As we hit Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season, league insiders Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano have been making calls to sources around the league for the latest news and notable buzz.
What should we expect from Patrick Mahomes and other players returning from significant injuries in the early parts of the season? Which teams might be flying under the radar and could surprise? Where are the most interesting and uncertain quarterback situations around the NFL? And for all those fantasy football managers out there, which players might come out of nowhere in Week 1?
It’s all here, as Jeremy and Dan answer big questions and empty their reporting notebooks with everything they are hearing heading into the 2026 campaign.
Which player returning from a significant injury is best set up for a strong comeback?
Graziano: Let’s start with the biggest name: Mahomes. He tore his ACL late enough last season that many wondered if he’d play at all in the early part of the 2026 season. But it was clear early in camp that he attacked his rehab and would be ready to go in Week 1. We should see him Monday night against the Broncos, and though the injury to left tackle Josh Simmons does give me a little pause, I think there’s reason to believe the Chiefs’ offense will be better around Mahomes.
They replaced Matt Nagy with Eric Bieniemy at offensive coordinator, which doesn’t seem like a big change given Bieniemy’s history there, but they also changed out several other offensive assistants. And they are counting on a fully healthy Xavier Worthy, a (hopefully) fully healthy and engaged Rashee Rice and newly signed running back Kenneth Walker III to make them more explosive. I have the Chiefs bouncing back and reclaiming the AFC West title.
Fowler: What helps Mahomes is a supporting cast that seems improved, especially if rookies Emmett Johnson and Cyrus Allen ascend, but Simmons’ injury also gives me pause. But Mahomes is well-positioned to win Comeback Player of the Year. He hears the noise, the hint of doubt about his place in the QB pantheon for the first time in his career. I expect him to respond accordingly -- with a big season.
But he isn’t the only QB on the comeback trail. Jayden Daniels can reclaim his place as a premier quarterback, and there’s considerable hype in league circles that Daniels will get back on track and be a problem for the rest of the NFC East. Kyler Murray has everything he needs in Minnesota to succeed if he can maximize Kevin O’Connell’s offense.
Graziano: I believe Daniels is a fantastic player and will play well as long as he’s healthy. I have significant concerns about the group around him, particularly his offensive line, capping his (and the team’s) performance ceiling this season. Hopefully for their sake I’m wrong.
Some guys who I think are good enough to win Comeback Player of the Year if they come back healthy and play are:
Fowler: Parsons could provide a timely October lift for the Packers to contend. And the way Jacksonville plans to use Hunter -- as a primary zone corner and a “package” receiver -- will showcase his splash-play ability.
And let’s not forget about 35-year-old Aaron Donald. No, he’s not returning from an injury, but he is unretiring -- and he will be a major force if he can get to 80% of his previous play. Interior rushers have proved they can play well into their mid-30s (see Cameron Heyward and Calais Campbell). The sheer talent around Donald should free up rushing lanes and one-on-one opportunities. Still, the ramp-up will take some time. The Rams are sitting him this week, and returning after two-plus years out of football is no small feat. Part of the Rams’ plan will be to keep Donald fresh for December and January snaps. That’s the right strategy -- even if that sacrifices early-season sack numbers.
Based on your preseason conversations, which team could be a real playoff sleeper?
Fowler: Sleepers are harder to find because of the league’s deep parity, but let’s go with the Giants, who won only four games last season. An NFL truism remains that you win with line play, and the Giants have that. They finally found an offensive line combination that works, resulting in a top-five rushing offense last season. The defensive line is well-stocked, even without defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II. Dart is widely viewed as a quarterback with an upward trajectory. Add the John Harbaugh confidence boost and Nabers’ imminent return, and New York might have something. So, give me the Giants as a sneaky NFC playoff team.
Graziano: The people I talk to seem to agree with you somewhat on the Giants. Those who buy into Dart as a real NFL starting QB point out how good they look up front on defense and that the offense has plenty to work with if Nabers is truly healthy. Those who doubt Dart are obviously more hesitant to back the Giants as sleepers.
But, in general, I agree with you in that it’s tough to find many true “sleepers” -- as in, teams most people don’t think will be good but could end up being good. I keep talking myself into the Jets having a passable offense and maybe even a good one, but I don’t expect them to contend with Buffalo and New England in the AFC East. I do think we will be talking about them as a potentially good spot for a rookie QB to land next spring.
I’m going to stretch the definition a bit: I think people are sleeping on just how good the Jaguars can be. Jacksonville was 13-4 last season, won nine of its final 10 regular-season games and ended up winning the AFC South. It seems as if a lot of people have already conceded that division to the Texans, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see Jacksonville build on last season’s progress under Liam Coen, repeat as division champs and make a playoff run.
Fowler: The Jaguars are deep and will be able to move the ball. Their three-man receiving corps is among the league’s best. The offensive line faces questions -- it’s lacking ideal size and has had some injuries. But Coen made it work with that group last season and should again.
Your point on the Jets is a fair one -- I was there for camp and the roster is better. But the Jets haven’t won eight or more games since 2015, so it’s tough to bank on them until they show it. But here’s a snoozefest of a sleeper, if we’re going that deep: the Browns.
I’m not declaring that Cleveland will make the playoffs just yet, but there’s legitimate talent on both sides of the ball. The defense has a chance to be stout. Resources were spent to replenish the line. The offense is well-stocked with intriguing young talent. If Deshaun Watson’s play graduates from poor to passable, Cleveland might be in decent shape in Todd Monken’s first season.
Graziano: If Watson had played passably in 2022, 2023 or 2024, Monken probably wouldn’t be there, because Kevin Stefanski probably would have kept his job. We haven’t seen Watson play well since 2020, so I’m going to have to see a lot of success from Watson/Cleveland before I believe it.
I also need to point out that while many seem to see the NFC West as a two-team race (or even a one-team race!), the 49ers should be a threat to win that division if they can keep everyone healthy (I know, I know). They were still in the hunt for the division title and the NFC’s No. 1 seed in Week 18 last season despite their injury issues. If San Francisco starts the season by beating the Rams in Australia, we have to take its chances seriously.
Which quarterback situation is going to be most interesting over the first month of the season?
Graziano: This is tough, because while the Atlanta and Cleveland situations carry the most intrigue and potential for early-season change, I’m not eager to watch either one. So, I’ll go with the Raiders. How long can they keep No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza on the bench? They say they want to keep him there until he’s ready and they’re able to put him in the best possible position to succeed. But while Kirk Cousins is an experienced veteran and knows the offense, his lack of mobility is a concern -- especially behind a questionable offensive line. Early losses and lackluster offensive performance could make folks in Vegas restless. We almost always see teams play first-round quarterbacks before they say they want to. How long before the Raiders change course and decide to play the kid?
Fowler: The Raiders can follow the 2024 Patriots’ script, when Jacoby Brissett was the stopgap option to Drake Maye. Brissett lasted about a month with a 1-4 record before Maye took over. Winning probably will determine how long Cousins stays in the lineup, as it usually does. The Raiders are playing this right, knowing Mendoza will provide a locker room spark whenever he earns the job. The play-QBs-from-the-start loyalists won’t like it, but it’s OK to sit a quarterback who’s probably not ready. Maybe Cousins, winner of his last four starts in Atlanta last season, and the Raiders catch fire.
The situation that intrigues me most involves Houston’s C.J. Stroud. From all I’ve gathered, he’s prepared to play out the fourth year of his rookie deal, knowing the QB market will balloon in 2027. Perhaps Houston changes that over the next four days with an aggressive contract pursuit. Either way, there’s a lot on the line for Stroud, whose team is a legitimate Super Bowl contender. But he needs to overcome his struggles from the postseason.
Graziano: I love the Stroud-betting-on-himself storyline and I kind of feel like he’s going to make good on it. The Texans could be one of the more dangerous teams in the league if he does.
I don’t think Jalen Hurts is in danger of losing his job this season, but I’m extremely interested to see how he looks early in Philadelphia’s new offense. Are there massive growing pains as the Eagles get used to Sean Mannion’s scheme? Does Mannion’s inexperience create issues? It’s a sneaky-big year for Hurts in Philly, and he has to show he can handle it and thrive amid all the change on offense if he wants to secure his long-term future there. I expect the offense to improve as the season progresses, but this first month will determine how far they have to go.
Fowler: That’s why I expect the Eagles to lean into the run game early. Saquon Barkley breaking off those 20-plus-yard runs in 2024 opened the field for Hurts, and the Eagles have the offensive line to make that happen again.
Arizona’s quarterback situation is underplayed, possibly because of the Cardinals’ perceived noncontender status and Carson Beck being a third-round pick. But they absolutely have enough talent to move the ball, and Brissett averaged 280.5 passing yards per start over 12 games last season. If Brissett plays well but the Cardinals struggle to win, he could be a trade candidate at midseason. That opens a path for Arizona to see what it has in Beck, who acquitted himself well in the preseason, before considering their 2027 draft options.
Call your shot: Who is going to come out of nowhere in Week 1 and make an impact all season?
Fowler: Let’s start with Dolphins rookie receiver Caleb Douglas. The transitional nature of Miami’s roster and lack of receiver depth are two big reasons, but Douglas has been highly impressive behind the scenes since being drafted in the third round. They also selected Chris Bell, a first-round talent whose profile suffered because of a torn ACL, in Round 3. Both will be factors for Miami’s offense, which could be better than people think. The Dolphins have the offensive line talent to run the ball with star running back De’Von Achane. The team says it hopes that opens the passing game for its young receivers.
Graziano: We have heard a lot of exciting things out of Broncos camp about second-year wide receiver Pat Bryant, Denver’s third-round pick in 2025. The headline move of the Broncos’ offseason was the trade for Jaylen Waddle, and Courtland Sutton is still there and will surely be a factor. But the universal and specific praise about how Bryant has advanced ahead of Year 2 makes me wonder if he might force his way into a bigger role than expected. Kansas City has put together a new secondary, and the Broncos could have success throwing the ball Monday night. Don’t be shocked if Bryant is a part of that success.
Fowler: The Bears have been very excited about sixth-round defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg since the predraft process, as if he were their secret player that the rest of the league hadn’t yet discovered. Expect him to affect Chicago’s defensive front. Some others:
Graziano: I have a few quick hitters of my own. The Commanders have been big on third-round rookie receiver Antonio Williams this summer, especially in the slot. Though Stefon Diggs’ signing makes it less urgent for Williams contribute as a rookie, he still could find an early role.
The Falcons have their own exciting third-round receiver in Zachariah Branch, who could carve out a specific role as a gadget player and run-after-catch guy, especially on Tua Tagovailoa dink-and-dunk passes. Branch could make an impact as a return specialist at minimum.
Moving to defense, I have an eye on Buccaneers edge rusher David Walker, who was a fourth-round pick in 2025 but sat out his rookie season after tearing an ACL early in training camp last year. He’s back and had a strong camp, which puts him in a rotational pass rusher role behind Yaya Diaby and first-round rookie Rueben Bain Jr.
