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NFL careers are often short, and veteran players face constant threats to their position in the offense. Waning or stagnant play quality frequently results in youngsters being allowed to take on a larger role, even for entrenched players sitting atop the depth chart at their position.
The article below breaks down five veterans who are on the hot seat entering the 2026 offseason. Weeks 1-17 and half-points-per-reception (half-PPR) scoring are used as the default settings unless otherwise stated.
QB Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
Young finished as the Weeks 1-17 QB19 in his 2025, third NFL season, underwhelmingly marking a career-best season-long fantasy football finish. His full-season 71.5 PFF offense grade is just the second-best among his three NFL seasons.
After improving his passing play in 2024, Young worryingly reverted to his rookie season form in multiple categories.
Young’s passing data among his three NFL seasons.
| Bryce Young | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| PFF Passing Grade | 53.0 | 75.1 | 68.2 |
| Yards Per Pass Att. | 5.5 | 6.3 | 6.3 |
| Adjusted Completion Rate | 71.9% | 71.5% | 76.6% |
| Average Depth Of Target | 7.8 | 9.0 | 7.2 |
| Past-The-Sticks Throwing Rate | 38.0% | 43.8% | 38.0% |
| Big-Time Throw Rate | 3.2% | 6.6% | 4.5% |
| Turnover-Worthy Play Rate | 3.3% | 2.5% | 2.7% |
| Average Time To Throw | 2.90 | 2.94 | 2.84 |
Young’s stable rushing metrics are also notably decreasing, resulting in his yards per rushing attempt average declining from 6.5 to 5.8 to 4.2. After averaging 0.38 missed tackles forced and 4.0 yards after contact per rushing attempt as a rookie, Young’s respective per-play averages decreased to 0.16 and 2.3 in 2024 to 0.11 and 2.0 this season.
Young, 24, is firmly on the hot seat entering the 2026 offseason and could oneday fimself as another team’s reclamation project.
WR Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts
Pittman enters his age-28 offseason in a precarious position. His 1.46 yards per route run (YPRR) is just 0.02 yards from the lowest per-route average among his six NFL seasons, and his 70.4 PFF offense grade is his second-lowest. He faces threats for the No. 1 pass-catcher role from three different players across multiple positions after finishing as the WR21 this season.
As detailed previously, “PFF receiving grade and age show the strongest correlation, with 11 players being 25 years old or younger and/or grading out as one of the top 12 wide receivers among 36 qualifiers with at least 449 receiving snaps in Weeks 1-17.”
Pittman has one year remaining on his contract. The team can save $24 million by cutting him while losing only $5 million in dead money.
Colts downfield wide receiver Alec Pierce, 25, enjoyed a breakout, 1,000-yard season and is scheduled to enter free agency this offseason, though the team could opt to re-sign him. He earned a 79.7 PFF offense grade, the best PFF offense grade among his four NFL seasons.
Indianapolis’ receiving data among four Colts players with at least 80 targets.
Pittman’s No. 1 pass-catcher seat is hot entering the 2026 offseason.
WR DJ Moore, Chicago Bears
Much like Pittman, Moore, 28, produced the lowest YPRR average (1.24) and PFF offense grade (68.7 PFF offense grade) among his eight NFL seasons and is surrounded by ascending, young talent. Moore is under contract through 2028 and is unlikely to be cut until 2027, should Chicago choose to do so. He finished as the WR30.
Chicago’s remaining 11 personnel starting pass catchers are all 23 or younger. As detailed above, age is critical in high-end season-long receiving outcomes.
Chicago’s receiving data among four Bears players with at least 70 targets.
Moore will likely operate as Chicago’s No. 4 pass catcher at best next season.
TE Chigoziem Okonkwo, Tennessee Titans
Okonkwo, 26, enters the offseason on the hot seat as an impending free agent following a promising season for talented fourth-round rookie tight end Gunnar Helm. Okonkwo’s 60.3 PFF offense grade distantly trails Helm’s 66.5 PFF offense grade.
Helm has already supplanted Okonkwo as Tennessee’s primary run-blocking tight end. As detailed previously, proficient run-blocking is critical for play-action involvement, and 29.9% of [Weeks, 1-17, 2024] tight end targets were earned via the play-action passing game.”
Helm also boasts a superior YPRR average and target-earning ability, though Okonkwo remains an elite post-catch producer.
Okonkwo and Helm’s offensive data.
| Tennessee Titans TE Offensive Data | Chigoziem Okonkwo | Gunnar Helm |
| PFF Run-Blocking Grade | 27.9 | 58.5 |
| Run-Blocking Snaps | 179 | 234 |
| PFF Receiving Grade via Play Action | 72.8 | 70.5 |
| PFF Receiving Grade | 67.1 | 69.3 |
| Targets | 76 | 54 |
| Target Rate | 18.1% | 21.9% |
| Yards Per Route Run | 1.33 | 1.45 |
| Catch Rate | 73.7% | 81.5% |
| Missed Tackles Forced | 13 | 4 |
| Yards After Catch Per Reception | 6.2 | 3.7 |
| Explosive Pass Plays | 15 | 7 |
Okonkwo could end up playing elsewhere in 2026 with Helm ready to operate as Tennessee’s No. 1 tight end.
RB D’Andre Swift, Chicago Bears
Swift, 27, admittedly assuaged these very same concerns from last offseason. Chicago’s seventh-round rookie, running back Kyle Monangai, 23, is already performing at a near-equivalent level despite Swift’s five-year edge in experience. Swift earned an 83.4 PFF offense grade and finished as the RB15 this season. Monangai earned a 67.3 PFF offense grade and finished as the RB29.
Swift holds only a slight edge over Monangai in most rushing and receiving categories.
Swift and Monangai’s rushing and receiving data.
| Chicago Bears RB Rushing & Receiving | D’Andre Swift | Kyle Monangai |
| PFF Rushing Grade | 88.2 | 75.2 |
| Rush Att. | 255 | 190 |
| Missed Tackles Forced Per Rush Att. | 0.18 | 0.16 |
| Yards After Contact Per Rush Att. | 2.9 | 2.9 |
| Yards Per Rush Att. | 4.8 | 4.5 |
| 1st-Down &/Or TD Conversion Rate | 25.9% | 24.2% |
| PFF Pass-Blocking Grade | 52.6 | 29.2 |
| PFF Receiving Grade | 64.9 | 44.4 |
| Targets | 47 | 34 |
| Target Rate | 13.7% | 13.3% |
| Yards Per Route Run | 0.98 | 0.87 |
During Chicago’s postseason play, Swift outsnapped Monangai in the green zone eight-to-seven, while totaling five rushing attempts to Monangai’s three rushing attempts and one target.
Swift can maintain the primary passing down role with superior pass-protection play, but Monangai has a chance to take over as the team’s primary rusher and primary player in scoring position next season.