Due to coaching and personnel changes, some veteran players are playing in new offenses or different roles in familiar offenses. An injury can also present a player with an opportunity to shine… or fail. It's that unknown that causes fantasy owners to question a player's value. Has it risen? Is it falling? Can he handle the new role? Does the coaching staff believe in him?

The preseason rarely helps because starters mostly don't play, and coaches don't reveal their new offensive schemes. So here you are on Draft Day, the clock ticking on your pick, and you are questioning the names on your list.

Let me try to help you with some of these questions.

Running Backs

Jordan Mason, Minnesota (ADP 110)

For the first time in his pro career, Mason is the starter. Sure, he started five games in 2025, but Aaron Jones was still the No. 1 when healthy, starting 12 games. The two backs have traded spots on the depth chart in 2026, and that leaves questions for fantasy owners.

Mason has never seen more than 173 touches in a season. Can he hold up to the pounding? On the other hand, he was a quality replacement for Christian McCaffrey in 2024, when he produced three 100-yard rushing games in the first four contests. He started decently last year, but he hasn't proven that he can do it for an entire season. History says play him early, but expect to need a replacement for him in the second half of the season.

MarShawn Lloyd, Green Bay (167.5 last week, now 95)

Josh Jacobs was a workhorse last season and owned a 31.7 ADP heading into last weekend when his off-field actions left him on the Commissioner's Exempt List. When, or if, he returns in 2026 is up in the air.

Suddenly, Lloyd is everyone's choice to reproduce Jacobs' 16.1 FPts/G. That's quite a lot of pressure for a running back with one game and six career carries on his resume who missed all of 2025 with an injury.

The Packers immediately traded for Kaleb Johnson from Pittsburgh, which is a bit concerning, along with Chris Brooks, who has 82 carries in three seasons. We have no history on the three current options sharing the workload, and none of them has a reliable track record.

Lloyd is going to get the first shot and is therefore worthy of being picked, but his rising ADP leaves him in the range of running backs who are more reliable. Be careful about paying too high a price here.

Jonathon Brooks, Carolina (95.3)

Starter Chuba Hubbard killed many fantasy owners in 2025 after following up a 16.4 FPts/G performance in 2024 with 8.5 FPts/G in 2025. His 2026 is starting off poorly with a hamstring injury, which leaves an opportunity for Brooks to grab a large piece of the workload.

But considering he's blown out his right knee twice in 13 months, that doesn't give fantasy owners a lot of confidence. He's worthy of a spot on your bench, but you shouldn't want your season riding on his weak knees.

Jadarian Price, Seattle (61.3)

Price was a late first-round draft pick despite not starting for his college team. He had a good excuse, as he was behind Jeremiyah Love at Notre Dame. Expectations are high despite that, and he's supposed to be the guy to take over for Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker.

Not only that, but backup Zach Charbonnet (IR-Return) is unlikely to be ready early on after a January 2026 ACL injury. That means Price could start the season with a workhorse-type workload and could be a huge fantasy bargain as a late sixth-round selection.

I'm all in here early in the season, though the return of Charbonnet and Price's lack of a heavy college workload could lead to diminishing returns as the season wears on. Ride the early wave and, if need be, trade him when his fantasy value is highest.

Bhayshul Tuten, Jacksonville (58)

The loss of Travis Etienne leaves a huge hole in the Jaguars' running back room. Tuten inherits the starting role despite a career consisting of 83 rushes (3.7 YPC) and 10 receptions.

Still, he isn't that far removed from a 1,159-yard, 15-touchdown season at Virginia Tech, so the team has high hopes. Limiting his ceiling, however, is backup Chris Rodriguez Jr., who ran decently enough in Washington last season (500 yards, 4.5 YPC, six TDs).

He's a bigger back who could hurt Tuten's numbers if the Jags give Rodriguez the red-zone carries. I'd rather have Price in the same round.

Wide Receivers

Here is a late-round pick who could have big upside, particularly early in the season. The Eagles sent No. 1 wideout A.J. Brown to New England in the offseason and made DeVonta Smith their top guy.

But while you will have to pay a steep price for Smith (ADP 36.7), the other side of the field could be where the value is. The Eagles drafted Makai Lemon with a first-round pick this offseason, but he's been unable to work much due to a hamstring injury. Smith was also sidelined with a hamstring pull.

That left quarterback Jalen Hurts to work with Wicks all summer, and the two seem to have found something in practice. I think Wicks, who was the fourth of four receivers in Green Bay (30-332-2), will be much more productive in Philadelphia and could have WR3 value.

Christian Watson, Green Bay (74.7)

Watson was a high draft pick back in 2022 who has never really lived up to his promise. Much of that was due to multiple injuries. However, he came on strong at the end of last season and was excellent at finding the end zone, with six touchdown catches in just 35 receptions.

With Wicks in Philadelphia, Romeo Doubs in New England and Tucker Kraft not ready for a full workload after his knee injury, Watson should lead the trio that includes Jayden Reed and Matthew Golden. If he repeats last season's production over 17 games, he could produce double-digit touchdowns.

I am a believer.

De'Zhaun Stribling, San Francisco (137.7)

Stribling has put together a remarkable preseason, and while that doesn't always convert to the regular season, he's going to get a decent amount of chances.

Brandon Aiyuk is in outer space, Ricky Pearsall is out for the season, Jauan Jennings is in Minnesota, Mike Evans is limping, and George Kittle is trying to return from an Achilles injury.

He's worth a shot in the 14th round in case some of these injuries linger.

Alec Pierce, Indianapolis (97)

Pierce has led the league in yards per reception in 2024 and 2025 (22.3 and 21.3, respectively) and scored 13 touchdowns, too. The team's No. 1 targeted receiver, Michael Pittman Jr., now catches balls from Aaron Rodgers, leaving Pierce as the supposed No. 1.

Pierce has never been a volume guy, with a career-high 84 targets last season, but he signed a monster-sized contract and is expected to be that guy. Offseason ankle surgery left him watching until this week, when he was removed from the PUP list.

He should get plenty of opportunities to shine and has value at this price point.

Quarterbacks

Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia (61.7)

Considering he's been a top fantasy quarterback for a number of seasons, it's interesting that I put him on this list. But the change in offensive coordinators brings a completely new system to the field.

Although it's not the first time he's had to adjust to a new coordinator—it's actually his sixth time—the other OCs all ran a version of the Nick Sirianni offense. Not this time.

Also, he showed last season he's into “hit avoidance,” runs less and gets down or out of bounds more often than in the past. His eight rushing touchdowns last season were the fewest since he became a starter.

If he's not running and he's working in a new offense without A.J. Brown, his fantasy value is likely overstated.

Beware.

Malik Willis, Miami (180.0)

During the offseason, there was a lot of noise surrounding Willis. It was because he was finally going to get a chance to run things. He was coming off a 36.4 fantasy-point game in Green Bay in Week 17.

But I'm not sold on his ability to produce on a Dolphins team that, talent-wise, is the worst in the league. They have one true weapon, and it is running back De'Von Achane. The receiver room is led by Malik Washington and Caleb Douglas.

Don't listen to the hype. Willis won't be running for yards; he'll be running for his life.