March 28, 2026
After failing to record a catch over his first two NFL seasons, San Francisco 49ers tight end
Jake Tonges emerged as a quality contributor in 2025. Across 17 games, the 26-year-old hauled in 34 receptions for 293 yards and five touchdowns on 46 targets. Tonges' performance was enough to earn him a new two-year contract worth $8 million from San Francisco in free agency. The majority of his production in 2025 came when fellow 49ers tight
George Kittle (Achilles) was sidelined by injury between Week 2 and Week 6. However, Tonges may have another chance to work as the 49ers' lead tight end to open 2026, as Kittle is currently recovering from a torn Achilles tendon that he suffered in the playoffs and is likely to miss time next season. Tonges could be a solid sleeper tight end option for fantasy managers to target heading into 2026.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
March 28, 2026
Across 11 games as a junior at USC in 2025, wide receiver
Ja'Kobi Lane recorded 49 receptions for 745 yards and four touchdowns. The 21-year-old now appears likely to hear his name called at some point in the middle round of the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft in April. At 6'4" with a 40-inch vertical jump, Lane profiles as a big-bodied, ball-winning outside receiver. While he logged just four touchdown grabs in 2025, he showed his red zone prowess in 2024 by hauling in 12 touchdown catches in 13 games. However, Lane has some issues consistently creating separation against press coverage and is not the most shifty wideout in the short and intermediate areas of the field. As a result, Lane may have trouble providing consistent fantasy production in PPR-scoring formats, especially early in his career. Still, Lane has some upside as a downfield threat and is worthy of roster consideration in dynasty formats. RotoBaller currently ranks Lane as the 85th-best wide receiver for dynasty leagues.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
March 28, 2026
Washington Commanders tight end
Chig Okonkwo could immediately contribute as an appealing fantasy option during his first year with the team. Okonkwo spent his first four seasons with the Tennessee Titans, occupying a modest role in the offense. He consistently finished as the TE21 in PPR leagues each of the last three years. With that being said, in terms of pure stats, 2025 was his best season as he caught 56 of his 79 targets for 560 yards, all career-highs. The Maryland product contributed to the best of his ability in a relatively uninspiring Titans offense. While the Commanders' offense admittedly has some work to do, as well, the presence of quarterback
Jayden Daniels and the new-look offensive system under coordinator
David Blough could bode well for Okonkwo as he looks to take a major leap. Fantasy managers would love to see him step in and fill the role of
Zach Ertz, who finished as the overall TE7 with 654 yards and seven touchdowns as the Commanders' primary tight end in 2024. If Okonkwo can have that level of involvement around the goal line, there's no question that he can be a top-12 fantasy tight end year in and year out. If Daniels stays healthy and the offense operates efficiently in 2026, Okonkwo could end up being one of the biggest steals on fantasy draft night.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
March 28, 2026
Minnesota Vikings running back
Aaron Jones Sr. could find himself in a familiar role next season. The Vikings re-signed Jones to share the backfield with
Jordan Mason, creating a similar dynamic to last year. The 31-year-old was a low-end RB2 when healthy, but he missed five full games due to injury and exited others early. As a result, he finished the regular season with a modest 548 rushing yards, 199 receiving yards, and three total touchdowns. The Vikings have gradually gotten Mason more involved, while Jones' age and injuries have resulted in him handling fewer touches. He's still going to get rushing yards, receiving yards, and touchdowns -- just not nearly as much as during the peak of his career. The good news for Jones is that his return indicates it should just be him and Mason in the backfield, and the Vikings won't make any splashes at the running back position in free agency or the draft. Still, Jones' days as an every-down back and fantasy RB1 are over. He's falling to the RB3/flex tier for 2026.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
March 28, 2026
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver
Brandon Aiyuk's time in the Bay Area is likely over, but he could still be a low-cost target in dynasty leagues as he embarks on the next chapter of his career. All signs point to the 49ers designating Aiyuk as a post-June 1 release, putting an end to all the turmoil and drama that marred his first six years in the NFL. The 28-year-old played seven games in 2024 and zero in 2025, due to injury and personal issues with the organization. Hitting free agency will allow Aiyuk to have a fresh start, and he could perhaps return to his pre-2024 form. He was a top-15 fantasy receiver (PPR) in both 2022 and 2023, totaling more than 2,350 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns across those two years. The Arizona State product has shown that he has the talent to produce significant fantasy value, but now, he just needs to stay healthy and on good terms with his future team. Aiyuk's eventual landing spot remains unknown, but it's worth noting that he has been heavily linked to the Washington Commanders. He was teammates with quarterback
Jayden Daniels in college, and Commanders general manager Adam Peters was part of the 49ers front office that drafted Aiyuk back in 2020.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
March 28, 2026
New England Patriots wide receiver
Romeo Doubs will have an opportunity to emerge as
Drake Maye's favorite target during the 2026 season. Doubs signed a multi-year contract this offseason to replace
Stefon Diggs as the presumptive No. 1 receiver in New England. However, that role isn't guaranteed, especially given the growth we saw from
Kayshon Boutte,
Mack Hollins,
Kyle Williams, and
Hunter Henry. Doubs will need to hold onto his No. 1 role throughout camp and the preseason to warrant consideration as a weekly fantasy starter. If that happens, he'd likely rank as a high-end WR3/flex in redraft leagues. He's unlikely to offer quite as much fantasy value as Diggs, who was inconsistent week over week but still finished as the overall WR17 in PPR formats. Managers should also be cognizant of the fact that New England might not be done making moves. A Diggs return remains possible, and the Patriots have been heavily linked to a trade for
A.J. Brown.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
March 28, 2026
Indianapolis Colts quarterback
Daniel Jones (Achilles) continues to work his way back from injury. He recently signed a two-year extension to keep him in Indianapolis through 2027, but he's not a lock to start Week 1 this upcoming season. Depending on how his recovery goes, Jones could miss the early portion of the season, leaving
Riley Leonard in line to start. Managers likely won't have much clarity on his timeline until the middle or end of the summer, leaving plenty of questions about his fantasy value for 2026. When healthy last year, Jones was a legitimate QB1 in fantasy football. He ranked as the overall QB9 before getting injured, averaging 253.4 passing yards, 13.3 rushing yards, and 2.0 total touchdowns per game. Jones' ADP might end up pricing him as a top-10 quarterback, meaning you'll have no choice but to draft him as a QB1. If that happens, spending a draft pick on a decent QB2 is imperative, since you might be without Jones for the first few weeks of the season. When he does return, though, he should offer consistent production as a weekly fantasy starter.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
March 28, 2026
Buffalo Bills quarterback
Josh Allen had a second straight season of under 4,000 passing yards in 2025, but he more than made up for it with his rushing prowess to finish as the QB1 in fantasy football. In 17 regular-season starts, the 29-year-old four-time Pro Bowler and former MVP threw for 3,668 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions while adding 112 rushing attempts for a league-high 579 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground. The next closest QB in rushing TDs,
Jalen Hurts, had only eight. Allen had surgery to fix a broken bone in his right foot in late January, but he should be all systems go in time for the start of the 2026 regular season this fall, and he should be the first quarterback off the board early in fantasy drafts. Allen's passing numbers leave plenty to be desired, but he could be more efficient through the air next season after the addition of receiver
DJ Moore, who was acquired from the Chicago Bears. Allen's rushing upside is what puts him above the rest of the QBs in the league. He has over 100 carries in all but one of his eight NFL seasons, and that was his rookie year in 2018, when he had 89 rushing attempts.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
March 28, 2026
Detroit Lions quarterback
Jared Goff was unable to lead the Lions back to the postseason in 2025, but he did plenty to help his fantasy managers, throwing for 4,564 yards, 34 touchdowns, and only eight interceptions in 17 starts. The 31-year-old veteran has been the picture of consistency in his last four years in Detroit, throwing for over 4,000 yards each year and 30-plus touchdown passes in three of the four seasons. Goff has been a Pro Bowler in three of the last four years, as well as the Lions continue to employ a pass-happy approach on offense under head coach Dan Campbell. In fantasy football, Goff finished last season as the QB6 overall, and he should remain a safe bet to be a top-10 signal-caller again when all is said and done in 2026. Detroit's offensive line in front of him could be a question mark, but Goff still has elite weapons in the passing game in
Amon-Ra St. Brown,
Jameson Williams,
Isaac TeSlaa, and
Sam LaPorta (back), plus one of the best running backs in the league behind him in
Jahmyr Gibbs. New offensive coordinator Drew Petzing was with the Cardinals last year when they led the league in passing attempts, so expect Goff to continue to throw the football with regularity.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
March 28, 2026
Former Arizona Cardinals quarterback
Kyler Murray injured his foot in Week 5 of the 2025 season and never played again after that, opening the door for veteran signal-caller
Jacoby Brissett to have the best year of his 10-year NFL career. The 33-year-old veteran played 14 games (12 starts) and completeed 64.9% of his pass attempts for 3,366 yards, 23 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He went just 1-11 as a starter for the lowly Cardinals, but there's no question that he elevated Arizona's offense from what Murray had shown in the first five games. In a pass-happy offense with the Cardinals often finding themselves down big early, Brissett racked up the passing attempts and aired the football out to finish as the QB15 in fantasy scoring. Murray is now gone, and although the Cardinals signed
Gardner Minshew at the position, the expectation is that Brissett will remain the starter in 2026. The Cardinals led the NFL in pass attempts last year, but under new head coach Mike LaFleur, the Cardinals should be a much more run-heavy offense, which means that fantasy managers probably won't be able to count on Brissett putting up similar numbers over a full season in his second year in the desert.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
March 28, 2026
Penn State running back Kaytron Allen, who is ranked as the No. 7 RB prospect in this year's draft class by ESPN, is a big back at 5-foot-11, 216 pounds. Allen led the Nittany Lions in rushing in each of the last three seasons and became the school's all-time leading rusher with a total of 4,180 rushing yards in his 54 games over four seasons. The 23-year-old saved his best for last, rushing for a career-high 1,303 yards and 15 touchdowns on 210 carries in 12 games in his senior season in 2025. Allen won't be a priority for fantasy managers in dynasty/keeper leagues later this year because of his lack of prowess on passing downs, though, as he never had more than 20 receptions in a single season at Penn State. He finished his four-year career in college with 70 catches for 490 yards and four touchdowns as a receiver. Still, Allen will be coveted by RB-needy teams for his physicality, size, and strength. Early on, Allen figures to be more of a short-yardage, goal-line back in the NFL.
--Keith HernandezSource: Sports Reference
March 28, 2026
USC wide receiver
Makai Lemon was criticized for his bizarre interviews at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis in late February, but there's no question that he has the talent to be a top-15 selection in April's draft. The 21-year-old is a prototypical slot receiver who should be very productive at the next level, provided he stays healthy. Lemon broke out in his junior year in 2025 for the Trojans, catching 79 passes for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns in 12 games after scoring only three touchdowns in 21 games in his first two years at USC. Despite all of Lemon's potential shortcomings off the field, he's a fantastic receiving prospect going into this year's draft. However, there are questions about his ability to win outside, which could limit his playing time early on in his career in the NFL. Given his talent alone, Lemon could be a top-20 dynasty/keeper drafts in 2026. There's no question that Lemon will be a first-round at the end of April.
--Keith HernandezSource: Sports Reference
March 27, 2026
San Francisco 49ers quarterback
Mac Jones ended up playing in 11 games and making eight starts in his first year in the Bay Area in 2025 due to injuries to starter
Brock Purdy, and he was impressive when on the field. Jones went 5-3 as a starter for the Niners, going 201-for-289 passing (69.6% completion percentage) with 2,151 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, and six interceptions. The 27-year-old former 15th overall pick in 2021 by the New England Patriots out of Alabama has garnered plenty of trade interest this offseason after signing a two-year, $8.41 million contract with the 49ers in March of 2025. The 49ers reportedly have an astronomically high asking price tag on Jones, though, so it seems unlikely he'll be dealt this offseason. Unless Jones is traded to a team that will give him a chance to start in 2026, he'll merely be an experienced, low-ceiling QB stash in dynasty leagues for depth at the most important position in football.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
March 27, 2026
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers let future Hall of Fame wide receiver
Mike Evans walk in free agency to the San Francisco 49ers, but second-year wideout
Tez Johnson might still have an uphill battle for regular playing time in 2026. The Bucs took Johnson in the seventh round last year out of Oregon, and he ended up playing more snaps on offense than most people expected in his rookie campaign, thanks to injuries to Evans,
Chris Godwin Jr., and
Jalen McMillan. The 23-year-old showed flashes of upside in 16 games played (eight starts), catching 28 of his 44 targets for 322 yards and five touchdowns. He also added seven rushing attempts for 22 yards. Johnson's workload dropped late in the 2025 season once Evans, Godwin, and McMillan all returned from their injuries. The experience was valuable, but Johnson won't be guaranteed a bigger role in 2026, even with Evans gone. Johnson is still worth stashing in dynasty/keeper leagues, but right now, he profiles as the team's WR4 behind Godwin, McMillan, and
Emeka Egbuka.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
March 27, 2026
Houston Texans kicker Kai'imi Fairbairn has become one of the most trustworthy kickers in fantasy football, and the Texans rewarded him this offseason with a two-year, $13 million extension to make him the highest-paid kicker in the league. In his ninth year in the NFL in 2025, the 32-year-old veteran made a career- and league-high 44 of his 48 field-goal attempts, including nine of his 13 tries from 50-plus yards, and all 28 of his extra-point tries in 15 regular-season games. His 44 field goals made tied David Akers' record in 2011 for most field goals made in a single season. Fairbairn has made 87.6% of his 291 career field-goal attempts since entering the league in 2017 as an undrafted free agent out of UCLA. Not only does Fairbairn have a strong and accurate leg, but at least half of his games are indoors in Houston. Fairbairn finished as the No. 2 fantasy kicker last year, behind only the Seahawks'
Jason Myers. Going into fantasy drafts this fall, Fairbairn should absolutely be considered a top-five option at the kicking position.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
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