Fantasy Football News

The Los Angeles Chargers released tight end Will Dissly on Wednesday, according to Daniel Popper of The Athletic. The Chargers also cut offensive guard Mekhi Becton and offensive tackle Savion Washington before the start of the new league year next week. It was mostly a lost season in 2025 for Dissly, who played in only nine games due to injury and caught only 11 of his 16 targets for 97 yards and no touchdowns in his second year in L.A. The 29-year-old tight end missed three weeks with a knee injury and was phased out of the offense in the second half of the year. In his first year with the Bolts, Dissly was much more productive, setting career-highs in catches (50), targets (64), and receiving yards (481) while finding the end zone two times in 15 games played (eight starts). He should be able to latch on with another team as TE depth, but he isn't expected to be on the fantasy radar.

The New England Patriots informed four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefon Diggs that they are releasing him after the start of the new league year next week, sources told Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. The Patriots will not have to pay Diggs the $6 million option in his contract that was set to become fully guaranteed next Friday. The 32-year-old veteran was New England's top wideout and helped the Patriots get back to the Super Bowl, where they ultimately lost to the Seattle Seahawks. Diggs caught 85 passes for 1,013 yards (his seventh 1,000-yard season) and four touchdowns in 17 regular-season games in his only season with the team. The former fifth-rounder of the Minnesota Vikings in 2015 out of Maryland still has plenty left in the tank, but his new home may not afford him WR1 targets. Meanwhile, the Pats could be setting things up to try to acquire pass-catcher A.J. Brown from the Eagles.

Pittsburgh Steelers impending free-agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers had nothing but good things to say about new Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy, who was Rodgers' former head coach with the Green Bay Packers. "Mike McCarthy is one of the great guys in the league, and he really cares about the players. He's an exceptional human being with a big heart," Rodgers said. The 42-year-old future Hall of Famer and four-time MVP also said there's no deadline for him to decide on whether he's returning for a 22nd year in the NFL, and those conversations will be down the line. The relationship between Rodgers and McCarthy soured toward the end of their time together in Green Bay, but McCarthy's presence in the Steel City probably won't be a deal-breaker if Rodgers wants to play another season with the Steelers. Rodgers led Pittsburgh to the playoffs in 2025, but if he plays again in 2026, he'll be a low-end QB2 in fantasy with limited upside.

The Carolina Panthers placed exclusive-rights free-agent tenders on wide receivers Jalen Coker and Brycen Tremayne on Wednesday, locking them both in for the 2026 season, according to Darin Gantt of Panthers.com. Neither Coker nor Tremayne will have the opportunity to negotiate with other teams this offseason. The 24-year-old Coker missed the first six games of last season due to a quadriceps injury, but he still managed to finish second in receiving in Carolina with 33 catches on 43 targets for 394 yards and a career-high three touchdowns in 11 regular-season games in his second year in the NFL. Coker emerged as the team's WR2 behind Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan late in the year, catching 19 passes for 244 yards and all three of his TDs in the final five games. He added nine grabs for 134 yards and a score in the Wild-Card playoff loss to the Rams. If Coker can play in a full season, he has true breakout potential as Carolina's WR2.

Indianapolis Colts impending free-agent wide receiver Alec Pierce said on the Up & Adams Show on Wednesday that he thinks he's "kind of earned the right to explore free agency. See what's out there." Although the Colts still have the opportunity to negotiate a long-term deal with Pierce before the legal tampering window opens on March 9, the expectation is that the 25-year-old wants to test his value on the open market first. Had the Colts already locked up quarterback Daniel Jones (Achilles) to a long-term extension, they most likely would have placed the franchise tag on Pierce. There should be plenty of interest in the former second-rounder after he led the Colts in receiving for his first 1,000-yard season in 2025. Pierce has led the NFL in yards per catch in each of the last two years as well. He has familiarity and chemistry with Jones already, but it's possible his fantasy ceiling will be higher if he departs in free agency.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers re-signed quarterback Connor Bazelak to a one-year, $1.005 million contract on Wednesday, according to Greg Auman of FOX Sports. It's a league-minimum deal for a second-year player, and Bazelak will be an exclusive-rights free agent again next spring. Bazelak, 25, didn't play a single snap for the Bucs last year and spent the second half of last season as the QB3 behind starter Baker Mayfield and Teddy Bridgewater. Bridgewater is a free agent this offseason and probably won't return, but the Buccaneers are expected to bring in another QB to serve as Mayfield's direct backup in 2026. Things will have gone horribly wrong in Tampa if Bazelak is forced to start at all next season.

The Jacksonville Jaguars re-signed tight end Quintin Morris to a one-year deal worth up to $3 million on Wednesday, sources told Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. Morris is an ascending player who appeared in 14 games for the Jags last year in his first year with the team, catching six of his nine targets for 55 yards and one touchdown in 14 regular-season games (five starts). The 27-year-old former undrafted free agent out of Bowling Green has exactly one touchdown in each of his first four NFL seasons (three with the Buffalo Bills). Morris will mostly be a blocking TE again for Jacksonville in 2026 and will be off the fantasy football radar in all leagues unless Brenton Strange misses significant time with an injury. He has a total of 21 receptions for 201 yards and four touchdowns on 31 targets in 59 total games (nine starts).

The Green Bay Packers and running back Chris Brooks agreed to a two-year, $4.85 million deal on Wednesday, according to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. Brooks served as the team's RB3 in 2025 behind starter Josh Jacobs and Emanuel Wilson, carrying the ball only 27 times for 106 yards and no touchdowns in 17 regular-season games, adding a career-high 13 catches for another 91 yards on 17 targets. Wilson isn't expected to be tendered a contract as a restricted free agent, but Brooks will most likely operate as Green Bay's RB3 again in 2026 behind Jacobs and MarShawn Lloyd, if he's healthy. The 26-year-old former undrafted free agent out of BYU only has 395 rushing yards and one touchdown on 82 rushing attempts in his first three years in the NFL. He spent his rookie season in 2023 with the Dolphins.

Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett took over the starting job in Arizona following the Week 5 foot injury and soft benching of former No. 1 overall pick Kyler Murray. With the team informing Murray on Tuesday that they would be releasing him before the start of the new league year, Brissett is left atop a depth chart that includes only third-year pro Kedon Slovis. While Brissett was a fantasy revelation in 2025, unlocking both tight end Trey McBride and wide receiver Michael Wilson with a seemingly unsustainable passing volume, the Cardinals won only one of his 12 starts, and they have recently been linked to free-agent quarterback Malik Willis. With a weak rookie and free agent quarterback class, Willis figures to be the most sought-after player at the position when the legal tampering window opens on March 9. Cardinals new head coach Mike LaFleur is the younger brother of Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, for whom Willis has played the past two seasons, reviving his career across three impressive starts.

Indianapolis Colts tight end Tyler Warren shared an obvious connection with quarterback Daniel Jones that had him squarely in the Offensive Rookie of the Year conversation prior to Jones' season-ending Achilles injury in Week 14. With the team placing the transition tag on Jones on Tuesday, the first domino has fallen in defining the direction of the Colts' offensive future, and signs are positive for Warren's growth heading into year two. Should Jones sign his nearly $38 million tender, the likelihood of Indianapolis retaining both unrestricted free agent Alec Pierce as well as veteran Michael Pittman Jr. and his $29 million cap hit seems unlikely. With Pierce leading the team in receiving yards and Pittman commanding the most targets, receptions, and touchdowns, Indianapolis could be looking to fill a major offensive vacuum in 2026, and Tyler Warren has the skillset to become the primary option to do so.

Before tearing his ACL in a Divisional Round win over the 49ers, Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (knee) had seen close to a 50/50 timeshare split with Kenneth Walker III for most of the 2025 season. Walker is now set to test free agency after the team declined to apply their franchise tag before Tuesday's deadline, and Charbonnet could be in line for an increased workload in 2026. While Walker could still return to Seattle, the coaching staff's comfort with Charbonnet was a factor in allowing the Super Bowl MVP to reach free agency. Given Charbonnet's current recovery timeline, the team will almost certainly add competition through either free agency or the draft. However, once healthy, Charbonnet could see the inside track to more of the 1A role in any running back committee the defending champions establish.

The Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams are working on a blockbuster trade that would send All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie to Los Angeles in exchange for a massive package of picks, including the Rams' 2026 first-round pick. According to NFL Insider Adam Schefter, the complete deal would see the Rams ship out the 29th overall pick in this year's draft, along with their 2026 5th and 6th-round picks, and their 2027 3rd. The 25-year-old McDuffie missed four games in 2025 after being named a first-team All-Pro in 2023 and second-team All-Pro the following year. After giving the eventual Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks all they could handle in the NFC Championship game, the Rams are clearly all-in for another title run in what could be the final season of reigning MVP Matthew Stafford.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs was a popular breakout candidate heading into 2025, but it was ultimately his teammate, Alec Pierce, who took the next step and led the team with his first career 1,000-yard season. With Pierce now facing unrestricted free agency, it seems inevitable that a shakeup is coming to the Colts' wide receiver room. Should Pierce end up leaving for a top-of-market deal, a giant hole will be left atop the depth chart. However, for Downs' fantasy future, it might be more beneficial if Pierce stays in Indianapolis. Pierce and Downs play very different games, as evidenced by the 11.6-yard differential in their 2025 ADoT. For the Colts to retain Pierce likely means moving on from Michael Pittman Jr. and his $29 million cap hit, either through trade or release, which would represent a best-case scenario for Downs. Pittman has led the team in targets every season since 2021, with most of his looks coming in the short-to-intermediate areas of the field, also patrolled by Downs.

The Los Angeles Chargers plan to release offensive guard Mekhi Becton in the coming days, a source told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. The move to cut Becton will save the Chargers $9.7 million on the salary cap for the 2026 season. Becton looked better in 2024 with the Philadelphia Eagles with his move to right guard, but he struggled mightily in pass protection in 2025 with the Chargers, and will now be looking for his fourth different team in the last four years. The 26-year-old former 11th overall pick by the New York Jets has not lived up to expectations despite standing at 6-foot-7, 363 pounds. Becton will surely latch on with another team looking for help on the offensive line, but he might be set for more of a rotational role than a starting one. He has started 59 of the 61 games he's appeared in over the course of his five-year career.

The Dallas Cowboys restructured quarterback Dak Prescott's contract on Wednesday to help the team get under the 2026 salary cap before the legal tampering period begins on March 9, according to Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. By restructuring the contracts of Prescott, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, and offensive lineman Tyler Smith, the Cowboys created $47 million in cap room. Dallas can free up more room by restructuring the contracts of Quinnen Williams and Osa Odighizuwa. Signing defensive tackle Kenny Clark to an extension is expected to free up more space. Prescott, 32, will be a clear QB1 target by fantasy managers in drafts this fall after a highly productive 2025 season in which he completed a league-high 404 passes for 4,552 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in 17 starts. He has one of the best receiver duos in the league in CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens.

The Dallas Cowboys restructured wide receiver CeeDee Lamb's contract on Wednesday to help the team get under the salary cap for the 2026 season, sources told Todd Archer of ESPN. By restructuring the contracts of Lamb, quarterback Dak Prescott, and offensive lineman Tyler Smith, the Cowboys created $47 million in cap room for this season. Dallas most likely converted Lamb's future guarantees into a signing bonus, but he is still under contract through the 2028 season after signing a four-year, $136 million contract with the team in August of 2024. Lamb was still productive in 2025, but new wideout George Pickens overshadowed him in his first year in Dallas. The 26-year-old Lamb finished with 75 catches, 1,077 yards, and three touchdowns in 14 regular-season appearances. A more productive year could be coming in 2026, even with Pickens most likely sticking around.

Cincinnati Bengals impending free-agent pass-rusher Trey Hendrickson, who didn't receive the franchise tag from the Bengals, could be looking to sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency. "I think that he would love to be in Tampa," Schefter said. "Tampa would be a great fit. I think in a perfect world, Trey would like to stay in Florida. No state income tax. But, he's also open to going to the best possible situation." The 31-year-old four-time Pro Bowler is unlikely to re-sign with the Bengals, making him one of the most attractive edge rushers on the open market this offseason, even though he only played in seven games last year and eventually required core-muscle surgery. Hendrickson was a first-team All-Pro in 2024 and had back-to-back 17.5-sack seasons in 2023 and 2024 for Cincy. He has 81 sacks in his nine NFL seasons and would be a tremendous pass-rush upgrade for Tampa.

The New York Jets are among the teams doing work on Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa as a possible free-agent addition this offseason, according to Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network. The Dolphins prefer to trade Tagovailoa as they look to rebuild their organization, but the expectation is that he'll be released and be available at the league minimum in 2026. The Jets failed in free agency at the QB position last year with Justin Fields and might look to go cheap this year, which would make Tagovailoa or former Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray the perfect targets. Tagovailoa, the fifth overall pick by Miami in 2020 out of Alabama, has a concerning concussion history and has dropped off significantly over the last two seasons after a career year in 2023. The 28-year-old completed 67.7% of his passes for 2,660 yards, 20 touchdowns, and a career-high 15 interceptions in 14 starts before being benched late in the year for rookie Quinn Ewers. The Jets could offer Tua the best chance to return to a starting role, but in fantasy, he'd still be avoidable in all single-QB leagues.

The Athletic's Michael Silver believes that Las Vegas Raiders All-Pro pass-rusher Maxx Crosby will be traded in the coming days or weeks. The Raiders alienated Crosby when they shut the five-time Pro Bowl edge rusher down for the final two games of last season due to a knee injury. "It has been obvious that Crosby wants a change of scenery," writes Silver, and the "best course of action is to try to accommodate him." Silver thinks it "would be foolish not to look to the future" with the Raiders looking at another significant rebuild under new head coach Klint Kubiak. The Raiders have a chance to flip Crosby for "draft capital that could theoretically pay future dividends." More than half a dozen teams are believed to be interested in trading for the 28-year-old. Crosby hasn't publicly demanded a trade, but it's clear he's "exhausted all efforts in Vegas." The five-time Pro Bowler has 69.5 sacks in his seven NFL seasons and will be a weekly defensive line starter in IDP leagues again, regardless of where he's playing in 2026.

NFL teams have reached out to the Denver Broncos about backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham, whose lone start last year came in the AFC Championship game against the New England Patriots, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. Stidham didn't look bad initially in place of the injured Bo Nix (ankle), giving the Broncos an early lead in the first quarter, but it all fell apart from there. A blizzard in the second half didn't help his cause at all. The 29-year-old finished the game 17-for-31 passing for 133 yards, one touchdown, and an interception, and he also lost a critical fumble. Head coach Sean Payton and the Broncos hold Stidham in high regard as QB insurance behind Nix, so they will most likely ask for a lot in return in any potential trade this offseason. Stidham is one of the better backup QBs in the league.