The 2026 NFL Draft has come and gone, but the fantasy impact of this offseason isn’t finished yet. A who’s-who of former fantasy stalwarts remains unsigned — veterans navigating injuries, contract disputes, and the cruel arithmetic of roster construction. Some will find homes and contribute meaningfully. Some will never play another snap.
Chad Parsons and Tim Torch went through the list and drafted their preferred targets in a 10-player free agent fantasy draft. Here’s who they took, why, and what it means for your 2026 fantasy roster.
The Draft Board
Pick 1 — Stefon Diggs, WR (Tim Torch)
Low-hanging fruit, and Torch grabbed him immediately. Diggs put up 85 catches on 102 targets last season with the Patriots — numbers that would rank him as a legitimate WR2 on many rosters. His legal troubles appear to be behind him, and the question now is simply where he lands.
“He’s probably just going to be one of those merchants who finds himself on to another decent depth chart,” Torch said. “He could easily find himself with the Raiders in a situation where he could have pretty much all the targets at wide receiver he wants.”
A Diggs-to-Las Vegas landing would make him an immediate pick-up. Don’t let the name drift too far down your draft boards.
Fantasy outlook: WR2/flex upside depending on landing spot. A thin Raiders receiver room would unlock the most value.
Pick 2 — Aaron Rodgers, QB (Chad Parsons)
The most assumptive pick of the draft — and Parsons is comfortable making the assumption. Rodgers is expected to return to Pittsburgh, and the weapons he’d be working with in 2026 represent a massive upgrade over what he had last year.
The 2026 Steelers offense features Michael Pittman Jr., DK Metcalf, Jeremy Bernard, and Rico Dowdle — a group that makes Rodgers genuinely interesting in Superflex formats and rotational in single-QB leagues.
“He might flirt with being a fantasy starter in one-quarterback,” Parsons said. “Even the ceiling is top 15, top 18, and a little bit better than last year just considering those weapons.”
We saw a fully functional QB2 from Rodgers in 2025 with far fewer tools around him. If the Pittsburgh assumption holds, he’s worth a late-round pick in every format.
Fantasy outlook: Solid QB2 in Superflex, streaming option with upside in 1QB. Most likely destination: Pittsburgh.
Pick 3 — Tyreek Hill, WR (Tim Torch)
The most tantalizing boom-or-bust name on the board. Hill is recovering from injury, which complicates his fantasy timeline — he may not be available Week 1, and the 2025 season was a disaster by his standards. But Torch keeps coming back to one scenario: Hill rejoining Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City.
“I keep thinking about how little the Chiefs did on offense and to add to the skill position there,” Torch said. “If Tyreek Hill rejoins Patrick Mahomes and he’s even close to healthy for one season, you will get the level of fireworks that could be a really solid wide receiver one on your roster — for definitely not wide receiver one prices.”
The bigger question isn’t landing spot — it’s timing. Hill may not sign until he’s fully healthy, which could push his availability deep into the preseason or even into the regular season.
“Does he have a 4-6 week stretch of, ‘Oh, there he is?'” Parsons asked. “If that’s November or December… he’s really cheap right now, like late third, fourth round. That seems like the flyer.”
Fantasy outlook: High-ceiling lottery ticket. At current ADP, a fourth-round pick for a potential fantasy playoff weapon is the exact kind of bet you want in your portfolio.
Pick 4 — Darren Waller, TE (Chad Parsons)
The biggest question here isn’t talent — it’s whether Waller plays football again at all. Retirement has been a real possibility throughout the offseason. But Parsons isn’t dropping him from the draft board.
“On a 4-6 week stretch last season, you were just plugging him in,” Parsons said. “Could he return to Miami? There’s worse things than playing football in Miami for one more year and a few million dollars.”
Waller’s profile — big slot, touchdown-friendly, doesn’t need elite routes to produce — makes him fantasy-relevant at tight end even without his best burst. The position is forgiving of age and athleticism decline in a way that wide receiver simply isn’t.
“Outside the top 2, 3, 4 options, you can kind of walk in and be a top-10 guy if you’re Darren Waller,” Parsons noted.
Fantasy outlook: Binary. If he plays, he’s a top-12 tight end candidate. If he retires, the pick is a wash. Don’t drop him until his status is confirmed — which may not come until late summer.
Pick 5 — Joe Mixon, RB (Tim Torch)
Proof of life requested. Urgently.
Mixon was completely MIA from the 2025 season, and the mystery surrounding his absence has stumped even medical Twitter. Nobody’s seen him move. Nobody knows what happened. And yet — the Joe Mixon who was on the field two years ago had 1,300 rushing yards and 50-plus catches. That version of Mixon could walk into any depth chart and contribute.
“He could just walk into a camp and be the Joe Mixon that we saw a couple years ago,” Torch said. “He’s just a lottery ticket at this point.”
Parsons put it more bluntly: “I need proof of life on the waist down for Joe Mixon.”
Fantasy outlook: Pure lottery ticket. If healthy, his track record is undeniable. If not, you’ll never hear about him again. Take a dart throw in the late rounds only.
Pick 6 — Zach Ertz, TE (Chad Parsons)
The old reliable. Ertz has stated his intention to play in 2026, and the tight end landscape remains navigable for a veteran who can simply run routes, make catches, and find the end zone.
“Tight end is pretty lenient to have an opportunity to be fantasy relevant,” Parsons noted. “He can walk in and be someone’s starter — go up 8 yards, turn around, catch the ball, volumize your way through.”
The key advantage Ertz has over Waller: we know he wants to play. That certainty has value when roster decisions need to be made.
Fantasy outlook: Reasonable TE2 floor if he lands in a target-friendly situation. Several thin tight end depth charts around the league could use him immediately.
Pick 7 — Najee Harris, RB (Tim Torch)
Before the 2025 Achilles tear, Harris had played every single NFL game of his career — four straight seasons as a workhorse back, never missing a snap, never ending up on the injury report for anything that mattered. That durability record is remarkable for a player at his position.
The Achilles changes the equation, obviously. It’s the most notorious injury a running back can suffer. But Torch made the point that Harris’s body hasn’t taken the accumulated beating most feature backs endure by age 28 — his four Steelers seasons were productive but not punishing in the way that some lead back careers are.
“Before 2025, every year he had 1,000 yards, every year he played every single game,” Torch said. “Why aren’t we sitting here saying his body didn’t take a lot of hits and that he could get back to at least being there every week?”
“He’s a slow guy coming off an Achilles,” Parsons countered, “but he can still be a power guy, catch the ball — and there are depth charts. Even if he’s not signed Week 1, he could be the guy they call in Week 5 or 6.”
Fantasy outlook: Depth chart add with potential mid-season upside. Think Devonta Freeman-to-the-Giants type contribution. Don’t expect Week 1 production, but don’t forget about him.
Pick 8 — Nick Chubb, RB (Chad Parsons)
“I had a little positive — everyone thought he was done last year, and I still saw a guy that’s baseline or above baseline NFL player,” Parsons said.
The machinery of the NFL has kept Chubb unsigned, which is the league’s way of pricing out veterans when there are cheaper options. But Parsons refuses to write him off completely. He still believes Chubb is one of the best 100 running backs in football, which means he belongs on at least three depth charts as a third option.
“He’s on the courtesy phone — a July or August injury for one of these depth charts, and he’s getting a call.”
Torch was equally sentimental: “Just the career was too short. I still have a special spot in my heart for Nick Chubb.”
Fantasy outlook: Waiver wire dart throw if he signs. The right injury on the right team makes him a flex plug-in.
Pick 9 — Jonnu Smith, TE (Tim Torch)
Still only approaching his age-30 season, Jonnu Smith put up 111 targets with the Dolphins two seasons ago — numbers that remind you he was once considered one of the more exciting receiving tight ends in the league. Mike McDaniel’s decision to move on in favor of David Njoku opens his landing spot to question.
“If he lands in a decent situation, he’s still a player that has that really good athleticism that can soak up plenty of targets,” Torch said. “Especially in tight end premium formats, he can be a real contributor for your roster most weeks.”
Fantasy outlook: Strong TE2 upside in the right landing spot. TE premium league managers should be monitoring his situation closely.
Pick 10 — Austin Ekeler, RB (Chad Parsons)
A pass-catching specialist who has lost some burst but retains the savvy and receiving skills that made him one of the most PPR-friendly backs of his era. Ekeler may be at the end of the road — Parsons acknowledged the possibility — but the skillset remains.
“Can he come in and catch 3, 4, 5 passes a game? I think the answer’s yes,” Parsons said. “He’s the type of very savvy player that can play in long-yardage situations, pass protection, mix in and still get 10 touches in a week.”
Fantasy outlook: End-of-roster stash in PPR. The career may be over, but if he signs, the receiving upside keeps him relevant in deeper formats.
Off the Board: Notable Names Still Available
Players who didn’t make the draft but deserve monitoring:
DeAndre Hopkins — Perpetually shows up on draft boards. Situationally dependent but never fully without value.
Keenan Allen — Torch doesn’t expect him back with the Chargers, but as a veteran chain-mover, he could resurface somewhere.
Deebo Samuel — Explosive in bursts, but durability and role concerns keep him off these boards.
Miles Sanders — Background depth piece. Unlikely to produce fantasy-relevant numbers.
Taysom Hill — Swiss Army knife value in the right system. Keep on radar in TE premium leagues.
The Bigger Picture: Changing Landscape
Beyond the free agent pool, the two names most likely to reshape fantasy rosters mid-offseason are AJ Brown and Brandon Aiyuk — both potentially changing teams and both carrying top-12 wide receiver upside wherever they land. Keep those situations on your radar as the summer unfolds.
