Coach: Jim Harbaugh – 6 PPG
QB: Josh Allen – 33 PPG
We saw another elite season from Josh Allen, who has continued to display elite traits both as a passer and rushing QB. Similar to Lamar, Allen’s elite fantasy value hinges on keeping his rushing output alive, particularly his rushing TDs inside the redzone. For three straight seasons, he’s had over 12 rushing TDs, keeping his PPG well over 30. As a passer, Allen ranks below league average in passing yards (20th with 216 per game), 1.47 passing TDs (17th), and 13 giveaways. As Allen ages, keep an eye on his rushing output, particularly in the redzone. If it begins to taper off, we could see his fantasy value take a dip. For now, at age 30, he’s our clear-cut QB1, with week-winning ability on his own.
RB/WR/TE: Puka Nacua 23 PPG, Chase Brown 22 PPG, Omarion Hampton 22 PPG, Rashee Rice 19 PPG, Justin Jefferson 18 PPG 6th men: Jameson Williams 15 PPG, Isaiah Likely 15 PPG
Puka Nacua continues to defy expectations as a forgotten 5th-round pick. In 2025, he was the WR1 in PPG by a considerable margin, finishing first in receptions per game (8.06), receiving yards (107.19) and 4th in TDs per game (.63). (It’s even more surprising as Devante Adams finished 1st in TDs per game with 1.0) Puka’s fantasy value is as elite as they come, but he has some injury concerns as does his QB. He is also making some dumb young person decisions and opted to go to rehab as a way to clean up his life. It appears he’s not in any serious legal trouble at this time. He’s a set-and-forget RB/WR/TE1 and a cornerstone piece of a franchise.
Chase Brown was a workhorse in college at Illinois, and he’s gone right to being the same in Cincinnati. For two straight seasons, he’s carried the load for the Bengals as an unheralded and unsexy stud muffin delux. Fresh off his second straight finish in the top 15 RB/WR/TEs, and still on his rookie contract, he is one of the most valuable assets in the game today. A true dual-threat weapon, Brown is a PPR cheat code, ranking 5th in targets per game (5.18), 8th in receiving yards (25.71), and 8th in passing TDs (.29 per game). Brown only averaged 14 carries a game, ranking 22nd among starting running backs and 60 rushing yards a game (20th). Unless an injury were to happen to Brown, he’s shaping up to be a foundational piece for a championship IFL squad again.
Omarion Hampton’s usage is certainly up for debate as we enter 2025. OC Mike McDaniel enters the fold, replacing the archaic mind of Greg Roman. (get that man running a wishbone military academy) McDaniel enjoys using a litany of backs as ball carriers and can offer elite fantasy value to RBs with pass-catching and pass-blocking chops. The x-factor to Hampton’s fantasy value is whether he can stave off Keaton Mitchell for pass-catching opportunities. I think the answer is yes. While healthy, Hampton ranked 6th in the NFL with 3.56 receptions per game, showcasing trust in his receiving ability. He shared a bit of the carry load, only having 13.78 carries a game (21st in the NFL), while ranking 19th in rushing yards per game. (60.56) I think we’ll continue to see the Chargers give their 2025 1st-round pick ample opportunity to succeed in all facets of the game, while giving his backups occasional opportunities.
Hampton and Brown’s profiles are shockingly similar. RBs who don’t get high-volume carries but are PPR receiving weapons.
It just feels like a matter of time until Rashee Rice falls into the void of irrelevancy, but for now, he’s somehow still locked into a high-volume role with the greatest QB of our generation. Rice again fell into legal trouble after failing probation, having to spend 30 days in jail while rehabbing a knee injury. The Chiefs failed to bring anyone of substance into the receiving room, so they’ll be running it back with the same cast of characters. Rice led the room with 6.63 receptions per game (5th in the NFL), 71.38 receiving yards per game (10th), and .63 receiving TDs per game (5th). He was also a target monster inside the redzone, finishing 2nd in the NFL with 2.25. So long as Mahomes is ready to rock for week 1, Rice is gonna feast again.
One of the most difficult evaluations has to be Justin Jefferson. Despite playing every game and receiving 141 targets, JJ somehow finished with a pathetic 13 PPG and 2 receiving TDs. After week 9, he scored over 10 points only once, rendering him completely unstartable. So where are we with him? Will he ever be an elite WR again? Without another QB change, I don’t think so. Kyler Murray is not going to be the answer to get JJ back into the Puka/Chase/JSN tier. That being said, we should absolutely see a progression in JJ’s TD numbers, along with small upticks in his targets and receiving yards per game, with a functional offense. JJ ranked 12th in targets per game (8.29), 13th in redzone targets per game (1.06), 16th in receptions per game (4.94), and 18th in receiving yards (61.65). Moving into 2026, he’s a quality #3 RB/WR/TE, but there will likely be some slumps with another season of QB purgatory.
PK: Jake Elliott 9 PPG
PN: Logan Cooke 10 PPG
DT: Dexter Lawrence 13 PPG
Sexy Dexy was a part of the biggest NFL trade of the offseason, with the Giants trading for the #10 overall pick for their signature nose tackle. It was a shocking trade from the outside looking in, as Dexter Lawrence was coming off of by far the worst statistical performance of his career. Despite playing in all 17 games, Lawrence notched a career low in total tackles (30) and .05 sacks. With 7.7 PPG, he was also the DT66 in IFL scoring. So, are we to expect him to return to fantasy relevancy again? Owners of Dexter Lawrence must be pounding the table, screaming at me to mention that he averaged 19 PPG the year prior and notched 9 sacks in 12 games in 2024. For what it’s worth, his PFF numbers point to an outlier year, as he finished 7th in pass rush win rate at 19.7% and finished 7th with an 84.5 pass rush grade among interior defenders. 340lb DTs don’t usually produce for IDP purposes, and Dexter has really only had 2 ½ good fantasy seasons out of 7. He’s a risky bet and one I wouldn’t want to rely on a weekly basis.
DE: YaYa Diaby 13 PPG, Gregory Rousseau 13 PPG (Jermaine Johnson 12 PPG, Boye Mafe 11 PPG, Nolan Smith 10 PPG)
YaYa Diaby has largely outperformed expectations since joining the Bucs in 2023. He profiles as an adequate #2 pass rusher, routinely finishing in the top 20 in pressures (32 in 2025, 15th in the NFL). Despite weighing in at 270lbs, his run defense and tackling prowess have been a bit of an issue, and it’s caused the Bucs to yearn for more juice on the edge. YaYa will absolutely still be a starter for the Bucs, likely opposite 1st-round rookie Reuben Bain. Diaby is best served as a low-end EDGE2, but double-digit sacks and 50+ tackles are well within the range of outcomes.
Old Gregory Rousseau has been in the league for 6 years, but is still 26! The Bills love to draft em young. Anywho, Rousseau has been a pretty consistent projection in the Sean McDermott years, as he’s been a core part of the rotation along the defensive line. New DC Jim Leonhard comes in from Denver, who also enjoys utilizing a pass rush rotation in a similar vein. Rousseau is around the top 25 in pressures on an annual basis (29 last year) and hovers around the 50 tackle mark. He’s never exceeded 8 sacks in any season, but it’s certainly possible we’ll see a career year at some point in his late 20s. For now, he’s slotted into his usual projection as a low-end EDGE2.
Another fun, strikingly similar profile for the EDGEs. Guys who generate quality pressures, but need higher tackle numbers to be consistent fantasy contributors.
LB: Cedric Gray 19 PPG, Tremaine Edmunds 17 PPG, DeMarvion Overshown 17 PPG, Quincy Williams 15 PPG (Henry To’o To’o 13 PPG, Trenton Simpson 8 PPG)
Cedric Gray was a revelation for a Tennessee Titans team that needs young pillars to build around. Grey, a 2024 4th-round pick out of North Carolina, earned a full-time role out of training camp and never looked back. He was a tackle monster, finishing 4th in the NFL in combined stops. He had a minuscule 4.1% missed tackle rate and should safely retain his starting spot with the new defensive-minded coaching staff. The Titans hired HC Robert Salah, who has a history of starting two full-time linebackers. Opposite of Gray will be the question mark of who will start, and Gray should be the run and chase backer who soaks up stats. Keep an eye on a progression in the big play department, as he only had 1 sack in 2025.
Tremaine Edmunds was having a career year in Chicago before a groin injury knocked him out for a month. Averaging a robust 20.5 PPG, it was a welcome sight for a guy who was an inefficient tackler for the first 7 years of his career. Edmunds, surprisingly, was not retained by Chicago, released, and quickly signed by the Giants on a 3-year deal. Somehow, only 28 and entering his 9th season, Edmunds should man one of the middle spots in NYC into his early 30s. Edmunds and rookie Arvell Reese form one of the freakiest duos at LBer in the NFL.
It’s not set in stone, but it appears DeMarvion Overshown will be one of the full-time backers for Dallas. It should come as no surprise if you remember the ancient history of 2024, watching him ball out in his rookie season, with 1 INT, 5 sacks, 1 FF, a TD, and 90 tackles before a multi-ligament knee injury. He didn’t return until week 11 in 2025 and wasn’t the same. If he can return to form, Overshown has the potential to be one of the breakout defenders of the season, but he comes with multiple injury flags dating back to college.
It’s been an up-and-down couple of years for Quincy, who showcased promise as a breakout starter for the Jets, only to lose his full-time role and then regain it again. He missed a month last year due to a shoulder issue and a fractured hand, but finished the season as a back-end IDP starter. He signed a modest deal with the Browns and is expected to be their LB2 for the next couple of years. Quincy has a bit of a questionable role for snaps, as new DC Mike Rutenberg doesn’t have a track record to help predict. For now, he’s a backend starter but feels like a replacement-level option.
CB: Kamari Lassiter 12 PPG, DJ Turner 10 PPG (Nohl Williams 10 PPG, Dee Alford 10 PPG)
Last year’s CB1 was none other than Kamari Lassiter, a tackle-and-PD machine. Playing in every single game, Lassiter tallied 91 tackles, 4 INTs and 17 PDs, providing a high floor for his fantasy owners. He never scored over 25 points, but never under 6.50. Kamari is a boundary corner, so I expect his PPG to be more volatile than his slot CB counterparts, but he should still be a year-over-year starter opposite lockdown stud, Derek Stingley.
DJ Turner hasn’t exactly been a great IDP option, but he received a near-full-time opportunity as a boundary corner. Surprisingly, he recorded 18 PDs despite compiling only 40 total tackles. He’ll need to bump the tackles up for him to become a consistent IDP option.
S: Jordan Battle 15 PPG, Kevin Byard 14 PPG (Antonio Johnson 12 PPG)
Last year’s S1, Jordan Battle was one of the few bright(ish) spots for the Bengals. Battle combined tackle and big play prowess in 2025, with 125 tackles, 2 FF and 4 INTs. It took a couple of seasons for him to take off, but he’s now locked in as a top 5 safety. With questionable linebackers in front of him, he’ll likely be tasked to soak up the tackles again.
I would be disappointed if I couldn’t write about Kevin Byard, as I’ve done so for almost every single year of the IFL’s existence. (doubt I did during his 2016 rookie season) Byard took his talents to New England to play under his former head coach, Mike Vrabel. He had some great fantasy seasons there, often posting 90-100+ tackle seasons with 4-5 INTs. Only 32, Byard still has play ahead of him and landed in a best case scenario landing spot for fantasy goodness. He’s a safe top 16 option.
Off: Los Angeles Rams 15 PPG
PPG: 335
W-L: 10-7
X-Factor: Defensive line exceeding expectations.
The offense is cooking with gas in Cleveland as Kyle went in on acquiring talent to beef up the roster. He and Jason were besties as Kyle acquired Chase Brown, Puka Nacua, and Rashee Rice from him for 5 1st-round picks from 2026-2028, 3 2nd-round picks from 26’-’28, and a 3rd-round pick in ’28. Defensively, Brown Dot U is in a healthy spot, with upside and a stable floor. There are quality secondary options as well, but the defensive line needs some juice to bump the PPG up into championship-caliber territory. Overall, 10 wins feels very much in the range of outcomes for the Big Orange Dog.
