Super Bowl LX is around the corner and before we know it, we'll be prepping for the 2026 fantasy football season. With that in mind and so many moving parts around the coaching carousel, upcoming free agency and more, we gathered our band of experts to hit on some of the biggest topics heading into the 2026 offseason and what it means for the fantasy season ...

1. Assuming Mike McDaniel stays as the Chargers OC, how high would you go with Justin Herbert in your rankings before pausing, looking into the distance, whispering “enough” and closing your laptop?

DWAIN: The Dolphins' passing attack experienced a revival early in Mike McDaniel's tenure. In 2022, his scheme and personnel changes (Tyreek Hill) led to 265 passing yards per game—a dramatic uptick from the 215 the year before his arrival. Miami followed that up with 265 yards per game again in 2023. McDaniel was praised for his use of play action and motion, which were cheat codes for WRs. In a league where defenses were beginning to get the upper hand against passing offenses, McDaniel still seemed to have answers.

However, like many things in life, things can change quickly. In 2024 and 2025, the Dolphins' offense stumbled, averaging 220 and 180 passing yards per game, respectively. At one point, McDaniel was considered one of the more innovative offensive minds, alongside Sean McVay and Ben Johnson. But now the question is whether he benefited solely from Hill's services and an adjustment phase for defenses. WRs in motion at the snap yielded a five-year low of 0.42 PPR points per route in 2025. Play-action routes also hit a five-year low of 0.36 PPR points per route.

The truth is that McDaniel might not be the genius we once hailed him as, but he is still an innovative play caller with a track record of getting value from talented rosters. The Chargers have plenty of young weapons in Omarion Hampton, Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, Tre Harris and Oronde Gadsden II. Schematically, McDaniel should mesh well with what Harbaugh likes. McDaniel prefers a balanced offense and has an affinity for big personnel—the Dolphins ranked in the top three for 21 personnel (2 RBs, 1 TE) the last three seasons.

Herbert is a better QB than Tua Tagovailoa, offering more mobility and arm strength. That is an interesting combination for McDaniel to scheme around. And it could lead to big returns.

Based on early drafts on Underdog, drafters are in on Herbert as the QB5. That feels about right. Given his abilities as a passer and scrambler, plus a group of solid weapons, I could go as high as QB4. But it isn't a stance I would be flag-planting. It's a tier thing.

IAN: Mike McDaniel wears hip clothes and says quirky things at press conferences. His early Dolphins offenses regularly turned games into fantasy-friendly track meets despite playing with such a limited QB in Tua Tagovailoa. And now we give that guy someone regularly inside the position’s top-five real-life conversation? What could go wrong?

Well, maybe two things:

• McDaniel’s league-leading marks in pre-snap motion and play-action since 2022 helped produce some serious offensive fireworks … although prime Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and De’Von Achane also probably had something to do with Miami’s ability to rack up points over the years.
• Herbert’s QB10 fantasy finish in 2025 was thanks in large part to career-high marks in rush attempts (83) and yards (498). I’m not saying McDaniel can’t help enable a dual-threat QB in a major way, but it’s not something he’s done over the years nearly as frequently as the departed Greg Roman.

It’s reasonable to be excited about the possibility of Herbert getting back to early-career fantasy heights in 2026, but purely banking that on the newfound presence of someone—injuries and QB problems be damned—who has led the NFL’s 25th-ranked scoring offense over the past two seasons feels curious.

The highest I could rank Herbert: QB4. Lowest: QB12. Boom.

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2. If everything pretty much remains the same for the Vikings going into 2026, what will your advice be on August 15 when someone asks you about J.J. McCarthy, Justin Jefferson and even Jordan Addison?

FREEDMAN: In 2025, I was high on McCarthy but low on Jefferson and Addison. In 2026, I might be high on Jefferson and Addison but low on McCarthy.

I think he will offer little of the upside I hoped last year he'd afford his investors, so even if he improves—and I expect him to improve—I will have little interest in him. But Jefferson and Addison, I can imagine having a relative rebound: McCarthy should be better, and if he isn't, the Vikings this year (unlike last year) will likely have a viable veteran backup in place. Plus, after their disappointing 2025 performances, Jefferson and Addison might be discounted too much in the 2026 markets.

KENDALL: You know, I really want to be optimistic for this Vikings team heading into 2026 … but I'm also a Seahawks fan happy that they let Sam Darnold walk (sorry, I had to say something). Let's start with McCarthy, who was just awful last season. Head coach Kevin O'Connell made it clear that he "absolutely" wants a competitive quarterback situation during offseason workouts, but didn't dive into what that might look like. The free agent QBs are a mess, and there's little doubt that McCarthy won't get the runway to be the QB1 this season. 

That being said, I can't let a player like Justin Jefferson fall too far purely because of his talent alone. He might not be looked at as quarterback-proof, but I'm willing to draft him in the middle of the second round for the potential upside that maybe McCarthy isn't as bad as he looked last season. That's a big if, though …

3. Where should Ashton Jeanty be drafted in fantasy next year? (He’s early-second round on Underdog right now.)

IAN: It’s always tough to determine how well a running back is performing independent of their surroundings, but Jeanty did at least perform admirably in yards after contact (3.1, 20th) and especially tackles avoided (22.9%, sixth) per carry. He passed the eye test, but was it really to the extent to already conclude this is one of the league’s best overall talents at the position?

Reminder: Jeanty finished as Next-Gen Stats’ 10th-worst RB in rushing yards over expected per carry. He flashed as a receiver at times, although it’s still tough to exactly call that a major strength with average-to-below-average advanced metrics as a pass-catcher.

Does Jeanty deserve to be an early-round fantasy pick? Sure! But simply chalking him up as a smash pick in early Round 2 because he did great things at Boise State two years ago seems curious. The Raiders have a LOT to fix in order to not (again) resemble a weekly dumpster fire. If we believe the touch ceilings to be close, should Jeanty really be going ahead of guys like Saquon Barkley, Omarion Hampton, Chase Brown, Josh Jacobs and Bucky Irving, who have all proven more at the professional level and exist inside far superior NFL offenses? I don’t believe he does.

FREEDMAN: As of writing, we don't know who will be the HC or OC for the Raiders in 2026. But I expect—with QB Fernando Mendoza as the presumed No. 1 pick—the offense at least won't be worse than it was in 2025. Similarly, Jeanty likely won't be worse this year, and in all probability, he will be better in his second season.

And while I was down on him in 2025 fantasy drafts, it's not as if Jeanty had a bad overall campaign. On the league's worst team, he had 1,321 yards and 10 TDs on 266 carries and 73 targets, and in six games after former OC Chip Kelly's dismissal, he was the No. 5 RB in Utilization Score (85). Not bad.

The early second round makes sense to me. It's appropriately aggressive. He's a prime breakout candidate.

4. Is Marvin Harrison Jr. going to be an incredible steal late in drafts … or is he a stay-away bust who has shown us who he is?

KENDALL: Last season, I vowed not to draft Marvin Harrison Jr. anywhere, and I am so glad I stuck with it. I'm not going to totally shut the door on him in 2026 because a new head coach and new offensive coordinator just might be the recipe to finding success for Harrison Jr., but it has not looked pretty to start his career. He ended 2025 with just 41 receptions, 608 yards and four touchdowns. 

Let's see who this team hires as the new head coach, but I don't think this team can be successful with a president like Michael Bidwill. For what it's worth, I also think the Cardinals keep Kyler Murray for the upcoming season. Depending on the new coach, maybe I would take a swing on MHJ in the fifth or sixth round, but for right now, I'm staying away.

DWAIN: Harrison is coming off the board as the WR37 in early drafts on Underdog. This is one where the market appears sharp. Harrison's 1.63 and 1.58 yards per route run (YPRR) and 21% and 19% targets per route run (TPRR) align historically with WR3 and WR4 producers.

Courtland Sutton was one of the comps for Harrison in the Rookie Super Model as more of a possession-style receiver. Sutton's career YPRR is 1.64, and his career TPRR is 19%. Eerily similar to Harrison. The good news: Sutton has notched multiple WR3 finishes and one WR2 campaign. That means Harrison could still be a usable fantasy asset. The bad news: that isn't a great upside bet.

Michael Wilson outperformed Harrison last year and demonstrated the tough, gritty style necessary to beat today's NFL coverages. He can work inside and outside. Analytically, he was better than Harrison and looked better on film. With Trey McBride operating as the alpha in Arizona and Wilson splashing onto the scene, Harrison could be the odd man out.

Harrison is fairly priced in drafts, so that makes it hard to call him a buy or a fade, but if forced to choose, I would lean into the fade. I would rather draft Wilson—who has demonstrated a much higher ceiling—at the same price (WR35)

5. Give us a 2026 bold prediction in exactly seven words

DWAIN: Colston Loveland: GOING TO THE MOON, y'all!!!

FREEDMAN: Whoever he is … Cowboys RB … league winner.

IAN: Bhayshul Tuten top-12 fantasy RB without Etienne.

KENDALL: George Pickens finishes as the WR1 in fantasy with the Buffalo Bills.

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