Fantasy Football News

AJ Barner • TE • Seahawks

AJ Barner a Potential Tight End Option in Week 1

Seattle Seahawks tight end AJ Barner (oblique) is entering Year 3 entrenched as the No. 1 tight end option in the offense. He could be a solid play in Week 1 against the New England Patriots. Barner subtly broke out in 2025. He finished as the TE14 with 52 receptions for 519 yards and six touchdowns. While nothing elite, Barner seemed to steadily improve as the season wore on. Through seven games, Barner was averaging 3.14 targets per game. Following Seattle's Week 8 bye, that number crept up to 4.6. Barner remained a large part of the offense into the playoffs, suggesting that he could be a huge offensive piece as we enter the 2026 season. New England was middle-of-the-pack against tight ends in 2026. Week 1 games can be sloppy, and Barner could benefit as an outlet for quarterback Sam Darnold. If you punted on tight end in your draft, and you need a start, Barner is certainly an option you could turn to.

Sep 8

Cooper Kupp • WR • Seahawks

Cooper Kupp Not Worth Rostering in Week 1

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp has entered an era in which he is far more important to the real-life Seahawks than he is to fantasy managers. Kupp is not a player you should be starting or even rostering in Week 1 against the New England Patriots. Kupp finished as the WR53 in 2025 on 47 receptions for 593 yards. He made plays when Seattle needed him to, but he was not a needle-mover for fantasy. Additionally, Kupp's role in the passing game waned as the season wore on. He only surpassed four targets in a game once following the team's Week 8 bye. With Rashid Shaheed and Tory Horton (hamstring) in line for more touches this coming season, Kupp feels like he could be the odd man out in fantasy football. Additionally, with Jaxon Smith-Njigba soaking up so many targets in a low-volume offense, as well, Kupp should not be considered in Week 1.

Sep 8

Rashid Shaheed • WR • Seahawks

Rashid Shaheed a Player to Watch in Week 1

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Rashid Shaheed is not in the starting conversation in Week 1 against the New England Patriots. However, Shaheed's usage as a player should be monitored in Week 1 now that he has had a whole offseason to acclimate to Seattle's offense. Before being traded to the Seahawks in 2025, Shaheed was on pace for 83 receptions for 942 yards. He has always been a quality wide receiver, but the Seahawks used him as more of a gadget player after acquiring him midseason. A $51 million contract extension suggests that Seattle would like to get Shaheed more involved offensively. Cooper Kupp is primarily a possession target and veteran leader, while second-year wideout Tory Horton (hamstring) is still coming up to speed. There is a lot of room for another wide receiver to emerge opposite Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Shaheed should be on your bench in Week 1, but his snap count and target numbers will be worth monitoring.

Sep 8

Jason Myers • K • Seahawks

Jason Myers a Clear K1 in Week 1

Seattle Seahawks kicker Jason Myers is an easy Week 1 start against the New England Patriots. Myers finished as the No. 1 kicker in fantasy last season while being highly efficient for one of the league's best offenses. Helping Myers' case was the Seahawks' field goal volume. Myers attempted 48 field goals, hitting 41. He also made all 48 of his extra point attempts. The Patriots boast a good defense, but Seattle should be able to score on them consistently with how efficiently the offense runs. Either way, Myers will be in a position to kick field goals or extra points often on Wednesday. He can safely be deployed as a starting kicking option as we get our first look at the Seahawks' 2026 offense.

Sep 8

Tory Horton • WR • Seahawks

Tory Horton is Questionable for Wednesday's Game

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tory Horton (hamstring) is considered questionable ahead of Wednesday's game against the New England Patriots, according to Curtis Crabtree. Horton has been limited in practice the last few days due to a lingering hamstring issue. Luckily, the injury isn't viewed as a long-term issue, so Horton should be ready to go soon. The 23-year-old is looking to make a bigger impact after a shin fracture and groin issue limited him to eight games last season. If he's inactive, Rashid Shaheed and Cooper Kupp could see larger roles in the passing game behind superstar Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

Sep 8

Chuba Hubbard • RB • Panthers

Chuba Hubbard Listed as RB1 on Unofficial Depth Chart

On the Carolina Panthers' Week 1 unofficial 53-man depth chart, running back Chuba Hubbard is listed as the RB1 over Jonathon Brooks, according to Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer. As always, fantasy managers should not be reading too much into an unofficial depth chart before the start of the regular season. The 27-year-old Hubbard is the more experienced, longer-tenured RB on the Panthers' roster after rushing for 3,686 yards and 23 touchdowns in his five seasons in the NFL with the Panthers. The former fourth-rounder in 2021 from Oklahoma State broke out with 1,195 yards and 10 touchdowns on 250 carries in 15 games in 2024, adding 43 catches for 171 yards and another score as a receiver, but Rico Dowdle took over the team's backfield last year, leaving Hubbard as a disappointment with only 511 rushing yards and one touchdown on the ground in 15 regular-season games. Going into 2026, Hubbard's stock has fallen to that of an RB3/flex option, with Brooks having an opportunity to take over the backfield if he can finally stay healthy (he has already suffered two torn ACLs since being drafted in 2024). Behind one of the worst offensive lines in the league, Hubbard and Brooks may find running lanes hard to come by in 2026.

Sep 8

Baker Mayfield • QB • Buccaneers

Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers Reach Agreement on Three-Year Extension

Two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers agreed to a three-year contract extension worth $165 million on Tuesday that will prevent him from becoming a free agent after the 2026 season, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN and Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Mayfield broke off contract talks with the team as training camp opened at the end of July, but with the regular season kicking off this week, a deal was revisited and agreed upon. The 31-year-old veteran was a Pro Bowler in each of his first two seasons in Tampa in 2023 and 2024, but he played through injuries in 2025 and dropped down to 3,693 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions in 17 games and failed to make the postseason. Mayfield's fantasy football stock is down overall heading into the 2026 campaign with top wideout Mike Evans now in San Francisco and Emeka Egbuka (toe) and Jalen McMillan (knee) banged up going into the season opener this Sunday. However, he should still be considered a midrange QB2 in superflex leagues, and he has some QB1 upside in Week 1 in a matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Sep 8

MarShawn Lloyd • RB • Packers

MarShawn Lloyd Listed as RB1 on First Depth Chart

Green Bay Packers running back MarShawn Lloyd was listed as the team's RB1 on their unofficial depth chart going into Week 1 of the regular season this Sunday against the division-rival Minnesota Vikings, according to ESPN's Rob Demovsky. However, offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said on Tuesday that the Packers' backfield will be a committee approach, with Josh Jacobs unavailable early on due to legal issues. With Jacobs out for the foreseeable future while on the commissioner's exempt list, expect Lloyd, Kaleb Johnson, and Chris Brooks to all be involved at the position. Although Lloyd has played in just one NFL game since being drafted in the third round in 2024 from USC, he is the most enticing fantasy back for the Packers as long as Jacobs is away from the team. Between his speed and athleticism, Lloyd has the skills to become an RB2 for fantasy managers if he stands out over both Johnson and Brooks early on. Going into the team's Week 1 matchup against Minnesota, Lloyd should be viewed as an RB3/flex play in just his second NFL game this weekend.

Sep 8

TreVeyon Henderson • RB • Patriots

TreVeyon Henderson Ruled Out for Season Opener on Thursday

New England Patriots second-year running back TreVeyon Henderson (ankle) has officially been ruled out for the Week 1 season opener on Thursday and a rematch of last year's Super Bowl against the Seattle Seahawks after he did not practice all week, according to the team. Henderson's ankle injury is not considered long-term, but it remains to be seen if he will be ready for his 2026 season debut in Week 2 next Sunday, Sept. 20, versus the Pittsburgh Steelers in the team's home opener. With Henderson sidelined this Thursday in a tough matchup against a strong Seahawks defense, Rhamondre Stevenson should see the lion's share of touches out of the backfield while being spelled by Corey Kiner. With New England's backfield a little thin out of the gate, expect to see the Patriots bring up Lan Larison from the practice squad to serve as the RB3 against Seattle. The 23-year-old Henderson had a solid rookie season in 2025 with over 900 rushing yards and 10 total touchdowns in the regular season, but he remains in a timeshare with Stevenson when he is healthy, and his early-season fantasy stock is down because of his ankle injury.

Sep 8

Alvin Kamara • RB • Saints |

Travis Etienne Jr. • RB • Saints

Travis Etienne Jr. Listed as Co-Starter With Alvin Kamara

New Orleans Saints running backs Travis Etienne Jr. and Alvin Kamara (knee) are listed as co-starters on the team's unofficial depth chart as they get ready for their Week 1 contest this Sunday, Sept. 13, against the Detroit Lions, according to Katherine Terrell of ESPN. Etienne should lead the Saints in overall touches by a wide margin when all is said and done in 2026 after they signed him to a four-year, $52 million deal in free agency in March, but when healthy, Kamara will be involved in head coach Kellen Moore's offense as a pass-catcher. Kamara is looking unlikely to play in Week 1 against the Lions, but when he makes his 2026 debut, he will no doubt take away valuable passing-game targets from the 27-year-old Etienne, lowering his overall fantasy ceiling in his first year in the Big Easy. The former 25th overall pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021 from Clemson had his third 1,000-yard rushing campaign and added seven rushing touchdowns in 17 regular-season games in 2025, tacking on 36 catches for 292 yards and another six TDs through the air. With Kamara unlikely to play this weekend, Etienne should have plenty of fantasy upside as a low-end RB1/high-end RB2 in his debut with the Saints.

Sep 8

Kenny Gainwell • RB • Buccaneers

Kenny Gainwell Could Feature Prominently in Red-Zone, Goal-Line Situations

FOX Sports' Greg Auman believes that Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Kenny Gainwell could feature prominently in red-zone and goal-to-go situations under new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson in 2026. Gainwell is essentially replacing pass-catching RB Rachaad White in a new offense this year, but unlike White, the 27-year-old could be featured more in the red zone, which is bad news for fantasy managers who are hoping for a bounce-back year from Bucky Irving. Gainwell, a former fifth-rounder by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021 from Memphis, broke out last year in his lone season with the Pittsburgh Steelers as a receiver, catching 73 of 85 targets for 486 yards and three touchdowns in 17 regular-season games. He added a career-high 114 carries for 537 yards and another four scores on the ground. Gainwell is expected to be used often alongside Irving in his first year in Tampa, giving him weekly RB3/flex upside, especially in point-per-reception leagues. He could come out of the gate strong in a Week 1 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, in which the Bucs may be forced to throw early and often.

Sep 8

Myles Garrett • DE • Rams

Myles Garrett "Ready to Go" for Week 1

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay said that All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett (knee) will be "ready to go" against the division-rival San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia, on Thursday for the Week 1 season opener, according to Benjamin Royer of The Orange County Register. The Rams will have Garrett ready to make his debut with the team, but defensive tackle Aaron Donald, who came out of retirement this year to rejoin the Rams, will have to wait at least another week for his much-anticipated return. The Rams held Garrett out for the majority of training camp this summer due to swelling in his knee, but it was never considered serious, and he will be active this week. It means that fantasy managers should have him locked into their starting lineups in IDP formats, even if his workload is a little limited in Week 1. The 30-year-old former first overall pick in 2017 is coming off a historic season in 2025 in which he set the record for most sacks (23) in a single season in 17 starts for the Cleveland Browns.

Sep 8

Chris Bell • WR • Dolphins

Chris Bell Listed as Starting Receiver for Dolphins

On the Miami Dolphins' updated unofficial depth chart after final 53-man roster cuts, rookie wide receiver Chris Bell is listed as a starter alongside Malik Washington and Jalen Tolbert, according to David Furones of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Fantasy managers should always take depth-chart information with a grain of salt, but Bell will enter the Week 1 regular-season opener against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday with a key role in Miami's new-look offense led by quarterback Malik Willis. Bell had an eventful training camp this summer after initially opening on the Physically Unable to Perform list due to the ACL tear that he suffered in his final college season at Louisville in 2025. He looked good in his lone preseason performance and will have an opportunity to produce right away in his first year in the NFL in the shallowest WR corps in the NFL. Bell is still a better bench stash in dynasty/keeper leagues for his long-term upside, but if he has a bigger role than expected on offense early in the season, he could quickly become a priority waiver-wire target in deeper single-year leagues. He is currently rostered in only 5% of Yahoo leagues.

Sep 8

Aaron Donald • DE • Rams

Aaron Donald Not Quite Ready, Will Not Travel to Australia for Week 1

Los Angeles Rams All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald, who came out of retirement this year to join forces with star defensive end Myles Garrett, is not quite ready and will not travel to Melbourne, Australia, for the team's Week 1 contest on Thursday against the division-rival San Francisco 49ers, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Donald is back on the field and continues to work himself back into football shape, but he is doing it with the long term in mind and not just Week 1. When the 35-year-old future Hall of Famer and 10-time Pro Bowler does make his season debut, potentially in Week 2 versus the New York Giants, he is expected to be in a rotational role on the interior of L.A.'s defensive line, which will make him much more boom/bust as a fantasy asset in IDP formats. Donald is in phenomenal shape, though, and will certainly be a force to be reckoned with on the interior after amassing 111 career sacks in 10 seasons with the Rams, and his presence in 2026 will only make an already strong Rams defense even more attractive in fantasy.

Sep 8

Keon Coleman • WR • Bills

Keon Coleman Listed as a Starter on Bills' Depth Chart

The Athletic's Joe Buscaglia reports that wide receiver Keon Coleman is ahead of Joshua Palmer on the Buffalo Bills' unofficial depth chart ahead of their Week 1 game this Sunday against the Houston Texans. Coleman, the team's former second-round pick in 2024 from Florida State, has been a disappointment in his first two years in the league, catching 67 of 116 targets for 960 yards and eight touchdowns in 26 games played (18 starts). The 23-year-old battled drops and was benched for showing up late to a team meeting, further hurting his dynasty/keeper stock. But heading into Year 3, the Bills' brass continues to say that Coleman is in their long-term plans, and they are hoping to see more maturity from him in 2026. The offseason acquisition of DJ Moore did not help Coleman's cause, but he is expected to start alongside Moore and Khalil Shakir in three-wide sets to kick off the regular season. Coleman has buy-low appeal in dynasty leagues and should be considered a deep-league sleeper. Right now, he is only rostered in 2% of Yahoo leagues and can be left on the waiver wire in 12-team formats.

Sep 8

Chris Brooks • RB • Packers

Chris Brooks Has a Real Opening in Green Bay's Backfield

Green Bay Packers running back Chris Brooks has become a little more interesting with Josh Jacobs unavailable to open the season. The Packers are going with a committee for now, leaving Brooks in a three-man backfield with MarShawn Lloyd and Kaleb Johnson. Lloyd has the obvious big-play appeal, but Brooks brings something Green Bay already trusts. He has carved out work on passing downs because of his hands and pass protection, which gives him a chance to stick in the rotation even if he isn't getting many early-down carries. Brooks had only 27 rushes for 106 yards last season, though he also caught 13 passes for 91 yards. There isn't enough here to put him into a Week 1 lineup yet. He is rostered in just 3% of Yahoo leagues and makes the most sense as a stash in 14-team PPR formats. If the committee gives Brooks more passing-game work than expected, there could be something useful here.

Sep 8

Seth McGowan • RB • Colts

Seth McGowan Requires Patience in Deeper Fantasy Leagues

Indianapolis Colts running back Seth McGowan is more of a bench swing than somebody fantasy managers should expect to use anytime soon. The seventh-round rookie made the 53-man roster after rushing for 725 yards and 12 touchdowns at Kentucky last season, and the Colts liked the physicality he showed throughout the preseason. There is still somebody in his way before Jonathan Taylor, though. Indianapolis currently lists DJ Giddens second on the depth chart and McGowan third, leaving the rookie without much of a standalone role heading into Week 1. The good news is that the Colts kept only three running backs on the active roster, so an injury could change things quickly. McGowan is rostered in just 1% of Yahoo leagues and sits in the 14-team range on the current waiver list. That's where he belongs for now. Deep benches can take the shot, but managers in standard leagues do not need to force it.

Sep 8

Sione Vaki • RB • Lions

Sione Vaki Has a Path to Week 1 Touches

Detroit Lions running back Sione Vaki has a little more life as a deep-league stash with Isiah Pacheco on injured reserve. Dan Campbell said Vaki and Jacob Saylors will split the No. 2 role behind Jahmyr Gibbs against New Orleans, so there is no clean handcuff here. Still, Vaki has earned some trust. Campbell liked the progress he made as both a runner and pass catcher during camp and said he is comfortable using him when Gibbs needs a breather. The problem is we have barely seen Vaki on offense in the NFL. He has seven career carries for 18 yards and three catches for 37 yards, while Saylors is going to get work too. Vaki is rostered in only 1% of Yahoo leagues and sits in the 14-team PPR range on the current waiver list. That makes him more of a cheap bench swing than someone to start in Week 1.

Sep 8

Isaiah Davis • RB • Jets

Isaiah Davis Takes Part in RB Drills on Tuesday

New York Jets running back Isaiah Davis (knee) is taking part in RB drills at practice on Tuesday, according to Al Iannazzone of Newsday Sports. Davis missed the entire preseason because of his knee injury and is expected to open the 2026 campaign as the RB3 in New York behind Breece Hall (groin) and Braelon Allen if he is healthy enough to suit up for the Week 1 regular-season opener on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans. That role will not make Davis very appealing to fantasy managers in any league format to start the new season. The 24-year-old former fifth-round selection in the 2024 NFL Draft out of South Dakota State has averaged a healthy 5.6 yards per carry in his first two NFL seasons, but it has amounted to only 73 carries for 410 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in 33 games (zero starts). Davis has added 30 receptions for 261 yards and another score through the air. Davis needs Hall to miss time with an injury to become a waiver-wire target. We will have a better idea of Davis' Week 1 status once the Jets begin to release their official practice reports on Wednesday.

Sep 8

Pat Freiermuth • TE • Steelers

Pat Freiermuth Not Worth Chasing Before Week 1

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth is still easy to find on waiver wires, but Week 1 is not the spot to get cute. He caught 41 passes for 486 yards and four touchdowns on 54 targets last season, and while Jonnu Smith is gone, Pittsburgh added Michael Pittman Jr. to a group that already includes DK Metcalf and Roman Wilson. Freiermuth is still the starting tight end, so there is at least a path to more work than he saw in 2025. The matchup is the problem. Atlanta allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to tight ends last season, and the current Week 1 rankings have Freiermuth at TE25. He is rostered in only 6% of Yahoo leagues and is best viewed as a 14-team option for now. In a 10- or 12-team league, there are better tight ends to chase before Sunday.

Sep 8

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