Damien Woody, Mike Tannenbaum and Dan Graziano discuss Kyler Murray signing with the Vikings and how that could affect J.J. McCarthy's career in Minnesota. (2:21)
Change. It's inevitable. And in the NFL, it's constant. From a historic number of coaching changes to nagging injuries to roster shake-ups, the churn is real. As we flip the fantasy calendar to the 2026 season, we're here to catch you up on the most impactful fantasy news of the offseason. Here's to not just playing the game, but playing it while in the know.
Jump ahead Coaching carousel | Injuries to track | Free agency frenzy
Despite his status as the winningest head coach in franchise history (180 regular-season and 13 postseason victories), the Baltimore Ravens cut ties with Harbaugh after 18 seasons. The 63-year-old was without a head coaching gig for all of 11 days before New York signed him to a five-year commitment. Harbaugh is now tasked with bringing a winning culture back to the Big Apple. That's no small feat given that the team has registered just two playoff appearances in nearly a decade.
The defensive-minded coach tapped Matt Nagy to command the Giants' offense. Born out of the Andy Reid coaching tree, Nagy figures to install a West Coast offense, intent on developing QB Jaxson Dart and further unlocking WR Malik Nabers' alpha potential. Expect a mix of designed runs and RPO reads for Dart, providing the QB with an elevated rushing floor and more defined throws. There's room for optimism, but fantasy managers should temper expectations as Nagy has struggled to consistently deliver, particularly when separated from Reid. Nagy managed a 34-31 regular-season record as head coach of the Chicago Bears from 2018 to 2021. His second stint as offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs proved more successful, though Reid remained the team's primary offensive playcaller during that span (2023-25).
The Raiders have endured the highest coaching turnover in the NFL since 2002. Kubiak will aspire to buck the trend, becoming the team's sixth permanent head coach since 2015. Fresh off a Super Bowl victory as the Seahawks' offensive coordinator, wherein he lifted Seattle's points per game (up from 20 in 2024 to 25.5 in 2025) and offensive efficiency (from 19th in 2024 to 13th in 2025), Kubiak figures to install a QB-friendly offense that relies on play-action and utilizes a wide zone running game.
Kubiak admitted at the NFL combine that he'd like to give RB Ashton Jeanty a "wingman," suggesting a shared backfield approach similar to the one Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet experienced in 2025. Although that could mean fewer touches for the sophomore running back, Jeanty's efficiency should increase. Thankfully for fantasy managers, TE Brock Bowers' ceiling should be exploited under Kubiak, as he is likely to take on a "joker" role in the offense. Key to all of this, of course, is expected No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza's ability to successfully transition to the pro level. That said, Kubiak's wide zone scheme -- which will marry the run and pass game together -- should be viewed as a bonus for Mendoza's early-season development.
Absent from the sidelines for a year, McCarthy signed a five-year contract with the Steelers. Replacing Mike Tomlin after 19 seasons to become the team's fourth head coach since 1969, McCarthy will return to his hometown with a significant number of holes to fill and questions to answer, chief among them who will man the quarterback position. McCarthy famously worked with Aaron Rodgers for 13 seasons with the Green Bay Packers, leading them to a Super Bowl victory (which just happened to be over the Steelers) during the squad's 2010 campaign. Yet, Rodgers has yet to announce his availability for 2026. That hasn't dissuaded McCarthy from moves, however.
The Steelers added CB Jamel Dean, RB Rico Dowdle and WR Michael Pittman Jr. in free agency. Given McCarthy's penchant for running the ball and clock management, the offense doesn't figure to look terribly different from its previous iteration(s). Interestingly, DraftKings Sportsbook has set a line of 8.5 wins for the upcoming regular season. Pittsburgh managed a 10-7 record in 2025.
On Buffalo's staff since 2022, Brady is set to succeed Sean McDermott in large part due to his effective work with Josh Allen. Under Brady, Allen has strived to limit turnovers, increase rushing output and improve his overall efficiency. Motivated to capitalize on a legitimate Super Bowl window, Brady will need to build around Allen and further develop offensive consistency. The addition of WR DJ Moore figures to help in this endeavor, providing Allen with a proven No. 1 WR who can successfully deliver on deep in-breakers and shots downfield. That said, Brady remains an "everyone eats" evangelist. Expect him to spread the ball around while continuing to employ an explosive rushing attack.
The Cardinals accumulated a whopping 15 wins over three seasons under the Jonathan Gannon/Drew Petzing regime. Regardless of the reasons -- from a rebuild to key injuries -- three straight seasons under .500 will result in any coaching staff being shown the door. Enter LaFleur, who ascended the ranks under the tutelage of Kyle Shanahan before working with Sean McVay as the Rams' offensive coordinator since 2023.
LaFleur brings a completely new approach to Arizona's offense, predicated on maximizing the offensive line in order to establish a high-volume passing attack, buoyed by an explosive running game. This more modern and receiver-friendly approach should provide Marvin Harrison Jr. with a lift in production. With more reduced formations and pre-snap movement, LaFleur can employ the "Cooper Kupp model" to scheme for MHJ, allowing the hopeful WR1 to better showcase his high-end physical tools. If LaFleur can successfully unlock MHJ's potential and further encourage Jacoby Brissett's belated breakout, then fans should nickname him the Great Redeemer by the season's end.
See more 2026 NFL coaching hires here, including Kevin Stefanski in Atlanta, Jesse Minter in Baltimore, Jeff Hafley in Miami, Robert Saleh in Tennessee and Todd Monken in Cleveland.
Mahomes tore his left ACL and LCL versus the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 15. In an attempt to prevent additional swelling, the superstar QB underwent surgery just 24 hours later on Dec. 15. The question now is whether Mathomes will be able to return under center without restrictions ahead of the 2026 season opener. Although Mahomes is certainly "built different," setbacks can occur and rust takes time to shake off. Presently, consider Mahomes a low-end fantasy starter in the QB12-QB15 range.
Nabers suffered a Grade 3 tear to the ACL while additionally damaging the meniscus of his right knee in late September of last year. An operation to repair the issue(s) occurred on Oct. 28. When asked about his rehab in January, Nabers admitted that he would not start until he was fully healthy, telling reporters that "If my body doesn't feel right [Week 1] then I'm not going to go out there." However, Giants GM Joe Schoen remarked at the NFL combine in February that Nabers was in a "good spot" with his recovery and expressed optimism that the 22-year-old would be back in time for training camp.
After a breakout rookie campaign (18.2 FPTS/gm, WR6), Nabers emerged as a top-five positional pick for fantasy managers in 2025. His presence, particularly given Wan'Dale Robinson's departure, is crucial to the Giants' success this upcoming season. His availability and progress over the summer will be key in determining his 2026 ADP. Mike Clay currently has the star wideout ranked inside of his top 10 players at the position.
Nabers wasn't the only Giant to sustain a season-ending injury in 2025. Skattebo underwent emergency surgery shortly after experiencing a gruesome right ankle dislocation, which included an open tibia fracture and ruptured deltoid ligament, in late October. Despite the severity of the injury, Schoen expects the bruising back to be ready in time for the start of the team's offseason program in April.
Skattebo himself echoed these sentiments, stating he'd be "100%" by OTAs while sharing that he was already running at about "75%" as of mid-March. Skattebo will be greeted by an overhauled regime. New OC Nagy figures to lean on Skattebo's physicality in an attempt to beef up the ground game, allowing newly signed fullback Patrick Ricard to block and create additional lanes for Skattebo to rumble through. Skattebo's playing style undoubtedly invites injury, but it also makes him a tantalizing grab for ceiling-scraping fantasy managers.
Kraft emerged as Green Bay's leading receiver over the first two months of 2025, registering a 30-469-6 stat line (16.2 FPTS/gm, TE1) before tearing his right ACL versus the Carolina Panthers in Week 9. With a recovery timeline of nine months, Kraft should be back on the field by late August. The 25-year-old shared that his rehab was "ahead of schedule" back in January. Packers brass appear similarly confident in the tight end's return, as GM Brian Gutekunst has reportedly been in touch with Kraft about a potential contract extension. Assuming all goes smoothly (and given Romeo Doubs' move to the New England Patriots), Kraft figures to be back on the TE1 radar by September.
Grab a big ol' bucket of popcorn because the Murray versus J.J. McCarthy QB battle figures to be pure cinema. Stunted by injuries and failure to progress as a passer, Murray was released by the Cardinals after seven tumultuous seasons. He was signed by the Vikings just 24 hours later. Given Murray's experience, it's reasonable to believe he'll edge out his 23-year-old competitor for the starting gig.
Murray averaged 19.4 fantasy points per game over his 87 career starts as a Cardinal, with 30% of that production coming via his legs. With Kevin O'Connell calling the plays and surrounded by a bevy of talented pass catchers (Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson and Aaron Jones Sr.), Murray should have all the tools necessary to wholly fulfill his QB1 fantasy potential. That is, of course, if he can stay on the field.
Kenneth Walker III to command lead role with Kansas City Chiefs
The first running back to earn a Super Bowl MVP victory in 28 years (Terrell Davis, 1998), Walker is taking his ring to a town that, prior to 2025, had been stockpiling hardware. Signed to a three-year deal valued at $45 million ($28.7 million fully guaranteed), Walker is expected to be Kansas City's primary ball carrier, particularly given the expiration of Kareem Hunt's previous deal and with Isiah Pacheco off to the Detroit Lions.
Touching the ball 252 times (RB20) in Seattle, Walker's timeshare with Zach Charbonnet suppressed his fantasy ceiling. Still, the 25-year-old finished the season as fantasy's RB22 overall (11.3 FPTS/gm, RB27). He also ripped off 10 runs of 20 or more yards (RB3, tied with Jahmyr Gibbs). Interestingly, Pacheco didn't record a single run of 20 or more yards, and Hunt managed just one. Intent on upgrading the team's backfield, Reid figures to capitalize on Walker's speed and explosiveness, making the back a top-14 positional option for fantasy purposes.
It's hard to imagine a better landing spot for the vet, who inked a three-year deal with the 49ers after 12 seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. An injury-riddled 2025 (hamstring, clavicle) prevented the 32-year-old from attaining a 12th consecutive campaign of 1,000 receiving yards. That could be evidence of decline, but given the lack of competition he'll face in San Francisco and noting Kyle Shanahan's playcalling savvy, Evans figures to bounce back in 2026. He's likely to emerge as a value pick with WR2 fantasy potential by the fall.
Click HERE for a complete fantasy guide to all offseason signings including Jaylen Waddle to the Broncos, DJ Moore to the Bills, Travis Etienne Jr. to the Saints and David Montgomery to the Texans.
