The 2025 fantasy football season has come and gone, but that doesn’t mean fantasy season is over. You don’t have to look too hard to find new fantasy contests for the 2026 season already underway, and the fine folks at Underdog Fantasy have already kick-started their offseason contests. Whether you’re drafting in the Big Board, the Little Board, or simply curious about what the early player values look like, it’s never too early to get a gauge on where some values may lie, especially as players’ situations change in the coming months via free agency or the draft.
It’s still very early, but let’s take a look at seven players I’m eyeing at their current ADPs, hoping they can return value when the season kicks off [checks notes] seven months from now.
▶ Quarterbacks
Malik Willis, FA (141.6 ADP, QB25)
Soon-to-be free agent Malik Willis is on the verge of turning six good games with the Packers over the last two years into a big payday. The former 2022 third-round pick has thrown for 972-6-0 with the Packers, completing 78.7 percent of his passes while also adding another 42-261-3 on the ground. With several QB-needy teams, a weak draft class, and few free agents with a playmaking ability similar to Willis’, it’s widely believed he will get a chance to prove he can lead a franchise in 2026.
While I’m not a believer in Willis’ long-term upside as a starter in the league, the difference-maker he can be as a fantasy asset is undeniable. Boasting a rocket arm and a scrambling ability that rivals the best running QBs in the league, Willis has a chance to return massive value at his current ADP simply by being on the field. Among 63 QBs with at least 100 total plays since 2024, Willis’ 0.88 fantasy points per dropback leads all passers. While the 142-play sample is hardly enough to confidently project how he could perform going forward, it does offer a glimpse at the fantasy upside he possesses.
The situation feels eerily similar to the one we saw from Justin Fields last season after he turned a successful six-game stint as a starter with the Steelers in 2024 into a two-year, $40 million contract with the Jets in 2025. This time last year, fantasy managers were taking Fields as the QB13 in fantasy drafts, and he was going as the QB12 from May until the end of August after he signed with the Jets. While things didn’t quite go as the Jets had hoped for, Fields still managed to churn out five top-12 fantasy finishes in nine games for the Jets last season, thanks in large part to his rushing ability. He also had plenty of moments where he absolutely buried his fantasy managers, as he averaged just 5.9 fantasy points per game when he wasn’t finishing in the top-12, but that shouldn’t stop us from hoping for better for Willis next season, especially at his current price.
▶ Running Backs
Trey Benson, Cardinals (137.3 ADP, RB43)
Something feels off about Trey Benson‘s current price tag. The third-year back is currently going as the RB43 in Underdog Big Board drafts, while his teammate, James Conner, is falling in as the RB44. Conner is coming back from a brutal foot/ankle injury that ended his season in Week 3, but even when he is able to return to the field, there’s no guarantee he’ll be doing so for the Cardinals. The soon-to-be 31-year-old is considered by some to be a potential cap casualty this offseason, as the Cards can save roughly $8 million by releasing him. Furthermore, his 32-95-1 rushing line, while a small sample size, looked like enough to suggest his best days were already behind him.
While the addition of a top rookie or free agent signing would threaten Benson’s value, for now, he should be viewed as the likely favorite to lead Arizona’s backfield in 2026. Concerns over the season-ending knee injury Benson suffered in Week 4 are likely baked into his current price, but it’s hard to imagine his ADP staying where it is if Conner were to be released at any time while these drafts are still going on. Benson rushed for 29-160-0 (5.5 YPC) last season while also catching 13 passes for another 64 yards.
Rachaad White, FA (163.4 ADP, RB51)
Since entering the league in 2022, Rachaad White‘s 229 targets are tied for fifth-most behind Christian McCaffrey (339), Alvin Kamara (293), Bijan Robinson (259), Breece Hall (251), and Austin Ekeler (249). His pass-catching upside should be enough to entice several teams when free agency opens next month, which could generate plenty of value for fantasy managers next season. Furthermore, White has also shown marginal improvement as a runner after falling below 4.0 yards per carry his first two seasons in the league. Since 2024, among 44 running backs with at least 200 carries, White ranks 26th in yards after contact per attempt (3.05 YCO/ATT), 28th in missed tackles forced rate (17.8 percent MTF), and has averaged 4.3 YPC. While they’re far from elite totals, there’s enough to suggest White could offer a little more at his next stop.
Currently going in the range of guys like Tyjae Spears (158.6 ADP, RB48), Jonathon Brooks (164.4 ADP, RB52), and Zach Charbonnet (157.1 ADP, RB47), who is likely to open next season on injured reserve, there are plenty of players White could leap on the draft board once his landing spot becomes known. White has finished as a top-24 fantasy RB in 43 percent of the games he has played in his career. Even if he can’t quite hit that mark in 2026, a lot would have to go wrong for him to finish at his current ADP.
| Seasons | YPC | YCO/ATT | MTF% |
| 2022-2023 | 3.7 | 2.47 | 12.7% |
| 2024-2025 | 4.3 | 3.05 | 17.8% |
▶ Wide Receivers
Luther Burden, Bears (48.3 ADP, WR24)
Consider me firmly on the Luther Burden hype train in 2026. The rookie receiver finished the season with a 47-652-2 line on 60 targets, but was targeted on 28.3 percent of his routes in his final four games of the season. During that brief stretch, Burden’s TPRR ranked sixth among all receivers (min. 20 targets), while also ranking third among all receivers with 7.7 yards after catch per reception over that span.
Burden’s playing time should see a significant jump next season, especially if DJ Moore‘s time with the Bears is over. Burden was a highly-touted receiver in last year’s class who fell to the second round, and at times, looked like the most explosive receiver in the Bears’ offense last season. A full offseason with Caleb Williams, coupled with an increased role, could be everything he needs to fully break out in his sophomore campaign.
Makai Lemon, Rookie (57.2 ADP, WR28)
Given the fact that he’s an incoming rookie, it goes without saying that we are still waiting to learn a landing spot for USC’s Makai Lemon, who is projected to go in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. A third-year breakout player who commanded a target on 29.3 percent of his routes last season, Lemon has the potential to be an immediate difference maker in half or full-PPR leagues. Lemon played 70.6 percent of his snaps from the slot last season, per PFF, and has a career slot rate of 75.6 percent. His 6.8 YAC/REC and 3.02 YPRR for his career put him within striking distance of fellow slot receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba during his days at Ohio State, while his 26.3 percent missed tackles forced rate ranks 44th of 345 Power 4 receivers (min. 100 targets) since 2020.
Lemon has drawn comparisons to fellow USC slot receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, who totaled 90-912-5 as a rookie fourth-rounder back in 2021 with the Lions while finishing as the WR30 in fantasy points per game (10.7 FPPG). Lemon’s draft stock should position him to be a Day 1 starter as a pro. Landing with the right team could be all that separates him from being one of the better rookie receivers for fantasy managers in 2026.
Parker Washington, Jaguars (72.9 ADP, WR36)
After Travis Hunter (knee) went down for the season, Parker Washington stepped up and wound up having a career year in 2025. Through the first seven games of the season, Washington was on pace to finish the year with a paltry 41-391-2 line. From Weeks 8-18, Washington caught 41 passes for 640 yards and four touchdowns, putting him on pace for a 77-1209-8 line on 113 targets. With Hunter already expected to see less work as a receiver in 2026, and the Jaguars still figuring out where Brian Thomas Jr. fits in the offense, if anywhere, things are shaping up nicely for Washington to have another solid season in a contract year.
A versatile receiver who had a near 50/50 split in snaps out wide vs. in the slot, Washington can be used all over the formation, and commanded a target on 23.8 percent of his routes over the final 11 weeks of the season, leading all Jaguars receivers while also ranking 20th of 44 receivers over that span (min. 50 targets). The 12.6 fantasy points per game Washington averaged from Weeks 8-18 were good for a WR16 mark over that span in half-PPR leagues. Brian Thomas returning to his rookie form would put a bit of a damper on Washington’s fantasy upside in 2026, but a strong 11-game sample that includes six games played with Thomas is enough to suggest Washington could be the preferred option in Jacksonville’s passing game next season.
▶ Tight Ends
Travis Kelce, Chiefs (162.4 ADP, TE19)
Where things stand right now, Travis Kelce is currently going in the range of guys like Mark Andrews (151.8 ADP, TE 17), A.J. Barner (167.7 ADP, TE20), and Theo Johnson (170.9 ADP, TE21). While we are still waiting to hear an official word from Kelce on whether he intends to play in 2026, there is hope that the future Hall of Famer will delay retirement for at least one more season. Despite age clearly catching up with Kelce, who will be 36 at the start of next season, he still managed to finish last year with a 76-851-5 receiving line on 108 targets while finishing as the TE9 in fantasy points per game (9.1 PPG).
For his career, Kelce has never finished lower than ninth in FPPG in half-PPR leagues and has never finished lower than eighth in total fantasy points. The 108 targets he saw last season were his fewest since 2015, but they were still enough to rank fourth-most among all tight ends. Assuming he plays next season and can stay healthy, Kelce feels like a lock to outplay his current ADP and could make for an elite option at tight end late in drafts. If he does opt to return, Kelce, who is technically set to be a free agent, would need to come to terms on a new contract with the Chiefs, but it is highly unlikely he would play anywhere else next season.
Note: All fantasy numbers are based on half-PPR scoring. ADP courtesy of Underdog Fantasy. Stats and information courtesy of PFF.com, RotoViz.com, ProFootballReference.com, NextGenStats.NFL.com, 4For4.com, FantasyPoints.com and RBSDM.com.
