Even though Houston Texans wide receiver Jaylin Noel figures to be a bigger part of the passing game in his second season in 2026, most fantasy managers won't be looking his way after he posted a 26-292-2 line in 17 regular-season games (three starts) last year after he was selected in the third round (79th overall) out of Iowa State. Nico Collins and fellow second-year wideout Jayden Higgins figure to be the team's top-two WRs, so ultimately, Noel's case for a second-year breakout could depend on how much Tank Dell can do after missing the entire 2025 season following a devastating knee injury in 2024. The 23-year-old reportedly looked strong during minicamp this offseason, and he made the most of his limited opportunities in his rookie campaign in an inconsistent offense. If Noel stakes claim to the No. 3 role in Houston, his raw athleticism and versatility make him an interesting late-round dart throw in fantasy drafts this fall. He finished his rookie year just inside the top-100 WRs in half-PPR points, but RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 79 WR going into Year 2.

Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell (knee) had a promising rookie season in 2023 after he was taken with the 69th overall pick in the third round out of the University of Houston, catching 47 of his 75 targets for 709 yards and seven touchdowns in just 11 regular-season games. It all came crashing down in 2024 when the 26-year-old tore multiple ligaments in his knee and dislocated his kneecap. He missed all of last year as a result and still isn't full-go with training camp right around the corner, making his availability for the start of the 2026 season in early September still a mystery. Nico Collins is Houston's unquestioned alpha WR1, and second-year wideouts Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel are both expected to have bigger roles in the passing attack. So once Dell gets back up to speed, whenever that is, he figures to be competing for targets as the WR3 or WR4 in an offense that hasn't been nearly as good as it was the last two seasons as it was in QB C.J. Stroud's rookie season. The Texans are expecting Dell to contribute in 2026, but because he might merely be trying to work back into form for most of the year, it's hard to recommend him as a 12-team redraft stash. RotoBaller has Dell currently ranked as the No. 75 WR.

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley finished outside the top 10 at the RB position in 2025 in his second year with the Eagles despite running for 1,140 yards on 280 rushing attempts and catching 37 passes for 237 yards and two more TDs as a pass-catcher. The three-time Pro Bowler's second year in Philly was a pretty big disappointment after he led the league in 2024 in carries (345), rushing yards (2,005), and yards per game (125.3). The 29-year-old three-time Pro Bowler still had over 4.0 yards per carry, but he was held hostage by a lackluster Eagles offense, which was the worst of head coach Nick Sirianni's tenure. Nobody should be expecting Barkley to approach his numbers from his magical 2024 season, but if Philly gets better injury luck with their offensive line and if the offense as a whole can bounce back under new coordinator Sean Mannion, Barkley could return to high-end RB1 status in fantasy football at a reduced cost in 2026 after his disappointment last year. At the very worst, Barkley should be considered a midrange RB1 with a high floor, and he could be involved even more now that receiver A.J. Brown is out of town.

New Kansas City Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker III finished the 2026 season with the Seattle Seahawks as just the No. 22 fantasy RB in half-PPR scoring after running for 1,027 yards and five rushing touchdowns in 17 regular-season starts, adding 31 receptions (36 targets) for 282 yards as a pass-catcher. But he went off in the postseason, leading the NFL in carries (65), rushing yards (313), and rushing touchdowns (four) on his way to being named Super Bowl MVP, and he parlayed that into a three-year deal with the Chiefs in free agency in March. Unlike in 2025 when he shared backfield touches with Zach Charbonnet, the 25-year-old former second-rounder out of Michigan State figures to be used as more of a true workhorse in his new digs as the Chiefs look to get back to the playoffs in 2026. Walker earned a reputation for being a run-first back in his four years with the Seahawks, but he suggested that the Chiefs could use him more as a pass-catcher, with rookie Emmett Johnson, Emari Demercado, and Brashard Smith vying for backup duties behind him. Walker also had a reputation for nagging lower-body injuries in Seattle. The volume increase in KC will give him a higher floor as more of a low-end RB1 target in 2026 fantasy drafts, but his injury history will also make him somewhat of an RB1 bust candidate in his first year in the AFC West.