Spring brings warm weather and blooming flowers, along with overly optimistic early predictions.
Fantasy football continues to grow into a powerful force, one that consumes both fans’ large-screen TVs and their minds after they lose the championship.
This past NFL season showcased many surprise stars, but who showed the most potential for the 2026 season?
These five players will shake up the fantasy world next season and could finally help that one fan get over the hump.
Undoubtedly, the best tight end of 2025, Trey McBride, is a force to be reckoned with.
Perhaps the only highlight for the Arizona Cardinals was that McBride set the NFL record for catches in a season by a tight end. If that isn’t wild enough as it is, he outscored the second closest tight end, Kyle Pitts, by 105 points.
Quite literally, video game numbers. McBride single-handedly carried many fantasy teams.
McBride averaged 18.6 points per game, with 1239 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. The addition of Mike LaFleur suggests a promising future for McBride in Arizona. He will likely be a second-round pick, and possibly a first-round pick for some fantasy players looking for something exciting.
Trey McBride scored over 100 more fantasy points than the next tight end
— NFL Fantasy Football (@NFLFantasy) January 8, 2026
Tetairoa McMillan is changing the future of the Carolina Panthers.
The 23-year-old receiver out of Arizona, McMillan, took the NFL world by storm. 70 catches for 1,014 yards, seven touchdowns, and an average of 14.5 yards per catch. Not only that, he won the 2025 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award.
With 211.4 fantasy points in the 2025 season, it’s impossible to imagine McMillan downgrading his performance. Although some fans worry about a sophomore slump similar to Brian Thomas Jr.’s in 2025, McMillan is poised to be a top-10 WR with his incredible ceiling.
Tetairoa McMillan is the @Panthers first OROY since 2011!@officialnalo | @EAMaddenNFL | #NFLHonors pic.twitter.com/G0SIu48xKR
TreVeyon Henderson entered New England and shook the running back world. Despite being in the shadow of Rhamondre Stevenson for a good chunk of the season, Henderson exceeded expectations. An early 100-yard kickoff return touchdown had fans salivating at the mouth; his shifty cuts and explosive speed thrilled his coaching staff and fans alike.
With 911 yards and nine touchdowns, Henderson devastated defenses all across the NFL. Not to mention a respectable 221 yards receiving and one touchdown. With an average of 12.1 fantasy points per game, Henderson is entering RB1 conversations.
TreVeyon Henderson goes 100 yards for the TD on the opening kickoff!
Stream WASvsNE on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/purYDocDTF
Despite only playing twelve games in the 2025 season, Jaxson Dart finished in the top 15 in fantasy quarterback scoring. He threw for 15 touchdowns, 2,272 throwing yards, and also nine rushing touchdowns. Not only was his rookie season phenomenal, but he also had to navigate injuries to Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo.
With the addition of John Harbaugh, Dart has the potential to be a top 10 quarterback next season, especially with new talent from the draft that bolstered his offensive line and gave him an additional weapon at wide receiver.