Tell your friends (just not your leaguemates until next week)

by Mike Vadala

Published On: February 19th, 2026

In this week’s dynasty download, we’ll be breaking down the NFC North. For each team, I’ll include a summary of its 2025 season and review the key starting players who are up for new contracts. I’ll then highlight what positions need to be addressed in the offseason, and finally give my thoughts on that team’s 2026 season from a dynasty perspective.

All four NFC North teams begin the offseason over the salary cap. Time to get creative with those contracts/cuts.

— Mike Vadala (@mikeonkeys.bsky.social) February 11, 2026 at 11:48 AM

Dynasty Download Looking Ahead To 2026: NFC North Edition

Want more from Optimus Fantasy? Join our Discord!

Chicago Bears (11-6)

2025 Season:

If you want to hear about Caleb Williams‘ completion percentage, and how it doesn’t matter that he looked like Joe Montana had a baby with Patrick Mahomes in any given fourth quarter this year, well, go somewhere else. Caleb Williams is the truth, and if you can’t accept that, you need to get your eyes checked. The Ben Johnson-Caleb Williams marriage exploded onto the scene in its first year, as the two led their team to its first playoff win in 25 years. This should be one of the most investment-worthy teams in the NFL for dynasty managers going into the offseason.

Expiring Contracts/Cap Space:

Cap Space: According to Spotrac.com the Bears are projected to have negative $10 million in cap space in 2026, which ranks 26th most in the NFL.

Expiring Contracts: 

Positions To Address:

Defense

Dynasty Analysis/Implications:

You’re going to hear a lot of talk about D.J. Moore getting traded this offseason, as the rumblings started immediately after the final play of the Bears’ season. However, teams may be reluctant to trade for a 28-year-old receiver who will be on a hefty contract until 2029. Moore also fits like a puzzle piece in this Bears offense, which has four ultra-reliable targets in Moore, Rome Odunze, Luther Burden, and Colston Loveland. Dynasty managers should invest in this offense as if it will stay the same, with maybe a sprinkle of aggressive investments in case they decide to make a change. In year two, I expect this offense to get even better under offensive mastermind Ben Johnson and the Iceman, Caleb Williams.

Green Bay Packers (9-7-1)

2025 Season:

The Packers have seemed to be searching for their identity since Aaron Rodgers left, leaving Jordan Love to fill his shoes. This year, they just may have found that identity in a bruising run game and strong defense. Josh Jacobs plowed through defenders all year, and the Green Bay defense looked especially scary before Micah Parsons went down with a season-ending ACL injury. We are starting to get to know Jordan Love as a streaky QB who can put up some explosive QB1 weeks but can also be a dud against good opponents. This team is going to start the offseason over the cap, but should be able to find wiggle room to make the improvements it needs to.

Expiring Contracts/Cap Space:

Cap Space: According to Spotrac.com the Packers are projected to have negative $4 million in cap space in 2026, which ranks 21st most in the NFL.

Expiring Contracts:

Positions To Address:

OL, Re-sign Walker and Enagbare, Backup RB

Dynasty Analysis/Implications:

The Packers are a very fun team full of mystery boxes from the Dynasty perspective. At QB, you have Jordan Love, who has the talent to be one of the league’s best at the position, but doesn’t always put it together mentally. At WR, we have Matthew Golden, Jayden Reed, Christian Watson, Dontayvion Wicks, and Savion Williams, who are definitely returning, and the possibility of the Packers re-signing Romeo Doubs. All of these players have some level of promise, and all are under 26 years old. If you can guess correctly on which of these players will emerge as Jordan Love’s favorite target, you can hit on a player who will produce for another five years. At RB is the ever-reliable Josh Jacobs, who should be a lock once again to barrel through defenders and score touchdowns all year. 

Minnesota Vikings (9-8)

2025 Season:

Vikings fans are sad today, and that isn’t just because J.J. McCarthy has looked abysmal, or because Justin Jefferson had one of his lowest statistical outputs this year, or because of their barely above .500 record. No, the Vikings fans endured one of the most sickening experiences in all of sports during the ’25-’26 season. Sam Darnold, who led Minnesota to a 14-3 record last year, was let go by the team and has just won the Super Bowl. The Vikings seemingly could have kept Darnold, but they liked what they had in second-year QB J.J. McCarthy. That is starting to look like one of the worst evaluations we’ve seen in the past decade of offseasons. 

Expiring Contracts/Cap Space:

Cap Space: According to Spotrac.com the Vikings are projected to have negative $40 million in cap space in 2026, which ranks 30th most in the NFL.

Expiring Contracts:

Positions To Address:

RB, OL

Dynasty Analysis/Implications:

🚨🚨🚨 BREAKING NEWS 🚨🚨🚨

The Vikings have fired GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.

Per @tompelissero.bsky.social

— 🏈Optimus FF News (@news.optimusfantasy.com) January 30, 2026 at 12:43 PM

The Vikings are starting of $40 million in the red this offseason, so they’ll need to get creative with their cap space to even sign a punter this offseason. That does not bode well for a team that is in need of help. Minnesota will need to build out its offensive line through the draft this year, as it had major problems protecting McCarthy and Darnold the year prior. One place the Vikings can be fun for dynasty is if they add an exciting rookie RB. Aaron Jones should stay with the team next year, but he has shown significant wear and tear over the past two seasons. Pay attention to this RB room, as there is an opportunity for someone to surprise us there. 

Detroit Lions (9-8)

2025 Season:

It isn’t terribly surprising that the Lions experienced turbulence this past season, as they lost both their offensive and defensive coordinators. The team seemed to have some issues due to a lack of continuity, leading to worse execution than the year prior, to the point where Dan Campbell took over some play-calling responsibilities midway through the season. Injuries to both the offense and defense were a factor in the Lions’ worsening record as well. If you compare stats, the team did not fare terribly worse in 2025 than in their ’24 season, but it definitely showed up in the wins and losses.

Expiring Contracts/Cap Space:

Cap Space: According to Spotrac.com the Lions are projected to have negative $9 million in cap space in 2026, which ranks 23rd most in the NFL.

Expiring contracts: 

Positions To Address:

DL, LBs, DBs

Dynasty Analysis/Implications:

We already know all of the pieces in this Lions offense and what they are worth in dynasty. It could be a good time to target Jameson Williams, as his ascension has steadily continued throughout his career. Sam LaPorta could also be a great target if you can get him without giving up cornerstone players or first-round draft picks. LaPorta had a historically productive rookie season and was hindered by an injury last year, so investing in him involves some risk and reward.

David Montgomery is another piece to tread cautiously with. Montgomery’s role in the Lions’ offense has steadily decreased year over year, and even over the course of last season. I haven’t seen his play dip in efficiency, but it’s just difficult to keep Jahmyr Gibbs off the field given his electric capabilities. With some talk of Monty being a cut casualty or trade candidate, there’s still some upside in this talented player, but definitely use his dip in usage over the past few seasons as an excuse to get him cheap!

Mike Vadala is a dynasty analyst here at Optimus Fantasy, where you can find his updated dynasty rankings.

In this week’s dynasty download, we’ll be breaking down the NFC North. For each team, I’ll include a summary of its 2025 season and review the key starting players who are up for new contracts. I’ll then highlight what positions need to be addressed in the offseason, and finally give my thoughts on that team’s 2026 season from a dynasty perspective.

All four NFC North teams begin the offseason over the salary cap. Time to get creative with those contracts/cuts.

— Mike Vadala (@mikeonkeys.bsky.social) February 11, 2026 at 11:48 AM

Dynasty Download Looking Ahead To 2026: NFC North Edition

Want more from Optimus Fantasy? Join our Discord!

Chicago Bears (11-6)

2025 Season:

If you want to hear about Caleb Williams‘ completion percentage, and how it doesn’t matter that he looked like Joe Montana had a baby with Patrick Mahomes in any given fourth quarter this year, well, go somewhere else. Caleb Williams is the truth, and if you can’t accept that, you need to get your eyes checked. The Ben Johnson-Caleb Williams marriage exploded onto the scene in its first year, as the two led their team to its first playoff win in 25 years. This should be one of the most investment-worthy teams in the NFL for dynasty managers going into the offseason.

Expiring Contracts/Cap Space:

Cap Space: According to Spotrac.com the Bears are projected to have negative $10 million in cap space in 2026, which ranks 26th most in the NFL.

Expiring Contracts: 

Positions To Address:

Defense

Dynasty Analysis/Implications:

You’re going to hear a lot of talk about D.J. Moore getting traded this offseason, as the rumblings started immediately after the final play of the Bears’ season. However, teams may be reluctant to trade for a 28-year-old receiver who will be on a hefty contract until 2029. Moore also fits like a puzzle piece in this Bears offense, which has four ultra-reliable targets in Moore, Rome Odunze, Luther Burden, and Colston Loveland. Dynasty managers should invest in this offense as if it will stay the same, with maybe a sprinkle of aggressive investments in case they decide to make a change. In year two, I expect this offense to get even better under offensive mastermind Ben Johnson and the Iceman, Caleb Williams.

Green Bay Packers (9-7-1)

2025 Season:

The Packers have seemed to be searching for their identity since Aaron Rodgers left, leaving Jordan Love to fill his shoes. This year, they just may have found that identity in a bruising run game and strong defense. Josh Jacobs plowed through defenders all year, and the Green Bay defense looked especially scary before Micah Parsons went down with a season-ending ACL injury. We are starting to get to know Jordan Love as a streaky QB who can put up some explosive QB1 weeks but can also be a dud against good opponents. This team is going to start the offseason over the cap, but should be able to find wiggle room to make the improvements it needs to.

Expiring Contracts/Cap Space:

Cap Space: According to Spotrac.com the Packers are projected to have negative $4 million in cap space in 2026, which ranks 21st most in the NFL.

Expiring Contracts:

Positions To Address:

OL, Re-sign Walker and Enagbare, Backup RB

Dynasty Analysis/Implications:

The Packers are a very fun team full of mystery boxes from the Dynasty perspective. At QB, you have Jordan Love, who has the talent to be one of the league’s best at the position, but doesn’t always put it together mentally. At WR, we have Matthew Golden, Jayden Reed, Christian Watson, Dontayvion Wicks, and Savion Williams, who are definitely returning, and the possibility of the Packers re-signing Romeo Doubs. All of these players have some level of promise, and all are under 26 years old. If you can guess correctly on which of these players will emerge as Jordan Love’s favorite target, you can hit on a player who will produce for another five years. At RB is the ever-reliable Josh Jacobs, who should be a lock once again to barrel through defenders and score touchdowns all year. 

Minnesota Vikings (9-8)

2025 Season:

Vikings fans are sad today, and that isn’t just because J.J. McCarthy has looked abysmal, or because Justin Jefferson had one of his lowest statistical outputs this year, or because of their barely above .500 record. No, the Vikings fans endured one of the most sickening experiences in all of sports during the ’25-’26 season. Sam Darnold, who led Minnesota to a 14-3 record last year, was let go by the team and has just won the Super Bowl. The Vikings seemingly could have kept Darnold, but they liked what they had in second-year QB J.J. McCarthy. That is starting to look like one of the worst evaluations we’ve seen in the past decade of offseasons. 

Expiring Contracts/Cap Space:

Cap Space: According to Spotrac.com the Vikings are projected to have negative $40 million in cap space in 2026, which ranks 30th most in the NFL.

Expiring Contracts:

Positions To Address:

RB, OL

Dynasty Analysis/Implications:

🚨🚨🚨 BREAKING NEWS 🚨🚨🚨

The Vikings have fired GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.

Per @tompelissero.bsky.social

— 🏈Optimus FF News (@news.optimusfantasy.com) January 30, 2026 at 12:43 PM

The Vikings are starting of $40 million in the red this offseason, so they’ll need to get creative with their cap space to even sign a punter this offseason. That does not bode well for a team that is in need of help. Minnesota will need to build out its offensive line through the draft this year, as it had major problems protecting McCarthy and Darnold the year prior. One place the Vikings can be fun for dynasty is if they add an exciting rookie RB. Aaron Jones should stay with the team next year, but he has shown significant wear and tear over the past two seasons. Pay attention to this RB room, as there is an opportunity for someone to surprise us there. 

Detroit Lions (9-8)

2025 Season:

It isn’t terribly surprising that the Lions experienced turbulence this past season, as they lost both their offensive and defensive coordinators. The team seemed to have some issues due to a lack of continuity, leading to worse execution than the year prior, to the point where Dan Campbell took over some play-calling responsibilities midway through the season. Injuries to both the offense and defense were a factor in the Lions’ worsening record as well. If you compare stats, the team did not fare terribly worse in 2025 than in their ’24 season, but it definitely showed up in the wins and losses.

Expiring Contracts/Cap Space:

Cap Space: According to Spotrac.com the Lions are projected to have negative $9 million in cap space in 2026, which ranks 23rd most in the NFL.

Expiring contracts: 

Positions To Address:

DL, LBs, DBs

Dynasty Analysis/Implications:

We already know all of the pieces in this Lions offense and what they are worth in dynasty. It could be a good time to target Jameson Williams, as his ascension has steadily continued throughout his career. Sam LaPorta could also be a great target if you can get him without giving up cornerstone players or first-round draft picks. LaPorta had a historically productive rookie season and was hindered by an injury last year, so investing in him involves some risk and reward.

David Montgomery is another piece to tread cautiously with. Montgomery’s role in the Lions’ offense has steadily decreased year over year, and even over the course of last season. I haven’t seen his play dip in efficiency, but it’s just difficult to keep Jahmyr Gibbs off the field given his electric capabilities. With some talk of Monty being a cut casualty or trade candidate, there’s still some upside in this talented player, but definitely use his dip in usage over the past few seasons as an excuse to get him cheap!

Mike Vadala is a dynasty analyst here at Optimus Fantasy, where you can find his updated dynasty rankings.

In this week’s dynasty download, we’ll be breaking down the NFC North. For each team, I’ll include a summary of its 2025 season and review the key starting players who are up for new contracts. I’ll then highlight what positions need to be addressed in the offseason, and finally give my thoughts on that team’s 2026 season from a dynasty perspective.

All four NFC North teams begin the offseason over the salary cap. Time to get creative with those contracts/cuts.

— Mike Vadala (@mikeonkeys.bsky.social) February 11, 2026 at 11:48 AM

Dynasty Download Looking Ahead To 2026: NFC North Edition

Want more from Optimus Fantasy? Join our Discord!

Chicago Bears (11-6)

2025 Season:

If you want to hear about Caleb Williams‘ completion percentage, and how it doesn’t matter that he looked like Joe Montana had a baby with Patrick Mahomes in any given fourth quarter this year, well, go somewhere else. Caleb Williams is the truth, and if you can’t accept that, you need to get your eyes checked. The Ben Johnson-Caleb Williams marriage exploded onto the scene in its first year, as the two led their team to its first playoff win in 25 years. This should be one of the most investment-worthy teams in the NFL for dynasty managers going into the offseason.

Expiring Contracts/Cap Space:

Cap Space: According to Spotrac.com the Bears are projected to have negative $10 million in cap space in 2026, which ranks 26th most in the NFL.

Expiring Contracts: 

Positions To Address:

Defense

Dynasty Analysis/Implications:

You’re going to hear a lot of talk about D.J. Moore getting traded this offseason, as the rumblings started immediately after the final play of the Bears’ season. However, teams may be reluctant to trade for a 28-year-old receiver who will be on a hefty contract until 2029. Moore also fits like a puzzle piece in this Bears offense, which has four ultra-reliable targets in Moore, Rome Odunze, Luther Burden, and Colston Loveland. Dynasty managers should invest in this offense as if it will stay the same, with maybe a sprinkle of aggressive investments in case they decide to make a change. In year two, I expect this offense to get even better under offensive mastermind Ben Johnson and the Iceman, Caleb Williams.

Green Bay Packers (9-7-1)

2025 Season:

The Packers have seemed to be searching for their identity since Aaron Rodgers left, leaving Jordan Love to fill his shoes. This year, they just may have found that identity in a bruising run game and strong defense. Josh Jacobs plowed through defenders all year, and the Green Bay defense looked especially scary before Micah Parsons went down with a season-ending ACL injury. We are starting to get to know Jordan Love as a streaky QB who can put up some explosive QB1 weeks but can also be a dud against good opponents. This team is going to start the offseason over the cap, but should be able to find wiggle room to make the improvements it needs to.

Expiring Contracts/Cap Space:

Cap Space: According to Spotrac.com the Packers are projected to have negative $4 million in cap space in 2026, which ranks 21st most in the NFL.

Expiring Contracts:

Positions To Address:

OL, Re-sign Walker and Enagbare, Backup RB

Dynasty Analysis/Implications:

The Packers are a very fun team full of mystery boxes from the Dynasty perspective. At QB, you have Jordan Love, who has the talent to be one of the league’s best at the position, but doesn’t always put it together mentally. At WR, we have Matthew Golden, Jayden Reed, Christian Watson, Dontayvion Wicks, and Savion Williams, who are definitely returning, and the possibility of the Packers re-signing Romeo Doubs. All of these players have some level of promise, and all are under 26 years old. If you can guess correctly on which of these players will emerge as Jordan Love’s favorite target, you can hit on a player who will produce for another five years. At RB is the ever-reliable Josh Jacobs, who should be a lock once again to barrel through defenders and score touchdowns all year. 

Minnesota Vikings (9-8)

2025 Season:

Vikings fans are sad today, and that isn’t just because J.J. McCarthy has looked abysmal, or because Justin Jefferson had one of his lowest statistical outputs this year, or because of their barely above .500 record. No, the Vikings fans endured one of the most sickening experiences in all of sports during the ’25-’26 season. Sam Darnold, who led Minnesota to a 14-3 record last year, was let go by the team and has just won the Super Bowl. The Vikings seemingly could have kept Darnold, but they liked what they had in second-year QB J.J. McCarthy. That is starting to look like one of the worst evaluations we’ve seen in the past decade of offseasons. 

Expiring Contracts/Cap Space:

Cap Space: According to Spotrac.com the Vikings are projected to have negative $40 million in cap space in 2026, which ranks 30th most in the NFL.

Expiring Contracts:

Positions To Address:

RB, OL

Dynasty Analysis/Implications:

🚨🚨🚨 BREAKING NEWS 🚨🚨🚨

The Vikings have fired GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.

Per @tompelissero.bsky.social

— 🏈Optimus FF News (@news.optimusfantasy.com) January 30, 2026 at 12:43 PM

The Vikings are starting of $40 million in the red this offseason, so they’ll need to get creative with their cap space to even sign a punter this offseason. That does not bode well for a team that is in need of help. Minnesota will need to build out its offensive line through the draft this year, as it had major problems protecting McCarthy and Darnold the year prior. One place the Vikings can be fun for dynasty is if they add an exciting rookie RB. Aaron Jones should stay with the team next year, but he has shown significant wear and tear over the past two seasons. Pay attention to this RB room, as there is an opportunity for someone to surprise us there. 

Detroit Lions (9-8)

2025 Season:

It isn’t terribly surprising that the Lions experienced turbulence this past season, as they lost both their offensive and defensive coordinators. The team seemed to have some issues due to a lack of continuity, leading to worse execution than the year prior, to the point where Dan Campbell took over some play-calling responsibilities midway through the season. Injuries to both the offense and defense were a factor in the Lions’ worsening record as well. If you compare stats, the team did not fare terribly worse in 2025 than in their ’24 season, but it definitely showed up in the wins and losses.

Expiring Contracts/Cap Space:

Cap Space: According to Spotrac.com the Lions are projected to have negative $9 million in cap space in 2026, which ranks 23rd most in the NFL.

Expiring contracts: 

Positions To Address:

DL, LBs, DBs

Dynasty Analysis/Implications:

We already know all of the pieces in this Lions offense and what they are worth in dynasty. It could be a good time to target Jameson Williams, as his ascension has steadily continued throughout his career. Sam LaPorta could also be a great target if you can get him without giving up cornerstone players or first-round draft picks. LaPorta had a historically productive rookie season and was hindered by an injury last year, so investing in him involves some risk and reward.

David Montgomery is another piece to tread cautiously with. Montgomery’s role in the Lions’ offense has steadily decreased year over year, and even over the course of last season. I haven’t seen his play dip in efficiency, but it’s just difficult to keep Jahmyr Gibbs off the field given his electric capabilities. With some talk of Monty being a cut casualty or trade candidate, there’s still some upside in this talented player, but definitely use his dip in usage over the past few seasons as an excuse to get him cheap!

Mike Vadala is a dynasty analyst here at Optimus Fantasy, where you can find his updated dynasty rankings.

By Published On: February 19th, 2026

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