January 29, 2026
New York Jets wide receiver
Adonai Mitchell is coming off an up-and-down 2025 season. A second-round pick by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2024 NFL Draft, Mitchell recorded just 32 catches over the first 25 games of his career with Indy. However, he was seemingly rejuvenated by a midseason trade to New York, where he finished the season by hauling in 24 receptions for 301 yards and two touchdowns on 58 targets across eight games played. The Jets afforded Mitchell his first chance at extended playing time, as he played at least 80% of the team's offensive snaps in six of his eight contests. Heading into 2026, star Jets wideout
Garrett Wilson's (knee) return from injury will push Mitchell down the depth chart. However, Mitchell appears to be in the mix for the team's WR2 role, depending on the additions made by New York in free agency and the draft. It's worth noting that Mitchell remained an inefficient pass-catcher even after being acquired by the Jets, as he averaged just 5.2 yards per target. Still, he's a talented young player with a possible playing time runway who should be on the radar of fantasy managers in both dynasty and redraft formats.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
January 29, 2026
As his team's first first-round wide receiver selection since 2002, Green Bay Packers wideout
Matthew Golden entered the 2025 season with plenty of hype. However, the 22-year-old failed to carve out a consistent role as a rookie, finishing the year with 29 receptions for 381 yards and zero touchdowns on 44 targets across 14 regular-season games. From Week 9 onwards, Golden played fewer than 50% of Green Bay's offensive snaps in every game but two. With another offseason to develop chemistry with Packers quarterback
Jordan Love and earn the trust of his coaching staff, Golden could be in line for a significantly larger role in 2026. However, Green Bay will likely still roster plenty of competition for playing time at the wide receiver position, even with veteran wideout
Romeo Doubs set to hit free agency. Between
Christian Watson,
Jayden Reed, and
Dontayvion Wicks, Golden will have to fight for playing time with three wide receivers who were all ahead of him on the team's depth chart at different times in 2025. While he remains an intriguing long-term prospect, Golden's value to fantasy managers in dynasty leagues has taken a hit relative to where it was this time last year.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
January 29, 2026
A fourth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Tennessee Titans wide receiver
Chimere Dike flashed upside throughout his rookie season. Across 17 games played, the 24-year-old recorded 48 receptions for 423 yards and four touchdowns on 74 targets. Dike also improved as the season progressed, earning at least five targets in five out of his last seven games of the season and scoring three touchdowns in that stretch. Heading into 2026, Dike figures to be in the mix for a starting role in Tennessee. However, the Titans will also have a new coaching staff in place, and could look to bring in additional talent at the position through both the draft and free agency. Still, Dike showed enough encouraging signs as a rookie that he will likely be in the organization's plans in some capacity. Dike may be a player worth stashing in dynasty leagues coming off a solid rookie campaign in 2025.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
January 29, 2026
Pittsburgh Steelers running back
Kenneth Gainwell was one of the more surprising breakout players of the 2025 season, recording 1,023 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns on 187 touches across 17 games played. Gainwell emerged as one of the favorite targets of Steelers quarterback
Aaron Rodgers, as he hauled in 73 receptions for 486 yards and three scores on 85 targets. Coming off the best season of his career, Gainwell is now set to hit unrestricted free agency. If retained by Pittsburgh, Gainwell would likely remain in a playing time split with Steelers running back
Jaylen Warren. However, the Steelers have moved on from 2025 offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and may bring in a new quarterback for the 2026 season as well. As such, a return to Pittsburgh would not necessarily guarantee Gainwell the same role he enjoyed this past season. Fantasy managers should closely monitor Gainwell's free agency, as his next team will likely play a significant factor in his value going forward.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
January 29, 2026
Atlanta Falcons veteran quarterback
Kirk Cousins has two years left on his deal, but he's expected to be released in early March after the Falcons restructured his contract so that he'll be owed $68 million if he's on the roster on March 13, according to The Athletic's Josh Kendall. Cousins could be released and re-signed on a less-expensive contract as the Falcons look for insurance at the position behind
Michael Penix Jr. (knee). The 37-year-old QB started the final seven games in 2025 after Penix tore his ACL in Week 11. Cousins ranked 37th in the NFL in EPA per dropback and threw for 1,721 yards, 10 touchdowns, and five interceptions in his 10 games (eight starts). Even though new head coach Kevin Stefanski has a previous working relationship with Cousins from their time together with the Vikings in 2019, the feeling is that Atlanta is ready to move on from him this offseason. Penix's recovery this offseason could be the determining factor in whether Atlanta brings Cousins back in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Josh Kendall
January 29, 2026
The Athletic's Josh Kendall writes that it's clear from new head coach Kevin Stefanski's past that running back
Bijan Robinson can "expect his heavy workload to continue" in 2026. Kendall even thinks that Robinson's workload could increase as he enters his fourth year in the NFL. The 23-year-old led the league in scrimmage yards (2,298) in 2025, putting him firmly in the running for the Offensive Player of the Year award. Robinson has been the only player in the league with more than 1,000 combined rushes and receptions since he was drafted eighth overall in 2023. He finished behind only
Christian McCaffrey and
Jonathan Taylor in half-PPR points last season, carrying the ball 287 times for 1,478 yards and seven touchdowns. Robinson added 79 receptions for 820 yards and four more TDs on 103 targets over 17 games. There's an argument to be made for Robinson being the No. 1 overall pick in 2026 fantasy football drafts.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Josh Kendall
January 29, 2026
Not many fantasy football managers would have predicted Arizona Cardinals wide receiver
Michael Wilson being a top-12 wideout at the start of the 2025 season. Thanks to injuries to quarterback
Kyler Murray and receiver
Marvin Harrison Jr., Wilson took over as the team's WR1 in the second half of the season and finished with career-highs across the board in catches (78), targets (126), receiving yards (1,006), and touchdowns (seven) in 17 games played. In the first nine games of the year, Wilson had only 22 receptions for 231 yards and one score on 38 targets. In the final eight contests, he soared with 56 catches on 88 targets for 775 yards and six touchdowns in a pass-happy Cardinals offense. Backup QB
Jacoby Brissett peppered Wilson with targets as much as possible, and he scored in each of the final five games. Despite the impressive breakout, Wilson's 2026 fantasy value will be shaky with a giant question mark at QB and under a completely new coaching staff.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
January 29, 2026
Dallas Cowboys tight end
Jake Ferguson didn't have much of a chance in 2024 after quarterback
Dak Prescott's season-ending hamstring injury, finishing his third year in the NFL with 59 catches, 494 yards, and zero touchdowns in 14 starts. Ferguson was able to bounce back in 2025, though, with a career-high 82 receptions on 102 targets for 600 yards and a career-high eight touchdowns in 17 contests. It wasn't all great for the 27-year-old, though, as he didn't go over 20 receiving yards in any of his final four games while also finishing with a career-low 7.3 yards per catch. All in all, it was a successful fourth year in the NFL. Ferguson was the TE7 in half-PPR scoring, and he will be a no-doubt TE1 target in fantasy football drafts this fall as the top pass-catching tight end in the Cowboys' high-scoring offense. Despite receivers
CeeDee Lamb and
George Pickens seeing their fair share of targets, Ferguson was one of only eight TEs who saw over 100 targets in 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
January 29, 2026
Cincinnati Bengals running back
Chase Brown said his representation is in talks with the team about a new long-term contract extension, according to Ben Baby of ESPN. Brown, 25, is eligible for an extension after completing his third year in the NFL in 2025. "I would love to do something and be a part of this team," Brown said. "I don't want to go anywhere else." The 25-year-old finished 11th in the NFL last year with a team-high 1,456 scrimmage yards. He was also sixth among all RBs with 437 receiving yards, and he had his first 1,000-rushing campaign (1,019 yards). Given all of the other financial commitments to key players on the offensive side of the ball in Cincy, and the fact that the Bengals' defense needs a lot of help, it remains to be seen if the Bengals will extend Brown going into the final year of his deal. Regardless of his contract going into the 2026 season, Brown should at least be viewed as a low-end RB1 target as the team's No. 1 backfield option in a high-scoring offense.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Ben Baby
January 29, 2026
The New York Giants are scheduled to meet with Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter to discuss their vacant offensive-coordinator position, according to Peter Schrager of ESPN. Cooter has also interviewed for the offensive-coordinator job with the Philadelphia Eagles. The 41-year-old has been the Colts' OC since 2023, but he hasn't called plays while working under offensive-minded head coach Shane Steichen. Moving to either New York or Philly would allow Cooter to call plays. Under Cooter in 2025, the Colts' offense ranked eighth in points per game and yards per play. He was also the OC for the Detroit Lions from 2015 to 2018. Cooter has previous ties to the Eagles after serving as an offensive consultant in 2021. The Giants were expected to go with Todd Monken as their OC, but he took the job as the next head coach for the Browns.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Peter Schrager
January 29, 2026
New England Patriots quarterback
Drake Maye (shoulder) did not throw the football around during the period of practice open to the media on Thursday, according to Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald. Maye injured his right (throwing) shoulder in the AFC Championship victory of the Denver Broncos last weekend and was listed as limited on Wednesday's estimated injury report. The Patriots have downplayed the second-year QB's injury and said he should be fine for the Super Bowl against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, Feb. 8. With an extra week off before the big game, the Pats are likely just resting their star signal-caller to make sure that he's closer to full health next week. The North Carolina product was the QB3 in overall fantasy points during the regular season in his first full year as the starter, completing a league-high 72% of his pass attempts for 4,394 yards, 31 touchdowns, and eight picks. He hasn't been nearly as good in his first three career playoff games, though, completing 55.8% of his passes for 533 yards, four TDs, and two interceptions while fumbling six times (three lost).
--Keith HernandezSource: Boston Herald - Doug Kyed
January 29, 2026
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back
Rachaad White had his worst statistical season in 2025, even though
Bucky Irving missed seven games due to injury. White was the RB35 in half-PPR scoring with 132 carries for 572 yards (4.3 yards per tote) and four touchdowns in 17 games played. He added a career-low 40 receptions on 45 targets for 218 yards through the air. White failed to score a receiving TD for the first time in his four NFL seasons. Even with Irving sidelined with injury, White wasn't given a workhorse role, as
Sean Tucker saw plenty of involvement in a committee approach. The 27-year-old just didn't have a big enough role in Tampa's backfield when Irving was healthy, and he voiced his frustration about that at the end of the year. White will almost certainly look to sign elsewhere as a free agent, although a new location won't necessarily guarantee him a lead-back role in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
January 29, 2026
Detroit Lions wide receiver
Jameson Williams was slightly more productive in his fourth year in the league in 2025 despite the loss of offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. Williams, the 12th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, set new career highs in catches (65), targets (102), and receiving yards (1,117) while scoring seven times for the second straight season in 17 starts. The 24-year-old only played in six games in his rookie campaign in 2022 as he recovered from an ACL tear, and Detroit struggled to find a role for him in Year 2. But Williams has reached his true potential over the last two years with 1,000-yard seasons, and he could have an even higher ceiling in new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing's scheme in 2026. Williams finished as a top-12 fantasy wideout in half-PPR scoring and will definitely have WR1 upside again for the Lions in 2026 as a big-play threat all over the field.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
January 29, 2026
Atlanta Falcons quarterback
Michael Penix Jr. (knee), who had ACL reconstruction on his left knee on Nov. 25, is hoping that he'll be ready for Week 1 of the 2026 regular season this fall, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta-Journal Consitution. "I've been doing great," Penix said. "Each and every day, just trying to get better. I feel like my confidence has been building." The 25-year-old signal-caller was given a nine- to 12-month timetable at the time of his surgery, the third ACL surgery of his career. There's optimism right now from Penix and the Falcons, but Penix's availability for the start of next season is still very much up in the air. It sounds like new head coach Kevin Stefanski is fully committed to Penix as the team's starter going forward, but his lengthy injury history -- he also suffered two season-ending shoulder injuries in college -- makes him an extremely volatile dynasty asset in fantasy football. In his 14 games (12 starts) in his first two NFL seasons, Penix has completed only 59.6% of his passes for 2,757 yards with 12 TDs and six interceptions.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution - D. Orlando Ledbetter
January 29, 2026
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver
A.J. Brown voiced his frustration with his involvement in a lackluster offense throughout the 2025 campaign. The 28-year-old three-time Pro Bowler went quiet for long stretches, but he still finished with a team-high 121 targets and caught 78 passes for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns in 15 regular-season games. Brown has scored exactly seven times in each of the last three years. Despite all the drama between Brown, quarterback
Jalen Hurts, and head coach Nick Sirianni, he still finished as the WR12 in half-PPR scoring and averaged 12.1 fantasy points per game. He has gone over 1,000 receiving yards in each of his four seasons in Philly and in six of his seven NFL seasons. Brown should remain in the WR1 conversation in fantasy going into 2026, but he's becoming more volatile, and he could be traded this offseason. The three-time Pro Bowler had a career-low 12.9 yards per catch in 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
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