Across 15 games in 2025, Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine recorded 469 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns on 101 touches. The veteran back has established himself as a quality pass-blocker and capable RB2 over the course of his nine-year NFL career. That's the role Perine played alongside Bengals RB1 Chase Brown in 2025, and with both backs under contract for 2026, Cincinnati appears likely to run it back next season. Without an injury to Brown, Perine carries limited fantasy upside. Even if Brown were to miss time, it's possible the Bengals would look to bring in a more dynamic rusher and keep Perine in a secondary role. While Perine has recorded at least 400 scrimmage yards in five straight seasons, he hasn't topped the 700-yard mark since his rookie year in 2017 and has logged just 19 touchdowns in 125 career NFL games. Perine's fantasy ceiling is uninspiring as he hits the late stages of his career.

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Across 13 games in 2025, Arizona Cardinals running back Emari Demercado recorded 413 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown on 57 touches. Demercado opened the year as the RB3 in Arizona behind James Conner (ankle) and Trey Benson (knee). However, Conner suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 3, and Benson went down for the year with a knee ailment in Week 4. Despite the injuries ahead of him, Demercado was unable to carve out a lead role in Arizona and ended up splitting playing time with running backs Michael Carter and Bam Knight. Demercado is now set to hit restricted free agency, so there is no guarantee he will be back with the Cardinals in 2026. Even if he gets a new contract in Arizona, it seems clear that the team views him as a complementary piece. The Cardinals should also get Benson back in time for the start of next season, and could look to add more talent in either free agency or the draft. In dynasty formats, Demercado may no longer be worth rostering after his underwhelming 2025 showing.

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A fourth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Carolina Panthers running back Trevor Etienne played a minimal role on offense in his rookie year. Across 17 games, the 21-year-old recorded 107 yards from scrimmage on just 23 touches. Etienne spent the entire year buried on the depth chart behind veteran Panthers backs Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle. Dowdle is a free agent heading into 2026 and may not return to Carolina. However, the Panthers may be getting back 2024 second-round running back Jonathon Brooks (knee), who missed the entirety of 2025 while rehabbing from a torn ACL. Even if Dowdle signs elsewhere and Brooks' injury issues continue, Etienne did little as a rookie to prove he should be part of Carolina's long-term plans. Depending on league size and format, Etienne may not be worth stashing on dynasty rosters after his underwhelming 2025 campaign.

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Across 16 games in 2025, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Kendrick Bourne recorded 37 receptions for 551 yards on 53 targets. A significant chunk of Bourne's production came in a two-game stretch in Weeks 5 and 6, when he hauled in 15 receptions for 284 yards on 20 targets. As the 49ers' pass-catching corps got healthier in the later part of the season, Bourne's role faded out of fantasy relevance. Bourne is now set to hit free agency ahead of 2026, which will be his age-31 season. Fellow 49ers wideout Jauan Jennings is also a free agent, and star San Francisco tight end George Kittle (Achilles) could miss a chunk of 2026 with a torn Achilles tendon. As a result, a return to San Francisco could mean Bourne has a role in the team's passing game, especially early in the year. However, the veteran wideout's best days appear to be behind him, and he may not play a fantasy-relevant role in 2026 and beyond.

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Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba isn't in a rush to sign a new deal after winning Super Bowl LX, but the 2025 Offensive Player of the Year did say that he thinks he deserves to "be the highest-paid in my position," according to ESPN's Brady Henderson. It would mean an extension worth more than $40 million in new-money average. The Seahawks can exercise a fifth-year option on the former first-rounder's contract by May 1, but they plan to work out a new deal with JSN this offseason. The 24-year-old picked a great time to have the best year of his career, setting a franchise record and leading the NFL with 1,793 receiving yards despite the fact that the Seahawks ran the ball more than any other team. Smith-Njigba also had 10 touchdowns and went for 199 yards and two touchdowns in three playoff games. He finished second to only Puka Nacua in overall fantasy points in 2025 and will surely be a first-round fantasy selection in drafts this fall.

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The Miami Dolphins have a new front office and coaching staff and are looking to get younger heading into the 2026 season. The NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe reports that plenty of teams will be eager to talk to Miami to see which players they might be willing to trade. We already know that the Dolphins want to try to trade quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, but Wolfe says that they prefer not to get rid of running back De'Von Achane and wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, two of their top offensive playmakers. Achane was by far the team's most consistent offensive player in 2025, finishing as the RB6 in half-PPR scoring thanks to a career-high 1,350 rushing yards and eight TDs on 238 carries. He also had 67 receptions for 488 yards and four more scores. Waddle fell short of 1,000 receiving yards for the second straight year, but he bounced back with 910 yards and six TDs on 64 catches. Despite questions at QB and with a new coaching staff, the Dolphins should continue to lean heavily on both Achane and Waddle in 2026 if they stick around.

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Tennessee Titans quarterback Cameron Ward (shoulder) is "recovering well" from his right-shoulder AC sprain that he suffered in the Week 18 regular-season finale, according to Cameron Wolfe of the NFL Network. Ward has been working with the team's quarterbacks coach on his lower body, and the plan is for him to resume throwing the football in March. Before he resumes throwing, the Titans want to work on the former first overall pick's base after he picked up some bad habits in his rookie season. The 23-year-old is excited to work with new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and believes he'll allow him to be the playmaker he was in college at the University of Miami. Wolfe says that Daboll and Ward hit it off during the pre-draft process last year, and Daboll tried to trade up to get Ward as the Giants' head coach. Time will tell if Daboll will help in Ward's development. He predictably struggled in Year 1 in a Tennessee offense without many high-end weapons. Going into Year 2, Ward will be a low-end QB2 target in fantasy with upside.

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The Kansas City Star's Pete Sweeney reports that Jacksonville Jaguars impending free-agent running back Travis Etienne Jr. has "legitimate interest" in signing with the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency this offseason, according to sources. Chiefs RBs Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco are both scheduled to hit free agency, too, so KC is definitely in the market for backfield help. Etienne, the former 25th overall pick by the Jags in 2021 out of Clemson, had a nice bounce-back campaign in 2025, reaching the 1,000-yard mark for the third time in his four NFL seasons. The 27-year-old had 260 carries and added seven rushing touchdowns while catching 36 passes for 292 yards and a career-high six receiving TDs in 17 regular-season games. Etienne would be a significant upgrade for a Chiefs offense looking to become more explosive after failing to make the postseason last year for the first time in a decade. Etienne was the RB10 in half-PPR scoring in 2025 and would have clear RB1 upside if he joined the Chiefs.

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Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (knee) posted on his Instagram account on Friday that he underwent surgery to fix a torn ACL, according to Corbin K. Smith of Emerald Spectrum. Smith explains that it's not uncommon for such a surgery to happen several weeks after the injury occurred, but it pushes Charbonnet's recovery clock even further into the 2026 season. The 25-year-old tore his ACL in the Divisional Round win over the San Francisco 49ers. The Seahawks have not given a firm timetable for when Charbonnet might return in 2026, but he almost certainly won't be ready for the start of the regular season this fall. Not only will Seattle most likely not have Charb ready in Week 1, but Kenneth Walker III, the Super Bowl MVP, will hit the free-agent market in March. Charbonnet saw a bigger role alongside Walker in 2025, setting career-highs across the board in carries (184), rushing yards (730), and rushing TDs (12) in 16 regular-season games. However, his 2026 fantasy stock will take a big hit since he most likely won't have a full season coming off his torn ACL.

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Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said that quarterback Patrick Mahomes (knee), who has been rehabbing the last two months after having surgery to fix the torn ACL and LCL in his left knee, is "already showing progress," according to ESPN's Nate Taylor. "He's around here all the time," Reid said of Mahomes. "He spends a ton of time here, seven hours a day. He's in there cranking away and making progress every day. It's great to see." The three-time Super Bowl MVP and six-time Pro Bowler still has a lot of rehab left, but if he keeps making great strides, he will have a shot to be ready for Week 1 of the 2026 regular season this fall. Even before his late-season knee injury, Mahomes and the Chiefs offense had taken a step back, and he finished with 3,587 passing yards, a career-low 22 touchdown passes, and 11 picks in 14 games. Coming off major knee surgery, Mahomes will no longer be in consideration as a high-end QB1 in fantasy in 2026 as he heads into his 10th year in the NFL.

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Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid took a step forward as a pass-catcher in 2025, which was pretty impressive considering he played most of the year through a torn PCL in his knee. The 26-year-old former first-rounder played in a career-low 12 regular-season games due to knee and hamstring injuries, catching 39 of his 49 targets for 571 yards and a career-high five touchdowns. Kincaid's production was still somewhat of a disappointment for fantasy managers, but he was at least more efficient with a 67.3% success rate, and he showed improvement in the red zone. Kincaid will not have offseason surgery, so he should have a normal offseason as he enters an important contract year. If he can finally get over the knee issues that have plagued him the last two years, Kincaid will have the motivation that could easily lead to a fourth-year breakout.

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The Dallas Cowboys waived linebacker Logan Wilson on Friday, according to Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News. With the release, the Cowboys will create $6.5 million in salary cap space for the 2026 season. Wilson was traded from the Cincinnati Bengals to the Cowboys midway through the season last year, but he didn't see much playing time in Dallas, with defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus using Kenneth Murray over Wilson. The 29-year-old linebacker had 70 total tackles (34 solo) in 15 combined games in 2025 after reaching 100-plus total tackles in the four previous seasons with the Bengals. Wilson has struggled in pass coverage in the NFL and only has 5.5 sacks in his six seasons, but he's proven he's a reliable tackler when given enough playing time. In the right fit in 2026, he could put himself back on the IDP fantasy radar as a tackling machine.

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The Athletic's Jesse Newell writes that Kansas City Chiefs impending free-agent running back Isiah Pacheco is "likely to sign elsewhere" in free agency this offseason. Pacheco did not show his pre-injury burst out of the backfield in 2025, averaging 3.9 yards per carry while rushing for 462 yards and just one touchdown on 118 rushing attempts in 13 games played. He ran a 4.37-second 40-yard dash at the 2022 NFL scouting combine, but he hasn't shown that same speed after a productive first two seasons in the NFL. In addition to his declining speed, he hasn't established himself as a receiving threat out of the backfield, with his 44-catch season in 2023 looking like an outlier. On top of injuries the last two seasons, Pacheco's fantasy stock is down as he enters free agency. Pacheco's 2026 fantasy value will depend on where he's playing, but most likely, he'll be involved in some sort of timeshare after struggling the last two seasons.

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Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said on Friday that the team has been communicating with impending free-agent tight end Travis Kelce, according to Nate Taylor of The Athletic. "There is communication. That's the main thing. That means people want to move forward. I [think] that's where Travis is," Reid said. The 36-year-old 11-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro is contemplating retirement for the second straight offseason, but if he decides to return for a 14th season in the NFL, he'll most likely re-sign with KC. The Chiefs have made it clear that they want Kelce back if he doesn't hang up his cleats. Despite his age, Kelce remained productive for fantasy managers in 2025, finishing as the TE4 in half-PPR scoring with 76 catches for 851 yards and five touchdowns on 108 targets. If Kelce comes back, he'll be a midrange TE1 target in fantasy with more risk of injury because of his age.

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Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said that "nothing is happening there" when discussing whether the Chiefs were in contact with free-agent wide receiver Tyreek Hill (knee), according to Sam McDowell of The Kansas City Star. "I don't know if Tyreek is healthy right now to do anything. I'm sure he's working hard on that part of it to get that straightened out," Reid said. The 31-year-old eight-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro dislocated his knee and tore multiple ligaments in Week 4 of last year, but he plans on continuing his playing career in 2026 as he heads into free agency. Hill was originally a fifth-round pick by the Chiefs in 2016 and spent the first six years of his career in KC, but as of right now, it doesn't sound like the Chiefs have interest in a reunion with the Cheetah, at least until they know more about his health. Hill's fantasy value going into his 11th NFL campaign will depend on his health and where he lands, but it sure would be intriguing to see him back in KC working with quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

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After a record-breaking rookie campaign in 2024, Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers battled through injury and a less-than-ideal offensive environment in 2025. Across 12 games, Bowers recorded 64 receptions for 680 yards and seven touchdowns on 86 targets. The 23-year-old suffered a knee injury in Week 1 that he battled through for multiple months before finally being shut down and ending the season on Injured Reserve. However, Bowers should be fully healthy for the start of the 2026 season. The Raiders could also have an improved team around him, as the team appears likely to select University of Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the number one overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft. Las Vegas also made coaching staff changes, bringing in former Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak as their new head coach. With renewed health and a better supporting cast, Bowers should return to elite fantasy tight end status in 2026 and beyond.

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After a down year in 2024, Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. rebounded with arguably the best season of his career in 2025. Across 17 games, the 27-year-old recorded 1,399 scrimmage yards and 13 touchdowns on 296 touches. He averaged 4.3 yards per carry, his best mark since his rookie season in 2022, and set a career high with six receiving touchdowns. Etienne Jr. will now hit free agency and could command a lucrative, multi-year pact on the open market. Without knowing for sure where Etienne Jr. will be playing, it's difficult to determine his fantasy value for 2026 and beyond. If he remains in Jacksonville, he may end up splitting touches with Jaguars back Bhayshul Tuten. Etienne Jr. may see a larger workload elsewhere, but he could also land in a less favorable offensive environment. Still, Etienne Jr re-established his fantasy value in 2025 and profiles as a quality starting running back option in dynasty formats.

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Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle rebounded from a down 2024 season in 2025, recording 64 catches for 910 yards and six touchdowns on 100 targets across 16 games played. After fellow Dolphins wideout Tyreek Hill (knee) suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 4, Waddle took over as the team's undisputed WR1 for the remainder of the year. Miami released Hill earlier this week, so Waddle profiles as the team's lead pass-catcher once again heading into 2026. The Dolphins will have a different look in 2026, as the team fired former head coach and play-caller Mike McDaniel and is reportedly looking to trade quarterback Tua Tagovailoa as well. The changes around Waddle muddle his fantasy outlook a bit, but could also be a good thing for the 27-year-old as he heads into his sixth NFL campaign. In dynasty formats, Waddle re-established his value in 2025 and could be in line for the best year of his career in 2026.

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New England Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins has mostly been a journeyman throughout his career, playing for six different teams across eight NFL seasons. The 32-year-old established a consistent role with New England in 2025, hauling in 46 catches for 550 yards and two touchdowns on 65 targets, his most productive statline since the 2022 season. Hollins is known as one of the NFL's best run-blocking wide receivers, which helps him stay on the field despite his limited pass-catching ability. The veteran wideout is under contract with the Patriots for the 2026 season and should continue to play a role with the team. However, New England could look to shift more playing time towards young wideouts Kayshon Boutte and Kyle Williams, both of whom flashed upside at different points in 2025. Even if Hollins sees a significant snap share again in 2026, he's never recorded 60 catches or 700 receiving yards in a season and carries limited upside for fantasy managers in dynasty leagues

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Across 16 games as a rookie in 2025, Chicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland recorded 58 receptions for 713 yards and six touchdowns on 82 targets. Loveland's season-long numbers are strong, but the 21-year-old truly took off down the stretch of the season. Including the playoffs, Loveland hauled in 39 catches for 500 yards and three scores on 63 targets over his final seven contests. Loveland showed off an improved chemistry with Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, and could be primed for a superstar breakout in his second NFL season. Between wide receivers DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, and Luther Burden III, Chicago has plenty of capable pass-catchers who could provide significant target competition for Loveland. Still, the young tight end should be a focus of his team's offense and could dominate playing time at his position in 2026 if the Bears move on from veteran tight end Cole Kmet over the offseason. Loveland profiles as an elite fantasy tight end in dynasty formats after his rookie campaign.

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