- Tony Pollard should still be the Titans‘ RB1: The veteran netted a strong 3.21 yards after contact per attempt in an offense with a poor pass game.
- Tyler Shough has a better ecocystem: Shough secured the 12th-best PFF passing grade among qualifiers last year and now benefits from improved weaponry.
Fantasy football managers spend every offseason chasing the next breakout player, but sometimes the best values are hiding in plain sight. Players whose roles remain unchanged from the previous season often slip in drafts because of age concerns, injuries or offseason additions that don’t materially affect their workload.
These three players all enter 2026 with opportunities similar to the ones they had in 2025, making them strong values at their current fantasy prices.
WR Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers
Christian Watson‘s value cratered after he tore his ACL late in the 2024 season, but the Packers never wavered in their belief that he was a key piece of their offense. Green Bay rewarded the explosive pass catcher with a four-year, $110.5 million contract extension in the offseason, signaling its intention to keep him in a featured role.
From his return in Week 8 through to the end of the 2025 season, Watson’s 88.5 PFF receiving grade was the fifth-highest at the position amongst qualifying receivers. His ability to stretch the field opened up Green Bay’s passing game and gave Jordan Love the explosive perimeter threat the offense had been missing during the first half of the season. His 17.5 yards per reception from his return onward was second in the NFL behind only Alec Pierce.
Few receivers possess Watson’s combination of size and speed, and his role entering 2026 should be even larger given the Packers lost Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks in the offseason.
If fantasy managers are still discounting him because of the injury that’s now behind him, Watson has a realistic path to outperform his current ADP and finish as one of the better values at the position.
RB Tony Pollard, Tennessee Titans
The Titans’ decision to draft Nicholas Singleton has led many fantasy managers to fade Tony Pollard, but that reaction appears to be an overcorrection.
Pollard is approaching 30 years old, and Tennessee clearly wanted to add another contributor to its backfield. That doesn’t change what happened in 2025, when Pollard was comfortably the team’s most effective running back and finished as a low-end RB2 despite playing in difficult circumstances.
Pollard’s 1,082 rushing yards placed 13th in the NFL, ahead of the likes of Breece Hall (1,065), Kenneth Walker III (1,027) and Ashton Jeanty (975). While Pollard doesn’t force many missed tackles — 39 in total, 20th out of 29 qualified backs — he can still grind out hard yards.
Indeed, Pollard averaged 4.47 yards per carry behind an offense that posted a 57.5 PFF run-blocking grade, good for 23rd in the league. Meanwhile, Tennessee’s passing game produced a 54.2 grade, 29th in the NFL, and did little to prevent defenses from loading the box. Even in a below-average offensive environment, Pollard continued to produce efficient rushing numbers.
Singleton is likely to carve out a role, but Pollard remains the most complete back on the Titans’ roster. Considering how inexpensive he’s become in startup drafts, Pollard is the type of veteran who can provide starting-caliber production at a bench-level cost.
QB Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints
Tyler Shough didn’t put up eye-popping numbers after taking over as New Orleans’ starting quarterback midway through the 2025 season, but there were plenty of reasons for optimism.
Shough threw 10 touchdowns against six interceptions while showing flashes despite operating in an offense short on explosive playmakers. Of signal-callers with at least 350 dropbacks last season, Shough ranked 12th with a 73.1 PFF passing grade.
Shough is not a big-game hunter: His 3.7% big-time throw rate was 18th amongst 27 qualifying quarterbacks. But he also doesn’t put the ball in harm’s way a lot, as his 2.2% turnover-worthy play rate was fifth-best from his first start in Week 9 and later.
The Saints spent the offseason improving the supporting cast around their young quarterback. Travis Etienne brings much-needed explosiveness to the backfield after Alvin Kamara showed signs of slowing down in 2025, while rookie Jordyn Tyson gives New Orleans another receiving threat alongside Chris Olave.
Shough isn’t being drafted as a fantasy starter in most leagues. But the combination of job security, improved weapons and expected second-year development makes him one of the more intriguing mid-to-late-round quarterback targets that has solid QB2 appeal with the potential for QB1 upside in given weeks.