Who Should I Start? Tyreek Hill or Travis Etienne Jr.

Friday, January 23, 4:12 PM

The Miami Herald's Barry Jackson writes that the Miami Dolphins "almost assuredly" will release wide receiver Tyreek Hill (knee) before mid-March. Hill suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 4 and is due to make $29.9 million in 2026. However, none of that money is guaranteed until mid-March, when $11 million of it becomes guaranteed if he's on the team, in addition to a $5 million roster bonus. His contract carries a $51.9 million salary cap hit, so even if he wasn't injured, Hill wouldn't have returned to Miami on that deal. If the speedy wideout is released, as expected, his 2026 cap hit would drop from $51.9 million to $28.2 million. If he's cut after June 1, the team's cap hit would be just $15.9 million. Hill is entering his age-32 season in 2026, and after tearing multiple ligaments in his knee, his trademark speed could be affected going forward. Ultimately, his fantasy stock will depend on where he's playing next season, but his arrow is definitely pointing down.

Tuesday, January 27, 4:29 PM

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. was motivated in his contract year in 2025, and he delivered with 1,399 scrimmage yards and a career-high 13 touchdowns (seven rushing, six receiving) in 17 regular-season games. The 27-year-old posted his third 1,000-yard rushing season in his four years in the NFL, and it was a huge bounce-back campaign for the former Clemson star after he had only 558 rushing yards and two touchdowns in 2024 in 15 games. Determining Etienne's 2026 fantasy value is hard at the moment, since we don't know yet if the Jaguars plan to make an effort to re-sign him as he heads into his fifth year in the NFL. Etienne certainly outperformed expectations this year, but if he goes elsewhere, he might not see the kind of volume he did for the Jags as a dual-threat RB. If he stays in Duval, Etienne will be trying to hold off Bhayshul Tuten, who seems destined for a bigger role in 2026.