Fantasy football may have wrapped for most managers about a month ago, but NFL playoff performances are still useful for gauging 2026 fantasy value. Below are several players whose stock has risen as the temperature dropped—either because they heated up in late December or delivered in the postseason.
RB LaMondre Stephenson, New England Patriots
Credit Mike Vrabel for not benching Stephenson after his earlier fumble trouble. The Patriots leaned on him in the playoffs, giving him 45 touches across the last two weeks, including 25 in the AFC Championship against Denver. He enters the postseason with 194 rushing yards, which leads the league. Treveyon Henderson, meanwhile, had just three carries (albeit memorable ones) in the Denver game. All season Henderson has been the explosive option while Stephenson handled the tough, steady work, and New England has favored the grinder in the postseason. Stephenson has also been more involved in the passing attack late—16 catches for 190 yards and two scores over his last six games versus Henderson’s 3-16-0. If Stephenson posts a heavy workload in the Super Bowl, expect his ADP to climb in next year’s drafts.
TE Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears
Loveland’s breakout—capped by a 6-118-2 night in Cincinnati and a walk-off score—became more than a one-off after Christmas. He finished his final four games (including playoffs) with 48 targets, turning them into 28 catches for 378 yards and two touchdowns. That level of usage will likely make him an expensive pick in 2026 fantasy drafts, but it’s justified: Caleb Williams is rising as a passer and offensive coordinator Ben Johnson’s scheme suits Loveland’s skill set.
RB Blake Colm, Los Angeles Rams
Sean McVay’s offense normally funnels fantasy production into a small group, but that group expanded in 2025 as Colm emerged as a complement to starter Kyren Williams. Colm was the team’s most efficient back in the recent loss to Seattle (12 touches for 79 scrimmage yards) and saw double-digit touches in six of the last eight games. He finished the season with six rushing scores, five coming after Thanksgiving. Williams remains the clear starter for 2026, but Colm should have roughly eight to 12 touches in a healthy contest and could see more if he’s the hotter option. He’s a plausible flex play next year and could become even more valuable with an injury ahead of him.
WR Marvin Mims Jr., Denver Broncos
Mims spent much of the year on the periphery but was forced into a bigger role in the playoffs, finishing with 12 catches for 155 yards on 14 targets across two games. The Broncos’ receiver room is crowded—with Troy Franklin and Pat Bryant still developing—but Mims will still be only 24 next year. Despite limited opportunities, he managed 11 regular-season touchdowns and contributes as a dynamic kick returner, so he’s begging for a larger role moving forward.
WR Jalen Coker, Carolina Panthers
Coker’s path from undrafted free agent out of Holy Cross to a contributor is noteworthy, but his late-season development is what matters for fantasy buzz. In his final six starts he produced 28 catches for 378 yards and four scores, including a 134-yard game against the Rams. He has the size and contested-catch ability to finish with 8–10 touchdowns in a full season, even with Teitairoa McMillan on the roster. Expect Coker to become one of next summer’s trending sleepers, and consider getting ahead of that wave.
Fan Take: These playoff performances matter because they can reshape opportunity and perception heading into the 2026 season—players who seize late-season snaps often become focal points next year. For fans, that means new fantasy targets and evolving team dynamics to watch as rosters and game plans adjust.
