Here We Go – An Outlook on the 2026 FF Season

Ah, the new fantasy football league year, so sweet and full of hope. This is my March Madness! In some ways the new league year reminds me of the Talking Heads song from 1980, “Once in a Lifetime”, where the line, “Same as it ever was” is repeated over and over in the song. Yes, it is the same as it ever was in NFL pre-draft events, the Senior Bowl, the NFL Combine, the new league year, NFL free agency, college pro days, private workouts and NFL team visits, draft rumors and lies, the hype, and then the NFL Draft. I do love the whole process. The NFL off-season is the same as it ever was, thank goodness!

The Senior Bowl

I don’t really watch the Senior Bowl, but I do read articles and listen to podcasts that live for it. These sources sometimes turn up a sleeper or two to put in your back pocket. The Eagles and the Saints were coaching staffs for the 2026 Senior Bowl. On day three of the NFL draft, I like to see if either team drafts any offensive skill players that played in the Senior Bowl. If they do, I usually look to draft them in the 4th or 5th round of fantasy rookie drafts. 

The NFL Combine

Let’s talk about the NFL Combine, better known as “the Underwear Olympics.” Let’s see how fast someone can run in a straight line, no resistance from a defense, and no pads. Or, let’s watch a QB throw passes with no pads on and no defensive rushers to a WR that is not being covered. Useless activities in my opinion. 

Five years ago, I was obsessed with watching the NFL Combine. I watched the drills with a keen eye, trying to gain an advantage in the rookie drafts by finding that hidden sleeper. Since then, I have learned that it is a waste of my time. I have concluded that, “it just doesn’t matter!” What matters for assessing rookie fantasy talent is the player’s  college film and the actual NFL Draft capital. Draft Capital is where NFL teams show their true feelings about a player.

Just to drive home the point about how I feel about the NFL Combine, here is a YouTube clip of Bill Murray, “It Just Doesn’t Matter” in the movie Meatballs:

Prime examples of why the NFL Combine doesn’t matter: 

John Ross – 9th overall pick (2017) – Cincinnati Bengals – before the NFL Combine, he was projected as a late 1st round pick. That 4.22 40 time did not translate to the NFL and did not pay off for the fantasy rookie drafter that bought the hype.

Darrius Heyward-Bey – #7 overall pick (2009) – Oakland Raiders – before the NFL Combine, he was also projected in the late first round. Same as above – bust.

The point is most of us fell for it and ended up with a wasted draft pick.

Coaching Changes – Offensive Improvements and Declines

I like the changes made by the Titans, Chargers, and Chiefs.

The Titans added Brian Daboll to help Cam Ward move his skill set forward like he did for Josh Allen in Buffalo. Cam gets better, and all fantasy players should benefit.

The Chargers added Mike McDaniel to move from an offense that was dull and predictable to an offense that should be explosive. Watch the rise of Omarion Hampton into a top back in 2026.

The Chiefs brought back Eric Bieniemy. I think Mahomes will jump right back to a must-have QB. Bieniemy and Mahomes like to chuck it deep; this will open the underneath routes and the running game.

I think the offenses for the Dolphins, Commanders, and Rams will decline this year.

The Dolphins lose McDaniel and add Bobby Slowik. The creativity drops and so does the fantasy numbers for Achane. Plus, no Tua, no Hill, and no Waddle. Look for them to draft a 1^st round WR. 

The Commanders bounced Cliff Kingsbury and promoted David Blough. He is a first time play caller, and I think he moves away from the Kingsbury Air Raid Style that we all love as fantasy managers. 

The Rams are in the same situation as the Commanders, but they still have McVay.  I look for a slow start for some of the Rams players. I will look to see if I can trade for some Rams players that are slow starters come mid-season.

Early FA moves and Trades to Boost Players

Kyler Murray signed with the Vikings to improve Jefferson and Addison.

Kenneth Walker signing with the Chiefs will give them a stud RB. I hope he develops some hands – he could reach RB1 in 2026 for all RBs.

Evans and Kirk solidify the WR group in San Francisco. These signings take the pressure off Rick Pearsall and make Brandon Aiyuk expendable if they choose to move on from him.

Other risers – Alec Pierce, DJ Moore, Omarion Hampton, Travis Etienne Jr, Jaylen Waddle, and Isaiah Likely.

Note: What teams do in the NFL Draft could trash this list.

Pre-Draft Invites

It is always fun to see which offensive rookie skill players are invited to the team facilities. Sometimes you can foresee that trade might happen before or during the NFL Draft. For example, why does a team bring in Jeremiyah Love as one of their 30-40 invitees when they don’t have a top 25 pick? I am a little nerdy on my part, but fun just the same.

The Draft

My strategy on the rookie draft is simple:

• I use the same site every year to give me an idea of the rankings.
• I look at some mock drafts and watch a small amount of tape on each of the top 24 ranked players. 
• I look at past rookie drafts from my leagues and try to judge who drafts for best available player and who drafts for roster needs.  
• Then I create a draft plan for all my leagues.  What are the picks I have worth? Can I trade them away for more value or do I stick and pick? Trade up or trade down.

As far as watching films, at least watch enough film to see what the player looks like in a game situation. I also like to search for player comparisons. What former or current NFL player does this rookie compare to in size, game speed, and playing style?

I see value for about 17 players or 2.05 in 12 team rookie drafts. Below are my rookie draft tiers for 1 QB drafts in 2026 listed in the order I like for drafting.

Five players are studs:

• Jeremiyah Love (RB)
• Jordyn Tyson (WR)
• Carnell Lake (WR)
• Kenyon Sadiq (TE)
• Makai Lemon (WR)

Four players are good solid performers:

• Jadarian Price (RB)
• K.C. Concepcion (WR)
• Denzel Boston (WR)
• Jonah Coleman (RB)

Eight that could be stars or could bust:

• Fernando Mendoza (QB)
• Nicholas Singleton (RB)
• Eli Stowers (TE)
• Chris Brazzell II (WR)
• Emmett Johnson (RB)
• Elijah Sarratt (WR)
• Ja’Kobi Lane (WR)
• Ty Simpson (QB)

* Remember, these are pre-draft rankings, draft capital is king and team depth charts matter *

* Also, remember it is hype season. NFL teams lie and mis-direct about who they are going to draft. *

* Submitted on 3/17/2026 – a lot more will happen! *

Big shoutout to Big Brother Rick (RIP) and Johnny G for getting me into this obsession—I mean hobby—all those years ago.

Thanks for reading my ramblings and remember—have fun!

Question for the readers:
Which rookie are you targeting right now before the NFL Draft?

---

🏈 Leagues Forming Now at DataForce Fantasy Football! 🏈
Ready to draft? We offer the widest variety with the best prize payouts anywhere!
Come check out what we have available in our lobby and Orphan Marketplace.
Join the fun and draft your winning team today at DataForceFF.com!