Welcome to the weekly Fantasy Notebook, the must-stop spot for keeping your finger on the pulse of Fantasy Nation. NFL news and developments drive fantasy values. The Notebook is here to keep you in the loop on all of it throughout the season -- and into the offseason. 

Truths Have Been Told

The NFL Scouting Combine has something for everybody. Draftniks obviously love it. I watch all of the festivities (and I'll always be a sucker for a sub-4.4 forty), but when it comes to assessing the incoming class, I still lean more heavily on studying the Footballguys 2026 Rookie Draft Guide than I do watching drills.

Instead, my focus is on the press conferences held by every coach and general manager in attendance in Indianapolis. It's an annual ritual. One that's easily overlooked.

It shouldn't be. 

Why?

Another great man I've learned from - @footballdiehard - taught me that *if* coaches and GMs tell us the truth, the combine is the most likely place that it will happen...

The GM/HC press conferences that started this morning are one of the most valuable products of this event.

— Sigmund Bloom (@SigmundBloom) February 24, 2026

This is the week that coaches and decision-makers reveal more than at any other time of year -- and fantasy values quietly shift because of it.

Jeanty Getting a Wingman

As Profootballtalk.com's Myles Simmons noted earlier this month, the Raiders have a way to go to become a contender, but they do have some building blocks on offense, with running back Ashton Jeanty being one of them.

The sixth overall pick in last year's draft, Jeanty was productive as a rookie, delivering 1,321 yards from scrimmage and 10 total touchdowns.  

The result was a fantasy RB11 finish based on total points, although his 14.5 points per game ranked 16th at the position.

Either way, he fell short of expectations given his first-round Average Draft Position (ADP) last summer.

Jeanty was RB8 as the 2025 fantasy draft season wound down last September.

But it could have been worse, because . . . 

Volume is King

Jeanty ran for 975 yards and five touchdowns in 2025, adding 55 receptions for 346 yards and another five scores through the air.

That rushing total ranked 18th in the NFL.

His 3.7 yards per carry ranked 46th among qualified rushers during the 2025 season.

Jeanty didn't lack opportunities, however. 

His 266 total carries ranked seventh in the NFL, adding further evidence to what's long been established: Workloads matter.

The Raiders leaned into Jeanty, even when he didn't produce as expected. 

Pointing Fingers

While he was among the league leaders in total workload, Jeanty's efficiency was crushed by a Raiders offensive line that struggled for much of the year, finishing as the 32nd-ranked rushing offense in the league.    

As a result, 780 of the rookie's 975 rushing yards came after contact.

Jeanty's 43 broken tackles led the league, but he was hit at the line 139 times, according to Sports Info Solutions. That's more than any other player in the league. 

Good News

Not surprisingly, the hiring of Klint Kubiak as head coach led to optimism among fantasy investors.  

Jeanty's initial ADP puts him at RB7, and he's being drafted 12th overall. His initial Footballguys projection -- RB5 -- is even more bullish.

It's understandable.

In 2025, with Kubiak calling the plays in Seattle, the Seahawks emerged as one of the run-heaviest teams in the NFL, finishing with the third-highest rushing rate in the league. This shift was a cornerstone of their 14-3 regular season and eventual Super Bowl championship. 

While much of the league continued to trend toward high-volume passing, Seattle leaned on a physical ground game and a revitalized offensive line. Kubiak did the same with the Saints in 2024 -- at least early in the season before injuries to the offensive line slowed their momentum.

But a run-heavy offense that's built around getting the running back into space through play-action and misdirection absolutely plays into Jeanty's strengths.  

Bad News

In addition to his heavy workload as a rookie, Jeanty had 750 carries in three years at Boise State -- giving him more than 1,000 in four years. 

Running backs have short enough careers, so Kubiak plans to keep an eye on Jeanty's workload.

"Yeah, we definitely want to have a two-man show there, guys who can share the load. It's a long season," Kubiak said. "You don't want to put all of the carries and targets on one guy. So, right now, we are identifying guys who are available here in the draft, identifying the free agents, and looking at our own roster and seeing who can take that role. 

"It is important that Jeanty has a wingman."  

We've Seen This Before 

This is where I remind you that one year ago this very week, Kubiak, in his introductory press conference in Seattle, told reporters how fired up he was to have Ken Walker III, who was viewed as an ideal fit for the coach's wide-zone attack, as his running back.

"We're going to get the ball to our best runners -- and that's [Walker]."

It didn't work out like that as the Seattle backfield evolved into a highly productive committee. 

While Walker remained the primary yardage generator, Zach Charbonnet took over as the team's primary scoring threat and goal-line specialist.

Will We Get a Repeat in Vegas?

While a split backfield seems like the worst possible outcome for Jeanty, it doesn't have to be.

As Footballguy Sigmund Bloom noted last week, when you consider that Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs have been part of two-back attacks for their entire careers to date, this doesn't seem so scary. 

But unlike Detroit and Atlanta, where there was a clear "1A," Seattle operated almost at a 1.2:1 ratio of carries.

This near-even split in touches made both Walker and Charbonnet frustrating to start in fantasy, as they effectively cannibalized each other's ceilings.  

Could the same happen to Jeanty?

Or will the Raiders' backfield more closely resemble the Falcons or Lions? 

Fantasy Fallout

The Raiders don't appear to have a Charbonnet-level player.

Last year, Jeanty's backups were Raheem Mostert and Zamir White, both of whom become free agents this month. The only other running back on the roster, Dylan Laube, had seven carries for nine yards last season. 

It remains to be seen who Las Vegas will get to serve as "wingman" and how it will impact Jeanty's workload.  

But it's coming.

Moves made in free agency and the NFL Draft will be factors. Fantasy investors should watch developments play out over the next two months before plotting strategies for the drafts that matter most to us this summer. 

Adding to the intrigue, we're likely to see rookie Fernando Mendoza under center in Vegas. 

A first-year quarterback may matter more than any "wingman."

For now? 

We're paying for last year's volume . . .

A Surprising Shift in Denver

The Broncos fired offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and retained Davis Webb, who was promoted from quarterbacks coach to fill the opening. 

But the new coordinator will also have a significant game-day responsibility.

For the first time in Sean Payton's head coaching career, he will not serve as the team's full-time play-caller.

Webb will serve as the Broncos' play-caller, Payton announced Tuesday at the 2026 NFL Combine. 

The news came as a surprise -- especially to those most familiar with Payton's history.

I can’t fathom Sean Payton ever giving up play calling knowing how he operates…

And that should tell you everything you need to know about Davis Webb https://t.co/HnWk1UZ6H3

— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) February 24, 2026

What Gives?

To what should we attribute a change that has been characterized as "stunning" by those who cover the team closely?

The answer might be simple.

"He's extremely talented," Payton said. "It's something that he'll be really good at. Man, it's like, 'Would you give up play-calling?' I would only do that if I felt like it would help our team. I'll still be involved with what we do offensively, just like what we do defensively. But I do think he has a gift. He's really sharp. I'm glad he's on our staff." 

A coach's son and a former NFL quarterback, Webb was suiting up and throwing passes in the NFL as of January 2023.

So, while he might be sharp and well-versed in the ways of the game, Webb is only three years into his NFL coaching career. 

The Genesis

Still, Payton said he began considering the move midway through the 2025 season, and he said the decision is rooted in what's best for the Broncos.

"It's still going to be our offense, but I think it's easier to do as you get older and you look at, 'How do we win more games?'" Payton said. "It's something that I wouldn't do if I didn't think would help."

Webb served as the team's quarterbacks coach for a pair of seasons before adding passing game coordinator to his title ahead of 2024. 

His playcalling experience was limited, as you might expect.

But Webb was allowed to call plays for the Broncos' 2025 preseason win over the Cardinals, and Denver racked up 562 yards of total offense and averaged 7.8 yards per play. 

The Broncos scored 24 first-half points in that game, and Webb received a game ball after the win.  

A Necessary Change?

The Broncos, who finished 14-3 in the regular season to earn the AFC's No. 1 seed, had one of the league's best defenses. They led the league in sacks, yards surrendered per play, and red-zone defense; were second on third down; and ranked third in scoring defense.

Conversely, Payton had expressed frustration about the offense at various times during the season. 

Overall, the Broncos were 14th in the regular season in scoring (23.6 points per game). They were okay -- but not explosive. 

Too many stalled drives. Too few chunk plays . . .

Maximizing Nix

Losing Nix to injury in the divisional playoffs was a brutal blow for the Broncos. It was even more painful because Nix finished the season strong.

Though he was 15th in QBR for the season (58.3), he registered a 66.3 from Week 13 on (the equivalent of ranking seventh).

Not surprisingly, Nix has a special relationship with Webb. 

According to Payton, that may have played a part in why Webb, who interviewed for seven openings -- four head coaching and three coordinator jobs -- stayed in Denver instead of taking one of the opportunities he had elsewhere.       

According to Sports Illustrated's Chad Jenson, it's hard to say exactly how different this offense may look under Webb's play-calling. However, we can't get too carried away with the projections, since Payton has asserted it's still his offensive system, even though Webb will be the primary play-caller. 

But it's worth noting that, in Webb's first season as pass game coordinator, the Broncos' passing offense jumped from 20th in 2024 to 11th in 2025.

"He understands the role of being a coach," Nix said of Webb on Wednesday. "He's helped me in two years consolidate, make things simple, and just keep the main thing the main thing. 

"I think highly of him. I know he's a really good football coach."

Setting Realistic Expectations

In last summer's win over Arizona, Stidham looked like a world-beater, passing for 240 yards and two touchdowns on just 23 attempts. The Broncos' offense looked different in the sense that it was more explosive and downfield-oriented.

Granted, Stidham was going against second-team opponents, but it's a great harbinger for Nix.

One of the big missing components of the Broncos' 2025 offense: Explosive plays. 

Expect that to change under Webb's purview.

Payton made this change for a reason. He truly believes that Webb will make the Broncos and Nix better.

Nix has already posted historically prolific numbers through his first two years. This could be how he breaks through onto the next plane of NFL quarterbacks.

If so, Nix's initial QB14 Footballguys projection and his current QB15 ADP (that includes an eighth-round price tag) position him to deliver considerable value for a player coming off a QB9 finish in 2025 . . .

An Unexpected Handoff in Carolina

The Panthers are also making a change in their offensive operation for the 2026 season.

Head coach Dave Canales told reporters on Tuesday that offensive coordinator Brad Idzik will call the team's plays. 

As recently as his season-ending news conference, Canales, who handled those duties the last two seasons, had been emphatic that he would remain the play-caller.

That might be why he made a point of stating that the change was made without pressure from general manager Dan Morgan or owner Dave Tepper.

"That's not me," Morgan confirmed. "His decisions are his . . . Coach wanted to kind of take a step back and be a head coach where he's able to have a say on both sides of the ball."

"This is something that all of us collectively have talked about as an organization. It was my idea to come up with this," Canales said at the combine. "[Idzik's] continuity with the system, his continuity with the players, being able to do that, I believe, will be the best thing for us moving forward."

Letting Go

Canales also admitted putting his ego aside was a factor since many of the coaches he idolized also called plays.

"It was a big part of it," Canales acknowledged.

Canales noted that giving Idzik total control over play calling will allow him to broaden his ability to coach all aspects of the team.

"He's my primary architect for what we do offensively," Canales said. "I saw this as an opportunity to streamline the work that goes on during the week and then to have that come alive on game day."

An Experienced Hand to Ease the Way

Carolina also brought in long-time offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell to serve as an offensive specialist and assistant head coach. He has years of play-calling experience, much more than Canales' three, the head coach joked, and will serve as a resource for both Canales and Idzik throughout this change.

"Darrell's a big part of that," Canales explained. "Bringing his experience from a play-caller standpoint, building our systems, helping us grow all those things, and really having that, allowing Brad to have somebody with that type of experience to lean on, you know, with my humbling three experiences that I have, he's lived all of those. 

"I want him to be able to see more of that."

Focus on the Quarterback

Canales said that Bryce Young was kept aware of his decision and the "vision of what I hope will come." 

The goal for the QB is continued growth in his ownership of the Panthers' offense. Specifically, Canales expects Young to become increasingly adept at changing plays at the line when he recognizes mismatches against the opposing defense.

Canales pointed to a call Young made on a 52-yard pass to Jalen Coker in the Panthers' playoff game as an example of what he's eager to see Young keep doing.

That's the next big step the Panthers need him to take.

"He saw a particular coverage and got us to an explosive play to Coker down the field, and it was the study," Canales said. "It was the understanding. It was getting out of the huddle in a timely fashion and being able to seize a moment. I want more moments like that for Bryce."

No Guarantees

As ESPN.com's Seth Walder suggested, the pendulum on how much the Panthers should believe in Young continued to swing back and forth in 2025, as it has for his entire career.

Young achieved career-best figures in 2025, throwing for 3,011 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions with a 63.6 percent completion rate. 

He led the Panthers to an 8-9 record and an NFC South title, securing the team's first playoff berth since 2017. Young also recorded six game-winning drives during the season. 

Despite the improved overall numbers, Young still personified variance as he delivered both stellar games and very low-performing, turnover-prone outings. 

Young had only four games over 200 yards passing, with Carolina often relying on a run-heavy game plan.

Still, he showed enough to be the starter again in 2026, and the Panthers are likely to pick up his fifth-year option, which will cost them $25.904 million in 2027. 

But Walder contends the Panthers should be hesitant to commit to Young beyond that until he shows more growth. 

Fantasy investors would be wise to share in Walder's skepticism and view Young as a low-end QB2 in SuperFlex formats until he proves himself. 

That said, his double-digit price tag and QB22 ADP put him in play for those wanting to roll the dice on Young finally making good on the potential that made him the No. 1 pick overall in the 2023 NFL Draft . . .

This and That: Ongoing Saga Edition

In addition to the unexpected news outlined above, the combine also furthered stories we've been watching since the 2025 season ended . . .

Murray Exit in Arizona Imminent?