It’s not back.

I mean, obviously, it is, but it’s not, you know what I mean?

I get the eye rolling. “Hey Berry,” I can actually hear you as you roll your eyes, “Didn’t you do a big whiny goodbye to Love/Hate last year?”

And the answer is why yes, yes, I did. And it’s still gone. The regular season version of “Love/Hate” is retired and unlike Derek Carr (allegedly!) is planning on staying that way. When I announced the end of the column I did say I would do a preseason version, so yeah, there should be one of those in August and I mentioned there would be one-offs here and there but that, for all intents and purposes, it was done.

Except today when it is most clearly not. For sure, this is one of those one-offs. There will be another one after the NFL draft. (Speaking of the NFL draft, have you seen the massive FantasyLife.com NFL Draft preview? It’s RE-DIC-ULOUS. Insanely comprehensive and 100% free. You have to see this layout. Check it out right here. Between Fantasy Life and my guy Connor Rogers’ new draft rankings, you should be very well prepared for the 2026 NFL Draft and your dynasty league drafts.

But, back to this column, where, as I have done for many, many years… welcome to the 2026 free agency edition of “Love/Hate.” The premise of this version of the column is simple, but different than normal. Here, this is just about players who, after the first two weeks or so of free agency, have either improved their fantasy value (“Loves”) or have lost fantasy value (“Hates”). That’s it.

If you want to see how I feel about each player relative to others, be sure to check out Fantasy Football Happy Hour which we do once a week in the offseason LIVE on YouTube and my updated rankings, which will be coming out next week.

Thanks as always to my producer Damian Dabrowski for his help at various points in this column. Let’s get to it:

Quarterbacks I Love After Free AgencyKyler Murray, Minnesota

The Kyler Murray-Arizona Cardinals breakup was a long time coming. But as rebound relationships go, Murray landing in an offense with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and a great chance to start means he won’t spend his nights sadly scrolling through the Cardinals’ Instagram. Don’t forget, Murray has finished as a top 12 QB in PPG in all six seasons in which he’s played at least eight games (even his Ride or Die year, dammit), and he should be plenty motivated to perform well on a one-year contract. Plus, he’ll play over half his games indoors on turf and will be another year removed from injury, so he should run more. Of course, there’s also the fact that Murray will now be coached by noted QB whisperer and friend of the podcast Kevin O’Connell. Minnesota has ranked top 10 in QB PPG in three of O’Connell’s four seasons as head coach. The only season they didn’t? Last year with J.J. McCarthy. (Note: KOC’s quarterback whispering offer not valid in Hawaii, Alaska, and if your name is J.J. McCarthy.) If, as most expect, Murray is the starter in Minnesota this season, he’s a top 12 fantasy QB.

Malik Willis, Miami

Like an elderly couple with arthritis, Malik Willis has moved from Green Bay to Miami. But unlike an elderly couple from Wisconsin, Willis is great with his legs. No word yet on his shuffleboard skills but in his six career starts, Willis has averaged 44.8 rush yards (he also had 40-plus rush yards in five of those games). And while Willis’ three starts with the Packers is a small sample size, it’s hard not to be excited by Willis averaging 23.3 FPPG in those starts. Oh, and back to our elderly and arthritic elderly Wisconsin couple — let’s call them Cliff and Phyllis Flenderson — I’m confident the Flendersons could earn some playing time this season on what is projected to be an atrocious Miami defense. But the good news is that a bad Miami defense should lead to positive game scripts for Willis. The loss of Jaylen Waddle to Denver isn’t ideal but given Willis’ skill set, it likely means even more plays where no one is open, and Willis just keeps the ball and runs like he’s late for bingo. I have Willis as a high-end QB2 entering the 2026 season.

Others receiving votes: Look, if we were ranking NFL agents, the crew that has now landed Daniel Jones nearly $300 million over his career would be going 1.01 in every sports agent league. But let’s focus on Jones as a fantasy QB right now. While he’s not 1.01, I still like him. Remember, before his injury last season, Jones was QB7 in PPG. He also posted career highs in passing yards per game, yards per attempt, passer rating, and the Colts led the league in yards per play with Jones under center. Yes, I expect Jones’ running to be limited when he initially returns to action this season, but being in the second year of a system designed for him, he’ll still be a mid-tier QB2. … The year is 2044. The NFL is playing a 26-game season, most on the moon, with games on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and the newly christened NFLsday. The No. 1 overall pick is an AI energy drink that also is the lead singer of a K-pop band. And Jacoby Brissett is still a journeyman starter. I’m not sure where he’ll be starting in 2044 (The favorite on most prediction markets are the Dubai Chocolate Pandas), but in 2026 it looks like it will definitely be with the Arizona Cardinals. Widely expected by many (sheepishly raises hand) to be replaced by Malik Willis or some other free agent, the fact that Jacoby Brissett is going into a year as a team’s starter, on purpose no less, helps him make this list. As does the fact that Gardner Minshew is his only competition. But mostly because Brissett produced last year as the starter. Yes, it was junktime-ish and yes, he has a new offense this year, but I don’t see the defense getting a lot better or the play calling getting worse. And after taking over the job in Week 6, Brissett was QB8 in PPG (18.9) and finished as a top 12 QB in 10 of his 12 starts. Brissett also led the league in pass attempts per game (40.3) and was second in passing yards per game (280.5). I like him as a low-end QB2 in 2026.

Quarterbacks I Hate After Free AgencyJayden Daniels, Washington

Let’s be VERY clear. Jayden is my guy. You know I love him. I have, and will always have, Faith in Five. And as a lifelong Commanders fan, I actually like a lot of our free agency moves as we’ve remade the defense, something that was sorely needed. That said, with the bulk of free agency movement over, Washington’s WR depth chart after Terry McLaurin reads: Treylon Burks, Luke McCaffrey, Van Jefferson, and Dyami Brown. Oofa. According to reports, the Commanders tried with Alec Pierce and Romeo Doubs, but both players chose other teams. But maybe Washington is playing chess while I’m just thinking about checkers. Because the Commanders also lost their starting center, Tyler Biadasz, in free agency. So, if Washington doesn’t even have anyone to snap the ball to Daniels, they definitely don’t need people for him to throw to. See? It all makes sense. I’m not sad at all. No, really, everything is fine. (Dog at table surrounded by fire meme). So, while I will still rank Daniels as a mid-tier fantasy QB1 this season due to his many talents and I will talk myself into believing Chig Okonkwo will be an elite NFL TE now that he’s escaped Tennessee, Daniels’ supporting cast and injury concerns mean many will understandably have more names before him on their personal ranks than you’d have thought before free agency.

J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota

You can re-read the Kyler Murray section to see what McCarthy is here. But just to put a point on it: last season McCarthy ranked dead-last among qualified QBs in passer rating and completion percentage. Minnesota’s open pursuit of a veteran QB this offseason wasn’t just to give McCarthy a little motivation. It was to give him a little headset and a clipboard on the sidelines. All signs point to Murray as the 2026 starter in Minnesota. Which means I have McCarthy unranked heading into 2026.

Running Backs I Love After Free AgencyKenneth Walker, Kansas City

For everyone who said that they got sick of seeing the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl, maybe letting them snatch up the reigning Super Bowl MVP in free agency wasn’t the brightest idea. But there’s nothing to do about that now. What you can do is draft Kenneth Walker in fantasy. He’s Kansas City’s clear RB1. In Walker’s 24 career games with 18-plus touches, he’s averaging 108 scrimmage yards. A lot of those touches should come with an opportunity to score, too, as KC has ranked top 10 in red zone drives in all but one season under Mahomes. After ranking dead-last in explosive run rate and second to last in RB YPC over the past two seasons, the Chiefs were desperate to land a back with Walker’s ability. Get this: since Walker entered the NFL, the only backs with more runs of 20-plus yards are Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley, and Jahmyr Gibbs. (Sorry, Chiefs haters.). With no Zach Charbonnet to steal touches and Andy Reid, who has as good of an offensive mind as there is in the NFL, in charge, look for Walker to be a low-end RB1 with weekly overall RB1 upside in the KC offense.

Ashton Jeanty, Las Vegas

Ashton Jeanty wasn’t the world beater we hoped he’d be as a rookie but, in fairness, you have to consider [literally every single thing about the 2025 Las Vegas Raiders, reduced to this one line for brevity]. And not for nothing, in games in which Jeanty got 18-plus touches last season, he averaged 18.5 PPG, including two games with 30-plus fantasy points. Now, he enters a Klint Kubiak offense that should be much more efficient and also run-heavy. (Last season, Kubiak’s Seattle offense ranked 30th in pass rate over expected.) And that Vegas run game should be bolstered by the additions of center Tyler Linderbaum and fullback Connor Heyward. Jeanty’s a mid-tier RB1 on the new-look Raiders.

Omarion Hampton, Los Angeles Chargers

Omarion Hampton wasn’t the world beater we hoped he’d be as a rookie but, in fairness, you have to consider [his injury and literally every single snap played by the 2025 Chargers offensive line, reduced to this one line for brevity]. But the Chargers used free agency to address their line issues head on, signing linemen Tyler Biadasz, Cole Strange, and Alex Ingold, as well as adding blocking TE Charlie Kolar. Behind that improved line, Hampton will be featured in a Chargers offense led by new OC Mike McDaniel, who is widely considered to be one of the best run game coordinators in the NFL. I’m confident projecting Hampton as a low-end RB1 in 2026.

Others receiving votes: Going out on a limb for you here, but I really like Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs. Sorry, I just think they’re good at football and I’m not ashamed to say it. But for real, with Tyler Allgeier and David Montgomery out of the picture, both Robinson and Gibbs somehow picked up EVEN more fantasy value and further separated themselves from the rest of the pack as the 1.01 and 1.02 this year. … Rico Dowdle is off to the Steelers (#FreeJaylenWarren!), which means Chuba Hubbard retains his lead back role in Carolina. Hubbard finished RB13 in PPG when he was the starter in 2024 and, over the past two seasons, is averaging 18.2 PPG when seeing 15-plus touches. Yes, offseason reports on Jonathan Brooks have been positive, but he’s now torn the same ACL twice and has played a total of three games across his first two NFL seasons. I hope he’s healthy, but I’m still rolling with Hubbard. … The Giants didn’t sign any running backs in free agency, and John Harbaugh brought his old Ravens fullback – Patrick Ricard – with him from Baltimore. That’s all great news for Cam Skattebo in 2026. Over Skattebo’s final six full games last season (Weeks 2-7), he was RB8 in PPG (19.1). … I’m tootin’ the horn for Bhayshul Tuten. (Important note: these are offseason-quality jokes. Additional important note: the in-season jokes aren’t that much better. You get what you pay for.) Anyway, with Travis Etienne now in New Orleans, Tuten and Chris Rodriguez will split a backfield that averaged over 21 fantasy points per game in Liam Coen’s first season. Rodriguez should see some early down work, but he’s never averaged more than nine touches per game and has a career target share below 1%. So, even if Tuten only sees 12-15 touches, his big-play ability and passing game usage are enough to give him low-end RB2 or FLEX value. … The Texans ranked 8th in RB rush attempts last season. The bulk of that work (especially in close) will now go to David Montgomery, who now gets to compete with Not Jahmyr Gibbs for touches . … With Kenneth Walker gone and Zach Charbonnet recovering from a late-season ACL tear, Emanuel Wilson and George Holani sit atop the RB depth chart for a Seahawks team that had the third-highest rush rate last season. … The Commanders added Rachaad White and Jerome Ford, but both profile more as third down/receiving options. That means Jacory Croskey-Meritt should have a valuable early-down/goal-line role in the Washington offense. That means “Bill” – or “Deeper league, low-end RB3/FLEX option,” as I’ve nicknamed him (you decide which nickname is catchier) – maintains fantasy value as the current lead of a RBBC.

Running Backs I Hate After Free AgencyDe’Von Achane, Miami

Will the last one in Miami turn the lights off? It seems the Fins are trading everything that isn’t locked down… except De’Von Achane. And while last year’s version of Miami did not love the idea of Tua Tagovailoa running around for obvious reasons, there won’t be those limitations on Malik Willis. In his three starts with the Packers, Willis saw 20% of Green Bay’s rush attempts and 42% of its red zone attempts. That likely means a reduction in Achane’s workload. And not just in the run game. Only nine of Willis’ 89 pass attempts over the past two seasons went to running backs (10%), while FIFTY PERCENT of Achane’s fantasy points over the past two seasons came as a receiver. Is that a lot? Because it feels like a lot. And while all of my dynasty teams hold onto a flicker of hope for Malik Washington, the truth is with no Jaylen Waddle, I worry about teams stacking the box to stop the run and Miami’s ability to keep drives alive and be in scoring position often. Now, I still have Achane as an RB1. But both his floor and ceiling are a little lower than they would be with a non-mobile QB and literally any other skill player that scared you out there to help stretch the field.

Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay

The Buccaneers went out and signed Kenneth Gainwell coming off a season in which he set career highs in touches (187) and scrimmage yards (1,023)) on his way finishing top five among RBs in targets, receptions, and receiving yards. You don’t get a guy performing that well to not play him. Gainwell’s pass-catching ability is the biggest concern for Bucky Irving’s fantasy prospects. Over Irving’s career, in games in which he saw a single-digit target share, he averaged just 11.8 PPG, compared to 17.1 PPG in games in which he has a double-digit target share. And in addition to signing Gainwell, the Bucs also brought back Sean Tucker who finished last season as their preferred goal-line option. It’s hard for me to see Irving ending up as anything more than a mid-tier RB2 in 2026.

RJ Harvey, Denver

The Broncos were reportedly in the mix with multiple running backs during the early days of free agency and then – when they didn’t land any of them – they decided to bring back JK Dobbins. The Broncos like RJ Harvey … but they clearly don’t want to settle down with him. They’re into more of what you might call a polyamorous RB situationship. They want the football touched? Carried? Let’s say carried by many people. And really, you can’t blame Denver for not committing to something exclusive. Last season Harvey ranked 43rd out of 49 qualified backs in rushing success rate, and he averaged just 3.3 YPC in his nine games as a starter after Dobbins was injured (including playoffs). And get this: In the 10 games Dobbins was active, Harvey averaged only 7.5 touches. Considering Dobbins’ injury history, I still think Harvey has some upside – especially in best ball leagues – but as things stand now, he’s little more than a low-end RB3 in re-draft leagues.

Woody Marks, Texans

David Montgomery will handle most of the early-down carries, which leaves the third down/receiving role to Woody Marks. Except, Houston didn’t throw to backs much last season. (And really, considering how C.J. Stroud played down the stretch, they may decide to never throw to anyone again.) In 2025, Houston ranked 26th in RB target share. And despite the hype last year, when you look closer you understand the Texans desire to bring in a productive veteran. Of backs with 100-plus rushes last season, Marks had the second-lowest YPC and was bottom five in yards after contact. Not great! Marks’ value in 2026 is really only as an insurance option for Montgomery.

Pass Catchers I Love After Free AgencyGeorge Pickens, Dallas

Jerry Jones said this week that if the Cowboys had “played a lick of defense last year, we would’ve had ourselves, I think, a real playoff run.” So, take that, Seahawks. You are paper champions. But while we wait to see if Dallas has fixed its defense and is on the cusp of an unprecedented run of championships, I can say with confidence that bringing George Pickens back will be great for their offense … and for Pickens’ fantasy value. Last season, Pickens finished third in the NFL in receiving yards and saw the second-most end zone targets on the way to being WR6 in PPG. He also averaged 16.1 PPG in games in which CeeDee Lamb was active, thanks in no small part to the pass-heavy Dallas offense that threw the third-most passes in the NFL. Coming back to Dallas was the best possible outcome for Pickens’ fantasy value as is the fact that almost every other aspect of last year’s offense is back as well. I have Pickens inside my top 12 WRs this year, and the Cowboys inside my top 32 defenses.

Mike Evans, San Francisco

It will be weird to see Mike Evans in a 49ers uniform. But it will not be weird to see him make great catches and score touchdowns, two things he should do lots of with San Francisco. Landing in a Kyle Shanahan offense with Brock Purdy at QB is a great fit for Evans. He should also see a lot of targets, too, considering George Kittle is coming off an Achilles tear, Jauan Jennings remains a free agent, and Ricky Pearsall has struggled to stay on the field consistently. Evans should immediately become the top end zone target on the Niners. And that, as they say, is a good gig. Over the past three seasons, San Francisco ranks third in red zone passing touchdowns, while – over the same period – Evans ranks second in end zone targets per game. Sounds like a perfect fit to me. I have Evans as a low-end WR2.

Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay

Tampa ranked second in cumulative WR target share last season (67.1%), while Mike Evans – in his seven full games – had a 26% target share, as well as 44% of team end zone targets. That’s a lot of work coming the way of Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin. Egbuka had a 28% target share in the nine games Evans missed. And Godwin? He was targeted on 22% of his routes with Evans OFF the field last season, compared to just 16% with Evans ON the field. I have Egbuka slotted as a high-end WR3 in 2026, with Godwin just behind as a low-end WR3.

Marvin Harrison, Jr. and Michael Wilson, Arizona

Montana and Rice. Manning and Harrison. Brady and Moss. Brissett and Harrison, Jr. and Wilson. Okay, maybe not … but also … kinda … maybe? Get this: After becoming the starter last season, Jacoby Brissett led the NFL in pass attempts per game and was second in passing yards per game. In Brissett’s 12 starts, Wilson was WR11 in PPG (16.7). Meanwhile, in his four games with Brissett in which he played at least 60% of the snaps, Harrison, Jr. averaged 14.4 PPG with a 24% target share and 44% of team end zone targets. So, yeah … pretty good. But fine, maybe they don’t all get inducted into Canton together. But that’s only because Brissett will still be playing for the NFL’s team in Dubai long after Harrison, Jr. and Wilson retire. I have both Harrison, Jr. and Wilson as mid to low-end WR3s.

Others receiving votes: Geno Smith isn’t the Jets’ savior any more than he was the Jets savior back in 2013. But he’s a competent NFL quarterback whose tape last year was better than his numbers suggest and who can get the ball to his receivers. With Geno under center, Tyler Lockett was WR16 in 2022 and DK Metcalf finished as a top 25 WR in both 2022 and 2023. That means Garrett Wilson will see a significant bump in production over what we saw last year. … Considering they gave up a second-round pick to get him, the Bills clearly like DJ Moore. (Well, assuming the Bills don’t openly dislike all of the receivers they go out of their way to acquire. See: Coleman, Keon. And Cooper, Amari. And Palmer, Josh. Let’s move on.) Look, Moore isn’t the player he used to be, but he did score 20-plus fantasy points in three of the five games in which he saw at least six targets last season, and he will be a bigger part of the offense in Buffalo than he was in Chicago. … With Moore no longer on the Bears, that means more opportunities are available for Rome Odunze, Luther Burden, and Colston Loveland. It’s particularly exciting for Burden and Loveland, given the efficiency they showed as rookies. Among wide receivers who saw at least 60 targets, Burden ranked top five in both yards per target and yards per route run. He’s got a massive ceiling if given a full-time role. And the same is true for Loveland. Including the playoffs, Loveland had five games last season where he saw at least a 20% target share, and he scored over 20 fantasy points in four of them. He’s locked in as a top five TE for me in 2026. … Romeo Doubs signing with the Patriots opens up even more targets for Chrisitan Watson in Green Bay. Over his final seven games last season, Watson was a top 15 WR. If Watson can stay healthy and see a 20% target share, he’s in position to have a career year in 2026. … With Alec Pierce back as the deep threat in Indy and Michael Pittman and his 8.2 aDOT now in Pittsburgh, Josh Downs and Tyler Warren will see far more short area targets – and usage in general – this season in Indianapolis. … Look, as a Commanders fan, do I love that Chig Okonkwo might be the No. 2 pass-catching option in the Washington offense behind Terry McLaurin? I do not. I mean, Okonkwo is a fine tight end, but what if the Commanders also had – just spitballing here – more than one decent WR? Sorry, sorry. Don’t mean to be greedy and unreasonable. I’ll try to see the silver lining. For example, Okonkwo is coming off three straight seasons with at least 50 receptions. See? That’s good? And considering 35-year-old Zach Ertz averaged over five targets per game in this offense, you can do worse than Chig as a late-round dart throw in deeper leagues. Okay, great. I’m feeling better. My Commanders are clearly winning the Super Bowl.

Pass Catchers I Hate After Free AgencyDK Metcalf, Pittsburgh

Michael Pittman’s arrival in Pittsburgh is good for the Steelers, but bad for DK Metcalf’s target share in what is already a rather ground-based attack. Considering how quick and short (presumed Steelers quarterback) Aaron Rodgers throws these days, Pittman’s skill set fits that style well. He will likely become Rodgers’ preferred target. And heck, maybe even Rodgers will throw it deep to Pittman sometimes. (Note: “deep” for the Steelers these days means a pass that travels more than seven yards.). Considering, Rodgers was dead-last among qualified QB’s in aDOT and percentage of passes that went 15+ air yards last year, Pittman is a much better fit for the team. Add in the fact that, despite being their only real WR last year, Metcalf still only saw 21% of his team’s red zone targets (ranking 29th at the position). I have Metcalf on the WR3/WR4 cusp.

Brian Thomas, Jacksonville

Brian Thomas didn’t get traded – or at least he hasn’t yet – and now it’s hard to see him having a huge target share in an offense that also features quality pass catchers in Jakobi Meyers, Parker Washington, Travis Hunter, and Brenton Strange. If only Thomas was 350 miles south of Jacksonville and on the Dolphins, considering their current wide receiver depth chart includes an old DVD copy of “CSI: Miami, Season 3,” a 16-ounce bag of sand, and the period that follows this sentence. But alas, Thomas remains on the Jaguars and from Week 10 on last year (after the Meyers trade), Thomas earned just a 16.6% target share, which was fourth on the team behind the newly acquired Meyers, Washington, and Strange. And that was WITH Hunter on IR.