It’s time for the Best 2026 Fantasy Football Buy/Sell/Holds with Michael Sicoli!
With a flurry of free-agency signings the fantasy football landscape has shifted. Rosters have changed and opportunities have been altered, but recognizing who to pursue in a fantasy trade remains as difficult as ever.
Here’s whose stock has notably shifted in recent weeks and what you should do with some of fantasy football’s biggest names.
BUY Football Buy/Sell/Holds
Evan Engram, TE, Broncos
The Jaguars surprised many when they released Engram, a decision based around the salary cap rather than production. Who would’ve thought that Engram’s release might be the best thing for his fantasy value since signing with Jacksonville in 2022?
The 2017 first-round pick landed in Denver after averaging 93 receptions and 828 receiving yards over a 17-game pace across three seasons with the Jaguars. Broncos head coach Sean Payton has been vocal about finding his offense’s “Joker,” a versatile talent just like Engram.
Sure enough, after signing with Denver, Engram posted this.
— Evan Engram (@eazyengram) March 13, 2025
But aside from offensive scheme fit, Engram should swallow up tons of targets and receptions from Bo Nix in 2025. With only Courtland Sutton returning as a locked-in target, Engram represents a potential top-6 value at borderline TE1 cost.
His two-year, $23 million deal all but ensures a heavy workload, something that will see Engram return dividends based on his current Keep-Trade-Cut value of TE14. Expect that ranking to keep rising.
Jakobi Meyers, WR, Raiders
Perhaps the biggest winner of the surprising Geno Smith trade is Meyers, who is set to return as Las Vegas’s top wide receiver alongside star tight end Brock Bowers.
Meyers has often been undervalued since his breakout in New England, either due to his lack of pedigree or his steady play-style not providing head-turning highlights.
But the 28-year-old has been nothing but productive despite horrific quarterback play in Las Vegas, and Smith is a significant improvement upon that.
Meyers, who currently sits as Keep-Trade-Cut’s WR49, set career highs in targets, receptions and yards in 2024. He should once again be a reliable WR2 for fantasy who can be bought at WR3 prices, if not less. With Chip Kelly calling plays now for the Raiders expect an up-tempo offense that should lead to more plays and opportunity for Meyers.
If the touchdowns bounce back even slightly to his 2023 form — scoring 11 compared to 2024’s four — Meyers could reach an even higher ceiling. Still, he won’t need to in order to be a value and a good buy in fantasy leagues.
HOLD Football Buy/Sell/Holds
Brandon Aiyuk, WR, 49ers
As the 49ers and seemingly every fantasy football owner panics on Aiyuk, let’s take a deep breath.
The 2019 first-round pick is a proven producer in Kyle Shannon’s offense, a unit that just shipped Deebo Samuel to Washington after a disappointing 2024 season. That disappointment comes in part to Aiyuk’s absence after the recently turned 27-year-old missed all but three games due to a torn ACL after a tumultuous contract holdout over the summer.
But ultimately San Francisco gave the former first-round pick $120 million over four years, a sign of his value to this team. That value hasn’t dissipated over a year, and it may be even stronger with Samuel out the picture and the 49ers eager to get the most out of Brock Purdy given the quarterback’s looming extension.
Hold firm with Aiyuk as he manages his injury rehab. He’s much closer to a buy than a sell at current value.
Alvin Kamara, RB, Saints
With the caveat that it’s almost always good to sell running backs that are turning 30 before Week 1, Kamara might be the exception to the rule.
The longtime Saints running back has shown signs of slowing down in recent years, but that hasn’t eased the volume New Orleans continues to pour Kamara’s way. He caught at least 65 passes in back-to-back seasons, saw over 85 targets each year, and still handled over 200 carries annually.
His touchdowns have also dipped over the last two years, a greater testament to the struggles New Orleans has experienced on offense than Kamara’s role. With new head coach Kellen Moore already singing Kamara’s praises — the former Cowboys offensive coordinator has a steady track record of utilizing one rusher — the time to sell Kamara isn’t quite here yet for any contending team.
Hold onto the Saints stud for now.
SELL Football Buy/Sell/Holds
Joe Mixon, RB, Texans
Mixon’s efficiency has never been a strength — he hasn’t exceeded 4.1 yards-per-carry since 2018 — but his fantasy value continues to be buoyed by a strong workload and the ability to score.
The former Bengal rushed for 11 touchdowns in 2024 after rushing for nine a year before, topped off with four receiving touchdowns across two seasons. Houston has completely re-worked its offensive line this season, providing another question mark around Mixon and Houston’s offense.
If Mixon doesn’t run for eight or more touchdowns his value may be closer to a low-end RB2 than the high-end RB2/low-end RB1 many see him as. He caught his fewest passes (36) since 2019, albeit in 14 games. That has never been a source of strength.
If you can move Mixon and a flyer-level prospect for a 2nd-round pick and a player like Khalil Shakir or Tyrone Tracy, that would be a good way to mitigate Mixon’s risk.
A final note: Mixon enters 2025 essentially in a contract year, carrying just a $2 million dead-cap hit in 2026 while giving Houston the option to move on from his nearly $17 million salary. Should he perform Mixon could receive an extension in the offseason, but the floor could easily bottom out for the 2017 second-round pick.
George Pickens, WR, Steelers
Fantasy managers saw and still see what Pickens could be in an higher volume offense. But that isn’t a hope based in reality anymore, and there’s no telling whether it will ever be.
Pickens tied Calvin Ridley for the 40th-most points-per-game in PPR leagues in 2024, all but making him a borderline flex that hurt you no more than he helped you. Even if Aaron Rodgers — one of the league’s worst deep passers in 2024 — settles under center, Pickens now has to contend with new arrival D.K. Metcalf for targets.
That’s not to mention the possibility of the recently-returned Mason Rudolph or a rookie starting games in 2025 in an offensive style that has never supported two wide receivers to begin with. And then there’s Pickens’ attitude issues, where team discipline and online disharmony is all too common.
All this has been too much of a headache for Pittsburgh — hence the trade for Metcalf — and that’s doubly true of fantasy owners looking at a high-end WR3, low-end WR2 draft cost. Consider moving Pickens for any of Brandon Aiyuk, Chris Godwin or George Kittle, or a lower-tier player with a draft pick.
You can find Michael Sicoli at: @michaelsicoli.Bsky.social & @michael__sicoli for more great fantasy football advice! Football Buy/Sell/Holds
