Biggest Fantasy Football Storylines Heading into 2026 OTAs

The start of the 2026 NFL season and corresponding fantasy football campaign may still be over three months out, but managers can start getting a leg up on their competition right now.

There will be plenty of fantasy football data to glean from ongoing OTAs and the mandatory minicamp set to kick off in a couple weeks. Managers will be able to check in on the health of potential draft targets working their way back from season-ending injuries, get a first glance at what could be an extremely impactful rookie class and begin to untangle critical rotation and depth chart information as teams work their way through a variety of 7-on-7, 11-on-11 and other drills.

With that in mind, let's highlight four of the biggest fantasy football storylines to keep tabs on.

Average Draft Position (ADP) and other fantasy metrics courtesy of FantasyPros using PPR data where applicable.

How Potential Early-Round Picks are Faring Following Major Injuries

AP Photo

OTAs and minicamp will be the first opportunity fantasy managers have to see many of the NFL's biggest stars in action following an extended injury-related layoff. While these fantasy studs didn't meet lofty expectations in 2025, they are still trending towards early selections in 2026 fantasy drafts due to their immense potential.

Not every player will return to elite form, however. Some of these injuries could have negative effects that last throughout the summer and potentially even hinder production during the regular season. If a superstar is still feeling the lingering effects of an injury during OTAs and minicamp, managers should be extremely leery about selecting them come draft day.

Quite a few players with an ADP of 50 or better had their 2025 seasons marred by significant injuries and need to be monitored. The New York Giants' tandem of Malik Nabers (ADP 25) and Cam Skattebo (45). Omarion Hampton (15) of the Los Angeles Chargers, the Las Vegas Raiders' Brock Bowers (23) and the New York Jets' Garrett Wilson (35) are all trying to work their way back to full strength after missing time last year.

Other top players to keep an eye on are Quinshon Judkins (ADP 55), Marvin Harrison Jr. (67), Tucker Kraft (86) and Patrick Mahomes (89). Each of these players dealt with severe injury issues last season and may not be close to 100 percent or even participating during OTAs at all.

While there is plenty of time for each of these players to get healthy between now and Week 1, managers will want to make sure they see them in action before spending a critical early-round pick in a 2026 fantasy draft.

Checking in on the Sophomore RB Class

AP Photo

Five running backs were selected during the first two days of the 2025 NFL draft. While these players were all expected to be major fantasy contributors during their rookie seasons, each came up somewhat short of that goal. OTAs will be the first step they take in building towards a better sophomore season.

Ashton Jeanty, the No. 6 overall pick, led this group with a solid 245.1 PPR points in 2025. While his 1,321 yards and 10 touchdowns weren't bad, it took a whopping 321 touches to get to those numbers. The Las Vegas Raiders back was highly inefficient as a rookie, but could take a major step forward in 2026 with a far better supporting cast around him.

Omarion Hampton, the only other Day 1 back in 2025, was trending towards a scintillating rookie season before a Week 5 ankle injury derailed it. The Los Angeles Chargers' star put up an impressive 65.4 points between Weeks 3-5, but didn't look as sharp in the four games he participated in following his return.

Quinshon Judkins was one of the few bright spots on a dismal Cleveland Browns team last year, but the weight of carrying the offense eventually caught up to him. After notching a respectable 169.8 points over his first 14 career games, Judkins gruesomely dislocated his ankle and fractured his fibula in Week 16.

TreVeyon Henderson didn't muster his first top-20 finish until after the midpoint of the campaign. While the New England Patriot wound up scoring 153.5 of his 206.2 total points from Week 9 on, the slow start held him back from reaching his ceiling.

RJ Harvey, the only other second-round pick outside of Henderson, wasn't impactful early on either. It took a season-ending injury to J.K. Dobbins in Week 10 for the Denver Broncos back to finally see enough volume to move the needle. Harvey finished with 206.6 fantasy points, but still hasn't established himself as the clear No. 1 in Denver's backfield.

Kaleb Johnson has the most to prove in Year 2. Despite being taken in Round 3, he hardly saw the field for the Pittsburgh Steelers last season. Johnson was well behind both Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell on the depth chart, finishing his massively underwhelming rookie campaign with a mere 8.8 points.

All five backs have the ceiling to become fantasy superstars, but each needs to find a way to stay healthy and/or show skill improvements during OTAs and throughout the remainder of the offseason to realize that potential.

QB Competitions to Watch

AP Photo

A handful of high-profile quarterback competitions have emerged in wake of the flurry of cuts, free-agent decisions and draft selections that opened the 2026 NFL offseason.

Fantasy values hang in the balance as several experienced veterans compete for starting jobs against largely unproven signal-callers. The outcome of these competitions can significantly impact the fantasy potential of the skill position players surrounding these QBs.

The most polarizing battle kicks off during the Cleveland Browns' OTAs. Deshaun Watson is finally healthy after recovering from his latest injury and will now attempt to reclaim his starting job from sophomore Shedeur Sanders.

While Sanders earned a Pro Bowl nod for his efforts as a rookie, he completed a meager 56.6 of his throws and had more interceptions (10) than touchdown passes (7) in eight games. It remains to be seen if Sanders can raise his game to the elite level that Watson—a three-time Pro Bowler—has proven capable of in the past, although that version of the veteran quarterback may be long gone following four miserable, injury-plagued years in Cleveland.

The Minnesota Vikings have a QB controversy to sort out after signing Kyler Murray. Minnesota pounced on the 2019 Offensive Rookie of the Year following his release from the Arizona Cardinals, giving the club a two-time Pro Bowler to push J.J. McCarthy for the QB1 role.

McCarthy displayed sporadic flashes of the talent that led Minnesota to take him No. 10 overall in the 2024 draft, but "Nine" struggled with accuracy, decision-making and turnover woes. If he doesn't display massive growth during OTAs, Murray will have the inside track to snatch the starting job away.

The final major quarterback competition involves the Atlanta Falcons, who will pit the Tua Tagovailoa against incumbent starter Michael Penix Jr.

Tagovailoa was cut by the Miami Dolphins after a pair of disappointing seasons, but has also shown in the past that he can effectively orchestrate a high-powered offense. Penix hasn't come close to Pro Bowl-level production over his first two seasons, going just 4-8 as a starter while completing fewer than 60 percent of his throws.

There will also be a few rookies involved in their own training camp battles. These include Carson Beck vs. Jacoby Brisset in Arizona, Clade Klubnik vs. Geno Smith for the New York Jets' job and the Las Vegas Raiders' hosting a Kirk Cousins vs. Fernando Mendoza bout.

Although none of these QBs is likely to outright win a starting job during OTAs, its possible to lose one with a putrid performance.

Will There Be Any First-Year Stars at the TE Position?

AP Photo

The tight end position has historically been extremely difficult for prospects to make a successful transition to the professional level at. A handful of rookies have bucked the trend in recent years, however, and another could join that elite club in 2026.

Three candidates stick out for their potential to join the likes of Sam LaPorta, Brock Bowers, Harold Fannin Jr. and Tyler Warren—four of only six tight ends in NFL history who scored more than 185 fantasy points as rookies. The short list includes Kenyon Sadiq (the No. 17 overall pick by the New York Jets), Eli Stowers (No. 54 to the Philadelphia Eagles) and Max Klare (No. 61 by the Los Angeles Rams).

Sadiq was the lone tight end taken on Day 1 and it's not hard to see why Gang Green is enamored with him. The Bleacher Report Scouting Department had him ranked No. 17 overall and No. 1 at his position on their final big board, with TE scout Daniel Harris highlighting how Sadiq's "athletic ability as a multi-sport standout has transitioned to the football field, showcasing his incredible potential as a pass catcher".

Sadiq should see a good chunk of volume as a rookie, but working against him is an unfortunate quarterback situation that has Geno Smith and rookie third-rounder Cade Klubnik as New York's top options under center.

While Stowers will have a competent QB in Philadelphia, it will be difficult for him to establish himself as one of Jalen Hurts' go-to targets. The converted quarterback may be the most gifted pass-catching TE in the class, but sharing reps with the Dallas Goedert and contending with DeVonta Smith, fellow rookie Makai Lemon and potentially even A.J. Brown (if he isn't traded) for looks could hinder production.

Klare's chances of a stellar first season don't seem great at first glance, but he ended up in the perfect situation to challenge for a Pro Bowl spot as a rookie.

The Los Angeles Rams admittedly have a crowded tight end's room that includes Colby Parkinson, Tyler Higbee and 2025 second-rounder Terrance Ferguson, but Klare profiles as the best receiver of the bunch. Playing time shouldn't be of major concern, as L.A. thrived in the back half of 2025 by leaning heavily into 12 and 13 personnel—meaning two and three tight ends on the field, respectively—and can continue to leverage that jumbo scheme in 2026.

If Klare shows out at OTAs and secures a spot in L.A.'s 12 and/or 13 personnel grouping, he could become a focal point for one of the league's most explosive passing offenses. Factor in that he'll be working with reigning NFL MVP Matt Stafford and it's easy to see Klare racking up some truly massive fantasy marks as a rookie.