Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young posted mixed results in 2025, but his strong finish to the year and his career-high 23 passing touchdowns put him in the conversation as a potential buy-low target in dynasty leagues. Young took strides during his third pro season, posting a career-best finish as QB19 in fantasy football. The touchdown total increased to a new career-high mark, but so did the turnovers, as he threw 11 interceptions and coughed up four fumbles. Young was highly inconsistent, and it ws difficult for fantasy managers to know when to start him. He did start to turn a corner in the second half of the season, though, ranking as the QB11 from Week 11 through Week 18. We could see the former No. 1 pick take another step forward next year as the offense takes on a slightly new look. Head coach Dave Canales is passing off play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Brad Idzik, and Young will have more freedom to make changes at the line of scrimmage. Additionally, he should have his top two receivers (Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker) healthy for Week 1, giving him a pair of highly talented weapons heading into the season. There will still be growing pains, and we won't claim to expect a top-12 fantasy finish from Young. However, such an outcome wouldn't surprise us, either. As a result, he's an intriguing speculative buy-low candidate at his current price tag in dynasty leagues.

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Devaughn Vele is an intriguing under-the-radar sleeper for 2026. Acquired from the Denver Broncos last year, Vele started to turn a corner following the Saints' Week 11 bye. In four games after the bye, he caught 19 passes for 239 yards and one touchdown. He averaged 12.2 points per game in PPR leagues during that span, ranking as the overall WR21. Unfortunately, Vele injured his shoulder in Week 15 and missed the final three contests of the season. Despite his late-season injury, Vele produced enough when healthy to suggest that he might play a key role on offense in 2026. He's currently listed as the No. 2 receiver on the depth chart, slotting in behind Chris Olave. Quarterback Tyler Shough had a great rookie season, and there's reason to believe he can support two fantasy-relevant receivers next year. We know this Saints coaching staff likes Vele because they traded a fourth-round pick and a seventh-round pick for him, and we know there's a solid rapport between him and Shough. Could it translate to WR3/flex production in 2026? It's certainly possible, which means dynasty managers should consider buying low on Vele this offseason.

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Darnell Washington has officially jumped to No. 2 on the depth chart after the team released Jonnu Smith. Washington has never finished higher than TE39 in his three NFL seasons, but that could change next year as he takes on a larger role. He's technically listed behind Pat Freiermuth, but given how often the Steelers deployed two-tight end sets in 2025, we wouldn't be surprised to see Washington consistently get on the field for more than two-thirds of the offensive snaps. A physical specimen at 6-foot-7 and 265 pounds, Washington has shown a tendency to get open and make plays with the ball in his hands. He averaged 2.3 catches and 5.3 fantasy points per game from Weeks 11 through 17 last year, starting to trend up in dynasty leagues. The next big step for Washington is taking on a larger role around the goal line. For someone as tall and large as Washington, we'd expect him to have more than two touchdowns through three seasons. If he can take on a bigger role and get more looks around the end zone in new offensive coordinator Brian Angelichio's system, then Washington could become one of the more intriguing handcuffs in his role alongside Freiermuth. Tight end-needy managers in deep dynasty leagues should consider offering a late-round draft pick for Washington, because he has the potential to offer streaming appeal at times next year.

New York Jets wide receiver Adonai Mitchell remains nestled into the No. 2 receiver role, and there's a case to be made that he's trending up in dynasty leagues. The Jets didn't have the flashiest start to free agency, but they arguably upgraded their quarterback position a little by acquiring Geno Smith. Any sort of quarterback change is an upgrade for Mitchell, who spent the back half of last season catching passes from Justin Fields, Tyrod Taylor, and Brady Cook. We also expect the return of Garrett Wilson (knee) to work in Mitchell's favor. While Wilson's return drops Mitchell from first to second on the depth chart -- and therefore could cost him some targets -- it will also allow him to run routes against a team's No. 2 cornerback, rather than a primary, lockdown corner. Mitchell could get open more often, allowing him to use his route-running and playmaking skills to rack up fantasy points. The Jets have made it clear they want to get him involved, too. He had six-plus targets in six of his last seven games in 2025, ranking as the overall WR31 in PPR leagues during that span. In an offense that should be pass-heavy while playing from behind, we expect Mitchell to fetch plenty of targets and carve out a fantasy-relevant role next year. There's still an intriguing window to buy low on Mitchell in dynasty leagues, especially before training camp gets underway.