Issue #275: NFC South

By Derrick Ernst

May 14, 2026

ATL

Link to ESPN’s Depth Charts homepage: NFL depth charts for all 32 teams

Last year offensive stat rankings:

• Points/gm: 20.8 (23rd in NFL)

• Pass yds/gm: 207.2 (18th in NFL)

• Rush yds/gm: 125.8 (7th in NFL)

“Core Four” fantasy assets:

• RB: Bijan Robinson

• RB: Brian Robinson Jr.

• WR: Drake London

• TE: Kyle Pitts

Honorable mentions:

• QB: Michael Penix Jr.

• QB: Tua Tagovailoa

• WR: Zachariah Branch

I’m sitting here thinking to myself how much time, effort, thinking, etc. has been and will be used highlighting Bijan’s prospects this season. Talk about a complete waste of time. He’s good. Scratch that…he’s really good! He has been that way since entering the league. Nothing has changed. The lucky ones who draws picks 1-3 in your league will have the opportunity to draft him. Congrats. Spend your time in thought about others (like we will). We should call this something moving forward — players that don’t require commentary because they’re the best of the best. Better yet, that’s what we’ll call players like this from now on, TBOTB.

I have a tough time not seeing both Penix and Tua starting games this season. Inconsistencies at QB don’t always bode well for fantasy sake, but D. London has the experience. He somehow managed a WR15 finish despite only playing in 12 games. This was the first time in his career missing time. I do get concerned about his 60% career catch rate. That’s pretty low for someone who may be your fantasy team’s WR1. This is more of a reflection on whose throwing him the ball, which isn’t getting better in ’26.

Pitts had his coming out party last season. In fact, anytime he has had over 100 targets he has finished top-7 at TE. He did really pick up steam last season when Cousins was QB. His TE2 finish would’ve been a lot worse in my opinion without him behind center. He’ll probably be drafted with expectations of a repeat — don’t fall into that trap.

CAR

Last year offensive stat rankings:

• Points/gm: 19.0 (27th in NFL)

• Pass yds/gm: 183.2 (25th in NFL)

• Rush yds/gm: 114.4 (20th in NFL)

“Core Four” fantasy assets:

• QB: Bryce Young

• RB: Chubba Hubbard

• RB: Jonathan Brooks

• WR: Tetairoa McMillian

Honorable mentions:

• None

CAR’s “Core Four” is probably more like a “Core Two” and even that is generous — only Tet McMillian is worthy of being a “core” part of anything. Let me remind you that CAR won the division last year by way of tiebreaker. That’s telling when you consider their ranks in the few stat categories listed above. While last season was the first in B. Young’s three seasons we’ve seen glimpses of hope, he still only put up 13.6 fantasy PPG, significantly below those in the top-12.

Tet and the RB in favor are the only CAR assets worth owning. Even Tet is a bit make or break. His catch rate last season was a whopping 57%, which isn’t his doing, but in order for him to perform, his counterpart needs to be adequate. Despite having majority share of targets, Tet broke the 1,000 yard mark by only 14. One thing we know about HC Dan Canales is that he likes operating with a true RB1. Two years ago that was Hubbard (RB13). Last year it was Dowdle (RB16). Hubbard is in the driver’s seat to be that again this season, but Brooks continues to linger after back-to-back injury plagued seasons.

NO

Last year offensive stat rankings:

• Points/gm: 18.0 (28th in NFL)

• Pass yds/gm: 219.3 (14th in NFL)

• Rush yds/gm: 94.3 (28th in NFL)

“Core Four” fantasy assets:

• QB: Tyler Shough

• RB: Travis Etienne

• WR: Chris Olave

• WR: Jordyn Tyson

Honorable mentions:

• RB: Alvin Kamara

• TE: Juwan Johnson

T. Shough’s fantasy finish in the final 3 games of last season: QB10, QB7, QB4. If you think that’s a small sample size, what if I said he finished top-12 in 5 of NO’s final 8 games? Just a sneaky performance no one chose to notice. I think adding Etienne and Tyson will only elevate Shough to the next level. I remain high on him.

Speaking of Etienne, he joins NO after the absolute horror show of a ground game they put on display last season (ranked dead last in fantasy production at the position). I believe it’s his role entirely. In other words, Kamara’s time is done. In other (other) words, don’t be someone who drafts Kamara based on name expecting production reminiscent of his rookie season.

Etienne has had a pretty  good career over his first four seasons. In 3 of those 4 he has played in all 17 games. In those years he had over 1,000 rushing yards, 35+ catches, 5-13 total TDs, and a top-17 fantasy finish at RB. I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t get the love he deserves in fantasy ranks. Olave has had a career similar to Etienne: 3 of 4 seasons with 1,000+ receiving yards, 70+ catches, and a top-25 fantasy finish at WR. The one thing holding him back is TD totals. He only has 19 over four years. The year he gets to double-digits will be the year he wins fantasy leagues.

TB

Last year offensive stat rankings:

• Points/gm: 22.4 (18th in NFL)

• Pass yds/gm: 205.9 (20th in NFL)

• Rush yds/gm: 114.5 (19th in NFL)

“Core Four” fantasy assets:

• QB: Baker Mayfield

• RB: Bucky Irving

• WR: Emeka Egbuka

• TE: Cade Otton

Honorable mentions:

• RB: Kenneth Gainwell

• WR: Tez Johnson

If you thought a 57% catch rate was bad, Egbuka was at 50% last year on 127 targets. He also had the 5th most dropped passes in the league too. This isn’t a good combo to have for someone who’s your team’s WR1. It wasn’t too long ago that you wanted as much fantasy exposure to TB as you could get. Now, there’s not much that I want to touch from TB.

Baker’s turnaround story remains intact. In his three seasons with TB, he’s yet to have a fantasy finish worse than QB12. I do think that run is in jeopardy with Big Mike gone. Where this gets interesting is with TB’s RBs. Last season, Baker ranked bottom-third in the league in yards/pass — his worst finish since joining TB. Bucky has proven pass-catching abilities with a career 90% catch rate on 87 targets. Gainwell’s talent is just as noteworthy having had the most receptions of any PIT player last season. Gainwell will be cheaper, but Bucky is the more complete option. This could end up being another TDF RB combo recommendation.

Unrelated, but this was just way too good to not share with you guys in close. I hope it doesn’t offend anyone. The Internet remains undefeated!

Source: X (@TotalProSports)