Fantasy Football Player Notes

Last year, Puka Nacua took Ja'Marr Chase's throne as the WR1 in fantasy points per game, and he could repeat as the top dog this year among wide receivers. Last year, Nacua was third in raw target volume, first in receptions, second in receiving yards, 23rd in deep targets, and 12th in red zone targets (tied). Nacua was fourth in target share (28.8%), first in receiving yards per game (107.2), first in yards per route run (3.85), and fourth in first-read share (37.5%, per Fantasy Points Data). If all of that wasn't enough, he was also sixth-best in separation and route win rate. Nacua is a volume-gobbling stud who could easily repeat as the WR1 overall if Matthew Stafford keeps dealing at an MVP (or near) level in 2026.

Kyren Williams continues to motor along with RB1 seasons. Last year, he was the RB10 in fantasy points per game after seasons as the RB10 and RB2 in fantasy points per game. Williams had to deal with more work for Blake Corum last year, but he still retained his lead role overall and in the red zone. In Weeks 7-18, Williams still saw 63% of the red zone rushing attempts while Corum helped him with the heavy lifting on early downs in between the 20s. With the workload lightened a tad, Williams did post improved rushing efficiency metrics, ranking 21st in explosive run rate, 25th in missed tackle rate, and 18th in yards after contact per attempt (per Fantasy Points Data). Williams should remain the lead back for one of the NFL's best offenses in 2026 and turn in another low-end RB1 season.

Davante Adams was a fantasy monster before succumbing to a hamstring injury in Week 15 that forced him to miss the rest of the regular season. In Weeks 1-14, Adams (among 86 qualifying receivers per Fantasy Points Data) was 16th in target share (23.8%), 26th in receiving yards per game (55.2), 18th in yards per route run (2.02), 23rd in first-read share (27%), and fifth in first downs per route run (0.132). He was scoring touchdowns at an insane clip with 14 in those 13 games while leading all receivers with 30 red zone targets (the closest receiver to him during that span had 19). During those 13 games, Adams was the WR8 in fantasy points per game. I don't expect him to repeat that insane fantasy production in 2026 as his touchdown scoring is likely to see some small bit of regression. Adams didn't show any falloff in his separation skills, ranking first in separation score and route win rate among 109 qualifying receivers last year. Adams should be considered a solid WR2 with some upside if the Rams offense can continue to cook in 2026 as it did in 2025.

Blake Corum is one of the best handcuffs in fantasy. He looked back to his pre-injury form (finally) last year. After all of the injuries he sustained at Michigan, I didn't know if we'd ever see the early collegiate version of Corum again, but he was excellent last year on a per-touch basis. After Week 1, he was a viable touchdown or bust flex as the RB46 in fantasy points per game with four top 24 finishes in weekly scoring among backs. He doesn't offer much in the passing game with only 14 targets and 4.5 yards per reception last year, but he's a damn good rusher on early downs. Among 49 qualifying backs, Corum ranked sixth in explosive run rate and 11th in missed tackle rate (per Fantasy Points Data). He's a fine high-end handcuff stash or later round flier that could be an emergency flex during the season.

Matthew Stafford had arguably the best season of his NFL career last year, taking down the MVP award. Stafford finished with a career-high passing touchdown rate (7.7%) as the QB4 in fantasy points per game. It was easily his best season since his first year with the Rams, when he was the QB11 in fantasy points per game. It's impossible to project Stafford to have the same pure run out in 2026 that he experienced in 2025, but he could still be a QB1 for fantasy purposes. The argument for Stafford this year is similar to Jared Goff. Stafford will be commanding one of the best offenses in the NFL tied to an outstanding head coach and flanked by a bevy of talented skill players. Stafford won't provide much, if any, rushing output to help elevate his ceiling and floor, though. Last year, among 38 qualifying quarterbacks, Stafford was seventh-best in yards per attempt and fantasy points per dropback, 25th in adjusted completion rate, second in hero throw rate, and 13th in catchable target rate (per Fantasy Points Data). Stafford is a solid bet for fantasy purposes in 2026, but I won't be caught chasing him up the ADP board or overspending for him in drafts.

Terrance Ferguson is a deep league dart that could pay off in 2026 if he can emerge from the dogpile of tight ends on the Rams' depth chart. In his rookie season, among 54 qualifying tight ends, he was 48th in target-per-route-run rate and 32nd in yards per route run, which isn't impressive, but he played a field-stretching role. Ferguson was first in aDOT with an absurd 18.3 mark, as he was utilized out wide or in the slot on 71.6% of his snaps (per Fantasy Points Data). Betting on a hyper-athletic second-year tight end who is free in drafts and residing in one of the best offenses in the NFL is never a bad bet.

It's scary to think that the Rams were the second-best defense last season in fantasy points per game, and they added more firepower to the depth chart this offseason. Yes, their big-ticket adds of Myles Garrett and Trent McDuffie stole the headlines, but adding Jaylen Watson to start opposite McDuffie should be a massive upgrade at CB2 for 2026. The Rams were fourth in pressure rate, seventh in sacks, and sixth in interceptions last season, and they could improve upon all of those marks this season.