Coach: Mike McCarthy 5 PPG
QB: Baker Mayfield 27 PPG
It was one of those seasons where you look back and think, “Does Baker have what it takes to be a franchise QB?” Well, looking back to his past, we’ve seen mediocre seasons before that can be attributed to one thing: injury. Back in 2021 (when Cleveland last made the playoffs), Mayfield tore his labrum in his left shoulder, hampering his abilities through the rest of the season. Last year, he reinjured that same shoulder in November, which coincided with a decline in performance for the rest of the season. (He only scored over 30 points once after week 12) Baker floats around top 10 production in a good year, and we’re heading into another contract season for the 9-year pro. I expect him to remain in the mid-range QB area, but there is some variance with the questionable hire of new OC Zac Robinson. It’s very possible the wheels fall off in Tampa this year, as they are heading for a coaching change.
RB/WR/TE: JK Dobbins 19 PPG, DeVonta Smith 18 PPG, Tee Higgins 17 PPG, Sam LaPorta 17 PPG, Alec Pierce 16 PPG 6th men: Ladd McConkey 15 PPG, Courtland Sutton 15 PPG, Pat Freiermuth 12 PPG, Cade Otton 11 PPG, Christian Kirk 10 PPG, Tank Dell 7 PPG
It was the quintessential JK Dobbins season, who has yet to play in a full 17-game season. Dating back to 2020, Dobbins has injured himself in some form or fashion every year. HOWEVER, when he plays, he’s startable, putting fantasy owners in a quandary when determining his valuation. 2025 saw JK lead a timeshare in Denver, with 52% of the snaps (28th in the NFL), 15 rushing attempts (14th), and a quality 77 rushing yards per game (7th). He was a zero in the passing game, but for a .4-point-per-carry league like the IFL, his profile plays well. Owning Dobbins means having insurance prepared one way or another, but when he’s on the field for 2026, you can count on him being a #3 RB/WR/TE.
It’s been a long time coming, but we’re finally gonna see what it’s like to see the former Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith as the #1 wide receiver in an NFL offense. 2025 was not kind to Smith in fantasy, setting a career low in TDs (4) and a bye-week filler 13 PPG. We saw the Philly offense as a whole step back, while Goedert stepped up in the TD department, leaving Smith as a bit of a flop, especially in the second half of the season, not scoring over 20 points after week 7. What Smith can do in what should be one of the run-heaviest offenses is TBD, but 130+ targets and 7-8 TDs are back in play. He’s a fine mid-back-end starter.
We saw Tee Higgins struggle last year as he didn’t have superstar QB Joe Burrow as his QB until Thanksgiving. That resulted in unstartable production, as he only scored over 20 points 3 times. That was even with 10 TDs(!), keeping him at least in the bye-week filler conversation. Burrow is back, and fingers fucking crossed they can both stay healthy. We know what Higgins is when all is well, and that is a #4 RB/WR/TE for a playoff offense. He’ll provide a quality floor with some boom weeks when he can hit on a TD or two. He’ll get 100-110 targets, flirt with 1,000 yards and double-digit TDs.
After a 2024 that saw Sam LaPorta take a step back, we saw flashes of what made him special in his historic rookie year. First and foremost, his opportunity was elite: he stayed on the field for 90% of snaps and ranked 6th among tight ends in receiving yards, averaging 54 per game. We didn’t quite see the TD production we became accustomed to through 10 weeks, and his red-zone target share wasn’t great either in the 2025 Lions offense. A herniated disc in his back ended his season near the halfway point, but I’ve seen enough to think he’ll consistently be a top 40 option so long as he’s healthy. Keep a close eye on target distribution in the early season with new OC Drew Petzing in town, who LOVED to feature Trey McBride in Arizona.
There was an offseason drumbeat that Alec Pierce was gonna get a fat paycheck, but man did he cash in with a 4-year $114 million contract. That puts him in the Higgins/Waddle/DJ Moore pay range, which is wild considering he’s never commanded over 84 targets 4 years through the league. No one knows him better than Indy, however, so they must have big plans after shipping away former #1 WR Michael Pittman to Pittsburgh. Pierce profiled as a take the top off the defense type player coming out of Cincinnati, but has developed his route running through the years. The Colts feel like he’s ready for a heavier load. Keep an eye on his ankle issue throughout the preseason, as he had left ankle surgery in late March with a 4-6-month recovery. I’m slotting him into Pittman-style production in PPG til we see what the Indy offense looks like in 2026.
PK: Harrison Butker 8 PPG
PN: Michael Dickson 9 PPG
DT: Kobie Turner 16 PPG, Mason Graham 13 PPG
It took a very long time for Kobie Turner’s season to take off, but after week 12, he was the second best DT in the game. Turner benefits from a deep and talented defensive line, often overlooked for double teams, cleaning up plays for IDP production. He’s been an incredible asset for us from the jump, with 7 or more sacks and 48+ tackles through his first three years. There’s a bit of uncertainty with Aaron Donald potentially returning, and that would likely take a large chunk of opportunity away. As it stands, he’s a fringe top 5 DT option and steady.
Over the 10+ years we’ve been doing this game, I’ve come to the conclusion it’s a risky proposition to draft a defensive tackle with early IFL draft picks. It’s rare that they produce early-career startable returns. With this in mind, 2025 wasn’t terrible for Mason Graham, posting 10 PPG on a respectable 763 snaps. Graham didn’t wow a soul with his .5 sack and 49 tackles, but a year 2 progression can’t be ruled out. There is a new DC in town, Mike Rutenberg (?), and maybe a change could be good for him, too. For now, he’s a quality lotto ticket, but not someone to trust heading into the season.
DE: Tuli Tuipulotu 18 PPG, TJ Watt 18 PPG (Alex Highsmith 18 PPG)
The breakout season was in full effect for Tuli Tuipulotu, who is now the leader of the Chargers’ EDGE room. He finished 16th in pressures (32) and notched a quality 13 sacks through 16 games. He was routinely playing over 70% of the snaps, solidifying himself as a top 16 EDGE moving forward. He’s got more help coming into LAC as well, after they spent their first-round pick on Ahkeem Mesidor, setting up their pass rush duo into the immediate future. Even Mack is still in town; Tuli will eat up all the snaps he can handle, and let’s hope he can provide an encore in 2026.
It’s been quietly discussed for some time, but 31-year-old TJ Watt is past his peak. Yes, he’s still a top 20 pass rusher, and he is elite at actualizing pressures to sacks, but it’s unlikely we’ll see an overall EDGE1 season again. Last year was still excellent, finishing as the EDGE8 in PPG. His season ended week 14, but he tallied 7 sacks, 53 tackles, 3 FF and an INT. (the ancillary big plays, particularly the forced fumbles have been a staple) About to be 32, Watt still has some left in the tank, but part of me wonders if the cliff is close. His brother JJ, who endured many more injuries than TJ, was barely holding his body together at 32. (JJ did finish his career at age 33 with 12.5 sacks tho)
LB: Nakobe Dean 16 PPG, Isaiah McDuffie 10 PPG
Despite tearing his patellar tendon in the playoffs in 2025, Nakobe Dean returned week 6 of last year and posted serviceable numbers. He was a consistent producer on full-time snaps. Through weeks 10-15, (before a hamstring injury, ugh) he was the LB4. Sadly, he’s been evicted from Philly and has joined Patrick Graham and the Las Vegas Raiders. They gave him a top 20 linebacker deal, and he’s expected to play full-time snaps again. When he’s healthy, Dean is an IDP starter. That’s the only red flag in his profile heading into 2026.
Isaiah McDuffie is the LB3 for the Green Bay Packers. He played sparingly last year, but did play full-time snaps when Quay Walker went down for two weeks in 12-13. For both of those weeks, he posted over 23 points. If anything happens to starters Zaire Franklin or Edge Cooper, McDuffie will be a fantasy factor again.
CB: DaRon Bland 12 PPG, Marlon Humphrey 12 PPG
DaRon Bland is an IDP stud muffin when he is on the field. Unfortunately, he’s struggled to do so the past couple of years. Many of us remember his 2023 season, when he had an incredible 9 ING, 5 TDs, setting a TD record for a corner. Through 12 games in 2025, Bland averaged a robust 14 PPG, with a staggering 73 total tackles. That’s stud muffin deluxe status, and if the Cowboys have a mediocre defense again, Bland has shown he’s a willing tackler.
I love some boring and consistent producers, and Marlon Humphrey fits that bill. He is a virtual guarantee for 70(ish) tackles, 3-4 INTs, and double-digit PDs. Humphrey played about 60% of his snaps out wide last year, but still was his usual self, quelling fears that Kyle Hamilton would take away production. He’s still a top 16 option, heading into his 30s.
S: Antoine Winfield 14 PPG, Grant Delpit 13 PPG, Jaquan Brisker 12 PPG (Chauncey Gardner-Johnson 12 PPG)
Due to his talent and versatility, Antoine Winfield Jr.’s usage has varied wildly from year to year. Even under the same defensive play caller in Todd Bowles, it’s been tough to gauge how he’ll line up on a per-year basis. Since the emergence of Tykee Smith, Winfield plays deep more often, restricting his upside. He still was a low-end S1, totaling 93 tackles, 1 FF, 2 INTs and a sack. There was also talk of a step back in his impact in the game. He should be fine with proper expectations.
After some early career injury issues, Delpit has stabilized as a decent top 20(ish) safety. Last year, however, his tackle numbers took a steep step back (111 tackles in 2024 versus 89 in 2025), and it was likely due to the breakout of rookie Carson Schwezinger. Delpit’s usage is incredible, playing 75% of his snaps in the box and slot. A top 16 season is in the cards with that usage, and he should be started most weeks.
We are in uncertain territory with Jaquan Brisker, who signed a 1-year 5.5 million contract with the Steelers. It’s a prove-it deal to recoup some value, as he’s been brutalized by head injuries through his rookie contract in Chicago. DeShon Elliott has one spot locked down (pending health), and Brisker will compete with Darnell Savage for the other (who is on a prove-it deal himself). A back-end starter type season is in the cards with an outside shot to return to what we saw in 2022 with him.
Off: Jacksonville Jaguars 13 PPG
PPG: 303
W-L: 5-12
X-Factor: Can some 20+ PPG offensive weapons emerge?
Offensively, there is a foundation of back-end starters that can win some games for Cory. Unfortunately, there isn’t enough star power for a playoff berth on that side of the ball. Defensively, the team is incomplete, missing 3-4 starters to fill out the lineup. It could be a retooling year for Cory, who has only his 5th-7th-round picks in 2028 to work with. Perhaps moving one of his EDGE guys could bump up the PPG a bit.
