 yards and four touchdowns on a career-high 220 rushing attempts. In Philly, Pierce will compete for the RB3 duties with
Will Shipley, behind starter
Saquon Barkley and
Tank Bigsby. For now, he remains off the fantasy radar in all formats.
--Keith HernandezSource: Philadelphia Eagles
March 19, 2026
Green Bay Packers wide receiver
Matthew Golden had a very frustrating rookie season. Despite being a first-round pick, he caught just 29 passes for 361 yards and zero touchdowns. He played 14 games but finished as just the WR89 in PPR leagues. Dynasty managers are rightfully concerned, but it's too early to completely hit the panic button. Year 2 is a common time for receivers to break out, so managers should be patient and allow Golden more time to take a step forward. Plus, he's expected to step into a larger role next season. Green Bay watched
Romeo Doubs depart in free agency, leaving Golden in the mix to start alongside
Christian Watson and
Jayden Reed. In the NFL playoffs, the speedy receiver showed flashes of being able to handle more opportunities. During the Packers' Wild Card loss, he caught four of five targets for 84 yards and a touchdown. Managers shouldn't necessarily buy low at his slightly reduced price tag, but it's also far too early to panic sell. He's purely in the "hold" range in dynasty leagues for now.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
March 19, 2026
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver
Tee Higgins has taken a step forward in fantasy football every year, and he now finds himself in the high-end WR2 tier heading into the 2026 season. Outside of an injury-shortened 2023 campaign, Higgins' overall fantasy finish has improved every year since he was drafted. He was the WR15 in PPR leagues this past season, catching 59 passes for 846 yards and a career-high 11 touchdowns. Higgins was able to produce at such a high level despite missing two games and spending plenty of time catching passes from
Jake Browning and
Joe Flacco. With Higgins and
Joe Burrow both healthy heading into 2026, the former second-round pick has legitimate top-12 receiver upside in fantasy football. The Bengals' offense has shown that it can support high-end fantasy production from Higgins,
Ja'Marr Chase, and
Chase Brown on any given week, as long as Burrow is healthy. Therefore, he's worth drafting as a high-end WR2 in redraft formats and is appropriately priced in dynasty leagues.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
March 19, 2026
Denver Broncos wide receiver
Evan Engram was already coming off a very frustrating 2025 season, and now, he could face even greater competition for targets in 2026. The Broncos made a stunning offseason trade to acquire
Jaylen Waddle, giving
Bo Nix a star-studded pass-catching unit that includes Waddle,
Courtland Sutton,
Troy Franklin,
Pat Bryant, and Engram. While Engram is the outlier on that list as the lone tight end, that doesn't mean he's guaranteed to have a substantial role. As the Broncos' No. 1 tight end in 2025, he was held to just 50 catches, 461 yards, and one touchdown. He finished as the overall TE29 in PPR leagues despite playing 16 games. Unless the Broncos plan to overhaul their offensive scheme this offseason, it seems unlikely that Engram will be due for increased production next year. In fact, his pass-catching volume could be scaled back even further as Waddle joins the mix and Franklin and Bryant both ascend into larger roles. Engram might have a little name value that could get you a late-round draft pick in a trade, but otherwise, it'll be tough to find any takers for him in dynasty leagues this offseason.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
March 19, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver
Ladd McConkey had an underwhelming second season in the NFL. Rather than building on an exceptional rookie campaign, he took a step backward with 66 catches, 789 yards, and six touchdowns. He ranked as the WR30 overall in PPR leagues, dropping more than a dozen spots from his 2024 ranking as WR13. The exact reason for McConkey's regression is unclear, but we'd imagine the Chargers' league-worst offensive line played a role. McConkey excels in running medium routes downfield, getting open, and making plays, but if the big men up front didn't allow enough time for that to develop, the receiver would either get uncatchable targets or no targets at all. Los Angeles fortified its trenches this offseason with Tyler Biadasz and Cole Strange, and they also freed up an additional 122 targets by letting
Keenan Allen walk in free agency. These two factors -- as well as the hiring of smart-minded offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel -- could be exactly what McConkey needs to get back into the low-end WR1 or high-end WR2 conversation in 2026.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
March 19, 2026
Dallas Cowboys running back
Jaydon Blue had a very underwhelming rookie season in the NFL. A healthy scratch more often than not, Blue finished his first pro campaign with just 134 scrimmage yards and one touchdown across five games. The bulk of his production came from a single game in Week 18, when he had 16 carries for 64 yards and a touchdown. While it was understandably difficult for managers to watch Dallas essentially feed just one running back (
Javonte Williams) all year, Blue is still a strong handcuff and an important part of the dynasty fantasy football conversation. Williams will lead the backfield again in 2026, but Blue's strong Week 18 and the Cowboys' lack of other running back moves indicate that the Texas product is slated for the backup role. Blue won't have standalone value every week, but he'll be a top-10 running back handcuff, presumably ranking as an RB2 if Williams were to miss time. As a result, Blue is an intriguing buy-low option in dynasty leagues this offseason, especially for managers who already have Williams on their roster.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
March 19, 2026
The Athletic's Daniel Popper believes Los Angeles Chargers tight end
Oronde Gadsden will play in a role that "maximizes his receiving skill set" under new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel in 2026. The Chargers signed tight end
Charlie Kolar, who is an elite run blocker and an "ideal fit" in McDaniel's movement offense. He also has upside as a pass-catcher, but Gadsden will be the Bolts' clear top pass-catching TE after he impressed in his first year in the NFL in 2025 with 49 catches on 69 targets for 664 yards and three touchdowns in 15 regular-season games (seven starts). His numbers were good enough to make him the TE16 in half-PPR scoring as a rookie. Gadsden also ranked 14th at his position in yards per route run. He's an ascending player with a good fit in the offensive scheme as he heads into his second year in the league. For fantasy managers who wait at the TE position, Gadsden is a great late-round target with upside.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Daniel Popper
March 19, 2026
The Athletic's Daniel Popper writes that new Los Angeles Chargers running back
Keaton Mitchell's "acceleration and threatening speed to the edge will thrive" in new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel's scheme in 2026. The Bolts drafted
Omarion Hampton in the first round last year, but the 24-year-old Mitchell runs with explosiveness and has been compared to Miami's
De'Von Achane, whom McDaniel coached with the Dolphins. Mitchell has averaged a healthy 6.3 yards per carry in his three years in the NFL with Baltimore, but injuries have kept him from reaching his true potential, as his 13 games played in 2025 were a career-high. In his 26 NFL games (two starts), Mitchell has 767 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 121 carries, adding 19 receptions for 184 more yards on 24 targets. Mitchell will be a handcuff for Hampton at the very least, but he could also absolutely carve out standalone value as an RB3/flex in fantasy in 2026 if he can stay on the field in L.A.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Daniel Popper
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