Zach Merrett has been a cornerstone of fantasy football for nearly a decade but heading into 2026, coaches are being forced to reassess what version of Merrett they’re drafting. That uncertainty places him at #32 in our Top 50 Most Relevant Players Countdown.

In this episode, MJ Want is joined by Liam from the Free Kick podcast to evaluate Merrett’s evolving fantasy profile following a challenging 2025 season his lowest output since 2018 which mirrored Essendon’s broader struggles. We dig into whether that dip was circumstantial or a genuine signal of role change.

The discussion focuses heavily on Essendon’s midfield evolution, particularly the rise of Jye Caldwell, and how that may impact Merrett’s centre-bounce exposure, scoring ceiling, and week-to-week consistency. Despite the concerns, Merrett’s historical scoring base and leadership role suggest he may still offer value if coaches approach him with the right timing and strategy.

Key discussion points include:

• Merrett’s long-term fantasy reliability and historical averages

• What went wrong in 2025 : Role, team performance, or both

• How Jye Caldwell’s emergence reshapes the Bombers’ midfield

• Early-season watch points and role indicators

• Drafting vs upgrade strategy in classic and draft formats

• Can Merrett re-emerge as a top-tier fantasy midfielder?

If you’re deciding whether to back pedigree, fade the risk, or wait for confirmation, this episode provides the framework to manage Zach Merrett correctly in 2026.Zach Merrett has been a cornerstone of fantasy football for nearly a decade — but heading into 2026, coaches are being forced to reassess what version of Merrett they’re drafting. That uncertainty places him at #32 in our Top 50 Most Relevant Players Countdown.

In this episode, MJ Want is joined by Liam from the Free Kick podcast to evaluate Merrett’s evolving fantasy profile following a challenging 2025 season — his lowest output since 2018 — which mirrored Essendon’s broader struggles. We dig into whether that dip was circumstantial or a genuine signal of role change.

The discussion focuses heavily on Essendon’s midfield evolution, particularly the rise of Jai Caldwell, and how that may impact Merrett’s centre-bounce exposure, scoring ceiling, and week-to-week consistency. Despite the concerns, Merrett’s historical scoring base and leadership role suggest he may still offer value if coaches approach him with the right timing and strategy.

Key discussion points include:

• Merrett’s long-term fantasy reliability and historical averages

• What went wrong in 2025 — role, team performance, or both

• How Jai Caldwell’s emergence reshapes the Bombers’ midfield

• Early-season watch points and role indicators

• Drafting vs upgrade strategy in classic and draft formats

• Can Merrett re-emerge as a top-tier fantasy midfielder?

If you’re deciding whether to back pedigree, fade the risk, or wait for confirmation, this episode provides the framework to manage Zach Merrett correctly in 2026.