Coach: Dan Campbell 5 PPG
QB: Jared Goff 28 PPG
Quietly, Jared Goff put together another stellar top 10 QB fantasy performance. Mastermind Ben Johnson joined the division rival Bears, but that didn’t stop Goff from still performing admirably with 393 completions (2nd in NFL), 4564 passing yards (2nd), and a 34/8 TD/INT ratio. 2025’s OC John Morton took the blame for the underwhelming season in Detroit, and his replacement is Arizona’s old OC Drew Petzing, who kept the Cardinals’ offense alive with Jacoby Brissett and Kyler Murray. As a fantasy producer, Goff has proven an OC change can keep him relevant, and there is hope the offense can take a small step forward in the run game with a better o-line and playcalling. Even as a zero as a rusher, he’s a fringe top 10 option as the conductor of electric weapons St. Brown, Jam0, Gibbs and LaPorta.
RB/WR/TE: Trey McBride 26 PPG, Tony Pollard 17 PPG, Parker Washington 16 PPG, Rhamondre Stevenson 15 PPG, Christian Watson 15 PPG 6th men: Michael Wilson 14 PPG, KaVontae Turpin 14 PPG, Zachariah Branch 11 PPG, Gunnar Helm 11 PPG
It hasn’t been horrible, but we finally got the season Trey McBride was capable of. Among TEs and WRs, McBride finished 3rd in receptions (7.41, and keep in mind they are 1.5 PPR), 9th in receiving yards (72.88), and FINALLY 6th in TDs per game (.65). This, of course, coincided with the injury and benching of Kyler Murray, who has since moved to the Great Lakes of Minnesota. Jacoby Brissett returns at QB, but there is another offensive playcaller, Mike LaFleur. As things stand, I think we’re set for another incredible season for McBride, as he’ll continue to be the focal point of this offense, and he finally got the respect he deserved in the red zone. He’s a top 10 RB/WR/TE.
As time moves forward, Tony Pollard holds firm as the starting running back for the Tennessee Titans. The past two seasons haven’t been kind to the squad in Nashville from a win/loss standpoint, but Pollard isn’t to blame. He’s provided a competent lead to a rushing attack behind a tragic offensive line, one that is likely to be poor again in 2026. Pollard finished 15th in snap percentage (62%), 20th in carries (14.2), 17th in rushing yards (63.65), but 42nd among RBs in total TDs with .29 per game. Pollard played second fiddle to Spears as a receiver, with Spears outpacing him by 20 receiving yards to 12 per game. Grading out as a slightly below-average runner with 3.41 evaded tackles per game (25th among RBs), I think Pollard is priced/projected correctly as a #4 RB/WR/TE. HOWEVER, if the Titans offense takes a step forward under new OC Brian Daboll, Pollard stands to find some TD progression and potentially a PPG bump. I am obviously skeptical with their o-line woes.
I struggle to find a good projection for Parker Washington, but fuck, it’s hard not to come away from his 2025 impressed. Dealing with ample target competition and players in front of him with elite draft capital, the 2023 6th-round pick has proven himself to be a reliable PPR option. The drumbeat has culminated in most places predicting a 100+ target season with him leading this receiving core in fantasy production. To make matters better, he’s expected to be the Jags punt returner again, which you know is $$$ for our league, which rewards .5 for a return (NOT a fair catch) and .05 for each return yard generated. With this volume in mind, he’s shaping up to be a consistent starter. The team has many mouths to feed, so the ceiling is capped, but he’s locked in as a back-end starter.
Rhamondre Stevenson was being left for dead by some fantasy owners after the 2nd round selection of TreVeyon Henderson. He was regarded as an explosive back with elite passing-down chops as a blocker and receiver. Stevenson staved him off pretty convincingly, although his numbers weren’t great by any means either. While his snap share ranked 17th at 59.56%, he only received 9 carries per game (behind TreVeyon) and 43 rushing yards (behind TreVeyon). Surprisingly, Stevenson was the preferred passing-down option, averaging 2.29 receptions over Hend-0’s 2.06. Stevenson also averaged more evaded tackles per game, by just a touch (2.71 to 2.59). Stevenson is under contract through 2028 and the coaching staff is still sus on giving Henderson increased responsibility. This feels like it’ll be a frustrating timeshare for the foreseeable future, but Stevenson should get a decent amount of work and is startable in running-game scripts.
The Christian Watson show was back in full force after returning for the second half of 2025. For those who have subscribed, Watson has showcased game-breaking speed and ability but hasn’t been able to put it all together. Injury and opportunity have been the biggest issues, and hopefully his knee woes are behind him. The big question mark is opportunity, even with Doubs and Wicks out of the equation. Watson is still competing with Jayden Reed, last year’s 1st-round pick Matthew Golden and star tight end Tucker Kraft for looks. Historically, this offense has been a very balanced attack, and I don’t see that all of a sudden going away under Matt LaFleur. For 2026, I’d like to see Watson creep into the top 30 receivers, say Jaylen Waddle territory. He has great size at 6’3” and has speed to kill. Let’s hope for more than a 70% snap share and a target share of over 25%. That’ll be a start, and I think we can get there. If that’s the case, he’ll sit right on the startable line for RB/WR/TEs.
PK: Jake Bates 9 PPG
PN: Tommy Townsend 11 PPG
DT: David Onyemata 12 PPG (Chris Jones 10 PPG)
We’re heading into year 11 for the 2016 11-year vet out of Manitoba college, and David Onyemata keeps chugging along. He’s one of those guys 10 years from now where you’ll hear his name and be like “ooooo those were the days!” (D’Qwell Jackson says hi) At 33, Oneymata finds himself in a similar situation where he finds a below-average defensive line, joins it, and plays borderline starter snaps. That translates to 50(ish) tackles and 3-5 sacks, which is good for back-end starting looks. That’s where he’s at with the Jets this year and can continue to be treated as such.
DE: Micah Parsons 17 PPG, Rueben Bain Jr. 12 PPG (Chop Robinson 12 PPG, James Pearce 11 PPG)
We are a year into the Micah Parsons trade to Green Bay, and the injuries are starting to pile up for the 27-year-old. After enduring a pretty serious back injury that made him questionable for Week 1 in 2025, he still balled out, totaling 48 pressures (4th in the NFL) before tearing up his knee in Week 15 versus the Broncos. It’s expected he’ll be eased into the season, likely missing the first 4 games of the year. If Parsons can return to form, he’ll post his usual double-digit sacks, but keep an eye on the tackle totals. They were down last year compared to his seasons in Dallas. That can cap his upside (on top of the knee), keeping him well out of the overall EDGE1 conversation.
How high is the ceiling for Rueben Bain? Is he the rookie EDGE1 in redraft? Will he end up playing part-time snaps in the early going while he gets acclimated to the NFL? The pulse out of Tampa has been positive, but it’s very rare for rookie EDGEs to be anything more than bye-week fooder as they grow initially. Depending on opportunity, Bain could produce more than 12 PPG, but he’s best trusted as a backup until we have more information on his usage/production.
LB: Fred Warner 19 PPG, TJ Edwards 16 PPG, Terrel Bernard 15 PPG (Josiah Trotter 9 PPG)
Fred Warner was on his way to another All-Pro season before a dislocated and fractured right ankle ended his season. It was one of many for the 49ers, but Warner’s was a gut punch for a team that ended up missing its offensive and then defensive playcaller for much of the season. Warner is back to full strength and has been a quality IDP option for the entirety of his 9-year NFL career. While the tackle numbers have fluctuated a bit from time to time, we can count on him being a top 20 player. Consistency is worth its weight in wins, and he’s the type of player to build a fantasy defense around. Expect 130-140 stops and 5-8 big plays.
It was a brutal 2025 for TJ Edwards, who missed time on 3 separate occasions due to a multitude of leg issues. (glute, hamstring, ankle) In a January playoff game, he then fractured his fibula and has been dealing with a calf ailment to start the preseason. Edwards was not an efficient tackler upon his return either, but started to turn it on to end the year before the fibula. He’s historically been one of the best values at the linebacker position, but he’s a question mark, especially with D’Marco Jackson being paid as a high-end backup. If he’s 100%, slot him back into the top 32.
Terrell Bernard did not provide what is expected from a MIKE linebacker. 2025 was filled with tackle inefficiency, a lack of big plays, and injuries. That’s a perfect storm for an unstartable season, and it leads to major question marks about his long-term outlook. Thankfully, Bernard has a history of being better than this, is likely locked in as a starter through 2029, and has a new scheme coming that could boost his numbers. There’s hope it’ll get better this year, but for now, he’s on the starting borderline.
CB: Marlon Humphrey 12 PPG, Kool-Aid McKinstry 11 PPG
I love boring, 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.
The best name in the game has ended up being a fantasy-viable IDP, and that is a glorious thing. Kool-Aid’s tackle numbers came to life, snagging 76 stops, 3 INTs, and 17 PDs. That resulted in a CB13 finish and could be repeatable in a CB-tackle-friendly scheme in New Orleans. He’s a solid starting option, and the aura bonus alone is worth rostering.
S: Brian Branch 16 PPG, Camryn Bynum 13 PPG, Kerby Joseph 12 PPG (Jevon Holland 11 PPG)
After three incredible seasons, we know that Brian Branch is one of the most exciting safeties in the NFL. He loves to hit people in the mouth with his green mouthpiece sticking out of the side of his helmet. He’s been a top 10 option from the jump, and the Lions utilize him as a hybrid box player deluxe. Branch unfortunately tore his Achilles in Week 14 against the Cowboys and is questionable to start the year. Hopefully he can return to form by the end of the season, and fantasy managers can have him at 100% for a postseason run.
There was concern that Camryn Bynum’s stats would regress after leaving the friendly confines of Brian Flores’ scheme. He proved that he can sustain quality play in Indy, finishing as a mid-range S2. He tallied 81 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 4 INTs, and a sack, proving the Colts right to fill a need with the best free agent at the position. Bynum won’t have a box-heavy role again, but that’s ok. He’s still gonna eat and be a decent back-end IDP starter.
It was a fine early start to Kerby Joseph’s career before it was discovered he is dealing with a chronic left knee injury. He was an All-Pro in 2024, prompting the Lions to give him a 4-year $85 million contract. Unfortunately, he’s still questionable for Week 1, and we haven’t quite gotten a clear timetable for his return. If he comes back and is healthy, he is a solid free safety tackler and big-play machine. He recorded a league-high 9 INTs in 2024 and has 4 INTs in the two years prior. Combined with 70-80 tackles, that puts him on the starter borderline with upside for a top 20 season.
Off: Los Angeles Rams 15 PPG
PPG: 312 w/ everyone healthy, 300 w/o Parsons, Branch and Joseph
X-Factor: How quickly will the injured players return?
W-L: 4-13
Shayne’s roster has a unique aspect, as we’re still awaiting results on when Parsons, Branch, and Joseph will return to play. That clouds the projection a bit. Offensively, this team has quality investments, including picking up Trey McBride in the RFA auction and Parker Washington in free agency. The defense has some injury concerns, but can make some noise if all return by the back half of the season.
