Free Agency has begun and things are off to a wild start, as they usually are! In this article we are going to give a brief breakdown of all the relevant free agency signings over the first two days.
Free Agency Quarterback Signings
Malik Willis – Miami Dolphins (3 Years, $67.5 Million)
The top quarterback in free agency found a new home in Miami, reuniting with familiar faces from the Green Bay system in the Dolphins front office and coaching staff.
Despite making just 3 starts over the past 2 seasons, Malik Willis topped 20 fantasy points in each of his final two starts, flashing the rushing upside that makes him appealing for fantasy managers. His mobility gives him a fantasy-friendly profile whenever he’s on the field.
The question is whether he can sustain that production over a full 17-game season rather than in short spurts. For dynasty, Willis profiles as a high-upside QB2 with QB1 potential if things break right. However, his value is closely tied to the 2026 season—if Miami struggles and lands a top-10 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, the team could easily look for its next quarterback.
Tua Tagovailoa – Atlanta Falcons (1 Year, $1.3 Million)
The Atlanta Falcons took advantage of the Miami Dolphins’ situation by signing Tua Tagovailoa to a veteran-minimum deal. The move gives him a fresh start and places him in an offense with far more talent around him.
There is no clear timetable for Michael Penix Jr. to be ready for Week 1, so Tagovailoa could open the season as the starter if Penix is still recovering. For Atlanta, it’s a low-risk signing that could provide stable quarterback play if Tagovailoa stays healthy.
From a dynasty perspective, Tagovailoa is a low-end QB2 if he sees the field. The Falcons weapons could help support his value, particularly Bijan Robinson, who may benefit from Tagovailoa’s tendency to check the ball down. The bigger question may be Drake London. London wins with physicality and contested catches, whereas Tagovailoa has historically favored quick timing routes and yards-after-catch targets. That doesn’t eliminate London’s value, but it could slightly cap his upside if Tagovailoa starts games in Atlanta.
Trade Alert! Geno Smith to New York Jets
This feels like a rental move for the Jets to bring a stable veteran quarterback into the locker room. We already know the Jets appear to be planning for something bigger in the 2027 Draft, so Smith profiles as more of a bridge quarterback for the 2026 season and possibly part of 2027 if needed.
From a fantasy perspective, he’s more of a QB3 option. He doesn’t appear to have much better weapons than he did in Las Vegas during the 2025 season, which limits his upside.
If you have Smith in dynasty, this may be a good time to sell. His value is tied almost entirely to the 2026 season, and the production may not be strong enough to hold long-term value. Moving him for a 2027 second- or third-round pick would be a solid return.
Minor QB Signings
- Marcus Mariota (WAS) – A good depth piece for a dynasty roster, but a must-own if you are a Jayden Daniels manager.
- Gardner Minshew (ARI) – May be a free agent in some dynasty leagues, but worth a stash in case Jacoby Brissett fumbles away the starting job.
- Kenny Pickett (CAR) – Similar to Minshew, expectations shouldn’t be very high for Kenny Pickett, but Bryce Young has been inconsistent as a starter.
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Free Agency Running Back Signings
Ken Walker – Kansas City Chiefs (3 Years, $43 Million)
Former Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker lands in a strong situation with the Kansas City Chiefs, who have been searching for an explosive backfield option since the early Kareem Hunt days. Isiah Pacheco produced when healthy, but injuries limited his time and prevented him from fully establishing himself.
Walker steps into an elite offensive environment, though durability remains a concern after missing 10 games across his first three seasons prior to 2025.
Because of the landing spot and his recent playoff surge (400 all-purpose yards in three games), Walker could be a sell-high in dynasty as excitement builds. His value now sits in the high-end RB2 range, but the key question is whether he can hold up to a near 300-touch workload over a full season. If he stays healthy, the upside in Kansas City’s offense is significant.
Travis Etienne Jr. – New Orleans Saints (4 Years, $52 Million)
Travis Etienne was the other major running back signing this offseason, landing the largest RB contract with the New Orleans Saints. New head coach Kellen Moore clearly wanted to upgrade a struggling run game.
Etienne is coming off a productive season with 1,400 all-purpose yards and 13 touchdowns, but his fantasy outlook will depend heavily on Alvin Kamara’s status. If Kamara moves on, Etienne could see a heavier workload and settle into mid-RB2 value. However, some regression is likely, especially after scoring six receiving touchdowns while new quarterback Tyler Shough has not historically targeted running backs at a high rate.
From a dynasty perspective, Etienne could still be a sell-high candidate. At 27-years old and running behind a Saints offensive line that ranked in the bottom 10 in run blocking, his efficiency could take a hit. If Kamara stays, Etienne likely profiles as a boom-or-bust borderline RB2 in a shared backfield.
Kenneth Gainwell – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2 Years, $14 Million)
Kenneth Gainwell earned himself a solid payday with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He should carve out a role in Tampa Bay as the primary pass-catching back and two-minute drill option in the offense. Gainwell has also been an efficient ball carrier, finishing 6th in yards per touch last season while ranking 5th among running backs in target share (16.3%). Even during Bucky Irving’s healthy season, the Buccaneers showed a willingness to involve multiple backs in the passing game, with Rachaad White holding a 10.8% target share in the pass-catching role.
In dynasty formats, Gainwell offers FLEX value in deeper leagues. The weekly production may not be as consistent as it was at times last year, but he profiles as a useful bye-week replacement who can provide occasional spike weeks in PPR formats.
J.K. Dobbins – Denver Broncos (2 Years, $20 Million)
Last season, Dobbins was a solid starter for the Broncos, recording 60 or more rushing yards in nine of the ten games he played. His presence early in the season kept RJ Harvey from breaking out until after Dobbins suffered another injury.
Heading into this year, the Broncos backfield is likely shaping up to be a split committee between Dobbins and Harvey, with the workload potentially landing close to 60/40. While this could frustrate Harvey managers, it may actually create a buy-low opportunity for him in dynasty leagues.
Dobbins has consistently struggled to stay healthy, with only one season in his career playing more than 10 games. Because of that, Harvey still carries some upside if injuries strike again. From a fantasy perspective, Harvey profiles as an RB3 with upside, while Dobbins projects as a borderline RB3 who offers a bit more weekly floor when healthy.
Tyler Allgeier – Arizona Cardinals (2 Years, $12.25 Million)
This signing will hurt many fantasy managers who held Tyler Allgeier hoping he would land a prime starting job with a new team. Instead, he lands with the Arizona Cardinals, which brings more questions than certainty. Trey Benson and a newly-restructured James Conner are already on the roster, making this backfield much more crowded.
The best-case scenario for Allgeier is that he handles early-down and goal-line work in the Cardinals offense. If that happens, he could push toward a touchdown total similar to his eight scores in 2025, depending on how effective the Arizona offense is overall. For dynasty purposes, Allgeier currently profiles as more of a low-end RB3 with limited upside, especially with uncertainty surrounding how the backfield will be split when Week 1 arrives.
This move also hurts Trey Benson’s chances of fully breaking out, particularly with the new regime choosing to keep James Conner around as well.
Rico Dowdle – Pittsburgh Steelers (2 Years, $12.25 Million)
Kaleb Johnson managers (myself included) felt the pain when Rico Dowdle signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Dowdle is coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and now reunites with former Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, a move that makes sense in hindsight.
Dowdle should operate as the 1A in the backfield, likely handling early-down work in a role similar to what Jaylen Warren had last season. With his ability to handle volume and contribute as a receiver, Dowdle profiles as a low-end RB2 in 2026 and a steady FLEX option in dynasty.
This signing likely pushes Warren into more of a Kenneth Gainwell-type role, where his value is tied more to receptions and PPR formats. Unfortunately, it also hurts Kaleb Johnson’s value, likely pushing him to the end of dynasty benches, though he’s still worth holding for another year to see how the situation develops.
Isiah Pacheco – Detroit Lions (1 Year, $1.8 Million)
The Lions quickly found their replacement for David Montgomery by bringing in Isiah Pacheco. Pacheco isn’t exactly young, already entering his age-27 season, but he can fill the short-yardage and goal-line role that Montgomery handled at times in Detroit. That kind of role should allow him to contribute, but the upside is fairly limited.
From a fantasy perspective, I don’t see much ceiling for Pacheco. He profiles more as a touchdown-dependent high-end RB4. Pacheco has typically worked best when given a heavy workload, but he’s also a physical runner who fits the mold of a traditional power back in the Lions offense rather than the 1B role Montgomery previously handled.
Minor RB Signings
- Sean Tucker (TB) – Minor signing, but it could have a big impact on Bucky Irving, as Tucker had nine carries inside the 5-yard line.
- Chris Rodriqeuz Jr. (JAX) – He reunites with his college coach, where he previously found success, but I don’t see Rodriguez turning into a top-30 running back in 2026 and beyond.
- Keaton Mitchell (LAC) – Interesting signing in an offense that favors running backs. He’s likely only a bye-week replacement for now, but he could beat out Kimani Vidal for the backup job.
Free Agency Wide Receiver Signings
Alec Pierce – Indianapolis Colts (4 Years, $114 Million)
The biggest free-agent wide receiver, Alec Pierce, ends up returning to the Colts on a massive contract. Pierce has been trending upward over the last two seasons, totaling 1,800 yards and 13 touchdowns while averaging an impressive 21.8 yards per reception. In 2025, he was about a 50/50 player in half-PPR formats, scoring over 10 fantasy points in roughly half of his games. He was also able to lead the Colts in receiving yards despite finishing fourth on the team in targets.
While we still don’t know who the Colts’ starting quarterback will be in 2026, Pierce still projects to offer WR3 value in fantasy. One concern moving forward is whether he can sustain that 21.8 yards per catch over multiple seasons. That kind of efficiency is difficult to maintain, especially with the team moving on from Michael Pittman Jr., which could cause defenses to focus more on taking away Pierce’s deep routes.
From a dynasty perspective, this could be a good time to move Pierce. He isn’t much of a red-zone receiver, and much of his value comes from his ability to win deep with speed—something that tends to decline as receivers get older. He should still provide boom-or-bust FLEX value, but relying on big plays each week makes his fantasy production volatile.
Romeo Doubs – New England Patriots (4 Year $70 Million)
The New England Patriots finally got their receiver by signing Romeo Doubs. Doubs has plenty of potential in a Patriots offense that doesn’t currently have a truly trusted pass catcher. Stefon Diggs is gone, and the group of Kayshon Boutte, Kyle Williams, and Demario Douglas have all shown flashes but haven’t been able to produce consistently.
Doubs brings some stability to the position. Over his last three seasons in Green Bay, he produced multiple 600-yard seasons despite seeing relatively low target volume.
We could be looking at a career year from Doubs if the targets increase in New England. If he can see upward of 120 targets in this Patriots offense, topping 1,000 receiving yards is certainly possible. Doubs has only five career games with double-digit targets, but in those five games he produced 411 yards, showing what he can do when given more opportunity.
For now, Doubs projects as a stable WR3 in fantasy, with the potential to rise into low-end WR2 territory if he emerges as the clear WR1 option in New England.
Wan’Dale Robinson – Tennessee Titans (4 Years, $78 Million)
Wan’Dale Robinson signing with the Titans makes a lot of sense as he reunites with Brian Daboll, who helped him during his earlier breakout stretch. Robinson has seen a high target share over the last two seasons, and in 2025 he finally paired that volume with production, eclipsing 1,000 receiving yards.
He should step in as the team’s primary slot receiver and could realistically lead the team in targets. There is still plenty of mystery surrounding the Titans’ offense, but Robinson could emerge as a solid floor WR3 in PPR formats.
He joins a familiar offense under Brian Daboll, where he has already found success in the past. The Titans also desperately need weapons, as the overall talent in the offense currently offers minimal upside. Calvin Ridley is now on the wrong side of 30, and while a couple of the Titans’ 2025 rookies showed flashes, none have fully put things together yet.
Robinson may not end up being worth the full price tag of the contract, but from a fantasy perspective he offers a safe reception-based floor, making him a reliable FLEX option in 2026 and beyond, especially in PPR leagues.
Mike Evans – San Francisco 49ers (3 Years, $42.4 Million)
Mike Evans is on the move after spending his entire career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, landing with the San Francisco 49ers. It fills a major need for a 49ers offense that lacks proven weapons outside of Ricky Pearsall and the currently-injured George Kittle.
However, the fit comes with some concerns. Evans is entering his age-33 season and has dealt with hamstring issues at various points in his career. San Francisco also had one of the most injury-plagued rosters in the NFL last year, and the idea of Evans playing eight games on that field is a real concern.
Evans can be one of the rare wide receivers capable of producing 1,000-yard seasons well into his mid 30s. If he can stay healthy—and that’s a big “if”—Evans should still see plenty of opportunity in an offense that needs targets to go somewhere. That type of volume could allow him to produce low-end WR2 numbers in fantasy.
The bigger question is how long he can keep it up. Evans’ upside is obvious, but there are enough red flags that dynasty managers should at least consider selling if the market spikes now that he’s landed with a new team.
Rashid Shaheed – Seattle Seahawks (3 Years, $51 Million)
Rashid Shaheed returns to the Seattle Seahawks on a sizeable contract. It will be interesting to see how the new offensive coordinator chooses to use him. Shaheed had just two games with Seattle where he topped 50 receiving yards, and that came across 12 games.
Shaheed is a dynamic playmaker with the ball in his hands, so the Seahawks will likely find ways to get him involved—whether that’s through the air, on designed touches, or as a returner. From a fantasy perspective, though, Shaheed remains more of a boom-or-bust WR4 option. He has yet to put together a truly big season, and injuries have been a recurring issue throughout his career. While the fit in Seattle makes sense from an NFL standpoint, there isn’t much upside here for dynasty managers.
Trade Alert! Michael Pittman Jr. to Pittsburgh Steelers (3 Years, $59 Million)
After seeing Alec Pierce re-sign, Michael Pittman Jr. quickly became available via trade, and the Steelers jumped on the opportunity to acquire the veteran receiver. Pittsburgh could have opted to get younger at the position—and they still might through the draft—but Pittman fits a clear role in the offense as an underneath receiver who can also work out of the slot. He has reliable hands and can still create separation, something he showed well during the 2025 season.
There should be enough targets for both Pittman and DK Metcalf to be productive, even if Aaron Rodgers is not the quarterback. Pittman offers more of a steady floor as a low-end WR3, operating as a safety blanket in the short areas of the field, while Metcalf profiles more as a boom-or-bust WR3 as the primary deep threat.
Both receivers, however, are over the hill of 27, which isn’t ideal for their long-term dynasty outlook but Pittman was still able to get a contract extension out of the Steelers to be there the next 2 to 3 seasons.
Minor WR Signings
- Jalen Nailor (LV) – $36 million for a receiver type the Raiders already have on the roster…
- Olimade Zaccheaus/Jahan Dotson (ATL) – Someone will need to step up as the WR2, but this likely confirms that a rookie receiver could land here.
- Kendrick Bourne (ARI) – Not much fantasy value here, but he projects as the team’s WR3 at best.
- Kalif Raymond (CHI) – Decent slot receiver with connections to the Bears coaching staff.
- John Metchie (CAR) – Reunites with his college quarterback but joins an already crowded receiving room of average receivers.
Free Agency Tight End Signings
Isaiah Likely – New York Giants (3 Years, $40 Million)
Isaiah Likely lands in New York with former coach John Harbaugh, a move many will praise, but there are still questions about how the tight end situation will play out.
Likely has never handled a full TE1 workload, averaging around 250 routes per season rather than the 400+ typically seen from top tight ends. His production metrics are also fairly similar to teammate Theo Johnson, who had a solid season last year.
Harbaugh could lean into more two-tight end sets, which would allow both players to see the field. Johnson profiles as the better blocker and contested-catch option, while Likely will likely be used more as a move weapon in the slot or detached from the line.
For fantasy, Johnson likely settles into borderline TE2 territory, while Likely carries borderline TE1 upside in dynasty. His receiving ability and strong yards-after-catch profile (700+ career YAC) give him the higher ceiling if his role expands.
Cade Otton – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3 Years, $30 Million)
The Buccaneers gave their starting tight end Cade Otton a solid deal to remain with the team for another three seasons. Otton is a better real-life NFL player than he is for dynasty managers, which makes this signing a bit disappointing from a fantasy perspective.
We’ve seen Otton flash upside at times, but the Buccaneers rarely feature him in the passing game unless other weapons are injured. In 63 career games, Otton has gone over 50 receiving yards just 13 times, which highlights his inconsistency as a fantasy option. For dynasty purposes, he remains more of a mid-range TE2 that managers hope to plug in during bye weeks or injury situations.
Travis Kelce – Kansas City Chiefs (1 Year, $12 Million)
The future Hall-of-Fame tight end returns to Kansas City for one last run on a one-year deal. At 37-years old, it’s clear his upside in the Chiefs offense is not what it once was. He is coming off his fewest targets since 2018, finishing with 108.
Kelce can still offer mid-to-low TE1 production if he can put together another 800-yard season with 5–8 touchdowns, which would still be a solid return for dynasty managers. His ceiling will largely depend on Patrick Mahomes’ health to start the season, as their connection has historically been stronger than with any other pass catcher in the offense.
Chig Okonkwo – Washington Commanders (3 Years, $30 Million)
The former Titans tight end Chig Okonkwo heads to Washington to play with Jayden Daniels. This could be a big rise for the athletic tight end, who is coming off the best season of his career with 560 yards and two touchdowns. He lands in a situation where the Commanders had veteran tight end Zach Ertz average 60 receptions, 600 yards, and 5.5 touchdowns over the last two seasons.
Washington also has former second-round pick Ben Sinnott, who has struggled to get playing time in the offense with Ertz and blocking tight end John Bates ahead of him on the depth chart. We could at least see a training camp battle, but paying Okonkwo $30 million over three years suggests the team plans to have him be a weapon in the offense.
Okonkwo has the ability to take short passes for big gains due to the speed he offers at the position. He likely profiles as a high-end TE2 with upside in an offense that still lacks proven pass-catching weapons. As for Sinnott truthers, there is still hope, but a signing like this almost erases his dynasty value.
Minor TE Signing
- Greg Dulcich (MIA) – A very interesting landing spot for Greg Dulcich to return to—this is one worth grabbing off dynasty waivers.
- Austin Hooper (ATL) – Returns to Atlanta after many years away and reunites with a familiar offense, but he likely won’t hold much fantasy value.
- Charlie Kolar (LAC) – The team’s new blocking tight end, but Kolar does have some skills as a pass catcher.
- Noah Fant -(NO) – As the TE2 behind Juwan Johnson, he’s unlikely to see much value in dynasty formats.
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