Fantasy Football News

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (Achilles) is ahead of schedule in his return from a torn Achilles during the playoffs last season, and he could be ready for the start of training camp later this month, according to Vic Tafur of The Athletic. Kittle spent a lot of time on an anti-gravity treadmill at home during the offseason and was doing some light cutting in workouts three weeks ago. "I'm 21 weeks out, and I'm running over 16 miles an hour, so I'm having a great time," Kittle said. "Single-leg box jumps, we're cutting again, we're having some fun." We'll have a better idea of the veteran tight end's availability for the Week 1 season opener in Australia against the division-rival Los Angeles Rams once training camp begins, but for now, fantasy managers should view him as an injury-prone, risk/reward, low-end TE1 in fantasy. The 32-year-old former fifth-rounder from the University of Iowa in 2017 played in only 11 regular-season games in 2025 due to injuries and caught 57 passes for 628 yards and seven touchdowns in his ninth year in the league. Betting on an aging player coming off an Achilles tear usually isn't a smart strategy.

The New England Patriots traded for Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Brown because of his ability to change the narrative of the game and dictate the defense's coverage. Veteran Patriots safety Kevin Byard attested to Brown's ability to shape what a defense does on SiriusXM NFL Radio on Tuesday. Byard called Brown a "phenomenal athlete, phenomenal talent." The presence of the 29-year-old should give young quarterback Drake Maye better matchups across the board, even if Brown is covered deep down the field. "I mean, that's what A.J. does best. He's gonna run those slants, those quick dig routes, those go balls. I don't think anybody in the league is better than him when it comes to those routes and being able to break a tackle and take it the distance," Byard said. The one-two punch of Brown and Romeo Doubs will give New England a much more formidable air attack in Maye's third season. Brown had his sixth 1,000-yard season in 2025 in his final year with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2025, but he averaged a career-low 12.9 yards per catch. A move to the Pats with a QB like Maye who excels on deep passes should make Brown more interesting as a low-end WR1 in fantasy football in his eighth year in the NFL.

New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith's battery case is now considered "inactive" by the Davie Police Department, according to Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic. Smith was accused of battery in Florida in June, but it's no longer an active investigation, and the veteran signal-caller shouldn't face any discipline from the NFL in 2026. The 35-year-old two-time Pro Bowler had a season to forget in 2025 with the Las Vegas Raiders, going 2-13 with 3,025 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, and a league-high 17 interceptions in 15 starts. The Jets, who took Smith in the second round in 2013 out of the University of West Virginia, decided it was a good idea to trade for Smith after moving on from the failed Justin Fields experiment. Perhaps New York is hoping Smith will secure the services of the first overall pick in 2027 for the second straight season in new coordinator Frank Reich's offense. Smith might not be as bad as he was in 2026 in Vegas, but he should be going undrafted in all but deep two-QB superflex formats as he embarks on his 13th year in the NFL.

After spending the first four seasons of his NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys, wide receiver Jalen Tolbert is entering his first year with the Miami Dolphins in 2026. Tolbert saw minimal usage in Dallas last season, recording 18 catches for 203 yards and one touchdown on 34 targets across 13 games (eight starts). However, he was significantly better in 2024, hauling in 49 catches for 610 yards and seven scores on 79 targets across 17 games. In Miami, Tolbert will no longer be in the shadow of star Cowboys wideouts CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. The Dolphins used 2026 draft picks on wide receivers Chris Bell (knee), Caleb Douglas, and Kevin Coleman Jr. Still, Tolbert may enter the year as the team's most reliable pass-catcher outside of running back De'Von Achane. Tolbert is unlikely to break out as a fantasy superstar, particularly given Miami's overall pass-game questions in quarterback Malik Willis' first season as the team's starter. However, Tolbert's current redraft ADP of WR98 makes him a worthy sleeper to target at the end of drafts.

The 14th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Indianapolis Colts tight end Tyler Warren recorded 76 catches for 817 yards and four touchdowns on 112 targets across 17 games as a rookie. While the 24-year-old's overall line is impressive, his production faded down the stretch of the year. Warren reached double-digit PPR points just once following the Colts' Week 12 bye, and he finished the year as the TE11 by per-game PPR scoring. However, Warren may be entering 2026 as the number one option in the Indianapolis passing game following the team's offseason trade of veteran wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Warren will also get to rekindle his chemistry with Colts quarterback Daniel Jones (Achilles), whose absence due to a season-ending Achilles injury in Week 14 of 2025 largely coincided with Warren's fading production. Dynasty contenders should view Warren as an elite tight end option entering 2026.

Houston Texans second-year wide receiver Jayden Higgins is expected to see his role in the passing game grow in 2026 as he and quarterback C.J. Stroud further refine their connection and his understanding of coverages improves, according to Mike Jones of The Athletic. The 23-year-old 6-foot-4, 215-pound receiver impressed the Texans after they took him with the 34th overall pick in the second round out of Iowa State, catching 41 of his 68 targets for 525 yards and six touchdowns in 17 regular-season games (10 starts). Nico Collins remains Houston's unquestioned alpha WR1, but increased production from Higgins will help ease the pressure on Collins, who led the Texans with 71 catches for 1,117 yards and six touchdowns on 120 targets in 2025. Higgins has drawn praise this offseason as the team's WR2, and he could benefit from an improved offensive line in his sophomore campaign now that veteran Christian Kirk is gone. RotoBaller has Higgins ranked as the No. 55 fantasy WR going into 2026, making him a nice under-the-radar breakout target late in upcoming drafts.

Across 15 games in 2025, Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love completed 66.3% of his pass attempts for 3,381 yards, 23 touchdowns, and six interceptions. The 27-year-old has established himself as an efficient and effective NFL quarterback, leading Green Bay to the playoffs in all three of his seasons as a starter. However, Love's lack of rushing upside combined with the Packers' run-heavy offensive approach has limited his fantasy viability. Love finished as the QB18 in per-game fantasy scoring in 2024 and the QB21 by the same metric in 2025. Still, Love may finally be fully healthy in 2026 after battling knee, thumb, and concussion issues over the past two seasons. He should also get more out of key pass-catchers in tight end Tucker Kraft (knee) and Jayden Reed, who combined to miss 19 games last season. Love may not offer high-end QB1 upside, but he may be worth buying low on in dynasty formats ahead of what could be a resurgent 2026.

Green Bay Packers second-year wide receiver Matthew Golden has clear breakout potential in Year 2 in 2026 and should get plenty more opportunities in the passing game with a year in Green Bay's offense under his belt and with the offseason departures of Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks, according to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. Golden, a first-rounder last year, didn't perform up to expectations in his first year in the NFL in a crowded WR room in Green Bay. He was tied for 84th with 29 catches and 78th with 361 receiving yards, according to TruMedia. The 22-year-old product of the University of Texas didn't score for the first time until the playoffs. Golden will be a clear top-three wideout for quarterback Jordan Love alongside injury-prone receivers Christian Watson and Jayden Reed. He'll be an excellent buy-low target in dynasty formats and a nice sleeper to target in redraft drafts with plenty of speed (4.29-second 40-yard dash), even though he doesn't impress anyone with his size (5-foot-11, 191 pounds).

After an electric 2024 season in which he finished as the QB5 in per-game scoring, Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels endured a disastrous follow-up campaign in 2025. Thanks to knee, ankle, and elbow injuries, Daniels played in just seven games. He was not particularly effective when healthy either, throwing for 1,262 yards, eight touchdowns, and three interceptions while rushing for 278 yards and two scores. Daniels amassed 3,568 passing yards and 891 rushing yards while collecting 31 total touchdowns in 2024, so his dual-threat upside remains as high as any quarterback in the NFL. However, Washington may be more conservative with Daniels as a rusher this season after his injury-marred 2025. Additionally, the Commanders open the year with major questions along their offensive line and without obvious high-end pass-catchers outside of Terry McLaurin. Daniels has overall QB1 potential, but his current redraft ADP of QB3 may be overlooking his significant downside risk.

The Athletic's Zac Jackson singles out Cleveland Browns second-year running back Quinshon Judkins as a breakout candidate to watch in 2026, even though he suffered a season-ending fractured fibula and dislocated ankle last December. Judkins was ahead of his rehab schedule this spring and "figures to be featured in new head coach Todd Monken's offense." The 22-year-old former second-rounder (36th overall) out of Ohio State missed all of training camp last year due to an assault charge that was eventually dropped. He made his NFL debut in Week 2 and quickly showed why the Browns consider him such a big part of their future. Judkins finished with 827 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 230 rushing attempts while adding 26 receptions for 171 yards as a pass-catcher in 14 starts as a rookie. He needs to be healthy and improve on passing downs, but he's surely going to see plenty of volume and will have ample opportunities to prove he's an explosive and reliable runner for Monken. Even with the Browns' questionable QB situation, Judkins is a target for fantasy managers in both dynasty/keeper leagues and redraft formats in 2026.

Baltimore Ravens running back Justice Hill was limited to just 10 games in 2025 by toe and neck injuries, finishing the year with 262 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns on 39 touches. While Hill has never operated as a true lead back, he's been a reliable third-down option for the Ravens who compiled over 1,200 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns from across 31 games in 2023 and 2024. Entering 2026, Hill could once again be the pass-catching complement to star Baltimore back Derrick Henry in the Ravens backfield. However, Baltimore has a couple of younger running back options who could put pressure on Hill in 2024 fifth-rounder Rasheen Ali and 2026 fifth-rounder Adam Randall. Hill has not averaged four carries per game since his rookie season in 2019 and is now entering his age-29 campaign. Even if Henry were to get injured, Hill might remain in a complementary role rather than taking over as the Ravens' lead back. Given his lack of obvious handcuff value, Hill may be overvalued as the RB65 by current redraft ADP.

Chicago Bears second-year wide receiver Luther Burden III is one of the most clear breakout candidates at his position in 2026, according to Dan Wiederer of The Athletic. "I'm buying Luther Burden stock right now," head coach Ben Johnson said back in May. Johnson called Burden's growth this offseason "electric." The 22-year-old former second-rounder (39th overall) out of the University of Missouri took off in the second half as a rookie, posting 40 catches, 547 yards and a touchdown in his final 10 games, including the postseason. Burden is carrying increased confidence, heightened trust from Johnson, and improved chemistry with quarterback Caleb Williams. "He's the truth, man. And nothing but the truth," tight end Colston Loveland said. Burden had a total line of 47 catches, 652 yards and two touchdowns in 15 regular-season games (five starts) as a rookie, but with DJ Moore now in Buffalo, Burden could easily become Chicago's WR1 over Rome Odunze in 2026. Fantasy managers should be looking to draft Burden as a strong WR2 this year with upside for more in a Bears offense that's looking to take the next step in Johnson's second season running the show.

After spending the first four years of his NFL career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, running back Rachaad White is entering his first season with the Washington Commanders in 2026. Across 17 games with Tampa Bay in 2025, White recorded 790 scrimmage yards and four touchdowns on 172 touches. The 27-year-old has never been the most efficient rusher, as he's averaged 3.9 yards per carry for his career. However, White has averaged over 50 catches and 350 receiving yards per season as a pro. He's also been exceptionally durable, missing just one game over the last four years. In Washington, White is part of a crowded running back room that also includes Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Kaytron Allen, Jeremy McNichols, and Jeremy Ford. While Croskey-Merritt and Allen specifically may have more upside as rushers, White may offer the most three-down reliability. If White emerges as the lead back in Washington, he could be a bargain at his current redraft ADP of RB38.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler "doesn't think" the Washington Commanders are looking at San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) "at this stage." Both Aiyuk and the 49ers have made it clear that he's played his last snap for that organization, but he's still currently under contract in the Bay Area. At this point, it's unlikely that San Fran is going to be able to find a taker on the trade market for the former first-rounder, so the most likely scenario is that he's cut during training camp this summer. At that point, the Commanders or another receiver-needy team might be more interested in taking on Aiyuk's baggage and recovery from a knee injury that kept him sidelined for all of the 2025 season. The 28-year-old had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2022 and 2023 with the Niners, but everything fell apart shortly after he signed a four-year, $120 million extension with the team in August of 2024. Aiyuk caught just 25 passes for 374 yards and zero touchdowns in seven games in 2024 before suffering a season-ending knee injury. In addition to him still looking for a new team, Aiyuk's health is a big question mark going into the 2026 campaign. The days of Aiyuk being a reliable fantasy wideout could be long gone.

Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa caught only 16 of his 27 targets for 239 yards in his rookie campaign in 2025 in 17 games after being a third-rounder out of the University of Arkansas, but he was a vital red-zone weapon for quarterback Jared Goff and caught six touchdowns in his first year in the NFL. He added eight receptions for 119 yards and two touchdowns in the team's final three regular-season games. As he heads into Year 2, TeSlaa looks ready to make a leap in his sophomore season, with receivers coach Scottie Montgomery saying that the 24-year-old looks stronger and more athletic this offseason. The Lions still have Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams and tight end Sam LaPorta drawing serious targets, but with Kalif Raymond now out of town, TeSlaa has a clear path to a bigger role as the unquestioned WR3 in Detroit. The Lions have been touting TeSlaa's abilities all offseason, hinting that he should be much more involved in Year 2. His fantasy stock is on the rise in both dynasty and redraft formats, with RotoBaller ranking him as the No. 69 fantasy WR for 2026. TeSlaa makes for an interesting late-round upside pick in Detroit's pass-happy offense.

Denver Broncos running back Jaleel McLaughlin is set to battle for the RB4 spot in the Broncos' backfield this summer with Tyler Badie, according to The Denver Post's Luca Evans. The Broncos are expected to keep only four RBs on their active 53-man roster, so the loser of the battle will be the odd-man out. McLaughlin was a healthy scratch early on in 2025 but eventually became Denver's most effective per-touch skill player down the stretch after J.K. Dobbins' season-ending foot injury boosted him to RB2 duties behind rookie RJ Harvey. But with rookie Jonah Coleman now in the mix in 2026, McLaughlin's path to a fourth straight season opening the year on the active roster "looks dicey." Badie, meanwhile, is trusted by the coaching staff and quarterback Bo Nix for his pass-protection skills and veteran instincts. The 25-year-old McLaughlin has an impressive 4.8 yards per carry in his career, but Badie's work in passing situations may eventually win out. Even if McLaughlin wins a 53-man roster spot out of training camp and the preseason, it's clear that both his redraft and dynasty fantasy stock has taken a big hit with the addition of Coleman.

The Denver Broncos made an impactful offseason move with the drafting of rookie running back Jonah Coleman in the fourth round, but they also re-signed veteran J.K. Dobbins and still have RJ Harvey at the position. The Denver Post's Luca Evans writes that Dobbins, Harvey, and Coleman "will almost assuredly form some kind of three-man carousel." Jaleel McLaughlin or Tyler Badie will serve as a change-of-pace insurance option. Dobbins was on his way to a career year in 2025 in his first year in Denver before suffering a season-ending foot injury. The 27-year-old former second-rounder should once again factor heavily into the Broncos' rushing attack in 2026, but his injury history makes a committee approach involving both Harvey and Coleman all the more necessary for a team looking to become more efficient on the ground and balanced overall on offense. At 5-foot-8, 220 pounds, Coleman should be an instant upgrade over Badie for possible third-down touches. He could also spell Dobbins for short-yardage touches early on, and he'd become an every-week fantasy starter if Dobbins misses more time due to injury. Coleman is more of an intriguing dynasty/keeper asset in 2026 than a redraft one because he won't be a lock for a heavy workload in his first year in the NFL unless one of Dobbins or Harvey misses extended time. He's ranked as RotoBaller's No. 54 fantasy RB for 2026.

On The Dominique Foxworth Show, New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh said he's not worried about second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart protecting himself, and he also said that the young dual-threat signal-caller will allow the Giants' offense to be versatile in 2026. Dart's dual-threat abilities on the football remind Harbaugh of his former start QB, Lamar Jackson. "Jaxson's capable of doing a lot of things," Harbaugh said. "Like he can live in a lot of different worlds, football-wise. He can live in a power-running game, obviously, and a power-running game protects the quarterback because you can hand the ball off and make people defend that and keep them honest. Then, it opens up your play-action passing game. That stuff, we're gonna be in those worlds." The 23-year-old former first-rounder showed his QB1 upside in fantasy immediately after taking over the starting gig in the Big Apple early on in 2025, and he finished with 2,272 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, and five interceptions in 14 games (12 starts), adding 487 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on the ground to finish as teh QB14 in fantasy. Dart is in good hands with Harbaugh in the fold, and his dual-threat skillset gives him intriguing upside as a QB1. RotoBaller has Dart ranked as the No. 12 overall QB for the 2026 season as he enters his first full season as the Giants' starter.

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens put up career numbers across the board in his first year with the team, ending the 2025 season with 93 catches on 131 targets, 1,429 receiving yards, and nine touchdowns. While some of his best work came early in the year while five-time Pro Bowler CeeDee Lamb was sidelined and slowed by a high ankle sprain, Pickens remained more than capable of winning weeks even as the secondary option in Dallas' high-volume passing offense. Quarterback Dak Prescott was the only player in the NFL to complete more than 400 passes in 2025, while the Cowboys' 4,735 total passing yards were the most in the league. Lamb enters his seventh season healthy and with expectations of leading the receiver room once more, providing one of the safest floors in all of fantasy, but in Brian Schottenheimer's up-tempo, big-play hunting system, Pickens' spike games are capable of winning weeks. Currently priced outside the first round with an ADP around 23 overall, he projects as one of the highest-ceiling WR2s for 2026, but he can also still serve as a team's WR1, with much of his risk mitigated by the ability to build a reliable stable of running backs.

When NFL teams gather for training camps at the end of the month, one of the league's most intriguing battles will be for the starting quarterback job in Cleveland. Browns veteran Deshaun Watson was thought to have an early edge in the pass-heavy setting of OTAs and minicamp, though reports from some of the later sessions seemed to indicate that second-year pro Shedeur Sanders had significantly narrowed the gap. A former first-round pick of the Houston Texans, Watson was once viewed as a rising star in the league, but his career has been derailed by character issues and a string of serious injuries, most recently missing the entirety of the 2025 season after rupturing his Achilles tendon for the second time. He has not thrown for more than 1,150 yards since 2020, and even if he wins the starting job outright, existing health concerns would only be compounded by the rigors of a full 17-game season. The Browns have done an admirable job of building around the quarterback position, spending three top-40 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft on offensive line and wide receiver after hitting on rookie tight end and running back Harold Fannin Jr. and Quinshon Judkins in 2025, and Watson could gain an advantage by what he's able to provide with his legs. While not an exciting pick, the 10th-year veteran is practically free at the end of 2026 drafts, currently coming off the board as the QB32, but if he's able to win the job and stay healthy, he could add surprising value in Todd Monken's offense and is a worthwhile dart-throw as a third quarterback in superflex leagues.