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- This Year's George Pickens Is Too Obvious
We’re all trying to find this year’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba, but I’d also settle for landing on this year’s George Pickens—the veteran WR who changes teams and enjoys a resurgence in production.
For 2026, there are two obvious contenders for this mold:
1) Both are veteran WRs who flashed early in their careers, but stumbled in 2025.
2) Both landed on new teams with improved QB play.
3) And both go in the fifth round—the same place Pickens was being drafted around this time last year.
But for me? It’s not even close … Waddle is this year’s Pickens and Moore is this year’s … Khalil Shakir (sorry, not sorry)?
My anti-Moore case is simple. The Bills simply don’t feature “WR1s” in their offense, and at this stage of his career, Moore isn’t transcendent enough as a talent (WR27 in 2024, WR44 in 2025) to change their offensive philosophy.
Despite projecting for the most TDs per game for us (3.2), the Bills project 28th in dropback rate (56.8%). Translation? This team wants to run the damn ball, and Moore is much more likely to be fancy Shakir than he is 2022 Stefon Diggs.
Waddle, on the other hand, is primed for a breakout season in a Denver offense with a significant QB upgrade (Tua -> Bo Nix) and a top-6 projected dropback rate (61.8%).
After being pigeonholed into a Robin role alongside Tyreek Hill for most of his career, he’s finally going to get a chance to be a true alpha WR in a pass-friendly offense. Unlike Moore—Waddle’s efficiency remains steady year-over-year (he was at 9.1 yards per target in 2025 and 9.0 in 2024).
In Denver, Courtland Sutton has served as a de facto “No. 1 WR,” but he’ll quickly take a back seat to Waddle in 2026. Sean Payton has not coached a WR as good as Waddle since he featured Michael Thomas in the Saints offense.
For more fun with this exercise—including my picks for this year’s Javonte Williams, Luther Burden and Chris Olave—be sure to check out today’s Fantasy Life Show with Kendall and me.
Fantasy Life Rankings Updated All Offseason
With the NFL Draft behind us, depth charts are “mostly” set. So the Fantasy Life crew has updated the rankings so we can all get an idea where some of our favorite players will get drafted this summer. And they’ll be updated as news breaks.
Are you taking Bijan Robinson or Jahmyr Gibbs 1.01? See what the rankings say.
Fantasy
Around the Watercooler
Your favorite football nerds are back and bringing you the latest news, content and memes from the NFL universe …
🤝 We’ve been wanting to buy this QB breakout for a while. Plus, ready for more Isaac TeSlaa propaganda?
🪇 We need this offense to make a Swift return to dominance. Shake off last season.
🙏 So you’re saying there’s a chance? Data on how often late-round picks smash.
👀 Is Patrick Mahomes’ Week 1 return too optimistic? Ask him.
🤔 This is what I mean about DJM … ”An impact … regardless of what the stats are.”
💥 An MVP is the missing link for this offense. Looking explosive.
🤢 If you hate RBBC … don’t click this.
🤷🏻 Looking for two breakout WR seasons. Or none?
😴 Possible last roundup for this former fantasy star. Big season means wildest dreams came true.
🐬 Battle for targets in Miami is wide open. Now someone get open for Malik Willis.
🙀 Is Zero RB too scary? We have a strategy for you.
Best Draft Position? 1.01? 1.08? 1.12?
Is it really best to have the 1.01 in your fantasy draft? Hmmmm, but what if you let the best fantasy RB performance of the season fall to your leaguemate with the second pick? If that happens, it’ll be something that hangs over for the entire winter.
As leagues are finding new and unique ways to determine draft order beyond pulling names out of a hat, once the draft positions are locked in the research begins not just for the first round, but those that follow. Get any edge possible, that’s why we put Matt LaMarca on the case to rank all 12 spots for how valuable they are for this upcoming draft season. Where did your pick rank? And for those picking at the end of Round 1, prove that you can pull a championship team out of those slots. ⤵️
A Jet Is Turning Heads in OTAs
Last we heard of Adonai Mitchell, he was fumbling the football just feet short of finishing off a long TD at SoFi Stadium that would have been a game-winner for the Colts over the Rams. Instead, the Colts went down in defeat and a few weeks later he was a throw-in in the deal that sent Sauce Gardner to Indianapolis.
Now going into his first season with the Jets, Mitchell is making the most of his fresh start with good performances at OTAs. Could he hold on to the WR2 job with the Jets? Kody Malstrom swooped over the news at OTAs and uncovered four situations that need monitoring going into training camps next month. ⤵️
Omarion Hampton: Breakout Or Trap?
Round 2 for fantasy drafts will be a fun run of running backs, with so many of them flying off the board that those picking at the end of the round will get nervous thinking whether any good ones will be left. Omarion Hampton is in that group of RBs waiting to anchor fantasy teams. Ian and Dwain break down if the pick will be a boom or a bust. Subscribe to the Fantasy Football Is Life channel so you can catch every team preview. ⤵️
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