WR · DAL · GWTTKB

Marquez Valdes-Scantling — fantasy football 2026

Every game, every stat category, and what the board says. 3.56 points per game in 2025, usage worth 5.8.

31 years old · 8 seasons of experience · 2018 draft class

Updated 2026-08-16 · free, no account, no paywall
Every figure below comes from our database. Where a stat is not held, the row is absent rather than zero.

What we project for 2026

Our board has him at 4.2 points, 0.3 per game — 1.5 catches, 21 yards, 0.1 TDs. That is WR6, 395 overall.

The range runs from a floor of 0.2 points per game to a ceiling of 0.5, with the median at 0.3. Boom rate 76%, bust rate 35%. The spread is the actual bet, not the middle number.

The offense he plays in, 2026

Dallas Cowboys returns 6 of 6 continuity slots — the whole offense is intact. Dak Prescott at quarterback, Brian Schottenheimer as head coach, Klayton Adams calling it. The offense projects to 35.8 pass attempts a game at high confidence and 27.1 rushes.

In: Sam Howell (qb2), Marquez Valdes-Scantling (wr5), Anthony Smith (wr7).

His own projected target share for 2026 is 2.8%, with a bear case of 1.8% and a bull case of 3.9% and a full range of 1.8% to 4.5%. That comes from 29 historical comparables, not from a depth chart.

The projected target split across the offense:

CeeDee Lamb22.7%
George Pickens21.4%
Jake Ferguson12.9%
Ryan Flournoy8.8%
Javonte Williams8.2%
Luke Schoonmaker6.5%

Our written view on this offense in 2026

What the offense looks like: Cowboys offense remains essentially the same in 2026 but will be paired with a significantly more competitive defense. This is very important because there were multiple games last year where Cowboys had to pull starters in the 4th quarter because they were getting blown out. This is a high powered offense that can sustain 2 WR1s in fantasy. The real question remains if George Pickens is going to land an extension in Dallas. There is no TRUE line of sight into this yet. Jerry Jones says he wants him to be a Cowboy for the long term, but we can't trust Jerry. If someone paid enough George is gone. Ceedee is not expected to be a top 5 WR with Pickens playing at his 2025 levels, but can absolutely be a top 10 PPR fantasy WR. Ceedee is an elite WR. Cowboys also lock down Javonte Williams on 3 year exention.

Key additions: George Pickens was franchised tagged & will play 2026 season in Dallas (barring trade or hold out).

Key departures: WR Jalen Tolbert signed with Miami Dolphins (minor)

Notes: Dallas has added significantly on defense this offseason and should be VERY competitive. Multiple games last year caused starters to be benched due to blow outs. Dak remains a highly productive aging QB with a well balanced pass and rush offense. Javonte Williams landed massive 3 year extension with Cowboys & George Pickens has been franchised tagged with no current plans to land long term extension. Ceedee Lamb looks to get back on track as a top 5 WR following a rough 2025. Pickens and Ceedee should both be viewed as Dynasty WR1s. Jake Ferguson is expected to also have a great 2026 season. We want to own as many pieces of this offense as we can FOR THE RIGHT PRICE.

How the volume number was reached: Same QB Dak Prescott returning — anchor to 2025 actuals (36.7 att/g); Regressed 30% toward league mean 33.5, floored at 30 → 35.7 att/g.

How that share projection was built

29 historical comps for WRs age ~29, prior share 9.7%, team change, OC continuity. Distribution: median 3.8%, p25-p75 [0.0%, 7.9%], tails [0.0%, 10.3%]. Closest comps: Antoine Wesley 2021→2022 (ARI: 10.0%→0.0%); Marvin Hall 2020→2021 (DET→ATL: 7.8%→4.5%); Phillip Dorsett 2022→2023 (HOU→DEN: 9.1%→4.9%).

arrival self-anchored 41% to own 9.7% role (3yr)

The named comps are the closest historical matches and the arrow is what their share actually did the following season. That is the working, not a summary of it — if you disagree with the projection, this is the part to argue with.

Offensive environment: DAL rates 25.7 against a league average of 23, 2.7 points above it on opponent-adjusted least squares (multi-capture merge).

2026 schedule

Opponent-adjusted pass defense faced, against 2025 ratings. Positive is an easier slate.

Full season+1.4 · neutral
Weeks 1–6+3.5 · easier
Weeks 12–17-4 · harder
Fantasy playoffs (15–17)+2.3 · easier

Read this narrowly. Our own testing found that season-long strength of schedule does not survive as a draft input — defensive quality is among the least stable team properties year to year, and a preseason slate is built on last year's identities. The playoff-weeks column is the only one we would let break a tie, and even then it is a tiebreaker rather than a reason. The finding.

What happened when he missed time

From the absence record rather than a depth chart — who actually gained when he was out.

SeasonGames missedMain beneficiaryTheir PPR gain
20212Randall Cobb+17.5

Dynasty context not redraft

Everything in this section is about his dynasty trade value — what he is worth as a long-term asset in the trade market. It is not a forecast of his 2026 fantasy scoring. A player can be a fine redraft pick while his dynasty value falls, and the reverse. The redraft read is above; this is a different question with a different answer.

Where he sits in the dynasty value cycle

His dynasty value has moved -35.4% over the last twelve months. The market cycle classifies him as post-crash. The base rate that applies: after a -25% crash, WRs recover only 15% of the time (keep falling 85%).

For context on how long this lasts at the position: the average career at his position produces 2.1 elite seasons and 2.6 startable seasons.

The five most similar seasons, and what their dynasty value did next

Matched on production profile — production-driven (pedigree ignored). The last column is how that player’s dynasty value moved the following year — a market outcome, not a scoring one.

PlayerSeasonTheir PPGSimilarityNext year
Josh Reynolds20244.870%-12.7%
Cedrick Wilson2024465%+4.4%
Justin Watson20244.263%-17.4%
Braxton Berrios20233.659%-45.5%
K.J. Osborn20242.759%-15.1%

Of the 5 with a following season on record, 1 gained value, 4 lost it and 0 held roughly flat.

Four years of dynasty value

02,000202120222023202420252026
Monthly superflex value, 2020-04 to 2026-07. Up 22% across the series, peaking at 2,271.

The player

Draft capital and athletic profile

Drafted2018, round 5, pick 174 by GNB
CollegeSouth Florida
Age at draft23
Height6′4″
Weight206 lb
40-yard dash4.37s
Vertical30.5″
Broad jump124″

Availability and volatility

Career PPR per game6.9
Week-to-week variation1
Boom rate19.4%
Bust rate33.9%
Games missed per season0.3
Injury historyHamstring, Back
Correlation between his posted line and his actual score0.71

That correlation is how closely the books’ posted line tracked what he actually scored, week to week. A higher number means the market has him figured out and there is less to exploit; a lower one means his weeks are harder to price.

Injury type matters more than games missed. Measured across our injury database, knee and foot returns stay below a player’s pre-injury baseline for all three of the first games back, while hamstring returns over-recover by the third.

The record, season by season

2025 · SF · 9 games

His best game was Week 15 against MIA — 8.9 PPR on 1 targets and a 3.7% target share, in a game that finished 28-15. His worst was Week 14 against BAL at 0, on 1 targets, final score 27-22. Across 9 games he cleared 20 points 0 times and came in under 8 points 7 times.

Earned against scored

His usage that season was worth 5.8 points per game. He scored 3.56, 35.3% below it. The engine classified the season as very_unlucky.

WkOppScorePPRRecTgtYdsTDTgt%Snap%
2NO26-21001002.6%13%
3ARI16-151.911902.6%26%
5LA26-231.913906.3%53%
6TB19-304.2232208.1%61%
14BAL27-22001003%31%
15MIA28-158.9111913.7%52%
16DET29-241.613607.9%42%
17CLE6-135.13921024.3%82%
18BAL26-248.45734015.9%84%

Production

Receptions14
Targets29
Receiving yards120
Touchdowns1
Points per game3.56
Yards per target4.14
Catch rate48.28%

Role

Snap share49.33%
Target share8.27%
Air-yards share15.1%
WOPR0.23
RACR0.424

Efficiency

Average depth of target12.6
Yards after catch per reception2.4
Yards before catch per reception5.6
Total YAC24
Broken tackles0
Drop rate0%
Passer rating when targeted73.5
Receiving EPA per game-0.34

Scoring position

Red-zone targets5
Red-zone target share6.5%
End-zone target share14.3%
Expected receiving TDs1.17
Actual receiving TDs1
Receiving TD luck-0.17

Who else ate

The offense threw it 574 times. 2 team-mates cleared the competing-target threshold.

Christian McCaffrey24.76%
Jauan Jennings17.27%
George Kittle13.24%
Kendrick Bourne10.17%
Ricky Pearsall10.17%
Jake Tonges8.83%

By quarterback

He caught passes from 3 quarterbacks that season, and the splits are not close.

QBGamesTargetsPPGY/TTgt%
Mac Jones48254.9%
Brock Purdy4206412.95%
unknown11003%

2024 · BUF · 13 games

His best game was Week 10 against ATL — 25.9 PPR on 3 targets and a 14.3% target share, in a game that finished 20-17. His worst was Week 17 against LV at 0, on 2 targets, final score 10-25. Across 13 games he cleared 20 points 1 time and came in under 8 points 8 times. In the 8 games decided by 8 points or fewer he averaged 8.3; in the 5 decided by more, 3.7. He scored more when the game was live.

Earned against scored

His usage that season was worth 6 points per game. He scored 6.5, 8.3% above it. The engine classified the season as neutral.

WkOppScorePPRRecTgtYdsTDTgt%Snap%
1ARI34-282.9121908.7%21%
2MIA31-10001005.6%9%
3JAX47-101.712706.7%77%
4BAL10-35001003.7%42%
5HOU20-230030010.3%46%
9CAR22-231.511503.6%41%
10ATL20-1725.933109214.3%55%
11CLE35-1416.72487114.3%65%
13LA14-2111.6233618.8%76%
14NYG14-119.14751022.6%71%
15WAS19-208.82764024.1%78%
17LV10-25002005.9%78%
18TB19-276.33833020.5%70%

Production

Receptions19
Targets44
Receiving yards411
Carries1
Rushing yards4
Touchdowns4
Points per game6.5
Yards per target9.34
Catch rate43.18%
Yards per carry4

Role

Snap share56.08%
Target share11.47%
Air-yards share23.42%
WOPR0.335
RACR0.475

Efficiency

Average depth of target17.8
Yards after catch per reception8.1
Yards before catch per reception14.6
Total YAC137
Broken tackles1
Drop rate0.1%
Passer rating when targeted114.6
Receiving EPA per game0.79
Rushing EPA per game-0.02

Scoring position

Red-zone targets2
Red-zone target share4.7%
End-zone target share5.9%
Expected receiving TDs0.62
Actual receiving TDs1
Receiving TD luck0.38

Who else ate

The offense threw it 520 times. 2 team-mates cleared the competing-target threshold.

Khalil Shakir20.2%
Dalton Kincaid15.15%
Keon Coleman11.52%
Mack Hollins10.1%
Curtis Samuel9.29%
James Cook7.68%

By quarterback

He caught passes from 2 quarterbacks that season, and the splits are not close.

QBGamesTargetsPPGY/TTgt%
Josh Allen12366.5210.510.72%
Mitchell Trubisky186.34.1320.5%

Blowouts against close games

4 of his 13 games were blowouts, 21.8% of his snaps coming in them. He averaged 4.6 in those and 8.26 in close games — his scoring did not depend on garbage time.

2023 · KC · 16 games

His best game was Week 7 against LAC — 17.4 PPR on 5 targets and a 12.5% target share, in a game that finished 31-17. His worst was Week 16 against LV at 0, on 1 targets, final score 14-20. Across 16 games he cleared 20 points 0 times and came in under 8 points 15 times. In the 10 games decided by 8 points or fewer he averaged 2.8; in the 6 decided by more, 4.7. He scored more when the game was not close.

Earned against scored

His usage that season was worth 4.7 points per game. He scored 3.53, 11.9% below it. The engine classified the season as unlucky.

WkOppScorePPRRecTgtYdsTDTgt%Snap%
1DET20-216.8224805.4%63%
2JAX17-93.3231307.5%82%
3CHI41-104.7123705.4%53%
4NYJ23-201.612606.9%54%
5MIN27-202.2121205.1%65%
6DEN19-8001002.6%56%
7LAC31-1717.43584112.5%69%
8DEN9-242.72427010.8%57%
9MIA21-144.22322010.7%55%
11PHI17-21003007.7%47%
12LV31-170.911-103.1%53%
13GB19-274.52525016.7%49%
14BUF17-204.22422010.3%33%
15NE27-172.7111702.9%34%
16LV14-20001002.4%80%
17CIN25-171.3133010.7%70%

Production

Receptions21
Targets42
Receiving yards315
Touchdowns1
Points per game3.53
Yards per target7.5
Catch rate50%

Role

Snap share57.5%
Target share7.54%
Air-yards share18.23%
WOPR0.241
RACR0.426

Efficiency

Average depth of target17.7
Yards after catch per reception4.4
Yards before catch per reception10.6
Total YAC92
Broken tackles1
Drop rate0.1%
Passer rating when targeted73
Receiving EPA per game0.04

Scoring position

Red-zone targets7
Red-zone target share6.2%
End-zone target share15.2%
Expected receiving TDs1.1
Actual receiving TDs1
Receiving TD luck-0.1

Who else ate

The offense threw it 634 times. He took 7.02% of the targets. 2 team-mates cleared the competing-target threshold.

Travis Kelce20.23%
Rashee Rice17.06%
Justin Watson8.86%
Isiah Pacheco8.19%
Marquez Valdes-Scantling 7.02%
Noah Gray6.86%

Blowouts against close games

1 of his 16 games were blowouts, 8.3% of his snaps coming in them. He averaged 4.7 in those and 2.81 in close games — a meaningful share of his scoring came with the game already decided.

2022 · KC · 17 games

His best game was Week 5 against LV — 15 PPR on 8 targets and a 19% target share, in a game that finished 30-29. His worst was Week 16 against SEA at 0, on 2 targets, final score 24-10. Across 17 games he cleared 20 points 0 times and came in under 8 points 8 times. In the 10 games decided by 8 points or fewer he averaged 6.1; in the 7 decided by more, 8.8. He scored more when the game was not close.

Earned against scored

His usage that season was worth 7.9 points per game. He scored 7.2, 2.3% below it. The engine classified the season as neutral. On receiving touchdowns specifically he finished 4 against 3 expected, a gap of 1.

WkOppScorePPRRecTgtYdsTDTgt%Snap%
1ARI44-218.14444010.3%73%
2LAC27-243.32713020.6%79%
3IND17-208.84748021.2%78%
4TB41-319.33563014.7%69%
5LV30-29156890019%81%
6BUF20-24003008.6%82%
7SF44-2314.134111011.8%55%
9TEN20-172.2111201.6%71%
10JAX27-17153460111.4%84%
11LAC30-272.81418012.9%71%
12LA26-109.64556013.5%58%
13CIN24-279.12671026.1%56%
14DEN34-283132007.1%51%
15HOU30-2411.63526112.2%53%
16SEA24-10002007.4%43%
17DEN27-244.82728017.1%83%
18LV31-135.73627025%59%

Production

Receptions42
Targets81
Receiving yards687
Carries1
Rushing yards-3
Touchdowns2
Points per game7.2
Yards per target8.48
Catch rate51.85%
Yards per carry-3

Role

Snap share67.41%
Target share14.15%
Air-yards share25.51%
WOPR0.391
RACR0.652

Efficiency

Average depth of target13.9
Yards after catch per reception3.5
Yards before catch per reception12.8
Total YAC149
Broken tackles0
Drop rate0.1%
Passer rating when targeted83.7
Receiving EPA per game1.02
Rushing EPA per game-0.06

Scoring position

Red-zone targets13
Red-zone target share10.4%
End-zone target share22.2%
Expected receiving TDs3
Actual receiving TDs4
Receiving TD luck1

Where that ranked

Against everyone in the 80+ targets pool that season:

Points per game50 of 51
Yards per target22 of 51
Target share49 of 51
Air-yards share38 of 51

Who else ate

The offense threw it 650 times. He took 13.28% of the targets. 2 team-mates cleared the competing-target threshold.

Travis Kelce24.92%
JuJu Smith-Schuster16.56%
Marquez Valdes-Scantling 13.28%
Jerick McKinnon11.64%
Justin Watson5.57%
Mecole Hardman5.57%

Blowouts against close games

3 of his 17 games were blowouts, 22.8% of his snaps coming in them. He averaged 9.3 in those and 6.06 in close games — a meaningful share of his scoring came with the game already decided.

2021 · GB · 11 games

His best game was Week 11 against MIN — 22.3 PPR on 10 targets and a 32.3% target share, in a game that finished 31-34. His worst was Week 18 against DET at 0, on 1 targets, final score 30-37. Across 11 games he cleared 20 points 2 times and came in under 8 points 7 times. In the 6 games decided by 8 points or fewer he averaged 11.8; in the 5 decided by more, 3.2. He scored more when the game was live.

Earned against scored

His usage that season was worth 8.7 points per game. He scored 7.91, 8.7% below it. The engine classified the season as neutral.

WkOppScorePPRRecTgtYdsTDTgt%Snap%
1NO3-384.73817024.2%63%
2DET35-170040014.8%66%
3SF30-2814.93459112.9%63%
9KC7-133.9221906.3%54%
10SEA17-05.1124105.7%66%
11MIN31-3422.3410123132.3%81%
12LA36-2894950020.5%70%
14CHI45-3053520014.3%66%
15BAL31-3020.85798122.6%66%
17MIN37-101.313307.1%65%
18DET30-37001002.9%22%

Production

Receptions26
Targets55
Receiving yards430
Touchdowns3
Points per game7.91
Yards per target7.82
Catch rate47.27%

Role

Snap share62%
Target share14.87%
Air-yards share30.07%
WOPR0.434
RACR0.445

Efficiency

Average depth of target17.9
Yards after catch per reception5.6
Yards before catch per reception10.9
Total YAC146
Broken tackles0
Drop rate0%
Passer rating when targeted84.7
Receiving EPA per game0.89

Scoring position

Red-zone targets8
Red-zone target share6.4%
End-zone target share8.3%
Expected receiving TDs1.94
Actual receiving TDs2
Receiving TD luck0.06

Who else ate

The offense threw it 593 times. He took 9.67% of the targets. 1 team-mate cleared the competing-target threshold.

Davante Adams29.7%
Aaron Jones11.42%
Allen Lazard10.54%
Marquez Valdes-Scantling 9.67%
Randall Cobb6.85%
A.J. Dillon6.5%

By quarterback

He caught passes from 2 quarterbacks that season, and the splits are not close.

QBGamesTargetsPPGY/TTgt%
Aaron Rodgers10538.317.7515.73%
Jordan Love123.99.56.3%

Blowouts against close games

4 of his 11 games were blowouts, 12.8% of his snaps coming in them. He averaged 2.78 in those and 11.82 in close games — his scoring did not depend on garbage time.

2020 · GB · 14 games

His best game was Week 10 against JAX — 24.9 PPR on 6 targets and a 18.2% target share, in a game that finished 24-20. His worst was Week 13 against PHI at -0.4, on 2 targets, final score 30-16. Across 14 games he cleared 20 points 2 times and came in under 8 points 7 times. In the 6 games decided by 8 points or fewer he averaged 9.5; in the 8 decided by more, 10.1. He scored more when the game was not close.

Earned against scored

His usage that season was worth 8.7 points per game. He scored 9.81, 19.7% above it. The engine classified the season as lucky.

WkOppScorePPRRecTgtYdsTDTgt%Snap%
1MIN43-3419.64696114.6%54%
2DET42-219.43764023.3%63%
3NO37-301.5145013.3%92%
4ATL30-168.54845024.2%97%
6TB10-386.23532016.1%84%
7HOU35-200.9040011.8%82%
8MIN22-283.3111902.6%82%
9SF34-1719.32453213.3%89%
10JAX24-2024.946149118.2%92%
11IND31-346.53655017.1%85%
13PHI30-16-0.402006.3%75%
14DET31-2420.56685119.4%70%
15CAR24-16001003.8%65%
17CHI35-1617.12387112.5%48%

Production

Receptions33
Targets63
Receiving yards690
Carries4
Rushing yards13
Touchdowns6
Points per game9.81
Yards per target10.95
Catch rate52.38%
Yards per carry3.25

Role

Snap share77%
Target share14.04%
Air-yards share31.54%
WOPR0.432
RACR0.628

Efficiency

Average depth of target18.3
Yards after catch per reception7.3
Yards before catch per reception13.6
Total YAC241
Broken tackles1
Drop rate0.1%
Passer rating when targeted109.9
Receiving EPA per game2.08
Rushing EPA per game-0.05

Scoring position

Red-zone targets7
Red-zone target share7.6%
End-zone target share9.3%
Red-zone carry share2.2%
Expected receiving TDs1.74
Actual receiving TDs2
Receiving TD luck0.26
Expected rushing TDs0.1

Who else ate

The offense threw it 526 times. He took 12.6% of the targets. 1 team-mate cleared the competing-target threshold.

Davante Adams29.8%
Aaron Jones12.6%
Marquez Valdes-Scantling 12.6%
Robert Tonyan11.8%
Allen Lazard9.2%
Jamaal Williams7%

Blowouts against close games

4 of his 14 games were blowouts, 37.9% of his snaps coming in them. He averaged 13 in those and 9.45 in close games — a meaningful share of his scoring came with the game already decided.

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