Fantasy drafts are right around the corner for the 2026 NFL season, and analysts are tearing their hair out over the biggest unknowns. Forget those “can’t miss” picks for a minute, because there’s one piece of insider info everyone wishes they had to really hit gold before Week 1. This isn’t about some sleeper; it’s about major question marks that could completely flip your draft board.
Are Reed and Downs Finally Unleashed?
Okay, seriously, how much more can Jayden Reed and Josh Downs be held back? Everyone knows these guys can produce way more than what we’ve seen through their first three seasons. Sure, injuries played a part, but the real issue has been their limited snaps in two-receiver sets. That’s just criminal! But guess what? Things are looking up! The Packers finally let Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks walk, and Michael Pittman Jr. isn’t hogging targets for the Colts anymore. Reed still has to battle sophomore Matthew Golden, but come on, the guy was WR23 as a rookie with 10 total touchdowns! He was WR14 in fantasy points per game through the first nine outings of 2024 before a drop-off. Downs? He was a fantasy WR4 in the first half of last season with a healthy Daniel Jones. He’s being drafted at WR4 *again* this year, but that doesn’t even factor in the opportunity now that Pittman is gone. If their roles actually expand, Reed and Downs are gonna be massive fantasy values at their current average draft positions. We desperately need to know their usage before Week 1.
The Patriots’ Running Back Split Is a Nightmare
This backfield situation in New England is pure chaos, and it’s making draft prep a nightmare. TreVeyon Henderson was way too boom-bust last season, especially when the Patriots were chasing a Super Bowl. He only managed 7.7 expected half-PPR points, making him RB50 in games with Rhamondre Stevenson. That trend continued in the postseason, where the rookie was stuck at 5.1 expected points per game. Meanwhile, Stevenson was the RB21 per game as the clear lead back all season and definitely in the playoffs. NextGenStats even had the big guy as the RB1 overall in rush yards over expected. They were riding the hot hand, plain and simple. What’s even crazier? Stevenson surprisingly had more receptions than Henderson, who just couldn’t hack it in pass protection despite being awesome at it in college. It’s likely Henderson improves with experience, especially in the schemed-up pass game, but he’s also more expensive than Stevenson in fantasy drafts. Who the heck do you draft when the Patriots are projected to score a ton of points, and we have no idea how they’ll split touches?
Will Arizona Stay Absolutely Pass-Happy?
Last season, the Arizona Cardinals offense was just plain wild. Trey McBride had over 50 more routes than *any* wide receiver in the NFL. Jacoby Brissett was a fantasy QB1 in every single game he played. And Arizona led the entire league in dropbacks. That’s extreme! Normally, you don’t see that kind of volume repeat, but honestly, everything looks set for more of the same this year. The Cardinals are favored in zero games with a brutal schedule for a bottom-level team. The only thing that might stop this insane passing volume? New head coach Mike LaFleur. He previously led one of the few offenses this decad… yeah, that sentence just cuts off. But will his philosophy change anything, or are we getting another year of pass-happy madness?
These unknowns are literally what fantasy championships are made of. Knowing the usage for Reed and Downs, the true running back split in New England, or if Arizona maintains its extreme passing volume could decide your season. Keep an eye on any news leading up to Week 1, because that’s what’s truly at stake!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply