Fantasy Football News

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.

NFL teams that have recently called the Miami Dolphins to inquire about trading for running back De'Von Achane have been told that he is "not available," sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN. Under new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley, the Dolphins have traded or released most of the veteran core, but Achane, who is entering the final season of his four-year rookie deal, is part of the team's plan going forward. The Dolphins traded star receiver Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos on Tuesday and also sent veteran defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick to the New York Jets earlier this month. Achane averaged a league-leading 5.7 yards per carry and rushed for a career-high 1,350 yards and eight touchdowns in 2025, making him the RB6 in half-PPR scoring. He also caught 67 passes for 488 yards and four touchdowns. He's a dynamic threat out of the backfield, and while his volume will remain plentiful, Achane's fantasy stock takes a hit now that he's the only trustworthy option on offense right now in Miami.

New England Patriots wide receiver Kyle Williams struggled to emerge as a top pass-catching threat in 2025, but he flashed enough upside to spark significant optimism for his outlook going forward. Specifically, since Year 2 is a common time for wide receivers to break out, dynasty managers should be encouraged by Williams entering 2026. Stuck in a depth role for most of last year, Williams finished the 2025 campaign with 10 catches, 209 yards, and three touchdowns. However, over just the last three weeks of the season, he had eight targets, five catches, 66 yards, and a touchdown, so he was certainly trending in the right direction. New England released Stefon Diggs this offseason and replaced him with Romeo Doubs. Doubs shouldn't take all of Diggs' vacated targets; some of those will be spread around to the other receivers, including Williams. At this point, the third-round pick's biggest obstacle is playing time. New England lacks wide receiver starpower, but it does have a very balanced receiving corps that makes it difficult to command a high dose of targets every week. Doubs, Kayshon Boutte, and Mack Hollins are the biggest obstacles in Williams' way at this point. However, a strong preseason or training camp could push Williams into the mix to start games and carve out low-end WR3/flex appeal in 2026.

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Elic Ayomanor appears to have fallen down the depth chart this offseason. While he was the team's de facto No. 1 receiver by the end of his rookie campaign in 2025, he's back down to No. 3 in the pecking order ahead of the 2026 season. The Titans opened free agency by signing Wan'Dale Robinson, who is coming off a 1,000-yard campaign that saw him finish as the WR14 in PPR leagues. Tennessee also restructured Calvin Ridley's contract to ensure he remains with the team going forward. Despite Ridley dealing with injury and production issues, the new coaching staff led by Robert Saleh and Brian Daboll evidently wants the veteran receiver back as a key piece of its offense next year. That leaves Ayomanor and Chimere Dike fighting for snaps in the No. 3 role, which isn't ideal. Sure, Year 2 is a common time for wide receiver breakouts, so we expect to see Ayomanor flash improved skills and a more natural playing style next year. However, with so much competition in an offense that features iffy passing from Cameron Ward, we question whether Ayomanor will even match his final 2025 stat line of 41 catches, 515 yards, and four touchdowns. He's worth holding in most dynasty leagues, but we wouldn't fault managers for selling him at this point.

Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa took a little while to get going during his rookie season in 2025, but a strong finish to the year should provide dynasty managers with plenty of optimism going forward. TeSlaa recorded the bulk of his production over the final six weeks of the season, during which he caught 12 of his 18 targets for 174 yards and four touchdowns. Throughout that span, he ranked as the overall WR29 in PPR leagues. He's still stuck behind Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams on the depth chart for 2026, but the state of the Lions' offense suggests they could support fantasy-relevant production from their No. 3 receiver here and there. Plus, he'd instantly rank as a strong fantasy WR3 or flex if St. Brown or Williams were to get hurt. Year 2 is a common time for wide receivers to break out, and the stars appear to be aligning for TeSlaa to take a major step forward in 2026. Dynasty managers could look into trading for TeSlaa in dynasty leagues, but he seems to be accurately priced at the moment, so you'll likely end up paying full price for him. That's still a reasonable move to make, given the upside he possesses going forward.

Free agent wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. remains unsigned after one week of free agency. While teams and players can take as much time as they need to negotiate, today's style of free agency places a strong emphasis on bidding wars within the first few days of the legal tampering window. Therefore, it's a bit surprising that Samuel remains unsigned, and even more surprising that we haven't heard many rumors about where he might end up. The Miami Dolphins are one potential landing spot, given that they said goodbye to both Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle this offseason. He might not be a real playoff contender there, but Samuel's rushing ability and short-route success would fit a system that's expected to run the ball a lot with Malik Willis and De'Von Achane. Some contenders that could benefit from Samuel's skills and veteran experience include the Panthers, Patriots, Chiefs, Ravens, or Eagles. We can't rule out a return to Washington, either. He's coming off a modest 2025 campaign in which he totaled 72 catches, 727 receiving yards, 75 rushing yards, and six total touchdowns.

New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton briefly entered this offseason as the team's No. 2 receiver with Wan'Dale Robinson departing in free agency. However, the pass-catching room has quickly become crowded after new head coach John Harbaugh brought in his hand-picked class of free agents. The Giants signed Darnell Mooney and Calvin Austin III, both of whom had very disappointing 2025 seasons but are candidates for positive regression in a new system in 2026. Specifically, Mooney's style of making plays downfield and winning in coverage makes him a threat to steal plenty of Slayton's snaps and targets. The Giants also brought in tight end Isaiah Likely, pairing him with Theo Johnson, who was already ascending into a larger role. Training camp will offer more insight into what the pecking order looks like in New York, but for now, managers should be at least a little concerned that Slayton could fall behind any combination of Malik Nabers, Mooney, Austin, Likely, and Johnson. He's worth holding in deeper dynasty leagues in case he does end up as Jaxson Dart's No. 2 target, but with such a wide range of outcomes, he can be left on waivers in shallower formats or redraft leagues.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence is coming off a very strong 2025 season, and that trend should continue into 2026. Plenty of the credit belongs to Lawrence himself, who took off for a career-high 359 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns. The threat of his legs forced defenses to adjust their game plan and perhaps play a little more conservatively in pass coverage. However, the Jags' receiving corps also deserves plenty of praise. What started as an already encouraging duo of Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter blossomed into an exciting trio of Thomas, Jakobi Meyers, and Parker Washington (with Hunter landing on injured reserve). These four receivers complemented each other nicely and picked up the slack when one was underperforming, which was helpful given that Thomas specifically had a down year. The Jags' receivers (plus tight end Brenton Strange) led to a career-high 29 passing touchdowns from Lawrence. This same pass-catching group will be back in 2026, and Hunter should be fully healthy, even if he plays fewer snaps on offense and more on defense. Not only can Lawrence repeat his strong season, but he could push for 30-plus passing touchdowns for the first time in his career. He remains firmly entrenched as a mid-range QB1 in redraft and dynasty leagues.

New Miami Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis signed a three-year, $67.5 million contract in free agency last week to become the team's new starting signal-caller. The former third-round pick by the Tennessee Titans in 2022 out of Liberty is getting another chance at a starting role as the Dolphins rebuild from the ground up. The 26-year-old went 2-1 as a starter for the Green Bay Packers the last two seasons and threw for 976 yards, six touchdowns, and no interceptions while completing 78.7% of his passes in 11 total games. Willis' dynasty/keeper stock is up now that he's in a starting role, but his upside in South Beach is another thing entirely. The Dolphins cut All-Pro wideout Tyreek Hill (knee) and traded receiver Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos, leaving Jalen Tolbert, Malik Washington, and Tutu Atwell as the current top-three wideouts in Miami. Willis will have one of the most dynamic running backs behind him in De'Von Achane, but with limited pass-catching options to throw to, Willis is unlikely to be much more than a low-end QB2 in superflex leagues in 2026.

The Miami Dolphins are in full-on rebuild mode after trading away top wide receiver Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos on Tuesday in exchange for three draft picks, including a first-rounder this year. The Dolphins have already cut All-Pro receiver Tyreek Hill (knee), so free-agent addition Jalen Tolbert is now at the top of the team's receiving depth chart. The 27-year-old signed a one-year deal with Miami last week after spending the first four years of his NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys. Tolbert was a third-round pick in 2022 out of South Alabama. He had 1,093 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns on 91 catches over his four seasons, with his best season coming in 2024, when he had 49 catches, 610 receiving yards, and seven touchdowns in 17 games. Tolbert reportedly is a close friend of new Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis, too, so even if Miami addresses the position in the upcoming draft, he should have a pretty strong target floor in his first year in South Beach. Tolbert's redraft and dynasty/keeper value arrow is pointing upward.

Broncos wide receiver Pat Bryant saw his snap count and target share spike down the stretch of his 2025 rookie season, and although he exited both of Denver's playoff games due to injury, he was a clear and early focal point of both game plans. Heading into his sophomore season, he had been pegged as a popular breakout candidate, but following the Broncos' trade for former first-round pick Jaylen Waddle on Tuesday, he may be trending toward a depth role in 2026. Including Bryant, the Broncos now have seven players on the roster who saw at least 45 targets in 2025 and none who topped 120, making it a difficult offensive environment to stand out in and one that could look drastically different from week to week, depending on game plan and opponent.

Denver Broncos wide receiver Troy Franklin finished his second season behind only Courtland Sutton in terms of team targets, receptions, yards, and touchdowns, though he spent the final stretch of the season in a competition with rookie Pat Bryant for playing time and opportunities. With most of the raw statistics suggesting Bryant had overtaken him on the pecking order by the time the playoffs arrived, he was already in for a fight come the 2026 season. With the Broncos' addition of Jaylen Waddle via trade, Franklin could now see himself relegated to more of a situational role. At best, he will be competing with Bryant and Marvin Mims Jr., both capable downfield threats, for the primary work in three-receiver sets.

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix targeted six different players at least 45 times in 2025, all of whom are still on the roster, and with the team's recent acquisition of Jaylen Waddle from the Dolphins, he will add one more weapon in 2026. Waddle joins a receiver room with Courtland Sutton, Troy Franklin, Marvin Mims Jr., and Pat Bryant, giving the third-year signal-caller one of the more versatile groups of pass-catchers in the league, before even factoring in tight end Evan Engram or running back RJ Harvey. With Denver adding an explosive playmaker like Waddle to practically the exact offense that Nix led to the AFC Championship game in his second year as a starter, the pieces are in place for him to take a massive leap forward in Year 3.

Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane has seen the fantasy landscape around him change dramatically since finishing as the RB5 in 2025. The hiring of defensive-minded head coach Jeff Hafley and offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, who was fired from the same position with Houston following the 2024 season, raised questions about Achane's usage. The signing of Malik Willis, a quarterback not known for featuring his running backs in the passing game, did little to dispel them. Now, with the trading of Jaylen Waddle to the Broncos, Achane remains as the last true playmaker on the roster, and assuming he isn't next on the trade block, he'll likely be the focal point of every defensive coordinator Miami faces in 2026. While there is something to be said for being the driving force of the Dolphins' offense, the arrow is pointed way down for the unit as a whole, creating a difficult environment for any running back to thrive.

The Athletic's Paul Dehner Jr. believes that when the Cincinnati Bengals signed 14-team NFL legend Josh Johnson over the weekend, it "sent a clear message" that they "plan on waiting" for free-agent quarterback Joe Flacco. The 41-year-old veteran will return for a 19th season in the NFL, but he's prioritizing signing with a team that will allow him to start in Week 1 of the regular season this fall. At this point, that's unlikely to happen, but Flacco has also stated that he'd have interest in returning to Cincinnati as Joe Burrow's backup if he can't find an opportunity to compete for a starting job. The Bengals essentially bought time to wait Flacco out by signing Johnson. Flacco put up some impressive single-game numbers for Cincy last year when Burrow was dealing with a toe injury, and he finished with 2,479 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in 13 games (10 starts) with the Bengals and Browns. Despite his age, Flacco would be back on the superflex and streaming radar in fantasy if he re-signs with the Bengals and Burrow gets injured again in 2026.

Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton has finished the past two seasons with nearly identical stat lines, but he's arrived there in drastically different ways. In Bo Nix's 2024 rookie season, Sutton more than doubled the next closest teammate in targets. As Nix's passing volume increased in 2025, so too did his diversity of targets, and Sutton earned a share only 3% higher than that of Troy Franklin. With the Broncos trading for former first-round pick Jaylen Waddle, Nix will presumably have a new number one option, and Sutton will be next up in a competitive room that still features Franklin, Marvin Mims Jr., and Pat Bryant, as well as tight end Evan Engram and pass-catching back RJ Harvey. Sutton turns 31 in October, and while he will still be featured prominently in Sean Payton's pass-heavy offense, he faces his stiffest competition for targets since Denver spent a first-round pick on Jerry Jeudy.

Free-agent tight end David Njoku visited with the Baltimore Ravens on Tuesday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. The former Cleveland Browns tight end has been greeted with a cold free-agent market after the Browns cut him following the 2025 season. The Ravens let Isaiah Likely walk in free agency and could use some more depth at the position behind veteran Mark Andrews. Baltimore signed Durham Smythe, but he's more of a blocking TE. The 29-year-old Njoku fell into a backup role in Cleveland last year due to the swift emergence of rookie Harold Fannin Jr. The former first-rounder in 2017 out of the University of Miami regressed with 33 catches for 293 yards and four touchdowns on 48 targets in 12 games played. Injuries didn't help, but it was clear that Fannin is the future in Cleveland at tight end. If Njoku were to land with the Ravens, he'd probably be in a similar role as the TE2 behind Andrews, limiting his bounce-back potential in fantasy football.

The Athletic's James Boyd says he expects tight end Tyler Warren's volume to increase in 2026 in the absence of receiver Michael Pittman Jr., and he takes it a step further and says that regardless of who the Colts add at wideout, Warren "will be the team's No. 2 pass-catcher." Warren finished as the TE6 in half-PPR scoring in his first year in the NFL, catching 76 of his 112 targets for 817 yards and four touchdowns in 17 games played. His production tapered off after quarterback Daniel Jones suffered a season-ending torn Achilles tendon late in the year, but he still had a promising rookie year overall. His 76 catches were second-most on the team. The Colts re-signed tight ends Mo Alie-Cox and Drew Ogletree, but they will continue to primarily be used as blockers. Warren is one of the top dynasty TEs going into 2026, and he'll also have top-five upside at his position in single-year formats as long as Jones doesn't suffer any setbacks in his rehab.

The Indianapolis Colts signed free-agent veteran defensive tackle Jerry Tillery to an undisclosed deal on Tuesday, according to James Boyd of The Athletic. Tillery will head to the AFC South after spending his seventh year in the NFL in 2025 with the Kansas City Chiefs. The 29-year-old former first-round pick by the Los Angeles Chargers in 2019 out of Notre Dame had 20 tackles (eight solo), 1.5 sacks, and a fumble recovery in 17 games (three starts) in KC last year. Tillery will most likely compete for a rotational role on the interior of the Colts' defensive line in 2026, meaning he won't be on the IDP fantasy radar. Tiller has only started 53 of the 113 games he's appeared in over the course of his seven-year NFL career with four different teams. He has a total of 195 tackles (97 solo), 14 sacks, 17 tackles for loss, 46 QB hits, four pass breakups, four forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries in his time in the NFL.