Fantasy Football News

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones (Achilles), who is just over six months removed from rupturing his right Achilles tendon on Dec. 7, has so far been limited to seven-on-seven drills during organized team activities this offseason, according to James Boyd of The Athletic. However, head coach Shane Steichen said the 29-year-old signal-caller is expected to resume taking part in 11-on-11 drills in training camp next month. "It's my back leg, my push leg," Jones said, explaining the importance of his right Achilles. "There's a strength component. I think there's still work to be done," Jones conceded. "I wouldn't say I'm all the way there at this point." The Colts aren't rushing Jones back, but barring a setback this summer, he looks to be on track to be ready for the Week 1 2026 regular-season opener on Sept. 13 against the Baltimore Ravens. Jones was playing great in 2025 in his first year in Indy before tearing his Achilles, completing 68% of his pass attempts for 3,101 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. However, fantasy managers should temper expectations for Jones as a QB2 after the Colts traded away his top wideout this offseason in Michael Pittman Jr. Remember, the Colts' offense will continue to run through running back Jonathan Taylor.

Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins (ankle) got a late start to his rookie season in 2025 and then suffered a dislocated right ankle and fractured fibula in Week 16, putting an end to his first year in the NFL. Judkins averaged just 3.6 yards per carry on his 230 rushing attempts for 827 yards and seven touchdowns in his 14 starts, also adding 26 catches for 171 yards as a pass-catcher. Per the Akron Beacon Journal's Chris Easterling, the former second-rounder (36th overall) out of Ohio State has looked more physical, confident, and aggressive during offseason workouts with his ankle/leg injury in the rearview mirror. New head coach Todd Monken said it looks like Judkins has "got his confidence back, his explosion." With a mostly new offensive line in tow in 2026, the Browns view Judkins as part of their core, and he should be their unquestioned RB1 in his sophomore campaign. Cleveland's offense is a big question mark considering their QB situation, but with better health, Judkins should continue to rise as a low-end RB2 target in fantasy drafts with upside.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (shoulder) was seen working out at organized team activities on Thursday. Irving is being worked back in slowly this offseason after having shoulder surgery, but he looked good on Thursday while catching passes at OTAs while doing other work as well. Although he might not be a full-go for the start of training camp at the end of next month, all signs point to the 23-year-old back being ready at some point this summer and for the start of the 2026 regular season in early September. The former fourth-rounder in 2024 out of the University of Oregon impressed with a 1,000-yard season and eight touchdowns on 207 carries while adding 47 receptions for 392 yards as a pass-catcher in 17 games as a rookie, but he played in only 10 games in 2025 due to injury and finished with 588 rushing yards and one touchdown for the Bucs. Irving's fantasy stock has fallen a bit going into his third year in the league because of durability concerns as he learns a new offense. Newcomer Kenneth Gainwell is also likely to steal valuable pass-catching reps from him. He still has clear RB2 upside if he can stay healthy, but Irving has fallen to No. 26 in RotoBaller's RB rankings for the 2026 season.

When asked if wide receiver Rashee Rice (knee) will be ready for the start of training camp in late July, Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said, "I think he will be. He gets out [of jail] next week. We'll see where it goes. He'll be back up here and working." Rice has had another rough offseason, violating his probation and being sentenced to 30 days in jail due to a positive test for marijuana. In addition to ongoing legal trouble, the 26-year-old had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee to remove loose bodies, keeping him out of organized team activities this offseason. It sounds like Rice's knee surgery won't prevent him from being ready for a Monday night affair in Week 1 of the 2026 regular season against the division-rival Denver Broncos, but another potential suspension hanging over his head has caused him to fall to No. 22 in RotoBaller's WR rankings for the upcoming campaign. The former second-round pick in 2023 out of SMU is KC's clear WR1 when he's available, but he's played in just 12 games in the last two seasons due to suspension and injury. Rice showed his true upside in 2023 in his rookie year, catching 79 of his 102 targets for 938 yards and seven touchdowns in 16 regular-season games (eight starts).

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid hinted on Thursday that quarterback Patrick Mahomes (knee) will be active in training camp this summer, according to Nate Taylor of ESPN. "Looks like he'll be able to do some things in [training] camp. We'll see where it goes. So far, it's been a steady climb up the hill," Reid said. Mahomes has been recovering from a torn ACL and LCL that he suffered in Week 15 last year against the Los Angeles Chargers, but he has made significant progress in his rehab and has been taking part in seven-on-seven drills during organized team activities this offseason. He has so far been held out of 11-on-11 work, but the 30-year-old six-time Pro Bowler and two-time MVP is trending in the right direction to be ready for a Week 1 showdown on Monday night against the division-rival Denver Broncos. Nobody should be counting out the former 10th overall pick in 2017 out of Texas Tech University after all he's done in his nine years in the league, but coming off a serious knee injury with a questionable group of pass-catchers has him ranked as more of a high-end QB2 in fantasy football for the 2026 season.

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson took on a high-volume role in his team's offense in 2025, finishing the year with 82 catches for 600 yards and eight touchdowns on 102 targets across 17 games. However, a significant chunk of Ferguson's production came in the four games where star Cowboys wideout CeeDee Lamb was either sidelined or forced to exit early due to injury. Across the 13 games where Ferguson shared the field with Lamb, he averaged 5.3 targets and four receptions per game. The 27-year-old needs a high volume of targets to be productive for fantasy managers, as he's averaged under six yards per target in each of the last two seasons. Ferguson's 2026 spike in red zone production may not be sustainable either, as he failed to record a single touchdown grab across 14 games in 2024. With the Cowboys' star wide receiver duo of Lamb and George Pickens likely to demand a significant chunk of the team's targets in 2026, dynasty managers may want to explore selling high on Ferguson.

After recording 65 catches for 665 yards in his first season with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2024, tight end Mike Gesicki's production fell off in his second year with the team in 2025. The 30-year-old missed four games with a pectoral injury and finished the season with 28 catches for 307 yards and two touchdowns on 42 targets. Gesicki is back with Cincinnati for 2026, and he could be in position for a bounce-back campaign after the team let tight end Noah Fant walk in free agency. Gesicki is not assured of the TE1 role for the Bengals, as he will have to compete with Drew Sample, Erick All Jr., and Tanner Hudson. Still, Gesicki has proven an ability to be productive in the Cincinnati offense before, particularly in games where Bengals wideout Tee Higgins is sidelined by injury. In dynasty formats, Gesicki could be a worthy buy-low dart-throw for managers after his down year in 2025.

Across 12 games (eight starts) in 2025, Buffalo Bills wide receiver Joshua Palmer (ankle) recorded 22 catches for 303 yards and zero touchdowns on 37 targets. The veteran wideout missed five games due to knee and ankle issues in the middle of the year, and was ultimately placed on Injured Reserve ahead of the postseason due to lingering effects from the injuries. Palmer is still working his way back to full strength as of OTAs, but he's expected to be ready to go for the start of the season. With improved health, the 26-year-old could be in position for a bounce-back year in 2026. However, his role in the Buffalo offense is less secure after the team's offseason trade for veteran wideout DJ Moore and its selection of wide receiver Skyler Bell in the 2026 NFL Draft. Bills wideout Keon Coleman is reportedly impressing his coaching staff in the spring after a down year in 2025 and could also pose a threat to Palmer's playing time on the outside. Given his health issues, limited production track record, and uncertain playing time situation, Palmer checks in as RotoBaller's dynasty WR126 entering 2026.

Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins is entering his first season with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2026. Cousins' production has fallen off considerably in recent years, and he finished 2025 with 1,721 passing yards, 10 touchdowns, and seven interceptions across 10 games (eight starts) for the Atlanta Falcons. The 37-year-old appears set to enter training camp as the nominal QB1 in Las Vegas. However, Cousins is highly unlikely to hold the starting job for the Raiders all season long after the team's selection of quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the number one overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Even if Cousins opens 2026 under center for Las Vegas, he may struggle to put up fantasy-relevant production in an offense that is light on pass-catching talent outside of star tight end Brock Bowers. Cousins also averaged just 6.4 yards per pass attempt with the Falcons in 2025, his first season under seven yards per attempt since 2013. Dynasty managers should feel comfortable moving on from Cousins ahead of 2026.

After recording 36 receptions for 630 yards and five touchdowns across 12 games in his final collegiate season at Notre Dame, wide receiver Malachi Fields was selected by the New York Giants in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Entering his rookie year, Fields looks to be well-positioned to make an immediate impact in New York. Superstar Giants wideout Malik Nabers (knee) is still facing an uncertain return timeline from the knee injury that ended his 2025 season. New York still has veteran wideout Darius Slayton on its roster and has been very active in the wide receiver free agent market, bringing in Darnell Mooney, Calvin Austin III, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Braxton Berrios, and Odell Beckham Jr. However, none of those veterans should hold Fields back from a significant role if he can put together a productive training camp. Dynasty managers may want to be aggressive in pursuing Fields ahead of what could be a breakout rookie season.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is entering what he himself has said will be the final year of his legendary NFL career in 2026. As he enters his age-43 campaign, Rodgers is clearly not the same player he once was at his peak. Still, he put together a solid year in his first season with the Steelers in 2025. Across 16 games, Rodgers completed 65.7% of his pass attempts for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. Entering 2026, the veteran quarterback should have an improved cast of pass-catchers around him following Pittsburgh's offseason trade acquisition of wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. The Steelers also invested in the wide receiver position in the 2026 NFL Draft, using a second-round pick on Germie Bernard and a fourth-round pick on Kaden Wetjen. Fantasy managers should not expect Rodgers to provide top-12 quarterback production. Still, dynasty managers with win-now rosters in two-quarterback league formats may be able to squeeze one last productive season out of Rodgers in 2026.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. has been limited to 15 starts and fewer than 400 total dropbacks since being selected fourth overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. With him now clearly behind Daniel Jones in the Colts' quarterback room, and Jones progressing well from the Achilles tear that ended his 2025 season, already throwing in 7-on-7 sessions, Richardson's next opportunity for starting work remains a mystery. With Indianapolis declining his fifth-year option, 2026 marks the final year of Richardson's rookie contract, but barring the unexpected, he will reach free agency with barely over a 50% career completion percentage and more interceptions than touchdowns. While he will still only be 25 at that point, it's unlikely he will find anything more than a short-term commitment and a chance to compete for a backup role. With a skill set custom-designed for fantasy football, he remains a dynasty hold at RotoBaller's QB35, as all he needs to do is find the field to score points, even if it does not translate directly to real-life NFL success.

Indianapolis Colts running back DJ Giddens was a healthy inactive for almost half of his 2025 rookie season, and he failed to impress on the limited work he did receive, averaging only 3.7 yards on his 26 rush attempts. That said, the depth behind All-Pro running back Jonathan Taylor is dangerously thin, and Giddens is reportedly in competition with 2026 seventh-round pick Seth McGowan for one of the most valuable handcuff roles in the league. While Taylor managed to play all 17 games in 2025, that marked the first time he'd done so since his breakout 2021 campaign, and as one of the last true bell cows in the league, whoever lands closer to him on the depth chart will be viewed favorably by the dynasty community. Giddens and McGowan share similar body types and skill sets, and it's entirely possible that the loser of their training camp battle will again become a healthy inactive on game days, but the most likely scenario in the event of Taylor's absence would be some sort of committee split. Should Taylor go down to injury, both players are likely to see an immediate value spike, so regardless of how their competition plays out, Giddens remains an end-of-bench stash in all but the shallowest of dynasty leagues.

New England Patriots wide receiver Kyle Williams showed some noteworthy flashes in his limited usage as a 2025 third-round rookie, and while he has reportedly worked hard to add play strength to his game-breaking speed and an elite release package, he now faces a new barrier to playing time in the form of a revamped and deep receiver room. In trading for three-time Pro Bowler A.J. Brown and adding Romeo Doubs in free agency, the Patriots have completely transformed a unit that started a season as recently as two years ago with K.J. Osborn, Ja'Lynn Polk, and Jalen Reagor atop the depth chart. Kayshon Boutte's future in New England remains uncertain, but with one of the team's leading receivers from 2025 reporting for mandatory minicamp and taking part in team drills, opportunities for Williams could be hard to come by. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has long operated one of the most adaptable systems in the league, so with receiver being a clear strength of the team, and tight end Julian Hill already placed on injured reserve with a serious knee injury, it's entirely possible the Patriots could deploy more three, or even four, receiver sets than initially expected. Even in that scenario, though, Williams would likely find himself in a rotation with Doubs, Mack Hollins, DeMario Douglas, and potentially still Boutte. At RotoBaller's dynasty WR88, it's difficult to envision any clear path to fantasy relevance in the near future.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has not reached 1,200 passing yards or double-digit touchdowns in any season since 2020, and yet with the starting job in Todd Monken's new-look offense purportedly up for grabs, there may be life left in both his NFL and fantasy careers. Between Watson and Shedeur Sanders, whoever wins the starting quarterback role will find themselves somewhat insulated by the team's recent and heavy investments into the offensive infrastructure. After seeming to hit big on tight end Harold Fannin Jr. and running back Quinshon Judkins in the 2025 Draft, Cleveland spent four 2026 Day 1 or 2 picks on the offensive side of the ball and eight in total. When at his best, Watson possessed a rushing element absent from Sanders' game, and with Monken having spent the last three seasons with Lamar Jackson in Baltimore, that could become a factor in his decision to name a starter. Still stuck at RotoBaller's dynasty WR30 with a realistic chance of reclaiming the starting job, the 30-year-old Watson is a low-cost addition who could provide usable depth to a contending superflex squad.

Philadelphia Eagles veteran offensive tackle Lane Johnson (foot) is healthy during offseason workouts, according to Zach Berman of The Athletic. Including the playoffs, Johnson missed the Eagles' final eight games last year due to a Lisfranc foot injury, but he's apparently healthy again and ready for his 14th year in the league this fall. The 36-year-old is a six-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro, so getting him back healthy will be a huge plus as the Eagles' offense looks to bounce back from a disappointing showing in 2025. Johnson will serve as the team's starting right tackle for the upcoming 2026 regular season, which is great news for running back Saquon Barkley, quarterback Jalen Hurts, and the rest of the Eagles' offense.

Philadelphia Eagles rookie second-round tight end Eli Stowers (leg) had a sleeve on his right leg and wasn't doing much during mandatory minicamp practice on Wednesday, according to Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Stowers' injury most likely isn't very serious, but the Eagles will ease him in during offseason workouts. We'd be surprised if he isn't ready for the start of training camp at the end of next month. The 23-year-old from Vanderbilt will most likely work for a backup role behind Dallas Goedert as he heads into his first season in the NFL with the Eagles. Stowers was converted from a quarterback to a TE in college, so he has plenty of development to do as a pass-catcher at 6-foot-4 and 239 pounds. Although Stowers is unlikely to have much of a role in Philly in 2026 behind Goedert, he has intriguing long-term value in dynasty/keeper leagues due to his above-average athleticism. In his last two collegiate seasons at Vanderbilt, Stowers had 111 total receptions for 1,407 yards and nine touchdowns in 25 games played.

Cleveland running back Quinshon Judkins was part of an impressive Browns 2025 rookie class, falling just two yards shy of 1,000 yards from scrimmage before a fractured fibula and dislocated ankle ended his season. While teams around the league continue to practice without pads, Judkins has reportedly looked decisive and confident in the media-accessible portions of organized team activities and minicamp, signaling that the gruesome injury from almost six months ago should not hold him back in year two. While the Browns offense is still a work in progress, new head coach Todd Monken led the league's run-heaviest offense in two of his three seasons in Baltimore, while ranking second in the third, which could help to create one of the safest floors in fantasy if Judkins can hold onto the bell cow role he looked to be establishing as a rookie. Even factoring in a gradual ramp-up period to begin the year and a Week 16 contest in which he saw only 26 total snaps before the injury, Judkins' 16.4 carries per game were the eighth-most in the league. If either Deshaun Watson or Shedeur Sanders can provide anything close to a representative level of quarterback play behind what looks to be an improved offensive line with a dynamic young group of pass catchers, Cleveland could see enough scoring opportunities to make Judkins a legitimate breakout candidate and a potential value at his current ranking of RotoBaller's dynasty RB11.

When Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette was selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, he came into the league with one of the stranger collegiate careers in recent memory. Never topping 11 receptions, 113 yards, or one score in any of his first four seasons at South Carolina, he exploded for 72 catches, 1,255 yards, and seven touchdowns as a fifth-year senior. While almost everything about his profile screamed fool's gold, his physical makeup paired with the draft capital was enough for dynasty drafters to envision a sky-high ceiling and take a swing, with Legette climbing as high as WR38 in consensus dynasty rankings before ever taking an NFL snap. Through two seasons in the league, it can reasonably be said that the experiment has not worked out, with Legette totaling 84 catches for 860 yards and seven touchdowns to this point in his career. While he has shown sporadic flashes, he's yet to establish any usable fantasy consistency, having put together back-to-back top 40 finishes only once, with WR32 and WR25 results in Weeks 8 and 9 of his rookie season. With Jalen Coker and Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan seemingly locked into the top two-receiver spots in Carolina, Legette's opportunities will likely still be limited heading into year three, and he has fallen to WR118 in RotoBaller's dynasty rankings.

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman has had a disappointing early career since being drafted in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. While missing four games in 2025, he still saw the second-most playing time of all Ravens receivers, but he was unable to follow up on his career-high 756 receiving yards from the previous season, and he's yet to top the 46 receptions of his rookie campaign. His 2024 season also looks to be an outlier from a touchdown perspective, as his nine scores that year mark the only instance of him finding the end zone more than twice. With Baltimore welcoming in an entirely new coaching staff and spending third and fourth-round picks on receivers Ja'Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt, while subsequently saying goodbye to tight ends Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar, the Ravens offense could look entirely different in 2026, and Bateman's role is far from secured. Under contract through his age-30 season, Bateman's prospects of a fantasy-relevant breakout are looking bleak, and the sixth-year veteran has fallen to RotoBaller's dynasty WR112.