February 16, 2026
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver
Jaxon Smith-Njigba continues to trend up after a historic third season in the NFL. He made a Pro Bowl for the second consecutive year, exploding for 119 catches, 1,793 yards, and 10 touchdowns. As a result, he ranked as the overall WR2 in full-PPR leagues and was named the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year. In some situations, this may be an intriguing opportunity to sell high, but that's not the case with Smith-Njigba. He's just 24 years old and should only continue to improve within the coming seasons. There could be more OPOY awards in his future, and he'll remain a real threat to finish as the overall WR1 in fantasy football. He's one of the top dynasty players and should be a top-four pick in 2026 redraft leagues.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
February 16, 2026
Houston Texans running back
Nick Chubb is likely in the final stage of his career after an underwhelming season with the team. Chubb hasn't been the same since his ACL and MCL tears in Cleveland in 2023. After seven years in Cleveland, he joined the Texans for the 2025 season to operate as their No. 1 running back ahead of
Woody Marks. The veteran was held in check early in the season, though, and Marks ended up taking over the backfield. Chubb finished the year with a modest 506 rushing yards and three touchdowns, ranking as the overall RB54 in PPR leagues. His 5.9 points per game represented a new career low, and it has become evident that he's not going to be a major fantasy threat going forward. He's slated to hit free agency this offseason and will presumably end up signing somewhere as a backup -- presumably somewhere with an established, younger lead back. It'll be tough to trade Chubb for anything at this point in dynasty leagues, but he's definitely not a "buy."
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
February 16, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers running back
Najee Harris (Achilles) missed most of the 2025 season due to a torn Achilles, and he's scheduled to hit free agency for the second offseason in a row. Harris parlayed a solid four-year stint with the Steelers into a one-year deal with the Chargers last offseason, but he was held to just 86 scrimmage yards across three games before suffering his season-ending injury. It was a big change from his time in Pittsburgh, where he had never missed a game through four seasons. He played well there, ranking as a top-24 fantasy running back every season. He peaked as a rookie in 2021 when he was the overall RB3 in PPR formats. Given his injury recovery, Harris likely won't sign a contract that would allow him to be a lead-back somewhere. In all likelihood, he'll offer a solid veteran presence while splitting snaps with a younger, less-established running back. His days of being a must-start fantasy running back are over, but he can still be a strong RB3/flex depending on the situation. He's worth holding in most dynasty 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
The Cleveland Browns are hiring Atlanta Falcons passing-game coordinator Mike Rutenberg as their new defensive coordinator on Monday, sources told the NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Rutenberg will bring a lot of energy to Cleveland after previously working under Robert Saleh and Jeff Ulbrich. He'll have big shoes to fill as he replaces former DC Jim Schwartz, who resigned after not being named the Browns' head coach. Rutenberg has a solid base to build around with Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett leading the charge on the defensive line, but it will also be his first gig as a defensive coordinator in the NFL. Before coaching with the Falcons, Rutenberg coached with the San Francisco 49ers in 2020 and with the New York Jets from 2021 to 2024. The Falcons' defense ranked 13th in passing yards allowed and 13th in net yards per attempt last year under Rutenberg.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
February 16, 2026
The Miami Dolphins released wide receiver
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine on Monday, a source told Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. In addition to Westbrook-Ikhine, the Dolphins also released receiver
Tyreek Hill (knee) and pass-rusher Bradley Chubb. The 28-year-old wasn't much of a factor on offense for Miami in his lone season with the team in 2025, even with Hill suffering a season-ending knee injury in the first half. Westbrook-Ikhine finished with just 11 receptions on 20 targets for 89 yards and no touchdowns in his 15 games played in his sixth year in the NFL. It was a major disappointment after he had a career year in 2024 with the Tennessee Titans in 17 games, when he caught 32 passes for 497 yards and nine touchdowns on 60 targets. He should latch on eventually with a new team, but he'll be in a depth role and will face an uphill battle for fantasy relevance.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
February 16, 2026
The Jacksonville Jaguars announced on Monday that they re-signed running back
DeeJay Dallas to an undisclosed deal. Dallas appeared in only six regular-season games in 2025, split between the Carolina Panthers and the Jaguars. He only saw three rushing attempts for 21 yards and didn't catch his only target in the passing game. The 27-year-old also contributed on special teams, returning 12 kickoffs for 321 yards. He was a healthy scratch in the Wild-Card Round loss to the Buffalo Bills in the playoffs. Dallas most likely will face an uphill battle for playing time in Jacksonville in 2026, but he could have more of a chance for a role in the Jags' backfield if the team lets
Travis Etienne Jr. walk as a free agent. The former fourth-rounder by the Seattle Seahawks in 2020 out of Miami has a total of 124 rushing attempts for 538 yards and four touchdowns in his six years in the NFL with four different teams.
--Keith HernandezSource: Jacksonville Jaguars
February 16, 2026
The Athletic's Doug Haller believes that Arizona Cardinals running back
James Conner (foot) could be a salary cap casualty this offseason. Conner has been a major asset to Arizona's offense during his five years with the team and is among the most respected players in the locker room, but he's also coming off a severe foot injury that limited him to just three games in 2025. He'll turn 31 years old in May and is under contract through the 2026 season, and cutting him would save the Cardinals around $8 million. Cutting Conner would allow the team to use the extra money to find a younger replacement in the backfield. The Cardinals would face a $2.25 million dead-cap hit by releasing Conner if he's a pre-June 1 cut. Even though Conner had two 1,000-yard seasons before his injury last year, he will most likely struggle to find a prominent role as a lead back in either Arizona or somewhere else next season while coming off a serious injury.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Doug Haller
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 16, 2026
The Miami Dolphins and two-time Pro Bowl pass-rusher Bradley Chubb are parting ways, and the 29-year-old will become a free agent, sources told Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. In his two full seasons with the Dolphins in 2023 and 2025, Chubb had 20 sacks, eight forced fumbles, and 117 tackles, so he should have a nice market this offseason. The former fifth overall pick by the Denver Broncos in 2018 out of North Carolina State played in all 17 games last year in his final season in Miami, tallying 8.5 sacks, 47 tackles (24 solo), eight tackles for loss, 20 QB hits, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. Chubb will turn 30 years old in June, but when healthy, he can still be a difference-maker on the defensive line. He did not play at all in 2024 due to a torn ACL, but he had 11 sacks in his first full season in Miami in 2023.
--Keith HernandezSource: FOX Sports - Jordan Schultz
February 16, 2026
A fourth-round pick out of the University of Texas in the 2025 NFL Draft, Dallas Cowboys running back
Jaydon Blue earned some preseason buzz as a potential dark horse candidate to emerge as the Cowboys' RB1. However, the 22-year-old was a non-factor for Dallas in 2025, spending most of the year on the inactive list as a healthy scratch. Across five games played, Blue recorded 129 rushing yards and a touchdown on 38 touches. Nearly half of his rushing production came in Week 18, when the competitive portion of the Cowboys' season had already concluded. Entering 2026, Cowboys RB1
Javonte Williams is set to hit unrestricted free agency. As such, there is once again a potential playing time opportunity open to Blue in the Dallas backfield, as the only other running back currently under contract with the Cowboys for 2026 is the similarly unproven
Phil Mafah. However, it seems likely that Dallas will bring in another backfield option or two in either free agency or the draft. Based on Blue's disappointing rookie year, it's difficult for fantasy managers in dynasty formats to have much trust in his potential for future production.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
February 16, 2026
The Miami Dolphins are releasing veteran wide receiver
Tyreek Hill (knee), per ESPN's Adam Schefter. Hill's release will save the Dolphins over $20 million against the salary cap and signals a broader changing of the guard in Miami. Hill appeared in just four games in 2025, suffering a season-ending torn ACL and dislocated right knee in Week 4. Before getting injured, he recorded 21 catches for 265 yards and a touchdown on 29 targets. Entering his age-32 season, Hill is now set to become an unrestricted free agent. It's unclear how much the veteran wideout still has left in the tank, given his age and the fact that he'll be coming off a serious knee injury. Hill may not even be ready for the start of the 2026 campaign. However, Hill is one of the best wide receivers of the last decade, and he was still a productive player in his last full season in 2024, recording 81 catches for 959 yards and six touchdowns on 123 targets. Depending on where he lands and his health status, Hill could still provide fantasy value in 2026.
--Will BradySource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
February 16, 2026
A highly-touted second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, New England Patriots running back
TreVeyon Henderson flashed both explosive upside and some reason for concern as a rookie. Across 17 games played, the 23-year-old recorded 1,132 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns on 215 touches, which landed him third in the Offensive Rookie of the Year vote. Henderson also got better as the year progressed, recording 683 of his 911 total rushing yards and eight of his nine rushing touchdowns after Week 8. However, a portion of Henderson's second-half production came with fellow Patriots running back
Rhamondre Stevenson sidelined by injury. Once Stevenson returned down the stretch of the season, New England largely operated with an even playing time split between the two backs. In the playoffs, Stevenson earned 70 touches to Henderson's 35 as the Patriots opted in favor of the more consistent between-the-tackles runner. Both backs are under contract for 2026 and beyond, which means Henderson is unlikely to see a true RB1 workload in the immediate future. Still, his upside as both a rusher and receiver should allow him to maintain his dynasty value after an encouraging rookie season.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
February 16, 2026
Across 16 games in 2025, Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end
Cade Otton recorded 59 receptions for 572 yards and one touchdown on 81 targets. Despite injuries in Tampa Bay to key pass-catchers like wideouts
Mike Evans and
Chris Godwin Jr. that sidelined them for large chunks of the season, Otton never fully emerged as a go-to target for Buccaneers quarterback
Baker Mayfield. Across four NFL seasons, Otton has never recorded more than 59 catches, 600 receiving yards, or four touchdowns in a single year. Heading into his age-27 season, Otton is now set to hit unrestricted free agency. If he leaves Tampa Bay, Otton could benefit by landing in a situation with less competition for targets. However, based on his track record to this point, there's no guarantee that a new team would sign Otton to be its unencumbered number one receiving tight end, which is the role he's held over the last two seasons in Tampa Bay. Whether he's back with the Buccaneers or not, Otton appears to have a defined production ceiling that limits his fantasy appeal in dynasty formats going forward.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
February 16, 2026
Across 15 games as a rookie in 2025, Chicago Bears wide receiver
Luther Burden III recorded 47 receptions for 652 yards and two touchdowns on 60 targets. It took a while for the 22-year-old to earn consistent playing time, which held down his season-long numbers. However, Burden III finished the season on a bit of a tear. Over his last five regular-season contests, Burden III hauled in 25 catches for 357 yards and a touchdown on 30 targets. It's worth noting that Bears wideout
Rome Odunze missed four of those five games due to a foot injury, which helped direct more targets towards Burden III. Beyond Burden III and Odunze, the Bears also have additional capable pass-catchers in veteran wideout
D.J. Moore and tight end
Colston Loveland, so the competition for target share in Chicago is fierce. Still, Burden III flashed explosive upside when given the opportunity in his first NFL campaign, and he projects as a key piece in Chicago's long-term offensive plans. In dynasty formats, Burden III's fantasy stock is trending upward based on his strong close to the 2025 season.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
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