Fantasy Football News

The Green Bay Packers are "clearing the way" for wide receiver Matthew Golden to move up the depth chart as he heads into his second season in the NFL, writes Rob Demovsky of ESPN. The Packers let Romeo Doubs walk in free agency and then recently traded Dontayvion Wicks to the Philadelphia Eagles. The Packers never made Golden, a first-rounder (23rd overall) in 2025, a focal point of the offense last year, and he finished with just 29 catches for 361 yards and no touchdowns in 14 regular-season games. Golden caught four passes for 84 yards and his first career touchdown reception in the playoff loss to the Chicago Bears. "I think his ceiling is very, very high. We're very, very excited about what he's going to do for our football team moving forward," general manager Brian Gutekunst said. Christian Watson will be the Packers' No. 1 wideout and big-play threat, but he's also been very injury-prone in his career. Jayden Reed is also expected to have a bigger role, but with both Doubs and Wicks out of town, Golden should be much more involved in 2026 after he let his frustration with his rookie role be known. In single-year leagues, Golden will be a WR4/flex option with big-play abilities and still plenty of upside.

Miami Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan said that running back De'Von Achane is "not available for trade" and that contract talks with the Pro Bowler are progressing this offseason, according to Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN. The Dolphins released receiver Tyreek Hill (knee) and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa while also trading away receiver Jaylen Waddle, so many were wondering if they'd also pull the trigger on dealing Achane as part of a full rebuild. The Dolphins continue to say that they want to build around Achane and new quarterback Malik Willis in the upcoming NFL draft, so Achane apparently isn't going anywhere. The 24-year-old former third-rounder in 2023 out of Texas A&M was the RB6 in half-PPR fantasy scoring last year, and he's now the clear centerpiece of Miami's offense. As one of the most explosive dual-threat RBs in the NFL, Achane should still have a pretty strong floor as an RB1 in 2026, even if the Dolphins' offense continues to be inefficient and inconsistent.

Sports Illustrated's John Shipley writes that Jacksonville Jaguars two-way player Travis Hunter (knee) will still play wide receiver in his second year in 2026. A TV segment recently expressed disappointment that Hunter will "no longer" play both sides of the ball, which is incorrect. General manager James Gladstone said back in January that the former Heisman Trophy winner will play more cornerback in his sophomore season, but he will still play some receiver. In seven games in his rookie campaign, Hunter caught 28 passes for 298 yards and one touchdown on 45 targets through seven games before suffering a season-ending knee injury that required surgery. The 22-year-old second overall pick had a breakout game in Week 7 against the Los Angeles Rams with eight catches for 101 yards and his only touchdown before injuring his knee in practice the following week. Hunter's fantasy value is by no means dead going forward, but it will be even more difficult to make a consistent fantasy impact in 2026 if he's playing fewer snaps on offense.

Chicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland finished his rookie season as the TE12 after taking over as a full-time starter midway through the year. From Week 9 through the end of the season, he trailed only Trey McBride in total fantasy points at the position, but it was his performance in the playoffs that has many calling for a superstar turn. After earning an already obscene 22 targets across his final two regular-season games, Loveland saw 25 looks in the Bears' two playoff games, accounting for nearly a 30% postseason target share on a team with three highly regarded wide receivers. DJ Moore has since been traded to the Bills, leaving Loveland to battle for opportunities with Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III in what should be a pass-heavy Chicago offense. While McBride and Brock Bowers each face considerably less competition, neither is attached to a quarterback with the upside of Caleb Williams, and as an early-declare in 2025, Loveland enters his second season at only 22 years old and has the most room for improvement.

Buffalo wide receiver Khalil Shakir has finished each of the past two seasons as a low-end WR3 in PPR formats, but following the Bills' acquisition of DJ Moore via trade, he has fallen to WR56 in RotoBaller's dynasty rankings. While Shakir is likely to see a decline in volume, the drawn converge and space created by Moore could further open up one of the strongest elements of his game. Shakir's 7.7 yards after catch per reception since entering the league in 2022 is an elite number, aided by his connection with Josh Allen in off-schedule moments. That chemistry could still make him a trusted target when plays break down, allowing Shakir to supplement some of his volume-based production with big plays. While his overall profile could shift from a high-floor, low-ceiling safety net to more of a boom-or-bust option, the 26-year-old Shakir should still find his way to fantasy relevance in 2026 and beyond, and is likely undervalued in dynasty circles.

Injuries have forced Packers wide receiver Christian Watson to miss 21 games across his first four seasons, but when healthy, he's shown continued flashes of game-breaking ability, and with Green Bay recently thinning its receiver ranks, he could have a path to fantasy greatness. After tearing his ACL in the final week of the 2024 season, Watson missed the first seven games of 2025, but upon his return, it didn't take long for him to endear himself to his fantasy managers. From Weeks 8 through 17, Watson was the WR9 in Half-PPR formats, finding the end zone six times across his final seven outings and once more in a Wild Card playoff loss to the Bears. Green Bay has since allowed Romeo Doubs to leave in free agency and has traded away Dontayvion Wicks, opening up a combined 127 targets from 2025. Health and a competing cluster of talent at wide receiver have been the biggest obstacles to Watson's sustained fantasy success, but with at least one hurdle seemingly cleared, he will enter the season 20 months removed from his ACL tear and atop the depth chart. Tight end Tucker Kraft, who was the team's best pass-catcher through the first half of the 2025 season is rehabbing his own ACL injury and could be limited to start the year, leaving Matthew Golden and Jayden Reed as Watson's greatest target competition one year after combining for 539 receiving yards and one touchdown, numbers exceeded by Watson in fewer than half the games played.

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth finished his second season as the TE8 and was widely viewed as a top five dynasty player at the position. In the years since, injuries and inconsistent play from both him and his quarterbacks have led him to finish as the TE24 or lower in two of his last three seasons. His 5.7 Half-PPR points per game in 2025 marked a career-low on a Steelers team with scarcely any target competition. Only two wide receivers on the team saw more than 25 targets, creating an environment for tight ends and running backs to thrive in the passing game, but most of the heavy lifting was done by Kenneth Gainwell, while the distribution of looks among tight ends was split nearly evenly between Freiermuth, Jonnu Smith, and Darnell Washington. Neither Gainwell nor Smith are back with the team in 2026, but the Steelers did acquire Michael Pittman Jr. via trade, and he has not earned fewer than 106 targets since 2020. The quarterback situation remains unsettled, with Pittsburgh backed into a corner: either running things back with a now-42-year-old Aaron Rodgers or turning the huddle over to Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, or an as-yet-unknown rookie. Pittsburgh's offense could ultimately go in any number of directions under new head coach Mike McCarthy, but it seems unlikely that Freiermuth will suddenly emerge as a focal point after averaging 6.5 fantasy points per game over the past three seasons.

Falcons quarterback Tua Tagovailoa signed a one-year deal with Atlanta after being released by the Miami Dolphins, and he is now in a position to compete with 2024 first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. for the team's starting job. Penix, whose professional and collegiate career has largely been defined by injury, suffered a season-ending ACL tear in Week 11, but there are exceptions that he could return by the start of training camp. Tagovailoa, no stranger to injury himself, has missed a total of 17 games since taking over as a starter in 2020, and in the wake of a number of career-threatening concussion scares, his fantasy production has seen a significant decline over the past two seasons. Since posting 16.7 points per game in a career-best QB9 finish in 2023, he's fallen to an 11.8-point pace across his last 25 starts. New head coach Kevin Stefanski has not seen a quarterback finish higher than QB25 in his run-heavy West Coast offense since Baker Mayfield in 2020, so even if Tagovailoa should win the job cleanly out of camp, his ceiling remains low, and with two years of guaranteed money remaining on Penix's rookie contract, the team could look for the first opportunity to work him back into the starting lineup. Tagovailoa is RotoBaller's dynasty QB34, though after six seasons as a starter, anything hinting toward a backup path would see that ranking tumble precipitously.

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers is coming off the best individual fantasy season of his young career. He was the overall WR7 last year, catching 86 passes for 1,211 yards and five touchdowns. He had not previously ranked higher than WR25 in a single season, so jumping to the seventh spot was a major leap. It certainly helped that he set new career-highs in targets, receptions, and yards. While Flowers is a major offseason riser in dynasty fantasy football rankings, there are a couple of factors for fantasy managers to consider. First of all, the Ravens could have a different-looking offense next season after replacing head coach John Harbaugh with Jesse Minter and replacing offensive coordinator Todd Monken with Declan Doyle. Additionally, and perhaps more importantly, it has been rumored that the Ravens are considering selecting a receiver in the first round of this month's NFL Draft. On one hand, that's good news, because it means that the Ravens want to place more emphasis on the passing game after being run-heavy in the past. On the other hand, adding a rookie receiver could lead to a reduction in targets for Flowers. Lamar Jackson averaged a modest 23.2 pass attempts per game last season, so Flowers needs all the volume that he can get. The Ravens' wide receiver room is certainly worth monitoring as the 2026 NFL Draft gets underway on April 23.

Minnesota Vikings running back Jordan Mason is an intriguing target in dynasty leagues this offseason. The Vikings did bring back Aaron Jones on a restructured deal, indicating that the veteran will remain a part of their backfield in 2026. However, he won't be any more involved than last year, and we wouldn't be surprised if he takes a backseat to Mason early in the season. Mason certainly has the ability to handle lead-back duties. In the five weeks that Jones missed last year, Mason averaged 14.8 carries, 75.2 rushing yards, 1.2 catches, 3.8 receiving yards, and 0.8 touchdowns per game. That comes out to an average of 13.9 fantasy points per game in PPR leagues. Extrapolated over a 17-game season, that would have ranked 18th-highest among running backs. Sure, we don't think he'll have an every-down role for 17 games, especially with Jones healthy. Still, he has high-end RB3 appeal with legitimate RB2 upside in 2026 and beyond. At a modest age of 26 years old, and with Jones presumably retiring in the next couple of years, Mason is a worthwhile dynasty target in offseason trades. He ranks as the RB54 in dynasty rankings at the moment, which means the market is still allowing managers to acquire him at a discounted price.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott had a terrific 2026 season, ranking as the overall QB6 in fantasy football. Despite lacking rushing upside, Prescott was a top fantasy option with his 67.3% completion rate, 4,552 passing yards, 32 total touchdowns, and 12 turnovers. The 32-year-old bounced back in a huge way after his injury-shortened 2024 season. In each of his last four seasons with 13+ games played, Prescott has ranked as a top-eight fantasy quarterback. Staying healthy is easier said than done, but if he can remain upright and on the field, the Mississippi State product has tremendous fantasy upside. There's also a lot to love about the passing volume in Dallas; last season, Prescott led the NFL in completions (404) and had the second-most pass attempts (600). With CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, and Jake Ferguson all returning to this passing game for the 2026 campaign, the veteran quarterback should remain quite busy throwing the ball to a talented group of receivers. His current evaluation as the QB15 in RotoBaller's latest dynasty rankings reflects his age (32), but dynasty contenders looking to win now should absolutely pursue a trade for Prescott this offseason since he has top-five upside at an affordable price tag.

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb is listed as a player trending down in RotoBaller's latest dynasty fantasy football rankings. The 27-year-old is coming off the worst fantasy season of his career, catching 75 passes for 1,077 yards and three touchdowns while ranking as the overall WR22 in PPR leagues. Part of the reason for Lamb's step backward is that he missed three games due to injury. If you extrapolate his stats over a full 17-game season, he still would have ranked as the overall WR7. However, that's easier said than done, as Lamb hasn't been healthy for all 17 games since 2023. The presence of George Pickens is another factor to consider. While Lamb and Pickens were able to coexist last year, the former saw his volume share drop to 8.4 targets per game, which was his lowest mark since 2021. That's not to say that managers should panic about Lamb or trade him away in dynasty leagues, but it's time to acknowledge that he faces an uphill battle to get into the very top tier of dynasty receivers. As it stands, he finds himself in the second tier, ranking as RotoBaller's WR7 for dynasty fantasy football.

ESPN's Jamison Hensley writes that "there is a strong possibility" that the Baltimore Ravens will add a wide receiver to pair with Zay Flowers at No. 14 overall in the first round of the upcoming NFL draft. Interior offensive line is a big need after Baltimore lost center Tyler Linderbaum in free agency, but they have never taken a guard or center in the top half of the first round. In the last seven drafts, the Ravens have selected three receivers in the first round. Hensley suggests that Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq would be very intriguing for the Ravens, with veteran Mark Andrews turning 31 at the start of the 2026 season. Flowers had career-highs in catches (86) and receiving yards (1,211) in 2025, with all the other team's receivers combining for just 51 catches and 735 yards. Behind Flowers, the Ravens have Rashod Bateman and Devontez Walker at the position. A high-end WR addition in the draft would be a firm commitment to getting Jackson back on track after a frustrating, injury-plagued 2025 season.

ESPN's Kris Rhim writes that Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James Jr., who is coming off back-to-back All-Pro seasons, will "almost certainly want a new deal before training camp starts." A deal will likely get done for a player who turns 30 in August and is heading into the final season of a four-year contract extension that made him the highest-paid safety in league history in 2022. James was a hold-in during training camp the last time he was eligible for an extension. The Chargers might have to make him the highest-paid safety in history again, or at least close, after Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton set the new mark with a four-year, $100.4 million deal in 2025. It remains to be seen if general manager Joe Hortiz is willing to give Hames that kind of money. The 29-year-old finished as the No. 20 fantasy defensive back in IDP leagues last year with 94 tackles (50 solo), two sacks, six tackles for loss, eight QB hits, a career-high three interceptions, seven pass breakups, and a forced fumble in 16 regular-season starts.

The Los Angeles Chargers officially re-signed exclusive-rights free-agent running back Kimani Vidal to an undisclosed one-year deal, according to Howard Balzer of Cardinals Wire. Vidal saw a lot more work in 2025 than probably anyone was expecting, even Vidal. Early-season injuries to Najee Harris (Achilles) and Omarion Hampton (ankle) forced the 24-year-old into the RB1 role in L.A. last year, and it led to 155 carries for 643 yards and three touchdowns in 13 regular-season games. Vidal also had 16 receptions on 22 targets for 136 yards and another touchdown as a receiver. Harris won't return to the Chargers, but the Chargers added Keaton Mitchell to the running back room alongside Hampton, who will be in his second season in the NFL. Vidal figures to be the favorite to win the RB2 role to begin next season, but Mitchell will probably take a lot of valuable pass-catching opportunities. At best, Vidal will probably be a handcuff option for managers who select Hampton.

Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman continues to say that wide receiver A.J. Brown "is an Eagle" when asked about the possibility that he'll be traded this offseason, according to Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network. When asked if the team recently acquiring receiver Dontayvion Wicks from the Green Bay Packers means anything for Brown, Roseman said, "What do you think the odds are that I'm answering this question any different than I answered it anywhere else? Like, really, do you think that's 50 percent? Do you think it's 75 percent?" Adds: "A.J. Brown's an Eagle." Odds are that the Eagles will be looking to trade Brown after June 1, when it makes more financial sense for them to do so. The most rumored destination for the 28-year-old is the New England Patriots, even after they signed Romeo Doubs in free agency. That would be a promising landing spot for Brown, who had his fourth straight 1,000-yard receiving season in 15 starts with the Eagles in 2025. The three-time Pro Bowler was unhappy with his role in Philly last year and had a career-low 12.9 yards per catch. If he were to join the Pats, Brown would continue to have big-play upside with young quarterback Drake Maye.

Dallas Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said on 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday that the team has "had no one call with interest" in wide receiver George Pickens, regarding a potential trade, according to Todd Archer of ESPN. Even though the Cowboys have expressed plenty of interest in locking Pickens up long-term after already placing the franchise tag on him, no new deal has been agreed upon. The Cowboys most likely have an extremely high asking price after Pickens' 2025 breakout season, and maturity issues in the past could be scaring potential suitors away as well. The Cowboys are notorious for dragging their feet with long-term deals for their star players, so the former second-rounder of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2022 out of Georgia is expected to be a holdout heading into training camp this summer. Pickens had 93 catches for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns in 17 games last year. He will be a WR1 target in fantasy football drafts this fall with at least one more guaranteed season in Dallas (if he's not traded).

The New York Giants announced on Monday that they signed free-agent quarterback Brandon Allen to an undisclosed deal. Allen will head into his seventh NFL season as the QB3 in the Big Apple behind Jaxson Dart and Jameis Winston. The 33-year-old was a former sixth-round selection by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2016 out of Arkansas. Allen made his NFL debut in 2019 with the Denver Broncos and then spent three years with the Cincinnati Bengals before playing for the San Francisco 49ers in 2024 and the Tennessee Titans in 2025. In his six years in the NFL, Allen has completed 56.7% of his 323 pass attempts for 1,882 yards, 11 touchdowns, and nine interceptions in 19 games played (10 starts). He only appeared in one game for the Titans last year and went 17-for-30 passing for 72 yards, no touchdowns, and a pick. Allen is off the fantasy football radar everywhere.

If the Philadelphia Eagles trade wide receiver A.J. Brown this summer, the Philly Voice's Jimmy Kempski thinks that Dontayvion Wicks would probably be the WR2 behind DeVonta Smith and over Marquise Brown. There are a lot of things working for Wicks. He is younger than Brown, the Eagles have more invested in him, he's under contract for two more years, and he seemingly already has the trust of offensive coordinator Sean Mannion. But perhaps the biggest thing that will separate Wicks from Brown in the competition for the WR2 role if A.J. Brown is traded is the fact that Wicks offers "far more" as a blocker in the running game than Brown does. Kempski thinks it will "matter a lot in this new scheme." The 24-year-old would definitely have a much higher fantasy ceiling as the No. 2 wideout in Philly, but he will also need to fix his issues with drops if he's going to take advantage of the bigger opportunity in his first year with his new team. In three years with the Packers, Wicks never had more than 39 receptions, 581 yards, or five touchdowns in his 46 games (18 starts).

Carolina Panthers general manager Dan Morgan said he's optimistic about tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (ankle) and said that he looks good after he had ankle surgery, according to Joe Person of The Athletic. Sanders has been running and cutting and looks good during his rehab. The 23-year-old had season-ending surgery in late December to fix a broken right fibula. Sanders has been recovering nicely, though, and he could be ready for organized team activities in May. In his second NFL season in 13 before his ankle injury, the former fourth-rounder out of the University of Texas in 2024 had 29 catches for 190 yards and only one touchdown on 34 targets over 13 games played (five starts). Sanders had 33 receptions (43 targets) for 342 yards and a score in 16 games in his rookie campaign in 2024. With Tommy Tremble set to be the team's top TE in 2026, Sanders can be ignored in most 12-team fantasy football leagues.