February 27, 2026
Buffalo Bills wide receiver
Keon Coleman is coming off a deflating sophomore season after being a trendy sleeper during fantasy drafts. Coleman finished the season with 38 catches for 404 receiving yards with four touchdowns on 59 targets. The 22-year-old was a healthy scratch during multiple games in 2025 due to disciplinary reasons and maturity issues. Coleman took the brunt of an ugly breakout between the Bills organization and former head coach Sean McDermott by receiving public criticism. However, newly hired head coach Joe Brady claimed that his hiring is the "best thing" that could have happened for Coleman. With the lack of a clear WR1 in Buffalo and support from his new head coach, Coleman has a glimpse of hope to save his career in Buffalo. Coleman will remain a late-round dart throw in dynasty leagues with mysterious upside.
--Wyatt McClintockSource: ESPN
February 27, 2026
New York Jets wide receiver
Garrett Wilson is coming off a season-ending knee injury he sustained in December. Wilson was shut down in the middle of the 2025 season to avoid major injury and focus on a full recovery. In a limited season, Wilson had 36 catches for 395 receiving yards with four touchdowns on 59 targets. The 25-year-old was averaging over nine targets per game and was on pace to clear 160 targets. Heading into 2026, the Jets' future is very murky with no clear starting quarterback in place and
Breece Hall potentially departing during free agency. Wilson will remain a fringe WR1 in dynasty based on his talent as a receiver alone, but his ceiling will continue to be capped due to the poor offensive ecosystem around him.
--Wyatt McClintockSource: ESPN
February 27, 2026
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver
Josh Downs is coming off the worst NFL season of his young career. Despite
Daniel Jones playing at an MVP level early in 2025, Downs was unable to become a consistent contributor in the offense. The 24-year-old had career lows in receptions (58), targets (88), and receiving yards (566) while scoring four touchdowns in 16 games. Downs took a backseat in the Colts' passing attack as
Alec Pierce had a breakout season and
Tyler Warren established himself as one of the NFL's best tight ends. However, there could be major changes coming to the Colts' offense that favor Downs, with Pierce becoming a free agent and
Michael Pittman Jr. a potential cut candidate. This would open up more targets in the offense and create an opportunity for Downs to become a top-3 pass catcher. Even with these possibilities, Downs won't be much more than a late-round dart throw in dynasty leagues, with limited upside in 2026.
--Wyatt McClintockSource: ESPN
February 27, 2026
The Green Bay Packers are not placing a tender on impending free-agent running back
Emanuel Wilson, a source told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Wilson will hit the free-agent market this offseason after carrying the ball a career-high 125 times for 496 yards (4.0 yards per carry) and three touchdowns in 17 regular-season games. He added a career-best 15 catches on 17 targets for 99 yards and no touchdowns through the air in his third year in the NFL. It remains to be seen if the Packers have any interest in bringing Wilson back as the backup to starter
Josh Jacobs. The 26-year-old filled in nicely as a plug-and-play RB2 in fantasy lineups last year in the two games that Jacobs missed due to injury, but outside of that, he was merely a handcuff for Jacobs. Wilson will likely operate as a backup somewhere else if he leaves in free agency. In his three seasons in Green Bay, he's averaged a healthy 4.5 yards per carry for 1,083 yards and seven rushing touchdowns on 242 carries.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Jeremy Fowler
February 27, 2026
The Chicago Tribune's Brad Biggs thinks the Chicago Bears would most likely need a "second-round pick or two picks equaling that value" to make it worth their while to trade backup quarterback
Tyson Bagent this offseason. Biggs also questions whether any team would actually offer a second-rounder for Bagent, who has only made four starts (all in his rookie season in 2023) in his three years in the NFL. The Arizona Cardinals have been rumored as a team that could potentially trade for Bagent, and the New York Jets are another organization that might look to save money at the QB position in 2026. It's just hard to imagine any team, no matter how desperate, wanting to give up much for Bagent before they make moves in free agency and the upcoming NFL draft. If Bagent is traded, he wouldn't be guaranteed a starting role going into Week 1 and would have to win a QB competition in training camp.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Chicago Tribune - Brad Biggs
February 27, 2026
Buffalo Bills wide receiver
Khalil Shakir, who signed a four-year, $60.2 million contract with the team in February of last year, is a player "likely taking on a bigger role" next season, according to Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN. New head coach Joe Brady called Shakir "one of the team's best football players" and noted his ability to play both inside and outside. The 26-year-old has mostly operated out of the slot in his four years in Buffalo, but it sounds like Brady has more ideas of how to get him the ball in 2026. The former fifth-round pick in 2022 out of Boise State had 72 receptions on 95 targets for 719 yards and a career-high-tying four touchdowns in 16 regular-season games last season. Shakir also contributed 124 punt-return yards on special teams during the regular season. Shakir's involvement next year will also depend on any offseason additions on offense. It feels like the 6-foot, 190-pounder's ceiling was probably his 821-yard, 76-catch 2024 campaign.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Alaina Getzenberg
February 27, 2026
The Philadelphia Inquirer's Jeff McLane thinks that the Philadelphia Eagles will decide on whether they'll trade wide receiver
A.J. Brown "in the next 10 days" before the start of the legal tampering period. Brown had his fourth straight 1,000-yard receiving season in 2025, but the Eagles' offense was downright ugly at times, and Brown openly complained about his role while not being on the same page with head coach Nick Sirianni and quarterback
Jalen Hurts. The 28-year-old had seven touchdowns for the third straight year, but he was more volatile from a fantasy perspective and averaged a career-low 12.9 yards per catch. A trade out of Philly could help Brown become more consistent, and teams such as the New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens, and Buffalo Bills could be potential landing spots. If Philly were to trade Brown before June 1, it would result in over $40 million in dead cap.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Philadelphia Inquirer - Jeff McLane
February 27, 2026
The National Football League informed its clubs in a memo on Friday that the salary cap number for the 2026 season is $301.2 million per team, which is up $22 million from last year. It's the first time in the history of the NFL that the salary cap has topped $300 million. The cap has increased 40% in just five years since it dropped coming off the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. Teams must be under the new salary cap by March 11, which is the first day of the new league year. The biggest year-to-year increase in the salary cap was $31 million from 2023 to 2024. The wide receiver position is the second-most lucrative franchise tag at $27.3 million. Quarterback sits at $43.9 million.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
February 27, 2026
The Denver Broncos told agent Deryk Gilmore this week that they will place a second-round restricted free-agent tender on nickel cornerback Ja'Quan McMillian, which comes with a $5.77 million salary, according to Mike Klis of 9 News. It's a big raise for the ball-hawking defensive back, as he made $1.03 million in 2025 as a third-year player. He led the team with three interceptions (61 return yards) and two forced fumbles while leading all secondary players with four sacks as well. If an interested team wants to try to pry McMillian away from Denver, they'd have to give up a second-round draft pick and also sign him to an extension. The former undrafted free agent out of East Carolina University also had 56 tackles (40 solo) and nine pass breakups last year in his fourth year in the league. McMillian will be a key piece of the Broncos' secondary again in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: 9 News - Mike Klis
February 27, 2026
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza said that he had a "fantastic meeting" with the Las Vegas Raiders at the NFL scouting combine on Friday, according to Levi Edwards of Raiders.com. Mendoza also called head coach Klint Kubiak and his coaching staff "football savvy." Barring something totally out of the blue, the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner will go first overall to the Raiders in April in the 2026 NFL draft after he led the Hoosiers to an undefeated season and the national championship. Mendoza can do it all on the football field and should start on Day 1 in his rookie season in the NFL. He completed over 70% of his 379 pass attempts last year for a career-high 3,535 passing yards, an NCAA-high 41 touchdown passes, and only six interceptions in 16 games last year. Mendoza will be the consensus No. 1 overall pick in rookie-only drafts this fall, and he could be on the radar in two-QB superflex fantasy leagues in 2026 as well.
--Keith HernandezSource: Raiders.com - Levi Edwards
February 27, 2026
The Kansas City Chiefs could be a team to monitor in the market for Seattle Seahawks impending free-agent running back
Kenneth Walker III this offseason, with Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer saying that KC "looms as an interesting suitor" for the Super Bowl LX MVP. The Houston Texans are another team that has already been tied to Walker, and the Denver Broncos also seem like a good bet to be interested. Coming off his impressive postseason run to help the Seahawks lift the Lombardi Trophy, Walker figures to be one of, if not the best, RB available on the open market come next month. Seattle is not expected to place the franchise tag on Walker. The 2025 season was the first time Walker played all 17 games, and he ran for 1,027 yards and five touchdowns on 221 carries.
Kareem Hunt and
Isiah Pacheco are both free agents for the Chiefs, so if Walker were to sign in KC, he'd be in line for an RB1 role as the team looks to bounce back from missing the postseason in 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: Sports Illustrated - Albert Breer
February 27, 2026
The Athletic's Josh Kendall writes that Atlanta Falcons tight end
Kyle Pitts Sr. is expected to "play this season on the franchise tag," which Atlanta officially put on him on Tuesday. The Falcons can still attempt to sign Pitts to a long-term deal, "but that's not the vibe" the team is giving when it comes to the tight end. "I just felt (the franchise tag) was best to give us some time to evaluate," new general manager Ian Cunningham said. Pitts had 68 catches for 1,026 yards as a rookie in 2021, but then had three straight years where he averaged 542 receiving yards before bouncing back in 2025 with a career-high 88 receptions for 928 yards. The Falcons are basically telling the 25-year-old former fourth overall pick that he needs to do it again in 2026 before they seriously consider inking him to a long-term extension. Pitts certainly has the skills to be a high-end TE1 again in fantasy, but the quarterback situation might not do him any favors with
Michael Penix Jr. coming off a serious knee injury and facing pressure to prove he's the franchise QB.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Josh Kendall
February 27, 2026
The New England Patriots are expected to be in active trade discussions for Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver
A.J. Brown, one league source told Chad Graff of The Athletic. The Patriots most likely won't give up their first-round pick, but at the right price, Brown "would fit what the Patriots are looking for." If the Patriots cut receiver
Stefon Diggs to save salary cap space, they are expected to look at wideouts
Mike Evans or
Alec Pierce (if he's available) before potentially making a trade for Brown. If they whiff on both the free-agent and trade markets, they could look to take a receiver early in this year's NFL draft. The 28-year-old Brown may have worn out his welcome in Philly after airing frustration with his role in the offense last year. The three-time Pro Bowler still had his fourth straight 1,000-yard season. Brown played for Pats head coach Mike Vrabel in Tennessee and could definitely have a higher fantasy ceiling while working with young quarterback
Drake Maye.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Chad Graff
February 27, 2026
The Dallas Cowboys officially placed the franchise tag on impending free-agent wide receiver
George Pickens on Friday, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Now the two sides will try to work out a long-term contract extension before the July 15 deadline, with executive vice president Stephen Jones saying that the team isn't putting any timeframe on it. Rapoport said he does not expect Pickens to report to the team's facilities "unless and until there is a long-term deal." Rapoport also wonders if there is a team out there that would be willing to give up a premium draft pick and sign Pickens to a long-term deal themselves to try to pry the 24-year-old away from Dallas for 2026 and beyond. If Dallas and Pickens are unable to reach a long-term deal by July 15, and he's not traded, he'd play the upcoming season on a one-year, fully guaranteed $28 million contract. All signs point to the former second-rounder playing in Dallas again in 2026, where he had a career-best 93 catches for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns in 17 regular-season games. Pickens is a locked-in WR1 in fantasy for this fall.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
February 27, 2026
The Denver Broncos are not tendering running back
Jaleel McLaughlin, a source told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. McLaughlin will hit the open market as a free agent next month, although it's believed that the Broncos would be interested in bringing him back for backfield depth. The 25-year-old former undrafted free agent combined for 189 carries, 906 rushing yards, and two rushing touchdowns in 33 regular-season games over the first two years of his career in Denver, adding 55 catches for 236 yards and four more touchdowns as a receiver. He only played in eight games in 2025, though, and had a career-low 37 rushing attempts for 187 yards and one touchdown, adding four catches for 27 yards. The Broncos will most likely add to their RB room alongside
RJ Harvey this offseason, either through the draft or free agency, but McLaughlin won't be a priority.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Jeremy Fowler
RADIO
