2026 Dynasty Fantasy Football: Winners From Free Agency

At this time of the year, dynasty fantasy football strategy can feel like an endless series of moving parts. Just when we think we have things figured out, another big trade or signing pops up and impacts the outlook for players on at least 1-2 teams. That's starting to slow down, but then we have the NFL Draft coming up in late April, and with it we'll get seismic shifts in valuations and dynasty league strategy.

Before we start worrying too much about what's to come, let's take a look at what's happened so far this offseason, highlighting players that have gained value as a result of early offseason developments.

Quarterbacks

• QB Geno Smith / Jacoby Brissett

I don't expect a ton from either of these guys in 2026, but recent developments at least increased the odds that they'll be useful in two-QB leagues for September/October. Just keep in mind that Brissett's 2025 fantasy utility was largely fueled by extremely pass-heavy playcalling under a different coaching staff. There may be something real to his chemistry with WR Michael Wilson and TE Trey McBride, but the Cardinals aren't going to feature that type of pass volume again, regardless of whether Brissett, Gardner Minshew or someone else is under center.

For the Jets, it's highly unlikely that a 35-year-old Smith can make them a wild-card contender. But he might be decent enough to cost the team a Top 5 pick, and he may be decent enough to help Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall put up big fantasy numbers. I also like TE Mason Taylor as a cheap breakout candidate; he'll turn 22 in May, which makes him younger than most of the tight ends in the incoming rookie class.

• QB Fernando Mendoza

The Raiders still have work to do at WR and OL, but they got off to a good start with the additions of C Tyler Linderbaum and WR Jalen Nailor, not to mention a smattering of new faces on defense (LB Nakobe Dean, LB Quay Walker, EDGE Kwity Paye, Slot CB Taron Johnson). With Linderbaum at the pivot and LT Kolton Miller (ankle) expected to return healthy after playing just four games in 2025, the Raiders may have found a quick fix for the league's worst offensive line. And we can cut them some slack at wide receiver when Ashton Jeanty and Brock Bowers on the roster. Mendoza isn't walking into a great situation, but it's not nearly as ugly as some may have feared when watching Las Vegas late last season. The Linderbaum and Miller upgrades, in particular, will be absolutely massive.

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• QB Tua Tagovailoa

Tagovailoa is a perfect bench guy in two-QB leagues right now. He may be a Week 1 starter for Atlanta, and if not, he could still get a chance later in the season to rehab his value with an eye toward free agency in 2027. It's a rehabilitation project that's more likely to fail than succeed, in the long run, but that doesn't mean Tua won't have moments of dynasty value. If he does make starts, which seems likely, he'll be playing in a soft division, with home games indoors, behind a strong offensive line, and with weapons that excel at catching short passes. 

Running Backs

• RBs Bhayshul Tuten & Chris Rodriguez

There's still plenty that can go wrong for Tuten with a lot of offseason ahead, but his 2026 breakout argument cleared the first hurdle when Travis Etienne left for New Orleans. Tuten is one of the most fascinating players for fantasy right now. You don't see many RBs with 4.32 speed (2025 Combine), and it's even more surprising from someone with a stout frame like Tuten's (5-foot-9, 206 pounds). That combination of traits hints at upside to handle a large volume of touches while posting strong efficiency numbers. What's less clear is if Tuten possesses the finer skills (ball security, vision, blocking, balance, pass catching) to even merit that kind of playing time.

His rookie season was a mixed bag. Short-yardage work pushed his YPC down to 3.7, with the benefit being five rushing TDs and two receiving TDs on just 93 touches (for 386 yards). He fumbled twice, which was also a huge issue in college, and he missed out on a few big plays because he tripped over his feet or got tripped up too easily in the open field. Some of that should be cleaned up in Year 2, but the concerns about ball security and passing-game skills may not go away so easily.

While Tuten is undoubtedly the upside play for fantasy, Rodriguez's contract hints at expectations beyond a mere backup role. LeQuint Allen also looks on track for another season as the passing-down specialist, pending Jacksonville's other offseason moves throughout free agency and the NFL Draft. It's far too early for victory laps, but the first week of the offseason has been promising for each of Tuten, Rodriguez and Allen.

• RB J.K. Dobbins

RJ Harvey is still the upside play from Denver's backfield, but Dobbins fared better as a runner last year, with the run game (mostly Harvey) struggling mightily after the season-ending foot injury. While some of the early reports on Dobbins' contract details ended up being exaggerated, he did get a major raise ($8 million guaranteed this year) relative to the one-year, $5.3 million contract he signed last offseason. I'd bet on Dobbins over Harvey as Denver's Week 1 starter. That said, the 27-year-old Dobbins has an injury history matched by few others.

• RB Kenneth Walker

I feel like I have to mention Walker, given the hype surrounding him and the fact that his best-ball ADP has skyrocketed to the 15-16 range. The problem? I'm not really buying it. Walker had a good situation in Seattle with Zach Charbonnet now rehabbing a knee tear. Kansas City is also a reasonably good spot for fantasy production, just not the grand slam that many seem to be assuming. The Chiefs may not be as pass-heavy compared to recent years, but they'll never be a run-first team as long as Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes are around. 

Walker, meanwhile, is an excellent pure runner, but at least a minor liability on pass plays. That's going to cost him a chunk of the playing time, and a few of the touches/targets. He'll do well in terms of rushing yards, and touchdowns, but I don't see the type of volume ceiling that's needed to justify a top-20 redraft pick. To me, it's an excellent 'sell' opportunity for any dynasty teams that roster Walker and aren't currently front-runners in their leagues.

Wide Receivers

• WRs Alec Pierce & Josh Downs

The size of Pierce's contract was a good sign, as was the subsequent trade of Michael Pittman, whose absence could lead to target-share gains for any and all of Pierce, Josh Downs and Tyler Warren. I think it'll be a fairly flat target distribution between the three of them, but that'll work fine for fantasy if the Colts have a competent offense while giving Pittman's old snaps to mediocre players or rookies who don't see many passes. I currently project each of Pierce, Downs and Warren to finish around 100 targets, with Pierce's looks being worth a bit more for fantasy (even in PPR) due to his strong track record of scoring long-distance TDs. 

Daniel Jones (Achilles) doesn't exactly inspire confidence, especially coming off a major injury, but head coach Shane Steichen is a good offensive schemer with an elite RB and a solid O-line at his disposal. Pierce, Downs and Warren will each be age-26 or younger throughout the upcoming season, with breakout cases of varying strength/extent.

• WR DJ Moore

While Moore's best days are likely behind him, the move to a receiver-needy team with an elite QB could make him startable in fantasy again. He and Khalil Shakir did a lot of the same things in 2024 for their respective teams, before Moore switched to more of a decoy/field-stretcher role under Ben Johnson in 2025. I do think Moore's usage in Buffalo will be more like his 2025 (80 targets, 11.5 aDOT) than his 2024 (140 targets, 7.5 aDOT), only with better QB play and weaker competition for downfield targets. 

The Bills do have a good group of short-pass catchers in WR Khalil Shakir, RB James Cook, TE Dalton Kincaid and TE Dawson Knox. Nobody will mistake Moore for an elite deep threat, but he does have some track record of success there and mostly seems to have maintained his 4.42 speed. He should help the Bills, and may be a WR3 for fantasy. Just don't expect the type of volume that he saw back in 2020-21 for the Panthers under now-Bills coach Joe Brady (8.8 targets per game, but with a catch rate well below 60 percent both years). That was high-volume, low-efficiency production. In an offense with Josh Allen and Cook, the path to value is medium-volume, high-efficiency.

• WR Luther Burden

The Bears traded Moore and then let Olamide Zaccheaus walk, leaving Burden and Rome Odunze as clear starters at wide receiver. Jahdae Walker would be the favorite for the No. 3 role if the season started today. The Bears may still bring in someone better, but it looks like Burden, Odunze and TE Colston Loveland will be the runaway top three for target volume.

• WR Mike Evans

This is similar to Moore, where concerns about physical decline are partially offset by an improved production environment and reduced target competition. I'm seeing comparisons to the Davante Adams signing for Los Angeles last offseason, but Adams was basically just a red-zone specialist and mediocre otherwise. The 49ers don't have a Puka Nacua, so they'll need more than just TDs from Evans unless they've got another big addition in the works (unlikely). Expect Evans to see a lot of targets in September, post-prime or not.

• WRs Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan & Chris Godwin 

McMillan was in danger of entering roster clogger territory. Now we should get a good look at him sooner than later. I do think there's some validity to concerns that the Bucs are a sinking ship, but if Baker Mayfield at least bounces back after playing through injuries last season, it should be an offense that supports some receiving production, win or lose. Egbuka and Godwin are both candidates for big-time volume, with Godwin being one of my favorite targets in early best-ball drafts. For dynasty, Egbuka is obviously the prize here, but McMillan makes sense as a trade target for rebuilders, while Godwin is a good WR add for contenders.

• WR Jalen Nailor

It's not saying much, but Nailor might be the best WR on the Raiders' roster right now. They'll hopefully correct that during the NFL Draft. If nothing else, Nailor can be a better version of Tre Tucker in the high-snap-count, low-target-rate role with a lot of deep routes. Nailor was available for free in early best-ball drafts, but he could move up to Rounds 15-16 now that he's well-positioned for a starting role. His low target rates in Minnesota as the No. 3 receiver are justifiable, given who he shared the field with. Nailor's per-target numbers have always been strong (career 9.4 YPT), with 11 of his 69 receptions going for touchdowns. 

• WR Romeo Doubs

Doubs is average athletically by NFL WR standards, but he's a good route-runner with a lengthy track record as a competent starter. He's typically been a bench guy for fantasy rather than a starter, playing in a Green Bay offense with flat target distributions. The Patriots will probably be like that also, only with Doubs potentially as the top target, and an MVP candidate slinging the passes. Just remember that it's early in the offseason, so there's still some chance of a major complication, e.g., a trade for a real WR1, moving up for Tate/Lemon/Tyson in the 2025 Draft, etc..

Tight Ends

• TE Mark Andrews

The offseason has played out nicely for anyone hoping to squeak one more useful fantasy season out of Andrews. The Ravens lost fellow tight ends Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar, both capable pass catchers, and have thus far signed only blocking specialist Durham Smythe as a replacement. Depth at tight end looks like one of the relative strengths of a weak 2026 NFL Draft class, giving the Ravens an avenue to restock at the position with their numerous mid-round picks. If that's indeed the plan, they may need a bit more from Andrews in 2026 while the young guy(s) are brought along.

• TE Isaiah Likely

There were perhaps better landing spots available in free agency, but Likely at least escaped Mark Andrews and got a big contract to do so. The Giants are paying him like he's their No. 2 option in the passing game. And he might be, though I do worry a bit that it'll be a flat distribution behind runaway No. 1 Malik Nabers.