As a busy offseason looms, many AFC teams enter with questions left unanswered. With changes coming in free agency, on draft day and throughout the summer, Yahoo analyst Joel Smyth goes over five key questions that can shape the 2026 fantasy football season from the AFC. He’ll touch on the NFC later in the week.
Who becomes the Jaguars top WR?
Entering 2025, the fantasy draft decision was between Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter. Many assumed the Jacksonville offense could be a force in fantasy football, but very few guessed both Jaguars WRs would bust, especially as the offense blossomed. The only Jaguar to hit a mere 17%+ target share was mid-season trade addition Jakobi Meyers.
So, between Meyers, Thomas, Hunter and Parker Washington, who will be the top dog in 2026?
Over the final four games of the season, including Week 18 and the Wild Card matchup versus Buffalo, Washington was actually the (clear) No. 1 weapon in Jacksonville; four straight games of 9+ targets resulting in 19 fantasy PPG. The final two games, although immensely important, will likely be forgotten in the fantasy space, with fantasy points no longer counting at that point of the season. Washington played by far the most snaps in the slot when Hunter was off the field, making his potential intriguing with Hunter being rumored to play defense primarily once he returns from injury in 2026.
REPORT: The Jaguars plan to use Travis Hunter as a full-time cornerback and part-time wide receiver in 2026, per @CameronWolfe. pic.twitter.com/eVSRMBrg6V
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) February 14, 2026
Thomas could be interesting as a case where injuries were more of a factor than first meets the eye, but if nothing changes, then nothing changes.
Watch for Jacksonville’s potential additions at the cornerback position, as well as rumors surrounding Hunter’s playing time when it comes to Washington’s upside. Based on the Jaguars’ projected draft position, I believe Washington is the top value entering the offseason.
Will J.K. Dobbins return to Denver?
J.K. Dobbins has averaged 12.5 fantasy PPG over the last two seasons; he just hasn’t stayed healthy. Even with the injury, Dobbins was well worth the price tag for Denver, signing him to a cheap one-year deal last offseason. He handled 73% of the RB carries before his season-ending injury as the Broncos sparingly added in others, mainly as receiving threats. Although rookie RJ Harvey averaged 15.3 fantasy points after the injury, the ninth-highest among RBs, he struggled near the end of the season. When adding in Week 18 and Denver’s two playoff games, that dipped down to an average of 13.7, as Harvey failed to have over 50 rushing yards in each of his final five games.
The efficiency between the two backs was drastic. Dobbins' average yards per carry sat at 5.0, the seventh-best in the NFL. Harvey, behind the same offensive line, had 3.7, good for 42nd out of 49 qualified backs. If Denver re-signs Dobbins, I wouldn’t be banking on the Harvey breakout to be automatic.
Will the Chiefs draft an RB or sign a free agent?
The top landing spot in the RB market will get the first major answer in a few weeks. Does Kansas City choose to sign a free agent or wait and select an RB in the 2026 NFL Draft? In a forgettable year, the Chiefs ranked 29th in RB fantasy points as Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt failed to live up to expectations in an Andy Reid offense. In all other seasons with Patrick Mahomes starting, K.C. running backs are 10th in fantasy points (2018-2024). Whoever lands in Kansas City has immediate RB1 upside.
Does Aaron Rodgers return to Pittsburgh?
Pittsburgh decided to move on from head coach Mike Tomlin for the 2026 season, but will they move on from Aaron Rodgers? It’s looking more likely that the 42-year-old QB will return and play for the Steelers after the team hired his former HC in Green Bay, Mike McCarthy. For fantasy purposes, I don’t believe that is ideal. Although the Steelers were middle of the pack in scoring offense, the production did not mean equal fantasy production. The running backs benefited, albeit in a committee, but the receivers were held back.
After leaving Seattle last offseason, DK Metcalf had a career low in receiving yards in Year 1 with Pittsburgh. Rodgers wants to line up and sling it. There is not much versatility or easy completions available, rather a West Coast 7-on-7 style of play. It results in a top WR like Metcalf being pressed at the highest rate among WRs. Rodgers is no longer in his prime and wants a style of offense that results in a far more difficult path to get a top WR the ball. It forces more difficult passes, as shown in Rodgers’ 50% catchable target rate on throws of 15+ air yards, the second-lowest in the NFL. Metcalf has not finished as a top-20 fantasy WR since 2020.
How does Buffalo fix its WR problems?
No team with Josh Allen should be 21st in receiving yards per game, but when isolating only the WRs, Buffalo was just that. It’s the most obvious flaw in the NFL: the lack of playmakers in the receiver room for the Bills. Much like Kansas City with RBs, a true No. 1 WR in Buffalo would bring immediate WR1 fantasy upside. Stefon Diggs played four seasons at the end of his prime in Buffalo. In those four seasons, he ranked as the overall WR3, WR8, WR5 and WR13. Consistently dominant.
Allen ranked fourth in catchable target rate and helped players like TE Dalton Kincaid lead his position in fantasy points per route run. With the potential of elite volume available, paired with the efficiency of Allen, Buffalo’s answer at receiver this offseason will make an impact in fantasy from the get-go.