First Call for 2026 Fantasy Football Season

Professor John Bush and I are always talking about the similarities between handicapping for a Fantasy Football season and a horse race. Once you have your contenders in any horse race and have decided how the pace of the race is going to go, you make your wager and wait for the race to unfold. 

The “First Call” on a racing past performance chart shows you who the early speed was in any race. Once you see how that first segment goes in any race, you have a good idea whether your bet is set up to win or not. Two games into the Fantasy Football season, it’s too early to draw any big conclusions, but like horse racing, if someone gets out of the gate fast that we weren’t expecting, we might need to pivot in our strategy going forward. 

Let’s look at the first call for each team when it comes to Fantasy Football and make some predictions for the rest of the season. 

Arizona Cardinals

The answer to whether you should roster Mike Wilson or Marvin Harrison this season turned out to be Trey McBride again. It’s possible we continue to see a split of WR targets behind McBride at TE, and the volume split at RB is hurting the upside of rookie Jeremiah Love. 

Action: Hold AZ WRs and wait for Love’s volume to increase before putting him in your lineup

Atlanta Falcons

I steered away from every Falcon not named Bijan this season because I feared a mess at the QB position. The result so far is even worse than I expected. Until Penix or Tua is back, this team will remain a mess. Even when one of those guys gets healthy enough to play, I am worried about the offense. 

Action: Continue to avoid this mess except for Bijan

Baltimore Colts

The injury to Flowers took a little steam out of this offense. When he gets back, we should see Lamar Jackson get more consistent in the weeks ahead. The injury to rookie Ja’Kobi Lane was also unfortunate for the overall strength of this offense. 

Action: The big three of Lamar, King Henry, and Flowers should continue to add weekly upside consistency to your lineups

Buffalo Bills

Josh Allen has been wearing his Superman Cape the first two weeks, and TE Dalton Kincaid is off to a fast start too. James Cook has one very good game and one below-average game. DJ Moore's injury could have Allen lean even more on his TEs. 

Action: Dalton Kincaid could finally be living up to expectations and should be an automatic start every week going forward

Carolina Panthers

It’s very rare for a QB to wait until year four for their big breakout, but Bryce Young is trying to be the exception to that rule. There was a huge debate whether Chubba Hubbard or Jonathan Brooks was the RB to own this season, and Chubba is the clear answer after 2 weeks. Coker and McMillan are turning into a nice 1-2 punch at WR, and Darren Waller is a solid red zone target at TE. 

Action: Waller is worth a waiver addition along with Bryce Young. Start Chubba, McMillan, and Coker with confidence. 

Chicago Bears

The good news is that the Bears are averaging over 30 points per game after two weeks. The bad news is they scored only 3 points last week and lost QB Caleb Williams to injury. Swift is off to a solid start, but the pass catchers have been lackluster even in their 59-point week one. Ignore week 2 completely with the “off-track” conditions. 

Action: The Williams injury is more evidence that having two very good QBs in a 1QB league is a good idea. Consider benching the pass catchers until we see some progress after Williams returns. 

Cincinnati Bengals

Their defense is better than I expected this season, which could limit the upside of their passing game in Fantasy Football some weeks. After a slow start in week one, the offense came alive in week two. Chase Brown is living up to his draft capital, and so are both WRs. 

Action: Gesicki was a popular addition to redraft teams after week one and will probably not be a consistent answer at the TE position. 

Cleveland Browns

The good news is that the offense has been better than expected; the bad news is the expectations were very low. This week they return home, and it will be interesting to watch how quickly the Dog Pound turns on DeShaun Watson if he plays poorly. If he plays as well as last week, they might have to cheer him. 

Action: The rookie WRs should both have a place on Fantasy Football starting lineups this season, with Boston off to the better start between the two. 

Dallas Cowboys

After a slow start in week one, the Dak/Lamb show returned in week two. Their defense has given up 48 points in the first two weeks, so this offense will need to be productive to keep up. Javonte Williams has gotten off to the expected slow start but is getting the volume needed. 

Action: Cee Dee Lamb is off to a great start, but will we see big home/away splits from this offense, especially the passing game? 

Denver Broncos

They got run over by the Chiefs on opening night but rebounded last week against the Jaguars. Their offense has not been solid yet, with only 30 total points scored. Bo Nix has as many TDs as INTs, and they've also suffered injuries to their top RBs. 

Action: Jonah Coleman will get a chance to take over lead RB duties a bit earlier than expected and should get enough volume to be a solid start in week 3. 

Detroit Lions

The good news is that their offense has scored 62 points in the first 2 weeks of the season. The bad news is that the defense has given up 71. This is great news for any of the Fantasy Football players you have on your roster who wear a Lions uniform. 

Action: Gibbs might have been the RB1 after all, but the Sun God might also be the WR1 with Jared Goff in the Top 5 at QB all season. As long as LaPorta stays healthy, I don’t expect consistent results from Williams. 

Green Bay Packers

Josh Jacobs going on the Exempt List to start the season has put more pressure on the passing game, and Jordan Love has answered. If Christian Watson stays healthy, he will be a huge value in Fantasy Football, and Matthew Golden has shown he is improving in year two. 

Action: Tucker Kraft is off to a slow start but should come around soon. Newcomer Kaleb Johnson might get a chance this week, but I would wait and see how the volume is distributed before starting him. 

Houston Texans

After a successful week one on offense, the injury to Nico Collins made them easier to defend in Week 2. Their defense gave up 404 points last season but has already allowed 56 in the first two weeks. If they can’t run the ball consistently, they are in for a long season. 

Action: Dalton Schultz had a huge game without Collins in the lineup, and the running game was way below average last week. Even when Collins returns, expect good things from Schultz all season. 

Indianapolis Colts

Their defense is awful this season, allowing 74 points in the first two weeks. Daniel Jones is playing solid football despite a depleted WR room, and Jonathan Taylor is off to an All-Pro start. Alex Pierce's injury will hurt. 

Action: Maybe I was wrong to pass on JT and Warren, but I still have lower expectations than Daniel Jones can be solid all season. 

Jacksonville Jaguars

Our data was very high on Trevor Lawrence this season, but in 23 redraft leagues on FFPC this year I got zero shares. Their offense sputtered in the second half last week, and that inconsistency could be a concern going forward. 

Action: Parker Washington is the best WR on the Jags right now, but his upside is capped by a deep WR room, as expected. Tuten has been the best option at RB so far and should see an increase in volume. 

Kansas City Chiefs

Think of Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce as the football version of the Blues Brothers; they are on a Mission from God to show that last year was a fluke. They got the band back together, including Eric Bieniemy as offensive coordinator. As expected, Mahomes is operating more from under center, and having a beast of an RB has opened the play-action pass game this season. 

Action: The Chiefs offense is back to 2022 form already, and rookie RB Emmet Johnson was a nice addition to give KC two dynamic RBs versus zero last season. Rashee Rice is off to a slow start, but as teams try to load up the box to stop K9, look for Rice to have some big games. 

Las Vegas Raiders

Kirk Cousins has shown why he deserved to be named the starter, and this offense has done well without their main man Brock Bowers. Last week the Chargers stopped Jeanty, but Cousins beat them with his arm despite missing his best receiving option. That must be a little scary for the rest of the league. 

Action: If Bowers can stay healthy, his volume will make him a Top 2 TE in Fantasy Football again this season. 

Los Angeles Chargers

Before the season started, I asked the Fantasy Football experts why McDaniel was considered an offensive genius, and the question didn't go over well. After two weeks now, the world is wondering why the Chargers have played so poorly, and the blame is on QB Justin Herbert’s shoulders.

Action: The McDaniel’s offense has not been kind to Herbert this season, and all the parts and pieces on this offense have struggled as a result. TE Oronde Gadsden is no longer stuck behind two other players on the depth chart and should emerge as a TE8-15 level player the rest of the season. 

Los Angeles Rams

The flight 24 hours before the game in Australia might not have worked, but there is no doubt this offense will be sensational in games played in this hemisphere. The Stafford/Adams connection worked on Monday Night Football without Nacua in the lineup. Despite the Fantasy Football world trying to manifest a Blake Corum takeover of the backfield, Kyren Williams is still getting the important volume. 

Action: Can Nacua stay healthy, or will Terrance Ferguson be the second-best receiving option on this team going forward? One thing is for sure: Father Time hasn’t caught up to Adams. 

Miami Dolphins

Is there anything good to say about this team after two games? OK, maybe their two rookie WRs have looked better than expected, but otherwise it has not been as expected. I drafted a few shares of Achane because he was Achane, but I am certainly glad I don’t have any more. 

Action: Caleb Douglas looks like a promising player, and Achane should return to being a force at a discount next season. 

Minnesota Vikings

They manhandled the Packers in week one and beat the Bears on an off-track in week two without their starting QB. Justin Jefferson has proven that he is indeed QB-proof, and that is not a resume enhancer for JJ McCarthy. Now they have their starting QB back, and we'll soon find out whether that defense is exceptional or just above average. 

Action: Mason is already out, and if anything happens to Jones, the rookie Claiborne should get a chance at some decent volume. 

New England Patriots

It’s not time to panic about QB Drake Maye in Fantasy Football or the Patriots' chances this season in real football. The horse racing analogy is that in week one they raced above their class and lost. Week two, they raced on an off-track. Now they get a chance at the right level on a better surface in week three. 

Action: TreyVeon Henderson is showing why our data liked him better than Rhamondre Stevenson, but this team misses AJ Brown. 

New Orleans Saints

QB Tyler Shough might not give them their new Franchise QB, but he is above average, and that might be all they need to win their division this season. Olave is showing that last season was not a fluke. Travis Etienne might want to change the pronunciation of his name to last year’s version. 

Action: If you need to plug Shough into your Fantasy Football lineup due to injuries, he will keep you in the hunt every week. Kamara might be that 5–8-point filler with an above-median game when he finds the end zone. 

New York Giants

The year got off to a promising start with a win over the Cowboys in week one but took a disastrous turn with the loss of their starting QB and an injury to their best WR in week two. Nabers' injury isn’t too bad, but Dart is done for the season. 

Action: Jameis Winston looked awful coming off the bench, and unless he looks better next week, I won’t be starting any Giants with confidence in Fantasy Football for the rest of the season. 

New York Jets

It felt so wrong before the season to say, “Geno Smith is an upgrade at QB.” But after two weeks, he has cleared that bar, although the bar was set very low the last two seasons. The defense has looked solid, and the offense has done enough to beat a lesser opponent and push a better opponent to OT. 

Action: Breece Hall and Garret Wilson have their upside capped any given week, and rookie TE Sadiq could develop into a good one. 

Philadelphia Eagles

The educated guess before the season started was that the offensive line would be better this season, but that has mixed reviews so far. Their defense does not look nearly as dominant, so that’s good news for your ownership of the Eagles in Fantasy Football. 

Action: The Slim Reaper is off to a good start, but the loss of TE Goedert and an injury to Barkley could hurt going forward. Rookie WR Makai Lemon should develop into a usable player by mid to late season as expected. 

Pittsburgh Steelers 

Their ex-coach Tomlin went his whole career without a losing record, but unless Aaron Rodgers finds the fountain of youth, that record likely won't extend to a 20th season. DK Metcalf and the rest of the skill position players are limited because of the limitations at QB. 

Action: This was a team I mainly avoided for Fantasy Football this season, and I’m glad that was my strategy. Warren might be the better RB and Pittman the better WR, but neither is a reliable starter. 

Seattle Seahawks

One of the craziest pieces of advice leading up to the Fantasy Football season was that JSN was a risky pick at his ADP because he was due to regress with a new OC who had never called plays in the NFL before. Not only has JSN not regressed so far, but he has also done it with a backup QB. Their offense does miss Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet. 

Action: An injury to Jadarian Price could open things up for Emmanuel Wilson this week, but I doubt he is good enough to hold down that job for long. 

San Francisco 49ers

We still don’t know much about this team after the first game in Australia and game two versus a team without a pulse. The next three games should give us a better idea of how good their offense and defense might be for the rest of the season. I stayed away from CMC unless he fell to pick 10, and that might have been a solid strategy. 

Action: The loss of rookie Stribling was a big loss, but old men like Evans and Kittle are still reliable. Will Black get more volume at RB? Brock Purdy is always overlooked and usually plays well when healthy. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

Before the season started, I said this was one of the tougher teams to forecast for fantasy football because so many of their players played through injuries last season. Baker’s revenge game against the Browns was a disaster, and that’s why Egbuka and Godwin have struggled. Bucky Irving was one of my hot picks this season because I didn’t think he would lose enough volume to Gainwell, and so far, he is the bright spot on this team. 

Action: Don’t give up on Baker yet, but their schedule over the next 3 weeks could be very tough on him and the pass catchers. 

Tennessee Titans

Cam Ward needs to show more than his average QB play to start the season. I wasn’t that high on Robinson, and so far, he has been a dud. Rookie WR Tate has played just like a typical rookie, and none of their RBs have stepped up to take the heat off the passing game. 

Action: Singleton must get a shot at some point this season with Pollard and Spear not playing great, but until you see the volume, keep him away from your starting lineup. Tate should emerge as the season goes along, and Ward could be a nice replacement for your injured starter. 

Washington Commanders

Just when you thought it couldn’t get much worse for this team, their starting QB went down with a dislocated elbow. But it could have been worse. The fact that their real football defense is getting beat up means there should be some Fantasy Football goodness to mine. Mariota is a competent replacement, and Diggs has taken over the top WR role as forecast. 

Action: Stefon Diggs will get lots of garbage time points this year to go with any points earned the old-fashioned way at the start of the game. Rachaad White was one of my favorite late RB grabs, and he could be even more prominent as a solid flex if they are playing from behind. 

Conclusion

It’s easy to make excuses for players in Fantasy Football, but two weeks are too soon to panic, even for the worst of the underachievers. It’s also way too early to get excited about those guys showing early speed unless they have the back class to carry it for the entire race. 

Injuries always open new possibilities in Fantasy Football, but be careful not to rush guys into the lineup the first week just because the coach-speak says they will get more volume. Good luck, and I will give you another update when the field reaches the quarter pole.