One of the most enjoyable parts of the offseason, as we’re digging into fantasy football prep for the upcoming season, is making a stance on polarizing players. These are players with a wide range of outcomes who could conceivably pay off in a big way, but also hurt your fantasy teams.
We’re going to dive into five polarizing players for the 2026 fantasy football season. The focus is on players with higher average draft positions (ADPs), so there’s more on the line here. We’ll provide a verdict on whether to target or fade these players in drafts.
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Fantasy Football Polarizing Players
Remember, when I specify “target” or “fade,” that just means at cost. If any of these players fall past ADP, you can start to consider them.
Lamar Jackson (QB – BAL) | ADP: 23
Lamar Jackson has a lengthy track record of producing like an elite quarterback. But what we saw once he returned from injury is at least slightly concerning.
While there’s a good chance the drop in production was because he was playing at less than 100%, we have to bake in some risk that he’s starting to show some slight decline. Then you consider that Todd Monken left to become the Browns’ head coach, and you can see the bear case on Jackson.
Verdict: Target
Jackson is still a buy at cost because he’s no longer going to be taken as one of the top two fantasy quarterbacks, making him a potential value. You can wait and go after Jayden Daniels or Caleb Williams, but there’s still enough value on Jackson at his cost.
De’Von Achane (RB – MIA) | ADP: 16
De’Von Achane is coming off a phenomenal year. He is a bell-cow back with electric speed, along with the ability to make an impact in the passing game. But here’s the problem: Mike McDaniel is no longer the Dolphins’ head coach.
New head coach Jeff Hafley could prefer to limit Achane’s usage because of his size. Adding a committee back would make it difficult to justify taking Achane at his current cost.
Verdict: Fade
I love Achane as a player, but I don’t trust this new coaching staff. Since Achane is coming off a big year, he’s going to be expensive, even with the downgrade in team context. For that reason, I’m looking elsewhere in this range, targeting players like Omarion Hampton instead.
TreVeyon Henderson (RB – NE) | ADP: 46
TreVeyon Henderson showed flashes of brilliance in his rookie season, but Mike Vrabel likes to incorporate Rhamondre Stevenson, even heavily favoring the veteran during the Patriots’ run to the Super Bowl.
Stevenson isn’t going anywhere, so we can expect a committee in 2026. However, Henderson’s big-play ability gives him a tantalizing upside that could be worth targeting.
Verdict: Target
Since Henderson’s role was dramatically reduced during the playoffs, that recency bias will likely drive down his ADP, making him worth a look.
Everyone is just going to assume that Vrabel doesn’t trust him, so this has created a buying opportunity. We saw what Henderson can do with more usage. Yes, this is a boom-or-bust pick, but it’s the kind of swing-for-the-fences pick worth making.
Ladd McConkey (WR – LAC) | ADP: 26
Ladd McConkey was one of the biggest busts in 2025 fantasy football. It was clear that Keenan Allen‘s presence created a skill redundancy here. Adding another short-to-intermediate target definitely impacted McConkey’s production.
Allen will likely move on. Plus, the Chargers got a huge upgrade at play-caller with Mike McDaniel. McDaniel knows how to get the ball to his playmakers.
Verdict: Target
McConkey may get steamed up in drafts because of the McDaniel hiring, but he’s still worth targeting. We saw what he can do in his rookie season.
Perhaps others will be a bit concerned about Quentin Johnston and Oronde Gadsden II, giving us a chance to get McConkey at a slight discount.
Brian Thomas Jr. (WR – JAX) | ADP: 15
Brian Thomas Jr. was another massive bust in fantasy football this season. It was quite shocking to see such a drop-off from a first-round wideout who had such an impressive rookie year.
Once the Jaguars traded for Jakobi Meyers, Thomas started to be used more as a sacrificial X receiver. That’s when a wideout is consistently running clear-out routes on the perimeter. The late-season emergence of Parker Washington, along with the return of Travis Hunter, makes Thomas a polarizing player.
Verdict: Fade
Here’s why I don’t think we should bet on a bounce-back from Thomas: It’s the same coaching staff. We saw how Liam Coen deployed Thomas. It’s hard to project that to change much.
Perhaps the production will be better, but now, instead of a target hog, you have more of a Jameson Williams (pre-Dan Campbell as play-caller) archetype: A volatile deep threat.
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