Fantasy Football News

New England Patriots wide receiver Kyle Williams was an early third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and despite a history of draft misses at the position, a new regime in Foxborough, along with a far from insurmountable depth chart, helped to create considerable hype around the speedster out of Washington State. And yet, even as quarterback Drake Maye made a colossal year two leap into MVP candidacy, Williams caught only 10 passes as a rookie. In speaking at the NFL owners meeting, head coach Mike Vrabel touched on Williams' speed and release off the line, traits that helped him cash in on several big plays in 2025, but noted that he would need to increase his play strength to stay on the field. Romeo Doubs was added through free agency as a replacement for last season's top pass catcher, Stefon Diggs, and his superior run blocking should make him more of a staple in two-receiver sets, as Diggs was frequently used as part of a rotation, particularly early in the year as he recovered from a 2024 ACL tear. The Patriots are also still linked to Eagles receiver AJ Brown, who many executives believe will be made available for trade after June 1st. With Brown, Doubs, and Williams all profiling primarily as boundary receivers, such an addition could make it difficult for Williams to find the field with any regularity.

Titans wide receiver Elic Ayomanor drew a respectable 17% target share as a rookie in 2025, with his 86 total targets leading a Tennessee team that saw no pass catcher reach 60 receptions, 600 yards, or five touchdowns. While the group as a whole lacked obvious star power, especially after Calvin Ridley was lost for the season to a broken fibula, the inefficient quarterback play of rookie Cam Ward did them no favors. Ward ranked near the bottom of the league in most passing efficiency metrics, while Ayomanor was held back by one of the highest rates of uncatchable targets among all pass catchers. The silver lining for Ayomanor is that Ward showed marked improvement over the second half of the season, raising his completion percentage and throwing 10 of his 15 touchdowns over his final seven full games. The Titans also welcome new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, whose history of elevating quarterback play should have a direct impact on Ayomanor's ability to take a second-season leap.

As a rookie in 2025, Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa caught six touchdowns on only 26 targets and 16 receptions, a touchdown rate almost ten times higher than the league average, and nearly double that of Davante Adams, who led the NFL with 14 touchdown grabs. While few are calling for a repeat of such outlandish efficiency in year two, some have labeled him as a potential breakout candidate on the hopes that increased volume could make him a less touchdown-reliant fantasy asset. However, TeSlaa has never been a target-earner. His 14% target share across two seasons at Arkansas ranked well behind several of his own teammates, and even with the Lions, he was regularly on the field for more than just gadget plays designed to find him in the end zone. His 296 routes run last season put him in the top 10 in his rookie class, while his 0.81 yards per route run trailed only Arian Smith, Konata Mumpfield, Dont'e Thornton Jr., and Gage Larvadain among rookies with at least 100 routes run. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Sam LaPorta all figure to slot in ahead of TeSlaa in the target pecking order, and unless he can bank on a second outlier season, he will likely be little more than an occasional injury replacement in 2026.

Free Agent wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. played in 16 games for the Washington Commanders in 2025, his seventh time in as many seasons that he was unable to log a full slate of games, and the oft-injured wideout currently remains unsigned. With the NFL Draft less than three weeks away, many receiver-needy teams are likely taking a more patient approach to see if they can fill that need with a younger, cheaper option in what is considered a deep draft class at the position. At his peak, Samuel was one of the most unique playmakers in the league, but that hasn't kept pundits from attaching the "Deebo" comp to a prospect almost annually, and this year is no different. Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. carries the moniker in the 2026 draft class, and to a lesser extent, so does Louisville's Chris Bell, who is expected to fall in the draft following an ACL tear in the Cardinals' final game of the season.

Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton's 538 receiving yards in 2025 were good for the second-highest total on a New York team that saw starts from three different quarterbacks while playing almost the entire season without its clear number one receiver in Malik Nabers. In 2026, a sense of continuity is expected to return to New York, which could hurt Slayton's chances of making any meaningful impact. The team's leading receiver from last season, Wan'Dale Robinson, reunited with former head coach Brian Daboll in Tennessee, and although they play vastly different roles, some of his production is expected to be absorbed by free agent acquisition Darnell Mooney. Running backs Cam Skattebo, Tyrone Tracy Jr., and Devin Singletary are all expected back after combining for more than 90 targets in their first season together. New York also returns tight end Theo Johnson, who finished second on the team in targets and receptions, but the main reason analysts are expecting a year two jump from quarterback Jaxson Dart, and a subsequently lowered ceiling for Slayton and all other Giants' pass catchers, is the anticipated return to health of Nabers. His 170 targets as a rookie broke a 21-year-old NFL record, and prior to tearing his ACL in Week 4, he was on pace for another 150+ in 2025.

Denver Broncos wide receiver Pat Bryant is no longer a top candidate to enjoy a Year 2 breakout. The second season in the league is a common time for receivers to take a major leap, and it seemed like Bryant was heading in the right direction after the 2025 campaign. After all, he had cemented himself as the Broncos' No. 3 receiver and averaged 5.3 targets over his final five games. However, his role suddenly changed when the Broncos surprisingly traded for Jaylen Waddle out of nowhere. Denver now has Waddle and Courtland Sutton atop its depth chart, and Troy Franklin has a clear advantage over Bryant for the No. 3 receiver role. At this point, it seems like the Year 2 breakout is on hold for Bryant. He is a talented player, but his path to consistent fantasy production is nearly nonexistent as long as Waddle, Sutton, and Troy Franklin are healthy.

Denver Broncos wide receiver Troy Franklin enjoyed a second-year breakout as the overall WR31 in PPR leagues last season. It seemed like he was trending up and due for an even stronger showing in 2026, but then, the Broncos went out and traded for Jaylen Waddle. That acquisition offers a major shakeup in Denver, establishing Courtland Sutton and Waddle as the undisputed top two receivers on the team. As a result, Franklin will fall to the No. 3 role. Not only is he no longer a lock to consistently start games, but he's also due for a step backward in fantasy football. His 2025 finish as the WR31 could end up being the peak of the early portion of his career, as Franklin will have trouble being a top-36 fantasy receiver if both Sutton and Waddle are healthy. It'll be tough to sell high on the 23-year-old, so he's merely a hold in most leagues for now.

Dallas Cowboys quarterbacks Sam Howell and Joe Milton III will compete for the backup role behind Dak Prescott this summer, head coach Brian Schottenheimer told Todd Archer of ESPN.com. The Cowboys acquired Milton last offseason in hopes that he could offer a strong, accurate arm in case Prescott went down. Prescott was healthy for all 17 contests, but when Milton did get into the game, he struggled. He had three turnovers and just one touchdown across parts of four games. Perhaps because of his subpar results on the field, Dallas brought in Howell during the offseason. It appears that the Cowboys have a specific vision for their backup quarterback, as Howell offers mobility and a strong arm similar to Milton. The fantasy implications here are minimal, as we expect Prescott to start the full season unless he gives us a reason to believe otherwise.

Tennessee Titans quarterback Cameron Ward (shoulder) has been "progressing very well" from a right shoulder injury that required offseason rehab, head coach Robert Saleh told Jim Wyatt of the team's official website. Saleh also noted that Ward has consistently been working in the building, sometimes on his own. It was a rookie season to forget for the No. 1 pick, who finished the 2025 campaign with just 3,169 passing yards, 15 passing touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He also took an NFL-high 55 sacks and lost seven fumbles. The turnover-to-touchdown ratio was far from ideal, and Ward will look to play cleaner football next season. He should benefit from an improved offense that now features wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson. We also expect Gunnar Helm, Elic Ayomanor, and Chimere Dike to make significant second-year leaps. It's too early to proclaim Ward will be fantasy relevant across the board, but as he continues to recover amid his first full offseason in the NFL, he's certainly trending up.

Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis could be the odd man out heading into the NFL Draft. Jim Wyatt of the team's official website writes that Mitch Trubisky will back up Cameron Ward next season, leaving Levis as either a trade candidate or competing with Hendon Hooker for the No. 3 role. Wyatt even wrote that he "suspect[s] some teams have been inquiring about Levis," and he indicated that the second-round pick is talented enough to justify a trade, rather than a demotion to the third-string quarterback role. No trade has materialized yet, but we wouldn't be surprised if something came together during the NFL Draft, similar to how the Cardinals traded away Josh Rosen during the draft after he simply didn't pan out in Arizona. One team that could be interested in Levis is the New York Jets. Rich Cimini of ESPN.com recently wrote that the Jets want to add a veteran backup before the draft, and he specifically mentioned Levis as a name to watch.

When quarterback Trevor Lawrence was selected first overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2021 NFL Draft, he was considered by many to be the safest quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck, and yet, through his first four seasons in the league, questions still remained about whether or not he was a true franchise quarterback. In 2025, he took significant strides in his first season with head coach Liam Coen, helping him climb to QB11 in RotoBaller's dynasty rankings. With Brian Thomas Jr. struggling mightily in his second season and Travis Hunter lost to injury, the Jaguars retooled their wide receiver room on the fly, acquiring Jakobi Meyers at the trade deadline, and over the final nine weeks of the season, Lawrence threw 20 touchdowns to only six interceptions. He also finished the year with a career-high 359 rushing yards and nine scores on the ground. The Jaguars enter the 2026 season with Thomas and Meyers still on the roster, along with underrated tight end Brenton Strange, and Parker Washington, whose own late-season surge coincided with Lawrence's. Hunter could spend more time on the defensive side of the ball in year two, but anything he can contribute offensively will only help to elevate an already dynamic group of pass catchers and their quarterback.

Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis agreed to a three-year, $67.5 million contract with Miami on the first day of free agency, and one week later, the team traded away its number one wide receiver in Jaylen Waddle. In speaking at the annual owners meeting, Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan told reporters that the trade materialized after Willis' signing, but that he had a conversation with his new quarterback to ensure that he didn't feel "tricked". Sullivan stressed the need for Miami to get younger and cheaper, with a clear goal of surrounding Willis with a young core of players on rookie contracts. The Dolphins now hold the 11th and 30th picks in the first round of the NFL Draft, and with Malik Washington, Tutu Atwell, and Jalen Tolbert currently topping the wide receiver depth chart, the team is expected to take multiple swings at the position in what is considered to be a deep draft class.

Since the Denver Broncos traded for wide receiver Jaylen Waddle in mid-March, Courtland Sutton has seen his consensus dynasty ranking drop by almost 10 spots at the position, moving him well outside the first 10 rounds in dynasty startups. While Waddle does bring an electric element to a Broncos team that fell one game short of reaching the Super Bowl, he has not topped a 22% target share since his record-breaking rookie campaign in 2021, and he has never been a true red zone threat, which is historically where Sutton has done the bulk of his damage from a fantasy perspective. Adjustments will obviously be made to Denver's passing offense, but after two consecutive top-13 fantasy finishes, Sutton should still see enough of a role to make him a regular contributor for contending dynasty managers hunting for bargains.

Free agent tight end David Njoku was unable to find a home in the early wave of free agency, and at this point, it would seem he is waiting until after the NFL Draft to make a decision on his future. The soon-to-be-30-year-old former first-round pick was released by the Cleveland Browns after nine seasons with the team, largely in part to the emergence of Harrold Fannin Jr., who led the team in receptions, yards, and touchdowns as a rookie. This is considered to be another deep rookie class, with a record 27 tight ends receiving invites to the NFL Combine, so many teams might opt to look for a younger, cheaper option at the position, with Njoku seeing a year-over-year decline in production since recording career highs across the board with 81 catches for 882 and six touchdowns in 2023. That said, even approaching his second decade in the league, Njoku's athleticism is rare for the position, and he could still find a fantasy-relevant role, even if it comes as a mid-season injury replacement.

Before he was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a late-round pick swap, wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. had led the Indianapolis Colts in targets for five consecutive seasons. In his absence, one of the pass catchers most expected to benefit from the newly formed triple-digit target vacuum is tight end Tyler Warren, fresh off a rookie season in which his 76 receptions led all first-year players. He was also the third most targeted tight end in the league, and with Pittman no longer taking up residence between the numbers, Warren's target share could rise to the ranks of the fantasy elite. Alec Pierce signed a top-of-the market deal to stay in Indianapolis as the primary downfield and boundary option, but he has never cracked 85 targets or 50 receptions in a season, while Josh Downs, who could offer more direct target competition on short to intermediate routes, is listed at only 171 pounds and has seen his snap count drop in each of his professional seasons.

Veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore has officially announced his retirement from the NFL. Gilmore crafted a thoughtful Instagram post in which he thanked his family, coaches, and fans for their continuous support throughout his 13-year career. He spent his first nine seasons in the AFC East with the Bills and Patriots before embarking on one-year stints with the Panthers, Colts, Cowboys, and Vikings. Gilmore expressed a desire to play football in 2025 but ultimately sat out last season. The former first-round pick finishes his career with 32 interceptions and 149 passes defended. He led the league in both categories with the Patriots in 2019, when he was also named Defensive Player of the Year. While not a Hall of Fame lock, Gilmore was as good as anyone during the peak of his career.

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford could have a limited workload leading up to the 2026 regular season, according to Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com. Stafford missed most of training camp last summer due to a back injury, and the Rams will likely modify the number of throws he makes this upcoming summer to ensure that he stays healthy. Jimmy Garoppolo took most of the QB1 reps when Stafford was sidelined last summer, and the Rams will likely follow a similar plan during training camp this year. Not only does reducing Stafford's workload keep him healthy, but it also increases the reps for Garoppolo, who needs to be ready in case his number is called at any point during the regular season. As long as Stafford stays healthy, he remains a low-end QB1 in fantasy football because of his role in a high-volume passing offense and the tremendous presence of receivers Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.

New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh said that he is "certain" tight end Isaiah Likely will take a major leap in 2026, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com. Harbaugh explained that he saw tremendous upside in Likely when the two were together in Baltimore, but the tight end never had much of an opportunity to break out because of the scheme and personnel. Indeed, Likely had his career-worst fantasy finish last year, checking in as the TE45 with 27 catches, 307 yards, and one touchdown. If Harbaugh is right, Likely could be due for his first-ever top-18 finish in 2026. However, we also need to be careful of just how much trust we invest in offseason coachspeak. Likely finds himself in a crowded Giants offense that also features Malik Nabers (knee), Theo Johnson, Darius Slayton, and Darnell Mooney. Likely is a high-risk, high-reward trade target this offseason. He could break out, as Harbaugh suggested, but he could also be headed for another year in a depth role.

NFL officials in Phoenix all believe that free-agent wide receiver Jauan Jennings is asking for too much money on the open market this offseason, according to Matt Barrows and Vic Tafur of The Athletic. "He's outplayed his talent," one head coach said. Jennings and the San Francisco 49ers couldn't work out a long-term deal last summer and instead worked out a one-year deal. The 28-year-old is by far the best remaining player on the free-agent market, but his financial demands might need to come down a bit for him to find a new home. Jennings, a former seventh-round pick in 2020 out of Tennessee, wasn't very involved in the Bay Area in his first three NFL seasons before breaking out in 2024 with a 77-975-6 line in 15 regular-season games. Jennings had a career-best nine touchdowns in 2025, but he also regressed elsewhere with just 55 catches for 643 yards in 15 regular-season starts. His 2024 campaign could easily end up being Jennings' high-water mark, but he could still have plenty of fantasy relevance as a chain-mover in 2026, depending on where he ends up.

The San Francisco 49ers have made it clear that wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) won't be back with the team in 2026, but they are in no rush to get rid of him, according to The Athletic's Matt Barrows and Vic Tafur. If an NFL team is interested in Aiyuk's services and wants him in their building this spring to learn their offense, they can trade for him, but there's no reason for the Niners to do any other team a favor by handing Aiyuk over now for a draft pick. They may release him after the NFL draft at the end of April if they can't find a trade suitor by then, but they can also wait longer if they want to, as the 49ers don't owe Aiyuk anything until his option bonus is due on Sept. 1. The Washington Commanders seem like the logical destination because of general manager Adam Peters' familiarity with Aiyuk from his time in the Bay Area. Aiyuk was also teammates with Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels at Arizona State. The 28-year-old former first-rounder had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2022 and 2023, but he played in only seven games in 2024 before tearing his ACL, and he didn't play at all last year. There are questions about Aiyuk's motivation, making him a very risky option for NFL teams and fantasy managers going forward.