NFL fantasy football news and player signals for Thursday, April 2, 2026

Is Amon-Ra St. Brown the most consistent WR in the NFL? 1,401 Yards + 11 TDs 1,263 Yards + 12 TDs 1,515 Yards + 10 TDs 1,161 Yards + 6 TDs

New show up. Obviously plenty of misses. But love talking to @​mikerenner_ about prospects because he doesn’t care what the “consensus” is. Last year he had Kaleb Johnson RB12 in class, Jacory Croskey-Merritt RB8, Luther Burden WR3, etc. Has some hot takes this year as well. Talked to him and @​evansilva about the NFL outlook for this year’s WR class. Free here: <https://youtu.be/i9EXrpiibWA?si=QH-gTp7qLegLRqJf>

New show up. Obviously plenty of misses. But love talking to @​mikerenner_ about prospects because he doesn’t care what the “consensus” is. Last year he had Kaleb Johnson RB12 in class, Jacory Croskey-Merritt RB8, Luther Burden WR3, etc. Has some hot takes this year as well. Talked to him and @​evansilva about the NFL outlook for this year’s WR class. Free here: <https://youtu.be/i9EXrpiibWA?si=QH-gTp7qLegLRqJf>

New show up. Obviously plenty of misses. But love talking to @​mikerenner_ about prospects because he doesn’t care what the “consensus” is. Last year he had Kaleb Johnson RB12 in class, Jacory Croskey-Merritt RB8, Luther Burden WR3, etc. Has some hot takes this year as well. Talked to him and @​evansilva about the NFL outlook for this year’s WR class. Free here: <https://youtu.be/i9EXrpiibWA?si=QH-gTp7qLegLRqJf>

Highest percentage of 2025 targets to come from screens or RPOs among top draft-eligible wide receivers: 1. Zachariah Branch (82%) 2. Omar Cooper (73%) <nobody else is at 50%>

New #Raiders coach Klint Kubiak worked with Kirk Cousins with the #Vikings for three seasons and recently discussed not wanting to rush a young QB onto the field. A day after Fernando Mendoza’s Pro Day, Cousins lands with Las Vegas. [Retweeted](

The Raiders have added more experience to their QB room, agreeing to terms with former Falcon Kirk Cousins. More: <https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7086984/2026/04/02/kirk-cousins-raiders-nfl-free-agency-2026/>

Latavius Murray serves as a career-trajectory comp for Mike Washington's 80th–90th percentile NFL outcome; while not a stylistic match (Murray had a very upright running style), his career arc represents a realistic ceiling for Washington's production potential in the NFL. Murray 'made a great career,' providing a positive reference point for Washington's best-case scenario despite his below-average college production metrics.

Seth McGawan is positioned as an 'arbitrage' version of Mike Washington—a similar analytical bet but older and slightly worse across multiple metrics. McGawan outproduced Washington when they played together in college. As a fourth-round rookie prospect in the same draft class, McGawan will likely go three rounds later than Washington due to lack of market interest, making him a worse value despite the similar profile.

Mike Washington is the last running back in the weekly starter tier, positioned as a bet on draft capital and athleticism rather than production. His advanced metrics are well below average: explosive run rate is 'really not that good,' adjusted yards per team play in his best year was 65th percentile, and reception share in his best season was 62nd percentile. At almost 23 years old, he tested well at the combine but lacks the production profile to justify his draft capital, making him a cautionary example of prioritizing traits over production. JJ Zachariason notes 'everything looks not great for Mike Washington' and warns the model has historically 'ruined ourselves' by taking trait-heavy backs without strong production profiles. Latavius Murray (career-trajectory comp, not stylistic) represents a realistic 80th–90th percentile NFL outcome ceiling for Washington's production potential.

Will Shipley is listed as a comp for EMTT Johnson's archetype, representing the running back profile JJ Zachariason sees as similar to Johnson.

Tyler Irvin is listed as a comp for EMTT Johnson's archetype, representing the running back profile JJ Zachariason sees as similar to Johnson.

Paul Perkins is listed as a comp for EMTT Johnson's archetype, representing the running back profile JJ Zachariason sees as similar to Johnson.

Eno Benjamin functions as a waiver-wire pickup type with limited sustained starting opportunity. Per JJ Zachariason, Benjamin adds fantasy value only when getting significant work—typically as a backup or third-string guy who breaks into a starting role around week 11, produces points briefly, then fades. Zachariason notes he 'loved and still love Eno Benjamin' but characterizes his fantasy value as temporary and dependent on injury-driven opportunity rather than a locked-in role.

Aaron Jones represents the upside outcome for EMTT Johnson—a player without massive athleticism who became one of the most underrated receiving backs in the league since entering the NFL. JJ Zachariason sees this as a realistic outcome for Johnson if he lands in the right environment with a team willing to give him significant workload.

Tariq Cohen is referenced as a historical comp for EMTT Johnson's receiving back profile, but the current NFL environment has shifted away from that role; target share has moved from running backs to tight ends with heavier personnel, making the Cohen-type outcome less likely than in Cohen's era.

Kenneth Gainwell is cited as a comp for EMTT Johnson's receiving back archetype, alongside Michael Carter and James White, representing the small-frame pass-catching back profile.

James White is a comp for EMTT Johnson's receiving back archetype, though JJ Zachariason notes that White's success was scheme-dependent and may not translate to most other offenses or the current era.

Elijah Holyfield is referenced as an athleticism concern comp for EMTT Johnson; Holyfield ran a 4.8 forty-yard dash, representing the type of poor athletic testing that can derail running back prospects despite other skills.

Michael Carter serves as a cautionary comp for EMTT Johnson's archetype as a receiving back. Carter had a solid rookie season but then disappeared from fantasy relevance, illustrating the risk of small-frame receiving backs in the NFL.

Josh Jacobs is cited as a historical comp for day-two running back picks with low reception shares who successfully converted to productive NFL careers. Like Derrick Henry, Jacobs is presented as an example of a low-receiving-share prospect who succeeded, though this comp does not apply to Jarian Price.

Derrick Henry is cited as a historical comp for day-two running back picks with low reception shares who successfully converted to prolific rushing careers in the NFL. However, this comp is explicitly noted as not applying to Jarian Price, since Price lacks the rushing backbone that Henry possessed.

Damien Harris is cited as a positive comp for Jarian Price due to their Alabama teammate connection, but the comp is undermined by the fact that Harris 'didn't do anything as rookie year.' Harris is also noted as another Alabama teammate who didn't produce in the NFL despite high expectations, illustrating the risk of Alabama running backs in the draft.

JJ Zachariason projects Jeremiah Love's career arc as potentially mirroring Dalvin Cook's trajectory, where limited year-one volume gives way to backfield lead role by year two or three, positioning Love as a potential RB3 or higher in dynasty formats once he secures increased touches.

JJ Zachariason projects Jadarian Price as the second RB off the board in the 2026 class, likely going in the second round though potentially late first round. Price's analytical profile is described as 'extremely weird' and an outlier for a day-two pick. Pro-rated reception share sits at 3% (third percentile), adjusted yards per team play at 10th percentile, and adjusted yards per team pass attempt at 12th percentile. While he posted good explosive run rate and yards after contact per attempt via PFF, the combine revealed concerning metrics: he weighed 203 lbs (lighter than expected at 210-212 lbs) and ran a 4.49 40-time that doesn't align with his explosive run profile. Scouts are concerned about pass protection and that he's not an elite receiver. If Price isn't catching passes or excelling in pass protection, he's being drafted as a pure explosive runner—a limited role. Top Zap model comp is D1 Ronald with Jordan Scarlet secondary comp. Zachariason states: 'if Jarian Price goes to Seattle, it's going to be tough' to justify the investment, though he'd consider him in dynasty drafts at ninth round ADP or later. His draft capital projection of 50–60 is significantly lower than EMTT Johnson's 87, explaining the model's RB2 ranking gap.

JJ Zachariason cites CJ Stroud as the primary historical example of a QB with a true spike in production after his rookie season, but cautions that such trajectories can go wrong, illustrating the risk of banking on second-year breakouts in dynasty formats.

JJ Zachariason conceptualizes the QB prospect as a bigger version of Sam Darnold in his current system, implying limited upside and suggesting he would not be a priority early-round pick, preferring to address QB elsewhere.

JJ Zachariason notes the QB prospect was physically comped to Justin Herbert due to size, but clarifies the prospect is a much worse overall prospect than Herbert, making him a lower-priority target for early QB investment.

JJ Zachariason groups Carson Wentz with Blake Gortles as comparable fantasy outcome profiles for the QB prospect, suggesting a mid-tier QB outcome rather than elite ceiling.

JJ Zachariason identifies Jared Goff as the best-case fantasy outcome comp for the QB prospect being evaluated, noting Goff's ability to put up strong weeks despite system limitations, though he expresses surprise the prospect would reach Goff's ceiling.

JJ Zachariason projects Blake Gortles as a mid-tier QB outcome rather than elite ceiling. Gortles is physically comped to Justin Herbert due to size, but Zachariason clarifies he is a much worse overall prospect than Herbert, making him a lower-priority target for early QB investment. Zachariason groups Gortles with Carson Wentz as comparable fantasy outcome profiles, conceptualizing him as a bigger version of Sam Darnold in his current system, implying limited upside. Best-case fantasy outcome comp is Jared Goff, who can put up strong weeks despite system limitations, though Zachariason expresses surprise Gortles would reach Goff's ceiling.

JJ Zachariason acknowledges Bryce Young as a rare exception to QB value retention, noting he's still a starter available cheaply and could provide usable production to fill Superflex spots at a discount, making him a viable alternative to investing early draft capital in unproven QB prospects.

JJ Zachariason cites Kenny Pickett as historical evidence that quarterbacks retain decent fantasy value year-over-year in Superflex formats even after disappointing rookie seasons, supporting the case for QB value retention as a strategic consideration in dynasty drafting.

JJ Zachariason identifies Jeremiah Love as the elite anchor of the 2026 draft class—the only legendary performer prospect in a class that typically has six across all positions. Love is projected as a top-half first-round RB who will hit 17+ PPR points per game in one of his first three seasons; every top-half first-round RB since 2011 (excluding Ashton Gentry) has achieved this mark, including Trent Richardson at 16.99. Zachariason emphasizes that teams investing this draft capital will feed the player regardless of landing spot. The Zap model ranks Love's profile lower than recent comps (Ashton Jent, Bejan Robinson, Jamir Gibbs), but Zachariason notes the model has limitations in capturing teammate impact (Jarian Price's role) and that Love's advanced PFF metrics are phenomenal. Reception share sits at 12–13% (solid but not elite); adjusted yards per team play and adjusted yards per team receiving yards metrics are strong. Zachariason projects a Dalvin Cook-like trajectory where limited year-one volume gives way to backfield lead role by year two or three, potentially reaching 103+ PPR points per game in reddraft leagues by year two or three. From a value standpoint, Zachariason would not remotely take Fernando Mendoza over Love in any format, citing superior production and replacement value. Love is a very clearly first-round rookie pick in the 2026 draft class.