January 29, 2026
Green Bay Packers wide receiver
Jayden Reed's third season in the NFL was marred by a broken collarbone and a foot injury that limited him to only seven games played. In his seven games, Reed caught 19 of his 22 targets for 207 yards and only one touchdown. The 25-year-old former second-rounder in 2023 out of Michigan State had 119 catches for 1,650 yards and 14 touchdowns on 169 targets in his first two seasons, adding 31 carries for 282 yards and another three TDs. Fantasy managers hoping for more of that production were sorely disappointed, but Reed should bounce back in 2026 with better health as a key piece of Green Bay's offense. The Packers' receiving corps is crowded with
Christian Watson and
Matthew Golden in the mix, but
Romeo Doubs could depart in free agency. Savvy fantasy managers will want to keep Reed's name in mind as a WR sleeper this fall.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
January 29, 2026
Arizona Cardinals running back
Trey Benson (knee) very well could have had a Year 2 breakout season in 2025 had he not injured his knee early on. Benson ended up playing in only four games in his second year in the NFL, carrying the ball 29 times for 160 yards and no touchdowns while catching 13 of 16 targets for 64 yards. Primary RB
James Conner suffered a season-ending foot injury in Week 3. Conner is under contract for one more season, so if the 23-year-old Benson is healthy in 2026, he'll likely operate as the RB2 in the desert. Benson never had a major role behind Conner in his rookie campaign, totaling 63 rushing attempts for 291 yards and only one touchdown in 13 games played. On top of Benson's injury concerns -- he also had a major knee injury in college -- the Cardinals will have an entirely new coaching staff next season, and it's unclear what direction they'll go in at quarterback.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
January 29, 2026
Cleveland Browns running back
Quinshon Judkins (ankle, leg) got a late start to his rookie season in the NFL due to a legal matter and ended the year on Injured Reserve due to a fractured right fibula and dislocated right ankle, but when he was healthy, he showed why he was so coveted in the 2025 NFL Draft. Judkins quickly took over RB1 duties in Cleveland and ran for 867 yards and seven touchdowns on 230 carries over 14 starts. He was the RB26 overall in half-PPR scoring and added 26 catches for 171 yards as a pass-catcher. The 22-year-old Ohio State product has intriguing long-term upside because of his combination of power and speed, and all reports suggest he should make a full recovery from his injuries before the start of the 2026 campaign. Judkins might be a popular Year 2 breakout candidate, although Cleveland's quarterback situation could hold him back.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
January 29, 2026
The Philadelphia Eagles are hiring Green Bay Packers quarterbacks coach
Sean Mannion as their new offensive coordinator, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. The 33-year-old was drafted in the third round in 2015, and he spent four years with the Rams, three seasons with the Vikings, and one year with the Seattle Seahawks. In 14 career appearances, he made three starts and threw for 573 yards, one touchdown, and three picks. Mannion got his coaching start in the NFL as an offensive assistant under Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, and he was promoted to QBs coach in 2025. He's credited with the development of backup
Malik Willis in Green Bay, and now he'll be asked to help fix an Eagles offense that went stagnant in 2025. It's unclear if head coach Nick Sirianni will leave Mannion in charge of play-calling duties.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
January 29, 2026
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver
Josh Downs followed up a solid second season in the NFL with his worst yet in Year 3. Downs had career-lows in receptions (58), targets (88), and receiving yards (566) while scoring four touchdowns in 16 games played. The 24-year-old pass-catcher also had a career-low 9.8 yards per catch as he operated as the team's No. 3 receiver behind
Alec Pierce and
Michael Pittman Jr. Even with quarterback
Daniel Jones having a career resurgence before his season-ending torn Achilles tendon in the second half, Downs was unable to take advantage. He never clicked with Jones in the passing attack, and it didn't help that rookie tight end
Tyler Warren caught 76 passes for 817 yards. Unless Indy releases Pittman this offseason to give Downs a clearer path to consistent targets, he won't be much more than a late-round dart throw with limited upside in 2026 fantasy drafts.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
January 29, 2026
Tennessee Titans tight end
Chig Okonkwo never really became all that interesting in fantasy football in his fourth year in the NFL in 2025 in a Titans offense that struggled with consistency under rookie quarterback
Cameron Ward. Okonkwo played in all 17 games for the fourth straight year and had career-highs in receptions (56), targets (79), and receiving yards (560) while finding the end zone only two times. In addition to the Titans' offense being one of the worst in the league, Okonkwo shared valuable targets with rookie TE
Gunnar Helm, who finished his rookie season with 44 catches for 357 yards and two touchdowns on 55 targets. Both of Okonkwo's touchdowns came late in the year, but Helm also saw more involvement in the passing game in the second half of 2025. For fantasy purposes, Okonkwo would be better off going elsewhere in free agency, with Helm likely only becoming more of a factor on offense in Tennessee in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
January 29, 2026
Tennessee Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi said that quarterback
Cameron Ward (shoulder) is "doing well" as he rehabs a right-shoulder injury that he suffered in the Week 18 regular-season finale, according to Jim Wyatt of TennesseeTitans.com. It's unclear yet if Ward will be ready for the start of organized team activities in the spring after the 23-year-old suffered an AC joint sprain in his throwing shoulder against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Barring some sort of setback, though, he should be fully recovered well before training camp, the preseason, and the 2026 regular season. The first overall pick in last year's draft started all 17 games in his rookie season and completed 59.8% of his passes for 3,169 yards, 15 touchdowns, and seven interceptions to finish as the QB22 in fantasy. Ward added 159 yards and two TDs on the ground while also fumbling a whopping 11 times (seven lost) and taking a league-high 55 sacks. The Miami product must improve his accuracy, but working with new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll should be seen as a plus. Consider him a low-end QB2 with upside going into his second year in the NFL.
--Keith HernandezSource: TennesseeTitans.com - Jim Wyatt
January 29, 2026
Baltimore Ravens running back
Derrick Henry had some issues with ball security and inconsistency in 2025, but overall he remained a highly productive player. Across 17 games, Henry recorded 307 carries for 1,595 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns. Going into 2026, Henry will be entering his age-32 season with more than 2,800 career regular-season touches under his belt. Traditional aging curves indicate that Henry is long overdue for a decline in production. Additionally, his PPR fantasy value remains limited by his lack of production as a receiver, as he recorded just 15 receptions for the season in 2025. However, Henry may be enough of a physical outlier that he can continue to stave off father time. He will also presumably get the benefit of playing a full season next to Ravens quarterback
Lamar Jackson, who missed time in 2025 due to multiple injuries. As long as he makes it through the offseason healthy, Henry profiles as a high-end running back option for 2026. In dynasty formats, Henry's long-term outlook is murkier due to his age.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
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
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