Fantasy Football News

The Athletic's Daniel Popper believes Los Angeles Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden will play in a role that "maximizes his receiving skill set" under new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel in 2026. The Chargers signed tight end Charlie Kolar, who is an elite run blocker and an "ideal fit" in McDaniel's movement offense. He also has upside as a pass-catcher, but Gadsden will be the Bolts' clear top pass-catching TE after he impressed in his first year in the NFL in 2025 with 49 catches on 69 targets for 664 yards and three touchdowns in 15 regular-season games (seven starts). His numbers were good enough to make him the TE16 in half-PPR scoring as a rookie. Gadsden also ranked 14th at his position in yards per route run. He's an ascending player with a good fit in the offensive scheme as he heads into his second year in the league. For fantasy managers who wait at the TE position, Gadsden is a great late-round target with upside.

The Athletic's Daniel Popper writes that new Los Angeles Chargers running back Keaton Mitchell's "acceleration and threatening speed to the edge will thrive" in new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel's scheme in 2026. The Bolts drafted Omarion Hampton in the first round last year, but the 24-year-old Mitchell runs with explosiveness and has been compared to Miami's De'Von Achane, whom McDaniel coached with the Dolphins. Mitchell has averaged a healthy 6.3 yards per carry in his three years in the NFL with Baltimore, but injuries have kept him from reaching his true potential, as his 13 games played in 2025 were a career-high. In his 26 NFL games (two starts), Mitchell has 767 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 121 carries, adding 19 receptions for 184 more yards on 24 targets. Mitchell will be a handcuff for Hampton at the very least, but he could also absolutely carve out standalone value as an RB3/flex in fantasy in 2026 if he can stay on the field in L.A.

The Philadelphia Eagles reworked kicker Jake Elliott's contract for the 2026 season, according to OverTheCap. Elliott accepted a $1 million pay decrease from $6 million to $5 million, but the Eagles guaranteed the $5 million, which is a clear sign that Elliott will remain their kicker this year after a disappointing 2025, according to Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports. Elliott's previous salary cap hit was due to be $4.893 million, and his new cap hit will be $4.65 million. If Elliott were cut after June 1, there would be no further cap savings. He remains under contract through the 2028 season. The 31-year-old veteran made just 20 of 27 field goals last year and was 4-for-8 from 50-plus yards out. In the last two seasons, Elliott is 5-for-15 from 50-plus yards, giving him the worst percentage in the NFL among 35 kickers with at least five attempts. If Elliott continues to struggle, especially from long range, the Eagles could have a shorter leash with him in 2026, making him a more volatile kicking option in 12-team fantasy football leagues.

The Minnesota Vikings are adding quarterback depth on Thursday by re-signing veteran Carson Wentz to an undisclosed one-year deal, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Despite dealing with a significant shoulder injury last year, Wentz started five games for Minnesota in 2025 and kept the team alive. He will now return to the Vikes in a QB room that now includes former Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray, J.J. McCarthy, and Max Brosmer. The 33-year-old completed 65.1% of his pass attempts in his five starts last year, throwing for 1,216 yards, six touchdowns, and five interceptions while filling in for the injured McCarthy. It was an uphill battle for Wentz despite plenty of receiving options, and he will head into his 11th year in the NFL as the QB3 for the Vikings. Wentz underwent season-ending surgery on his left (non-throwing) shoulder in late October, but he's expected to be a full participant in the team's offseason program.

The Cleveland Browns agreed to terms on an undisclosed deal with former Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Tylan Wallace on Wednesday, according to Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN. The 26-year-old will reunite with new Browns head coach Todd Monken, who was previously the Ravens' offensive coordinator. Wallace was a fourth-round pick by Baltimore in 2021 out of Oklahoma State. He carved out a special teams role with the organization in his first five years in the NFL but was rarely heard from on offense, totaling just 22 receptions on 35 targets for 305 yards and two touchdowns in 68 total regular-season games (three starts). Wallace will likely continue to primarily be an option for the Browns as a kick returner, so he'll remain off the fantasy radar in 2026. His best season came in 2024, when he caught 11 of 12 targets for 193 yards and one touchdown in 17 games on offense.

New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson had an impressive rookie season, sparking optimism that he might be the best running back from the 2025 draft class. It took a little while for him to get going, but once he stepped into the lead-back role with Rhamondre Stevenson injured, Henderson broke out. In eight games from Week 9 through 18 (excluding his injury-shortened outing in Week 16), he averaged 15.3 carries, 85 rushing yards, 2.3 catches, 14.2 receiving yards, 1.1 touchdowns, and 18.9 fantasy points in full-PPR leagues. He scored double-digit fantasy points in seven of those eight games. During that same window, he ranked as the overall RB9 in total points and the overall RB6 in average points per game. Throughout the back half of the season, the Patriots went extremely run-heavy, supporting top fantasy performances from both Henderson and Stevenson more often than not. Assuming that trend continues in 2026 and Henderson takes a natural second-year leap, the Ohio State product should remain a weekly must-start in fantasy football. It's probably too late to buy low on Henderson, but it's worth sending out soft offers in case you can find a manager who's wrongfully concerned about the Patriots' offense or Stevenson's presence in this backfield.

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams had a breakout season during his second year in the NFL. The former No. 1 pick helped lead the Bears to the playoffs while throwing for 3,942 yards, 27 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He also added 383 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. The USC product's 30 total touchdowns and eight total turnovers represent an impressive ratio, reflecting not only his ability to dominate in fantasy football but also in the NFL. Part of Williams' ascension can be credited to the arrival of head coach Ben Johnson, who elevated the Bears' offense as a whole. Chicago was firing on all cylinders in 2025, and that should continue in Johnson's second season (and Williams' third) in 2026. The departure of wide receiver DJ Moore is notable, but it likely won't have a major effect on Williams, given how well Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III, and Colston Loveland are developing. With a strong offensive line and group of pass-catchers at his disposal, Williams will be right back in the mix to repeat his QB5 finish from last year.

Seattle Seahawks tight end Elijah Arroyo carried plenty of upside coming out of college. While it initially seemed like his landing spot in Seattle gave him a path to contributing as a rookie, that didn't pan out. Instead, Arroyo caught just 15 passes across 13 games, operating as a clear depth option behind breakout tight end A.J. Barner. Given that Barner remains under contract for 2026 and is still trending up, it's hard to envision Arroyo carving out much of a fantasy-relevant role in his second pro season. He should take a natural second-year leap, but we expect him to remain outside the top 36 fantasy receivers in redraft leagues. From a dynasty perspective, he's only worth buying in very deep leagues where you can afford to be patient with his development.

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker faces new competition in his position group this offseason after the team signed Jalen Nailor to a $35 million deal. Plus, familiar faces Jack Bech, Brock Bowers, and Michael Mayer remain in the mix as pass-catching threats. It may seem like a somewhat crowded receiver room for Tucker, who has yet to establish himself as a real fantasy threat week in and week out. However, there are still reasons for dynasty managers to be optimistic. First of all, Tucker is trending up after finishing as the overall WR38 in PPR leagues last year. That number was a bit skewed by some extreme outlier games, but it's still encouraging to see that he can deliver meaningful fantasy outputs to managers. Additionally, the Raiders are expected to upgrade at quarterback with projected No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza. He's a clear improvement over Geno Smith, and his strong passing skills should be able to support fantasy-relevant production from several receivers often, and not just one receiver here and there. Tucker is definitely still going to have to earn the right to catch more passes in this offense, but he and the Raiders as a whole are trending up.

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jack Bech will have to compete with some new faces in his position group next season. The Raiders invested more than $35 million into wide receiver Jalen Nailor, giving Vegas another top target to join Bech and Tre Tucker. Tight ends Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer will fetch plenty of targets next year, too. All in all, it's a somewhat crowded receiver room for someone like Bech, who has yet to establish himself as a consistent pass-catching threat week in and week out. Nevertheless, there are several reasons for dynasty managers to be optimistic. First of all, Bech is a glaring Year 2 breakout candidate after catching 12 passes from Week 13 through 16. He showed flashes of being able to handle a bigger role after the team traded away Jakobi Meyers. Additionally, the TCU product will get a major quarterback upgrade if the Raiders draft Fernando Mendoza, kicking off the post-Geno Smith era. Barring a major wide receiver addition in free agency or the draft, it looks like Bech will be the No. 2 or 3 receiver in Vegas next year, giving him decent upside and the potential to be a WR3/flex in deeper fantasy leagues.

Despite the Philadelphia Eagles' struggles on offense in 2025, quarterback Jalen Hurts was still a top-12 fantasy signal-caller with 3,224 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, and six interceptions in 16 regular-season games. The 27-year-old former second-round pick in 2020 was also named to his third career Pro Bowl. However, Hurts ran the ball 105 times, his second-fewest attempts in six seasons since his first year in the league, for 429 yards and eight touchdowns. Hurts had at least 10 rushing touchdowns in each of the previous four seasons. Philly's offense was out of sync often, which led to the dismissal of offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo after just one season. Hurts and receiver A.J. Brown seemed to have a disconnect, which could lead to Brown being traded this offseason. That certainly wouldn't help Hurts' fantasy value, but with a boost in rushing opportunities, he could vault back into the high-end tier of QB1s in 2026. Hurts has a high fantasy floor because of his rushing ability, as his eight rushing scores in 2025 ranked fourth among all QBs.

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Isaiah Bond should be a top-three wideout for the team as he heads into his second year in the NFL, behind Jerry Jeudy and Cedric Tillman. The 22-year-old pass-catcher from the University of Texas averaged a healthy 18.8 yards per catch in his first 16 NFL games (two starts) in 2025, although he finished with only 18 catches for 338 yards on 44 targets. Bond displayed his big-play abilities, primarily late in the year after fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders was named the starter under center. He has some intriguing long-term fantasy upside because of his big-play ability, but he'll probably go undrafted in 12-team fantasy leagues this fall as the Browns continue to rebuild their offense, which finished 2025 with the second-fewest points per game (16.4), ahead of only the Las Vegas Raiders. Bond averaged just 1.1 catches per game last year, so that number will need to come up for fantasy managers in shallow redraft leagues to consider him off the waiver wire in 2026.

Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin had his fifth straight 1,000-yard receiving season in 2024 and made his second career Pro Bowl before signing a three-year, $96 million contract with the team last August. The 30-year-old veteran then proceeded to play in a career-low 10 games due to injury, finishing with just 38 receptions, 582 yards, and three touchdowns in his seventh year in the league. His fantasy managers surely weren't happy with the outcome, but he will have a chance to bounce back as a WR2 if he's healthy. Scary Terry should be the unquestioned WR1 in Washington, and with better health for both him and quarterback Jayden Daniels, another 1,000-yard season is certainly possible. McLaurin has relied on big plays over heavy volume, as he's averaged only 4.7 catches per game in the NFL. It makes him more of a boom/bust WR2 target, especially coming off an injury-plagued season. The good news is that new offensive coordinator David Blough seems intent on getting McLaurin more looks in 2026.

The Buffalo Bills are in win-now mode, and running back James Cook is one of their primary weapons on offense behind Pro Bowl quarterback Josh Allen. Cook made his third straight Pro Bowl in 2025 in his fourth year in the NFL and had a career year, leading the league in rushing yardage (1,621) with 12 rushing touchdowns on a career-high 309 carries in 17 regular-season starts. The 26-year-old led the NFL with 16 rushing touchdowns in 2024 and doesn't appear to be slowing down anytime soon. The former second-round pick in 2022 out of Georgia finished as the RB5 in half-PPR scoring in 2025, behind only Christian McCaffrey, Jonathan Taylor, Bijan Robinson, and Jahmyr Gibbs. In addition to his big numbers on the ground, Cook added 33 receptions for 291 yards and another two touchdowns through the air. Cook will go into the 2026 campaign as the clear workhorse for a Bills' offense that led the league with 159.6 rushing yards per game last year. He'll give fantasy managers a strong floor as a high-end RB1 this fall.

Former Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Greg Dortch is signing an undisclosed one-year deal with the Detroit Lions on Wednesday, sources told Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. It's a reunion with new Lions offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, who coached Dortch the last three years in Arizona. In that time, the 27-year-old pass-catcher caught 90 of his 124 targets for 828 yards and eight touchdowns in 45 games (11 starts). The former undrafted free agent out of Wake Forest was a regular contributor in Arizona's offense, but he was never a priority option for fantasy football managers at any time. The speedy wideout will add depth to Detroit's pass-catching corps and will also be an asset on special teams, as he had 31 kick returns for 811 yards and 16 punt returns for 185 yards in 12 games in 2025. At best, Dortch will be the Lions' WR4 behind Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Isaac TeSlaa to begin next season.

The Indianapolis Colts announced on Wednesday that they signed free-agent wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine to an undisclosed deal. Westbrook-Ikhine had a career year in 2024 in his final year with the Tennessee Titans, catching 32 of his 60 passes for 497 yards and nine touchdowns in 17 games played (nine starts). The 28-year-old spent last season with the Miami Dolphins and came back down to Earth in a big way with only 11 receptions on 20 targets for 89 yards and no touchdowns in 15 games (three starts). Michael Pittman Jr. is no longer in Indy, but at best, Westbrook-Ikhine will be the team's No. 3 wideout to begin the 2026 campaign behind Alec Pierce and Josh Downs. Target-wise, he'd be fourth on the totem pole with tight end Tyler Warren also in the mix. Expect the former undrafted free agent out of Indiana to battle for the WR3 role with Ashton Dulin, Anthony Gould, and Laquon Treadwell.

Wide receiver T.Y. Hilton officially announced his retirement from professional football on Wednesday. Hilton last played for the Dallas Cowboys in 2022 after 10 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts. The 36-year-old only appeared in three games for the Cowboys and caught seven of his 10 targets for 121 yards and no touchdowns. In his prime, though, Hilton was one of the best receivers in the game, making four straight Pro Bowls from 2014 to 2017 and having four straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons from 2013 to 2016 with Indy. The former third-round pick in 2012 out of Florida International had five 1,000-yard seasons in his 11-year career and finished his successful stint in the NFL with a total of 638 receptions for 9,812 yards and 53 touchdowns on 1,086 targets. Hilton led the league in 2016 with 1,448 yards while also catching 91 passes and finding the end zone six times.

The Philadelphia Eagles are acquiring veteran quarterback Andy Dalton from the Carolina Panthers on Wednesday in exchange for a seventh-round pick in the 2027 NFL draft, sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN. The Panthers were expected to move on from Dalton this offseason, especially after adding Kenny Pickett as Bryce Young's backup. Now that Philly has the 38-year-old Dalton to back up starter Jalen Hurts, the Eagles could look to trade current third-stringer Tanner McKee. The Red Rifle is as experienced as they come as a backup QB. He was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round in 2011 out of TCU, and he's started 169 of the 179 games that he's appeared in over his 15 years in the league. In the last three years in Carolina, Dalton completed 64.7% of his passes for 1,643 yards, 10 touchdowns, and seven interceptions in 13 games (seven starts). Dalton will now back up Hurts in 2026 in his 16th year in the league with his sixth different team.

The Carolina Panthers are signing former Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles running back AJ Dillon to an undisclosed one-year deal on Wednesday, sources told Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. Schultz also mentions that Dillon is in incredible shape. He will help make up for the loss of Rico Dowdle in free agency and will join Chuba Hubbard. The 27-year-old missed all of the 2024 season due to injury and only played in seven games in 2025 in his lone season with the Eagles, seeing just 12 rushing attempts for 60 yards and catching all three of his targets for 21 yards. Dillon isn't guaranteed a key backup role behind Hubbard in Carolina just because he's in good shape. The veteran RB will be battling for playing time this offseason with the likes of Jonathon Brooks and Trevor Etienne. The former second-rounder in 2020 out of Boston College has 4.1 yards per carry in his five NFL seasons to go with 2,488 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns in 67 games (11 starts).

Las Vegas Raiders All-Pro pass-rusher Maxx Crosby (knee) said he was "livid" and "confused" by the Baltimore Ravens' decision to back out of a trade for him in exchange for two first-round picks, according to ESPN's Ryan McFadden. "Ultimately, it doesn't matter. I am where I'm supposed to be," Crosby said. The Ravens say they backed out because they had concerns about Crosby's knee. The 28-year-old had surgery in January to fix a torn meniscus in his left knee. His surgeon, Dr. Neal ElAttrache, said that Crosby is "doing very well in the early part of his rehab," and he is expected to be ready to play by training camp in late July. "I'm here. I'm meant to be a Raider," Crosby said. "I'm in this s--- for life until that changes, which I don't foresee, but you never know in this damn league." It remains to be seen if another team will offer the Raiders two first-rounders for Crosby. But a motivated Crosby could be even more super-charged in 2026. The five-time Pro Bowler has 69.5 sacks in his seven NFL seasons and has reached double-digit sacks in three of the last four years with the Raiders.