Fantasy Football News

The Cleveland Browns have publicly praised quarterback Deshaun Watson (Achilles) this offseason, but The Athletic's Zac Jackson said he feels "stronger than ever" that Shedeur Sanders, not Watson, is the "favorite to win the starting job." Sanders wasn't Cleveland's first choice in 2025 and might not be their first choice for the future, either, but giving him every chance to win the job and to make real progress is "clearly the best option right now." The 24-year-old fifth-rounder is signed for three more seasons, and Jackson thinks that the best path to escaping the Watson mess is to let Sanders take the job and provide "at least league-average QB play." There will be a true competition between Sanders and Watson in training camp this summer after Sanders was highly inconsistent in his rookie season in 2025, throwing for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in eight games (seven starts). The former Colorado star has been working on getting stronger this offseason and is the Browns' "best option" at the position. Fantasy managers in dynasty/keeper leagues looking for help at QB might want to consider buying low on Sanders.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport says that the money that the Las Vegas Raiders gave veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins indicates that he "could or maybe should end up being the starting QB" to begin the 2026 regular season. Somehow, Cousins will be guaranteed $20 million in 2026, with almost half of the money being paid by the Atlanta Falcons, who released the 37-year-old at the start of the new league year. Even though the Raiders are expected to take Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick at the end of April, Cousins is expected to be the team's Week 1 starter as they let Mendoza sit and learn early on in his first year in the NFL. The four-time Pro Bowler played in 24 games (22 starts) in his two years in Atlanta and completed 65% of his passes for 5,229 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 21 interceptions. At best, he'll be a low-end QB2 option for those in superflex fantasy leagues in 2026, and his run as Vegas' starter could be short-lived, depending on his performance and Mendoza's development.

The Jacksonville Jaguars signed defensive end Travon Walker to a four-year, $100 million contract extension on Friday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. The deal includes $77 million guaranteed and $50 million fully guaranteed at signing. The 25-year-old is heading into his fifth NFL season in 2026 after racking up 200 tackles (101 solo), 27.5 sacks, 36 tackles for loss, 57 QB hits, one interception, seven pass breakups, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries (one returned for a touchdown) in 63 games (60 starts). Walker had back-to-back 10-sack seasons in 2023 and 2024 before totaling just 3.5 sacks last year in 14 games (12 starts). The Jaguars are hoping that the former first overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft out of Georgia can bounce back in the sack department in 2026 in his fifth year in the league after his big extension.

Seahawks running back George Holani has handled 25 career carries since joining Seattle as an undrafted free agent in 2024, and yet he was a popular dynasty waiver add in the early offseason. Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III left for Kansas City in the opening hours of free agency, and Zach Charbonnet, who tore his ACL in a Divisional Round playoff win, is unlikely to be ready for the start of the season, which briefly left Holani and 2023 seventh-round pick Kenny McIntosh as the healthiest options at the top of the depth chart. Seattle has since signed former Packer Emanuel Wilson to a modest one-year deal, and the team is expected to address the position early in the NFL Draft. The Seahawks have already met with Washington's Jonah Coleman on a local visit and will reportedly host Arkansas' Mike Washington Jr. on a 30-visit in the coming weeks. Whoever Seattle targets with early draft capital will likely rise to the RB2 spot behind Jeremiyah Love in most rookie drafts, while Holani's dynasty value could settle outside the top-100 at the position after a sudden offseason spike.

Browns tight end Harold Fannin Jr. was selected in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft after an unfathomably productive college career at Bowling Green, and in his rookie season with Cleveland, it was more of the same. His 72 receptions on 103 targets ranked second among all rookies and eighth among NFL tight ends. A case could be made that Fannin benefited from one of the weakest wide receiver cores in the league, with Jerry Jeudy the only other Cleveland player to top 35 catches or 50 targets. The Browns are expected to return the same quarterback room from 2025, with hopes hinging on either a meaningful second-year leap from Shedeur Sanders or a return to form from Deshaun Watson, now five years removed from his last impactful season. Additionally, the team holds the sixth pick in the NFL Draft and is expected to spend early capital on the wide receiver position. That said, Fannin finished his rookie season as the TE6 in half-PPR formats, behind two 30+ year olds in Travis Kelce and Dallas Goedert, as well as Kyle Pitts, whose TE2 finish was propped up by the single most productive game by a tight end in NFL history. Fannin is RotoBaller's TE6 in dynasty rankings, but could easily crack the top five if the Browns are unable to add significant target competition through the draft.

With the Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver room among the league's most ambiguous offensive units, it's easy to forget that it was tight end Brenton Strange who finished third on the team in both receptions and receiving yards despite missing five games in 2025. A case could be made for any of Jakobi Meyers, Brian Thomas Jr., Parker Washington, or Travis Hunter to be the Jaguars WR1 heading into 2026, but a similar case could also be made that one of those players might not be on the roster by training camp, and another could be playing defense. While gameplans and opponents could drastically affect how Jacksonville deploys its wide receivers, Strange might be locked into the safest role of any of the team's pass catchers, and with Travis Etienne Jr. vacating almost 50 targets from last season, a good share of that work could go the tight end who saw nearly 78% of his targets within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage.

A rash of injuries has limited New Orleans Saints running back Kendre Miller to only 21 games through his first three years in the league, and when he has found the field, he's done little to prove he can be anything more than a committee back. The 2023 third round pick has averaged less than four yards per carry to this point in his career and has yet to spring a run for more than 18 yards, and with the Saints spending big in free agency for Travis Etienne Jr., Miller could be left battling for scraps behind a back who has carried the ball more than 250 times in three of the past four seasons. Alvin Kamara is still on the roster, and Devin Neal showed flashes in his three late-season starts, making Miller a cut candidate in all but the deepest dynasty leagues.

Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. was largely viewed as one of the safest prospects in years when Arizona made him the fourth overall pick and the first non-quarterback selected in the 2024 NFL Draft. Through his first two years in the league, he has yet to make good on that promise, totaling just under 1,500 yards on 103 career receptions. While a concussion, a heel injury, and an emergency appendectomy caused him to miss five games in 2025, he spent much of his sophomore season third in line for targets behind All-Pro tight end Trey McBride and third-year breakout Michael Wilson. Both players return to an offense helmed once more by Jacoby Brissett, and with free agent acquisition Tyler Allgeier joining a backfield that should see returns to health from James Conner and Trey Benson, the Cardinals' overall passing volume could see a steep decline. Before ever taking a snap in the NFL, Harrison was viewed as a consensus top-three dynasty wide receiver, but RotoBaller currently has him ranked at WR20, and the current landscape in Arizona could make it difficult for him to see a meaningful rise.

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Marquise Brown doesn't currently occupy a fantasy-relevant role, but he could get onto the fantasy radar if teammate A.J. Brown is traded this offseason. Marquise Brown inked a one-year deal with the Eagles after ranking as the WR43 with 49 catches, 587 yards, and five touchdowns last year. He's the No. 3 receiver in Philadelphia behind DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown, but he'd jump to No. 2 on the depth chart -- and become a WR3/flex candidate -- if the latter is dealt before Week 1. The 28-year-old is no stranger to playing for competitive teams, spending time with the Ravens, Cardinals, and Chiefs. If he does take on a larger role, he could benefit from a new-look Eagles system that is expected to throw the ball more efficiently under offensive coordinator Sean Mannion.

New York Giants wide receiver Darnell Mooney will compete for an opportunity to be Jaxson Dart's No. 2 target behind Malik Nabers. There are a lot of players in the mix for bigger pass-catching roles, and Mooney will have a chance to compete for a path to significant volume if he can stay healthy and productive throughout training camp. Mooney was seen as a potential breakout candidate prior to the 2025 season, but he ultimately fell quite short with just 32 catches, 443 yards, and one touchdown, ranking as the WR79 in PPR leagues. This offseason, he took his talents to New York, where his biggest competition will be Calvin Austin III, Darius Slayton, Theo Johnson, and Isaiah Likely. Dart is arguably more capable of supporting multiple fantasy-relevant receivers than Mooney's last quarterback, Michael Penix Jr., so that's an encouraging sign for 2026. It's too early and too bold to say that he'll be a consistent WR3/flex in 2026, but he certainly has the upside. He had 996 yards just two years ago, and he's an intriguing buy-low candidate in dynasty leagues this offseason after a down season.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Christian Kirk will embark on the next chapter of his career in 2026. After spending time with the Cardinals, Jaguars, and Texans, Kirk is now headed to the 49ers on a one-year deal. He's currently projected as the No. 3 receiver behind Mike Evans and Ricky Pearsall after the team watched Jauan Jennings and Kendrick Bourne depart in free agency. Kirk has produced a modest 55 catches, 618 yards, and two touchdowns across 21 games over the last two seasons. However, he showed that he's still capable of contributing at a high level with 144 yards in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs. Landing in San Francisco is a great fit for Kirk. In the No. 3 role last year, Bourne had 37 catches and 551 yards (but just seven catches and 91 yards in games where both Pearsall and Jennings were healthy). Kirk might not have standalone value as the No. 3 receiver, but both Evans and Pearsall have significant injury histories; they combined to miss 17 games just last season. Therefore, we wouldn't be surprised to see Kirk jump to No. 2 on the depth chart at various points next season, propelling him to the WR3/flex tier.

Kansas City Chiefs running back Brashard Smith remains in the No. 3 spot on the depth chart as the 2026 offseason moves along. With Isaiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt departing in free agency, it seemed like there would be an opportunity for Smith to step into a much larger role this offseason. However, the Chiefs had other plans, signing Kenneth Walker III to be their every-down back and Emari Demercado to occupy the backup role. There's a slim chance that Smith could pass Demercado on the depth chart, but the latter has a much stronger track record with 819 rushing yards and 324 receiving yards (relative to Smith's 151 rushing yards and 172 receiving yards as a rookie last season). The most likely path to fantasy relevance for Smith would probably be an injury to Walker. If Walker misses time, Demercado would presumably lead the backfield, but not in an every-down role. There would be plenty of opportunities for Smith to get involved, especially in the passing game. Smith could have been an intriguing buy-low candidate in dynasty leagues if he jumped to No. 2 on the depth chart this offseason, but since he's still nestled into the No. 3 role (and could face additional competition via the NFL Draft), he's merely a hold for now.

The Philadelphia Eagles and quarterback Jalen Hurts are both cognizant of the fact that he's entering the final guaranteed year of his contract, according to Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Hurts still has three years left on the extension he signed back in 2023, but only one more year is guaranteed. As McLane notes, it's common for teams and players in this situation to restructure the deal to add more years and guaranteed money, in exchange for lower annual value. However, the Eagles and Hurts have no plans to change his deal, and they'll let him enter 2026 on his current contract. That puts added pressure on him for 2026, since he has no guaranteed money beyond this season. With that being said, the Eagles would still take on a significant cap penalty if they were to take action (trade or release Hurts) next offseason. All the chatter about Hurts' future stems from his rushing production taking a step back in 2025. He was still productive, but his rushing yards and touchdowns dropped to the lowest mark since his rookie campaign in 2021. He was the QB8 in fantasy football, which tied for his worst finish since 2022. A little bit of pressure -- plus a new offensive system under Sean Mannion -- could allow Hurts to bounce back as a top-five fantasy quarterback next year.

The NFL concluded on Friday that Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice "has not engaged in conduct that violates the personal-conduct policy," according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. The investigation into accusations from his former girlfriend is now closed, and there will be no discipline from the league at this time. "Mr. Rice wants to thank the NFL for their thorough investigation, and looks forward to the start of the 2026-27 NFL season," Rice's attorney, Sean Lindsey, said in a statement. The 25-year-old Rice is no stranger to bad off-the-field publicity, as he was suspended for the first six games in 2025 due to a high-speed hit-and-run incident in Dallas. The former second-rounder in 2023 out of SMU caught 53 of his 78 targets for 571 yards and five touchdowns in his eight games played in 2025 before suffering a concussion in Week 15 and missing the final two games. The Chiefs can't be happy with Rice's choices off the field, but with no discipline affecting his fantasy value in 2026, he should have a pretty high ceiling as KC's WR1. Rice had a 79-102-7 line in 16 games in his rookie campaign, but he's played only 12 games since due to injuries and suspension.

Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams had another terrific season in 2025, ranking as a top-10 fantasy running back for the third year in a row. He contributed over 1,500 scrimmage yards and 13 touchdowns, and he also appeared in all 17 games for the first time in his four-year career. Williams has cemented himself as the lead running back in Los Angeles. While the Rams did get Blake Corum more involved last year, that exercise was more intended to manage Williams' workload so he stayed healthy for the full year. There's no threat of Corum stealing his job. This level of RB1 consistency is rare in fantasy football, and it could point to Williams being a top-five running back in the future. Yet, he is currently being drafted at an ADP of 54 in dynasty startups, which ranks him as the RB18 in dynasty formats. Therein lies a terrific opportunity for dynasty managers to buy low on Williams. If he's valued as the 18th-best running back but has consistently ranked within the top 10, then most managers should be pouncing at the opportunity to buy low on Williams this offseason.

Washington Commanders tight end Ben Sinnott patiently waited behind Zach Ertz throughout his first two years in the NFL. Even though Ertz is now a free agent, Sinnott isn't going to get his opportunity to break out quite yet. The Commanders signed Chig Okonkwo to be their No. 1 tight end last month, leaving Sinnott as a minimal receiving threat in the No. 2 role. As the No. 2 tight end last year, Sinnott was held to just 11 catches, 114 yards, and one touchdown -- and most of that production came after Ertz went down with a torn ACL. Sinnott lacks standalone value behind Okonkwo and might not even get onto the fantasy radar if Okonkwo misses time. Managers are starting to get pessimistic that Sinnott will ever amount to anything in fantasy football, despite him being a second-round draft pick. There could be a glimmer of hope for dynasty managers if Sinnott ends up on a different team, but he's not projected to hit free agency until after the 2027 season.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold has been a top-13 fantasy option in each of the last two seasons. In 2025, the Super Bowl champion racked up 4,048 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. Darnold has not missed a game in back-to-back seasons (2024 with the Vikings and 2025 with the Seahawks). In fantasy football, he has benefited from the presence of Justin Jefferson or Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the last two years, respectively. Under contract through 2027, Darnold will now have at least two more years of Smith-Njigba at his disposal, keeping him in the low-end QB1 or high-end QB2 range. Most dynasty managers will find themselves in a position to hold Darnold this offseason. Selling high is an option, but the lack of name value or rushing upside will probably result in trade offers that don't quite live up to his value. Therefore, he's worth holding, since he still offers low-end QB1 appeal even if other managers won't offer QB1 value in trades.

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy is coming off a frustrating 2025 season in which he caught just 50 passes for 602 yards and two touchdowns. Despite being healthy for all 17 games as the Browns' No. 1 receiver, he finished as just the WR52 in PPR leagues. Part of the blame can be attributed to the poor quarterback play of Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel, but we still would have expected Jeudy to see enough volume to consistently get on the fantasy radar. This is nothing new for Jeudy, unfortunately. The former first-round pick has ranked as the WR47 or lower in five of his NFL seasons. He has just two top-45 finishes. We can expect more of the same in 2026 as Jeudy returns to an offense led by either Sanders or Deshaun Watson. Managers can't justify dropping him in dynasty leagues as long as he's the Browns' No. 1 receiver, but he's certainly not worth starting in fantasy lineups. He's worth holding for now in hopes that you can trade him after a flukey big week.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Justin Fields can be a temporary solution for the team and fantasy managers as Patrick Mahomes (knee) recovers from his ACL tear. Fields was solid through nine games with the New York Jets last season, amassing 11 total touchdowns, one interception, and three lost fumbles. As the Jets moved on to Geno Smith as their quarterback, it was clear that they had no place for Fields. Thus, he was dealt to Kansas City, where he might start Week 1 if Mahomes isn't cleared to play. Fields' rushing upside should be put to good use in a Chiefs offense led by Andy Reid and Eric Bieniemy. Bieniemy was the offensive coordinator behind Mahomes' 358 rushing yards in 2022 and Sam Howell's 263 rushing yards in 2023. Over those two seasons, Mahomes and Howell combined for nine rushing touchdowns. Fields isn't a full-season option in fantasy football, but he has QB1 upside for the first few weeks if Mahomes isn't ready. He's worth a late-round pick for managers who wait until the later rounds to select their primary quarterback.

New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte continues to trend up in dynasty leagues ahead of his fourth NFL season. Boutte turned in the best season of his young career in 2025, catching 33 passes for 551 yards and six touchdowns, despite missing three games. He ultimately finished as the WR51 in PPR leagues. This wasn't good enough to consistently get him in fantasy lineups, but it was still the best mark of his career and earned him occasional flex appeal. In terms of dynasty fantasy football, Boutte's outlook is trending up. He entered this offseason as the team's No. 2 receiver, and after the team replaced Stefon Diggs with Romeo Doubs, he remains the No. 2 receiver. In fact, he's due for even more targets this season, since Doubs presumably won't take on all 102 of Diggs' vacated targets. Barring an A.J. Brown trade or a flashy receiver selection in the NFL Draft, Boutte should open 2026 as the No. 2 receiver in New England, giving him WR3/flex upside in this Drake Maye-led offense. He can still be acquired for cheap, so receiver-needy fantasy managers should consider sending out a trade offer for Boutte in dynasty leagues.