Fantasy Football Today – January 5, 2026

Episode: "2026 Top 12, Week 18 Thoughts, Fantasy Superlatives and Coaching News"

Hosts: Adam Aizer, Dave Richard, Jamey Eisenberg
Date: January 5, 2026

Overview

This episode blends deep-dive analysis and laid-back debate around the 2026 fantasy football landscape, focusing on:

• The unpredictability of this season’s NFL playoffs and Super Bowl outlooks
• Coaching changes, team news, and their fantasy implications
• A recap of Week 18 and rookie QB performances
• Detailed debate around consensus top 12 fantasy players for 2026
• Early superlative awards for MVP, biggest bust, best waiver pickup, and comeback player of the year

Episode Breakdown

1. Wild Card Playoff Picture & Super Bowl Predictions

(02:11 – 06:14)

Main Points:

• The hosts marvel at the wide-open playoff picture and the difficulty of making confident Super Bowl picks.
• The unpredictability adds excitement and challenge to playoff fantasy formats.
• Specific game lines and favorites are discussed, including doubts about the 4-seeds and questions surrounding team strengths and weaknesses.

Notable Quotes:

• Adam (03:09): "I have no idea who’s going to win the Super Bowl. That’s what makes football great. The unpredictability of it all is amazing."
• Jamie (05:17): "You could say any combination of these teams and everybody would just nod. It’s going to be fun—and probably disappointing when we see who actually makes it."

2. Coaching News, Team Rumors & Offseason Outlook

(07:51 – 12:06)

Main Points:

• Updates on injured players (Cam Ward, J.J. McCarthy, Taysom Hill, etc.) and early offseason storylines.
• Coaching carousel: Steichen & Ballard stay with Colts; openings in Cleveland, Atlanta, Giants, Browns, Titans—potential surprise firings loom.
• Discussion of how incoming or outgoing coaches could impact fantasy values (e.g., Kevin Stefanski to the Giants or Jets).

Notable Quotes:

• Adam (09:43): "As a Giants fan, I want Kevin Stefanski. This guy’s had garbage quarterbacks and kept the team competitive."
• Dave (10:10): "Atlanta or Vegas could be intriguing jobs—with loads of offensive talent but some big holes."

3. Week 18 Recap & Rookie QB Analysis

(13:22 – 16:48)

Main Points:

• Ravens-Steelers was called out as a highlight (13:26); disappointment in Lamar Jackson missing the playoffs.
• Rookie QBs: Noted how Cam Ward, Jackson Dart, and Tyler Shough all had encouraging finishes despite overall class doubts.
• Breakdown of Parker Washington’s surge and Travis Hunter’s shifting role (toward defense), with fantasy implications for Dynasty leagues.

Notable Quotes:

• Dave (14:07): "Look at how [Shock] did without Chris Olave—that’s a team rising. They’ve got the right coach, talent is stockpiled."
• Jamie (15:31): "If Travis Hunter is full-time defense next year, it could be one of the worst Dynasty picks. His value might never match expectations."

4. 2026 NFL Draft Top 10 Preview

(18:18 – 20:02)

Main Points:

• Review of draft order; Jets, Cardinals, Titans, Giants, Browns, Commanders, Saints, Bengals, Chiefs in the top 10.
• Quarterback prospects and how many will go in the top five—consensus seems to be “two, maybe one.”
• Carson Beck called out as a likely late pick, not a first rounder.

Notable Quotes:

• Adam (19:36): "I think it’s more likely Carson Beck goes undrafted than in the first round—just not really a pro prospect to me."
• Dave (19:53): "Even if he wins the Natty, I don’t think he’s shown enough over the balance of the year."

5. Top 12 Players for 2026 Fantasy Football

(20:14 – 41:45)

Overall Process

• Each panelist reveals early top 12 PPR rankings for 2026, sparking nuanced debate around each slot.
• Discussion covers rationale, usage trends, target shares, supporting casts, coaching outlooks, and historical fantasy trends.

Consensus Top 6 (in some order):

• Bijan Robinson
• Jahmyr Gibbs
• Puka Nacua
• Ja’Marr Chase
• Jackson Smith-Njigba (JSN)
• Devon Achane

Notable Quotes:

• Adam (21:24): "Puka’s an insane player… he averaged 23.6 PPR points per game. He’s just too good.”
• Jamie (23:01): "JSN had the best season for a WR on a bottom-5 pass attempt team in at least 13 years."
• Dave (23:51): "JSN led the NFL in passing yards on a team bottom-third in pass rate. Are we worried about that next year?"

Subsequent Picks Vary

• Christian McCaffrey, Jonathan Taylor, CeeDee Lamb, Amon-Ra St. Brown, James Cook, Omariyon Hampton, Trey McBride enter the conversation.
• Debates around McCaffrey’s workload/age, Taylor’s offense, Cook’s role, WR vs. RB risk, and breakout candidates.
• Panelists raise injury and offensive context points for each pick.
• McCaffrey's risk: workload, age (30 by next season), and risk of a workload-reducing tandem approach by 49ers (34:16).

Memorable Segment:

• Adam (28:42): "I talked about resolutions—I just don’t want to draft a player that might be on a bad offense, you know? Seventh, eighth overall. The only guy whose offense really scares me is Jonathan Taylor’s."

6. NFL Superlatives – Fantasy Awards Discussion

(45:29 – 63:36)

Categories:

• Fantasy MVP
• Biggest Bust
• Best Waiver Wire Pickup
• Comeback Player of the Year

MVP Nominees (Consensus):

• Christian McCaffrey
• Puka Nacua
• JSN (Jackson Smith-Njigba)
• Trey McBride (Bijan Robinson was considered, but cut)

Notable MVP Quote:

Jamie (47:41): "Puka was amazing, JSN dominated for the majority of the season, McBride's position advantage was incredible, and McCaffrey speaks for himself."

Biggest Bust Candidates:

• Justin Jefferson
• Saquon Barkley
• Ashton Genti
• Brian Thomas Jr.

Waiver Wire Pickup Candidates:

• Matthew Stafford (QB)
• Michael Wilson (WR)
• Wondale Robinson (WR)
• Rico Dowdle (RB) OR Kenny Gainwell (RB) (final spot debated)
• Jacoby Brissett (QB) received consideration for late-season QB heroics

Comeback Player of the Year Nominees:

• Javonte Williams
• Chris Olave
• Travis Etienne
• Trevor Lawrence

Lively banter as they weigh what constitutes “comeback”—injury, previous underperformance, or both?

7. Final Notes, Listener Interaction, and Season Preview

• Reminders about social voting on awards via Facebook (see 47:13/58:44).
• Hype for upcoming offseason content and regular Dynasty/Express shows.
• Hosts briefly reminisce on their January 2025 rankings, pat themselves on the back for a solid early list.

Memorable Moments & Quotes

On playoff unpredictability:
Jamie (03:21): "I could see it going any way except… maybe the Panthers making a run. You can make a case for and against almost everyone."

On Travis Hunter’s Dynasty future:
Adam (16:09): "Could be one of the worst dynasty picks if he’s just a defensive player now.”

On Christian McCaffrey risk:
Jamie (32:27): "He's hitting a lot of red flags right now—workload, age, and if he misses time, it’s not just a game or two, it’s season-ending."

On the historical trends in fantasy RBs:
Adam (37:13): "I think the last RB to repeat as RB1 was Priest Holmes in 2002 and 2003. It’s rare.”

On James Cook potentially being Round 1-worthy:
Jamie (44:40): "He should have been a Round 1 player each of the last two years—just nobody actually took him there.”

Suggested Listening Segments and Timestamps

• Playoff predictions & line debates: 02:11 – 06:14
• Coaching carousel and offseason news: 07:51 – 12:06
• Top 12 picks debate and deep-dive: 20:14 – 41:45
• MVP/Bust/Waiver/Comeback awards segment: 45:29 – 63:36

Tone & Style

• Engaging, lively, and good-natured banter.
• Analytical but approachable—you feel like you’re overhearing a smart but passionate conversation among friends.
• Lots of data, anecdotes, and candid “gut-check” moments (“I have no idea why I put those WRs ahead of Gibbs”).
• Approachable for both die-hards and intermediate players—technical concepts are explained contextually.

Summary

This episode is a must-listen for dynasty and redraft fantasy managers prepping for 2026:

• Get a snapshot of top-tier player value, with context for why analysts believe the “youth movement” of running backs and wide receivers are consensus early picks.
• Hear early debates on player risk, offensive context, historical track records, and the shifting RB/WR landscape.
• Valuable discussion of best and worst 2025 picks, plus who won the waiver wire.
• The episode serves as a springboard into offseason speculation, draft prep, and spirited awards chatter.

If you want to know the players, trends, and narratives that will drive 2026 fantasy football debates, this episode is your cheat sheet.