We’re about a quarter of the way through the season. Here’s what I’ve learned so far.

NFC North
Chicago
The Bears came out on fire with a 59 point barrage in Carolina. Naturally, my prediction of Chicago being an elite offense last August didn’t last. Terrible weather and a Caleb Williams’ injury followed in week 2. Case Keenum and Tyler Bagent are two of the better backup QBs in the league, but Williams takes this offense to another level…….DeAndre Swift was pulled in week 4 after a costly fumble, which led to Kyle Monangai having a career day. Monangai was a fun guy for fantasy owners who had them in their lineups after he put up 146 yards and 2 TDs. We’ll see if that’s a one off or if he wrestles the starting job away from Swift…….Rome Odunze, Luther Burden and Colston Loveland have been mostly quiet, however, that should change once Williams returns. I feel more confident in Burden and Loveland, but Odunze’s size makes him a good red zone threat. WR Kalif Raymond has been the biggest surprise. However, when the dust settles on 2026, I think he’ll revert to being mostly a non-factor.

Detroit
Like I thought, the Lions’ defense has been brutal. This has forced Detroit to pass a lot, which is great for fantasy players and one reason I wanted as many Lions as I could draft last August. Goff is having a great season and he could have been had for a song in drafts this summer……. Gibbs has been his usual awesome self, however, the loss of Isiah Pacheco looms large. Can Gibbs last throughout the season or will he wear down? So far, so good, but I know Lions GM Brad Holmes has mentioned in the past he does not want to overwork Gibbs……..I don’t know if Amon Ra St. Brown has been officially knighted as a saint, but he should be. He’s been a consistent force for those who were shrewd enough to draft him with their 1st round pick. One of my WR predictions to do well in 2026, Jameson Williams, finally had a decent game. It could have been even better had Williams not dropped a long pass that would have likely gone for a TD versus the Panthers. He should have more good weeks given the nature of the Lions poor defense. TE Sam LaPorta is having a bounce back season. He’s currently the 5th highest scoring TE in Half-Point PPR.

Minnesota
I thought the change in scenery would help Kyler Murray, but so far it’s taking longer than I hoped for him to get rolling. He was hurt in week one and has yet to light up fantasy scoreboards. Murray is still getting acclimated to a new playbook. Injuries to Jordan Mason and Justin Jefferson haven’t helped. It sounds like Jefferson will come back sooner rather than later. Hopefully, his ankle holds up…….Aaron Jones has taken over at RB and done a nice job as the lead back. But Jones has missed time in the past, so don’t get count on the notion that the veteran will hold up over the long-term……Jordan Addison is one of the better WR 2’s in the league. If Jefferson were to have a setback, I’d expect him to have some good weeks, assuming Murray can play better……..One of my TE sleepers, T.J. Hockenson finally had a good week. He could have done even better in week 4 if he wouldn’t have taken a knee at the one-yard line of what would have been a sure TD. How do these things always happen to my picks? Ugh! Will Reichard’s five FGs in week 4 were all the points the Vikings could muster at home against the lowly Dolphins. Folks who took them in survivor had a sweat they probably didn’t bargain on. Fortunately, for them, Reichard is one of the more reliable kickers in the league.

Green Bay
The Packers’ offensive line has been decimated by injuries. This reverberates throughout the entire offense. Jordan Love was off to a good start, but I’m skeptical on his fantasy prospects moving forward. Will he have time to pass? Can he last over the course of a long season as the hits on him continue to pile up? The Josh Jacobs situation is still very fluid. Unfortunately, MarShawn Lloyd and Kaleb Johnson have been unable to make much of a fantasy impact……..Christian Watson has stayed healthy so far. Seriously, what are the odds considering every other player is getting hurt, yet, one of the more injury prone players is healthy? Trying to predict this stuff as a fantasy analyst in the summer is maddening sometimes. Matthew Golden has taken a step forward like I thought he might. The talented second year WR reminds me of a poor man’s Tyreek Hill. He has blazing speed and runs crisp routes. I think the Packers found something here…….. Tucker Kraft is off to a slow start (although he scored a TD in week 4). That’s not surprising. Kraft was coming off major reconstructive knee surgery. I doubt Kraft will be 100% all season, but I expect him to do better as he gets further removed from his surgery…….The loss of Micah Parsons has exposed the Packers’ defense. Normally that would set up well for their WRs to pad their stats to play in some shootouts, but injuries on the offensive line might negate that. Somewhere in Florida, Stiles is drowning his sorrows over what seems to be a long Packers season.

NFC East
Philadelphia
Jalen Hurts is doing ok so far, however, will that continue? The departure of A.J. Brown might have helped the locker room, but his talent on the field is sorely missed. Injuries to Saquon Barkley, DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert, and OL Landon Dickerson have hurt the Eagles’ once potent attack. This is concerning, especially since they were already struggling to perform in the first year of new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion’s offense. It sounds like Smith and Barkley won’t be out for too long, but they could be at heightened risk for reinjury……A lot of folks are penciling in RB Will Shipley to be the guy that takes over for Barkley. And maybe he will, but don’t be surprised if this becomes a RBBC. It wouldn’t shock me if the Eagles go with a RBBC and use former Texans RB Dameon Pierce. Pierce is better suited to handle short-yardage duties……If DeVonta Smith can stay healthy, he has the talent to be a top 10 WR. However, this hamstring injury has been a problem since the summer and it’s hard to feel confident in him holding up…….After Dallas Goedert went down, the Eagles signed a familiar face, veteran TE Zach Ertz. Ertz could be a factor in larger leagues as he develops his timing with Hurts.

Dallas
Dak Prescott is off to a nice start. One of my concerns was if the Cowboys’ offensive line could protect him? So far, so good. Another concern I had was if Javonte Williams could hold up? He had his first healthy season last year, and the draft cost for him was much higher than last year, a late 3rd or early 4th round pick. Also, the rumor was the Cowboys wanted to keep him fresh by reducing his workload. Drafters who took the plunge so far have been rewarded. Williams is currently a Top 10 RB in Half-Point PPR….On another note, it’s been a tale of two WRs. Cee Dee Lamb owners are basking in the fantasy sun, while George Pickens has been a non-factor so far. I was skeptical of Pickens as a 2nd round pick only because he had his best games last season when Lamb was out. When both played, Pickens stats weren’t anything to write home about. That said, he’s talented enough to make some fantasy noise, especially considering the Cowboys still figure to struggle defensively. Their lack of pass rush figures to force them to win some shootouts, which bodes well for Dak, Lamb, and Pickens…… At TE, Jake Ferguson is off to a sizzling start. He has 3 TDs in the first four weeks! Outside of one subpar week, Brandon Aubrey has been his usual solid self. He’s currently tied as the 6th ranked kicker.

Washington
Sometimes no matter what I do with certain players I get snakebit. Jayden Daniels is one of those guys. I faded him his rookie year because I was afraid his slight frame would make him more susceptible to injuries. Naturally, he did well. So then the last two years I ranked him high and he gets hurt- unreal! Daniels is going to try and play again this season, possibly in week 5, but I’m not confident he’ll hold up. And if Daniels is out, the Commanders’ offense takes a massive hit, at least in theory. Although, third string QB Athien Kaliakmanis came off the bench and impressed versus the Colts. Side note- Ringo rant- do you have any idea how hard it is for me to type Kaliakmanis? I’m bad enough at typing. Why can’t his name be Smith or Jones? Anyway, I digress, Croskey-Merritt hasn’t been much of a factor at RB. Meanwhile at WR, McLaurin is injured once again. Stefon Diggs hasn’t had a lot of yardage, but his 3 TDs have helped propel his fantasy stats. He’s currently the 18th ranked WR in Half-Point PPR. TE Chig Okonkwo has missed a few games and has yet to make an impact.

N.Y. Giants
Jaxson Dart’s season ending knee surgery was a dagger to the heart of the Giants. They wanted to see their young QB develop under John Harbaugh and Matt Nagy’s new offense. Jameis Winston took over and the results have been mixed. Curiously, the Giants traded for former Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy. It’s odd given that they have a young QB in Dart, however, maybe his injuries have given them some pause. McCarthy’s confidence was shaken after struggling in Minnesota. It’s hard to see that improving in the pressure cooker of the New York media. He’ll also not have the luxury of passing in perfect weather controlled climate conditions of a dome….. Dart’s injury hasn’t helped Cam Skattebo’s stats. He’s been disappointing so far for fantasy owners who burned a 4th round pick on him….Malik Nabers has been fighting injuries, just not the one I expected. He’s battled through an injured shoulder. I thought he’d have knee issues since he’s recovering from major reconstructive knee surgery. In week 4 though, he reminded folks of what he’s capable of with 6 receptions for 112 yards and a TD. That said, drafters who took Nabers early might be regretting their pick. He hasn’t paid off for the most part…..Isiah Likely got off to a roaring start, hauling in 2 TDs in week 1. However, like the rest of the Giants’ offense, he’s slowed down after Dart’s injury. Although he had a decent game in week 4. Playing the Cardinals can do that for you. Note- the Giants best pass rusher Brian Burns is out for the year with a torn ACL and meniscus in his right knee. That’s a huge blow to the Giants’ defense whose secondary is, let’s just say….less than stellar. The domino effect could set up Nabers and Likely for some garbage time points throughout the season as the Giants figure to be trailing most weeks.

NFC South
New Orleans
Tyler Shough is off to a solid start. He has 10 TDs after 4 games. It’s especially impressive given that injuries have sidelined two of the the main cogs in the Saints’ offense, rookie WR Jordyn Tyson and free agent RB Travis Etienne. Shough has been a great value at QB for drafters who waited on the position. On the flip side, Etienne has been a disappointment so far. His lackluster results have hurt drafters even before he was injured. Etienne was going in the late 3rd / 4th round on average. One of the things that hurt Etienne was the return of Alvin Kamara. Kamara cut into Etienne’s volume more than many drafters figured so even when Etienne’s returns it’s hard to feel confident about his fantasy outlook improving…..Tyson’s hamstring injury has been confounding for yours truly. I read several reports in the offseason mentioning that he should be fine when preseason hit. Tyson’s hamstring setback hurt several of my drafts where I had him pegged as a breakout star. Many scouts had Tyson ranked as the most talented WR coming out of last April’s draft. It was only his injury history that had some concerned. Those concerns have been warranted so far. Tyson’s absence has been a boon for Chris Olave and Juwan Johnson. They’ve gobbled up the receiving yards. Olave hurt his knee at the end of the Saints-Falcons matchup. Hopefully, he’s okay. If not, DeVaughn Vele could be in store for some career days along with the aforementioned Johnson.

Carolina
Coming into 2026, I was hesitant about the Panthers’ offense. I had to see it before I could fully buy in. I’m starting to see it. Bryce Young is off to a great start, although two of the games were against the Bears and the Lions, not exactly the Steel Curtain of yesteryear. That said, Young has been a nice value for drafters who waited at QB. Part of the reason has been the Panthers terrible defense. I didn’t see that coming. Carolina invested heavily in their defense in the offseason. Despite that, the Bears put up a 59 burger on them in week one. That’s led to plenty of shootouts and garbage time points for Young and his teammates…..Jonathan Brooks was hyped up to the point that he became a fade for me. I like his talent, but I heard they wanted to ease him back from his devastating knee injury. Unfortunately, Brooks had a minor setback, and Chuba Hubbard has once again taken advantage. Hubbard gets no respect, but has consistently performed well when given the chance….Tetairoa McMillan went nuts last week.. Granted it was against the Lions, but he’s developing into a fantasy star before our eyes…..Darren Waller has been a nice late round sleeper for those who waited on TE. Waller has always been a matchup nightmare. The main concern with him has been his durability. That said, for as long as he can stay healthy, Waller figures to outkick his draft cost. He’s still really talented.

Atlanta
What a difference one man makes at QB! Gladys Knight and the Pips sang about the Midnight Train to Georgia, but the Falcons’ offense was a train wreck early on. Cooper Rush struggled mightily and most of the offense suffered. However, Michaael Penix’s return has got the offense back on track. They’ve had two massive road wins in prime time. One of which was against Stiles’ beloved Packers…. Atlanta’s nickname might be the Falcons, but I’m going to start calling them the Atlanta Robinson’s because if your name is Robinson you’re scoring a bunch of TDs and fantasy points. Both Bijan and Brian have been lighting up the scoreboard lately. Bijan reminds me of those video games when your player is maxed out and clearly the best player on the screen. He’s fun to watch and I’m regretting passing on him for Christian McCaffrey event though McCaffrey outscored him in PPR last season……Penix’s triumphant return has seen Drake London’s return to fantasy glory. He’s had 290 receiving yards the last two games….If anyone can figure out what the Falcons plan is for Kyle Pitts than you’re smarter than me. Only the Flacons can draft a guy in the top 5 picks, not use him, and then sign him to a multi year deal only to bench him last week. It’s maddening to watch this soap opera unfold about Pitts, who has all the talent in the world, to rotting on the bench in Atlanta. Last season, plenty of teams inquired about Pitts, but Atlanta hung on to him only to continue to not use him. I swear they do this just to tick me off- ugh!

Tampa Bay
It hasn’t been a good year for teams with Bay in their name. Tampa struggled early and their luck got worse with the loss of Baker Mayfield. It appears that Mayfield signed his contract just in time much to the chagrin of the Buccaneers’ brass, haha! Without Baker, the Bucs turned to undrafted rookie Jalon Walker. And like I feared, the offense suffered…Bucky Irving has been okay, but the lack of TDs have hurt his fantasy ceiling. His 4th round draft cost has been a disappointment so far for drafters who took the plunge….Emeka Egbuka was really hyped up in the preseason by many analysts. I like him, but the hype got out of control, to the point where he became a fade for me. Egbuka struggled at times last season and his lack of speed had me concerned that he could be a difference maker worthy of an early round pick. So far, he hasn’t been the star many drafters expected. Baker’s injury has been one of the reasons, but he didn’t do much even when Baker was healthy. One WR who I was high on as a longshot sleeper, rookie Ted Hurst is getting his chance. I figured it was only a matter of time before one of the Bucs starting WRs went down with an injury. Surely enough Jalen McMillan got injured. Unfortunately, without Baker, Hurst’s fantasy prospects have taken a major hit. When Baker comes back, keep an eye on Hurst,. He’s already shown flashes of big play ability and his future is bright. I think he’s the best WR in Tampa, even over Egbuka……. Kicker Chase McLaughlin is doing his part to help the Bucs. He nailed a 59 yard FG, which in most years would have been front page news, but not in 2026.

NFC West
L.A. Rams
The Rams were the preseason favorite by many to take home the Lombardi trophy, but injuries have cast a dark cloud over Southern California. Myles Garrett, Aaron Donald and Puka Nacua are all dealing with issues that could derail the Rams’ titles hopes. Puka’s injury has hurt Stafford, whose had a roller coaster season so far. He’s been feast or famine for fantasy drafters……..Meanwhile at RB, Kyren Williams has entrenched himself as the lead back. Blake Corum has been only an afterthought, with the Rams’ coaching staff even saying Corum needs to pick it up. Kyren has paid off handsomely for drafters who picked him in the 3rd round. He’s currently the 6th ranked RB in Half-Pt PPR…..Puka’s injury has been a major thorn in fantasy drafters’ sides who took him in the first round in most drafts. A few weeks ago I wrote on FantasyPros he was a sell high for me because I read some concerning things from folks in the medical field about his injury. Those concerns have grown as it appears Nacua has a pre-hernia injury. If you can trade Nacua, I would strongly consider doing so, his sell high window might be closing soon. The flip side of Nacua’s injury has been the resurgence of Davante Adams. Adams has taken over games as the de-facto go to WR for the Rams. I would be actively trying to acquire Adams. The reason being, many folks don’t value Adams as an elite fantasy WR anymore because of his age, but if Puka were to be shelved again, Adams has a higher ceiling than most of the WRs who went around the same range of the draft. He’s been a steal as a late 4th/ early 5th round pick for drafters who took the crafty veteran.

Seattle
The defending champs were dealt a haymaker in the opening week when Sam Darnold went down early. Fortunately, they got up from off the canvas. Drew Lock kept them afloat until Darnold returned. ….Rookie RB Jadarian Price was hyped up a lot in the preseason, maybe too much so? I liked him, but his price tag kept rising as the summer progressed to the point where I found myself instead opting for WRs in the 5th round over Price. Price was never a big factor in the passing game at Notre Dame. The Seahawks plan was to use him in a RBBC until Zach Charbonnet returns. Unfortunately, Price’s lack of TDs have hurt his fantasy numbers. And now he’s injured, making the 5th/6th round price cost one decision many drafters would like to have back. One of my deep sleepers, Emanuel Wilson, is once again making the most of his opportunity. Wilson came up big for the Packers, and seems to be doing the same in the Pacific Northwest. I thought Wilson would be the RBBC over Holani, but whatever. It still counts as a win for my sleepers article, so I’ll take it……When Sam Darnold went down I thought Jaxson Smith-Njigba’s fantasy numbers would sink like the Titanic. Naturally, in typical Ringo fashion, I was way off. Njigba made me look foolish (somewhere my readers just muttered…Ringo, I’m shocked, haha) by flourishing with Lock. Through the first four weeks, he’s been the top fantasy WR in Half Point PPR.

San Francisco
Through four weeks, and it’s Brock Purdy who sitting as the 2nd ranked QB in fantasy. That’s not something I had on my bingo card. The 49ers had an impressive win down under in Australia, helped by the young QB….At RB, Christian McCaffrey has managed to stay healthy so far. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been with the same volume most fantasy drafters are used too. As one of those drafters, I was hoping for his typical bell cow volume, but so far, that hasn’t materialized. We’ll see if that changes or it’s the new normal……Mike Evans is fighting through a painful rib injury. I was leery of Evans who missed time last year. He’s in his 30’s and it’s hard to envision him staying healthy for the full 17 game slate, but give him credit. Evans is refusing to sit. He’s a fighter. On the flip side, Deebo Samuel has been a nice sleeper call for me. It was the dream landing spot with Deebo reuniting with Kyle Shanahan. Shanahan knows how to utilize the talented playmaker, even calling for a hook and lateral trick play which Deebo turned into an 80 yard TD. It’s fun to watch and even better when you take Deebo with a late round pick. Deebo is currently the 11th ranked WR in Half-Point PPR!.…..TE George Kittle is off to a sizzling start. I faded him in drafts because of concerns with him coming off a devastating Achilles injury. Those injuries are known for being problematic and potentially career ending. Kittle has defied the odds with 4 TDs through 4 weeks. He’s currently the top TE in fantasy in Half-Point PPR and made drafters look like geniuses who took him at a discount over the summer.

Arizona
Jacoby Brissett is starting to come on. The last two weeks Brissett has done well, however his fantasy success might be short-lived. LT Paris Johnson suffered a torn left bicep and is out for the season. That’s not good considering the Cardinals’ offensive line wasn’t exactly a strength even with Johnson, who many consider to be their best lineman. Like clockwork, as soon as I took rookie Jeremiyah Love in RazzBowl, the Cardinals for some unknown reason played him a lot in the first preseason game. Actually I know the reason, they’re idiots, but I digress. Love suffered the dreaded high ankle sprain. My fears of that injury lingering have become a reality. Love admitted last week, he doesn’t have the same burst and suggested to coaches that Tyler Allgeier and Bam Knight should get more work. I’m not a doctor, but that doesn’t sound promising. If you can sell Love, I would do so, although you might get pennies on the dollar now……Meanwhile at WR, Michael Wilson has emerged as the Cardinals top dog. Arizona brass showed their cards by rewarding Wilson with a new contract. Like a dummy, I thought Marvin Harrison Jr. could have a fresh start under the new coaching staff. However, it’s been the same old same old for Maserati Marv. Rumors are swirling the Harrison has checked out and Arizona could deal him before the trade deadline. Keep an eye on Indianapolis. Marvin’s dad played most of his career for the Colts with Peyton Manning. It seems like a natural fit for a team who could use another young WR to build around….Trey McBride has had another solid season. He’s currently the 2nd ranked TE in Half Point PPR. However, the loss of LT Paris Johnson could throw a monkey wrench into the Cardinals’ offense. Can they score without their starting left tackle? Note, the Cardinals’ schedule gets tougher with games against the Rams, Seahawks, and Broncos still on the horizon. And at some point they could throw in rookie QB Carson Beck to see what he has. Arizona will probably have plenty of opportunities for garbage points, but will it matter against some tough defenses? That’s the million dollar question.