The offseason is often as dramatic, if not moreso, than the actual NFL season, and this year promises to be no different. A host of top players will dictate the flow of this offseason, whether through the NFL Draft, free agency or trades. These moves will have massive implications for fantasy football, and by being aware of them, we can identify opportunities to take advantage of in dynasty or early best-ball drafts. These are the 10 most important players of the fantasy offseason.
Fantasy Football Offseason’s Most Important Players
A.J. Brown (WR – PHI)
The Eagles are at a true turning point right now. Jalen Hurts has no guaranteed money on his contract beyond this year. The offensive line could be braced for big losses with veterans mulling retirement, and Dallas Goedert, who scored 11 touchdowns in 2025, is a free agent.
With all that said, no player is likely to generate as many headlines as A.J. Brown, who, after wishing for a move to be with his good friend Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia, hasn’t always looked like he’s enjoyed that decision.
Jeremy Fowler On A Potential AJ Brown Trade On @975Middays:
“The contract is a bit of a hurdle, but it’s not something they [Eagles] can’t get out of. My guess is that they’ll be approached by teams. There are a lot of teams that need help there and will be interested in AJ… pic.twitter.com/CHzwLp3JNR
— 97.5 The Fanatic (@975TheFanatic) February 17, 2026
Of course, it’s not all bad. Super Bowl rings tend to bring a smile, but star wide receivers want to be targeted and relied upon in must-win moments, and the Eagles just don’t run their scheme that way. Brown hasn’t outright said he’d like to be traded. Yet. However, he’s agitated often enough that the rumors won’t go away, and if he were made available, he would be a hot commodity.
The links to New England and reuniting with Mike Vrabel are obvious, and for good measure, given the Patriots need better weapons on offense and have cap space. A move like that would make the Patriots legitimate contenders to deal with a tougher schedule in 2026.
George Pickens (WR – FA)
From one diva wide receiver to another… George Pickens is already generating plenty of headlines, with the Cowboys rumored to be placing the franchise tag on him. When Pickens was traded from the Steelers to the Cowboys, he didn’t angle for a new contract. He wanted to prove he deserved to be paid like a top receiver, and he followed through. Pickens put up career highs in targets, receptions, receiving yards, touchdowns and catch rate.
Pickens ranked 40th in targets per route run (0.22), but ninth in yards per route run (2.45). He also finished the season tied for the fourth-most wide receiver fantasy points with Ja’Marr Chase. The Cowboys, according to Adam Schefter, are open to a tag-and-trade situation, making for a very interesting few months.
Pickens has shown he can be a top receiver, and plenty of teams lack one. Should Pickens be traded, we’d also likely see a bump in CeeDee Lamb‘s ranking, with some perceived ceiling projections being pushed away from Pickens and back to him. Of course, Dak Prescott‘s outlook could take a knock should that happen.
Lamar Jackson (QB – BAL)
When the Ravens and Lamar Jackson came to his current contract agreement, the expectation was always that it would need to be restructured at this point, if it hadn’t already been done. His current cap hit of $74.5 million is prohibitive for a team entering a new phase and in dire need of reinforcements at some key positions.
Talking heads have been full of ideas where Jackson could end up in 2026, but Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti was incredibly strong in his opinion that Jackson wouldn’t be going anywhere anytime soon.
The Ravens have the option to add void years and restructure Jackson’s contract, but an extension would be preferable, and sooner rather than later. The Ravens would stand a much better chance of retaining three-time Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum should Jackson sign an extension. Which seems a no-brainer given last year’s interior offensive line was a turnstile for the Ravens.
Many teams would be interested in Jackson if there were any hint he was available, but there would also be a mass of teams interested in Linderbaum should he make it to free agency. The two seem intertwined for now, and time is ticking far too quickly in Baltimore.
Breece Hall (RB – FA)
Reports are starting to emerge that the Jets could consider franchise tagging Breece Hall, which rather dampens an exciting top-end of the free agency class, but is unlikely to be the end of this chapter. Hall’s relationship with the Jets seems to have run its course, with Hall all over social media around the NFL trade deadline actively encouraging rumors.
.@ZackBlatt believes the Jets will likely franchise tag Breece Hall. pic.twitter.com/lArd2vfKaU
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) February 17, 2026
Hall has spent four years with the Jets, and like many players there, it hasn’t been much fun. Hall still hasn’t scored more than five rushing touchdowns in a season, thanks to the inept offenses around him, and he only crossed 1,000 yards for the first time this past season. The Jets have plenty of cap space, but it also doesn’t really make sense for them to hold onto Hall as they head into yet another rebuild.
Perhaps a tag-and-trade would be beneficial for all. Recall that the Chiefs were willing to pay a fourth-round pick in November. Could the Jets squeeze a little more with this lackluster running back class? And if so, the domino effect on the rest of the free agent running back class would be significant.
Brian Thomas Jr. (WR – JAX)
The Jaguars have made all the right noises this offseason, maintaining that they’re excited about an offense with Jakobi Meyers, Travis Hunter, Parker Washington and Brian Thomas Jr. all involved. Perhaps there is room for all of them if Hunter spends more time on the defensive side of the ball, but it hasn’t dampened down the chatter that Thomas could be traded.
Thomas had 42 fewer targets in his sophomore season than in his rookie campaign, resulting in 575 fewer receiving yards. It felt abundantly clear he didn’t feel comfortable in Liam Coen’s scheme to start the season, and it brought back the questions about whether his rookie breakout was more to do with Mac Jones than Trevor Lawrence.
Teams with a late first-round pick could be tempted to send it to the Jaguars for three more years of Thomas’ rookie contract rather than taking a dart throw on an unknown quantity with a rookie. If Thomas did move on, it would also clear a path for Washington to be a more viable fantasy option.
Fernando Mendoza (QB – Indiana)
There seems to be zero mystery about the Raiders’ intentions with the first overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft. Given the lackluster quarterback play they got from Geno Smith, it makes sense. Fernando Mendoza arrives in the NFL, and most likely in Las Vegas, on the back of throwing 41 touchdowns while leading Indiana to a College Football Playoff National Championship and being crowned the Heisman Trophy winner.
The Raiders’ offense was a mess in 2025, resulting in Pete Carroll going one-and-done, and it seems likely they will do everything they can to support Mendoza, who is a solid prospect, if unspectacular. His rhythm-based pocket passing and pre-snap diagnostics should, on paper, help Brock Bowers have a chance to be the TE1 overall.
Hopefully, Mendoza can also boost Ashton Jeanty‘s stock, who came close to 900 yards behind an awful offensive line and finished seventh in receptions and third in receiving touchdowns at the running back position. Mendoza is unlikely to be a great fantasy option straightaway, but he could do enough to make sure his top talents justify their costs.
Check out the full 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report for Fernando Mendoza 
Aaron Rodgers (QB – FA)
Let’s be real. We know how this offseason is going to go for Aaron Rodgers:
- Step 1: Tell the media he doesn’t know if he’ll play (he needs some time).
- Step 2: Drag everything out as long as possible and ensure he’s in the headlines plenty.
- Step 3: Come back for another year of average play.
Rodgers was fine in 2025, completing 65.7% of his passes and having his moments, relying heavily on his pass-catchers’ yards after the catch production to make up for his complete lack of arm strength. Rodgers, though, did show that he still knows the mental side to a very high degree and can set a tone for an organization. Returning to Pittsburgh would mean they don’t have to dive into the free agency market or consider a trade for Kyler Murray or Tua Tagovailoa.
The options in the draft seem certain to be mediocre. But what if Rodgers ended up in Minnesota? Last year, he publicly flirted aggressively with the idea, but his desires were unrequited. Or so it seemed. The Vikings fired general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, and one of the reasons circulated in reports was that he overestimated J.J. McCarthy‘s ability to be ready to start, and some in the building wished they’d brought Rodgers in.
Should Rodgers make a move like that, it would have massive implications in both Pittsburgh and Minnesota for several starters.
Kyle Pitts (TE – FA)
The Falcons could bring back Kyle Pitts. It wouldn’t be surprising for Kevin Stefanski to want to build around a tight end with a specific skill set after he had success in Cleveland with David Njoku.
It would be slightly surprising, though, if the Falcons prioritized signing Pitts over extending Drake London or retaining safety Jessie Bates. Pitts was viewed as a generational talent when he was drafted in 2021, giving the Falcons enough confidence in him to use the fourth overall pick on a position rarely chosen that high.
No. 88 on the PFF 101: TE Kyle Pitts
⚫ 8th in receiving grade (82.0)
???? 6th in yards per route run (1.71)
⚫ 2nd in receiving yards (928)
???? 2nd in first downs (51) pic.twitter.com/j6tTYNBlhS— PFF (@PFF) February 16, 2026
Pitts has the chance to hit free agency after career-highs in targets (118), receptions (88) and touchdowns (five). Of course, if Pitts moved on, there are plenty of teams that need a tight end, including Tampa Bay, Philadelphia, Washington and Miami. The tight end position is always a nightmare for fantasy. Hopefully, Pitts lands somewhere with a clear path to relevance and continues his career resurgence.
Alec Pierce (WR – FA)
The ramifications of what the Colts do with Alec Pierce will be substantial and very much relevant for fantasy football. Pierce had a breakout season, putting up 1,000 yards and doing it in an incredibly impressive manner, with 477 of those yards coming on passes of 20+ yards.
Fluky? Perhaps. However, this was the second year in a row that Pierce has been one of the very best downfield threats in the NFL. Among wide receivers with 50+ targets, Pierce had the highest average depth of target (aDOT) at 19.4, over a yard more than any other player. He also led the position in yards per reception (21.34), almost four full yards more than the next nearest receiver.
Should the Colts decide they want to keep Pierce, they’ll almost certainly have to cut or trade Michael Pittman, who is older than Pierce and has no guaranteed money left on his contract. Pittman would be an attractive option for plenty of teams around the league, particularly those with quarterbacks in need of more help, such as Cam Ward, Tyler Shough and Shedeur Sanders.
Lastly, whatever happens here could open a path to more playing time for Josh Downs, who saw himself relegated to No. 3 WR duties but still put up a team-leading targets per route run rate of 0.24. Even in a quiet season, he earned 84 targets.
David Montgomery (RB – DET)
The Lions are at a turning point after missing out on the playoffs, and it should be expected that they’ll have to make some tough decisions, one of which would be letting go of the much-loved David Montgomery. The Lions are $15 million over the cap and could move on from Montgomery with no issues, as he has zero remaining guarantees.
Montgomery would likely have average success and implications elsewhere, but the headline here is what a full three-down workhorse role would look like for Jahmyr Gibbs. In dynasty, your window to buy Gibbs could be as cheap as it’ll be for the next couple of years.
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