Fantasy Football News

Updating a previous report, Carolina Panthers third-round rookie Chris Brazzell II (knee) suffered a moderate LCL tear in his left knee in training camp practice on Wednesday and is expected to miss up to eight weeks, a league source with knowledge of the situation told Joe Person of The Athletic. Brazzell's injury is believed to be unrelated to his earlier knee issue in camp over the weekend. The 22-year-old from the University of Tennessee will now most likely miss all of training camp and the start of his first year in the NFL, which will drastically affect his redraft fantasy value going into the start of the 2026 campaign. When healthy, Brazzell was expected to compete with Xavier Legette for the team's WR3 role behind Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker. Before his injury, Brazzell had impressed the coaching staff in the offseason and was looking like a real threat to steal playing time from Legette. With the news, Legette could become more of a late-round sleeper target after a disappointing 84-860-7 line in 31 games in his first two seasons in the NFL after the Panthers took him in the first round (32nd overall) in 2024 from South Carolina.

New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (knee) has been running, cutting, running routes, and taking part in individual drills at training camp, general manager Joe Schoen told Jordan Raanan of ESPN. Nabers continues to make progress as he rehabs from a torn ACL and meniscus in his right knee after undergoing surgery last October. The former first-rounder from LSU avoided the Physically Unable to Perform list to begin training camp, which was great news, but he's not ready for team drills just yet. Schoen added that the team's medical staff "has a really good plan" for Nabers this summer, and there remains optimism that he'll be ready to go for the Week 1 Sunday night showdown against the division-rival Dallas Cowboys. The uncertainty surrounding Nabers' Week 1 availability, though, has made him more of a low-end WR2 target in redraft leagues than a surefire WR1. The 23-year-old former sixth overall pick in 2024 was a Pro Bowler as a rookie, when he caught 109 passes for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns in 15 games. Nabers has clear WR1 upside, but there's obvious injury risk coming off a torn ACL and meniscus.

San Francisco 49ers rookie second-round wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling is looking at an increased opportunity early on with former first-rounder Ricky Pearsall (knee) currently out in training camp due to knee swelling, according to Vic Tafur of The Athletic. Stribling, who many considered a reach for San Fran with the first pick of the second round in April, had back-to-back 800-yard receiving seasons with six touchdowns apiece in his final two collegiate seasons with Oklahoma State and Ole Miss. The 23-year-old doesn't jump off the page with his physical skills, but he has displayed high-end leadership and work ethic, and if Pearsall isn't ready for the start of the 2026 regular season, Stribling figures to start in three-wide sets alongside veterans Mike Evans and Christian Kirk. Stribling's speed sets him apart from the other wideouts in San Fran, and Pearsall's continued injury issues are quickly making him a late-round sleeper in upcoming fantasy drafts. RotoBaller currently has Stribling ranked as the No. 78 fantasy WR, but his ADP will continue to rise for however long Pearsall is sidelined.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee) is out at training camp with swelling in his knee, with The Athletic's Vic Tafur adding that "there is some concern." Pearsall has always had breakout potential since the Niners took him with the 31st overall pick in 2024 out of the University of Florida, but injuries have kept him from reaching his true ceiling. The 25-year-old's swelling is in the same knee that caused him to miss games last year, which is pretty concerning early in camp. In just nine games played in 2025, Pearsall caught 36 of 53 targets for 528 yards and zero touchdowns during the regular season. The 49ers have expected to eventually cut former first-rounder Brandon Aiyuk (knee), so if Pearsall cannot go for the start of the 2026 regular season, veteran Mike Evans, Christian Kirk, and rookie second-rounder De'Zhaun Stribling would most likely start in three-receiver sets in San Fran. Pearsall is a clear starter for the Niners if healthy, but knee issues early in camp will cause many fantasy managers to avoid him altogether in upcoming drafts.

New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said that rookie first-round tight end Kenyon Sadiq (hernia) "is going to be a huge weapon for us," according to Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic. Sadiq missed time during the offseason program after having surgery to fix a hernia, but he is back in action at training camp and should be ready for the start of his first NFL season this fall. The 21-year-old from the University of Oregon is a physical specimen with tons of pass-catching talent. The problem is that the Jets also have talented second-year TE Mason Taylor, and they also added a first-round receiving talent in 2026 in Omar Cooper Jr. Oh, and veteran quarterback Geno Smith, who led the league in interceptions last year with the Las Vegas Raiders, is leading this offense. The upside is obvious because of Sadiq's pure athleticism, but fantasy managers in redraft leagues may want to temper expectations a bit in Year 1. Target Sadiq as a low-end TE2 with upside for more in 2026. RotoBaller has him ranked as the TE20 right now.

Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated writes that the Arizona Cardinals' plan "is to try and not overload" rookie first-round running back Jeremiyah Love in his first NFL season. Love has flashed the home run ability that made him the third overall pick from Notre Dame in April, but the Cardinals want to find "the right rotation" between Love, veteran James Conner, and newcomer Tyler Allgeier in new head coach Mike LaFleur's offense. Allgeier was part of a similar platoon last year with the Atlanta Falcons, sharing work with the ultra-talented Bijan Robinson. Allgeier still managed 143 carries last year and a career-high eight rushing touchdowns in 17 games. Fantasy managers in single-year formats may want to knock Love down a few pegs on their draft boards after this news. The 21-year-old still has an incredibly high long-term ceiling with true workhorse potential, but it sounds like the Cardinals don't want to unleash him just yet. If that's truly the case, Love should be considered more of an RB2 going into his rookie season instead of a surefire RB1 for fantasy managers.

Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken said on Wednesday that quarterbacks Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders will continue to split first-team reps early on in training camp, according to Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN. Monken also mentioned that there is no definitive timeline for when he wants to name the team's starting QB. We might not know for a while still which way Monken is leaning in the team's QB battle. Watson, 30, has the experience edge, but he has also played in just 19 games since joining the Browns on a lucrative deal, and he didn't play at all in 2025 after needing multiple surgeries to fix a torn Achilles tendon suffered in 2024. Sanders, meanwhile, has the momentum and has impressed the coaching staff since he fell to the fifth round in the 2025 NFL draft. The 24-year-old showed plenty of growing pains as a rookie with 1,400 passing yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in eight games (seven starts). Whoever wins the Browns' QB job to begin the regular season will be on a short leash and will be nothing more than a low-end QB2 target in two-QB superflex fantasy leagues.

Cleveland Browns tight end Harold Fannin Jr. (groin) said he will be "full-go" for training camp despite having offseason groin surgery, according to Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. Fannin had surgery to fix a groin injury that he suffered in Week 17 of his rookie campaign, which explains why he missed the offseason program. It's something to keep an eye on entering the 2026 season, but with the 22-year-old fully cleared, he'll resume his role as the team's clear top pass-catching TE after an incredibly successful rookie season in 2025. After being taken with the 67th overall pick in the third round out of Bowling Green, Fannin caught 72 of his 107 targets for a team-leading 731 yards and six touchdowns in 16 games (13 starts) for the Browns. Although concerns about the long-term QB situation in Cleveland cloud his long-term fantasy appeal, Fannin should enter his second year in the NFL as at least a low-end TE1 target after his strong production in 2025. The fact that Fannin is a full-go for the start of training camp should also improve his ADP in fantasy drafts going forward.

New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore indicated that wide receiver Chris Olave's lack of participation in team drills to begin training camp is related to the contract/business side of things and not because of his previous medical issue, according to Katherine Terrell of ESPN. The 26-year-old former 11th overall selection from Ohio State in the 2022 NFL draft missed the end of last season due to a blood-clot issue, but that is all cleared up now, and Olave indicated that he stopped taking blood-thinners before the start of camp. Olave is approaching the final year of his current deal and is hoping to reach an extension with the Saints before the start of the 2026 regular season. Despite missing a game in 2025 and working with a rookie quarterback in Tyler Shough, Olave excelled with career highs in catches (100), targets (156), receiving yards (1,163), and touchdowns (nine) in his fourth year in the NFL. There should be more target competition after the Saints took receiver Jordyn Tyson in the first round in April, but Olave should still have enough looks in Moore's up-tempo offense to make him a high-floor, low-end WR1 target in fantasy football drafts this fall.

Despite seeking a contract extension, Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor is practicing with the team and has elected not to hold in, according to Mike Chappell of FOX 59. Taylor is entering the final year of his current deal and has said that he wants to remain with the Colts for the rest of his career. Apparently, the two sides have had some positive talks recently, which has convinced Taylor that something could be imminent in terms of a new contract. The 27-year-old three-time Pro Bowler was the RB2 in fantasy last year, behind only Christian McCaffrey, after rushing for a career-best 1,585 yards on a league-high 323 rushing attempts in 17 starts. Taylor added a league-high 18 rushing touchdowns, a career-high 46 receptions, 378 receiving yards, and another two scores through the air for the Colts. The Colts have discussed lightening JT's workload to keep him fresh throughout his seventh NFL season in 2026, but even with a small reduction in touches, the former second-rounder from the University of Wisconsin should have a high floor as a top-five RB1 lock in fantasy football.

John Shipley of Sports Illustrated writes that Jacksonville Jaguars running back Bhayshul Tuten is taking the early lead in the team's backfield at the start of training camp. Tuten will be battling newcomer Chris Rodriguez Jr. in camp this summer, but early on, Tuten has apparently taken the lead. Rodriguez injured his foot on the first day of the offseason program and needed surgery, and although he's back for camp, he missed valuable reps as he attempts to learn head coach Liam Coen's offense. The Jaguars are not rushing Rodriguez back in camp, and he isn't working in team drills yet. Tuten got the bulk of first-team reps with the offense on Wednesday, just like he did during the offseason program. Shipley also wrote that Tuten "was frankly the most impressive offensive player of the entire day." He produced several big runs and "showed the same exciting traits that made him look like an ascending player this spring." The 23-year-old former fourth-rounder from Virginia Tech averaged only 3.7 yards a carry and had 307 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 83 carries as a rookie last year in 15 regular-season games (zero starts). However, with Travis Etienne Jr. now in New Orleans, Tuten has become one of the more popular Year 2 breakout candidates in fantasy. He's currently ranked as the No. 24 RB at RotoBaller for 2026.

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams said he dropped 10-15 pounds in the offseason and expects to move around better in 2026, according to Brad Biggs of The Chicago Tribune. Williams is listed at 226 pounds, which is the same figure the Bears used last year after listing him at 215 pounds as a rookie in 2024. The 24-year-old former first overall pick from USC took a step forward in Year 2 in his first year with new head coach Ben Johnson, with 3,942 passing yards, 27 touchdowns, and seven interceptions in 17 regular-season starts. Williams made a lot of wild plays outside of the pocket deep down the field, and he had a penchant for leading the Bears to insane fourth-quarter comebacks. Johnson is now hoping to get Williams to operate more within the framework of his offense in his third year in the league. Even though receiver DJ Moore is no longer in town, Williams has the skill players around him to take another leap given his arm strength and dual-threat abilities. Fantasy managers should be targeting him as a midrange QB1 this year with a high ceiling as he continues to evolve in a strong Chicago offense.

New Orleans Saints running backs Alvin Kamara and Travis Etienne Jr. are splitting first-team reps early in training camp, according to Sean Fazende of FOX 8 Nola. The expectation coming into camp was that Etienne would be the team's clear lead back after the Saints signed him to a four-year, $52 million contract in free agency back in March. But after the Saints reworked Kamara's contract to keep him around for another year in the Big Easy, the two RBs will share the Saints' backfield to start the 2026 season. Etienne, who ran for 1,107 yards on 260 rushing attempts in 17 regular-season games in 2025 with the Jacksonville Jaguars, should still have a significant role in his first year in New Orleans, but Kamara's dual-threat presence could keep the former from being a true RB1 in fantasy football. RotoBaller has Etienne currently ranked as the No. 16 fantasy RB, making him an ideal low-end RB1/high-end RB2 target in head coach Kellen Moore's up-tempo offense. Kamara has the history and hometown presence, but his fantasy value is expected to take a massive hit as the 1B to Etienne in a best-case scenario. RotoBaller has Kamara ranked as the RB52 for 2026.

Carolina Panthers rookie third-round wide receiver Chris Brazzell II (leg) was carted to the locker room after suffering a left-leg injury during training camp practice on Wednesday, according to Joe Person of The Athletic. Brazzell was not putting any weight on his leg, which obviously is not a good sign for the University of Tennessee product. The 22-year-old was returned to practice on Wednesday after sitting out for a couple of days due to knee soreness, but it's unclear if that is related to the injury suffered on Wednesday. The severity of Brazzell's injury is unknown right now, but if it's relatively minor, he'll have plenty of time still before the start of the 2026 regular season begins. If it's a significant injury that causes Brazzell to miss the start of his rookie campaign, it will be good news for Xavier Legette, who would essentially be locked in as the team's WR3 behind Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker. Brazzell came into training camp expected to challenge Legette for the WR3 immediately.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (knee) is doing 11-on-11 drills at the start of training camp this week, according to Matt McMullen of Chiefs.com. Mahomes is a full-go for the start of camp despite tearing his ACL and LCL late last season. The 30-year-old has made excellent strides in his rehab during the offseason, and there's no reason to believe at this point that he won't be ready for the Week 1 showdown on Monday night against the division-rival Denver Broncos, barring a setback this summer. It will be interesting to see whether the Chiefs give Mahomes the clearance to play in any preseason games, but for now, this is a pretty significant development and a positive sign for Mahomes early in camp. The two-time MVP and six-time Pro Bowler will be looking to lead his team back to the postseason in 2026 after the offense has grown a bit stagnant in recent years. With receivers Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy both healthy, though, Mahomes could be ready for a bounce-back after throwing for 3,587 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 11 picks in 14 starts in 2025. Mahomes is quickly becoming a more attractive low-end QB1 target in redraft leagues.

Although Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (knee) said that he's "feeling really good," he said that doctors told him a week ago that he probably had another four weeks in his rehab from a torn left ACL suffered last year, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. That timetable would track to Aug. 25 being the ninth month removed from knee surgery. Head coach Kevin Stefanski said on Wednesday that Penix wouldn't take part in 11-on-11 drills at the start of training camp, and with Tua Tagovailoa also dealing with a tight back, the Falcons' QB battle is off to a bad start. With both QBs injured, the Falcons signed veteran Cooper Rush as insurance on Wednesday. The Falcons are optimistic that Penix will be ready in time for preseason games, but the more time he misses, the likelihood of him winning the starting job going into Week 1 diminishes. Penix's fantasy stock in both redraft and dynasty/keeper leagues continues to fall by the day, even though he technically still isn't being ruled out for the QB1 job.

Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said on Wednesday that the team will continue to rotate at QB2 with veteran Andy Dalton and Tanner McKee like they did during the spring, per Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports. The Eagles acquired Dalton in a trade from the Carolina Panthers back in March. The 38-year-old veteran will bring plenty of experience to the QB room behind starter Jalen Hurts as the Eagles look to rebound from a particularly frustrating offensive year in 2025. The former second-round pick by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2011 from TCU has 15 years of experience in the NFL, but he's only started seven games in the last three years with the Panthers. In four appearances (one start) in 2025, Dalton threw for 293 yards, one touchdown and an interception. If Dalton ends up winning the QB2 job outright in Philly during camp and the preseason, the Eagles could look to trade McKee to a QB-needy team right before the start of the 2026 regular season.

The Detroit Lions have opened their 2026 training camp, but three-time Pro Bowl running back Jahmyr Gibbs is not taking part in practice, as reported by NFL Insider Adam Schefter. A similar situation is playing out in Atlanta with Falcons running back Bijan Robinson, and Schefter notes that the two had offseason conversations about potential long-term contracts. As first-round picks in the 2023 NFL Draft, both Gibbs and Robinson had their fifth-year options exercised this offseason, giving the Lions and Falcons team control through the 2027 season with the potential of using the franchise tag after that. Gibbs is RotoBaller's RB1 and the top overall player for the 2026 season, making any potential hold-in a situation capable of causing ripples throughout 2026 drafts.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (shoulder) is a full-go for the team's Wednesday training camp practice, with head coach Todd Bowles telling reporters that he looks good. Buccaneers senior writer Scott Smith reports that Irving is not being eased into anything after sitting out the team's mandatory minicamp practices while recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. Irving missed seven games in 2025 while dealing with a shoulder subluxation and foot sprain and was visibly impacted by the injuries when he did take the field, averaging 3.4 yards per carry while finding the end zone only once on the ground. The lack of limitation to begin camp is positive news for drafters, but fantasy managers will still need to pay attention to his reported usage throughout the summer, as the Buccaneers added pass-catching specialist Kenny Gainwell this offseason, potentially lowering Irving's fantasy floor and ceiling. The third-year back is RotoBaller's RB25 for 2026.

With training camps opening for the Atlanta Falcons, running back Bijan Robinson is not practicing, as reported by NFL Insider Adam Schefter. He was a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, and with Robinson's fifth-year option picked up to give the Falcons salary control through the 2027 season, Schefter reports that Robinson had been in conversation this offseason about a potential long-term contract. Robinson is RotoBaller's No. 2 overall player for 2026. While there is still more than a month before the start of the 2026 season, drafters would be advised to monitor this emerging situation, as any prolonged hold-in could have serious fantasy ramifications.