Fantasy Football News

Zach Selby of Commanders.com writes that new running back Rachaad White is one of several RBs in the Washington Commanders' committee approach to the backfield heading into the 2026 season. White, a third-rounder by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022 out of Arizona State, was relegated to a backup role behind Bucky Irving in the second half of his rookie deal. The 27-year-old has mostly been lauded as a pass-catcher in his four-year NFL career, having hauled in 205 passes (230 targets) for 1,450 yards and 11 receiving touchdowns in 67 total games (48 starts) with the Bucs. White said that Washington's RB room is "loaded" with players who can fit different roles. Second-year back Jacory Croskey-Merritt has the best chance to become the Commanders' lead back, with White as the primary pass-catcher. However, the team also has Jerome Ford, Jeremy McNichols, and rookie Kaytron Allen fighting for roles. White will probably only be worth considering as a late-round option for depth at the RB position in point-per-reception formats in 2026 in his first year in D.C. RotoBaller has White ranked as the No. 41 RB in PPR setups, just two spots in front of Croskey-Merritt.

Washington Commanders second-year running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who has missed some offseason work due to a soft-tissue injury, has the best chance to become the team's lead back in 2026, according to Zach Selby of Commanders.com. Croskey-Merritt, also known as Bill, has "quickness on the outside and has enough burst to run through creases at the line of scrimmage." The 25-year-old rushed for 805 yards in 2025, third in his draft class, and added eight touchdowns on 175 carries over 17 games (seven starts). JCM must still improve in pass protection, but he showed plenty of patience and decisiveness as a ball-carrier despite not being taken until the seventh round in the 2025 NFL draft. Croskey-Merritt was used sparingly as a pass-catcher as a rookie, hauling in nine passes on just 13 targets for 68 yards. Newcomer Rachaad White will most likely operate as Washington's primary pass-catching back, with Jerome Ford and Jeremy McNichols providing veteran depth. Ball security was another issue for JCM as a rookie, and if those issues resurface in Year 2, he could quickly lose touches to White, Ford, and McNichols. Fantasy managers should consider Croskey-Merritt as an RB3/4 with upside if he proves himself more in passing situations.

Denver Broncos second-year running back RJ Harvey (shoulder) quietly suffered a torn labrum in his shoulder during the team's season-ending loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game in January and had surgery to fix it in the offseason, multiple sources with knowledge of the situation told The Denver Post's Luca Evans. Harvey didn't do much work during organized team activities, but has been practicing. The 25-year-old second-round pick last year out of the University of Central Florida stepped into a big role in the second half of the 2025 season after J.K. Dobbins suffered a season-ending Lisfranc injury, and the rookie finished with 540 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 146 carries, adding 47 receptions for 356 yards and five more TDs in 17 regular-season games (seven starts) to finish as the RB1 in half-PPR scoring. It sounds like he has enough time to get back to 100% health for the start of the 2026 regular season, but the offseason addition of rookie Jonah Coleman and the re-signing of Dobbins definitely have hurt Harvey's upside as he enters his sophomore campaign. It's hard to imagine Harvey being more than an inconsistent RB3/flex for fantasy managers this year unless one of Dobbins or Coleman misses time with an injury in 2026. RotoBaller has Harvey ranked as the No. 35 fantasy back for the upcoming season.

Denver Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins had a deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars nearly done in free agency earlier this year before he re-signed with the Broncos on a two-year, $8 million fully guaranteed deal, a source told Luca Evans of The Denver Post. Before suffering a season-ending Lisfranc foot injury, Dobbins ranked fifth in the NFL in rushing yards (772) through 10 games in 2025 in his first year in Denver. When healthy, the 27-year-old has been one of the best RBs in per-touch effectiveness, but the former second-rounder by the Baltimore Ravens in 2020 out of Ohio State has never played a full season in his five years in the NFL. The Broncos averaged 4.8 yards per carry with Dobbins healthy last year, and 3.8 yards per carry without him, so they clearly think he's important to their backfield. Second-year back RJ Harvey (shoulder) isn't an ideal between-the-tackles runner, which is why Denver added Jonah Coleman in the fourth round of this year's draft. Dobbins' upside is obvious, but durability issues give him a scary floor, especially in what could be a three-headed monster of a backfield in Denver in 2026. Right now, RotoBaller has Dobbins ranked as the No. 31 fantasy RB as he looks to battle for touches with Coleman and Harvey in his second year with the Broncos.

The New York Jets and right guard Joe Tippmann agreed to a four-year, $62 million contract extension on Monday that includes $31 million in new guarantees, a source told Rich Cimini of ESPN. The extension could be worth a total of $64 million. The 25-year-old gets a new deal as he was set to enter the final year of his rookie contract. But the Jets weren't about to let the talented Tippmann hit the open market next March. The deal makes Tippman the league's 15th-highest-paid guard based on his $15.5 million average per year. The former second-round pick in 2023 out of the University of Wisconsin is now under contract through the 2030 season, and his new deal includes guaranteed money through 2028. Tippmann has only missed one game in his three years in the NFL, and he's extremely valuable to the Jets for his ability to play center and guard. He has 48 starts and has logged more than 800 snaps in each of his three seasons while ranking 42nd in pass-block win rate among guards in 2025. The move to extend Tippmann is a big win for the Jets' offense in the present and the future.

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens reported to the team's facilities on Monday to take his physical before mandatory minicamp kicks off on Tuesday, a source told Jon Machota of The Athletic. Pickens did not attend organized team activities, but he is expected to participate in minicamp from Tuesday through Thursday of this week. The 25-year-old will play on the one-year, $27.3 million franchise tag in 2026 after having a career year in 2025 in his first year with the Cowboys, when he caught 93 of his 137 targets for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns in 17 games (15 starts). The former second-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2022 out of the University of Georgia outproduced CeeDee Lamb and is one of the best big-play wideouts in the NFL. Pickens doesn't come without some diva qualities, though, and the Cowboys apparently want to see him run it back this year before seriously considering giving him a long-term contract extension. After his monstrous year as the WR5 in half-PPR scoring, Pickens is a clear top-10 fantasy target at his position going into his fifth year in the NFL.

John Shipley of Sports Illustrated writes that Jacksonville Jaguars second-year running back LeQuint Allen Jr. looks to be primed for a role on passing downs in 2026. It has been hard to really gauge Jacksonville's new-look backfield this offseason since new RB Chris Rodriguez Jr. (foot) has missed time due to an injury. One thing is clear, though: Bhayshul Tuten looks much-improved, and he appears to be the favorite to lead the Jags in touches now that Travis Etienne Jr. is with the New Orleans Saints. Allen, 21, was selected with the 236th overall pick in 2025 in the seventh round out of the University of Syracuse. In his rookie campaign, he carried the ball only 23 times for 94 yards and caught 10 of his 11 targets for 54 yards in 17 regular-season games (one start). While Allen should have an expanded pass-catching role in 2026, he'll only be worth rostering in really deep PPR formats unless one of Tuten or Rodriguez misses time with an injury during the regular season. RotoBaller currently has Allen ranked as the No. 80 fantasy RB in redraft leagues.

When asked if quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (knee) will be cleared for 11-on-11 team drills during mandatory minicamp, Atlanta Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski said, "We'll see." Penix is recovering from a torn ACL that he suffered last November, and the longer he is held out of team drills, the more former Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa will gain a leg up in the QB competition this summer. Stefanski is on record saying that he thinks accuracy is the most important trait for a signal-caller, and for all of his faults, Tagovailoa has historically been great in that area -- he led the league in 2024 with a 72.9% completion percentage. A lot can still happen between now and Week 1 of the 2026 regular season, but it is clear that Tagovailoa has a head start over the injured Penix in a new offensive scheme in Atlanta this year. Whoever wins the QB job for the Falcons to begin the season probably isn't going to have a very long leash, so they should be considered a low-end QB2 option in superflex fantasy leagues. Penix, specifically, has seen his dynasty/keeper stock tumble dramatically since last year after yet another torn ACL in his knee.

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix will be "full-go" when training camp opens in late July, head coach Sean Payton told Jeff Legwold of ESPN. Nix fractured his right ankle in the closing minutes of the team's Divisional Round win over the Buffalo Bills back in January and required surgery. He had a second surgical procedure in April, but he has resumed throwing in limited drills before OTA practices in the last two weeks. The former first-rounder out of the University of Oregon is expected to participate in team drills for the first time during mandatory minicamp this week. Barring a setback this week and once training camp kicks off this summer, the 26-year-old should be ready to roll for a Week 1 showdown on Monday Night Football against the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs in early September. It's unknown if Nix's mobility will be negatively affected by his ankle injury, but with questionable arm strength to boot, fantasy managers would be wise to target him as more of a high-end QB2 this year than a legitimate QB1 as he enters his third year in the league. Nix has been a top-10 fantasy QB in each of his first two years in the NFL, but he took a slight step back statistically in 2025, despite leading the league with 612 pass attempts. In 17 regular-season starts last season, Nix had 3,931 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions, adding 356 rushing yards and nine rushing scores on 82 carries.

Miami Dolphins rookie wide receiver Chris Bell (knee) may miss the start of the 2026 season as he works his way back from the torn ACL he suffered in late November. Despite the injury, the Dolphins used a third-round pick on Bell in the 2026 NFL Draft after he recorded 72 receptions for 917 yards and six touchdowns across 11 games in his final season at Louisville. Given his uncertain return timeline, dynasty managers should temper their expectations for Bell's short-term production impact. However, the 22-year-old could be well-positioned to emerge as a key piece in Miami's long-term plans. The Dolphins enter 2026 with the underwhelming veteran trio of Jalen Tolbert, Malik Washington, and Tutu Atwell at the top of their wide receiver depth chart. Along with fellow 2026 wide receiver draftees Caleb Douglas and Kevin Coleman Jr., Bell could be in line for a significant role in Miami upon his return from injury. In dynasty formats, managers should be looking to stash Bell for his long-term upside.

Green Bay Packers running back MarShawn Lloyd has largely been a disappointment since being taken in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Thanks to myriad injury issues, Lloyd has appeared in just one game and logged six career carries over his first two professional seasons. However, the 25-year-old enters 2026 with a legitimate chance to carve out a significant role in the Packers' backfield. Former Packers RB2 Emanuel Wilson departed the team in free agency, leaving Lloyd in a battle for the RB2 role with similarly unproven Green Bay running back Chris Brooks. Additionally, star Packers running back Josh Jacobs ran into some legal issues this offseason, which could result in him facing discipline from the league. Lloyd appears to be fully healthy entering the summer. With a strong showing at training camp and the preseason, he could emerge as a key piece in Green Bay. Dynasty managers should be looking to buy low on Lloyd in leagues where his value has not already skyrocketed.

Across 15 games in 2025, Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson recorded 51 receptions for 438 yards and three touchdowns on 66 targets. While Hockenson's numbers don't jump off the page, the Vikings got some of the worst quarterback play in the league in 2025 from the trio of J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer. Minnesota's passing game should be significantly improved in 2026 following the offseason acquisition of veteran quarterback Kyler Murray. Still, Hockenson's production has been trending downwards in recent years, and he's now entering his age-29 season and the final year of his current contract with the Vikings. Minnesota also signed former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings in free agency, who seems likely to take Hockenson's role as the tertiary pass-catcher in Minnesota alongside star wideouts Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. Dynasty managers may want to consider selling Hockenson before his stock drops even further in 2026.

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison's 2025 season got off to an unfortunate start, as he missed the first three games due to a suspension. The 24-year-old then posted the least productive year of his career upon his return, hauling in 42 receptions for 610 yards and three touchdowns on 79 targets across 14 games. Despite the underwhelming 2025 campaign, there may be reason for fantasy managers to buy in on an Addison bounce-back. The Vikings had one of the worst quarterback situations in the NFL last season with the trio of J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer. Minnesota signed veteran signal-caller Kyler Murray this past offseason, who should bring a significantly higher level of stability to the team's passing game in 2026. Addison has proven he can be an explosive player in a competent offense, averaging 13.4 yards per reception and scoring 19 touchdowns over the first two years of his career. In dynasty formats, Addison profiles as a clear buy-low target for managers.

Across 16 games in 2025, Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton recorded 59 catches for 572 yards and a touchdown on 81 targets. The 27-year-old's production was a bit disappointing considering that Tampa Bay spent significant portions of the season without top wideouts Mike Evans and Chris Godwin Jr. However, Otton may have a second chance to establish a more consistent role in the Bucs' passing game in 2026. Evans departed Tampa Bay in free agency, and the Buccaneers did not bring in any significant competition for Otton at the tight end position outside of sixth-round rookie Bauer Sharp. Otton may not offer significant upside for dynasty managers, but he's averaged a little over 8.0 PPR points per game over the past two seasons. As a depth option, Otton is worth rostering in deeper dynasty leagues.

Dating back to 2022, Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff has now recorded four consecutive seasons with at least 4,400 passing yards and 29 touchdowns. Even through a rocky season overall in Detroit in 2025, Goff completed 68% of his pass attempts for 4,564 yards, 34 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. Goff's fantasy upside is limited by his complete lack of rushing ability, as he hasn't reached 100 rushing yards in a season since 2018. The Lions' offensive line has also deteriorated in quality in recent years, with tackle Penei Sewell the only truly plus starter remaining in the group. Still, Goff has an excellent group of pass-catchers around him in wide receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, tight end Sam LaPorta, and running back Jahmyr Gibbs. As Goff enters his age-32 season, he projects as a high-floor, low-ceiling dynasty QB2 who may still be slightly undervalued in some leagues.

As the Tampa Bay Buccaneers dealt with wide receiver injuries throughout much of the year, 2025 rookie Tez Johnson had some noteworthy moments, namely a five-game mid-season stretch that saw him average nearly 50 receiving yards per game while scoring four touchdowns. Unfortunately, heading into year two, the undersized seventh-round pick could be hard-pressed to sustain fantasy viability in Tampa's new-look offense. Even without six-time Pro Bowler Mike Evans, the team still boasts plenty of depth, with both Chris Godwin Jr. and Jalen McMillan expected to be closer to full health a year after missing a combined 21 games. 2025 first-round pick Emeka Egbuka should develop further chemistry with Baker Mayfield in their second season together, and the team spent a third-round pick on receiver Ted Hurst after signing Kenneth Gainwell to pair another legitimate pass-catching running back with Bucky Irving. In a Zac Robinson offense that is expected to see far fewer sets with three receivers on the field, Johnson's path to playing time appears sufficiently blocked, and at RotoBaller's dynasty WR105, he is not a player who needs to be rostered in shallower leagues.

Prior to suffering a shin injury that ultimately landed him on injured reserve and required offseason surgery, Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tory Horton was on a double-digit touchdown pace, aided by two scores in the final contest of his rookie season. Unable to participate in organized team activities or minicamp practices, Horton is expected back early, if not at the start of training camp. While in his absence, the Seahawks traded for and then locked up a similar downfield threat in Rashid Shaheed, there is still enough to be excited about to keep Horton worthy of an end-of-bench stash in dynasty leagues. Cooper Kupp is now 33 years old and showing serious signs of decline, and with Shaheed averaging only 1.5 receptions across his 12 regular and postseason games with Seattle, the depth chart behind Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba is not insurmountable. Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak is gone, but there's an expectation that Brian Fleury will adopt many of the play-action principles that allowed Sam Darnold to succeed, providing fantasy-friendly opportunities for a player like Horton who can routinely get behind defenses. Only 23 years old, Horton is RotoBaller's dynasty WR81, but with a few things breaking his way, he has a perceivable path to fantasy viability as early as 2026.

Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. finished as 2025's TE2, and while much of the heavy lifting was done in an 11-catch, three-touchdown outing that went down as one of the most productive tight end games in NFL history, there is optimism that his role in Kevin Stefanski's tight end-friendly offense could help to deliver more consistent week-winning performances. His career year came while running his most routes since entering the NFL, and with Stefanski and offensive coordinator Tommy Rees deploying the league's highest rate of 12-personnel usage in their final season in Cleveland, Pitts should benefit from some of the same looks that allowed Harold Fannin Jr. to reach triple-digit targets as a rookie. Entering his sixth season, Pitts is remarkably still just 25 years old, and with some fantasy managers long over waiting for the true breakout that has been predicted since 2021, he has become a potential bargain at RotoBaller's dynasty TE8.

Since a third-year breakout in 2023, Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins has topped 1,000 receiving yards and six touchdowns in each of the past three seasons while twice finishing as a top-five-graded receiver by PFF, and only dropping as low as No. 8 in 2025. As the unquestioned focal point of opposing defenses, Collins has finished as the WR9 in each of his last two full seasons, and with reinforcements coming to the Texans' offense in 2026, his game could take yet another step up. After finishing with one of the least efficient running games in the league, Houston traded for David Montgomery, and with further development expected from second-year wideouts Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, and the potential return of Tank Dell from a devastating 2024 knee injury, Collins could face significantly lower rates of double teams moving forward. At RotoBaller's dynasty WR10, the 27-year-old still has several years of prime play left after a slow start to his NFL career.

After five years and four seasons with the Jaguars, running back Travis Etienne Jr. signed a four-year, $48 million deal with the New Orleans Saints, and just a year after entering the 2025 season in a somewhat ambiguous backfield, there is little doubt about his every-down role in Kellen Moore's up-tempo offense. In year one under Moore, with a rookie quarterback at the helm for much of the season, the Saints had the fastest pace of play in the NFL. As the operation continues to develop, there's a reasonable expectation for an uptick of no-huddle usage and more offensive plays per game, with Etienne specifically targeted in free agency for his three-down ability. With Alvin Kamara still on the roster, the depth behind Etienne is strong, but with both the Cowboys and Eagles, Moore has a history of running his offenses through a bell cow back. At 27 years old, Etienne figures to be that guy for the foreseeable future, and at RotoBaller's dynasty RB19, he's a player worth pursuing as the finishing piece of a contending roster.