Fantasy Football 2026: The Casual Player's Guide to OTAs
Cooterdoodle lays out the 6 rules for fantasy football managers to adhere to when approaching OTAs.
Why do you need a guide to the NFL's Organized Team Activities (OTAs)? Because it's a trap!
Anytime we have offseason lulls and time on our hands, it's easy to fall into the trap of hitting "replay" on OTA clips, dissecting them a million times over. And even if YOU aren't hitting replay, someone else is. And they're likely posting in slow motion with hyperbole as their guide. \
Be wary of the traps, OK?
If you're just chasing a dopamine hit, that's fine. But we won’t have concrete evidence on snap counts or how teams plan to incorporate their new players into their new schemes for months. So here's a guide to keep your feet on the ground.
The replay button can be dangerous for an idle mind.
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The Casual Fantasy Manager's Guide to OTAs
Guiding Rule No. 1: OTAs are Voluntary
OTAs are voluntary. Plain and simple.
A player's absence isn't a red flag when considered inside of a vacuum. Some players may not attend while they negotiate contracts or heal from an injury. Others are healthy veterans taking their time off as seriously as they take their time on the field.
Some offseasons you'll hear more about it than others, depending on how the narrative can be spun.
This year, you've likely heard about Justin Herbert's absence from the Chargers' OTAs. While he is enjoying some “me” time this month, it doesn’t mean we need to hit the panic button. In fact, I’d argue that you’re mostly hearing about Herbert’s absence due to his free time being attached to his pop-star girlfriend. In short: the Travis Kelce effect. (Though, in his defense, Kelce hasn't made an appearance in a music video yet.)
It's OK to take note of which players are trying to 'hold out' and haven't attended, but don't forget these are voluntary and sometimes a veteran is just itching for a little summertime romance.
Guiding Rule No. 2: Don’t Overreact to Rookie Clips
DO AS I SAY AND NOT AS I DO: Don't overreact to rookie clips.
This is where the replay button pulls me in. Please, don't fall into the trap of rewatching a rookie catch a no-contact pass so many times that you start to skyrocket them up your rankings.
While a highlight clip from OTAs finally grants you the ability to envision the rookies on your fantasy team, earning sweet, sweet fantasy points: YOU HAVE TO PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER, MAN!
Seeing a rookie nab a one-handed catch in an NFL jersey is hot. I get it. But is it hot because they're the next WR1 or because it's the first time we're seeing them touch the ball as an NFL player?
Guiding Rule No. 3: Like Your Middle-School Dance, There's No Touching
Don't let the helmets fool ya, there's no tackling during OTAs!
The catches in these clips might seem epic, but you're comparing apples to apples that can get obliterated during a tackle.
Seeing a TE nab a one-handed catch in a new NFL jersey is hot. I get it. But is it hot because they're the next TE1 or because it's the first time we're seeing them touch the ball as a NY Giant?
If you remember to view every highlight reel through the lens of "Oh yeah, they weren't getting the full juice …" you'll be less inclined to fall into the trap of the replay.
And you'll really be safe from the inevitable "ADP reach" during your drafts.
Guiding Rule No. 4: Don’t Overreact to F*ck Ups
Don't overreact to players screwing it up. Unless it's Shedeur Sanders throwing a wobbly-ass pass.
Just kidding. Kind of.
I'll give you a gentle reminder that people freaked out when Ja'Marr Chase dropped a few passes before taking his first NFL snap. People often panic when they see elite athletes making mistakes.
I don't care what mistakes are made on the field right now if they can work them out before September. And we should be more worried about patterns, right?
Guiding Rule No. 5: Be Wary of the “Comps”
Look. I want to draft “Mike Evans 2.0” as much as the next guy, but let’s not forget the rookies haven’t even taken their first NFL snap yet. This is a tall order for anyone, much less the new guy.
And OTAs are just drills after all. It might be a lot easier for someone to look like Mike Evans when there aren't defenders trying to bring the pain.
But just in case, if the ADP is right and you're on the clock …
Maybe you take a swing at it …
Guiding Rule No. 6: Forget Everything I Just Said
Rules are meant to be broken!
If you're keeping your emotions in check and remaining calm, but you really like what you see at OTAs, then so be it.
I like to see clips of players coming back from injury. It gets me all hopeful and happy inside.
While we don't want to OVERREACT, it's plenty fine to just REACT. We are human, after all.
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