Fantasy Football Whiplash! | 2026 Offseason, Coaching Fallout, & the Kitchen Sink

by Samwise · Featured
Whiplash! Fantasy Football

It’s the 2026 iteration of Fantasy Football Whiplash! To say that much has happened since your faithful guide whisked you around the league would be an understatement. Keep your appendages in the car at all times as we roll through the news, the head coaching fallout, and all the “quick hit” silliness you’re accustomed to.

All that remains up to now are memories of an eventful playoffs, head coaching changes, draft declarations (and… [un]declarations?) and a thrilling 2026 NFL Scouting Combine. NFL fans have emerged unscathed, however, coolly strolling away from the proverbial cinematic explosion that lays waste behind them. Eat your heart out, Robert Downey, Jr. With so much to cover in our first installment, the information will be coming at you in boulders.

Given the current circumstances, there is yet more wisdom to weigh regarding the latest noteworthy developments in the NFL and their impact on you, the manager. This may include trending thoughts from industry analysts on Twitter, as well as my own perspectives on specific subjects. It’s all for the benefit of everyone, from casual fans to accomplished veterans. Buckle up, and let’s ride.

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***Want to Choose Your Own Adventure? CLICK HERE to skip down to “Quick Hits!”***

Fantasy Football News

“Hello, My Name Is”

No, it’s neither Slim Shady nor an Alcoholics Anonymous speaker. This is the phrase likely to be uttered (allbeit ironically) in locker rooms across the league when offseason workouts are permitted for teams with a new leader at the helm. This offseason represented 10 coaching vacancies filled. That number has been equaled only four times in history, dating back to 1978. That included the Steelers’ Mike Tomlin and Ravens’ John Harbaugh, who combined for 37 seasons with their respective clubs.

The NFL moniker often stands for “Not For Long” these days. It truly is a “what have you done for me lately” league for players and coaching personnel alike. Tomlin and Harbaugh each had winning percentages over 60%, and each led their franchises to countless postseason appearances. In the ultimate twist, their postseason performances were their undoing. Aside from Tomlin winning a Super Bowl 18 years ago, he and Harbaugh had a combined playoff record of 21-23. Pack your bags.

Kevin Stefanski (Cleveland) rounds out the AFC North dismissals. He compiled a 45-56 record and won NFL Coach of the Year honors twice. Widely respected as an offensive savant, he led his Browns teams to points-per-game finishes of Nos. 14, 18, 30, and 32. Though handcuffed by the Deshaun Watson drama, he had ample opportunity to be “average” and win games, thanks to the defense. “Just Be Average.” Stefanski failed to live up to the city’s own motto.

Incoming!

Baltimore went decidedly young with 42-year-old Jesse Minter. In two seasons as defensive coordinator for the Chargers, they ranked in the top five each season. He’ll be charged with bringing back the Baltimore commitment to defense that has been lacking. He’s set up with most of the experienced offensive pieces, including the ageless wonder Derrick Henry and a return to health for former MVP Lamar Jackson. Toss in Maxx Crosby and some savvy free-agent additions, and Minter should be able just to sneeze and find himself in the postseason.

Sometimes, Pittsburgh all too predictable. Tomlin couldn’t get it done in the playoffs, and they replaced him with Mike McCarthy, who could only parlay his huge successes in Green Bay into the same number of Super Bowl wins as his predecessor—one. Since 2009, his teams have bowed out before reaching the Super Bowl nine times (six straight exits for Green Bay, three straight in Dallas). Apparently, 11-11 in the playoffs was music to Art Rooney’s ears, and they snatched him up.

You can expect both teams to stay true to their AFC North offensive identities: ground-and-pound. Expect the same from Cleveland and their unsettled quarterback situation. We’re going to see a lot more of Quinshon Judkins. When no one else took the job, Todd Monken drew the short straw and threw himself on the grenade. As offensive coordinator in Baltimore, he knows a thing or two about running the ball. Additionally, that’s how teams did it before the advent of the forward pass when Monken was still serving on the Continental Congress, circa 1777.

Wrong Coordinator?

The Arizona Cardinals suffered through three seasons and a 15-36 record with Jonathan Gannon (and whichever version of Kyler Murray showed up for work). Like so many organizations, they went shaking the Kyle Shanahan/Sean McVay tree. What could go wrong? Chris Shula was a highly-touted defensive coordinator destined for head coaching anyway! It wasn’t Shula that fell from the tree, though. Instead, Arizona hired 38-year-old Rams OC, Mike LaFleur. Well, the Rams were loaded with firepower, and Matthew Stafford had an MVP season, so LaFleur has serious playcalling chops.

What’s that? Oh, McVay called the plays. But LaFleur has a storied history. Just look what he was able to do with (checks notes) Zach Wilson when LaFleur was OC for the New York Jets of New Jersey at the Meadowlands Complex, Central Park adjacent. That must have been it.

The Buffalo Bills’ average player age is hovering around 27. New head coach Joe Brady (promoted from OC) is just nine years older. Many expected a coach with a much longer resume to be tapped for the position, but whispers are that Josh Allen lobbied for Brady to get the nod. Seeing Sean McDermott fired was mildly surprising, but again… those pesky playoffs. Over nine years, the mighty Bills were dispatched without a Super Bowl appearance in eight tries. Owner and President Terry Pegula blamed the entire staff for the shortcomings, leading to the axing of three coordinators and 21 assistants. By the grace of Josh, Brady survived. However, it should be noted that he has as large a hand as Allen in falling short of the finish line in 2025.

The Bad and the… Also Bad

Ever seen the 1968 comedy “The Odd Couple”? Probably not. Your trusty scribe wasn’t alive when it hit theaters, but yours truly is dating himself just by even having seen it. Picture “Grumpy Old Men” before “Grumpy Old Men” was a thing. In fact, the same two actors played opposite each other, although the films are not actually related. But, I digress.

It comes to mind because the Tennessee Titans seem to have hired two polar-opposite flailing coaches. The relentlessly in-shape former defensive coordinator, Robert Saleh, is the new head coach. Saleh was dismissed from his previous head coaching job with the aforementioned New Jersey Jets (2024) after posting a 20-36 record. Then the Titans threw another curveball by cornering the market of another failed Jersey experiment—Brian Daboll, complete with a nearly identical record at 20-40-1. Saleh (five years) and Daboll (three) hope to turn around a Tennessee team that seems to be in perpetual rebuild.

No one yet has been willing to give Tyjae Spears the keys to the ground game, and the receiving corps resembles an infirmary more often than not. That’s not doing any favors for quarterback Cam Ward, who has shown flashes of brilliance when he has a supporting cast.

The Unproven

Jeff Hafley was hired as a field general by the Miami Dolphins, who are likely to have a roster jam-packed with young players soon… most of whom are new to the league. It’s a departure from the lackadaisical nature of Mike McDaniel, who was an offensive genius and at times looked out of his element leading a team. He’s off to run the offense for the Chargers.

Hafley seems to fit the part; after all, his more extensive head-coaching work was with collegiates. The issue is that at that level, he didn’t muster much success. A 22-26 record at Boston College is not much of a resume-builder. Hafley spent the last two seasons as the Packers’ defensive coordinator, during which time the defense produced excellent results. He’s going to have to concentrate on the whole team in Miami and avoid the pitfall of going back to concentrating on what he’s good at. The good news for Hafley is that expectations for the aquatic mammals are at an all-time low.

The Chosen One?

The Las Vegas Raiders have discarded three head coaches in four seasons. They’re crossing their fingers in hopes of heading into 2026 with “pocket aces” in the form of the hottest young coaching candidate, Klint Kubiak, and presumed No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza (Indiana) to quarterback the Raiders back to relevance. Mendoza is fresh off a Heisman Trophy-winning campaign, national championship, and MVP honors, along with just about any other award you can take home.

Fantasy managers with a top 2-3 pick in their rookie drafts are hanging their hat on the hopes that Kubiak can get the most out of Mendonza, as he did as offensive coordinator of the Seahawks. Coming off the best year of his career, former No. 3 overall pick Sam Darnold worked closely with Kubiak, with many crediting that relationship for their Super Bowl run last season. With weapons like running back Ashton Jeanty (No. 6 overall, 2025) and tight end Brock Bowers (No. 13, 2024), it would seem the first-time head coach is set up for success.

Kubiak had just three short stints as an offensive coordinator. However, he has been a quarterbacks coach or pass game coordinator throughout his career, working under innovative minds such as his father, Gary, Kevin Stefanski, and Kyle Shanahan. If Fernando can hear the drums, there’s nowhere to go but up.

Full Circle

After escaping the Mistake on the Lake, Kevin Stefanski landed on his feet in Atlanta to coach the Falcons. There remain questions about whether Michael Penix will grow into the starter many expect, but suffice it to say, the situation under center certainly appears more stable than in Cleveland.

One of the first moves the team made with their new coach in the building was to slap the franchise tag on Kyle Pitts while they consider if an extension can be reached by July 15. Stefanski loves heavy involvement from tight ends, so the move was a no-brainer. Stefanski has the opportunity to bounce back in a big way. The dysfunction in Cleveland was evident. The points will be far easier to come by in the Dirty South.

Mike Tomlin did not land on his feet the way Stefanski did. Instead, he landed square on his couch while still collecting a paycheck from the Steelers organization. It has been reported that he can be a studio analyst for whichever network he wants. Fox is currently the frontrunner as it slowly prepares for life after Jimmy Johnson. That said, Tomlin has expressed a desire to take a year off, but he’ll more than likely be working sooner rather than later.

Cream of the Crop

John Harbaugh barely had time to take a leak before the Giants came calling. He would have been in demand for every vacancy, and New York knew it. He’ll have ample freedom to put his fingerprints all over their blueprint; his contract is five years for a cool $100 million, and he asked for and was given organizational control. He will report directly to ownership rather than to the much-maligned GM Joel Schoen. Though Schoen is said to be “overseeing” free agency and the draft, Harbaugh wears the Dockers in the organization.

Harbaugh, no stranger to mobile quarterbacks, now has Jaxon Dart to coach and mold, a mismatch waiting to happen in Malik Nabers (when healthy), and a reliable possession receiver. Capable pass-catcher Theo Johnson and the unlikely backfield pairing of Tyrone Tracy and Cam Skattebo make up the rest of the skill players as it stands now. The Giants don’t have giant gaping positional holes to fill; rather, some minor gaps. It would not be surprising at all to see Harbaugh go out and bring in a splash running back (to the dismay of all the SkatteBROs out there), as well as potentially seeking a boundary threat in the draft, enabling Nabers to line up anywhere.

Quick Hits!

After an endless barrage of coaching talk, everyone could stand some short-attention “quick hitters.” For those of you who watch the weekly  Fantasy Whiplash LIVE! podcast throughout the season, you know that this is our typical modus operandi; actionable advice for your fantasy teams as you navigate a season, mixed with some humor. Fantasy football is fun, so why pretend that it isn’t? Anything goes in the chats, starts/sits, waivers, injuries, and if some lineman’s pants fell mid-play. You know… the information you have to know!

Start the clock.

  • Kirk Cousins has to be thinking “nobody pinch me!” because after dropping one Amber Heard after another on the Mercedes-Benz Stadium turf, there are still teams willing to pay him to bring his noodle arm to their starting lineup. You like that?
  • On the flipside, the 49ers are holding Mac Jones hostage until the highest bidder is ready to pay the piper. Shanahan can coachspeak all day about him being a valuable backup, but if he won’t bite on an easy sell, he would essentially be taking a LOT of money out of Jones’ pocket. He needs to hit the market before the onslaught of 2027 rookie quarterbacks show up.
  • Speaking of being held hostage, how can the New York Jets, in good conscience, do what they are doing to Breece Hall?
  • Cincinnati fans have wanted to draft a tight end for as long as the city has had electricity. Now, fans are doing mocks with names like Sadiq and Stowers. Because, you know, everything else is in good shape.
  • Mac Jones again… what if he winds up in Minnesota? What if he follows in Darnold’s footsteps until he’s sitting behind him at lunch in “the home”? That’s a screenplay waiting to happen—Tim Robbins as Darnold and Channing Tatum as McCorkle. Smash hit.
  • Somebody said Washington was looking for the”next” Jacory Croskey Merritt at the combine. Why? Someone smarter than me needs to explain it like I’m a 2-year-old.

Tick Tock…

  • Lost in the Super Bowl celebrations, what will Seattle do at running back in 2026? Zach Charbonnet is likely to miss half the season, and the team doesn’t have much depth. Kenneth Walker is going to cost an arm and a leg. Have we not yet seen the likes of Rico Dowdle or Tony Pollard riding off into the sunset?
  • Mike Washington Jr. runs good.
  • How much is Philly going to miss A.J. Brown? They’re already on thin ice. It’s going to take a splash to replace him because DeVonta Smith is good to be double-covered about 33% of the time.
  • After Nick Chubb and Joe Mixon, I’d be petrified to sign with the Texans. Just hang ’em up and go fishing.
  • I’d also be petrified if I came across that Makai Lemon death stare out in the wild.
  • Do fantasy managers still draft Jordan Love? Do they leave him for the token Packer fan? PlayerProfiler’s Dan Williamson thinks he’s a must-fade in Best Ball (read it here), and I tend to agree.
  • People are already looking to fade 2025 draft picks because they didn’t ring the bell from the jump. That’s a perilous endeavor. Jeanty, with passable blocking, is going to look like a completely different person. Omarion Hampton sans injury and a heavier workload? With Mike McDaniel designing the offense? Woof.
  • I’m not sure at this point that Stefon Diggs is going to find a team that can get him back to the Big Game. Seems like finishing with someone in need (SF? PIT?) is far more likely.

What to Watch For

Monday, March 9: 12:00 pm EDT | Legal Tampering Period Begins Free Agency

Wednesday, March 11: 4:00 pm | The 2026 League Year, free agency signing period, 2026 trading period begins

 Wednesday, March 11: 11:59:59 pm EDT | Clubs receive personnel notice, including all transactions submitted to the league office during the period between 4:00 p.m.and 11:59:59 p.m.

March 29 – April 1 | Annual League Meeting, Phoenix, AZ

April 6 | Clubs that hired a new head coach after the end of the 2025 regular season may begin offseason workout programs.

Apr. 15 | Deadline for clubs to time, test, visit, interview, or conduct a physical examination with a draft-eligible player at its club facility.

April 17 | Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets.

Apr 20 | Clubs with returning head coaches may begin offseason workout programs.

April 22 | Deadline for prior club to exercise right of first refusal to restricted free agents who signed offer sheets.
Deadline for clubs to time, test, visit, interview (including video and phone calls), or conduct a physical examination with a draft-eligible player at any location.

April 23 – April 25 || 2026 NFL Draft, Pittsburgh, PA.

More Fantasy Whiplash! to Come

We’ll take a ride around the twists and turns of the league again in two weeks! Less recap, more reactions to free agency, trades, the draft, and how each situation will impact your fantasy football squad. Best Ball, Redraft, Dynasty… It’s equal opportunity when you’re hugging the turns and storing info to help you win leagues!

Whiplash! Fantasy Football

As always, be on the lookout for Fantasy Whiplash LIVE! I’ll have a different co-host each week to detail what is going on in the world of fantasy football and how it affects your players and teams! We’re talking in-season weekly waivers, injuries, and replacements, and the players who are must-adds or must-drafts in each format as we navigate the summer!

Leave your pretenses at the door, put your feet up, and let’s have a few laughs while we formulate our plan for 2026 dominance. As always, you can keep track of the shows this summer, catching up on news you missed, and finding more of my fantasy content of all formats on the tweet machine by clicking here: @BuyAndSellYou

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