Fantasy Football News

Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) is still technically a member of the San Francisco 49ers, but he remained absent over the weekend for the start of training camp, and the two sides are eventually expected to part ways. Aiyuk spent much of the summer criticizing general manager John Lynch, head coach Kyle Shanahan, and the organization on social media. Lynch said back in January that Aiyuk would likely never play for the team again, but the Niners haven't found a trade partner and haven't outright released the former first-rounder. Aiyuk has repeatedly said on social media that he plans to sign with the Washington Commanders, and that he's the "final piece" to unlocking their offense, according to Matt Barrows and Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic. Before all of Aiyuk's social-media comments, sources said that the Commanders likely would have considered a short-term, highly incentivized contract with him if he was released. But the more Aiyuk has posted on social media, "the more he has seemed to jeopardize his hopes of returning to an active NFL roster." According to sources, Aiyuk's behavior changed after he signed a four-year, $120 million deal in August of 2024, and then he played in seven games that season before tearing multiple ligaments in his knee. In addition to being in limbo heading into the 2026 season, it's unclear what kind of shape Aiyuk is in physically. All we know is that his fantasy value has hit rock bottom.

Houston Texans wide receiver Jayden Higgins was a standout during OTAs and minicamp, and with the team slated to return to the field on Saturday for their first practice of training camp, the second-year wideout will look to continue building momentum. As a rookie in 2025, Higgins finished third on the Texans in targets, receptions, and yards, while his six touchdown grabs tied two-time Pro Bowler Nico Collins for the team lead. During spring practices, he looked notably bigger while running more precise routes, raising expectations heading into year two. Fourth-year quarterback C.J. Stroud has his detractors, and Houston returns one of the league's premier defensive units, allowing for questions of how high a ceiling Higgins can truly reach, particularly with Collins still in tow. However, going more than seven rounds behind fellow second-year wideouts Tetairoa McMillan, Luther Burden III, and Emeka Egbuka in 2026 drafts, Higgins is not a cost-prohibitive bet on a year-two breakout, and he is currently RotoBaller's WR55.

Seattle Seahawks veteran wide receiver Cooper Kupp made a diving, one-handed catch on Sunday that drew a huge reaction from the gathered crowd, and it will take some serious work to unseat as the reigning play of the summer in the early days of training camp. In his first year with the team, Kupp caught only 47 passes for 593 yards and a career-low two touchdowns, but he told reporters during minicamp that he never considered retirement, and Seahawks beat writer Gregg Bell pointed to his most recent display of athleticism as evidence that he made the right decision. At 33 years old, the two-time Super Bowl champion and former Offensive Player of the Year no longer has the consistency to earn every-week consideration in lineup fantasy leagues. However, his catch on Sunday serves as a reminder that RotoBaller's WR71 could still have a place in best ball leagues.

While entirely too early to be raising any red flags, New England Patriots wide receiver Romeo Doubs has failed to stand out through the team's first two practices of training camp, with senior team reporter Evan Lazar pointing out a lack of consistent separation. Doubs is still learning a new playbook, which he has publicly admitted is nothing like the offense he was a part of for four years in Green Bay, and as a more physical receiver, the non-padded practices to begin camp simply may not be the setting for him to showcase all of his abilities. Still, after signing a four-year, $68 million contract in free agency, he has yet to be singled out by the team beat. By contrast, incumbent X-receiver Kayshon Boutte has been praised for making highlight-worthy catches in each of the team's first two practices following an offseason of trade speculation. Still early, the battle for primary reps opposite A.J. Brown in two-receiver sets could become an intriguing storyline of Patriots camp and one that could reshape late-round draft plans, as Doubs is currently RotoBaller's WR53 while Boutte sits at WR77.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love has not come close to matching his fantasy QB5 finish from 2023, but advanced metrics still point to him as one of the league's most efficient players at the position. His EPA/play trailed only Drake Maye in 2025, and an unfamiliar conglomeration of familiar faces could lead to sustained success in 2026. The Packers return a top pass-catching trio of Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, and Tucker Kraft, but that grouping did not take a single snap together in 2025, with each missing at least six games due to injury. With Kraft's availability the biggest lingering question for the start of the year as he continues to recover from a season-ending ACL tear, there is still an expectation that Love should have his full complement of pass-catchers early in the season. With running back Josh Jacobs also coming into the year healthy after wearing down late in 2025, the Packers offense could rank among the highest-scoring in 2026, with Love looking like an obvious benefactor. At RotoBaller's QB16, the 27-year-old veteran represents tremendous potential value heading into his fourth season as a starter.

For the second straight day, New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte stood out in a newly weaponized receiver room, making an early push to stick around after an offseason of trade rumors. ESPN's Mike Reiss highlighted Boutte's back-shoulder catch in tight coverage as a standout moment and one that caught the attention of new teammate, All-Pro safety Kevin Byard, who later told reporters, "He's a guy that does a very good job tracking the ball down the field." The fourth-year receiver continues to stack plays and was one of the few offensive bright spots on a day in which the defense reportedly dominated. Both of Boutte's highlight catches came while lined up across from A.J. Brown, which is of particular note considering the arrivals of Brown and Romeo Doubs had many speculating about his potential fit after serving as the team's most reliable outside threat in 2025. Boutte is RotoBaller's WR77, and whether he makes a push to stick with the Patriots or eventually winds up on another team, he could prove to be an undervalued fantasy difference-maker in 2026.

As a first-round rookie in 2025, Green Bay Packers wide receiver Matthew Golden was never able to build any consistency, six times being held beneath 10 receiving yards in a game, but his performance in a wild-card playoff loss to the Bears provided a glimpse of bigger things to come in Year 2. The Packers traded away Dontayvion Wicks and allowed Romeo Doubs to depart in free agency, so when the team kicks off its first practice of training camp on Wednesday, Golden will be penciled in to the starting outside spot opposite Christian Watson. Jayden Reed's usual role out of the slot could expand in 2026 out of necessity, but Golden will have every opportunity to prove he belongs on the field in two-receiver sets, and his breakout candidacy is gaining steam. After dealing with a nagging ankle injury throughout his rookie season, better health and increased opportunity could lead to notable growth in year two, making Golden a potential bargain at RotoBaller's WR50.

Following an impressive spring with the team, veteran wide receiver Mike Evans was named an early standout in his first training camp practice with the San Francisco 49ers, with The Athletic's Matt Barrows pointing to a pair of long connections from quarterback Brock Purdy. Evans signed a three-year, $42 million deal this offseason after 12 Hall of Fame-level seasons with the Buccaneers, and big things are expected in a Kyle Shanahan offense that should frequently see him deployed out of two-receiver sets. An injury-marred 2025 campaign marked Evans' first season without reaching 1,000 receiving yards, but he's looking to bounce back in a big way, and it looks as if his chemistry with Purdy is already being established. Evans is RotoBaller's WR26 and a sleeper candidate for a WR1 finish with a bit of touchdown luck in his age-33 season.

Washington Commanders veterans report to training camp on Tuesday, and a player looking to put a forgettable 2025 season behind him is quarterback Jayden Daniels. Fighting through injuries, both his own and to his supporting cast, Daniels was limited to only 1,540 combined rushing and passing yards and 10 total touchdowns in his seven games played. By contrast, he threw 12 touchdowns to Terry McLaurin alone during a historical rookie campaign, and with both coming into camp healthy after reportedly working together throughout the offseason, expectations are high that they can recapture some of that magic from 2024. Increased under-center usage in David Blough's system could lead to more big plays in 2026, giving Daniels one of fantasy's highest potential ceilings to go with the rock-solid floor provided by his elite scrambling ability. As RotoBaller's QB3, drafters would do well to treat his disappointing 2025 campaign as more of an outlier than a sign of things to come.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones (Achilles) made an appearance in the booth of the NFL Flag Championships held over the weekend in Indiana, and when asked how his body feels, he told Kyle Brandt, "I feel good, really good. I'm excited to get going." Colts veterans report for training camp on Monday with the first practice scheduled for Wednesday, and as Jones continues to recover from the torn Achilles that ended his first year with the team, he could soon find himself participating in 11-on-11 action. Jones saw his involvement ramped up throughout OTAs and minicamp, eventually taking part in 7-on-7 drills, and it sounds as if he won't be limited for long, if at all, to begin training camp. Jones is RotoBaller's QB24 and represents tremendous potential value after playing as the QB7 through the first 13 weeks of 2025 despite adding a career-low 13.3 rushing yards per game.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Christian Kirk (undisclosed) exited the team's training camp practice on Sunday due to an undisclosed injury, per Matt Barrows of The Athletic. Kirk is entering his first year in San Francisco after recording 28 catches for 239 yards and one touchdown on 52 targets across 13 games with the Houston Texans in 2025. Entering training camp, Kirk is likely atop the 49ers' depth chart at slot receiver. However, injuries have been a major problem for the 29-year-old in recent years, as he's missed 18 games over the last three seasons. While the extent of Kirk's current ailment is unclear, it's not a great sign that he's already battling health injuries this early in the summer. If Kirk is unable to establish himself as a key piece in San Francisco, it could open up more opportunities early on for rookie wideout De'Zhaun Stribling.

Seattle Seahawks rookie running back Jadarian Price is seeing a heavy workload in training camp practices so far, per Gregg Bell of the Tacoma News Tribune. The 32nd overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Price could be in line for a significant role in the Seahawks' offense right away. Seattle lost star running back Kenneth Walker III to the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency, and the status of steady veteran back Zach Charbonnet (knee) for the start of the regular season is unknown as he works his way back from the torn ACL he suffered in January. Seattle signed former Green Bay Packers backup running back Emanuel Wilson in free agency to supply some depth to its backfield. Still, Price could open his rookie season as the Seahawks' clear RB1. RotoBaller currently ranks him as the RB26 for redraft leagues.

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (undisclosed) was in "some obvious discomfort" after making a catch during the team's training camp practice on Sunday, per Donnie Druin of Sports Illustrated. In a video posted by Druin on X, Harrison Jr. appears to be stretching out his lower back and/or midsection. The fourth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Harrison Jr. has battled both injuries and underperformance to this point in his career. Appendicitis and heel/foot injuries forced the 23-year-old to miss five games in 2025, and he finished the year with 41 catches for 608 yards and four touchdowns on 73 targets. Star Cardinals tight end Trey McBride has established himself as the clear number one option in the team's passing game, and Harrison Jr. may be behind breakout wide receiver Michael Wilson in Arizona's target pecking order. However, Harrison Jr. remains a highly-talented player with clear upside as he enters his first year with new Cardinals head coach and play-caller Mike LaFleur. Entering 2026, redraft managers should view Harrison Jr. as a boom/bust WR3 option.

Arizona Cardinals running back Tyler Allgeier was working with the first-team offense in training camp practice on Sunday, per Theo Mackie of The Arizona Republic. Mackie reports that both Allgeier and 2026 first-round running back Jeremiyah Love were trading off series with the Cardinals' starters, but that Allgeier got the first series. The Cardinals drafted Love with the third overall pick this past April, indicating that the highly-touted prospect is the team's future at the running back position. Still, Allgeier is likely to play a significant role in the Arizona offense after the team signed him to a two-year, $12.25 million contract in free agency. While playing a complementary role alongside star running back Bijan Robinson for the Atlanta Falcons in 2025, Allgeier collected 514 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 143 carries. Entering 2026, RotoBaller ranks Allgeier as the RB50 for redraft leagues.

San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan James was "clearly the RB2 behind Christian McCaffrey" in the team's training camp practice on Sunday, per Brad Graham of TheSFNiners.com. A fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, James did not record a single carry in his rookie season. Still, the 49ers enter training camp with a void at backup running back following the offseason departure of former back Brian Robinson Jr. in free agency. James is likely competing with 2026 third-rounder Kaelon Black for the role this summer. As long as McCaffrey is healthy, neither James nor Black has much of a path to fantasy relevance. However, McCaffrey is entering his age-30 season after recording an NFL-high 413 touches in 2025. If James emerges as the clear RB2 in San Francisco, he would profile as a priority handcuff running back for fantasy managers to target late in drafts.

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette's performance in training camp practice was impressive, per Sheena Quick of Fox Sports Radio 1340. Legette is in the beginning stages of a critical summer, as the former first-round pick is likely fighting to retain his starting role in 2026. Across 15 games (12 starts) last season, Legette recorded 35 catches for 363 yards and four touchdowns on 64 targets. Carolina used a third-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on wide receiver Chris Brazzell II (knee), who could push Legette for the Panthers' WR3 role behind Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker. However, Brazzell II was held out of Sunday's practice due to knee soreness, while Legette reportedly had a great day. It's still early, but the battle between Legette and Brazzell II will be one for deep-league and dynasty managers to monitor throughout the summer.

Seattle Seahawks kicker Jason Myers is coming off the best season of his career and remains one of the safest options at the position. He converted 41 of 48 field-goal attempts in 2025, finishing second in the NFL in makes while tying for the league lead in attempts. Myers also connected on nine kicks from at least 50 yards, made all 48 of his extra points, and led the league with 171 points. Seattle may not give him another 48 field-goal tries, but the offence consistently put him in scoring range and trusted him on long attempts. Myers has now made nine field goals from beyond 50 yards in three of the past four seasons, so the range is not tied to one career year. RotoBaller ranks him K4 for 2026. Fantasy managers do not need to reach for a kicker, but Myers belongs near the front of the position once the final rounds arrive.

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett has agreed to revised compensation for 2026, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The new terms are worth $15.5 million, with incentives that could push the total to $21 million. The agreement also locks Brissett in as Arizona's starter after months of uncertainty surrounding his contract and the quarterback depth chart. He had already returned to the field and begun practising at training camp before the deal was completed. Brissett started the final 12 games for the Cardinals last season and appeared in 14 overall, completing 64.9% of his passes for a career-high 3,366 yards, 23 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. Gardner Minshew II and third-round rookie Carson Beck now sit behind him. The secured starting job keeps Brissett relevant in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues, though his value remains tied more to volume than rushing production.

Baltimore Ravens running back Justice Hill is healthy again and remains the clear change-of-pace option behind Derrick Henry. A neck injury ended his 2025 season after 10 games, but Hill looked fully recovered during offseason practices. Before going down, he caught 21 passes for 169 yards and a touchdown while adding 93 yards and two scores on only 18 carries. That usage says plenty about where his fantasy value comes from. Hill set career highs with 42 receptions, 383 receiving yards, and three touchdowns the year before, yet he has never handled more than 84 carries in a season. Henry is still the centre of Baltimore's backfield after rushing 307 times for 1,595 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2025. Hill can spell him, protect the quarterback, and stay involved when the Ravens throw, but there is little reason to expect a large rushing workload while Henry is healthy. RotoBaller ranks Hill RB66 in PPR leagues. He is worth a late look in deeper formats that reward receptions, though his weekly role is too small for most standard drafts.

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Chris Brazzell II (knee) was held out of practice because of soreness, according to the Charlotte Observer. Head coach Dave Canales indicated the day off was precautionary, and there has been no report of a longer absence. Carolina selected Brazzell with the 83rd overall pick in April after he caught 62 passes for 1,017 yards and nine touchdowns during his final season at Tennessee. The 6-foot-4 rookie is competing with Xavier Legette and others for receiver snaps after making a strong impression during the offseason program. Missing practice costs Brazzell a useful camp rep as Carolina sorts out the depth chart, but the early indication is that the team was simply being careful. His participation in the next session should provide a better idea of whether the soreness is already behind him.