Tyreek Hill and 2 Other NFL Free Agents for Fantasy Football Managers to Monitor
Believe it or not, there are still free agents hanging in the balance, and should any find a new home, they may be viable options. In fantasy football, managers must consider all opportunities. Even with these injured and aging stars, they are still worth keeping tabs on. Any day now, an NFL team might hand them a jersey for one more season on the gridiron.
As of September 6, there are really just three free agents that I deem to have over a 50% chance to play. The list does not include Brandon Aiyuk or Austin Ekeler. In fact, Ekeler would surely not be worth any roster spots even if he did manage to sign. Ekeler has stated he is ring-chasing and would do so in a minority role.
Tyreek Hill
Hill posted a video on his Instagram Story of him running in what appeared to be a backyard of sorts. He burst up the middle and made two very light cuts. Nothing could be clearly identified about his health in the one short video.
Early in 2025, Hill endured a brutal leg injury that was diagnosed as a dislocated left knee with multiple torn ligaments. It is as bad as it can get.
A somewhat similar injury to Hill's was Tank Dell's in 2024. He is now just nearing a comeback, almost 23 months removed from injury. Nick Chubb underwent a similar recovery himself, which took about 14 months in total, and his explosiveness was clearly lost his explosivenesshe.
We cannot expect the Hill of old. His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, has been optimistic about the subject matter. "I don’t expect Tyreek to sign before the season," Rosenhaus confirms. Rosenhaus also remarked on when Hill may return: "I’m not sure, but I do think when he does sign, he will be a coveted player."
If Hill joined a team, I would imagine it would come late in the season for the playoff push. Even then, he would be a depth piece with lacking fantasy upside. The risk would be rated extremely high on my end, and at his age, Hill is not worth a dynasty stash.
Kareem Hunt
The 31-year-old veteran running back is seeking a return. He found relevance by joining the Chiefs over the past two seasons while Isiah Pacheco was injured. Hunt's level of football, however, was weak. He averaged less than 3.7 yards per attempt over the past two seasons while leading the downtrodden Chiefs team in rushing yards (611).
On August 25, Hunt reportedly visited with the Detroit Lions. The team can use a depth piece, since Jahmyr Gibbs' handcuffs are Sione Vaki and Jacob Saylors. The duo has 9 NFL rushing attempts combined over their careers.
Free-agent RB Kareem Hunt visited today with the Detroit Lions. pic.twitter.com/fwsxVdkzg8
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 25, 2026
The skill set that Hunt offers will not make him a ceiling play for your fantasy team. There are endless better handcuffs to roster. The only world where Hunt would be a viable pick is in this exact scenario: he becomes a handcuff RB2 on a weak depth chart, and the RB1 goes down injured. The Lions happen to be the ideal team for that, but all you could do is keep Hunt on your watch list, nothing more.
Zach Ertz
At the age of 35, Ertz tore his ACL. That came back in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL season. While many fans thought his career might be over, Ertz is apparently aiming for another go at professional football. The most likely place, and probably the only place, he might play? The Philadelphia Eagles.
Jimmy Kempski on Eli Stowers:
— Thomas R. Petersen (@thomasrp93) August 26, 2026
"For now, Stowers is unplayable, and likely to be a gameday inactive"
We knew he needed development, but for a 2nd round pick, this is brutal.#Eagles pic.twitter.com/K45whmFrvK
Dallas Goedert, of course, starts for the Eagles. However, the team drafted Eli Stowers in the second round, and all reports indicate the rookie is not doing well. With Grant Calcaterra on the IR to begin the season, Ertz may be a reliable addition. This is where he will potentially have his name added to the Eagles Ring of Honor in the years to come.
I cannot imagine Ertz being fantasy-viable post-ACL recovery at age 35. Even if Goedert missed time and the Eagles promoted Ertz to TE1, he would lack high-level football. The best case is that Ertz could be a TE20-range tight end. That does not make it viable in nearly all fantasy football formats. In comparison, Goedert is the TE18 in my 2026 projections.
More Fantasy Sports On SI News:
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Thomas Carelli is a sportswriter based on Northern New Jersey. He is a massive New York Jets and Mets fan, but that is not where is sports fandom stops. He loves to watch and play golf, all things football, baseball, and much more. If he can watch it, he will. Thomas graduated from William Paterson University in 2018 with a Bachelor's Degree in Sport Management. He spent 4 years working at a local golf course, volunteered past PGA events, and spent some part-time experience with the New York Jets events team. His passions for sport runs deep and his articles show for it.