The Combine kicks off February 26 in Indianapolis. Ninety percent of it is noise — but these five storylines will move your draft board.
1. Fernando Mendoza Is QB1 — His Landing Spot Is the Real Story
Indiana's Fernando Mendoza went undefeated, won a national championship, and is the near-lock No. 1 overall pick. Vegas is the likely destination, which instantly upgrades every Raiders pass-catcher on your board — and kills whatever slim fantasy hope Kirk Cousins had left.
Here's the bigger picture: this QB class is thin. Only two quarterbacks are projected in round one. That scarcity forces QB-needy teams into free agency or trades, which reshuffles the entire offensive landscape.
2. Edge Rushers Could Redirect the Cowboys' Offseason — And That's a Fantasy Story
This isn't just for IDP managers. If a prospect lights up the 40 at the Combine, teams like Dallas might pivot from signing Trey Hendrickson to drafting a pass rusher instead. That decision has massive fantasy ripple effects: cap dollars that would've gone to defense could flow toward offensive weapons, keeping CeeDee Lamb's target volume elite and potentially adding a real running back (remember, the FA RB market is historic right now).
Dallas is the team to watch in Indy. Their draft board will directly impact multiple fantasy positions.
3. Rookie RBs Who Test Well Will Blow Up an Already-Loaded Position
We broke down the historic RB free agent class recently — Walker, Hall, Etienne, Williams, Dowdle, and more. Now add this wrinkle: any rookie back who posts elite Combine numbers (sub-4.4 forty, 36+ inch vertical) immediately enters the first-round draft conversation.
That matters because rookie RBs who land with established passing games — Houston, Detroit, Kansas City — could leapfrog veteran free agents in fantasy drafts by August.
4. The Eagles Are Scouting QBs — The Post-Hurts Era May Be Starting
Quiet bombshell: Philadelphia is reportedly scouting quarterbacks at the Combine as part of a Jalen Hurts succession plan. The Eagles are also linked to Kyle Pitts in free agency, and A.J. Brown trade rumors continue to swirl.
If Philly is genuinely planning for life after Hurts, the fantasy value of every Eagle shifts. DeVonta Smith becomes the stable asset. Brown's future gets murkier. And any QB prospect the Eagles show interest in becomes a dynasty target.
5. Cap Casualties Are Coming — The Combine Is Where Deals Get Done
The Combine isn't just about prospects running 40s. It's where GMs meet in hotel lobbies and make the trades and cuts that reshape rosters. The Chiefs just freed up $43M in cap space. The Bills are facing a $42M crunch with 21 free agents. The Bears are already cutting under Ben Johnson.
Expect a wave of veteran releases during Combine week. Players to watch: Curtis Samuel (Bills likely cut), James Conner (Cardinals letting him walk), and Mike Evans (exploring free agency, Steelers interested). Any of these veterans landing in the right situation becomes a draft-day steal.
The Bottom Line
The Combine itself won't tell you who to draft. But the decisions that happen around it — the trades, the cuts, the front-office handshakes — set the table for the entire 2026 fantasy season. The managers paying attention now, in February, are the ones lifting trophies in December.
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Sources: Yahoo Sports, SI.com, CBS Sports, ESPN, PFF, ClutchPoints, ChiCitySports, MLive — Feb 19-20, 2026