February 17, 2026
Quarterback
J.J. McCarthy's lack of availability through his first two NFL seasons is the Minnesota Vikings' "foremost concern," according to Alec Lewis of The Athletic. McCarthy has played in 29% of the team's regular-season games since he was drafted in the first round in the spring of 2024. The 23-year-old has dealt with a torn meniscus in his knee, a sprained ankle, a concussion, and hand and finger injuries. Durability concerns are the primary reason why Minnesota is seeking QB insurance behind McCarthy going into the 2026 season. But injuries aren't the only reason for the Vikings to be concerned. Outside of a four-game stretch to close last season, McCarthy's overall body of work ranked at the bottom among all qualified QBs. The team removed most of its over-the-middle passing concepts last season to keep McCarthy's line of sight as simple as possible. It's clear McCarthy is still developing after missing his entire rookie campaign, but if he doesn't show improvement soon, he could be looking at losing the franchise QB title sooner than later.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Alec Lewis
February 17, 2026
The Minnesota Vikings could be looking to trade for a quarterback this offseason after former first-rounder
J.J. McCarthy struggled with injuries and ineffectiveness in his first full year as the starter. The Athletic's Alec Lewis writes that "there is perhaps no candidate who checks more boxes for what the Vikings are looking for than San Francisco 49ers QB
Mac Jones." There are a lot of things that could attract the Vikings' front office and head coach Kevin O'Connell. The 27-year-old is a former first-rounder, comes from a Kyle Shanahan offense, and pushes the ball over the middle of the field. He's still under contract with San Fran for another year, but his guaranteed salary for 2026 is only $1 million. The biggest obstacle to Jones potentially landing in Minnesota is the 49ers driving a "hard bargain" for him after he had a solid season filling in for the injured
Brock Purdy. To land Jones, the Vikes might have to make the Niners an offer they can't refuse.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Alec Lewis
February 17, 2026
The Arizona Cardinals are intrigued by Chicago Bears backup quarterback
Tyson Bagent, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports. Bagent has one year left on his deal, so the Cardinals would have to trade for him. The 25-year-old former undrafted free agent beat out
P.J. Walker for the backup job with the Bears and was signed to a two-year, $10 million extension in August of last year. In his three years in the NFL with Chicago, Bagent has appeared in 12 games (four starts) and has gone 99-for-149 passing for 917 yards, three touchdowns, and six interceptions. Arizona currently has veteran
Jacoby Brissett and
Kyler Murray (foot) under contract for next season, but the Cardinals are reportedly looking to trade Murray after another disappointing and injury-plagued campaign in 2025. The Cardinals will surely be looking for a signal-caller in April's draft, too, so if Bagent were to land in the desert, he'd be competing for a starting job in a best-case scenario.
--Keith HernandezSource: Arizona Sports - John Gambadoro
February 17, 2026
NFL.com's Judy Battista writes that Indianapolis Colts quarterback
Daniel Jones (Achilles) could receive the franchise tag to buy the team some time to work out a long-term contract extension. The Colts have made it clear that they want Jones to be their starter in 2026 whenever he's healthy. Plenty of teams around the league would be interested in the 28-year-old if he were to reach free agency, though, so the tag could be in play for him if he doesn't agree to an extension before the free-agent negotiating period starts on March 9. Battista adds that the decision on Jones is linked to the Colts' chances of re-signing receiver
Alec Pierce, who is coming off a career year as the team's No. 1 wideout. If the Colts get Jones signed to an extension, they could then use the franchise tag on Pierce instead. Jones had a nice bounce-back season in his first year in Indy in 2025, throwing for 3,101 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions before tearing his Achilles in Week 14 against the Jaguars.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL.com - Judy Battista
February 17, 2026
The Indianapolis Colts have made it clear that
Daniel Jones (Achilles) is their starting quarterback when he returns to full health, and ESPN's Stephen Holder writes that "it's becoming increasingly likely" that former first-rounder
Anthony Richardson Sr. (eye) "will wind up elsewhere." Richardson lost the preseason QB battle to Jones last summer, and the Colts have also "warmed to the idea" that sixth-rounder
Riley Leonard can be the backup. According to team sources, Richardson has yet to request a trade, "but it is beginning to feel inevitable." Even though Richardson has been a disappointment and suffered a freak orbital bone injury in 2025, the Colts should be able to get something in return for a signal-caller who will be just 24 next season and is a former first-rounder. Richardson has elite rushing upside, but accuracy as a passer has been an issue, and he hasn't been able to stay healthy. There's no guarantee he'll compete for a starting role if he's traded away this offseason.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Stephen Holder
February 17, 2026
The Miami Dolphins have already been rumored to be a destination for Green Bay Packers impending free-agent quarterback
Malik Willis, and ESPN's Matt Bowen believes they are a perfect fit for Willis in free agency. The Dolphins have a new general manager in Jon-Eric Sullivan and a new head coach in Jeff Hafley, who both came from Green Bay, so the connection is obvious. Miami is also looking to trade QB
Tua Tagovailoa. Bowen envisions a scheme "built around motion/movement, with play-action elements woven in" by new offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik. Willis only made three starts for the Packers in his two seasons with the team, but he proved to be an adequate backup as both a passer and runner, completing 78.7% of his passes for 976 yards, six touchdowns, and no interceptions while also running for three TDs in 11 total games played. The 26-year-old third-rounder will generate plenty of interest from QB-needy teams this offseason, and he could be a nice QB2 option for fantasy managers in superflex leagues in 2026 if he wins a starting job somewhere.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Matt Bowen
February 17, 2026
Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer believes that New York Giants new offensive coordinator Matt Nagy will be a positive influence on young quarterback
Jaxson Dart's development. Breer references Nagy's work with QB Alex Smith in Kansas City back in 2017, using many spread-offense elements to maximize Smith and to help develop
Patrick Mahomes. "All the movement stuff the Chiefs were doing that year, in theory, should apply organically to Dart's physical skill set." Although KC's offense grew a bit stagnant in 2025 under Nagy, the Chiefs ranked 10th in offensive success rate and EPA per play during Nagy's three seasons as the offensive coordinator. Despite playing in only 14 games in his rookie year, Dart was the QB14 in fantasy with 2,276 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, and five interceptions while running for 487 yards and an additional nine TDs. With high-end playmakers in the backfield and at receiver, the sky is the limit for Dart going forward as long as his aggressive running style doesn't lead to injuries.
--Keith HernandezSource: Sports Illustrated - Albert Breer
February 17, 2026
Denver Broncos quarterback
Bo Nix (ankle) put together another strong season in 2025, and he continues to trend upward despite entering the offseason with a broken ankle. In his second pro season, Nix threw for 3,931 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. He also added 356 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns. As a result, he finished as the overall QB7 for the second year in a row. The former first-round pick's production was a little inconsistent at times, as he certainly had some boom or bust games, but he played well enough to satisfy his fantasy managers and keep them in the hunt for the fantasy playoffs. He also kept his Broncos in the playoff hunt, locking up the No. 1 seed and taking down the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round. However, Nix broke his ankle near the end of the Bills game, sidelining him for the Broncos' eventual loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship. Nix should be fully recovered in time for the 2026 season, and his supporting cast will arguably be stronger than ever with
Courtland Sutton returning and
Troy Franklin and
Pat Bryant both having another year under their belts. Plus, running back
RJ Harvey is expected to take a major step forward, further improving the overall state of the offense. All signs point to Nix finishing as QB7 or higher again in 2026.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
February 16, 2026
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback
Geno Smith had an ugly first season with the team, and it likely cost him his starting job. Smith signed a two-year, $75 million deal with the Raiders last offseason, reuniting with head coach Pete Caroll. The reunion didn't result in a successful season. Vegas went 3-14, Carroll was let go, and Smith posted a horrific 19:17 TD:INT ratio with a career-high 55 sacks. One of the few positive storylines of the Raiders' season was that they ended up with the No. 1 draft pick, giving them the right to select any eligible prospect they'd like. Presumably, that player will be Indiana quarterback and national champion Fernando Mendoza. In all likelihood, Mendoza will win the starting job right away. That could move Smith to a backup role, but more likely, the veteran quarterback will be released with one year left on his contract. Releasing him creates $8 million in cap space with $18.5 million in dead money, offering the Raiders a fresh start with Mendoza and first-year head coach Klint Kubiak. Smith should be avoided in all dynasty and redraft leagues.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
February 16, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback
Justin Herbert remained productive during the 2025 regular season, but his ceiling was limited due to poor offensive line play in front of him. The 27-year-old racked up 3,727 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions across 16 games, finishing as the overall QB10 in fantasy football. This was his first top-10 finish since 2021. He added an additional two rushing touchdowns and a career-high 498 rushing yards. Herbert played in front of a worse offensive line this past season. In fact, the Chargers' offensive line ranked third-to-last in PFF's end-of-year rankings. The trenches figure to be an area of focus for the Bolts in free agency, and improved protection would aid Herbert in his quest to make strides as a passer next year. Assuming the Chargers have a productive offseason, it's fair to envision that Herbert will be a top-10 fantasy quarterback with top-five upside in 2026. He's a "hold" in most dynasty leagues at the moment.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
February 16, 2026
FOX Sports' Jordan Schultz reports that the Miami Dolphins' preference has been to find a trade partner for quarterback
Tua Tagovailoa, and Schultz's understanding is that the new regime doesn't "want it to drag too long." If the Dolphins can't find any takers on the trade market, a cut is "possible in the end." Miami has already started salary cap cuts this offseason, releasing both receiver
Tyreek Hill (knee) and pass-rusher Bradley Chubb on Monday. Tagovailoa could be next, although the team will exhaust all potential trade avenues first. The 27-year-old said it "would be dope" to get a fresh start with a new team in 2026 after another disappointing campaign last year in which he was benched late in the year for rookie
Quinn Ewers. Trading Tagovailoa won't be easy, though, after they signed him to a four-year, $212.4 million deal in July of 2024. The Dolphins would take a $99.2 million salary cap hit this year if they cut him before June 1, while releasing him after that date would allow them to spread out the cap hit over two years. It's pretty clear the former first-rounder has played his last snap in Miami, but he could compete for a starting role somewhere else in 2026, depending on where he lands.
--Keith HernandezSource: FOX Sports - Jordan Schultz
February 15, 2026
The Las Vegas Raiders are expected to hire Seattle Seahawks quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko as their new offensive coordinator, sources told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Janocko is in Vegas on Sunday, and a deal is expected to be finalized as early as Sunday. He's close with new Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak, who was previously the offensive coordinator for the Super Bowl-champion Seahawks. Janocko also worked with Kubiak in New Orleans and Minnesota, so they have a close bond. Vegas had one of the worst offenses in the NFL in 2025, ranking last in points scored (14.2), rushing yards per game (77.5), and total yards (245.2), and 26th in red-zone efficiency (50%). Kubiak is expected to call the offensive plays in 2026 in his first year as the head coach, but Janocko will be crucial in helping develop Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza, who is expected to go to the Raiders with the No. 1 overall pick in this year's NFL Draft.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
February 15, 2026
The Seattle Seahawks are hiring San Francisco 49ers run-game-coordinator/tight ends coach Brian Fleury as their new offensive coordinator on Sunday, sources told Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. Fleury has been a trusted assistant to 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan since 2019 and will now head to the NFC West rival to call plays for the defending Super Bowl champions. It was looking like Seattle would promote from within to replace Klint Kubiak, who departed to become the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. Fleury started his tenure in San Fran as a defensive quality-control coach and spent the next two years as an offensive quality-control coach before becoming the TEs coach in 2022. The 49ers run a version of the West Coast offense that Kubiak ran in Seattle, so the move to hire Fleury shouldn't represent a drastic scheme change for quarterback
Sam Darnold and the rest of the offense.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
February 15, 2026
Once viewed as the dynasty QB1, a string of disappointing seasons has sunk Arizona Cardinals quarterback
Kyler Murray's value to an all-time low, with him currently going outside the top 20 at the position in dynasty startups. While his relationship with the previous coaching staff led many to believe he'd taken his last snaps in Arizona after a soft benching to end his 2025 season, the Cardinals cleaned house this offseason, hiring a new head coach and offensive coordinator. Signs still point to Murray being released or traded before a portion of his contract becomes guaranteed in mid-March, but his status remains one of the biggest question marks of the offseason. With an uninspiring incoming quarterback draft class, Murray could be the first domino to fall in the trade/free agent market, but with so much uncertainty surrounding him, he remains a risky dynasty buy. Based on name value alone, his cost in a trade is likely still higher than his current startup placement reflects, and while his perceived value will ultimately rise if he finds a preferable landing spot, his asking cost may not. As such, he remains a hold in most dynasty leagues.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
February 15, 2026
The Cleveland Browns are expected to spend one or both of their first-round picks on offensive additions, according to Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network. Specifically, Wolfe identified wide receiver and offensive lineman as two areas in which Cleveland hopes to improve the most. Meanwhile, he noted that the Browns aren't expected to draft a receiver in the first round. Finding a big-name wide receiver for quarterback
Shedeur Sanders makes sense. As a rookie last year, he was stuck throwing to
Jerry Jeudy and
Cedric Tillman, neither of whom showed the dependability of a No. 1 receiver. It was also tough for Sanders to stay upright behind his offensive line, which PFF graded as the second-worst in the NFL. Sanders took 23 sacks across eight games (seven starts). Games can be won or lost in the trenches, so we wouldn't be surprised to see the Browns and new head coach Todd Monken begin to build out their core with a big man up front.
--Andersen PickardSource: Cameron Wolfe
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