Fantasy Football News

Center Ryan Kelly announced his retirement from professional football on X on Friday. Kelly was placed on Injured Reserve in late December of last year after suffering his third concussion of the year. His head injuries also prompted the 32-year-old veteran to hang up his cleats after playing 10 years in the league. Kelly was originally the 18th overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft by the Indianapolis Colts out of Alabama. Nine of his 10 seasons in the NFL came in Indy, where he was named a Pro Bowler four times, including three straight seasons from 2019 to 2021. Kelly played in only eight games last year because of his head injuries, but when he was on the field, he was playing at a high level. With the announcement, the Vikings will most certainly be in the market for a center in free agency this offseason. Kelly started all 129 games that he appeared in over his 10-year career.

The Los Angeles Chargers announced on Friday that they placed an exclusive-rights tender on free-agent running back Kimani Vidal to keep him around for the 2026 season. The Chargers also signed running back Jaret Patterson and safety Kendall Williamson to contract extensions. The 24-year-old Vidal was thrust into a bigger role than anticipated last year when both Najee Harris (Achilles) and rookie Omarion Hampton (ankle) went down with injuries. The former sixth-rounder in 2024 out of Troy had 155 carries for 643 yards (4.1 yards per carry) and three touchdowns in 13 regular-season games, adding 16 catches for 136 yards and another score. Vidal proved to be a reliable plug-and-play RB3/flex option for fantasy managers, although with Hampton returning as the Bolts' clear lead back, it will be difficult for Vidal to improve on his numbers in 2026.

The Washington Commanders re-signed former first-round wide receiver Treylon Burks to a one-year deal worth a maximum of $4 million on Friday, a source told Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Burks, who was taken 18th overall by the Tennessee Titans in 2022 out of Arkansas, was a bust in his three years in Nashville and was barely healthy, playing only 27 games (17 starts) and catching 53 of 92 targets for 699 yards and one touchdown. After being cut by the Titans, the Commanders scooped him up, and Burks had 10 receptions for 130 yards and a touchdown on 22 targets in eight games played last year in D.C. The 25-year-old obviously didn't do enough to be rostered in most fantasy leagues, but he could have a much bigger opportunity for Washington in 2026 with Deebo Samuel Sr. hitting free agency this offseason. Burks is worth watching going into training camp this summer.

The Houston Texans released running back Joe Mixon (foot) on Friday, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN. We knew Mixon was expendable, especially after not playing at all last year due to an ankle/foot injury, when the Texans acquired David Montgomery from the Detroit Lions this week. Details on the 29-year-old Mixon's injury last year were sparse, and it's unclear if he'll even be ready for the start of the 2026 campaign this fall. Because of that, Mixon could be greeted with a cold free-agent market upon his release. In fantasy football, the former second-round pick by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2017 out of Oklahoma will be hard to gauge until he lands with a new team. The two-time Pro Bowler has five 1,000-rushing seasons in his eight years in the NFL and can do anything on the field when healthy, but his uncertain future and injury status have really cratered his fantasy value this offseason.

SNY's Connor Hughes reports that the New York Jets could prefer to sign two veteran free-agent quarterbacks this offseason, and Minnesota Vikings impending free-agent QB Carson Wentz could be high up on their wish list. Wentz is believed to be offensive coordinator Frank Reich's "preferred option," according to two sources. Reich was previously Wentz's offensive coordinator with the Philadelphia Eagles from 2016 to 2017, and Wentz's best season came in his second year in the league under Reich, when he threw for 3,296 yards, 33 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. Wentz also played for Reich with the Indianapolis Colts in 2021, throwing for 3,563 yards, 27 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. "No one loves Wentz more than Frank," a third source said. The 33-year-old played through a shoulder injury in five starts in Minnesota last year, throwing for 1,216 yards, six TDs, and five picks. If Wentz were to land in New York, he'd most likely be battling another veteran for the starting gig. And with the Jets, that's about as gross as it gets for fantasy purposes.

Former Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (foot) is the top available option at the QB position this offseason. The New York Jets have discussed him as an option, but the "resounding belief" from multiple sources is that he will sign with the Minnesota Vikings this offseason, according to Connor Hughes of SNY. The 28-year-old former first overall pick in 2019 out of Oklahoma didn't play beyond Week 5 last year due to a foot sprain, and veteran Jacoby Brissett actually elevated the offense in Murray's absence. The Vikings are looking for a signal-caller to push J.J. McCarthy and perhaps even win a QB battle going into next season. Murray, the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2019, would be in position to rebound in a big way if he were to land in Minnesota, with head coach Kevin O'Connell and legitimate receiving threats in Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. Murray is going to be cheap on the open market and in fantasy drafts this fall, but he will make for an interesting QB2 flier with bounce-back potential if he signs with the Vikes.

The Houston Texans restructured nickel cornerback Jalen Pitre's contract on Friday, one year after signing him to a $42.6 million extension, a league source told Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Sports. The Texans converted a majority of his $9 million guaranteed base salary into a signing bonus and added two void years to lower his $11.911 million salary cap number for this year. The 26-year-old defensive back was part of one of the best secondaries in football in 2025, and the former second-rounder had 74 tackles (43 solo), four interceptions, and 12 pass breakups in 14 regular-season games for the Texans. Pitre forms a strong combination in the secondary in Houston alongside Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter, and the Texans' defensive unit will be one of the top options off the board in fantasy drafts this fall.

Green Bay Packers edge rusher Rashan Gary, who has been the subject of trade talks, doesn't expect to return to the team in 2026, according to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. Gary announced on social media that his time in Green Bay was over before deleting the post. He is due $19.5 million in 2026 with no guaranteed money. Before outright releasing the 28-year-old linebacker, the Packers will try to see if another team will take him off their hands in a trade. The former 12th overall pick in 2019 out of Michigan was a first-time Pro Bowler in 2024, and he had a second straight season of 7.5 sacks in 16 regular-season games in 2025, adding 45 tackles (25 solo), seven tackles for loss, 20 QB hits, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. Gary has two years left on his four-year, $96 million contract, and he has a $28 million salary cap number for 2026. He has 46.5 sacks in his seven NFL seasons and would most likely be picked up by another team pretty quickly if he reaches the open market.

Detroit Lions left tackle Taylor Decker announced on his Instagram account on Friday that he requested and will be released by the team, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Decker and the Lions were unable to agree on a contract restructure, and now the 31-year-old veteran is free to sign with any team. Decker was due to make $18.2 million in 2026. The former 16th overall pick in 2016 out of Ohio State was a first-time Pro Bowler in 2024. All 10 of his NFL seasons have been with the Lions, and he has started all 140 games that he's appeared in. By releasing Decker, the Lions will save $17.9 million in salary cap space this year and $21 million next year. It will be a big change for the Lions offense, as Decker has been a cornerstone left tackle for the franchise since 2016. Decker will attract plenty of interest on the free-agent market.

The Miami Dolphins and 2023 Pro Bowl fullback Alec Ingold are parting ways, sources told Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network. Ingold had talks with the Dolphins about a new deal, but he will now be released and will be free to sign with a new team as soon as Friday. The 29-year-old was entering the final year of a three-year, $12.2 million deal that he signed with the team in 2023. Ingold has never been on the fantasy map as a blocker out of the backfield, but he should receive interest on the open market from teams looking to improve their efficiency on the ground. In his seven years in the NFL, Ingold has only had 35 carries for 56 yards and two touchdowns in 107 games played. He's been more prolific as a receiver, catching 75 of his 97 targets for 611 yards and four touchdowns with the Dolphins and Raiders since entering the league in 2019.

The Los Angeles Chargers agreed to terms with free-agent center Tyler Biadasz on a three-year deal worth $30 million on Friday, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Biadasz was cut by the Washington Commanders after being set to make $8.3 million in 2026. The 28-year-old is expected to be past the ankle and knee injuries that landed him on Injured Reserve to close out last season in Washington. The Chargers were desperate for some offensive-line upgrades, particularly at center, so they have made Biadasz the sixth-highest-paid center in the NFL. Since entering the league as a fourth-round pick by the Dallas Cowboys in 2020 out of Wisconsin, Biadasz has started 84 of the 92 games he's appeared in while making the Pro Bowl in 2022 with Dallas. The addition of Biadasz is a big positive for quarterback Justin Herbert.

The Buffalo Bills are releasing cornerback Taron Johnson on Friday after eight seasons together, a source told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Johnson started 87 of the 113 games he appeared in for the Bills in his eight seasons, and he recorded a total of 572 tackles (411 solo), eight sacks, 23 tackles for loss, 11 QB hits, six interceptions (two returned for touchdowns), 48 pass breakups, eight forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries (one returned for a TD). The 29-year-old slot cornerback had 57 tackles (34 solo) and four pass breakups in 13 regular-season games (eight starts) in Buffalo in 2025. Johnson shouldn't have any trouble drumming up interest on the open market as he looks to play somewhere else besides Buffalo for the first time in his career.

The Buffalo Bills are releasing wide receiver Curtis Samuel on Friday, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN. The move comes a day after Buffalo agreed to send two draft picks to the Chicago Bears in exchange for receiver DJ Moore. It's not like Samuel was a big contributor last year, though, as he played in only six regular-season games and caught seven of his nine targets for 81 yards and one touchdown. In his first year in Buffalo in 2024, the 29-year-old caught 31 of 46 targets for 253 yards and one touchdown in 14 regular-season games (two starts). The former second-round pick by the Carolina Panthers in 2017 out of Ohio State will look to latch on with another team this offseason as veteran receiver depth. Samuel most likely won't be on the fantasy radar in the majority of leagues in 2026, even if he lands in a favorable environment.

The Miami Dolphins are expected to release kicker Jason Sanders (hip) after the two sides could not agree on a new contract, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN. Sanders will leave the team with a streak of 27 straight made field goals, including going 9-for-9 on his last 50-plus-yard field goals. However, he did not kick at all last year due to a hip injury that he suffered in training camp. The Dolphins drafted the 30-year-old in the seventh round in 2018 out of New Mexico, and he's converted on 84.6% of his 221 field-goal attempts for the team in the last seven seasons. The Dolphins will now likely go with Riley Patterson to begin the 2026 season after he impressed last year in Sanders' place. If fully healthy, Sanders should attract plenty of interest on the open market for teams looking for an upgrade at placekicker.

Three-year veteran quarterback Tommy DeVito has reached an agreement on a two-year, $7.4 million deal to return to the New England Patriots, per his agent Sean Stellato and NFL Insider Adam Schefter. Devito served as the team's emergency third quarterback in 2025 after being claimed off waivers. With Joshua Dobbs still under contract for 2026, Devito could compete for the primary backup role behind Drake Maye or bolster the room similarly to his first year in New England. The deal includes a guaranteed $2 million, about half the amount guaranteed to Doubs when he signed a similar two-year pact before the 2025 season.

The Minnesota Vikings are doing simple contract restructures of star wide receiver Justin Jefferson and left tackle Christian Darrisaw to clear salary cap space for the 2026 season, sources told Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. The Vikings must get under the salary cap before the start of the new league year next Wednesday. Jefferson managed to reach the 1,000-yard mark for the sixth straight season to begin his career, but his 1,048 receiving yards were a new career-low as he caught 84 passes on 141 targets for a career-low two touchdowns in 17 starts. The 26-year-old and the rest of Minnesota's offense were held hostage by injuries and inconsistent play by quarterback J.J. McCarthy. The four-time Pro Bowler and former Offensive Player of the Year should still be considered a high-end WR1 in fantasy, but he could be more volatile again in 2026 if McCarthy or a new QB doesn't raise the level of play in the Vikings' offense.

The Cleveland Browns restructured quarterback Deshaun Watson's contract on Friday to ease his $80.716 million salary cap charge in 2026, according to Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. The Browns are converting up to $44.745 million of his $46 million base salary into a signing bonus, leaving him with the veteran minimum of $1.255 million for this year. The move is expected to free up around $36 million in cap space. Cleveland is also expected to restructure the contracts of other players, including Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward. The 30-year-old Watson is heading into the final year of the five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract that he signed back in 2022. Watson did not play at all in 2025 after having two surgeries to fix a torn Achilles he suffered in 2024. He's expected to compete for the starting QB job in 2026 with Shedeur Sanders, but the Browns are expected to bring in more competition via free agency. There's no guarantee Watson ever takes another snap with the Browns.

The Washington Commanders are re-signing kicker Jake Moody to a one-year deal on Friday, a source told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Moody spent time with the Commanders, San Francisco 49ers, and Chicago Bears in 2025 in his third year in the NFL. The 26-year-old former third-round selection by the Niners in 2023 out of Michigan played in six games with Washington, going 10-for-11 on his field-goal tries and 10-for-11 on extra points. Overall, he made 19 of 23 field-goal attempts (2-for-2 from 50-plus yards) and went 15-for-16 on extra points in nine games. Moody will enter the 2026 season as the Commanders' starting placekicker, but fantasy managers should be able to find more consistent options in 12-team leagues. Moody has a career 78% success rate on his 82 field-goal attempts through three seasons in the NFL.

The New Orleans Saints restructured tight end Juwan Johnson's contract on Friday to free up $6.29 million in salary cap space for the 2026 season, according to Katherine Terrell of ESPN. The Saints converted part of Johnson's base salary into a signing bonus. In the first season with Kellen Moore as the head coach in New Orleans, Johnson had career-highs in catches (77), targets (102), and receiving yards (889) while scoring three times in 17 games in his sixth year in the league. The 29-year-old former undrafted free agent out of Penn State showed nice chemistry with young quarterback Tyler Shough last year, and he should enter 2026 fantasy football drafts this fall as a decent low-end TE1 option with a strong floor if you decide to wait at the position.

The New Orleans Saints and running back Alvin Kamara (knee) agreed to an adjusted contract on Friday, lowering his salary cap number for the 2026 season by $8 million, according to Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network. It's not a standard base salary-to-bonus conversion, but it will provide cap flexibility if he's not with the team. Specifically, $10.155 million of Kamara's salary was converted. It's a situation to monitor for the 30-year-old back, who played in a career-low 11 games in 2025 due to a knee injury. Kamara finished with a career-low 471 rushing yards and only one touchdown on 131 carries, adding 33 receptions on 39 targets for 186 yards and no touchdowns through the air. He has a lot of tread on his tires with 1,674 rushing attempts in his nine seasons in the NFL, and regardless of where he's playing in 2026, Kamara's fantasy stock will be way down, possibly in a timeshare.