February 10, 2026
Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson spent four seasons at Alabama, but the 23-year-old wasn't named the starter until his redshirt junior season in 2025. However, his lone season as the QB1 has him in a position to be a first-round draft selection in April. The Tennessee native started in 15 games in 2025, throwing for 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns, and just five interceptions. He tallied 93 yards and two scores as a runner. In early November, Simpson was projected to be a fringe top-five pick, as he threw 20 touchdowns to just one interception through his first eight games. He wasn't quite as efficient through the final seven games of the year, but his overall body of work and the premium placed on the QB spot in the NFL make him likely to be a mid-or-late first-round pick. The Raiders are expected to pick Fernando Mendoza No. 1 overall, but the Jets, Cardinals, Browns, and Dolphins are among the teams clearly looking for a new quarterback in 2026. If Simpson is a first-round pick, he'll be a valuable rookie selection in Superflex and two-QB dynasty leagues. His lack of rushing upside limits his ceiling in single-QB setups.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
February 10, 2026
Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love is almost unanimously considered the No. 1 prospect at the position in the 2026 NFL Draft class, and he's widely viewed as a top-five or fringe top-five overall player. Despite many draft analysts believing running backs shouldn't be selected in the top half of the first round, we have seen
Ashton Jeanty (No. 6),
Bijan Robinson (No. 8), and
Jahmyr Gibbs (No. 12) come off the board that early just in the past three drafts. After a monster junior season, Love is primed to be a top-10 pick in April's draft. In 12 games, the 20-year-old tallied 226 touches for 1,652 yards and 21 touchdowns despite sharing the backfield with Jadarian Price, who many view as the RB2 in the 2026 class. Love has adequate workhorse size at 214 pounds, and he's a crafty and dynamic runner and receiver. If Love is picked as early as expected, he figures to be a clear second-round pick in redraft leagues next season, and he has high-end RB1 upside in his career, if not from Day 1. Love is easily the No. 1 pick in upcoming single-QB rookies drafts.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Sports Reference CFB
February 10, 2026
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver
Darnell Mooney didn't live up to expectations during the 2025 season. Many fantasy managers viewed Mooney as one of the most intriguing No. 2 wide receivers in fantasy football coming into the year, but injuries and a lack of rapport with Atlanta's quarterbacks cost his fantasy managers in a big way. Mooney, who had 992 yards and five touchdowns in 2024, came back down to earth with just 32 catches, 443 yards, and one touchdown across 15 games this past season. The sixth-year receiver had the second-worst season of his career, letting down the managers who drafted him at his preseason ADP around 120. It will be interesting to see how the Falcons address their pass-catching unit this offseason. At the very least, we would expect them to bring in some competition for Mooney. However, the team also has a glaring hole at tight end with
Kyle Pitts headed for free agency. Plus, the quarterback position remains in limbo with
Michael Penix Jr. (knee) injured and
Kirk Cousins' future uncertain. There are a lot of moving parts here, but one thing is for certain: Mooney will be ranked a lot lower in 2026 fantasy drafts than he was in 2025. Managers shouldn't be rushing to select Mooney or acquire him in dynasty leagues.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
February 9, 2026
New York Jets running back
Braelon Allen (knee) saw his 2025 season come to an abrupt end after he suffered an MCL sprain back in Week 4. New York left the door open for him to return, but that never came to fruition. He ultimately finished his second pro season with 18 carries, 76 rushing yards, two catches, 17 receiving yards, and one touchdown through parts of four games. It was a frustrating setback for a young ball-carrier who was projected to eat into
Breece Hall's workload. While that didn't pan out in 2025, we could still see Allen step into a much larger role next season. Hall is headed for free agency, and if the Jets don't franchise tag him, he could quite possibly sign elsewhere. That would leave Allen and
Isaiah Davis, who had 422 yards and one touchdown across 16 games last season, sharing a rung atop the depth chart. The fantasy surge of Allen and Davis hinges on New York letting Hall walk and failing to replace him, which is far from a guarantee. However, there's certainly a path to Allen being a top-36 fantasy running back next season. Managers should pay close attention to the Jets' free agency plans when evaluating the 22-year-old's fantasy future.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
February 9, 2026
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver
DeVonta Smith had another solid campaign during the 2025 season, catching 77 passes for 1,008 yards and four touchdowns. This was the lowest touchdown total of his career, but it was encouraging to see him eclipse the 1,000-yard mark for the third time in the last four years. It's also worth noting that he had more yards and just one fewer catch than teammate
A.J. Brown, indicating the gap between the two may not be as large as it seems. Of course, it's unclear if this duo will be together for long. There were rumors of drama between Brown and the Eagles throughout the year, and we wouldn't be surprised to see trade talks ramp up during the offseason. Trading Brown is far from a guarantee, but even the threat of a depth chart shakeup makes Smith a very intriguing "buy" in dynasty fantasy football leagues. If Smith were to become the top receiver in Philly, he'd have top-12 appeal among wide receivers in 2026 fantasy football drafts.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
February 9, 2026
Cleveland Browns wide receiver
Jerry Jeudy had an underwhelming season despite operating as the No. 1 receiver on the depth chart. Jeudy ultimately caught passes from a mix of quarterbacks, including
Joe Flacco,
Dillon Gabriel, and
Shedeur Sanders. None of those signal-callers played particularly well, and as a result, he was held to just 50 catches, 602 yards, and two touchdowns. These were his lowest marks since 2021, when he only played 10 games. The 26-year-old is a talented receiver, and the fact that he's under contract for two more seasons indicates that he'll remain with Cleveland in 2026. However, he hasn't necessarily put last year's adversity behind him. The Browns' quarterback plans remain uninspiring, and Jeudy will continue to face competition from the likes of
Cedric Tillman and
Harold Fannin Jr. As a result, managers shouldn't count on Jeudy to be a top-36 receiver ahead of 2026 fantasy football drafts.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
February 9, 2026
Denver Broncos wide receiver
Troy Franklin took a major step forward during his second season in the NFL. He appeared in all 17 games throughout the 2025 regular season, catching 65 passes for 709 yards and six touchdowns. Despite competing for volume with
Courtland Sutton,
Pat Bryant,
Marvin Mims Jr., and
Evan Engram, Franklin managed to finish the year as the overall WR30 in full-PPR leagues. The Broncos aren't losing any key receivers in free agency, so Franklin won't face any less competition heading into next year. However, having another full season and offseason under his belt should allow him to elevate his game and push for a 1,000-yard season. He'll also benefit from playing another year alongside quarterback
Bo Nix (ankle), who should be healthy by Week 1. Franklin is a top-36 receiver heading into 2026 fantasy football drafts.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
February 9, 2026
New England Patriots wide receiver
Stefon Diggs caught all three of his targets for 37 yards during Sunday's Super Bowl LX loss against the Seattle Seahawks. Diggs produced every time the ball was thrown his way, but he didn't quite live up to his expectations as New England's No. 1 receiver. Although it was a tough game for the Patriots' wide receivers all around,
Mack Hollins and
DeMario Douglas started to produce in the second half, and the two ultimately combined for nine catches, 123 yards, and a touchdown. Diggs had an up-and-down regular season, but it should be chalked up to a success given that he had 85 catches, 1,013 yards, and four touchdowns. The veteran's contract is designed to give the Patriots a potential out this offseason, but if New England chooses to bring him back, he'll remain a top-25 wide receiver in 2026 fantasy football drafts.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
February 9, 2026
San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Keion White (ankle) was shot in the ankle during an event in San Francisco on Monday morning, sources told Matt Barrows of The Athletic. White underwent surgery on Monday and is expected to be OK. The 49ers acquired White from the New England Patriots in late October. The 27-year-old former second-rounder in 2023 out of Georgia Tech tallied 12 tackles (five solo), 1.5 sacks, six QB hits, and a fumble recovery in nine regular-season games with the Niners in a rotational role. White might not be ready for the start of offseason workouts because of his ankle surgery, but he should be fully ready to play by training camp this summer. He's heading into the final year of his rookie contract in 2026 and should once again be a rotational defensive lineman for San Fran next season.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Matt Barrows
February 9, 2026
All signs are pointing toward Cleveland Browns tight end
Harold Fannin Jr. being the team's No. 1 pass-catching tight end again in 2026 after fellow TE
David Njoku announced on Monday that he's not expecting to re-sign with the team in free agency this offseason. Fannin, 21, surprisingly led Cleveland in receiving in 2025 after the team selected him in the third round out of Bowling Green. The 6-foot-4, 241-pounder hauled in 72 of his 107 targets for 731 yards and six touchdowns in 16 games played, which made him the TE5 overall in half-PPR scoring. Fannin did it all despite a less-than-ideal situation at quarterback, too, which makes his rookie campaign even that much more impressive. The Browns' QB picture won't look all that much better going into next year, but Fannin should maintain TE1 value in fantasy as a key piece of the offense in his sophomore season.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Daniel Oyefusi
February 9, 2026
Cleveland Browns impending free-agent tight end
David Njoku said on his Instagram account on Monday that "the time for me to find a new home has come," according to Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN. Njoku is set to become a free agent on March 12, one day after the new league year begins. The 29-year-old has spent his entire nine-year career in Cleveland and made it known that he'd love to return to the Browns, but it's not in the cards. The former 29th overall pick by the Browns in 2017 out of Miami took a clear back seat to rookie
Harold Fannin Jr. in 2025 and is now expendable. Njoku wasn't a reliable fantasy tight end with the reduced role last season, as he caught 33 passes on 48 targets for 293 yards and four touchdowns in 12 games played. It was one of the worst years of Njoku's career, but a bounce-back could be possibly, depending on where he lands in free agency.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Daniel Oyefusi
February 9, 2026
The Las Vegas Raiders officially agreed to an undisclosed five-year deal with new head coach Klint Kubiak on Monday, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN. The Raiders had to wait to officially name Kubiak as their next head coach until after Super Bowl LX. He will get to work quickly after helping lead the Seattle Seahawks to a Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots on Sunday. Kubiak is the fourth head coach for the Raiders in the last four seasons, but they are hoping that he'll bring some stability to the role as the team looks to rebuild. They have the No 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and are fully expected to select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. Kubiak will be crucial in the development of Mendoza, the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
February 9, 2026
Los Angeles Rams assistant head coach and passing-game coordinator Aubrey Pleasant will interview for the defensive-coordinator jobs with the Arizona Cardinals and Cleveland Browns, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Pleasant has worked with five different teams (Rams, Washington Commanders, Browns, Detroit Lions, and Green Bay Packers) since starting his NFL coaching career back in 2013, but he has never been a defensive coordinator. The more attractive job is definitely in Cleveland, where the reigning Defensive Player of the Year resides in pass-rusher Myles Garrett. Pleasant was also interviewed for the Los Angeles Chargers' defensive-coordinator position this offseason before they chose Chris O'Leary for the gig. He has spent the last three seasons in L.A. coaching under Sean McVay.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
February 9, 2026
The Cleveland Browns have requested permission to interview New York Giants assistant coach Charlie Bullen for their defensive-coordinator job, a source told Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network. Bullen is also in the mix for the defensive-coordinator position with the Arizona Cardinals. He took over as the Giants' interim DC last season when the team fired Shane Bowen, but he was unable to land the full-time DC gig after John Harbaugh took over as the new head coach. Bullen has 13 years of coaching experience in the NFL, but he's never been a defensive coordinator. He got his start as a defensive assistant with the Miami Dolphins in 2012. The Browns are looking for a new DC after Jim Schwartz resigned because he was passed over for the head-coaching opening. Cleveland's defense already has a strong base to work with, including Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Mike Garafolo
February 9, 2026
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler spoke to several people in the NFL who believe that Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton will eventually relinquish offensive play-calling duties to new offensive coordinator
Davis Webb. Webb, a former backup quarterback with the Buffalo Bills, has been a fast riser in the coaching ranks and had multiple head-coaching interviews this cycle. The decision will be up to Payton, but nothing has been decided for now. Payton has called plays at a high level for decades, but his decisions came under scrutiny in the AFC Championship game loss to the New England Patriots. Webb took over the OC job in Denver following the firing of Joe Lombardi. Handing over play-calling duties to Webb might be another way for the Broncos to hang onto the coveted coach beyond the 2026 campaign, and they could potentially be grooming him to take over head-coaching duties if Payton decides to retire down the road.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Jeremy Fowler
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