it feels good to be back for 2026!
By Martin Richardson
It is good to be back and writing about fantasy football again. It feels so long since we were dealing with breakout players, injury plagued rosters and championship winning teams; but here we are again, heading into the 2026 Fantasy Football season with that same excitement as ever.
This summer I’ll bring along my usual drops of ranking positions and which players are the ones to watch in various positions, which will no doubt be littered with moves up and down the board based on how 2025 ended, as well as some exciting rookie editions that we will all fall in love with (see what I did there?).
But for now, let’s look at what can be learnt from the 2025 season heading into 2026 as a light refresher, an aperitif if you will, for what is to come this fantasy off season.
WIDE RECEIVER VALUE:
One thing that stood out for me was the swift impact rookies made throughout the season. There is always some trepidation with just how much involvement a rookie is going to have on their team in their first year, just look at Fernando Mendoza now that he is a Raider, but in 2025, there were plenty of rookies who made a real case that there should be an element of trust when coming out of college and into the NFL.
Taking this point further, it was not limited to one position either. Through the very nature of the game, there are more WR on the field, so you would assume this point would link just to them, but no, there are rookies all over the offense that have had a huge influence on fantasy leagues and these will no doubt in the conversation for players on a breakout second year.
Just look down in Charlotte, where eyebrows were raised about taking Tet McMillan in round one given their needs in different positions, but this was an inspired move that helped fantasy managers win championships. With over 1000 yards and 7 touchdowns, he had a great first year as people’s WR2 on their fantasy roster, and I can see him being very high on the boards of people heading into the 2026 season, with FantasyPros having him as WR13, which when you consider that they have divisional rivals Drake London as WR7 and Chirs Olave as WR12, I do think there is scope to place McMillan higher.
Also in the NFC South was the heir apparent to Mike Evans, Emeka Egbuka, who some thought would be down on the depth charts due to the likes of Evans, Godwin and Jalen McMillan. But injuries to all three throughout the course of the season meant that Egbuka started the season strong, with fantasy players reaping the rewards of that strong start with 6 touchdowns and finishing just shy of a 1000 yard season. FantasyPros sits Egbuka well below his divisional rivals as WR18 behind Rashee Rice and Malik Nabers, two players coming off bad seasons in 2025, which is an egregious way to treat someone as important as Egbuka.
2026 offers some exciting WR options that could have just a big of an impact on fantasy teams as McMillan and Egbuka, with five wideouts going in round one alone: Carnell Tate (Titans) looks a great deep threat for Cam Ward to aim for and could have some serious upside; Jordyn Tyson (Saints) could well be the WR1 very early on in New Orleans if Chris Olave continues to struggle with injuries (which is why a ranking of WR12 is crazy to me); Makai Lemon (Eagles) comes in to a very good situation in Philly and will likely get snaps and reps in a new look no AJ Brown offense; KC Concepcion (Browns) is a really interesting one for me because they also picked up Denzel Boston and both a very different players but have some great potential; and finally Omar Cooper Jr. (Jets) was picked up to complement Garrett Wilson and fellow first round pick TE Kenyon Sadiq.
All these WR have the opportunity in their situations to make a swift impact on their teams and for fantasy players in 2026. If it was me, I would not be afraid to pick anyone of the aforementioned players in those earlier mid round picks as their ceilings are really high.
RUNNING BACK EXCITEMENT?
When it comes to running backs, whilst there may not be as many names from 2025, the impact on 2026 will certainly be felt. Top pick Ashton Jeanty appeared to struggle in parts, but that was many down to an offensive line that was just not fit for purpose. However, ending the season with an even split of 5 rushing and 5 receiving touchdowns in 2025, with a better O-line in 2026, Jeanty could really push on and become a fantasy force to be reckoned with.
To draw a comparison, I would maybe look to fellow first round pick, albeit in 2026, Jordan Love and what his situation is like in his rookie year. He is not on a good team, that much is very obvious, and just like Jeanty, he has the talent. But how much can he impact fantasy football if he is on such a poor team? Dynasty players, keep the faith and know that in the long run he will be an asset to your team, but if I was looking at drafting Love, I would keep an eye out on those camp reports and see how both he and the rest of the offense are looking before I go drafting him too high.
Sticking with the AFC there was also Omarion Hampton who looked like someone had created the biggest RB on Madden for a joke, but had glimpses of what he could offer before injury curtailed a promising start. I’ve already seen a few stories saying how with a Mike McDaniel offense he could blossom into a top RB, and I can see it. Those 5 total touchdowns showed he can be a great option for the Chargers and I expect that to continue in 2026.
I will be dropping something soon on teams that are looking at a committee back situation, but this is something that worries me for some valuable fantasy assets in 2026 and I think that concern is justified. Keep an eye out for that!
SOME TIGHT END LOVE TO END WITH:
Last season we saw two tight ends make a massive impact on what the landscape of the position will be like in 2026. Both Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland showcased their abilities to be a great offensive weapon for their respective teams, and this will certainly impact conversations on the position when drafting this season.
Warren made an instant impact from week one in Indianapolis and finished with nearly 900 yards and 5 total touchdowns, showing that he can an instrumental piece in the Colts’ machine. Now looking at 2026, with no Michael Pittman Jr on the team, no replacement signed or drafted, and an injured (but very well paid) Alex Pierce now the WR1, Warren is very much in line for an increase in targets and red zone opportunities. It is going to be really interesting to see where he falls on TE big boards in the coming weeks as we get closer to draft season.
Loveland is also in line for a bit of a boost this season as the Bears traded away DJ Moore and only adding depth pieces at the WR position, leaving Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III to be the main WR targets, Loveland, who scored more touchdowns than Warren (6) should be on the rise in 2026 if the Bears continue their upward trend.
This of course means that there must be some talk about where Kenyon Sadiq will land in fantasy drafts in 2026. FantasyPros have him as TE23, behind the likes of Juwan Johnson (TE19) and Hunter Henry (TE17), which to me is incredibly harsh, but ESPN have him as TE19 behind Dalton Kincaid (TE15) and TJ Hockenson (TE17), so there is some variance in what he will bring to the table. I would assume this is based on that unpredictable nature of the position for fantasy players, as well as having Omar Cooper Jr and Garrett Wilson on the roster at WR as well.
To summarise, history is instructive and give us an idea on what may happen in 2026, with players outperforming in bad situations now having better ones, as well as players going beyond expectations. What this tells me is that we have lots to look forward to in 2026 and lots to talk about as we approach drafting our championship teams.
MARTIN RICHARDSON
NFL/FANTASY FOOTBALL ANALYST
A Yorkshireman living in Lancashire, Martin is a massive NFL fan but his heart belongs to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Also a huge Fantasy Football enthusiast and spends far too long crunching the numbers! Follow him at @MRBucsFan31