Fantasy guide to NFL offseason signings: WR D.J. Moore traded to the Bills - ESPN

The fantasy football offseason is heating up with NFL free agency upon us and the potential for big-time trades at any time. This column is designed to be a one-stop shop for quick-hitting analysis of the most impactful player movement.

ESPN Fantasy writers Matt Bowen, Tristan H. Cockcroft, Eric Karabell, Liz Loza and Eric Moody offer their insights into what each move means for a player's fantasy value in 2026, and Mike Clay supplies his projections for each player.

Jump to: RB | WR

Fantasy impact: Positive

Karabell: David Montgomery, 28, thrived in his first two seasons in Detroit in a timeshare with star Jahmyr Gibbs, scoring 25 rushing touchdowns, but his role and volume decreased in Year 3, especially over the final eight weeks. The Lions decided to move on, clearing Gibbs for more volume and production, and certainly one now can make the case for him as the first running back — and perhaps player at any position — off the PPR draft board for 2026. After all, Gibbs was already a top-three PPR RB the past two seasons. More touches would be exciting for all.

Montgomery should return to 200-plus touches in Houston — perhaps pushing promising Woody Marks aside a bit — but there might be a receiving-minded running back to be named later helping him out, too. Sans veteran Joe Mixon (foot) for the entire season, no Texans running back reached even the low bar of 25 receptions, with the entire crew combining to catch only 54 passes. Montgomery caught 54 passes for the 2020 Chicago Bears, but he averaged only 25 receptions per his three Lions campaigns.

The Texans might not be done adding to their backfield, searching for a third-down option. Marks delivered six double-digit PPR efforts (though he did not rush for 75 yards