Issue #253: Talking Shop

By Derrick Ernst

February 19, 2026

Strategy

I realized the other day that March will mirror February day for day. Take a look for yourself. Each month mirrors each other to the day (expect for the final three days of March that don’t exist in February). I’m not sure how often Friday the 13th’s come about, but to have two consecutively is something.

Some housekeeping. I’ll be traveling the first week of March, but expect to distribute issues as normal. If there’s a bit of a delay to when they’re sent out in the morning, you know why. I also plan on taking that time away to build out our first supplementary guide of the offseason. Just in time for free agency to kick off on March 11. Here are some upcoming key dates to keep in mind:

• Feb 17: Teams can officially designate a franchise tag on eligible players

• Mar 3: Deadline for franchise tagging

• Mar 9: Legal tampering period begins (aka free agents can agree to terms with teams before officially signing when the new league year begins)

• Mar 11: Official start to the 2026 season and free agency begins

In other words, have your notifications turned on first thing Monday morning (Mar 9). Outside of day one of the draft, it’s undoubtedly the most exciting day of the offseason.

Let’’s shift gears. There are a few headlines I want to get to.

First:

Who’s Andrew Janocko? I didn’t know either. He was SEA’s QB coach. Go figure, LV’s new coaching staff specializes in QB’s and their development. If this wasn’t a pretty clear indication Mendoza will go #1 overall, I don’t know what is. I’ll make a longer term prediction now, I think Mendoza’s early career will resemble Caleb Williams’ first two seasons — an acceptable rookie season, followed by an incrementally better second, and a third season that…

Fun fact, Janocko and (Klint) Kubiak have coached together in MIN, NO, and SEA.

My first thought was that SEA’s running game will be even better in ’26. The issue becomes, we don’t know who will head the RB room next season. Walker is a pending free agent and we just got word that SEA won’t use their franchise tag on him. This doesn’t mean he won’t return though. Charbonnet just torn his ACL and will be out for a good chunk of ’26. The two of them just combined for 1,750 rushing yards, 17 TDs, 50 receptions, and 425 receiving yards. Not to say all of that would go to SEA’s RB1 next season, but the chance of it not isn’t 100% given their OC just schemed for CMC.

NYG have gone from having a coaching staff no one could name outside of Brian Daboll to having:

• John Harbaugh as Head Coach

• Matt Nagy as Offensive Coordinator

• Brain Callahan as QB Coach

I think Callahan wasn’t set up for success in TEN. If it’s any consolation, he has experience with a young QB. That will pay dividends with Dart.

Callahan was most notably CIN’s OC for Burrow’s first four seasons in the league. If he was healthy, he was a fantasy force:

Source: Fantasy Footballers

There’s a lot to love of NYG’s offensive upside in ’26. I’ve expressed that many times already. What I’m afraid about is that this will become consensus throughout the summer driving up the ADP’s for the likes of Dart, Nabers, and Skattebo. Call me crazy, but if the opportunity is right, I may not be all that opposed to having exposure to each of these three in ’26.

Last one I got:

This headline deserves an excerpt from the article:

“With Blough, the Commanders want to run more plays under center to help the offense -- and Daniels -- evolve. Washington ran an NFL-low 192 plays with the quarterback under center over the past two seasons, which was 158 fewer than the team with the next fewest (Cincinnati Bengals). Daniels has attempted only 18 passes from under center across his first two campaigns.” —John Keim

Let’s say it how it was, J. Daniels was one of fantasy’s biggest flops this season. It did seem like WAS got a bit one dimensional. Unlike any other sport, the NFL has a way of catching up to you and it felt like it caught up to WAS and Daniels this season.

I’m not entirely convinced this change will be the difference maker either. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Daniels has spent most of his football career taking snaps from shotgun. Changing that won’t come easy and when it comes to fantasy, change isn’t something you want to be dealing with. My recommendation is easy, steer clear.

Chips

Source: International Leather Club

Not those chips, but then again, I consider myself a pretty big chip aficionado, so I’d be curious to know your favorite(s). Mine? It’s easy, Old Dutch (Crunch) Mesquite BBQ. Take my favorite condiment (BBQ) and my favorite type of chip (kettle) and you have the perfect snack.

The other day I got to taking about computer chips with my father-in-law and of course it led to us talking about football. Google reminded me that since ’17, NFL footballs have had chips in them. What slipped my mind is that their main purpose is to aid the tracking of Next Gen Stats. I was also reminded that the shoulder pads of players have a similar chip in them to track stats around one’s movement.

Have you have wondered what happens to a ball that gets thrown into the stands? A rep from the NFL gets tasked to track it down and swap it with a “chip-free” football (I assume a practice ball that still has a “game worn” feel/look?). A lot of people think if there are going to be chips in the football they should be used to determine first downs, TDs, and the like. I’m against this as I’m a believer that refs are a part of the game (aka a human factor is what makes the game relatable). If the things refs are tasked with doing today become digitized, it distances us (the fans) from having an opinion of (and interest in) the action.

In closing news:

Some things are easier to see coming than others. Tua will be next. Prediction, Hill will be a 49er next season.