Player values in fantasy football are always heavily influenced by recency bias. What happened last year? When what happened last year is a player got hurt, his value often dips, whether justified or not.
Let’s discuss a handful of key injuries from the 2025 fantasy season and what managers should expect from these players in 2026 and beyond.
Jayden Daniels Could Be a Buy-Low Opportunity in 2026
Typically, when quarterbacks display elite traits as rookies, I am willing to buy that they will be even better as sophomores. For two consecutive years, we saw two of the best rookie seasons in NFL history from quarterbacks. In 2023, it was C.J. Stroud. In 2024, it was Jayden Daniels.
The two shared another commonality, though, and it wasn’t a good one. Both struggled mightily the following season.
After another disappointing year, the sentiment on Stroud is shifting firmly to the negative. It also makes it impossible to completely discount the possibility that Daniels might suffer the same fate. But I’m here to tell you they are not the same, and I am not the least bit concerned about Daniels.
The Commanders QB did not actually struggle as a sophomore. Sure, he wasn’t as good as his rookie year. But this idea that Daniels regressed is not supported by the data.
If we remove the Week 14 game in which Daniels inexplicably returned too soon from his elbow injury, he averaged 18.9 fantasy points per game last season. That’s not quite the 21.5 PPG he averaged as a rookie, but he was still firmly a QB1. The issue was his health.
Fantasy managers often overweight injury concerns. We cannot predict injury. We are bad at it. Plus, nothing about Daniels’ injuries suggests any sort of chronic issue. He tweaked his knee, had a very mild hamstring strain that cost him just one game, and then dislocated his elbow. The hamstring is the only one that has a tendency to recur or linger, but it did not.
There’s no reason to think Daniels is any less valuable now than he was a year ago. Yet, due to his injuries, his dynasty value is a little bit lower than where it was after his rookie year. This is a buying opportunity.
Daniels will be someone I target in 2026 redraft leagues and look to acquire in dynasty if his manager is spooked by last season’s injuries.
Kyler Murray’s Dynasty Value Has Cratered
For the first three years of Kyler Murray’s career, he was largely healthy. Over his last four, two were cut short due to injury, while a third was shortened overall.
On the surface, this seems concerning. Murray being a mobile QB puts his age (28) closer to the end than it would be for a traditional pocket passer, but he should still have at least three or four years left at his peak.
Additionally, much like with Daniels, Murray’s injuries are not chronic. Last year, it was a foot injury that derailed his season. I have no concerns over Murray from a health standpoint going forward. I do have ability concerns, though.
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Once an elite QB1, Murray hasn’t really been that guy since 2021. His production has declined for five consecutive years.
While he did still manage 16.2 PPG in his five starts last season, that type of production is streamable. Murray wasn’t the difference maker he used to be. The question going forward is whether a new coaching staff, and perhaps a new team, can restore Murray’s elite fantasy upside.
The prevailing belief after the season was that Murray’s time in Arizona was over. There were and still are questions as to whether he remains a starting quarterback. I think he is definitely one of the 32 best quarterbacks in the world and will start somewhere in 2026, but he’s not going to live up to the expectations of a No. 1 overall pick.
Murray’s dynasty value has cratered, probably more than it should have. I have a hard time seeing him ever being relegated to a backup role until his skills deteriorate. Dynasty managers in Superflex leagues should be looking to acquire Murray at a low price.
Cam Skattebo Should Be Valued as an RB1
Tracking to be one of the best values of the 2025 season, Cam Skattebo had completely taken over the New York Giants’ RB1 role before dislocating his ankle in Week 8. The rookie’s snap share had been around 60–70% for five consecutive weeks before getting hurt.
Skattebo’s injury was quite gruesome, but he should be fully recovered well before training camp begins. It’s not expected to be anything that impacts him next season.
Prior to going down, Skattebo was averaging 16.0 fantasy points per game. He had hit at least 13.0 fantasy points in six consecutive games and was well on his way to making it a seventh.
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We have every reason to believe Skattebo’s performance is indicative of what he can do over an extended period of time. He was top six in yards created per touch, and despite being on the bigger side and not particularly fast, he’s a great receiver, earning a 13.1% target share.
The injury was absolutely crushing for anyone who smashed on picking Skattebo in 2025. However, long term, it could go down as a blessing in disguise. Had Skattebo stayed healthy, we may be talking about him as a top-eight to top-10 dynasty back.
With an improved coaching staff led by John Harbaugh and a full season of Jaxson Dart at quarterback, the Giants are trending in the right direction. Skattebo should be valued as an RB1 and is well worth acquiring for anything less than that.
Quinshon Judkins’ 2026 Performance May Disappoint
Another rookie running back who immediately earned a huge workload was Quinshon Judkins. The usage was excellent. A 67.3% opportunity share as a rookie is a great sign. As for the performance, that left a lot to be desired.
Judkins only averaged 3.6 yards per carry and 12.1 PPG. His 8.3% target share is not indicative of his abilities as a pass catcher, but if it doesn’t improve, it will serve as a cap on his ceiling.
Nevertheless, Judkins is clearly a talented player and the Cleveland Browns’ running back of the future. There are two concerns, though.
First, we have the Browns offense. I do not think Todd Monken was necessarily a bad hire, but this just feels like a coach who will be gone within two to three years. It may not even be his fault, but the Browns are very far away from being competitive.
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They have no answer at quarterback and one of the worst wide receiver rooms in the league. The defense isn’t terrible, but it did fall off in the second half of last season. What was supposed to be a good offensive line wound up being the worst in the league in PFSN’s OL Impact Score.
Second, we have the injury. Judkins broke his leg in Week 16. It’s not an injury that won’t heal or will have any long-term impact on his career, but it is an injury that we’ve seen sap explosiveness the following season. It happened with Tony Pollard and then with Isiah Pacheco.
Judkins is only 22 years old. He is going to be a starting running back for a long time. But his performance in 2026 may not be what fantasy managers are hoping for.
This is easier said than done, but Judkins is the type of player you may want to sell now and buy back halfway through the season. Obviously, I don’t expect that to be feasible in most dynasty leagues. Take that more as an illustration of what to expect from the Browns running back going forward. Long term, he should be fine.
Malik Nabers Remains a Clear Top Dynasty Wide Receiver
Let’s approach Malik Nabers a little differently. Out of every player in this article, he is the most certain to be an elite fantasy asset for a very long time.
Nabers posted 18.2 PPG as a rookie playing with the likes of Daniel Jones, Tommy DeVito, and Drew Lock. Now, he has Jaxson Dart, a better coaching staff, and virtually no target competition. Long term, he remains a clear top dynasty wide receiver. The question for fantasy managers is what will happen in 2026.
Nabers has been pretty outspoken about the status of his knee. Unlike what we typically hear from injured players, he’s been much more practical in terms of his recovery. He’s not talking about beating expectations or getting back on the field super fast. Nabers has made it clear he will play when he is healthy enough to do so.
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That’s certainly the right approach. Nabers is 22 years old. He has another eight to 10 years of being a top receiver in the NFL. There’s no reason for him to rush back just to play an extra handful of games in his third season.
At the same time, it is February. It’s way too early to have any realistic idea of whether Nabers will be ready for Week 1, Week 4, or miss half the season.
For now, dynasty managers should be valuing Nabers without considering how much of the 2026 season, if any, he might miss. Nabers is way too young and way too talented for that to be a concern.
Tyreek Hill Remains a Risky Mercenary Option
There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to Tyreek Hill. First, we have his team status. Hill is no longer a member of the Miami Dolphins after being released on February 16.
Next, we have his injury status. Hill suffered an ugly-looking knee injury, albeit early in the season. This is a player who relies heavily on his speed and lateral agility. There’s no guarantee Hill, at age 31, is able to return to even 75% of his pre-injury self.
Third, we have his ability. Hill had the worst season of his career in 2024, excluding his rookie year when he was a gadget player. He averaged 12.8 PPG and didn’t finish as a WR1 for the first time since 2016.
Things weren’t exactly trending in a great direction to start the 2025 season. Hill averaged 13.4 PPG in the four games he played. It’s hard to envision another year older plus the injury making things better.
At this point, Hill should be viewed as a very risky mercenary for contending dynasty teams. It’s possible it’s over for him. It’s also possible he has one more vintage season in him.
