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
ESPN's Matt Bowen believes the best fit for Baltimore Ravens impending free-agent tight end
Isaiah Likely is with the Washington Commanders. The Commanders are making the transition from Kliff Kingsbury to
David Blough at offensive coordinator, and Likely "could replace free agent
Zach Ertz as the middle-of-the-field target for quarterback
Jayden Daniels." Ertz has been a solid TE for Washington, but he's not getting any younger and is coming off a torn ACL. Likely would bring more upside with his catch-and-run ability, and Blough could scheme things up to "create underneath one-on-ones" for Likely. The 25-year-old former fourth-round pick in 2022 out of Coastal Carolina caught a career-low 27 passes for 307 yards and one touchdown in 14 games last year, but he had a 42-477-6 line in 2024. Getting out of
Mark Andrews' shadow will certainly be helpful for Likely's fantasy value.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Matt Bowen
February 17, 2026
ESPN's Matt Bowen thinks that Indianapolis Colts impending free-agent wide receiver
Alec Pierce would be a good fit with the Tennessee Titans under new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll. "Pierce has the vertical stretch ability to produce downt he field and can play a volume role as a multi-level target for quarterback
Cameron Ward," Bowen writes. In a breakout 2025 campaign with the Colts in which he led the team in receiving, Pierce averaged a league-best 21.3 yards per catch and caught 47 of his 84 targets for a career-high 1,003 yards and six touchdowns in 15 games. The 25-year-old also led the league in 2024 by averaging 22.3 yards per reception, so he's established himself as one of the best downfield threats in the NFL. He'll be a popular receiver target in free agency for wideout-needy teams like the Titans, but they will surely have competition on the open market. In Tennessee, Pierce would immediately become the team's WR1.
--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
The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt writes that "the winds have been blowing in the direction" of the New York Jets using the franchise tag on impending free-agent running back
Breece Hall since the trade deadline. At that time, general manager Darren Mougey resisted overtures from other teams, including the Kansas City Chiefs, who offered a fourth-round pick for Hall. The feeling is that Hall "would like to test free agency," so by placing the franchise tag on him, the Jets would have until July 15 to work out a long-term deal. If no deal is reached, Hall would be under contract in 2026 and then become a free agent in 2027. If Hall makes it to free agency, he's expected to be a "hot commodity" and would be considered the top free agent at his position. Hall reached 1,000 rushing yards in 2025, the first time a Jet has done so since 2015. He also ranked 10th in scrimmage yards, ninth in explosive plays, and had the best third-down conversion rate among all RBs with at least 100 carries. Hall and the Jets may not be on the best of terms, but Rosenblatt argues that the Jets simply cannot let talent like that just walk out the door. Tagging Hall and trading him could be a possibility.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Zack Rosenblatt
February 17, 2026
Houston Texans tight end
Dalton Schultz quietly had one of the best seasons of his NFL career in 2025. Schultz's headlines were muffled by
C.J. Stroud's struggles and the breakouts of
Jayden Higgins and
Jaylin Noel, but the veteran tight end had a very strong year en route to posting his second TE10 finish in the last three years. The 29-year-old ultimately caught 82 passes on 106 targets, both of which represent career highs. He tallied 777 yards and three touchdowns, finishing as a top-12 tight end for the fifth time in six years. Schultz isn't the flashiest name at the tight end position, but he has quietly offered year-over-year stability. The veteran pass-catcher remains under contract with Houston for 2026, and he should continue to produce next season despite Stroud's inconsistent play. Schultz ranks as a fringe top-12 fantasy tight end, and he should be held in most dynasty leagues.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
February 17, 2026
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver
Tee Higgins continues to be a productive fantasy option, and he posted a new career-best finish as the overall WR15 in PPR leagues in 2025. Despite missing two games, Higgins exploded for 59 catches, 846 yards, and a career-high 11 touchdowns. It has been really encouraging to see the former second-round pick get more looks in the end zone. He has set a new career-high in touchdowns in each of the last two seasons, and during that two-year window, he has scored a total of 21 times. Some people might say that Higgins benefits from facing teams' No. 2 cornerbacks (because their top options cover
Ja'Marr Chase), but that's a hard argument to make given that Higgins has also excelled in games that Chase has missed. There's a bit of an injury risk with Higgins, who had two concussions during the back half of the 2025 season, but his ceiling and floor both remain quite high. He's worth drafting as a high-end WR2 in 2026 fantasy drafts, and he's worth holding in dynasty leagues.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
February 17, 2026
Denver Broncos tight end
Evan Engram had a frustrating 2025 season, failing to live up to preseason expectations. Engram signed with the Broncos after three years in Jacksonville. He had been a top-five fantasy tight end in two of his three years with the Jaguars, and the one exception was his injury-shortened 2024 campaign. Fantasy managers had high hopes for Engram in Denver, where he could have played the "joker" role in Sean Payton's offense. Instead, he was held to just 4.75 targets per contest, and he finished the year with just one touchdown. These subpar stats resulted in Engram ranking as the overall TE29 in PPR leagues, which was the lowest single-season mark of his career (minimum 10 games played). It doesn't seem like this year was a fluke, either. Engram truly just struggled to get on the field, playing fewer than 50% of the offensive snaps in 13 of his 16 contests. Barring a major scheme change this offseason, we can expect a similar pattern for Engram in 2026. He's a risky redraft option in next summer's drafts. Meanwhile, dynasty managers might want to trade Engram while they still can, capitalizing on any name value he has left.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
February 17, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver
Ladd McConkey had a frustrating second season in the NFL. He caught 66 passes for 789 yards and six touchdowns, ranking as the overall WR30. He wasn't a total bust, but he certainly failed to live up to the expectations he had established after finishing as the WR13 as a rookie in 2024. That same year, he had 1,149 yards and seven touchdowns.
Justin Herbert continues to play at a very high level, so we can't blame his regression on poor quarterback play. The Chargers' bottom-tier offensive line could have been a contributing factor, but more likely than not, defenses just started to do a better job game-planning for the former second-round pick now that they had a full year's worth of film on him. Los Angeles replaced offensive coordinator Greg Roman with Mike McDaniel this offseason, which should benefit all of the Chargers' skill players in fantasy football. Additionally, there might be a few extra targets to go around, now that
Keenan Allen is headed for free agency. All in all, managers absolutely should not panic about McConkey after the 2025 season. In fact, dynasty managers might be able to buy low on McConkey if his current manager is frustrated by how he played last year.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
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 17, 2026
The Seattle Seahawks are not expected to place the franchise tag on impending free agent running back
Kenneth Walker III, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Walker capitalized on a contract year and put together a very impressive 2025 campaign. For the first time in his career, he was healthy for all 17 regular-season games. He tallied 1,309 scrimmage yards and five touchdowns while splitting work with
Zach Charbonnet during the regular season, and he put the rushing workload on his back after Charbonnet tore his ACL during Seattle's first playoff game. Ultimately, Walker won Super Bowl MVP and could now fetch the largest contract among this year's free agent running backs. Schefter doesn't totally rule out a return to Seattle for Walker, but he does note that the team has other plans for its spending, including a
Jaxon Smith-Njigba extension and re-signing other free agents.
--Andersen PickardSource: Adam Schefter
February 16, 2026
Washington Commanders impending free agent tight end
Zach Ertz (knee) may be 36 years old, but he has continued to be a productive pass-catching weapon on the offensive side of the ball. Ertz had 50 catches for 504 yards and four touchdowns across 13 games, ranking as the overall TE19 in PPR leagues. He has 11 touchdowns over the last two seasons, averaging 10.1 fantasy points per game during that span. His final stat line from 2025 is even more impressive when you remember the quarterback situation he was dealt.
Jayden Daniels missed plenty of time due to injury, so Ertz found himself catching passes from
Marcus Mariota. He was shut down for the season by the time
Josh Johnson earned any quarterback snaps, though. Ertz tore his ACL in Week 14, leaving plenty of question marks about his availability for 2026. Furthermore, he's a free agent this offseason, so we don't even know if he'll end up back in Washington. It's quite possible that a team with an established, young No. 1 tight end signs Ertz, allowing him to recover before filling a depth role. That'd be a rough scenario for fantasy managers, so selling high on him in dynasty leagues might be the right choice this offseason.
--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
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