2026 NFL Team-by-Team Preview: Coaching, Personnel Changes, & DFS Outlook
2026 NFL Team-by-Team Preview: Coaching, Personnel Changes, & DFS Outlook
Ladies and gentlemen, we are back!
I’m not going to lie, I usually feel a bit behind on my research by the time football season rolls around. I then have to take a page out of the old college textbook and cram right before the Week 1 test. But you know what? I don’t want that to be the case this year. I decided to put together this massive article to help you get to know ejvery team in the NFL. The byproduct is that I’ll be more prepared than ever for Week 1. I call that a win-win.
The NFL offseason can completely change a team’s fantasy outlook. New coaches, new quarterbacks, free-agent additions, rookies, trades, and even changes along the offensive and defensive lines can completely change how we view a team heading into a season.
We’ve got 32 teams to cover, so let’s dive into it. If you’re looking for a specific team or division, you can use the table below to jump right to it.
AFC West
Denver Broncos
2025 Record: 14-3 | 2026 Vegas Win Total: 9.5
COACHING
HC: Sean Payton
OC: Davis Webb
Primary play-caller: Davis Webb
DC: Vance Joseph
What Changed: Denver is coming off a 14-3 season and its first AFC West title in a decade, but Sean Payton is making a significant change on offense by handing primary play-calling duties to Davis Webb. Webb spent the last 3 seasons working with Denver’s quarterbacks. The offense should look a lot like last year, as Payton will still be heavily involved. Vance Joseph returns as defensive coordinator, so we can expect another strong season on that side of the ball.
QUARTERBACK
— Bo Nix —
Nix enters his third NFL season after throwing for 3,931 yards and 25 touchdowns in 2025. He added 356 yards and 5 touchdowns on the ground. A rushing floor is always a nice bonus for a quarterback in DFS, but Nix suffered a broken ankle in the playoffs last year. We’ll see if that impacts his rushing in 2026. The addition of Jaylen Waddle could be the piece that unlocks another level of this offense. Nix has already flashed upside, and now defenses will have to deal with the speed of Waddle in addition to the size and contested-catch ability of Courtland Sutton. If Nix is fully healthy, he should provide a high floor and ceiling for DFS.
RUNNING BACK
— J.K. Dobbins, RJ Harvey, Jonah Coleman —
Dobbins returns after rushing for 772 yards and 4 touchdowns in just 10 games last season. He was solid as the lead back, but this is far from a one-man backfield. Harvey had 896 yards from scrimmage and 12 total touchdowns as a rookie, so we should expect his role to continue to grow. Coleman has made noise early in camp, but he’s well behind the other two running backs on the depth chart. Dobbins and Harvey are capable players, but they eat into each other’s upside when both are healthy.
WIDE RECEIVER
— Jaylen Waddle, Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims Jr., Pat Bryant —
Waddle is obviously the biggest addition to the offense after Denver sent a 1st, 3rd, and 4th-round pick to Miami to acquire him. He gives Nix something the Broncos didn’t really have last season — a true vertical threat with explosive speed.
Sutton led the team with 1,017 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns last season. After being the clear WR1 for the Broncos over the last few years, that’s in serious jeopardy with Waddle now in the mix. I view Waddle’s presence as a boost to Nix and a downgrade to Sutton. Mims remains an explosive gadget player, while second-year receiver Bryant has been one of the biggest standouts of training camp. He was a major part of the game plan in the playoffs before suffering a concussion.
TIGHT END
— Evan Engram —
Engram’s first season in Denver was a bit of a disappointment, as he finished with only 461 receiving yards and 1 touchdown. He’s unlikely to generate 100+ targets like he has 3 times in his career, but the addition of Waddle could open up things for him underneath. The problem is the increased competition for targets.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Denver brings back most of an offensive line that was one of the better units in the league last season. Garett Bolles and Quinn Meinerz remain staples up front, but center is the biggest concern heading into the season. Luke Wattenberg recently returned after missing time with a shoulder injury, while Alex Forsyth has also dealt with an injury. Third-string center Michael Deiter is already out for the season with a torn quad, forcing Denver to add veteran Lecitus Smith for depth.
If everyone is healthy, the offensive line should remain a strength. They are solid in both pass protection and run blocking.
DEFENSE
The Broncos defense was one of the best units in football last season, generating a league-leading 68 sacks. With an efficient offense, the Broncos played in many favorable game scripts. Most of the core returns, including Patrick Surtain in the secondary and a pass rush led by Nik Bonitto and Zach Allen. Denver also has tremendous depth in the secondary, which allows Vance Joseph to be aggressive with his coverage schemes.
Kansas City Chiefs
2025 Record: 6-11 | 2026 Vegas Win Total: 10.5
COACHING
HC: Andy Reid
OC: Eric Bieniemy
Primary play-caller: Andy Reid
DC: Steve Spagnuolo
What Changed: The Chiefs are coming off the worst season of the Andy Reid era, but the coaching structure returns to a time when they were winning Super Bowls. Eric Bieniemy returns as offensive coordinator after previously holding the position from 2018 through 2022. Andy Reid will continue to call the plays, but Bieniemy should provide a spark. Steve Spagnuolo also returns as defensive coordinator. The big question is whether Bieniemy can help restore some of the offensive balance and creativity that made Kansas City so dangerous during his first stint with the team.
QUARTERBACK
— Patrick Mahomes —
The Chiefs averaged only 21.3 points per game last season, which was 21st in the NFL. While he actually had a decent season in DFS, that was largely thanks to his rushing. After tearing his ACL and LCL last season, it doesn’t sound like he’s going to scramble much this season. The addition of Kenneth Walker could turn this into a run-first offense, which would only hurt Mahomes’ fantasy potential even more. I like his chances of being more efficient this season, but I don’t plan to target him often in DFS.
RUNNING BACK
— Kenneth Walker III, Brashard Smith, Jaydn Ott —
Walker is the biggest addition to Kansas City’s offense after signing as a free agent following his Super Bowl season with the Seahawks. He forced 61 missed tackles last season and gives the Chiefs something they haven’t consistently had in a long time — a running back capable of creating explosive plays.
Walker should immediately take control of the backfield, while Smith and rookie Ott provide some depth. With Mahomes coming off a major injury, we could see the Chiefs lean heavily on their running game. If Walker is involved in the passing game, he could be one of the most productive running backs in DFS.
WIDE RECEIVER
— Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, Jalen Royals, Tyquan Thornton —
This is the position with the most question marks for the Chiefs.
Rice returns after appearing in only 8 games last season. He’s been extremely productive in his short time in the league, but most of his routes and catches are underneath. We haven’t seen much explosiveness from him recently. Worthy is entering his 3rd season and needs to become more consistent, while rookie Royals gives the Chiefs another young receiver with upside. Thornton has made noise in training camp and gives Mahomes a deep threat. Much like Mahomes, I’m worried about these receivers for DFS.
TIGHT END
— Travis Kelce —
Kelce is back after finishing last season with 76 receptions, 851 yards, and 5 touchdowns. While those are still solid numbers for a tight end, they’re a long way from his peak production. He’s now 36 years old and living the dream life with Taylor Swift. I expect the Chiefs to manage his snap share even more this season. He should still have a significant red-zone role, but he could enter the ever-growing touchdown-or-bust category of tight ends.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Kansas City returns most of an offensive line that should be one of the better units in the league. Creed Humphrey remains the anchor in the middle, while Kingsley Suamataia continues developing as a full-time interior lineman. Jaylon Moore was added in free agency. This should be a better run-blocking unit than last season, which is yet another reason to like Walker. The pass protection should also be solid if the group stays healthy.
DEFENSE
The Chiefs made major changes on defense after finishing 6th in points allowed last season. Trent McDuffie was traded to the Rams, and Kansas City has several new starters in the secondary and along the front seven. 1st-round pick Mansoor Delane gives them a talented young corner to build around, and Steve Spagnuolo is still considered one of the best defensive coordinators in the NFL. Kansas City should still have a solid defense, even with some new faces on that side of the ball.
Las Vegas Raiders
2025 Record: 3-14 | 2026 Vegas Win Total: 5.5
COACHING
HC: Klint Kubiak
OC: Andrew Janocko
Primary play-caller: Klint Kubiak
DC: Rob Leonard
What Changed: A lot. The Raiders moved on from Pete Carroll after one season and replaced him with Klint Kubiak, who just helped lead Seattle to a Super Bowl. Andrew Janocko takes over as offensive coordinator, while Rob Leonard moves from defensive line coach to defensive coordinator. Kubiak’s offense should feature a heavy dose of outside-zone concepts, play action, and pre-snap motion, which is a dramatic change from what we saw last season. With so many changes, it’s hard to know what to expect from the Raiders this season.
QUARTERBACK
— Kirk Cousins, Fernando Mendoza —
Cousins enters the season as the expected starter, but Mendoza was the 1st overall pick in the draft and is clearly viewed as the long-term answer. The good news for Cousins is that he has experience in Kubiak’s system, which should make the transition easier. The bad news is that he hasn’t played well in recent years, and the Raiders eventually want to turn the reins over to the top pick in the draft.
RUNNING BACK
— Ashton Jeanty, Dylan Laube —
Jeanty is coming off a rookie season where he finished with 975 rushing yards, 346 receiving yards, and 10 total touchdowns. Those aren’t bad numbers, especially considering he averaged only 3.7 yards per carry behind one of the worst rushing offenses in football. There was essentially no room for him to run, and the Raiders were consistently in bad game scripts.
The good news is that Kubiak’s outside-zone system should be a much better fit for Jeanty’s skill set. There’s not much competition for touches behind him, which is one of the most important things to look for with a running back in DFS. Jeanty did suffer an ankle sprain in practice on Sunday, though, and his availability for Week 1 is something to monitor. The injury is not currently considered long-term, but Mike Washington would become a very interesting DFS option if Jeanty misses time.
Even if the Raiders struggle to score, Jeanty’s volume will make him an intriguing option each week.
WIDE RECEIVER
— Tre Tucker, Jalen Nailor, Malik Benson —
There are a lot of question marks in this receiving room. Tucker is the most established option after finishing last season with 696 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns, but he hasn’t proven an ability to be a clear WR1. Nailor arrives after showing flashes in Minnesota, but his quarterback play could be significantly worse than it was during his tenure in Minnesota. Benson is an intriguing rookie addition, but rookie receivers tend to struggle in fantasy.
Tucker is the receiver I want to bet on here, but it’s not a bet that I feel particularly great about.
TIGHT END
— Brock Bowers —
Bowers is the most proven pass catcher on the roster. He missed 5 games last season because of a lingering knee injury but still finished with 680 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns in 12 games. And don’t forget, he broke a ton of records in his rookie season.
The quarterback situation is obviously the biggest concern, but Kubiak should have plenty of ways to manufacture targets for Bowers. He’s by far the safest pass catcher on the team, and his upside could be needed to win DFS tournaments on multiple occasions this season.
OFFENSIVE LINE
The Raiders made one of the biggest upgrades of the offseason by adding Tyler Linderbaum at center, giving them a legitimate anchor in the middle of the line. Kolton Miller is a very solid left tackle, and Las Vegas also added some depth to the unit. The offensive line was a major weakness last season, so there is plenty of room for improvement.
I expect Kubiak’s zone scheme to help the run-blocking side of things, particularly because it emphasizes movement and creating defined lanes rather than simply winning individual matchups. To put it simply, it can’t get much worse. So, there’s some optimism for this unit.
DEFENSE
The Raiders defense was one of the few bright spots last season, especially against the run. Maxx Crosby remains the centerpiece after his proposed trade to Baltimore fell through after a failed physical. The Raiders added Malcolm Koonce and several young players to give this front some real upside. This likely isn’t an elite defense yet, but it should remain a competitive unit.
Los Angeles Chargers
2025 Record: 11-6 | 2026 Vegas Win Total: 10.5
COACHING
HC: Jim Harbaugh
OC: Mike McDaniel
Primary play-caller: Mike McDaniel
DC: Chris O’Leary
What Changed: The Chargers made one of the biggest coaching hires of the offseason by bringing in Mike McDaniel after moving on from Greg Roman. McDaniel takes over as offensive coordinator and primary play-calling duties, giving Justin Herbert a completely different offensive system. McDaniel has long been one of the best offensive minds in the league. His offenses are built around motion, quick throws, play action, and yards after the catch. Chris O’Leary also replaces Jesse Minter as defensive coordinator. I’m excited to see this offense in action.
QUARTERBACK
— Justin Herbert —
Herbert has always been extremely talented, but his fantasy production hasn’t exactly matched the talent. I expect that to change under McDaniel. One of the biggest issues for Herbert over the years has been the offensive line (54 sacks and 268 pressures last season). We’ll get to that shortly, but the new scheme should really help in that regard. The new offense will emphasize quick throws, pre-snap motion, and easy completions.
With McDaniel at the helm, the Chargers could have one of the best offenses in the NFL. I view Herbert as a sneaky bet to win the MVP this season. He’s one of the quarterbacks I’m most interested in for DFS early in the season.
RUNNING BACK
— Omarion Hampton, Kimani Vidal, Keaton Mitchell —
Hampton had 545 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns in only 9 games as a rookie, and he now gets a scheme that should fit his skill set. Vidal showed that he can handle a larger workload when Hampton was out last season, while Mitchell gives the Chargers another explosive option after averaging 6.3 yards per carry in his career.
McDaniel played coy when asked how he would distribute the touches between these three, which could cause headaches from a DFS perspective. However, this backfield should be efficient and have plenty of opportunities to score. They make for some strong tournament plays early in the season.
WIDE RECEIVER
— Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, Tre Harris —
McConkey was a bit of a disappointment last season. He finished with 789 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns. Keenan Allen really cut into his workload, especially in the slot. With Allen no longer around, McConkey should see more snaps from the slot. This gives him a much higher floor on a weekly basis. Johnston had a career-best 735 receiving yards and 8 touchdowns last season. While inconsistent, he could be in for another nice season.
McDaniel has said he expects the entire receiver room to exceed its career highs (!!), and McConkey is the player who I think will benefit the most. The emphasis on quick throws and yards after the catch fits his skill set perfectly. Harris is the wild card after showing plenty of promise as a rookie. If Harris makes the Year 2 leap, this could become a very deep receiving room.
TIGHT END
— Oronde Gadsden, Charlie Kolar, David Njoku —
Gadsden had a strong rookie season with 49 catches, 664 yards, and 3 touchdowns. Having McDaniel at the helm is a positive, but the Chargers added Njoku and Kolar. The former has a lot of talent, and the latter is the best blocker of the three. There are only so many targets to go around, but Gadsden is one of the more intriguing breakout candidates at tight end this season.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt are expected to return after both missed most of last season with injuries. The Chargers added Tyler Biadasz at center in the offseason, but he suffered a serious knee injury during joint practices and has been placed on season-ending injured reserve. Rookie Jake Slaughter is expected to take over at center.
If Slater and Alt stay healthy, the offensive line could go from one of the team’s biggest weaknesses to one of its biggest strengths. The group should be better at both pass protection and run blocking.
DEFENSE
The Chargers have a new defensive coordinator, but there is plenty of continuity in the personnel. The top three cornerbacks all return, while the team added defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson and 1st-round pick Akheem Mesidor. Mesidor joins a pass rush led by Tuli Tuipulotu and veteran Khalil Mack. They should have no problem putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
The defense was a top-five unit last season, and we can expect a strong showing from them again this season.
AFC East
Buffalo Bills
2025 Record: 12-5 | 2026 Vegas Win Total: 10.5
COACHING
HC: Joe Brady
OC: Pete Carmichael
Primary play-caller: Joe Brady
DC: Jim Leonhard
What Changed: Sean McDermott is out after nearly a decade in Buffalo, and Joe Brady takes over as head coach after spending the last 2 seasons as the team’s offensive coordinator. Brady will continue calling plays, while Pete Carmichael takes over as offensive coordinator after spending the last two seasons in Denver. This isn’t a completely new offense, but Brady now has full control of the team.
QUARTERBACK
— Josh Allen —
Allen is coming off another ridiculous season, even if Buffalo’s offense wasn’t quite as explosive as we’ve seen in the past. He threw for 3,668 yards and 25 touchdowns while adding 579 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns. He’s been a fantasy cheat code over the last 5 years. The rushing production remains the biggest reason his DFS floor is so difficult to match. He’s essentially a QB1 and an RB2 combined. I don’t expect Brady to turn Allen into a 5,000-yard passer, but he could create more downfield opportunities without taking away the designed runs that make Allen so valuable.
RUNNING BACK
— James Cook, Ray Davis, Ty Johnson —
Cook was one of the best running backs in football last season, rushing for 1,621 yards and 12 touchdowns while adding another 291 yards and 2 touchdowns through the air. He was always labeled as a volatile running back that was hard to trust in DFS, but he broke out of that last season. He handled 309 carries and finished with 342 total touches. While I think Davis and Johnson are solid players, this is Cook’s backfield.
WIDE RECEIVER
— DJ Moore, Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, Joshua Palmer —
The one knock on the Bills over the last 2 seasons has been their receiving room. Moore was brought in to be the team’s top outside receiver, while Shakir remains one of Allen’s most trusted targets in the slot. Shakir had 72 receptions last season, but he’s not a great downfield or red-zone threat. Coleman hasn’t become the player that we’ve all wanted him to become. I suppose it’s never too late. Moore should lead the group in targets, but figuring out what happens behind him could be an uphill climb.
TIGHT END
— Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox —
Kincaid was limited to 12 games last season, but he still managed to rack up 571 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns. His 14.6 yards per reception is awfully encouraging, but it does feel like we are chasing big games from him every season. He comes into this season with better health, and the new offense could really benefit him. Knox is still in the mix, but he’s unlikely to run as many routes as Kincaid.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Buffalo returns most of an offensive line that has been a strength of the team for several years. Dion Dawkins and Spencer Brown remain at the tackle spots, while Connor McGovern has been a fixture in the middle. The Bills added veteran center Lloyd Cushenberry. This group is better at run-blocking than pass protection, but that’s not a negative for Allen. He’s one of the best scramblers in the league.
DEFENSE
The Bills made a major coaching change on defense, replacing Bobby Babich with Jim Leonhard. Leonhard has talked about wanting a more versatile and aggressive defense that can create problems for opposing quarterbacks, so we can expect some schematic changes here. The personnel is still strong, but a new system always brings some volatility.
New England Patriots
2025 Record: 14-3 | 2026 Vegas Win Total: 10.5
COACHING
HC: Mike Vrabel
OC: Josh McDaniels
Primary play-caller: Josh McDaniels
DC: Zak Kuhr
What Changed: The Patriots didn’t make any major coaching changes after reaching the Super Bowl in Mike Vrabel’s first season. Josh McDaniels and Zak Kuhr are both back, giving New England plenty of continuity heading into 2026.
QUARTERBACK
— Drake Maye —
Maye was fantastic in his second season, throwing for 4,394 yards and 31 touchdowns while completing 72% of his passes. He finished 2nd in the MVP voting. He also added 450 rushing yards and 4 rushing touchdowns. A quarterback with a high rushing floor is always near and dear to my heart. The biggest thing working in his favor this year is continuity. This is the first time that Maye will have the same offensive system and play-caller for consecutive seasons, and now he gets a true WR1 in A.J. Brown. If he can maintain anything close to last year’s efficiency while adding more explosive passing plays, he has a legitimate shot to become one of the best fantasy quarterbacks in football.
RUNNING BACK
— Rhamondre Stevenson, TreVeyon Henderson, Terrell Jennings —
Henderson led the Patriots in touches, scrimmage yards, and total touchdowns as a rookie, finishing with 911 rushing yards, 221 receiving yards, and 10 total touchdowns. He averaged a healthy 5.1 yards per carry, which was one of the best marks of any running back with his volume. Unfortunately, his upside will be limited as long as Stevenson is healthy. While Stevenson struggled with ball security last season, the Patriots trust him. I’m betting on a big season from Henderson, but he’ll be tough to trust in DFS.
WIDE RECEIVER
— A.J. Brown, Romeo Doubs, Kayshon Boutte, DeMario Douglas —
Brown is the obvious big addition here. He gives the Patriots a true alpha receiver after the team moved on from Diggs. Brown is coming off a disappointing season with the Eagles (78 catches, 1,003 yards, and 7 touchdowns), but he should immediately become the focal point of this passing game. The big question is whether his target share gets back to the elite level we’ve seen from him in the past.
Doubs is another addition to New England’s roster. With the Packers last season, he finished with 55 receptions and 724 yards. Boutte has an elite name and an elite yards per catch. He had 33 catches, 551 receiving yards, and 6 touchdowns last season. He’s a player that we can sprinkle in our large-field tournament lineups.
TIGHT END
— Hunter Henry, Eli Raridon —
Henry remains the clear veteran in this group. He saw 87 targets last season, turning those into 768 yards and 6 touchdowns. Even with the additions of Brown and Doubs, Henry should still have a nice role in this offense.
OFFENSIVE LINE
The Patriots made significant improvements along the offensive line last season and continued adding talent this offseason. Will Campbell, Alijah Vera-Tucker, Jared Wilson, Mike Onwenu, and Morgan Moses are currently projected to start, while 1st-round pick Caleb Lomu gives them another interesting piece for the future.
This is a much more trustworthy group than what New England had a couple of years ago. Talent and continuity are a lethal combination for an offensive line. This is good news for Maye, Henderson, Stevenson, and the pass catchers.
DEFENSE
The Patriots don’t need to reinvent the wheel on defense. Kuhr officially takes over as defensive coordinator after calling plays for most of last season. New England finished 8th in total defense and 4th in points allowed per game. The Patriots also added Kevin Byard to an already talented secondary.
Miami Dolphins
2025 Record: 7-10 | 2026 Vegas Win Total: 4.5
COACHING
HC: Jeff Hafley
OC: Bobby Slowik
Primary play-caller: Bobby Slowik
DC: Sean Duggan
What Changed: The Mike McDaniel era is officially over. Miami is now starting from scratch. Jeff Hafley takes over as head coach, while Bobby Slowik moves into the offensive coordinator role after spending last season as the team’s passing game coordinator. Sean Duggan takes over as defensive coordinator. This is a completely different coaching structure from what Miami had under McDaniel. Based on their 4.5 win total, we should temper our expectations on the Dolphins.
QUARTERBACK
— Malik Willis —
Willis finally gets a chance to be a full-time starter after spending the first few seasons of his career as a backup. The obvious DFS appeal is his rushing ability. He’s not going to suddenly become a 4,500-yard passer, but his legs give him a path to fantasy production that most quarterbacks in his likely cheap price range don’t have.
Slowik has said the offense will keep many of the same fundamentals that Miami has used in recent years, but Willis gives them a completely different skill set at quarterback. The main positive for Willis is that the Dolphins will likely be in trailing game scripts, which could create more passing volume. I’m not sure how much upside he’s going to offer, but he should have a decent floor thanks to his rushing.
RUNNING BACK
— De’Von Achane, Jaylen Wright, Ollie Gordon II —
Achane is basically the last man standing from the old Dolphins offense. He had 1,838 scrimmage yards and 12 total touchdowns last season while averaging 5.7 yards per carry. His receiving work is what really separated him from most running backs. He caught 67 passes, which could really come in handy if the Dolphins find themselves in negative game scripts.
The team has made it pretty clear that they want to build the offense around him, but I find myself taking very little of him in season-long drafts. For one, I don’t love spending a high draft pick on a running back on a bad team. And two, mobile quarterbacks don’t throw to running backs very often. If that part of his game takes a step back, and the Dolphins aren’t scoring many touchdowns, he will not live up to expectations.
WIDE RECEIVER
— Malik Washington, Jalen Tolbert, Tutu Atwell, Theo Wease —
This is easily the biggest question mark on the team now that Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are gone. Washington is the most established player in the group after catching 46 passes for 317 yards last season. It’s not great that those numbers make him the most established, but we don’t have much to work with here.
Tolbert and Atwell were brought in to compete for bigger roles, while Wease could provide some big-play ability. The good news for DFS is that somebody has to catch passes. Washington probably has the safest role right now, but this is a receiving room that we need to monitor. We’ll see where the usage goes early in the season.
TIGHT END
— Greg Dulcich, Will Kacmarek —
Dulcich has underwhelmed so far in his career, but he’s the best tight end on the roster. The team lacks talent at receiver, which could force more targets to these tight ends. Kacmarek is another player worth monitoring, but I expect Dulcich to have the first crack at a significant role. This is another position to monitor early in the season.
OFFENSIVE LINE
This might be the biggest concern for the Dolphins. They have invested heavily in the offensive line, but there are still plenty of questions heading into the season. Patrick Paul, Jonah Savaiinaea, Aaron Brewer, and Austin Jackson are among the projected starters, while 1st-round pick Kadyn Proctor gives them another young piece up front. The Dolphins also traded for Caedan Wallace during training camp to add some depth. I’m not too optimistic about this unit.
DEFENSE
Hafley is a defensive-minded head coach, and Sean Duggan takes over as defensive coordinator. The Dolphins have added young talent to the front seven, including 1st-round pick Kenneth Grant, while Jordyn Brooks and Zach Sieler provide some veteran stability. I like the coaching on the defensive side of the ball, but I’m not sure Miami has the personnel to become a good defense just yet.
New York Jets
2025 Record: 3-14 | 2026 Vegas Win Total: 5.5
COACHING
HC: Aaron Glenn
OC: Frank Reich
Primary play-caller: Frank Reich
DC: Brian Duker
What Changed: The Jets had one of the worst seasons in franchise history last year, so Aaron Glenn spent the offseason making some pretty significant changes to the coaching staff. Frank Reich takes over as offensive coordinator, Brian Duker is the new defensive coordinator, and Glenn is taking back defensive play-calling duties.
QUARTERBACK
— Geno Smith —
Smith is back with the Jets after spending the last decade away from the organization. It will be interesting to see if he looks like the Smith that played for the Seahawks or the Smith that played for the Raiders. New York is hoping for the former, as they were dead last in team passing yards last season. It will be interesting to see if Reich still has it or if the NFL has passed him by. The good news for the passing game is that the Jets are projected to win only 5.5 games, which could create some pass-heavy game scripts.
RUNNING BACK
— Breece Hall, Isaiah Davis, Braelon Allen —
Hall is coming off a solid season, rushing for 1,065 yards and 4 touchdowns while adding 350 yards through the air. He played 16 games and finished with 279 touches. Reich has already made it clear that he wants to emphasize the running game, so Hall should remain the centerpiece of the offense. The concern here is whether or not the Jets will have enough scoring opportunities to make Hall a difference-maker in fantasy.
WIDE RECEIVER
— Garrett Wilson, Adonai Mitchell, Omar Cooper Jr., Isaiah Williams —
Wilson only played 7 games last season, so we shouldn’t put much stock into his 36 catches for 395 yards and four touchdowns. He’s the clear WR1 of this offense, but I’m not sure what that means. I was the best golfer on my high school team, which was one of the worst in the state. Similar vibes.
The bigger question is what happens behind him. Adonai Mitchell was acquired from Indianapolis last season, while 1st-round pick Omar Cooper Jr. gives the Jets another young receiver with upside.
From a DFS perspective, Wilson is the only player of note heading into the season.
TIGHT END
— Kenyon Sadiq, Mason Taylor, Jeremy Ruckert —
The Jets have quietly built one of the more interesting young tight end rooms in the NFL. Taylor caught 44 passes for 369 yards and a touchdown as a rookie. 1st-round pick Sadiq gives them an extremely athletic option who can line up all over the formation. Reich has talked about using multiple tight end sets, including 12 and 13 personnel, so there should be opportunities here. As the 16th overall pick, Sadiq is a player to keep an eye on.
OFFENSIVE LINE
The offensive line might actually be the biggest reason for optimism in New York. The Jets used the same starting five for all 17 games last season, and four of those players are back. Olu Fashanu, Josh Myers, Joe Tippmann, and Armand Membou give them a young group with plenty of experience, while Dylan Parham was added to compete at left guard.
The group was much better as a run-blocking unit than a pass-protection unit last season, which fits Reich’s expected approach pretty well. The Jets averaged 4.6 yards per carry, which was tied for 8th in the NFL.
DEFENSE
This is where the Jets made some of their biggest changes. Glenn is taking back defensive play-calling duties, while Duker comes over from Miami to run the defense. The Jets added Minkah Fitzpatrick, Demario Davis, and David Onyemata and then used the 2nd overall pick on edge rusher David Bailey. They also spent an early-round pick on cornerback D’Angelo Ponds. It’s not going to be an elite defense, but they should be better than last year.
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens
2025 Record: 8-9 | 2026 Vegas Win Total: 11.5
COACHING
HC: Jesse Minter
OC: Declan Doyle
Primary play-caller: Declan Doyle
DC: Anthony Weaver
What Changed: The Ravens made a pretty dramatic change after missing the playoffs for the first time since 2021. John Harbaugh is out after 18 seasons, and Todd Monken is out as well. Jesse Minter takes over as head coach, and Declan Doyle takes over as offensive coordinator. Anthony Weaver returns to Baltimore as defensive coordinator after spending last season with Miami. Despite the coaching changes, this is not a team looking to rebuild. The roster still looks like a contender, so perhaps a new coaching staff can be what takes this team to the next level.
QUARTERBACK
— Lamar Jackson —
Jackson’s 2025 season was a strange one. He struggled to stay healthy, and the Ravens were only 6-7 in his starts. He still finished with 2,549 passing yards and 21 touchdowns while adding 349 yards and 2 touchdowns on the ground. It seems like he’s been around forever, but he’s still only 29 years old. His rushing should continue to be one of his biggest strengths. It’s also worth noting that he’s made big strides as a passer over the last few seasons. The big question is whether Doyle’s offense can get Jackson back to the MVP-level efficiency. I’m happy to target him early and often in DFS, especially if his ownership is low.
RUNNING BACK
— Derrick Henry, Justice Hill, Adam Randall —
We typically like to fade running backs when they turn 30 or if they’ve had a lot of wear on the tires. Henry gives his famous stiff arms to those trends. He’s 32 years old and coming off a season where he had 1,595 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns. The impressive part is that he averaged 5.2 yards per carry on a team that wasn’t in a ton of favorable game scripts. Baltimore has no reason to stop leaning on him this season, especially in scoring situations. The new offensive coordinator comes from Chicago, where the Bears used a run-heavy approach, so we can expect Henry to have plenty of carries this season.
Father Time is eventually going to win this fight, but I’m still optimistic about Henry in fantasy. Rookie Randall gives the Ravens an interesting young player behind him, but he’s likely just going to serve as a change-of-pace back.
WIDE RECEIVER
— Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, Elijah Sarratt —
Flowers took a massive step forward in 2025, finishing with 86 catches, 1,211 yards, and 5 touchdowns. He set a new Ravens single-season receiving record for a wide receiver, and the Ravens rewarded him with a 4-year, $140 million extension. He should be the focal point of this passing game heading into 2026. He’s always had upside, and it was nice to see him show more consistent production last season.
Bateman is also worth watching because he’s expected to have a more versatile role under Doyle rather than being used primarily as a deep threat. The Ravens also added rookies Ja’Kobi Lane and Sarratt, giving them some intriguing young depth. Flowers is the obvious DFS target because of the volume and big-play ability, but if Baltimore throws more frequently, Bateman could see an uptick in production.
TIGHT END
— Mark Andrews, Durham Smythe, Matthew Hibner, Josh Cuevas —
This is probably the biggest question mark on the offensive roster. Andrews could see an uptick in target share after the Ravens lost Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar this offseason. Andrews has struggled to stay on the field in recent seasons, but we don’t have to worry about his long-term health in DFS. He should be a nice option right out of the gate. Smythe is a veteran without much upside, while Hibner and Cuevas will see some snaps as well.
OFFENSIVE LINE
The Ravens lost one of their best players this offseason in center Tyler Linderbaum. They signed veteran Ethan Pocic to compete for the starting center job, while John Simpson was brought back to help stabilize the interior. 1st-round pick Vega Ioane is also expected to compete for a starting role at guard, while Ronnie Stanley remains at left tackle. Roger Rosengarten enters his third season on the right side. The center situation is suddenly a bigger concern after Danny Pinter was carted off during practice.
I trust this group more as a run-blocking unit than a pass-protection unit, which is perfectly fine for a Ravens offense built around Jackson and Henry. While Jackson is arguably the best scrambler of any quarterback in the league, he can’t afford to take many more hits. The Ravens will need this offensive line to hold up to keep their star quarterback healthy.
DEFENSE
The Ravens could make a big jump on the defensive side of the ball. Weaver takes over as defensive coordinator after Baltimore finished 24th in total defense last season. They added one of the best pass rushers available in the offseason in Trey Hendrickson. Calais Campbell also returns to Baltimore, while rookie Zion Young gives them another young edge rusher.
Roquan Smith, Kyle Hamilton, Marlon Humphrey, and Malaki Starks round out a talented secondary. Adding Hendrickson to a group that already had plenty of talent gives Baltimore a legitimate chance to be one of the better units in the AFC. If the defense improves, we can expect more positive game scripts for the offense.
Cincinnati Bengals
2025 Record: 6-11 | 2026 Vegas Win Total: 10.5
COACHING
HC: Zac Taylor
OC: Dan Pitcher
Primary play-caller: Zac Taylor
DC: Al Golden
What Changed: The Bengals didn’t make a coaching change, which means continuity heading into this season. Zac Taylor and Dan Pitcher return to lead the offense, while Al Golden enters his second season as defensive coordinator. The offense should be elite, so this is a team with real upside if their defense is good.
QUARTERBACK
— Joe Burrow —
Burrow played only 8 games last season, but he still managed to throw for 1,809 yards and 14 touchdowns. Cincinnati ranked 6th in the NFL in net passing yards per game despite the quarterback chaos, which shows how much talent they have in their offense. If Burrow plays a full season, this offense has enough weapons to be one of the best in football.
Burrow doesn’t offer much rushing upside, but he can consistently throw for 300+ yards and multiple touchdowns. He also has two obvious stacking candidates, which is always a positive in DFS. If the defense struggles at all, we will see plenty of 40+ pass-attempt games. Joe Flacco returns as a very capable veteran backup.
RUNNING BACK
— Chase Brown, Samaje Perine, Tahj Brooks —
Brown broke through in 2025, amassing nearly 1,500 yards from scrimmage. The high-value touches were what made him great in DFS, as he had 69 receptions and 11 total touchdowns. The 69 receptions were a Bengals record for a running back. If he keeps the same role this season, he won’t need a huge rushing season to be productive on a weekly basis. Samaje Perine is excellent at pass protection and a good weapon in the passing game, so he’ll see a lot of third-down snaps.
WIDE RECEIVER
— Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Andrei Iosivas, Colbie Young —
This is still one of the best receiving rooms in football. Chase caught 125 passes for 1,412 yards and 8 touchdowns last season. It was his 5th straight season with at least 1,000 receiving yards and his 3rd straight season with at least 100 receptions. That kind of target volume gives him one of the safest floors at receiver, and the ceiling is obviously enormous when Burrow is healthy.
Higgins is also coming off a strong season, catching 59 passes for 846 yards and a career-high 11 touchdowns. The Bengals arguably have the best 1-2 punch of any team in the league at receiver. Iosivas provides a decent third option, while 4th-round pick Young adds some size. This is an offense that we’ll want plenty of exposure to in DFS this season. If Chase or Higgins happens to miss any time, the other will become an elite DFS target.
TIGHT END
— Mike Gesicki, Drew Sample, Erick All, Tanner Hudson —
The Bengals don’t have a superstar at tight end, but they do have depth and versatility. Gesicki led the group with 307 receiving yards last season, despite missing 5 games. Sample should continue to provide value as a blocker. All is interesting after missing most of last season while recovering from his ACL injury. If he’s back to full strength, he could be the best pass catcher among these tight ends.
OFFENSIVE LINE
We haven’t said this often, but the offensive line might actually be a strength for the Bengals. All 5 starters from last season are back, including Orlando Brown Jr., Dalton Risner, Ted Karras, Dylan Fairchild, and Amarius Mims. The group allowed only 36 sacks last season, which was a huge step in the right direction after the previous season. If this line can stay healthy, Burrow will have more time in the pocket to find his elite receivers downfield.
DEFENSE
The Bengals had one of the worst defenses in football last season, but there are reasons to believe they’ll be better this season. Dexter Lawrence gives them an elite interior presence, while Jonathan Allen adds a proven veteran to the mix. Cincinnati also added Boye Mafe and safeties Bryan Cook and Kyle Dugger. The Bengals also carry some momentum into this season, as they only allowed 17.8 points per game over their last 8 games. But honestly, a bad defense would be welcome. More shootouts would just mean more upside for the offense.
Cleveland Browns
2025 Record: 5-12 | 2026 Vegas Win Total: 5.5
COACHING
HC: Todd Monken
OC: Travis Switzer
Primary play-caller: Todd Monken
DC: Mike Rutenberg
What Changed: Pretty much everything. Kevin Stefanski is out after six seasons, and Todd Monken takes over as head coach. He’s spent the last three seasons as Baltimore’s offensive coordinator. Travis Switzer, who worked closely with Monken in Baltimore, takes over as offensive coordinator, while Mike Rutenberg replaces Jim Schwartz on defense. Given the low win total, this feels like the beginning of a rebuild rather than a team that can compete immediately.
QUARTERBACK
— Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders —
Watson is finally back on the field after missing most of the past 2 seasons with Achilles injuries, while Sanders enters his second season after starting the final 7 games of last season. Sanders threw for 1,400 yards (not great), 7 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions (not great) as a rookie. It was just confirmed that Watson will be the Week 1 starter, but honestly, it doesn’t really matter who the starter is. I doubt we’ll want much exposure to this passing attack in DFS.
RUNNING BACK
— Quinshon Judkins, Dylan Sampson, Raheim Sanders —
Judkins was one of the few bright spots on last year’s offense, finishing his rookie season with nearly 1,000 yards from scrimmage and 7 total touchdowns. The efficiency wasn’t great at 3.6 yards per carry, but the workload was encouraging. Volume matters more at running back than at any other position in DFS. Monken’s history with run-heavy offenses makes it reasonable to expect Cleveland to lean on the ground game once again. Sampson and Sanders provide depth, but Judkins should enter the season as the clear RB1. If the Browns’ offensive line can improve, Judkins should be more efficient in his sophomore season.
WIDE RECEIVER
— Jerry Jeudy, KC Concepcion, Denzel Boston, Tylan Wallace, Isaiah Bond —
The Browns completely reshaped their receiver room. Jeudy has been a frustrating player throughout his career. He had 50 catches for 602 yards last season, which isn’t very encouraging. The team added two intriguing rookies in 1st-round pick Concepcion and second-round pick Boston. Concepcion brings explosiveness and versatility, while Boston gives them a bigger target on the outside.
The biggest issue is quarterback play. I’m excited about these two rookie receivers, but this will likely be a run-first offense with questionable quarterback play. Concepcion is the player I’m most interested in from a DFS perspective, but he has an extremely wide range of potential outcomes each week.
TIGHT END
— Harold Fannin, Jack Stoll —
Fannin was arguably Cleveland’s best offensive player last season as a rookie, catching 72 passes for 731 yards and 6 touchdowns. He didn’t rack up a ton of yards, but he led the team in receiving. That’s rare for a rookie tight end. The Browns have already used Fannin creatively as both a receiver and runner, and his versatility should fit well with what Monken and Switzer want to do offensively. Entering the season, he’s the most trusted DFS option in this offense outside of Judkins.
OFFENSIVE LINE
The Browns made major improvements on the offensive line this offseason. 1st-round pick Spencer Fano gives them a potential long-term answer at left tackle, while Tytus Howard, Elgton Jenkins, and Zion Johnson were all added to rebuild the interior. This is a group with plenty of new faces, but they should get better and better as the season progresses. Judkins will likely be the biggest beneficiary of a hopefully better offensive line.
DEFENSE
The biggest storyline here is the departure of Myles Garrett. Cleveland traded its best player to the Rams for Jared Verse and three future draft picks, making Verse the new centerpiece of the pass rush. The Browns also added Quincy Williams at linebacker and drafted safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren in the second round, while Denzel Ward remains the leader of the secondary and Carson Schwesinger enters his second season after winning Defensive Rookie of the Year. Cleveland just suffered another significant blow on the edge, as Alex Wright was placed on season-ending IR with a ruptured Achilles. The Browns responded by signing veteran Derek Barnett, but Wright’s absence puts even more pressure on Verse and the rest of the young pass rush. The defense will likely take a step back this season, but it should still be the biggest strength of this team.
Pittsburgh Steelers
2025 Record: 10-7 | 2026 Vegas Win Total: 8.5
COACHING
HC: Mike McCarthy
OC: Brian Angelichio
Primary play-caller: Mike McCarthy
DC: Patrick Graham
What Changed: Like many teams, the Steelers had a complete overhaul with their coaching staff. Mike Tomlin is out after 19 seasons in Pittsburgh. Mike McCarthy takes over as head coach, Brian Angelichio takes over as offensive coordinator, and Patrick Graham takes over as defensive coordinator. McCarthy will also handle the offensive play-calling, giving Pittsburgh a completely new voice and philosophy on offense. It’s strange to see so much coaching turnover after the team won the AFC North last season, but expectations are always high in Pittsburgh.
QUARTERBACK
— Aaron Rodgers —
Rodgers returns for his 22nd NFL season (!!) after throwing for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions last season. The numbers were solid as a whole, but the Steelers offense struggled to create explosive plays in the passing game. At the age of 42, Rodgers says this will be his final NFL season. While I think we can bet on some of his wideouts, he won’t be a contributor to my DFS lineups. He offers zero rushing upside at this stage of his career. Mason Rudolph is still the backup here.
RUNNING BACK
— Jaylen Warren, Rico Dowdle, Travis Homer, Eli Heidenreich —
Warren enters 2026 as the most established back after rushing for 958 yards and 6 touchdowns last season. He also added 333 receiving yards. With Kenneth Gainwell no longer on the roster, Warren could have an even bigger role in the passing game this season. The Steelers added Dowdle after he posted 1,373 yards from scrimmage with the Panthers last season. This should be a split backfield if they both stay healthy. The Steelers also drafted Heidenreich, who could eventually carve out a passing-game role.
Warren is currently dealing with a hamstring injury and is expected to miss multiple weeks, so his availability for Week 1 is now a question mark. If he’s out, Dowdle will be a strong play in DFS.
WIDE RECEIVER
— DK Metcalf, Michael Pittman, Germie Bernard, Roman Wilson —
Metcalf returns after leading Pittsburgh with 850 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns last season. It was an underwhelming season for the mammoth of a man, and now there’s more competition for targets after the Steelers brought in Pittman. Pittman is a big, reliable target who should fit well with Rodgers wanting to get the ball out of his hands as quickly as humanly possible. I have more interest in Pittman than Metcalf at the moment.
2nd-round pick Bernard adds another versatile option, while Wilson has reportedly made a significant jump entering his 3rd season. There are more weapons here than Rodgers had last year, but I don’t expect this to be a high-volume passing attack. Ideally, the Steelers want to run the ball and lean on their strong defense.
TIGHT END
— Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington, Robert Tonyan —
The Steelers had one too many tight ends getting targets last season. With Noah Fant now on the Saints, there should be more targets for Freiermuth and Washington (although there might be fewer targets going to the tight end group as a whole). Freiermuth is coming off a decent season, while Washington is a human highlight reel with his stiff arms and ability to run people over. Tonyan was brought in as another veteran option.
OFFENSIVE LINE
The Steelers are trying to build a more stable offensive line around Rodgers. Zach Frazier remains the anchor at center, while Broderick Jones, Mason McCormick, and Troy Fautanu return to the lineup. Pittsburgh also drafted tackle Max Iheanachor in the 1st round and added Gennings Dunker in the 3rd round. This isn’t an elite offensive line, but it should be a solid offensive line, especially when it comes to run blocking.
DEFENSE
Patrick Graham takes over as defensive coordinator after four seasons with the Raiders. The Steelers still have plenty of star power with T.J. Watt, Cameron Heyward, Jalen Ramsey, and Alex Highsmith. Pittsburgh added cornerback Jamel Dean, safety Jaquan Brisker, and defensive tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day. Their defense should continue to be a strength for the Steelers.
AFC South
Jacksonville Jaguars
2025 Record: 13-4 | 2026 Vegas Win Total: 9.5
COACHING
HC: Liam Coen
OC: Grant Udinski
Primary play-caller: Liam Coen
DC: Anthony Campanile
What Changed: The Jaguars aren’t making a major coaching change after a 13-win breakthrough season. Liam Coen remains in charge, Grant Udinski enters his second season as offensive coordinator, and Coen will continue calling plays. Anthony Campanile returns as defensive coordinator. With continuity on the coaching staff, we’ll see if they can take another step forward this season.
QUARTERBACK
— Trevor Lawrence —
Lawrence finally looked like the quarterback the Jaguars hoped he would be when they drafted him 1st overall. Last season, he threw for 4,007 yards and 29 touchdowns. He also added 9 rushing touchdowns, which was a nice bonus on top of the passing yards and touchdowns. More importantly, his best football came in the second half of the season.
In his second year in Coen’s system, Lawrence will hopefully be able to pick up right where he left off. I’m not banking on him scoring 9 rushing touchdowns again, but he has a chance to be very efficient in this offense. If he takes another step forward, Lawrence could be a player who deserves consideration each week in DFS.
RUNNING BACK
— Bhayshul Tuten, Chris Rodriguez Jr., LeQuint Allen Jr. —
Travis Etienne is gone after leading the team with 1,107 rushing yards and 296 touches last season. Tuten flashed as a rookie with 307 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns, while Jacksonville added Rodriguez in free agency. While this could be a split backfield to start the season, I’m banking on Tuten separating and becoming the lead back here. This was a solid offense last year, and it could be even better this year. If Tuten wins the high-value touches, he’ll have a ton of upside in DFS.
WIDE RECEIVER
— Brian Thomas Jr., Parker Washington, Jakobi Meyers, Travis Hunter —
The Jaguars brought in Meyers in a midseason trade. In 9 games with the team, he had 483 receiving yards. While that’s nothing to write home about, he really opened up the offense for the other wideouts. Parker Washington led Jacksonville with 847 receiving yards last year. Thomas didn’t live up to expectations last season, but we know the talent is there. He finished last season with 48 receptions, 707 yards, and 2 TDs in 14 games.
Hunter caught 28 passes for 298 yards before his rookie season was cut short by a knee injury. There was talk of him moving solely to defense this season, but it sounds like they still want to keep him involved in the offense. In terms of DFS interest, I would rank them in the following order: Washington, Thomas, Meyers, and then Hunter. We should know fairly early on who the alpha receiver is in this group.
TIGHT END
— Brenton Strange, Tanner Koziol, Quintin Morris —
Strange is quietly coming off a strong season, catching 46 passes for 540 yards and 3 touchdowns. Jacksonville added rookie Koziol in the 2nd round. Koziol is a massive pass-catching tight end who could be used creatively by Coen, particularly in the red zone. However, I don’t love betting on rookie tight ends. Both players will be touchdown-or-bust options for DFS early in the season.
OFFENSIVE LINE
The Jaguars were hoping for continuity on the offensive line, but injuries have already complicated those plans. Patrick Mekari recently underwent back surgery and is expected to miss time. Jacksonville responded by trading for veteran Daniel Faalele, while several other linemen are also dealing with injuries. The group has more depth than we’ve seen from Jacksonville in recent years, but there are suddenly a lot more questions heading into the season.
DEFENSE
The defense was a huge reason Jacksonville won 13 games last season. They were among the league’s better defenses against the run and finished near the top of the NFL in takeaways. They did all of this without having an elite pass rush, which is somewhat of a concern heading into this season.
The challenge now is maintaining that level of play after losing Devin Lloyd and Greg Newsome. The Jaguars are hoping Travon Walker, Josh Hines-Allen, and a healthier Travis Hunter can keep this unit among the league’s better defenses.
Houston Texans
2025 Record: 12-5 | 2026 Vegas Win Total: 9.5
COACHING
HC: DeMeco Ryans
OC: Nick Caley
Primary play-caller: Nick Caley
DC: Matt Burke
What Changed: The Texans are largely betting on continuity after winning 12 games and reaching the Divisional Round last season. DeMeco Ryans, Nick Caley, and Matt Burke are all back, giving Houston the same coaching staff on both sides of the ball. Caley will continue calling the offense, while Burke gets another year to build the defense. There are a lot of believers in this team, but I am still worried about their offense.
QUARTERBACK
— C.J. Stroud —
Stroud enters his 4th NFL season with plenty to prove after struggling the last 2 seasons. Houston’s 12-5 record last season was great, but Stroud finished with only 3,041 passing yards and 19 touchdowns. To make matters worse, he looked awful in the playoffs.
The Texans clearly still believe in him, and the biggest positive heading into this season is the improved supporting cast around him. If the offensive line can become more reliable, and the running game takes a step forward, Stroud could theoretically bounce back. My issue with Stroud is two-fold — he doesn’t offer much rushing upside, and I fear the Texans could use him as a game manager. I’m happy being underweight on him in DFS.
RUNNING BACK
— David Montgomery, Woody Marks, Jawhar Jordan —
Montgomery gives Houston a proven running back who has been extremely reliable throughout his career. We typically don’t see a veteran running back go from being an RB2 on one team to an RB1 on another team, but that’s exactly what happened here. Many are projecting Montgomery for 350 touches this season, but it feels like a lot would have to go right for that to happen. He should have opportunities in the early-down and goal-line portions of the offense, but Marks brings more explosive ability. Jordan also flashed late last season and has continued to make noise in camp. I like D-Mont on his new team, but not as much as the market.
WIDE RECEIVER
— Nico Collins, Jayden Higgins, Tank Dell, Jaylin Noel, Lewis Bond —
Collins remains the clear No. 1 receiver after posting 71 catches, 1,117 yards, and 6 touchdowns last season. He’s by far the most interesting DFS target here, especially if Stroud gets back to his best form. Collins has the combination of target volume, downfield ability, and red-zone involvement.
Higgins was entering his second season after showing some promise as a rookie, but he recently suffered a torn ACL and will miss the entire 2026 season. That’s a major blow to this receiving corps and puts even more pressure on Collins and the rest of the young receivers to step up. Dell is attempting to return after missing all of last season with a knee injury, so there are still plenty of questions behind Collins.
TIGHT END
— Dalton Schultz, Marlin Klein, Brevin Jordan —
Schultz remains the veteran option and should continue to see consistent work, but we can’t expect Houston to suddenly make tight end a major focal point of the passing game. Rookie Klein is a player to keep an eye on. The 2nd-round pick has already flashed as a receiver during training camp, including a 31-yard catch in the preseason opener. If his role grows quickly, he could become an interesting value play in DFS.
OFFENSIVE LINE
The offensive line was a major problem for Houston at times last season, so they tried to beef up the unit in the offseason. Rookie Keylan Rutledge has been working at both guard and center, while veteran Evan Brown has also received first-team reps at center. Wyatt Teller and Braden Smith give the Texans more veteran experience up front, but the group is still trying to find the right combination. The biggest question is pass protection. Stroud has shown that he can be an accurate passer when comfortable, but the offense becomes much less efficient when he’s under constant pressure.
DEFENSE
The defense remains the strength of the team. Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter already give Houston one of the league’s better pass-rushing duos, and the return of Jadeveon Clowney adds another proven veteran to the front. Derek Stingley anchors the secondary, while the Texans also added Reed Blankenship. Houston finished 2nd in the NFL in points allowed last season. While it’s always tough to replicate a strong season on the defensive side of the ball, the Texans have as much talent as any team. This should be one of the better units in the NFL. If so, they will create favorable game scripts for the offense.
Indianapolis Colts
2025 Record: 8-9 | 2026 Vegas Win Total: 8.5
COACHING
HC: Shane Steichen
OC: Jim Bob Cooter
Primary play-caller: Shane Steichen
DC: Lou Anarumo
What Changed: The Colts are trying to build on a bizarre season that started 7-1 before falling apart down the stretch. Shane Steichen and Jim Bob Cooter remain in place on offense, with Steichen continuing to call the plays, while Lou Anarumo enters his second season as defensive coordinator. There isn’t a major coaching overhaul here, so the focus will be on consistency after a brutal collapse last season.
QUARTERBACK
— Daniel Jones, Anthony Richardson —
Jones came out of the gates firing last season. When he was healthy, this was one of the best offenses in football. He posted a career-best passer rating of 100.2 and threw for 3,101 yards and 19 touchdowns. Unfortunately, his Achilles injury forced the Colts to bring in Philip Rivers. While that was a fun few weeks, it wasn’t what they had in mind.
His recovery is the biggest variable here. Jones has looked healthy in early practices, but he’s coming off a major injury, and mobility has always been one of his biggest strengths. While we’ve seen some upside from Jones in this offense, he’s not a player that I want to roster early in the season.
RUNNING BACK
— Jonathan Taylor, DJ Giddens, Ulysses Bentley IV —
Taylor is coming off a monster season. He rushed for 1,585 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns while adding 46 catches for 378 receiving yards. He’s still one of the safest high-volume backs in DFS, although his price will reflect that early in the season. The receiving work is important because it gives him multiple paths to a ceiling game, and he has very little competition for touches. Rookie Giddens is the interesting piece behind him, but Taylor should continue to dominate the workload.
WIDE RECEIVER
— Alec Pierce, Josh Downs, Keenan Allen, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine —
This is where the Colts have some major question marks. Pittman was traded to Pittsburgh, leaving Pierce and Downs as the two most established options. Pierce had a breakout season with 47 catches, 1,003 yards, and 6 touchdowns. He averaged a whopping 21.3 yards per reception. He’s recovering from offseason ankle surgery and remains on the PUP list after missing all of training camp. The Colts have said they still expect him to be ready for Week 1, but his lack of practice time is becoming a concern. Indianapolis also added veteran Keenan Allen, which gives them some much-needed insurance at receiver.
Downs provides a completely different skill set and should continue to operate primarily underneath and from the slot. Given the health concerns of Pierce, I like targeting Downs early in the season, even with Allen on the roster. The Colts also added Westbrook-Ikhine.
TIGHT END
— Tyler Warren, Mo Alie-Cox, Will Mallory —
With question marks at receiver, Warren could easily be the top wideout on the roster. The 2nd-year tight end immediately became one of the most productive rookie tight ends in NFL history, finishing with 76 catches, 817 yards, and 4 touchdowns. He also added a rushing touchdown and set franchise rookie records for receptions and receiving yards by a tight end. Indianapolis moved him around the formation constantly, so he’s not your traditional tight end. If the Colts continue finding creative ways to get him the ball, he has legitimate breakout potential in Year 2 and could quickly become one of the more valuable tight ends in DFS.
OFFENSIVE LINE
The offensive line remains one of the strengths of this team. Quenton Nelson is still the anchor at left guard after making the Pro Bowl, while Bernhard Raimann, Tanor Bortolini, and Matt Goncalves give Indianapolis a young core around him. The Colts also drafted Jalen Travis in the 4th round to compete at tackle. This should be one of the better run-blocking units, which is great for Taylor and his fantasy appeal.
DEFENSE
The Colts made a major move on defense by acquiring Sauce Gardner last season, giving them a legitimate corner to build around. Laiatu Latu also took a significant step forward with 8.5 sacks, while DeForest Buckner remains the veteran centerpiece of the defensive line. Lou Anarumo enters his second season as defensive coordinator after replacing Gus Bradley last year. The talent is there, but this unit has to prove it can be more consistent after the Colts’ late-season collapse.
Tennessee Titans
2025 Record: 3-14 | 2026 Vegas Win Total: 6.5
COACHING
HC: Robert Saleh
OC: Brian Daboll
Primary play-caller: Brian Daboll
DC: Gus Bradley
What Changed: The Titans are hitting the reset button after going 3-14 for the 2nd straight season. Robert Saleh takes over as head coach, with Brian Daboll running the offense and Gus Bradley taking over the defense. Saleh brings a defensive-minded approach, while Daboll gets the opportunity to build an offense around a young quarterback. There’s a pretty wide range of outcomes for this young team.
QUARTERBACK
— Cam Ward —
Ward’s rookie season was a mixed bag, but there were enough encouraging signs to make him one of the more interesting young quarterbacks in fantasy. There is no denying his arm talent; he just needs to process the game at the NFL level a bit quicker. He finished last season with 3,169 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions. He also added 159 rushing yards and 2 rushing touchdowns.
The biggest positive came late in the season, when Ward looked significantly more comfortable. In his final 8 games, he had a 103.5 passer rating. Now he gets a full offseason with Daboll, who has a strong track record working with quarterbacks (Josh Allen, Daniel Jones). The Titans still have a long way to go offensively, but Ward’s rushing ability and willingness to push the ball downfield give him legitimate DFS upside if the offense takes a step forward. For DFS, I prefer him over a lot of the stationary veteran quarterbacks.
RUNNING BACK
— Tony Pollard, Tyjae Spears, Kalel Mullings —
Pollard remains the clear centerpiece in this backfield after another 1,000-yard season. He had 5 rushing touchdowns and added 33 receptions for 206 yards. While the volume makes him an intriguing value in DFS, I do worry about his upside. Spears is the more explosive option and should continue to see work in the passing game. He finished last season with 45 receptions and 264 yards. The Titans also added rookie Mullings.
WIDE RECEIVER
— Calvin Ridley, Carnell Tate, Elic Ayomanor, Wan’Dale Robinson, Chimere Dike —
Ridley missed significant time last season, but he still averaged 17.8 yards per catch. The year before that, he had over 1,000 receiving yards for the Titans. With Ward’s willingness to throw the ball downfield, Ridley could be a sneaky bet in both DFS and season-long leagues.
The most exciting addition is Tate, who was the 4th overall draft pick. He immediately has a chance to become one of the more important pieces of this offense. Ayomanor flashed a bit as a rookie, finishing with 41 catches for 515 yards and 4 touchdowns. We know Daboll loves to bring in “his guys,” and that’s exactly what he did with Robinson. He’ll be a reliable option underneath and over the middle.
There are a lot of mouths to feed here, but that’s why Ward is so intriguing. Given the draft capital invested in Tate, he’s the player to keep an eye on early in the season.
TIGHT END
— Gunnar Helm, Daniel Bellinger, Kylen Granson —
Helm enters his 2nd season after catching 44 passes for 357 yards and 2 touchdowns as a rookie. With Chig Okonkwo no longer in the picture, there is an opportunity for Helm to become a much bigger part of the passing game. Unfortunately, the Titans added Bellinger, who came over with Daboll from the Giants.
OFFENSIVE LINE
The offensive line has to get better. Tennessee allowed 56 sacks in 2025, and protecting Ward will be one of the biggest priorities under Daboll and offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo. Peter Skoronski remains the anchor, while JC Latham is an important young player. Last year, this unit wasn’t great at either, but they were better in run-blocking than pass protection. Once again, that could be good for the fantasy production of Ward, who is an excellent scrambler.
DEFENSE
The Titans will look completely different on the defensive side of the ball. Bradley takes over as the defensive coordinator, and head coach Saleh is known for his knowledge on that side of the ball. On the personnel front, Tennessee added Jermaine Johnson and John Franklin-Myers to a front led by Jeffery Simmons, who had 11 sacks last season. The secondary was also overhauled, with Alontae Taylor and Cor’Dale Flott joining the team. There are a lot of new pieces, but this defense should be significantly better under Saleh and Bradley.
NFC East
Philadelphia Eagles
2025 Record: 11-6 | 2026 Vegas Win Total: 10.5
COACHING
HC: Nick Sirianni
OC: Sean Mannion
Primary play-caller: Sean Mannion
DC: Vic Fangio
What Changed: The Eagles are coming off another NFC East title, but that wasn’t good enough to bring back the entire coaching staff. Kevin Patullo is out, and Sean Mannion takes over as offensive coordinator and first-time play-caller. Nick Sirianni remains head coach, while Vic Fangio returns to lead the defense. The offense underwhelmed last season and was quite predictable, so I expect to see improvements with Mannion at the helm.
QUARTERBACK
— Jalen Hurts —
Hurts remains one of the most interesting fantasy quarterbacks in football because of the combination of his passing ability and rushing production. He threw for 3,224 yards and 25 touchdowns last season. His 421 rushing yards and 8 rushing touchdowns would be great for most quarterbacks, but they were a bit underwhelming based on our expectations. There’s hope that he’ll have more designed runs this season, which should bolster his fantasy production.
Now he gets a completely new offense under Mannion, who has emphasized play-action, motion, and concepts from the Kyle Shanahan / Sean McVay coaching tree. As long as the Eagles continue using him heavily around the goal line (tush push), he should be one of the most productive players in DFS.
RUNNING BACK
— Saquon Barkley, Tank Bigsby, Will Shipley —
Barkley is coming off a down season after having an incredible one in 2024. He finished last season with 1,140 yards and 7 touchdowns in 2025. I’m not worried about the down year, as he still had 280 carries. He should flourish in the new offense, and he should have positive touchdown regression coming his way.
Bigsby is the talk of fantasy circles, as he had an encouraging offseason, while Shipley remains in the mix for complementary work. Mannion’s offense should feature plenty of under-center and play-action concepts, which could create some interesting opportunities for these running backs. Barkley is the clear RB1 to open the season, but Bigsby would become a top target if Barkley is forced to miss any time.
WIDE RECEIVER
— DeVonta Smith, Hollywood Brown, Makai Lemon, Dontayvion Wicks —
The biggest area of change for the Eagles is at wide receiver. Brown (A.J.) is gone, leaving Smith as the most established receiver on the roster. Smith had 77 catches for 1,008 yards and 4 touchdowns last season. We’ve seen him dominate targets with Brown out of the lineup over the last few years, so I think he can handle the alpha role.
Lemon is expected to have an immediate role after Philadelphia selected him in the 1st round. He’s one of my favorite rookies to target early in the season. A hamstring injury has slowed his training camp, but it doesn’t sound like his Week 1 status is in doubt. Brown (Hollywood) and Wicks are better ancillary receivers than the Eagles have had in a while.
There are plenty of interesting pieces here, but replacing Brown’s production and volume is going to be difficult. Smith is the obvious DFS target, but I expect these secondary options to have some upside. I’m especially excited about Lemon in this offense.
TIGHT END
— Dallas Goedert, Eli Stowers —
Goedert returns to Philadelphia on a new contract. He finished last season with 591 receiving yards. He’ll have his usual role in the offense, and he could have a slightly bigger red-zone role with Brown no longer on the roster. The Eagles also drafted Stowers, who gives them another athletic option to develop behind Goedert.
OFFENSIVE LINE
The offensive line remains one of Philadelphia’s biggest strengths, but there is some transition here as well. Lane Johnson, Jordan Mailata, and Cam Jurgens continue to anchor the group, while the Eagles brought in Chris Kuper as the new offensive line coach. Kuper is familiar with Mannion from their time in Green Bay, and the Eagles are making some changes to their blocking concepts under the new offensive system. The biggest advantage of this group remains its ability to create running lanes for Barkley while giving Hurts the time in the pocket.
DEFENSE
Vic Fangio is back as defensive coordinator, which is always good news for a defense. Philadelphia still has an impressive young core led by Jalen Carter, Quinyon Mitchell, and Cooper DeJean. The Eagles added Jonathan Greenard and Riq Woolen, giving them more talent on the defensive front and at outside corner. Greenard’s injury status is something to monitor after he opened camp on the PUP list with a pec injury and could miss the start of the season.
Dallas Cowboys
2025 Record: 7-9-1 | 2026 Vegas Win Total: 8.5
COACHING
HC: Brian Schottenheimer
OC: Klayton Adams
Primary play-caller: Brian Schottenheimer
DC: Christian Parker
What Changed: The Cowboys are coming off a disappointing 7-9-1 season, but the offense was not the problem. Dallas finished 2nd in the NFL in total offense. This will be their second season under Brian Schottenheimer with most of the offensive core still intact. The massive overhaul came on defense, where Christian Parker takes over after the departure of Matt Eberflus. The Cowboys should be a fun team, but do they have enough pieces to make a run at the playoffs?
QUARTERBACK
— Dak Prescott —
Prescott quietly had one of the best seasons of his career last season, throwing for 4,552 yards and 30 touchdowns while leading one of the league’s most productive offenses. He has one of the best wide receiver duos in the NFL in CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, so there’s a lot to like about this passing attack once again.
The difference this season could be the defense. Prescott was forced to put up big numbers because the defense gave up a ton of points last season. If that side of the ball improves, we could see lower passing volume from Prescott. With that said, he’s still a viable DFS option in favorable matchups.
RUNNING BACK
— Javonte Williams, Jaydon Blue, Phil Mafah, Malik Davis —
Williams was one of the biggest surprises in Dallas last season. Everyone was quick to say he was terrible, but he rushed for 1,201 yards and 11 touchdowns and earned himself a 3-year extension. He’s the clear RB1 heading into this season, although the Cowboys have some interesting depth behind him.
Blue and rookie Mafah should compete for complementary touches, but Williams has already shown he can handle a significant workload in this offense. His combination of rushing volume and touchdown upside makes him an interesting DFS play each week, especially in games where the Cowboys are favored.
WIDE RECEIVER
— CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Ryan Flournoy, Marquez Valdes-Scantling —
Lamb remains the WR1 in this offense. He finished last season with 1,077 receiving yards, but he was forced to miss some time. Pickens flourished in his absence and posted 1,429 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns in his first season with Dallas. Pickens was franchise-tagged for this season, giving Prescott two legitimate high-end weapons.
There are only so many targets to go around in this offense, but it will be interesting to see what happens behind them. Flournoy emerged as the team’s third receiver and has earned that role after a strong season, while Dallas also added Valdes-Scantling.
The biggest challenge for DFS purposes is figuring out how the targets are distributed between Lamb and Pickens. Both have legitimate slate-breaking upside, but it’s going to be tough trying to predict which one will have the ceiling game each week.
TIGHT END
— Jake Ferguson, Luke Schoonmaker, Brevyn Spann-Ford —
Ferguson remains the clear starter and should continue to play a significant role in the passing game. He was a target monster at times last season, but that won’t be the case with Pickens and Lamb both healthy entering the season. His best path to fantasy relevance is being a weapon in the red zone. Schoonmaker and Spann-Ford will compete for the TE2 role.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Tyler Smith remains the anchor of the offensive line, while Terence Steele and Tyler Guyton are expected to handle the tackle spots. Guyton’s development is important as he will be protecting Prescott’s blindside. The Cowboys were already extremely efficient offensively last season, so this group doesn’t need to become dramatically better. The goal is simply keeping Prescott upright while giving Williams room in the running game.
DEFENSE
The defense is the big story of the Cowboys’ 2026 season. Dallas had one of the worst defenses in franchise history last season, which led to some major changes. Christian Parker takes over as defensive coordinator and brings in a different scheme than the defense had last year.
The Cowboys also made major additions up front, adding Rashan Gary, Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark. They also brought in Jalen Thompson, Cobie Durant and P.J. Locke to round out the secondary. 1st-round safety Caleb Downs gives them another potentially elite young player.
The overall talent level is significantly better than last season, but there are a lot of moving parts to make this new defense work.
New York Giants
2025 Record: 4-13 | 2026 Vegas Win Total: 7.5
COACHING
HC: John Harbaugh
OC: Matt Nagy
Primary play-caller: Matt Nagy
DC: Dennard Wilson
What Changed: The Giants completely reset the organization after another disappointing season. John Harbaugh takes over as head coach after 18 seasons in Baltimore, while Matt Nagy and Dennard Wilson take over as the offensive and defensive coordinators. Nagy will also handle the offensive play-calling. This is a completely new coaching structure, so we can expect some road bumps. Giants’ fans should be optimistic about the team’s future, but it might take a couple of seasons to see major improvements.
QUARTERBACK
— Jaxson Dart, Jameis Winston —
Dart showed plenty of promise as a rookie, throwing for 2,272 yards, 15 passing touchdowns, and only 5 interceptions. He added 487 rushing yards and 9 rushing touchdowns, which gave him a nice combination of a floor and ceiling in DFS. A new coaching staff can be tough on a young quarterback, but Dart is in great hands. Nagy has already talked about tailoring the offense around Dart’s strengths, and the Giants are expected to use more under-center concepts and emphasize the run game. If Dart takes a sophomore leap, he’ll be in the DFS conversation every week. And if Dart misses any time with an injury, fantasy-favorite Winston will be back in our lives.
RUNNING BACK
— Cam Skattebo, Tyrone Tracy, Najee Harris —
This backfield is a situation to monitor early in the season. Tracy led the Giants in rushing last season with 740 yards, but Skattebo was more productive on a per-touch basis and scored 7 total touchdowns in only 8 games. Skattebo also contributed 24 catches for 207 yards as a rookie. Now the Giants have added veteran Najee Harris to the mix, giving them three legitimate backs competing for touches. Skattebo flashed upside as a rookie, but he’s coming back from an ankle injury. I worry about his volume.
WIDE RECEIVER
— Malik Nabers, Darius Slayton, Darnell Mooney, Malachi Fields —
Nabers remains the centerpiece of this passing game, although his recovery from a torn ACL is the biggest variable heading into the season. He played only 4 games in 2025 but still averaged more than 15 yards per catch and scored twice. He’s now back in team drills, although he’s still wearing a non-contact jersey and hasn’t been cleared for full contact. If he’s healthy, he should be a volume monster.
The Giants added Mooney and drafted Fields in the 3rd round, giving them more size and speed alongside Nabers. Slayton remains the veteran deep threat. Nabers is the obvious DFS target, but the secondary options become more interesting if Dart takes the expected step forward.
TIGHT END
— Isaiah Likely, Theo Johnson —
Likely is a player that we’ve wanted to be great. His time with Baltimore was up-and-down, but now he gets a fresh start with the Giants. Johnson also had a productive 2025 season with 45 catches for 528 yards and 5 touchdowns. The tight end position went from being a weakness to a strength overnight. The big question here is volume.
OFFENSIVE LINE
The offensive line is one of the biggest concerns on the roster. The Giants are hoping continued development from their young linemen can lead to a better season for the group. The Giants have invested heavily in the position, but this group still has to prove it can consistently create clean pockets and running lanes. I wouldn’t call this a strength of the team yet, but there’s reason for optimism.
DEFENSE
The Giants are hoping the new coaching staff can get more out of a talented but inconsistent defensive group. Wilson takes over as defensive coordinator after spending the previous 2 seasons in Tennessee, while Harbaugh brings a defensive-minded approach to the organization.
The pass rush should be solid, as Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Abdul Carter give New York a potentially dangerous edge trio. Rookie Arvell Reese is another interesting player. In the secondary, the Giants added Paulson Adebo and Greg Newsome. The defensive talent and coaching should be better than last season.
Washington Commanders
2025 Record: 5-12 | 2026 Vegas Win Total: 7.5
COACHING
HC: Dan Quinn
OC: David Blough
Primary play-caller: David Blough
DC: Daronte Jones
What Changed: The Commanders are trying to bounce back from a disappointing 5-12 season after going 12-5 and reaching the NFC Championship Game in 2024. Dan Quinn is still the head coach, but Washington moved on from Kliff Kingsbury and promoted David Blough to offensive coordinator and primary play-caller. The goal is to build around Daniels while putting him under center more often and leaning on the running game. Daronte Jones remains the defensive coordinator.
QUARTERBACK
— Jayden Daniels —
Daniels only played 7 games last season, throwing for 1,262 yards and 8 touchdowns while adding 278 yards and 2 touchdowns on the ground. It was a massive drop from his rookie season, when he threw for 3,568 yards and 25 touchdowns while adding 891 yards on the ground.
The good news is that Daniels seems healthy entering the season and gets a new offensive coordinator who already knows him well. Blough has been involved in Daniels’ development since he arrived in Washington, and the new offense is expected to use more under-center concepts while emphasizing the run game.
It feels like everyone is sleeping on Daniels this season. He makes for an intriguing tournament play right out of the gate.
RUNNING BACK
— Rachaad White, Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Jeremy McNichols —
Croskey-Merritt led Washington with 805 rushing yards and 8 touchdowns as a rookie, but consistency wasn’t his strong suit. The Commanders made a significant addition by bringing in White, which provides the offense with a veteran back who can contribute both on the ground and through the air.
Croskey-Merritt has already shown he can handle a significant workload, while White brings more proven receiving ability. The split is something we’ll have to monitor early in the season, because neither player is currently guaranteed a massive workload. These are the situations I try to avoid in DFS.
WIDE RECEIVER
— Terry McLaurin, Stefon Diggs, Van Jefferson, Treylon Burks, Dyami Brown, Jaylin Lane —
McLaurin remains one of the most talented receivers in the division, although his 2025 season was a disappointment. He missed time with injuries and finished with just 38 catches for 582 yards and 3 touchdowns. In his first year with Daniels under center, he had 1,096 yards and 13 touchdowns. The addition of Diggs gives Washington another legitimate target earner and should make life easier for McLaurin. With that said, it could also cut into his target share. The biggest winner here is Daniels, who now has two excellent receivers at his disposal. Burks was an interesting addition before the Commanders picked up Diggs. He’ll need an injury to really open up targets.
TIGHT END
— Chig Okonkwo, Ben Sinnott, John Bates —
Okonkwo is the most interesting addition here after joining Washington following his time in Tennessee. He’s an athletic tight end who can create yards after the catch. If all goes well, he could end up being the second-best receiving option on the roster behind McLaurin. Sinnott is an intriguing young player after being drafted by Washington in 2024.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Laremy Tunsil was expected to give Washington a major upgrade at left tackle, but a torn triceps will keep him out for an extended period. Brandon Coleman has moved back to left tackle, creating another question for an offensive line that was already a concern. Daniels was pressured heavily last season, so pass protection is a big question mark. However, the move toward a more under-center offense could help.
DEFENSE
The Commanders had one of the worst defenses in the NFL last season, so the team invested heavily in both free agency and the draft. Daronte Jones takes over as defensive coordinator and is expected to bring a more aggressive approach. Odafe Oweh was added as a pass rusher, while 1st-round pick Sonny Styles gives Washington a unique player who can play near the line of scrimmage or in coverage. Frankie Luvu, Leo Chenal, Daron Payne and Jer’Zhan Newton give the unit additional pieces up front.
The defense is still a question mark, but they should naturally be better than they were last season.
NFC North
Green Bay Packers
2025 Record: 9-7-1 | 2026 Vegas Win Total: 9.5
COACHING
HC: Matt LaFleur
OC: Adam Stenavich
Primary play-caller: Matt LaFleur
DC: Jonathan Gannon
What Changed: The Packers enter 2026 with plenty of continuity on offense but a significantly different look on defense. Matt LaFleur remains in charge and will continue calling the plays, while Adam Stenavich returns as offensive coordinator. Jonathan Gannon replaces Jeff Hafley as defensive coordinator and brings a more aggressive scheme to the table.
QUARTERBACK
— Jordan Love —
When the Packers are forced to air it out, Love can be one of the most productive quarterbacks in DFS. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen very often. He finished last season with 3,381 yards and 23 touchdowns last season. The big question is whether LaFleur opens up the offense and allows Love to push the ball downfield more consistently.
With Christian Watson, Jayden Reed and Matthew Golden all capable of creating explosive plays, there’s legitimate fantasy upside if Green Bay becomes more aggressive. Love will be a matchup-dependent option in DFS each week.
RUNNING BACK
— Josh Jacobs, MarShawn Lloyd, Chris Brooks —
Jacobs remains the centerpiece of this backfield after rushing for 929 yards and 13 touchdowns in 15 games last season. He also added 36 receptions for 282 yards and a touchdown, giving him one of the safest workloads among running backs. He recently missed time with a groin injury but has since returned to practice and will be ready for Week 1. Lloyd’s availability has been inconsistent since entering the league, but he has the talent to produce if given the opportunity.
WIDE RECEIVER
— Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, Matthew Golden, Savion Williams —
Watson and Reed received contract extensions this offseason, while Golden enters his sophomore season after being selected in the first round of the 2025 draft. The Packers also moved on from Doubs and traded Wicks, clearing the way for the younger receivers to take on larger roles. Watson has the highest ceiling of the group thanks to his explosive ability, while Reed should provide consistency from the slot. Golden could be the breakout candidate who changes the entire dynamic of the offense.
The question last year was how to stack with Love, but the target tree should be more condensed this season.
TIGHT END
— Tucker Kraft, Luke Musgrave, Drake Dabney —
Kraft was emerging as Love’s most reliable all-around target before a torn ACL ended his season. His health is one of the biggest variables in the passing game, but if he’s ready for Week 1, he immediately gives Love a high-upside option over the middle of the field.
Musgrave has also dealt with injuries and may begin the season on the PUP list, which could create opportunities for younger players like Dabney. Kraft’s availability is the biggest thing to watch here because he has the potential to become one of the more important pieces of this offense.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Sean Rhyan received a three-year extension, while Anthony Belton enters his second season as the expected starting right guard after transitioning from tackle. The talent is good enough for this to be a strength of the team, but continuity is the biggest concern. Green Bay doesn’t need to have a major improvement on the offensive line; it simply needs this group to stay healthy.
DEFENSE
Jonathan Gannon takes over as defensive coordinator and is already experimenting with different looks, including three-safety and pressure packages. Micah Parsons remains the superstar centerpiece, but he’s recovering from the ACL and meniscus injury that ended his 2025 season and is currently on the PUP list. Green Bay added veteran linebacker Zaire Franklin and defensive tackle Javon Hargrave. The Packers lost Rashan Gary and Quay Walker, meaning the younger defensive pieces will have to step up.
There is plenty of talent here, but the combination of a new coordinator, Parsons’ recovery, and several personnel changes makes this one of the more difficult units to project entering this season.
Detroit Lions
2025 Record: 9-8 | 2026 Vegas Win Total: 10.5
COACHING
HC: Dan Campbell
OC: Drew Petzing
Primary play-caller: Dan Campbell
DC: Kelvin Sheppard
What Changed: The Lions are looking to bounce back after a disappointing 9-8 season that ended with them missing the playoffs. Dan Campbell remains in charge, but Drew Petzing replaces John Morton as offensive coordinator, giving the offense a new voice after Campbell handled play-calling for much of last season. Kelvin Sheppard enters his second year as defensive coordinator, giving the defense some continuity.
QUARTERBACK
— Jared Goff —
Goff is an excellent pocket passer, especially indoors. He finished last season with 4,564 passing yards, 34 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. He finished 2nd in the NFL in both passing yards and touchdowns. While he offered a fairly high floor every week (especially at home), it took a very specific game script (falling behind big early) for him to flash a ceiling. The high floor should remain this season.
The biggest question is how much Petzing changes the offense. Goff has already shown he can thrive in Detroit’s system, and he has a ton of talent around him. With Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Sam LaPorta all returning, this offense should have no issue scoring points.
RUNNING BACK
— Jahmyr Gibbs, Isiah Pacheco, Sione Vaki —
After David Montgomery was traded to the Texans in the offseason, this is officially Gibbs’ backfield. He finished last season with 1,223 rushing yards, 13 rushing touchdowns, 77 receptions, 616 receiving yards, and 5 receiving touchdowns. That type of production is hard to replicate, but he has even less competition for touches this season. He could easily end up being the most productive running back in all of DFS.
Pacheco was added as the RB2, but he’s unlikely to have the D-Mont role from last season. We want to target Gibbs early and often in DFS.
WIDE RECEIVER
— Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Isaac TeSlaa, Greg Dortch —
The Lions still have one of the best receiving duos in football. St. Brown is coming off a monster season with 117 receptions for 1,401 yards and 11 touchdowns, while Williams followed up his breakout 2024 campaign with another 1,000-yard season.
St. Brown offers a nice floor/ceiling combo, while Williams is a high-ceiling player with a cheaper price point. Another interesting piece is 2nd-year receiver TeSlaa, who Detroit believes can take a step forward this season. The Lions also added veteran Dortch, while rookie Kendrick Law will have to earn snaps.
TIGHT END
— Sam LaPorta, Tyler Conklin, Zach Horton —
LaPorta has more upside than most tight ends in the NFL, but he also has more competition for targets than most tight ends. He missed the final 8 games of 2025 with a back injury, finishing the season with 40 catches for 489 yards and 3 touchdowns. He’s now dealing with a hip injury that has made his Week 1 status uncertain. When healthy, LaPorta should remain the primary receiving tight end. He should benefit from Petzing’s arrival, as his offenses have heavily featured the tight end in the past. Conklin was added in free agency to provide veteran depth, but when healthy, LaPorta should remain the primary receiving tight end.
OFFENSIVE LINE
The Lions used to have one of the best offensive lines in football, but that wasn’t the case last year. They are hoping to improve on that front this season. They traded for center Juice Scruggs, signed Cade Mays and Larry Borom, and selected Clemson tackle Blake Miller in the 1st round. Penei Sewell remains the centerpiece of the group and is one of the best tackles in football. The goal is to rebuild the depth around Sewell while giving Goff the protection he needs and creating running lanes for Gibbs.
DEFENSE
The defense was a big reason why the Lions fell short of expectations last season. They gave up 24.3 points per game, which was 22nd in the NFL. Aidan Hutchinson was still dominant, finishing with 14.5 sacks, but the rest of the defense struggled.
The Lions attacked that weakness this offseason by adding D.J. Wonnum and Payton Turner on the edge, along with 2nd-round pick Derrick Moore. Detroit also added Roger McCreary and Christian Izien to the secondary, while D.J. Reed remains a key veteran presence.
Kelvin Sheppard enters his second season as defensive coordinator, which should provide more continuity after the unit went through significant changes in 2025. If the new additions can improve the pass rush and secondary, this team has a good chance of winning the division.
Minnesota Vikings
2025 Record: 9-8 | 2026 Vegas Win Total: 8.5
COACHING
HC: Kevin O’Connell
OC: Wes Phillips
Primary play-caller: Kevin O’Connell
DC: Brian Flores
What Changed: The Vikings are trying to bounce back from a disappointing 9-8 season. They should feel confident in their ability to do so, as they won their last 5 games of the season. Kevin O’Connell and Brian Flores remain in place, and Wes Phillips returns as offensive coordinator. O’Connell will continue calling the plays, giving Minnesota one of the more stable coaching situations in football.
QUARTERBACK
— Kyler Murray, J.J. McCarthy —
Murray is officially the starter after winning the quarterback competition with McCarthy. He played only 5 games for Arizona last season due to a foot injury, but he completed 68% of his passes for 962 yards and 6 touchdowns. The appeal with Murray is that he offers mobility and a good arm. The Vikings didn’t have that from their quarterbacks last season. He also steps into an offense with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, and Jauan Jennings.
O’Connell has gotten the most out of his quarterbacks, so Murray could be a sneaky DFS target early in the season. McCarthy remains the long-term question after starting 10 games last season. He went 6-4 but completed just 57% of his passes with 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
RUNNING BACK
— Aaron Jones, Jordan Mason, Demond Claiborne —
Jones remains the top running back on the roster, as the Vikings reworked his contract to keep him in Minnesota for 2026. He rushed for 548 yards and 2 touchdowns last season while adding 28 receptions and 199 receiving yards. Those numbers don’t exactly jump off the page, and Jones is another year older.
Mason will be the biggest beneficiary if Jones can’t produce at a high level. Minnesota signed Mason after his time with San Francisco, and he brings a much more physical rushing style to the backfield. He had 758 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns last season.
The Vikings have also added rookie Claiborne. This could develop into more of a committee than a true bell-cow situation, which makes the backfield avoidable for now.
WIDE RECEIVER
— Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Jauan Jennings, Tai Felton —
Jefferson is hoping to have better quarterback play this season. He’s one of the most talented receivers in the NFL, but there’s only so much he can do with bad quarterback play. He finished last season with 84 receptions, 1,048 yards, and 2 touchdowns. Addison remains the clear WR2 and gives Minnesota another dangerous player who can win downfield. The biggest offseason addition was Jennings, who brings a physical presence. He should immediately compete for significant snaps and targets.
The Vikings also drafted Felton in the 3rd round, giving the offense another young explosive option. While there’s a lot of talent here, the upside of the wideouts hinges on the quarterback play.
TIGHT END
— T.J. Hockenson, Josh Oliver, Gavin Bartholomew —
Hockenson had a rather quiet 2025 season. He finished with 51 receptions, 438 yards, and 3 touchdowns. He was fairly healthy too, as he played in 15 games. With additions to the receiving room, there’s even more competition for targets this season. And again, all of these wideouts need better quarterback play to improve their fantasy production. Oliver is primarily a blocking tight end.
OFFENSIVE LINE
The offensive line is one of the biggest strengths of the roster. Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill give Minnesota one of the better tackle combinations in the league, while the team also added Ryan Van Demark. The biggest change is the retirement of center Ryan Kelly. Blake Brandel is the starting center this season.
Protecting Murray will be especially important. His mobility can create opportunities when plays break down, but the Vikings need to give him enough time to take advantage of Jefferson, Addison and the rest of this receiving corps. This group should remain a strength.
DEFENSE
The Vikings lost several key pieces from last year’s defense, including Jonathan Greenard, Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave, and Harrison Smith. The good news is that Brian Flores is still defensive coordinator after overseeing one of the league’s better defenses. Minnesota added James Pierre to the secondary and used a 1st-round pick on defensive tackle Caleb Banks, a 2nd-round pick on linebacker Jake Golday, and a 3rd-round pick on defensive tackle Domonique Orange.
Despite losing players in the offseason, I still believe in this defense thanks to Flores.
Chicago Bears
2025 Record: 11-6 | 2026 Vegas Win Total: 9.5
COACHING
HC: Ben Johnson
OC: Press Taylor
Primary play-caller: Press Taylor
DC: Dennis Allen
What Changed: The Bears enter 2026 trying to prove last year’s breakthrough was the beginning of something rather than a one-year spike. Ben Johnson will continue to build on what he’s started, but Press Taylor takes over as offensive coordinator after Declan Doyle left for Baltimore. Taylor was promoted after serving as Chicago’s pass game coordinator last season. Dennis Allen remains as the defensive coordinator, so there’s continuity on both sides of the ball.
QUARTERBACK
— Caleb Williams —
Williams enters Year 3 with plenty of momentum after a breakout season. He threw for a franchise-record 3,942 yards and helped lead Chicago to the NFC North title and a playoff victory over Green Bay. Williams showed an ability to create big plays with his legs, especially in late-game situations. He led the Bears to seven comeback victories when the Bears trailed in the final two minutes.
The biggest question now is whether Williams can take another step as a passer. He already has the physical talent and mobility to produce fantasy-friendly numbers, and another year in Ben Johnson’s system is a positive. I’ve never been a Williams truther, but I’m sipping the Kool-Aid this season.
RUNNING BACK
— D’Andre Swift, Kyle Monangai, Brittain Brown —
Swift remains the primary back heading into this season, while 2nd-year back Monangai gives Chicago an intriguing complementary option. The Bears finished 3rd in the NFL in rushing last season, which shows Johnson’s commitment to establishing the run.
Swift is the more established fantasy option, but Monangai could become increasingly interesting if Chicago continues to emphasize a physical rushing attack. I will note that Monangai is currently dealing with a knee injury that has him listed as week-to-week, so his Week 1 availability is something to monitor. If he’s out, Swift will have a major role in Week 1.
WIDE RECEIVER
— Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III, Kalif Raymond, Jahdae Walker —
The receiver room looks very different after Chicago traded DJ Moore to Buffalo. This creates a massive opportunity for both Odunze and Burden. Odunze dealt with injuries for a large portion of last season, while Burden had an encouraging rookie season. He caught 47 passes for 652 yards and 2 touchdowns. With Moore gone, he should take on a full-time role. Raymond and Walker round out the receiving room.
I’m betting on Odunze and Burden early in the season.
TIGHT END
— Colston Loveland, Cole Kmet, Sam Roush —
Loveland enters his 2nd season as one of the most intriguing young tight ends in football. He showed flashes as a rookie and should have an even bigger role with Moore out of the picture. Kmet is still kicking around, but Loveland has the higher fantasy ceiling.
OFFENSIVE LINE
The offensive line should be in good shape this season. Darnell Wright is coming off a second-team All-Pro season and recently signed a massive extension that keeps him in Chicago long term. Joe Thuney remains an elite interior presence, while the addition of Garrett Bradbury gives the Bears a veteran option at center after Drew Dalman retired.
DEFENSE
The defense is the biggest question mark on this team. Dennis Allen enters his second season as defensive coordinator, and Chicago made several changes to the unit during the offseason. The Bears lost both starting safeties from last season, but added Coby Bryant in free agency and selected Dillon Thieneman in the 1st round. Devin Bush and Grady Jarrett were also brought in to add experience up front.
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons
2025 Record: 8-9 | 2026 Vegas Win Total: 7.5
COACHING
HC: Kevin Stefanski
OC: Tommy Rees
Primary play-caller: Tommy Rees
DC: Jeff Ulbrich
What Changed: The Falcons made some big changes to their coaching staff after another 8-9 season. Kevin Stefanski takes over as head coach, while Tommy Rees becomes offensive coordinator and primary play-caller. Jeff Ulbrich remains defensive coordinator after leading a major turnaround in Atlanta’s pass rush last season. This gives Atlanta a new offensive system and a new voice at the top while maintaining some continuity on defense.
QUARTERBACK
— Tua Tagovailoa, Michael Penix Jr., Cooper Rush —
If the Falcons had a good quarterback, I would really like this team. Unfortunately, I don’t see it. Penix opened last season as the starter and finished the season with 1,982 passing yards, 9 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. He started 9 games before a torn ACL ended his season. He’s now competing with Tagovailoa, who joined Atlanta on a 1-year deal after being released by Miami.
The competition is still open as we enter the final stages of the preseason. Tagovailoa started Atlanta’s preseason opener, but head coach Kevin Stefanski made it clear that did not mean he would be the Week 1 starter. Penix was medically cleared for full 11-on-11 work this week, meaning the Falcons can now evaluate both quarterbacks on equal footing. Whoever wins the job will have plenty of weapons to work with, but I’m not sure either will make for a great DFS option.
RUNNING BACK
— Bijan Robinson, Brian Robinson Jr., Tyler Goodson —
Robinson is the unquestioned centerpiece of this offense after a monster 2025 campaign. He totaled 2,298 yards from scrimmage and scored 11 touchdowns. He was efficient on the ground, a regular in the passing game, and his role near the goal line was bigger than in previous seasons.
Stefanski’s history of emphasizing the running game makes Robinson an even more appealing option. Atlanta added Robinson (Brian) as a physical complementary back, but Bijan should continue to dominate the high-value touches when healthy. He’s one of the safest DFS bets to start the season.
WIDE RECEIVER
— Drake London, Jahan Dotson, Olamide Zaccheaus, Zachariah Branch —
London remains the clear WR1 after signing a massive extension this offseason. He played only 12 games in 2025 but still finished with 68 catches for 919 yards and 7 touchdowns. The question is his quarterback play, which is anyone’s guess at this point.
The WR2 role is much less certain. Darnell Mooney is gone, but the Falcons added Dotson and brought back Zaccheaus. They also drafted Branch in the 3rd round. He has been one of the standout players in training camp and brings legitimate speed and big-play ability to a receiver group that needed another explosive option.
TIGHT END
— Kyle Pitts, Austin Hooper, Charlie Woerner —
It seems like every DFS player has loved and hated Pitts at some point over the last few years. I finally gave up on him before last season, and he put together the best season since his rookie year. He finished with 88 receptions, 928 yards, and 5 touchdowns. The Falcons gave him a 3-year extension, and many believe that he’ll be a major focal point of this offense.
Hooper also returns to Atlanta after signing a 1-year deal, giving the Falcons a proven veteran behind Pitts. The new coaching staff has emphasized the tight end position. I’m talking myself into Pitts again, aren’t I?
OFFENSIVE LINE
The offensive line appears to be in good shape, especially on the interior. Chris Lindstrom anchors the group at right guard, while Matthew Bergeron and Ryan Neuzil are still starters. The biggest question is at right tackle. Kaleb McGary retired, while Jawaan Taylor was brought in on a 1-year deal after dealing with injuries in 2025. Taylor has returned to practice after beginning camp on the PUP list, while rookie Ethan Onianwa has also generated buzz. Bill Callahan takes over as the offensive line coach.
DEFENSE
The defense was a surprise bright spot for the Falcons last season. Under Ulbrich, Atlanta went from near the bottom of the league in sacks in 2024 to 2nd in the NFL in 2025. The problem is that Jalon Walker is out for the season with an ACL injury, while James Pearce is suspended for the first eight games of the season. Atlanta has added Samson Ebukam, Azeez Ojulari, Cameron Thomas, Maason Smith, and Sydney Brown.
The upside of this unit will hinge on their ability to generate pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
Carolina Panthers
2025 Record: 8-9 | 2026 Vegas Win Total: 7.5
COACHING
HC: Dave Canales
OC: Brad Idzik
Primary play-caller: Brad Idzik
DC: Ejiro Evero
What Changed: The Panthers are coming off an 8-9 season and an NFC South title (yes, that actually happened). They are betting on continuity heading into 2026. Dave Canales remains head coach, Ejiro Evero returns as defensive coordinator, and Brad Idzik takes on a larger role as offensive coordinator and primary play-caller. The biggest change is giving Idzik more control over the offense.
QUARTERBACK
— Bryce Young —
Young enters this season as the unquestioned starter after putting together the most consistent stretch of his career in 2025. He threw for 3,011 yards and had 23 passing touchdowns. I’d like to see more rushing from him, but he did have 2 touchdowns on the ground last season. Carolina still believes in him, as they picked up his 5-year option. It feels like he plays his best whenever his job is on the line.
Pickett was added as the veteran backup, while rookie King is an intriguing developmental option.
RUNNING BACK
— Chuba Hubbard, Trevor Etienne, Jonathon Brooks —
Hubbard is the leader of this backfield after splitting work with Dowdle last season. The Panthers expect him to take control of the rushing attack, while Etienne will look to carve out a bigger role this season. Brooks is particularly interesting after missing roughly a year and a half following an ACL injury. He has the talent to eventually push for a bigger role and could be worth a stash in season-long leagues.
WIDE RECEIVER
— Tetairoa McMillan, Jalen Coker, Xavier Legette, Chris Brazzell II —
McMillan enters his sophomore season as the clear WR1 in this offense. He had 70 receptions for 1,014 yards in his rookie season. More importantly, he had 122 targets. The volume should continue to be elite this season. Coker is firmly entrenched as the WR2. Legette is a wild card. He’s shown flashes but hasn’t consistently produced at the level expected of a former 1st-round pick. The Panthers also added rookie Brazzell, who brings a unique combination of size and speed. We’ll see what his role looks like early in the season.
TIGHT END
— Ja’Tavion Sanders, Tommy Tremble, Mitchell Evans, Feleipe Franks —
This tight end group combined for 78 receptions, 638 yards and 5 touchdowns last season. Sanders led them in receptions, but it’s hard to get excited about a player with such a low target share. I don’t expect to have much exposure to this group when it comes to DFS.
OFFENSIVE LINE
The offensive line is probably the biggest concern heading into the season. Carolina added Rasheed Walker in free agency and selected Monroe Freeling in the first round. Those additions became even more important with both starting tackles expected to miss time. Ikem Ekwonu is recovering from a torn patellar tendon, while Taylor Moton is dealing with blood clots that are expected to keep him out for the start of the season. The interior still features Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis, while Luke Fortner takes over at center.
DEFENSE
The Panthers invested heavily on this side of the ball and believe the unit can take another step forward. Derrick Brown is the staple of this defense, while they added Jaelan Phillips, Devin Lloyd, and Tre’von Moehrig. Jaycee Horn is an elite player in the secondary.
New Orleans Saints
2025 Record: 6-11 | 2026 Vegas Win Total: 7.5
COACHING
HC: Kellen Moore
OC: Doug Nussmeier
Primary play-caller: Kellen Moore
DC: Brandon Staley
What Changed: The Saints are entering their second season with Kellen Moore as head coach, Doug Nussmeier as offensive coordinator, and Brandon Staley as defensive coordinator. Moore will continue to call plays. After showing some improvement late last season, the big question is whether this staff can build on that progress and establish more consistency in 2026.
QUARTERBACK
— Tyler Shough —
Shough is the reason why many are excited about the Saints this season. He took over as the starter midway through his rookie year and was tremendous. He finished the season with 2,384 passing yards and 10 touchdowns. He also had 186 rushing yards and 3 rushing touchdowns.
The biggest question is whether Shough can become more consistent as a passer. He showed flashes of strong downfield accuracy and mobility late last season, and another year in Moore’s offense is a positive. I’m buying what Shough and Moore are selling.
RUNNING BACK
— Travis Etienne, Alvin Kamara, Devin Neal, Audric Estime —
The Saints made one of the more interesting additions of the offseason by signing Etienne, creating a potentially crowded backfield alongside Kamara. Etienne gives New Orleans a more traditional between-the-tackles runner with explosive-play ability, while Kamara remains one of the league’s best receiving backs.
The Saints have indicated that they want to find ways to use both players, which is what DFS players hate to hear. Etienne will likely lead the team in rushing attempts, while Kamara will likely lead the backfield in targets. However, Kamara’s recent MCL sprain is expected to keep him out 4-6 weeks. That could give Etienne a clear path to early-season volume. The Saints just traded for Zamir White, giving them another option in the rotation while Kamara recovers.
WIDE RECEIVER
— Chris Olave, Jordyn Tyson, Devaughn Vele, Ja’Lynn Polk —
Olave was a player I targeted far too often in DFS last season. His usage suggested positive regression, and it finally paid off in the second half of the year. He finished with 100 receptions, 1,163 yards, and 9 touchdowns and should continue to command a significant target share in this offense.
Tyson was expected to start opposite Olave after the Saints selected him 8th overall. The rookie brings legitimate big-play ability after racking up 1,812 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns over his final 2 college seasons. Unfortunately, a hamstring injury is expected to keep him out for roughly two months. That makes Olave an even more obvious focal point of the passing game while opening opportunities for Vele and Polk.
TIGHT END
— Juwan Johnson, Noah Fant, Oscar Delp —
Johnson was a steady producer at tight end last season. He finished with 77 receptions, 889 yards, and 3 touchdowns. Those numbers are pretty great for a tight end, especially one as cheap as he was most of last season.
The Saints added Fant in free agency and drafted Delp, giving them more athleticism and depth at the position. Johnson should remain the primary receiving tight end, but Fant could cut into his target share.
OFFENSIVE LINE
The Saints spent significant resources trying to improve an offensive line that has been a problem for several seasons. Kelvin Banks and Taliese Fuaga give New Orleans a promising young tackle combination, while David Edwards was added to strengthen the interior. Erik McCoy remains the projected starter at center. The concern is health and depth. New Orleans has already dealt with injuries along the line, and the Saints don’t have much room for additional setbacks.
DEFENSE
The Saints quietly had a respectable defense last season under Staley, particularly against the run. The hope is that another year in the system will allow the younger players to take another step forward. The biggest concern is replacing some of the talent lost to injury. Bryan Bresee is out for the season with an ACL injury, while Cameron Jordan is dealing with a hamstring issue heading into the season.
On a positive note, the defense being bad would actually be a positive for Shough and the pass catchers.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2025 Record: 8-9 | 2026 Vegas Win Total: 8.5
COACHING
HC: Todd Bowles
OC: Zac Robinson
Primary play-caller: Zac Robinson
DC: Todd Bowles
What Changed: Tampa Bay made a major change at offensive coordinator, replacing Josh Grizzard with Zac Robinson. Robinson brings a new offensive system and a stronger emphasis on the running game. Todd Bowles remains head coach and defensive coordinator, giving the defense some continuity while the offense adjusts to Robinson’s system.
QUARTERBACK
— Baker Mayfield —
Mayfield enters his fourth season in Tampa Bay. Last season, he completed 63.2% of his passes and threw for 3,693 yards and 26 touchdowns. He also added a career-high 382 rushing yards. He did all of this while playing through injury and while dealing with a shorthanded wide receiver room. The new offensive coordinator is expected to use more wide-zone concepts, play-action, and movement, so we’ll see how quickly Mayfield can adjust to the new offense.
RUNNING BACK
— Bucky Irving, Kenneth Gainwell, Sean Tucker —
Irving should have the edge on early downs. He missed significant time with injuries in 2025 but still finished with 588 rushing yards and 30 receptions in just 10 games. While Rachaad White is no longer on the roster, the Buccaneers brought in a similar player in Gainwell, who is coming off a career year with Pittsburgh. Gainwell totaled more than 1,000 yards from scrimmage last season. Tucker has flashed upside as well, so we can expect this to be a running-back-by-committee when everyone is healthy.
WIDE RECEIVER
— Chris Godwin Jr., Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan, Ted Hurst III, Tez Johnson —
Mike Evans is no longer in Tampa Bay after signing with San Francisco, ending one of the most productive eras in franchise history. Godwin returns healthy and should remain one of Mayfield’s most trusted targets, while Egbuka enters his sophomore year after catching 63 passes for 938 yards and 6 touchdowns as a rookie. Robinson has already talked about moving Godwin and Egbuka around the formation to create favorable matchups. Egbuka is currently dealing with a toe sprain, but the Buccaneers are optimistic he’ll be ready for Week 1.
McMillan also returns after dealing with a serious neck injury in 2025, while rookie Hurst brings legitimate downfield ability. He could compete for the starting X receiver role. This group doesn’t have a player with Evans’ size and consistency, but there are enough explosive weapons to believe they will still have a great passing attack.
TIGHT END
— Cade Otton, Payne Durham, Ko Kieft, Bauer Sharp —
Otton is often the forgotten man in the offense, at least from an ownership standpoint. He signed a new 3-year contract in the offseason, so he should continue to be the TE1 for the Buccaneers. He has now posted back-to-back seasons with 59 receptions and rarely leaves the field because of his ability to contribute as both a receiver and blocker.
OFFENSIVE LINE
The projected starting 5 of Tristan Wirfs, Ben Bredeson, Graham Barton, Cody Mauch and Luke Goedeke didn’t play a single snap together in 2025 because of injuries. All five are healthy heading into training camp, giving the Buccaneers a chance to get back to the level they were playing at in 2024.
This group should also fit well in Robinson’s offense, which is expected to use more movement and wide-zone concepts. If the offensive line stays healthy, Tampa Bay should be able to establish a much more consistent running game while giving Mayfield time in the pocket.
DEFENSE
The defense was one of the biggest problems for Tampa Bay in 2025, particularly when it came to generating pressure. The Bucs finished 20th in points allowed, 19th in total yards allowed, and 23rd in sack rate. They tried to beef up the defense in the offseason. They drafted Rueben Bain in the 1st round and added veteran pass rusher Al-Quadin Muhammad. They also brought in A’Shawn Robinson, Rakeem Nunez-Roches, and Alex Anzalone.
Todd Bowles remains in charge of the defense and will continue to rely heavily on pressure and aggressive blitz packages. Antoine Winfield remains the key player in the secondary, while the Bucs are hoping players such as Yaya Diaby and Calijah Kancey can take another step forward.
NFC West
Arizona Cardinals
2025 Record: 3-14 | 2026 Vegas Win Total: 4.5
COACHING
HC: Mike LaFleur
OC: Nathaniel Hackett
Primary play-caller: Mike LaFleur
DC: Nick Rallis
What Changed: Pretty much everything on the offensive side of the ball. Jonathan Gannon is out after three seasons, and Mike LaFleur takes over as head coach after spending the previous three years as the Rams’ offensive coordinator. Nathaniel Hackett was hired as offensive coordinator, although LaFleur will handle the play-calling. Nick Rallis returns as defensive coordinator, giving Arizona some continuity on that side of the ball.
QUARTERBACK
— Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew, Carson Beck —
Brissett enters 2026 as the unquestioned starter after taking over for the injured Kyler Murray last season. The Cardinals stuck with him even when Murray was healthy enough to return. Brissett had the best statistical season of his career, throwing for 3,366 yards and 23 touchdowns in only 12 starts. He doesn’t provide much rushing upside, but he still offers a high floor (if he plays like he did last year).
The supporting cast is what makes Brissett interesting. Trey McBride, Michael Wilson, and Marvin Harrison Jr. give him legitimate weapons, and LaFleur’s offense should create plenty of easy completions and opportunities after the catch. There is some sneaky DFS appeal here, as Arizona has a 4.5 win total, which means we could see a lot of pass volume and garbage time.
RUNNING BACK
— Jeremiyah Love, Tyler Allgeier, James Conner, Trey Benson —
Arizona used the 3rd overall pick on Love because the rookie has the talent to become the centerpiece of the entire offense. He brings legitimate three-down ability as both a runner and receiver. Love is currently dealing with a high ankle sprain and will miss the rest of the preseason, although the Cardinals are hopeful he’ll be ready for Week 1.
Allgeier was added in free agency and gives Arizona a proven early-down runner, while Conner remains a veteran option. The big DFS question is how quickly Love takes control of this backfield. If the rookie gets the majority of high-value touches, he’s a player that we’ll want to roster often.
WIDE RECEIVER
— Marvin Harrison Jr., Michael Wilson, Kendrick Bourne, Xavier Weaver, Tejhaun Palmer —
Wilson had a breakout season in 2025, catching 78 passes for 1,006 yards and 7 touchdowns. Harrison had another underwhelming season, racking up 608 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns. I am not ready to give up on Harrison yet. He was one of the best wide receiver prospects to ever come out of college. Perhaps a new offense is what he needs to live up to the lofty expectations. The big question is if LaFleur and Hackett can create enough passing opportunities for Harrison, Wilson, and McBride to all be fantasy relevant.
TIGHT END
— Trey McBride, Elijah Higgins, Tip Reiman —
McBride is the clear centerpiece of this passing game and enters 2026 as one of the best tight ends in football. He dominated Arizona’s targets last season, finishing with 126 receptions for 1,239 yards and 11 touchdowns. He should be in for another monster season, although there are a lot of mouths to feed in this offense now.
OFFENSIVE LINE
The offensive line is one of the biggest concerns heading into the season, and it could have a major impact on how aggressive LaFleur can be with this offense. Paris Johnson is back at left tackle, while Hjalte Froholdt and Isaiah Adams are expected to handle important interior roles. Rookie Chase Bisontis was pushing for a starting guard job before suffering a season-ending knee injury. I expect to roster quite a few defenses facing the Cardinals this season.
DEFENSE
The Cardinals allowed 28.7 points and 357.7 yards per game last season, so there is plenty of room for improvement on defense. Josh Sweat gives the team a legitimate pass rusher after recording 12 sacks in 2025. Budda Baker remains the leader of the secondary, while young players such as Darius Robinson and Denzel Burke will be asked to take on larger roles.
Arizona also lost several veterans from last year’s defense, including Calais Campbell, Dalvin Tomlinson and Jalen Thompson. The offensive line and the defense are the main reasons why the Cardinals have such a low win total heading into the season.
Los Angeles Rams
2025 Record: 12-5 | 2026 Vegas Win Total: 11.5
COACHING
HC: Sean McVay
OC: Nate Scheelhaase
Primary play-caller: Sean McVay
DC: Chris Shula
What Changed: The Rams are coming off a 12-5 season that ended with an NFC Championship Game appearance. The biggest coaching change is Nate Scheelhaase taking over as offensive coordinator after Mike LaFleur left to become Arizona’s head coach, although Sean McVay will continue to call the plays. Chris Shula also returns as defensive coordinator. Even though there’s a new offensive coordinator here, this is still McVay’s offense.
QUARTERBACK
— Matthew Stafford —
Stafford has been one of the most reliable quarterbacks in the NFL since he entered the league. He’s coming off another great season, throwing for 4,707 yards and 46 touchdowns. He led the Rams to the NFC Championship Game and won the MVP. At 38 years old, the mileage is obvious, but there is no reason to expect the arm talent to suddenly disappear.
With Puka Nacua, Davante Adams, and Kyren Williams around him, Stafford has one of the best collections of skill-position talent in football. McVay is still calling plays, so the transition from LaFleur to Scheelhaase shouldn’t radically change the offense. Stafford doesn’t offer much rushing upside, but the passing volume and touchdown potential make him one of the safest high-end DFS quarterbacks.
RUNNING BACK
— Kyren Williams, Blake Corum, Jarquez Hunter, Jordan Waters —
Williams finished 2025 with 1,252 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. He also added 36 receptions for 281 yards and 3 touchdowns. While he’s still the RB1 in this offense, Corum is the player who could complicate things if the Rams decide to lighten Williams’ workload. He’s a player that many are talking about heading into the season. Ultimately, I expect this to be a 60/40 type of backfield unless one of them gets injured. In that scenario, the other would become an elite option in DFS.
WIDE RECEIVER
— Puka Nacua, Davante Adams, Konata Mumpfield, Mario Williams —
Nacua is coming off a monster 2025 season in which he led the league with 129 receptions. He had 1,715 receiving yards and 10 receiving touchdowns. That kind of target volume makes him one of the highest-floor/highest-ceiling receivers in DFS. The Rams also gave him a decent amount of carries.
In his first season with the Rams, Adams had 60 receptions for 789 yards and 14 touchdowns. The numbers were solid, but he did struggle toward the end of the season. It’ll be interesting to see if that was due to the injury or if he’s lost a step. I’m betting on Nacua establishing himself as the alpha in this receiving room.
TIGHT END
— Tyler Higbee, Terrance Ferguson, Max Klare, Davis Allen —
Higbee has been the TE1 for the Rams for a while, but he doesn’t offer much upside at this point. Ferguson is the player I’m most interested in from a DFS perspective. He is extremely athletic and could play his way into a bigger role this season.
OFFENSIVE LINE
The Rams offensive line will look a little different after losing longtime right tackle Rob Havenstein to retirement. Alaric Jackson remains an important piece at tackle, while Kevin Dotson provides veteran stability on the interior. Steve Avila is expected to continue developing in the middle, with Beaux Limmer and Warren McClendon Jr. competing for important roles. This isn’t the deepest offensive line in the league, but McVay has consistently gotten excellent results from this group.
DEFENSE
This is where the Rams made their biggest investment of the offseason. Los Angeles traded for Myles Garrett after he set the NFL single-season sack record with 23 sacks in 2025. Garrett joins a defensive front that already has Byron Young and several talented young players, giving Chris Shula one of the most dangerous pass rushes in the league. The Rams also acquired Trent McDuffie from Kansas City and signed Jaylen Watson, completely changing the outlook of the secondary.
Based on the coaching staff and the personnel, it’s easy to see why this team is one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl.
San Francisco 49ers
2025 Record: 12-5 | 2026 Vegas Win Total: 10.5
COACHING
HC: Kyle Shanahan
OC: Klay Kubiak
Primary play-caller: Kyle Shanahan
DC: Raheem Morris
What Changed: The 49ers enter 2026 with Kyle Shanahan still in charge and calling the offense, while Klay Kubiak returns for his 2nd season as offensive coordinator. The biggest coaching change comes on defense, where Raheem Morris takes over as defensive coordinator after Robert Saleh left for Tennessee. That gives San Francisco continuity on offense but a new voice and potentially different approach on defense.
QUARTERBACK
— Brock Purdy —
I’ve gone back and forth on Purdy over the years. I didn’t think he was as good as everyone else thought when he was the MVP favorite halfway through the season a couple of years ago, but I think he’s better than most at this point. He’s always been a very efficient quarterback, and he’s more mobile than most realize. He has a ton of weapons, an offensive genius as a head coach, and a great track record. I’m in on Purdy this season.
RUNNING BACK
— Christian McCaffrey, Kaelon Black, Jordan James —
McCaffrey is coming off one of the best seasons of his career. He played all 17 games and finished with 1,202 rushing yards, 10 rushing touchdowns, 102 receptions, 924 receiving yards, and 7 receiving touchdowns. His volume was unreal. The two questions entering this season are if Father Time is eventually going to start winning the battle, and if he can stay as healthy as he did last season. Black and James give the team options to take some early-down work away, but if McCaffrey continues to dominate carries, targets, and goal-line opportunities, the ceiling remains as high as anyone in the NFL.
WIDE RECEIVER
— Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel, Christian Kirk, De’Zhaun Stribling —
The 49ers completely revamped their receiver room. They brought in Evans, who has been one of the best receivers in football over the last 10 years. His ability to catch touchdowns should be huge for this offense. The Niners also brought back Samuel and added Kirk. They used a 2nd-round pick on Stribling, who has already generated plenty of buzz thanks to his size, speed, and run-after-catch ability.
Ricky Pearsall is unfortunately out for the season after undergoing surgery to repair a PCL injury, opening up even more playing time for Stribling. If he becomes a starter, he has the athletic profile to become a major fantasy asset in Shanahan’s offense.
TIGHT END
— George Kittle, Jake Tonges, Tanner McLachlan —
Kittle remains one of the best receiving tight ends in football when healthy. He finished 2025 with 57 receptions for 628 yards and 7 touchdowns despite playing just 11 games. The issue heading into 2026 is his recovery from a torn Achilles. Kittle was activated from the PUP list on Sunday and returned to practice, putting him in position to potentially play in Week 1. If he’s limited or misses time, Tonges and McLachlan could see expanded roles.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Trent Williams continues to anchor the unit at left tackle, while Jake Brendel provides veteran experience at center. Dominick Puni is entering his 3rd season, and the left guard position remains unsettled. As long as Williams is on the field, I expect the offensive line to be a strength for San Francisco.
DEFENSE
The biggest defensive change is the arrival of Raheem Morris, who takes over as the defensive coordinator. Morris inherits plenty of talent, but also a defense that has dealt with an enormous number of injuries in recent seasons. Nick Bosa remains the centerpiece of the pass rush, although he is still working his way back from a second ACL surgery, while Fred Warner continues to lead the linebacker group. The 49ers also have young defensive linemen such as Mykel Williams who could become important contributors.
Seattle Seahawks
2025 Record: 14-3 | 2026 Vegas Win Total: 10.5
COACHING
HC: Mike Macdonald
OC: Brian Fleury
Primary play-caller: Brian Fleury
DC: Aden Durde
What Changed: We saved the best for last. The Seahawks are coming off a franchise-best 14-3 season and a Super Bowl LX victory, but there is a new voice running the offense. Klint Kubiak left to become the Raiders’ head coach, with Brian Fleury taking over as offensive coordinator and primary play-caller. Mike Macdonald and Aden Durde remain in place as head coach and defensive coordinator.
QUARTERBACK
— Sam Darnold, Drew Lock, Jalen Milroe —
Darnold enters his second season in Seattle after leading the Seahawks to a 14-3 record and a Super Bowl championship in his first year with the team. He threw for 4,048 yards and 25 touchdowns while completing 67.7% of his passes and posting a 99.1 passer rating.
The biggest question is whether Darnold can maintain that level of efficiency without Kubiak calling the offense. Fleury comes from the Shanahan coaching tree and has emphasized that there won’t be a dramatic overhaul. Darnold isn’t usually going to win DFS contests with his rushing ability, but he has some of the best weapons of any quarterback in the NFL.
RUNNING BACK
— Jadarian Price, Zach Charbonnet, Emanuel Wilson, George Holani —
This is probably the biggest question mark on the offense after Walker’s departure. Price was selected in the 1st round because Seattle needed to replace a significant portion of Walker’s workload. He averaged 6.0 yards per carry at Notre Dame last year and brings explosive ability as both a runner and receiver. The interesting part for DFS is whether Seattle is willing to give him the full workload immediately or uses a committee.
Charbonnet was expected to be a major part of the rotation after rushing for 730 yards and 12 touchdowns last season, but he’s currently dealing with a knee injury and remains on the PUP list. That creates an opportunity for Price to establish himself as the lead back early.
WIDE RECEIVER
— Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp, Rashid Shaheed, Tory Horton —
Smith-Njigba is coming off one of the best seasons by any receiver in the NFL. He led the league with 119 receptions, 1,793 yards, and 10 touchdowns. He won the Offensive Player of the Year award. He should continue to command a massive target share from Darnold. Kupp remains an important complementary piece after catching 47 passes for 593 yards and 2 touchdowns in his first season with Seattle, while Shaheed gives the offense another legitimate deep threat.
Horton is another interesting piece after showing flashes as a rookie before a season-ending shin injury. If he returns healthy, the Seahawks suddenly have one of the deeper receiver groups in the NFL. Jake Bobo is officially out for the season. For DFS purposes, JSN is the only player on my radar early in the season.
TIGHT END
— AJ Barner, Elijah Arroyo, Eric Saubert —
Barner emerged as an important part of the offense in 2025, finishing second on the team with 52 receptions, 519 yards, and 6 touchdowns. That’s a pretty significant role for a tight end who entered the season as a relatively unheralded player.
Seattle also drafted Arroyo in the 2nd round of last year’s draft. He’s been getting plenty of work in receiving packages during training camp, suggesting Seattle may be willing to use more two-tight-end formations under Fleury. Barner should remain the safer option because of his established role, but Arroyo could eventually become the bigger DFS factor if his route participation continues to grow.
OFFENSIVE LINE
The offensive line is one of the biggest reasons for optimism heading into 2026. Seattle returns all five starters from the Super Bowl-winning group. Charles Cross remains the anchor at left tackle, while Grey Zabel has emerged as an important young piece in the interior. Abraham Lucas also returns at right tackle, and the group should fit well with Fleury’s offense.
DEFENSE
The defense was the foundation of Seattle’s championship run, and the good news is that most of the core remains intact. Seattle led the NFL in points allowed in 2025 and was particularly dominant against the run. Leonard Williams, Byron Murphy II, and Jarran Reed remain the foundation of the defensive line, while DeMarcus Lawrence, Uchenna Nwosu, and Derick Hall return on the edge.
The Seahawks lost Boye Mafe in free agency but added veteran Dante Fowler, who gives them another proven pass rusher. Devon Witherspoon remains the centerpiece of the secondary, while Julian Love and Nick Emmanwori give Seattle plenty of versatility at safety.
That’s it for the 2026 NFL team-by-team preview. Whether you made it through your favorite team, a few divisions, or the entire article, we appreciate you reading. We have a plethora of great NFL DFS content in store for premium members at RotoGrinders this season. We’d love to have you along for the ride.
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