Fantasy Football Player Notes

Last year, we only got to see Kyler Murray for five games. In the previous six seasons, he had never finished lower than QB12 in fantasy points per game. Could he be a QB1 in 2026 with the Minnesota Vikings? Yep, it's possible. Last year, in his limited starting sample before being sidelined with a foot injury, Murray had the seventh-lowest yards per attempt, the fourth-lowest aDOT, and the fifth-lowest hero throw rate (per Fantasy Points Data). None of those numbers will make you feel warm and fuzzy, but the risk is essentially priced into Murray's ADP while his upside as a QB1 hasn't been. I have never been a Murray fan, but at this price point I'm willing to take the occasional late-round swing on him in 2026.

The Raiders signed veteran QB Kirk Cousins to a two-year deal in the offseason and will let him keep the seat warm for No. 1 draft pick Fernando Mendoza before eventually settling into a backup role. The question is how long Cousins will be the starter. There have been reports that the Raiders - and particularly minority owner Tom Brady - would like Mendoza to have a full redshirt season and not make any starts. The reality is that no quarterback drafted No. 1 has sat out his entire rookie season since Carson Palmer in 2003. Cousins, who'll be 38 this season, averaged just 6.4 yards per pass attempt with the Falcons last season and had fewer than 200 passing yards in six of his eight starts. Cousins is a viable option in superflex leagues only because he's expected to play early in the season.