Weekly fantasy football news

Fantasy football news this week: risers, fallers, and player signals for May 18, 2026 - May 24, 2026

A weekly article built from STACKED's source-backed NFL player insight pipeline, summarizing the fantasy football signals showing up across podcasts, shows, videos, articles, and social posts.

420 insights184 players13 sources331 positive73 negative

Player clusters

Justin Herbert

11 signals

11 positive0 negativeTop insight

Jayden Daniels

9 signals

7 positive1 negativeTop insight

Jalen Hurts

9 signals

4 positive5 negativeTop insight

Rashee Rice

9 signals

2 positive6 negativeTop insight

Christian Watson

8 signals

8 positive0 negativeTop insight

Malik Willis

7 signals

5 positive2 negativeTop insight

J.K. Dobbins

7 signals

4 positive3 negativeTop insight

Dak Prescott

6 signals

6 positive0 negativeTop insight

Kyle Pitts

6 signals

6 positive0 negativeTop insight

Sam LaPorta

6 signals

6 positive0 negativeTop insight

Colston Loveland

6 signals

5 positive0 negativeTop insight

Kyren Williams

6 signals

5 positive1 negativeTop insight

Weekly insight ledger

Ted Ginn Jr.PositiveMay 23, 2026Davis Mattek

Coach Dan Reeves spoke highly of Ginn's ability this offseason, calling him a player they would have been 'all over' five or six years ago. Davis Mattek respects Reeves as an evaluator and views positive coach speak combined with Ginn's prospect profile as making him a strong fantasy target.

Carson BeckPositiveMay 23, 2026Davis Mattek

Worth drafting in superflex formats despite not being a target in standard redraft leagues, suggesting he has value in deeper league formats where QB depth and upside matter.

Ricky PearsallPositiveMay 23, 2026Davis Mattek

Pearsall is positioned as equivalent in value to DJ Moore, both projected to average 11.5 points per game. The source notes there is no difference between Pearsall and Moore in terms of value proposition; they are the same pick, with the key difference being draft cost rather than talent ceiling.

Quentin JohnstonNegativeMay 23, 2026Davis Mattek

Johnston is positioned as equivalent in value to Terry McLaurin; both are projected to average around 11.5 points per game, with the primary difference being draft cost and ceiling-hit frequency rather than talent level.

Tank DellNegativeMay 23, 2026Davis Mattek

Dell is returning from one of the most catastrophic injuries in football history, creating uncertainty around his ceiling and availability. In Week 16 of the previous season, he scored 20.5 points at halftime before the injury occurred, demonstrating his upside potential. Davis Mattek notes Dell 'could play at some point this year,' suggesting uncertainty about his role or availability but potential for contribution if circumstances align. The injury recovery timeline warrants caution about overweighting him in draft plans.

Mecole HardmanNegativeMay 23, 2026Davis Mattek

Hardman is included in the mock draft team's wide receiver room, which the source describes as having "a lot of ceiling" despite the proliferation of tight end personnel packages reducing traditional wide receiver two opportunities.

Adonai MitchellPositiveMay 23, 2026Davis Mattek

Mitchell is viewed as an elite talent with exceptional upside; Davis Mattek compares him to Randy Moss and expresses frustration that the Colts traded him away, calling it a 'cut off your nose to spite your face situation.' Mattek believes if Mitchell got his type 1 diabetes under control and started taking Adderall, he would be Randy Moss-caliber. Mitchell is recommended as a target in the Jets offense, which may feature three-wide receiver sets with Cooper, Wilson, and Mitchell, with potential for garbage-time volume. He is also a potential draft target if available late in the draft, with Miami potentially deploying three-receiver sets creating opportunity for slot and outside receiver roles.

Jacoby BrissettPositiveMay 23, 2026Davis Mattek

Underpriced in superflex formats as an advance rate piece. Could easily outscore Geno Smith and provides insurance value if a starting QB gets injured, which occurs in roughly 30% of seasons. Strong Week 17 streaming option viewed as a favorable matchup play in the playoff week.

Tank BigsbyPositiveMay 23, 2026Davis Mattek

Good draft target with upside in Eagles backfield. Rotated with Saquon Barkley in final game of season; has elite tape with exceptional lateral agility and ability to beat defenders to the edge. Barkley aging and no other competition on roster creates opportunity for handful of touches per game and potential for explosive plays.

Geno SmithNegativeMay 23, 2026Davis Mattek

Not at risk of being benched; selected in draft as a viable QB option. Confidence in his job security supports his draft viability.

Kenneth Walker IIIPositiveMay 23, 2026Davis Mattek

Strong draft target with elite skill set in pure running ability. Davis Mattek plans to draft him heavily, noting the league currently values runners over pass-catchers and Walker fits that preference perfectly. With volume (30 carries in a game), he has explosive breakaway potential.

Colston LovelandNegativeMay 23, 2026Davis Mattek

Loveland is selected in the mock draft as a tight end option, indicating he remains a target in draft strategy at this stage.

Chigoziem OkonkwoPositiveMay 23, 2026Davis Mattek

Okonkwo is described as a believer pick with positive sentiment; the source has always been a believer in him and selected him in the mock draft as a tight end option.

Woody MarksPositiveMay 23, 2026Davis Mattek

Marks is positioned to have a base role and will catch passes. He is young, which is cited as the best thing about him, suggesting upside potential despite limited current production expectations.

Malik WillisPositiveMay 23, 2026Davis Mattek

Willis is positioned as a sharp late-round quarterback pick when the next QB off the board isn't until Mendoza, offering value in a draft where early QB investment is avoided. The source endorses the selection as 'sharp' and a good value.

Chris RodriguezNegativeMay 23, 2026Davis Mattek

Rodriguez fits the roster build because some weeks 8.4 points is acceptable, and he led the league in yards after contact per attempt tied with Devon Achane; has nine catches in his last eight games, providing receiving upside in Jacksonville's high-scoring offense. However, despite landing in a prime goal-line role with his college coach and showing burst (54-yard run last year), he is viewed as unlikely to be successful in that role; compared unfavorably to Kareem Hunt as a much worse, less successful version. At current ADP, Rodriguez represents a fair cost given the overall running back market, even if success is not expected.