February 6, 2026
Atlanta Falcons quarterback
Michael Penix Jr. (knee) said on the Up & Adams Show on Friday that his recovery from knee surgery is a "little bit" ahead of schedule. Penix suffered a torn left ACL in Week 11 against the Carolina Panthers, but he's hoping he'll be ready to roll for Week 1 of the 2026 regular season this fall. The 25-year-old has already recovered from two ACL tears in his right knee in college, so he's pretty familiar with the rehab process. He's been attacking his rehab diligently since having surgery on Nov. 25, but there's no guarantee that Penix will be ready for Week 1, making him an extremely volatile QB2 target in fantasy football drafts this fall. Before his knee injury, the former eighth overall pick out of Washington was extremely inconsistent in nine starts in his first year as the full-time starter, completing 60.1% of his passes for 1,982 yards, nine TDs, and three picks.
--Keith HernandezSource: Up & Adams
February 6, 2026
Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is resigning, sources told Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network. Schwartz told other members of Cleveland's coaching staff that he wouldn't be back with the organization when the team announced that they were hiring Todd Monken as their new head coach over him, and now it's official. The expectation is that Schwartz, who is under contract with the Browns through next season, will not coach in the NFL for the 2026 season. The Browns' defense has been one of the best units in the league the last couple of years under Schwartz, with Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett leading the charge. Although Cleveland has the personnel on the roster to continue to be dominant in 2026, losing Schwartz is a big deal. It remains to be seen if Schwartz will be in play for any head-coaching positions next cycle, but at the very least, he'll be a coveted defensive coordinator if he wants to continue coaching.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Mike Garafolo
February 6, 2026
New York Giants wide receiver
Malik Nabers (knee) told ESPN's Jordan Raanan that his rehab has been "phenomenal." Nabers suffered a torn ACL and meniscus in his right knee on Sept. 28 and had surgery in late October. The 22-year-old's recovery time will be extended due to the full meniscus repair he underwent, in addition to his ACL surgery. However, since his injury occurred so early in the previous season, Nabers has a chance to be ready for the start of training camp in late July. We will be keeping a close eye on Nabers' progress throughout the offseason. The former sixth overall pick's progress as we approach training camp will determine his 2026 fantasy value. In his rookie campaign in 2024, Nabers caught 109 passes for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns on 170 targets. With promising young quarterback
Jaxson Dart now in the picture, Nabers' fantasy ceiling could be even higher despite suffering a significant knee injury in 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN New York - Jordan Raanan
February 6, 2026
Seattle Seahawks running back
Kenneth Walker III, who is in the final year of the four-year, $8.44 million deal he signed in July of 2022, said he is interested in re-signing with the team in the offseason, according to Kevin Patra of NFL.com. "I've been here four years, so you know I've gotten to know a lot of stuff about Seattle, and you know a lot of the city, and I feel like they feel good about me as well," Walker said. "So if it was my choice, though, I'd definitely stay." The 25-year-old has been key to the Seahawks' run to the Super Bowl this year, recording his second career 1,000-yard season and generating 100-plus scrimmage yards in three straight games, including the playoffs. Walker has 38 carries for 178 yards and four rushing touchdowns in two playoff games, tying for the most TDS in a single postseason in Seattle history. He matched his career high of 4.6 yards per carry while playing all 17 regular-season games for the first time in his four-year career. Walker is an explosive runner who will look to score for the third straight game in the Super Bowl against the Patriots on Sunday.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL.com - Kevin Patra
February 5, 2026
Los Angeles Rams veteran quarterback
Matthew Stafford was named the 2025 NFL Most Valuable Player on Thursday night for the first time in his 17th season in the league. Stafford beat out New England Patriots second-year QB
Drake Maye for the award by just one vote. The 37-year-old also made the Pro Bowl in 2025 for only the third time in his career after one of his best all-around seasons. Stafford completed 65% of his 597 pass attempts for a league-high 4,707 passing yards, a league-high 46 touchdown passes, and only eight interceptions in 17 regular-season starts. In three playoff games, he added 936 passing yards, six touchdowns, and one interception. There was some doubt as to whether Stafford would return for an 18th NFL season following the Rams' loss to the Seahawks in the NFC Championship, but the former Georgia Bulldog announced on Thursday night that he will be returning. With weapons galore in L.A. on offense, Stafford will be a clear QB1 fantasy target going into next season.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL
February 5, 2026
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver
Jaxon Smith-Njigba was named the 2025 NFL Offensive Player of the Year on Thursday evening, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. Smith-Njigba broke out as the best receiver in the NFL in his third year in the NFL with no
DK Metcalf around in Seattle. The 23-year-old former 20th overall pick in 2023 out of Ohio State immediately clicked with quarterback
Sam Darnold and caught 119 passes for a league-leading 1,793 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns on 163 targets over 17 regular-season games. JSN added 13 catches on 16 targets for 172 yards and two more trips to paydirt in the playoffs to lead Seattle to Super Bowl LX this Sunday against the New England Patriots. It would be a surprise if Smith-Njigba doesn't have a big game this weekend to cap off a phenomenal year. He will be one of the first receivers off the board in fantasy football drafts this fall.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
February 5, 2026
Cleveland Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger was named the 2025 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year on Thursday night, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Schwesinger was a tackling machine in his first year in the league in 2025 after the Browns took him in the second round out of UCLA. The 22-year-old managed to win the award despite missing the season finale due to an ankle injury. In 16 games played, Schwesinger tallied 156 tackles (67 solo), 2.5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, nine QB hits, two interceptions, and three pass breakups. He quickly put himself on the map in IDP fantasy leagues and should be a popular target in those formats in 2026. Schwesinger's ankle injury shouldn't prevent him from being ready for Week 1 of the regular season this fall. Cleveland's defense was one of the strongest units in the NFL this year, with pass-rusher Myles Garrett setting the single-season sack record as well.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
February 5, 2026
Chicago Bears offensive guard Joe Thuney was named the 2025 Protector of the Year on Thursday night, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. It's the first award of its kind. Thuney made an immediate impact for Chicago after the team acquired him in March of last year from the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for a fourth-round pick in this year's NFL Draft. The 33-year-old veteran then signed a two-year, $35 million contract with the Bears in May. The biggest surprise may have been the fact that a left guard, and not a left tackle, won the inaugural Protector of the Year award. Thuney played a key role in helping the Bears win the NFC North division while also helping the team advance to the Divisional Round of the postseason in quarterback
Caleb Williams' second year in the league. The Bears' offensive line allowed the third-fewest sacks (24) in the NFL in 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
February 5, 2026
San Francisco 49ers running back
Christian McCaffrey was named the 2025 Comeback Player of the Year on Thursday night, according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic. McCaffrey was limited to only four games in 2024 due to Achilles and knee issues, but he played in all 17 regular-season games in 2025 and led the 49ers in both rushing (1,202) and receiving yards (924). The four-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro handled a career-high 311 carries and scored 10 rushing touchdowns while also catching 102 passes on 129 targets with an additional seven trips to the end zone as a receiver. The Offensive Player of the Year in 2023 was the RB1 in half-PPR fantasy scoring this year after he slipped to the late first round of many drafts following his injury-plagued 2024 campaign. CMC is entering his age-30 campaign and has a lengthy injury history, but it's simply too hard to ignore his game-changing dual-threat abilities out of the backfield as the engine of San Fran's offense.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Matt Barrows
February 5, 2026
Denver Broncos outside linebacker Nik Bonitto (wrist) had a cleanup surgery on his wrist this week, multiple sources told Luca Evans of The Denver Post. Bonitto injured his wrist in the Week 2 loss to the Indianapolis Colts after slamming the ground in frustration, and he played the rest of the year with a club on his right hand. The procedure was a simple clean-up and shouldn't affect his preparation for the 2026 campaign. The 26-year-old had surgery to remove a bone spur in his foot in the preseason, and he admittedly was beat up during the 2025 season. Bonitto still managed to play in every game in his fourth year in the league and made the Pro Bowl for the second straight season, recording 46 tackles (31 solo), a career-high 14 sacks, 14 tackles for loss, 28 QB hits, and two forced fumbles in 17 regular-season contests. The former second-round pick will enter the 2026 campaign as one of the best pass-rushers in the NFL, with 17.5 sacks the last two years.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Denver Post - Luca Evans
February 5, 2026
Carolina Panthers first-round wide receiver
Tetairoa McMillan was named the 2025 Offensive Rookie of the Year on Thursday night, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. McMillan got to work right away after Carolina took him eighth overall in the 2025 NFL Draft out of Arizona. The 22-year-old operated as quarterback
Bryce Young's top target from the get-go and finished his rookie campaign with 70 receptions on 122 targets for 1,014 yards and seven touchdowns in 17 regular-season games. He also caught five of his seven targets for 81 yards in the Wild-Card loss to the Los Angeles Rams in his first career playoff game. McMillan's strong chemistry with Young bodes well for his future, and he'll head into Year 2 in 2026 with clear WR1 potential, although the lack of passing volume in Carolina's offense could be an issue.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
February 5, 2026
Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett became the second player in NFL history to unanimously win the Defensive Player of the Year award on Thursday night, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. J.J. Watt was the only other defensive player to do so back in 2014 with the Houston Texans. The 30-year-old seven-time Pro Bowler and five-time first-team All-Pro was a man among boys in terms of rushing the passer in 2025 in his ninth year in the NFL. Garrett set the NFL's single-season sack record with 23 in 17 games for the Browns. In addition to becoming the second player to ever win the award unanimously, Garrett also won the award for the second time in his career, with the first coming in 2023, when he had 14 sacks in 16 games. The former first overall pick in 2017 out of Texas A&M now has a whopping 125.5 sacks in 134 regular-season games played.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
February 5, 2026
Seattle Seahawks quarterback
Sam Darnold (oblique) was a full participant in practice on Thursday, according to Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic. Darnold was upgraded after being listed as limited on Wednesday's injury report. The 28-year-old signal-caller injured his left oblique in practice just days before the team's Divisional Round win over the San Francisco 49ers. He attempted only 17 passes in the 41-6 blowout win over the Niners, but Darnold bounced back for fantasy managers in the 31-27 win over the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship, going 25-for-36 for a season-high 346 yards and three touchdowns. Darnold won't have an easy test against the New England Patriots' defense in Super Bowl LX this Sunday, but he should be able to move the ball enough to put Seattle in position to win the game. Fantasy managers should not be worried at all about his oblique affecting his performance.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Michael-Shawn Dugar
February 5, 2026
Former Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden's attorneys will seek testimony from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and at least four current and former NFL owners in his lawsuit over whether the league leaked the emails that forced his departure as the Raiders' coach, according to a court filing this week. Gruden resigned in October of 2021 after the publication of emails he sent years earlier that included racist, misogynistic, and anti-gay language. Gruden's lawsuit accuses the league and Goodell of a "malicious and orchestrated campaign" to destroy his career. To this point, there have been no settlement talks. Gruden was an on-air analyst for ESPN from 2011 to 2018 when the emails were sent. In its filings to seek dismissal of Gruden's lawsuit, the NFL has said Gruden's case "hinges solely on unsupported allegations that fail as a matter of law or fall far short of stating a claim and should have been promptly dismissed when the NFL Parties first so moved."
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Don Van Natta Jr.
February 5, 2026
New York Giants tight end
Theo Johnson established himself as the team's clear top option at the position in his second NFL season in 2025. Across 15 games played, the 24-year-old hauled in 45 receptions for 528 yards and five touchdowns on 74 targets. Johnson played at least 80% of the Giants' offensive snaps in 12 out of the 15 games he was active for. Additionally, all five of his touchdown grabs came from Giants rookie quarterback
Jaxson Dart, an encouraging sign for the chemistry between two young pieces in the New York offense who should be able to grow together in the coming years. Heading into 2026, the Giants should be getting star wideout
Malik Nabers (knee) back from the knee injury that sidelined him for the majority of 2025, which will take some targets away from Johnson. Still, New York's offense profiles as an improving unit as a whole, which should only help Johnson's overall production. He may not have a superstar ceiling, but Johnson profiles as a tight end whose stock is on the rise in dynasty fantasy formats.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
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