
Tipp Major breaks down the top five coaching changes that we saw during the 2026 offseason and what it means for the fantasy football outlook of the respective offenses.

Fantasy managers spend all offseason tracking player movement, but the biggest mistakes happen when they ignore coaching changes. New coaches don’t just change teams; they change fantasy outcomes. Free agency has already kicked off with a bang, with players flying across the league and reshaping draft boards for 2026. But while everyone focuses on new faces in new places, the real edge lies in understanding the tendencies of the coaches calling the plays.
So, with a little homage to Matthew Berry (company man, of course), here’s my Love/Hate breakdown of some of the offseason coaching changes—and their fantasy impact. You might even get a bonus.
RELATED: Updated 2026 fantasy football rankings
Looking back at the last two seasons in Kansas City, only Rodrick Heffley’s band Löded Diper comes to mind when describing the offense under Matt Nagy—but I’ll get to him later.
Returning like a hero ready to lead the charge, Eric Bieniemy brings the intensity and discipline needed to get this unit back on track. Newly added RB Kenneth Walker has already praised Bieniemy’s demanding coaching style, noting how quickly expectations are set. Adding former Offensive Player of the Year DeMarco Murray as running backs coach gives the room added experience and credibility.
There’s reason to believe the offense is trending upward. During Bieniemy’s previous stint as offensive coordinator (2018–2022), the Chiefs never finished worse than sixth in points per game. Reid and Bieniemy complement each other; Reid shapes the passing attack while Bieniemy establishes the run. From a fantasy perspective, that balance matters: Kansas City averaged just over one rushing touchdown per game in that span, putting Walker in position to reach double-digit TDs for the first time in his career. Meanwhile, Patrick Mahomes thrived in this system, averaging over 38 pass attempts and 2.4 passing touchdowns per game.
With the run game stabilized, the offense should regain efficiency and explosiveness. Keep an eye on Justin Fields, who could complicate early usage while Mahomes works back to full strength, but there’s plenty of time to sort that out. Overall, this reunion should have fantasy managers excited: a more balanced, productive offense means a clear boost in fantasy value across the board.
Yes, I am a Raiders fan. That’s why you can hear the excitement, because we finally have direction. We may not know exactly where we are going, but it has to go up from here.
Klint Kubiak was greeted by Raider Royalty at his press conference, and some made fun of his demeanor, but you need to understand who Kubiak is—he has been deeply immersed in what it takes to be a leader in the NFL. Kubiak has done a great job creating loyalty and adding coaches like Rick Dennison, who has followed him multiple times, including in 2025 when they won the Super Bowl in Seattle.
Kubiak will put a heavy focus on the offensive line, which explains the addition of Tyler Linderbaum, an elite run blocker with a high football IQ. Ashton Jeanty’s managers need not panic when they hear about the committee approach or multi-back system. Efficiency will be much higher for him this year, and he scored 10 touchdowns last season. I won’t predict exactly how many touchdowns Jeanty will have in 2026, but he will not lose fantasy value, even if his touches are scaled down. Brock Bowers fits nicely into Kubiak’s vision, which emphasizes play-action. This will highlight his versatility and create plenty of opportunities for yards after the catch. Jalen Nailor is a nice addition, but the Raiders need to make sure no other moves are made, including adding a receiver in the draft, before we talk fantasy value for him. All in all, the Raiders are not shaping up to be a fantasy wasteland, and with Fernando Mendoza all but set to be the starter come September, it’s time for some rejoicing in both the reality and fantasy circles for Vegas. Go RAIDERS!
Personally, no one coach disappointed me more than Kevin Patullo, maybe Pete Carroll, but I digress. He turned a Super Bowl offense into “mush” in less than a year. How did he land back in the NFL so quickly? Oh, wait, it's the Dolphins floundering again. The most alarming stat is the fact that in 2024, the Eagles scored 29 points per game, and at the end of the 2025 campaign, they scored only 22.1 per game. That seven-point difference is baffling. There was no identity offensively, and it led to fantasy managers getting fed up and choosing to bench key players.
Miami is clearly rebuilding, so maybe the organization is hoping to hit a home run by pairing him with Bobby Slowik. However, you will surely strike out if you trust the two coaches mentioned alongside Malik Willis, who has only six games under his belt—and just lost his top receiver, Jaylen Waddle, to Denver. Trusting in the trio of Willis, Slowik and Patullo could ruin your fantasy football experience in 2026.
If I could say double-hate, I would. Matt Nagy has been destroying our fantasy teams for a minute now. He struggles with developing young talent, which the Giants are full of—especially Jaxson Dart, who needs to develop ways not to take unnecessary hits that knock him out of games. It's just hard to believe this will turn out good. John Harbaugh will need to micro-manage Nagy. The last three seasons with the Chiefs, led by Nagy, the offense failed to score over 23 points per game. We shouldn’t just think that a change of scenery will change the outcome of a Nagy-led offense, which, for fantasy, is not good, specifically when he's the playcaller (let’s see if he loses play-calling duties for a third time in New York). Malik Nabers is someone to target in fantasy, but more for a dynasty startup. In redraft because of the Nagy hire, I would sit this one out, and he is coming back from an ACL injury, too. You have been warned!
It definitely showed that the Lions needed an experienced playcaller on offense last year. So this offseason, Dan Campbell made sure to get just that by adding Drew Petzing. The 38-year-old multi-time playcaller steps in with his 13-personnel and is ready to get back to running the ball. Get ready, Jahmyr Gibbs managers, and this might be a good time to keep Isiah Pacheco in the back of your mind come draft time. He’s excited!
We all know that Campbell does want there to be balance on offense, so the Petzing hire also fits Jared Goff, who has become really good at play-action. Back in 2024, Petzing and the Cardinals ran play action 29 percent of the time, and in the same season, Goff led the NFL with 36 percent of his passes in play action. This could help the passing offense get back on track, helping fantasy managers with more consistency from their players. Just know it will take a little time, which is why the neutral tag. After Ben Johnson left, the team's offense suffered. It will take a little time, so give them seven games before you have a total meltdown.
