- Quarterback Malik Willis: Willis’ small sample data points suggest a QB1 finish is within his range of potential outcomes in 2026.
- Running Back Kenneth Walker III: Walker produced elite per-play metrics in 2025.
- 2026 NFL Draft season is here: Try the best-in-class PFF Mock Draft Simulator and learn about 2026's top prospects while trading and drafting for your favorite NFL team.
Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
NFL free agency officially begins on March 11th. Fantasy-relevant players are set to become free agents at the quarterback, wide receiver, tight end and running back positions.
Teams are currently allowed to apply the exclusive and non-exclusive franchise tags, as well as the transition tag, to retain players on one-year deals. Both the non-exclusive franchise tag and the transition tag allow players to negotiate contracts with other NFL teams and allow the tagging team to match a potential offer sheet. Relevant details are discussed in the piece.
The article below details each position’s best fantasy-relevant player, while noting need-to-know runners-up.
Quarterback: Malik Willis
As detailed in prior articles, NFL quarterbacks rely heavily on first reads for their passing productivity. Next-read passes, checkdowns, rushes and scrambles generally define each passer’s preferred playing style, fantasy-point-scoring methods and range of outcomes. In 2024, fantasy football QBs averaged 0.84 fantasy points per rushing attempt and 0.53 fantasy points per passing attempt.” In 2022 and 2023, four quarterbacks in each season “averaged more than 21.0 fantasy points per game. Five of eight quarterbacks averaged 6.0-plus attempts per game and seven of eight averaged 3.6 or more.”
Green Bay Packers free agent quarterback Malik Willis showcased the requisite rushing profile to achieve QB1 results as a presumed starter in 2026. Among 10 NFL free agent quarterbacks with at least 95 offensive snaps in 2025, Willis’ 92.3 PFF offense grade, 90.8 PFF passing grade and 80.3 PFF rushing grade rank first. He is the only qualifying player to earn even an 80.0 PFF grade in any qualifying category.
Willis spent the past two seasons serving as Green Bay’s No. 2 quarterback, rushing six-plus times in four of six games in which he logged at least 25 snaps. Williams rushed once via seven offensive snaps in Week 11, twice via six offensive snaps in Week 12 and four times via 26 offensive snaps in Week 8 last season. He matches high-end rushing volume with high-end efficiency.
Willis’ 2024-2025 rushing data among 36 NFL quarterbacks with at least 40 rushing attempts over the last two seasons.
| NFL QB Rushing 2024-2025 | Malik Willis |
| PFF Rushing Grade | 80.4 (No. 15) |
| Rush Att. | 42 (No. 36) |
| Missed Tackles Forced | 11 (T-No. 19) |
| Missed Tackles Forced Per Rush Att. | 0.26 (T-No. 2) |
| Yards After Contact Per Rush Att. | 4.5 (No. 2) |
| Yards Per Rush Att. | 6.2 (No. 4) |
| Explosive Run Plays | 12 (T-No. 22) |
| 1st-Down &/Or TD Rate | 35.7% (No. 20) |
| Yards After Contact/Rush Yards | 73.2% (No. 3) |
Willis’ passing sample is small, though the 26-year-old’s 2025 data is extremely promising. He notably played through a “legitimate” throwing-shoulder injury and an illness in Week 17 and evidently strained a hamstring in-game.
Willis’ passing data among 60 NFL quarterbacks with at least 45 passing attempts in 2025.
| NFL QB Passing | Malik Willis |
| PFF Passing Grade | 90.8 (No. 3) |
| Pass Att. | 35 (No. 60) |
| Big-Time Throw Rate | 8.3% (No. 1) |
| Turnover-Worthy Rate | 0.0% (No. 1) |
| Yards Per Pass Att. | 12.1 (No. 1) |
| Average Depth Of Target | 9.7 (No. 5) |
| Completion Rate | 85.7% (No. 1) |
| Adjusted Completion Rate | 94.1% (No. 1) |
| Average Time To Throw | 3.32 (No. 60) |
| Past-The-Sticks Throwing Rate | 48.6% (No. 5) |
| Accuracy Rate | 70.6% (No. 1) |
| Accuracy-Plus Rate | 20.6% (No. 6) |
Willis warrants potential QB1 treatment in 2026.
Wide Receiver: George Pickens
The Dallas Cowboys placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on No. 2 wide receiver George Pickens, keeping him in the quasi-free agent ranks. The Cowboys’ decision allows Pickens’ agent, David Mulugheta, to continue negotiating with other NFL teams. Should Pickens sign an offer sheet from a team other than Dallas, “the Cowboys will have the right to match the offer or decline to do so and receive two first-round draft picks as compensation.” Pickens broke out at 25-years old in the 2025 NFL season. His 85.9 PFF offense grade ties for sixth among 62 NFL wide receivers with at least 600 offensive snaps in 2025.
Former New York Giants slot receiver Wan’Dale Robinson is Pickens’ runner-up in this category, coming off a career-best season. He turned 25 years old in January 2026 and earned a 70.2 PFF offense grade last season.
Pickens’ receiving data among 34 NFL wide receivers with at least 98 targets in 2025.
| NFL WR Receiving | George Pickens |
| PFF Receiving Grade | 87.2 (No. 6) |
| Targets | 131 (T-No. 9) |
| Target Rate | 21.5% (No. 22) |
| Deep-Target Rate | 16.8% (T-No. 21) |
| Slot-Target Rate | 1.6% (No. 34) |
| Yards Per Route Run | 2.35 (No. 6) |
| Catch Rate | 71.0% (No. 9) |
| Contested Catch Rate | 56.4% (No. 5) |
| Average Depth Of Target | 12.0 (No. 17) |
| Missed Tackles Forced | 21 (No. 4) |
| Yards After Contact Per Reception | 5.1 (No. 8) |
| Explosive Pass Plays | 38 (No. 3) |
Pickens will remain a fantasy football WR1 if he stays in Dallas. He could feasibly compete for the overall WR1 spot in a high-volume passing offense, possessing fewer capable target earners.
Tight End: Kyle Pitts
The Atlanta Falcons likewise applied the non-exclusive franchise tag to 25-year-old tight end Kyle Pitts. Among 11 NFL free agent tight ends with at least 485 offensive snaps, Pitts’ 75.4 PFF offense grade, 82.0 PFF receiving grade and 81.3 PFF pass-blocking grade rank first. His 43.0 PFF run-blocking grade ranks 10th.
Former Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely is Pitts’ runner-up. He missed Weeks 1-4 after fracturing the fifth metatarsal in one of his feet late in July 2025. He also dealt with hip and calf injuries. He earned a 57.0 PFF receiving grade, the lowest among his four NFL seasons, yet turned in his second-highest-graded season as a run blocker with a 66.5 PFF run-blocking grade. Likely would warrant TE1 consideration if he signs with a new team this offseason.
Pitts’ late-season stretch likely secured him the lucrative franchise tag. Among NFL tight ends in Weeks 13-18, he ranks and/or ties for second in targets (48), receptions (39) and receiving touchdowns (four). His 469 receiving yards rank first.
Pitts’ receiving data among 32 NFL tight ends with at least 50 targets in 2025.
| NFL TE Receiving | Kyle Pitts |
| PFF Receiving Grade | 82.0 (No. 6) |
| Targets | 114 (No. 2) |
| Target Rate | 21.0% (No. 9) |
| Deep-Target Rate | 9.7% (No. 8) |
| Slot-Target Rate | 7.4% (No. 17) |
| Yards Per Route Run | 1.71 (No. 6) |
| Catch Rate | 77.2% (No. 9) |
| Average Depth Of Target | 7.5 (No. 13) |
| Missed Tackles Forced | 9 (T-No. 6) |
| Yards After Contact Per Reception | 4.5 (No. 20) |
| Explosive Pass Plays | 18 (T-No. 8) |
Atlanta could have a new starting quarterback in 2026 and will move on from its top 2025 backup. New head coach Kevin Stefanski will implement a fantasy-friendly offense this season. Among Stefanski’s six seasons serving as the Cleveland Browns head coach from 2020-2025, tight ends totaled 100-plus first-read, regular-season targets five times, ranking ninth or better among NFL offenses in qualifying target totals.
Pitts has strong odds of producing a career-best season if he and the Falcons either agree to terms on a long-term deal or Pitts agrees to sign the $16.3 million franchise tag.
Running Back: Kenneth Walker III
Former Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III’s youth and exceptional rushing and receiving data points earn him the top spot over former Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. While both players possess notable injury histories, Walker’s is far more extensive. This fact, coupled with Etienne’s far superior pass-protection skills, could push some teams to rank Etienne ahead of Walker on their offseason wishlists, particularly if Etienne is willing to sign a team-friendly and/or short-term contract. Walker earns a 91.4 PFF offense grade while Etienne earns a 74.2 PFF offense grade.
The New York Jets placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on running back Breece Hall, 24, on Tuesday morning, technically allowing his agent, Nicole Lynn, to seek an offer sheet elsewhere. Hall, however, indicated via social media that he will play for the Jets on the franchise tag in 2026, saying he has “always been the type” to bet on himself. The 84.0 PFF offense grade and 83.7 PFF rushing grade he earned in 2025 are the best among his four NFL seasons.
Walker bests Etienne in most performance metrics.
Walker and Etienne’s rushing and receiving data.
| NFL RB Rushing & Receiving | Kenneth Walker III | Travis Etienne Jr. |
| Current Age | 25 | 27 |
| PFF Rushing Grade | 91.5 | 74.5 |
| Rush Att. | 286 | 270 |
| Missed Tackles Forced | 77 | 46 |
| Missed Tackles Forced Per Rush Att. | 0.27 | 0.17 |
| Yards After Contact Per Rush Att. | 3.1 | 3.1 |
| Yards Per Rush Att. | 4.7 | 4.3 |
| Explosive Run Plays | 42 | 28 |
| 1st-Down &/Or TD Rate | 22.0% | 18.9% |
| Stuff Rate | 18.5% | 20.4% |
| Yards After Contact/Rush Yards | 65.3% | 70.8% |
| PFF Receiving Grade | 71.4 | 62.1 |
| Targets | 45 | 52 |
| Target Rate | 19.1% | 17.9% |
| Yards Per Route Run | 1.64 | 1.17 |
| Catch Rate | 88.9% | 78.8% |
| Average Depth Of Target | -1.0 | -1.1 |
| Missed Tackles Forced | 12 | 13 |
| Yards After Contact Per Reception | 11.1 | 9.3 |
| Explosive Pass Plays | 9 | 6 |
| PFF Pass-Blocking Grade | 36.0 | 68.0 |
As detailed previously, Seattle’s coaching staff frequently sidelined Walker in high-value situations. His elite per-play data points suggest he possesses a high-end RB1 upside if given a featured, three-down role. However, some teams may believe that Walker is best suited to a one-two-punch backfield, while Etienne’s pass-protection ability and relatively reliable health give him decent odds of landing a featured, three-down role. He has reportedly expressed interest in joining the running back-needy and fantasy-friendly Kansas City Chiefs.
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