Fantasy Football News

The dynasty value of Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan has been difficult to gauge through his first two seasons in the league, making him an attractive low-cost buy before this week's NFL Draft. A third-round pick in 2024, his rookie season began slowly but took off late in the year. On the strength of eight receiving touchdowns across his final five games, McMillan was the WR7 from Weeks 14 through 18. Peaking as KeepTradeCut's WR30 in the early 2025 offseason, any hopes of a true sophomore breakout were suppressed when the Buccaneers used the 19th overall pick on Emeka Egbuka and then fully extinguished when a scary preseason neck injury cost McMillan all but four games in 2025. With the Buccaneers' offense struggling as a whole by the time he returned, McMillan still managed to top 100 yards in Week 17, providing a WR10 finish in fantasy championship week and reminding managers of his spike potential. With Mike Evans signing a three-year deal with the 49ers in free agency, McMillan could be primed for his biggest role to date as the most prototypical boundary receiver remaining in Tampa. At RotoBaller's dynasty WR65, McMillan is a low-cost acquisition who has already shown the ability to win weeks, making him particularly undervalued in best-ball formats.

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is coming off the worst season of his six-year career. He hit single-season yardage and touchdown lows, while his 4.9 receptions per game were approximately a catch and a half below his career average. And yet, Jefferson is still RotoBaller's dynasty WR4, largely because his 2025 struggles can be almost entirely explained away by some of the worst quarterback play in the league. Vikings quarterbacks threw for 3,176 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 21 interceptions in 2025, bottom-four numbers across the board. While Minnesota may not have found a long-term solution at the position, they've at least brought in a Band-Aid for 2026, signing Cardinals castoff Kyler Murray to a one-year deal at the start of free agency. While Murray has had his own struggles of late, he can stand on a proven record of supporting a true number one receiver, peppering DeAndre Hopkins with over 150 targets in their first season together, en route to a WR7 finish in 2020. Even if a clear path out of the darkness wasn't evident at the time, Jefferson was one of the smartest buy-lows of the 2025 season, and at just 26 years old, his cost to acquire may still be suppressed enough to make him a worthwhile buy before the new season starts and he reminds the league of what he's capable.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy has had a tumultuous start to his NFL career. While Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, and Bo Nix, fellow quarterbacks taken in the 2024 NFL Draft, have all seen their dynasty stock rise tremendously through their first two years in the league, McCarthy's has been in free fall. After missing the entire 2024 season with a torn meniscus sustained in the preseason, McCarthy struggled mightily in what was essentially a redshirt rookie season, throwing for 163.2 yards per game while tossing 11 touchdowns to 12 interceptions, all the while dealing with nagging injuries and rumors of a soft benching. Heading into his third season, the Vikings have brought in former Cardinal Kyler Murray on a one-year deal. While Murray has faced his own on-field struggles of late, the presumption is that he should have the inside track to Minnesota's starting job in 2026, and after peaking as high as QB12 before ever taking a regular-season snap, McCarthy has fallen to RotoBaller's dynasty QB28. While things currently look bleak for his NFL future, it's important to remember that McCarthy is only 23 and has made just 10 professional starts. With Murray's deal only tying him to the Vikings for one season, a lot can happen between now and the point when Minnesota will need to make a decision on McCarthy's fifth-year option. Depending on just how low his stock dips, he could still be a worthwhile dart-throw acquisition for rebuilding dynasty managers.

Fresh off the closest MVP race in recent history, New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye is RotoBaller's dynasty QB2, though the market would suggest he may be the most difficult player to acquire via trade. The 23-year-old third overall pick from 2024 finished his second season with 4,394 yards and 31 touchdowns through the air and an additional 450 and four on the ground, good enough for a QB2 finish in most fantasy formats, and the arrow is still pointing up. Although a trade with the Eagles likely won't become official until after June 1st, dynasty managers are presently treating an A.J. Brown to the Patriots deal as a foregone conclusion, with the upgraded weaponry already baked into Maye's cost. At nearly 29 years old, Brown is still a dominant outside threat who could open things up even further for arguably the best downfield thrower in the league, and his presence would allow the rest of New England's receivers to slot into their more natural roles without having to fight up a weight class. The acquisition of Romeo Doubs to replace Stefon Diggs can be seen as a lateral move given the trajectory of each player, and the Patriots also made moves to bolster an offensive line that had its struggles throughout the 2025 season. Even with his rushing numbers dropping from his rookie season, Maye proved that he belongs among the fantasy elite, and if given the chance to fully utilize all his tools with a better surrounding cast, it should surprise nobody if he claims the QB1 title in the near future.

New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson missed 10 games in 2025, so the business-as-usual start with which he began the year may not be as fresh in the minds of dynasty managers as it could be. Through the first six weeks of the season, Wilson caught 36 passes for 395 yards and four scores, good enough to make him the WR9 on a 17-game pace of 102 receptions, 1,119 yards, and 11 touchdowns until a knee injury derailed his season. By all accounts, Wilson's recovery has gone well, and he should have no limitations heading into the 2026 season, either personally or from a quarterbacking perspective. The Jets traded for former Comeback Player of the Year winner Geno Smith, and while he's coming off a down year with the Raiders, he arguably represents the best quarterback that Wilson has played with in his four-year career. That title is currently held by a past-his-prime Aaron Rodgers, from whom Wilson caught over 100 passes in 2024 despite sharing the field with Davante Adams for much of the year. Wilson's 7.9 targets per game across his 11 games played with Adams showed he can still draw volume even when playing alongside elite target competition, an important factor with the Jets holding four of the first 44 picks in the week's NFL Draft and wide receiver high atop their list of needs. Should the team invest early capital in one of the premier wideouts in the class, Wilson could see a slight drop to his current dynasty status as RotoBaller's WR13, and contending managers should try to buy the dip.

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay said that the team wants free-agent quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to return in 2026, but they are "letting him figure out his future," according to Rams beat writer Stu Jackson. There is no timeline for Garoppolo to decide on his future, and the Rams are not rushing him. It was reported on Monday that Jimmy G is considering hanging up his cleats after 12 seasons in the NFL. The 34-year-old veteran has been with the Rams for the last two seasons, but he's appeared in just four games (one start) while working behind Matthew Stafford, who was named NFL MVP in 2025. With Garoppolo being a free agent, only Stafford and Stetson Bennett are on the roster as QBs. Even if Garoppolo decides to re-sign with the Rams and return for another season, it would not be a surprise to see L.A. address the position in this week's NFL draft on Day 2 or 3. Garoppolo has only made double-digit starts in a season three times in his 12-year NFL career.

Cleveland Browns tight end Harold Fannin Jr. (groin) was present for the start of the team's voluntary offseason program on Tuesday, per Kelsey Russo of ClevelandBrowns.com. The 21-year-old tight end appears to be past the groin issue that kept him sidelined for the Week 18 regular-season finale late last year against the Cincinnati Bengals. The former third-rounder out of Bowling Green had a very special first year in the NFL, leading the Browns in receiving with 72 receptions for 731 yards and six touchdowns on 107 targets in 16 games played. He quickly surpassed David Njoku on the TE depth chart and excelled despite another tough season for Browns quarterbacks. Njoku is on the free-agent market and won't be returning to Cleveland in 2026, either, so Fannin should have an even higher fantasy football ceiling as a TE1 as he heads into Year 2. Fannin will be more intriguing to fantasy managers if Shedeur Sanders wins the starting QB job, as the two have chemistry already from last season.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (Achilles) has gone first in most of the early drills during the team's offseason program over second-year QB Shedeur Sanders, and Watson's arm and agility "look good," according to Mark Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. Although Watson has not played since October of 2024 due to a twice-torn Achilles tendon, owner Jimmy Haslam said at the owners' meetings in late March that the 30-year-old signal-caller has a "great chance" to compete for the starting QB gig in 2026. Watson is heading into the final year of a five-year, $230 million deal that he signed with Cleveland in 2022. There have been conflicting reports about who is the favorite to win the starting QB job this summer between Watson and Sanders. Watson probably doesn't have a future with the Browns beyond the 2026 campaign, but if he's fully healthy, he has way more experience than Sanders and could give the team's offense a higher ceiling. At best in fantasy football, Watson will be a low-end QB2 with a lot to prove in superflex leagues if he wins the starting job.

Across 12 games in 2025, Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid recorded 39 receptions for 571 yards and five touchdowns on 49 targets. While Kincaid had his most efficient season on a per-target basis, volume continues to be a major impediment to his fantasy production. Kincaid missed time with knee and hamstring injuries in 2025 and has been sidelined for nine contests over the past two seasons. Buffalo also limits Kincaid's snap counts even when he's active, as he played fewer than 50% of the team's offensive snaps in 10 out of his 12 outings in 2025. As a former first-round pick who has flashed upside at certain points throughout his first three NFL seasons, Kincaid remains a somewhat buzzy name in fantasy circles. However, Buffalo is reportedly considering a load management plan for Kincaid once again in 2026 as it works through ways to keep him healthy throughout the season. In dynasty formats, the window to sell relatively high on Kincaid may be slowly closing.

Veteran New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (knee) had the least productive season of his career in 2025, recording just 657 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown on 164 touches across 11 games. The 30-year-old also finished the year on the sidelines after suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 12. The Saints signed former Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. to a four-year, $52 million contract in free agency, seemingly bringing Kamara's time as the RB1 in New Orleans to a close. While Kamara has been an excellent receiving back throughout his career and could still provide some fantasy production in a third-down role, his dynasty value is obviously plummeting following the Saints' acquisition of Etienne Jr. If the Saints choose to further fortify the running back position in the upcoming NFL Draft, Kamara could find himself completely out of a roster spot in New Orleans. Dynasty managers may want to consider selling on Kamara now before his value drops even further.

A fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan James spent his rookie season buried on the Niners' running back depth chart. James was slowed by a preseason injury and did not record a single carry during the regular season. However, the 22-year-old recorded six carries for 28 yards during the 49ers' NFC Divisional Round loss to the Seattle Seahawks and drew praise from San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan for the way he closed the year. Offseason reporting indicates that James could be the frontrunner to open 2026 as the primary backup to star 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey. If that comes to fruition, James would be just one injury away from fantasy prominence. In dynasty formats, James profiles as a sneaky buy-low candidate whose value will likely gain traction following the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.

The Denver Broncos made wide receiver Jaylen Waddle one of the offseason's biggest trade acquisitions by sending three draft picks to the Miami Dolphins for him. Waddle bounced back from a down year in 2024 with strong production in 2025, recording 64 receptions for 910 yards and six touchdowns on 100 targets across 16 games with Miami. After former Dolphins wideout Tyreek Hill (knee) went down with a season-ending knee injury in Week 4, Waddle had the advantage of being the clear number one pass-catcher in Miami. He could end up playing the same role in Denver, but the Broncos have other capable pass-catchers in wide receivers Courtland Sutton, Pat Bryant, and Troy Franklin. Still, the upgrade in offensive environment from Miami to Denver should be a net positive for Waddle's fantasy production. In Waddle's last fully healthy season with an above-average offense in 2022, he recorded 1,356 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. In dynasty formats, Waddle has clear buy-low appeal ahead of his first season in Denver.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs had a bit of a down year in 2025, recording 58 receptions for 566 yards and four touchdowns on 88 targets across 16 games. The Colts' 2025 draft-day acquisition of tight end Tyler Warren and the emergence of wide receiver Alec Pierce (ankle) both limited Downs' role in his team's offense. After averaging 7.6 targets per game in 2024, Downs averaged just 5.5 targets per game in 2025. While Warren and Pierce both remain in Indianapolis, the Colts traded away veteran wideout Michael Pittman Jr., who earned 111 targets last season. In Pittman Jr.'s absence, Downs should be in a position to play a more prominent role in the Indianapolis passing game. If the Colts do not add another big-name pass-catcher in the upcoming NFL Draft, Downs' dynasty value will almost certainly be on the rise. As such, now could be the best time for dynasty managers to buy low on Downs ahead of a possible bounce-back season.

After spending the first 12 seasons of his NFL career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, veteran wide receiver Mike Evans made headlines by signing with the San Francisco 49ers in free agency earlier this offseason. Injuries forced Evans to miss nine games in his final year with Tampa Bay in 2025. Across the eight games he was healthy for, the 32-year-old hauled in 30 receptions for 368 yards and three touchdowns on 62 targets. While Evans should no longer be expected to provide the same production he once did at his peak, he currently profiles as the clear number one wide receiver in the 49ers' passing game. Particularly with star 49ers tight end George Kittle (Achilles) working his way back from a torn Achilles tendon, Evans could dominate targets early in the year in San Francisco. In dynasty formats, now might be the time for win-now managers to buy low on Evans before his value starts gaining momentum following the upcoming NFL Draft.

Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane said that kicker Tyler Bass (hernia) is really close to being fully healthy, according to Sydney Ciano and Maddy Glab of the team's official website. "If he's not 100 (percent), he's right at it," Beane said. Bass was working his way back from a sports hernia last year, but he eventually had surgery and was ruled out for the season in late November. With Bass out for all of last year, Buffalo mixed and matched at placekicker with veteran Matt Prater and Michael Badgley, neither of whom is with the team heading into the 2026 season. All signs are pointing to the Bills rolling with Bass as their primary kicker now that he's recovered from his hernia. The 29-year-old has been the team's kicker since being selected in the sixth round in 2020 out of Georgia Southern. In his five NFL seasons, he's made 84.5% of his 155 field-goal attempts, including going 16-for-23 from 50-plus yards. There will be more risk surrounding Bass in fantasy football, but he could be a nice sleeper target in drafts after he finished as a top-10 kicker in 2024.

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy didn't give a firm timeframe for when in the offseason program he would want free-agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers to join the team, but he expressed confidence in Rodgers if the team ends up re-signing him, according to Mike DeFabo of The Athletic. "I think Aaron is probably more in tune than we would realize. But I have confidence in where he would be the day he would arrive, if that's his decision," McCarthy said. There is still some uncertainty as to Rodgers' future, and nothing is expected to be announced before this week's NFL draft, but all signs continue to point to the future Hall of Famer returning for another year in the Steel City to reunite with McCarthy. The 42-year-old four-time NFL MVP led Pittsburgh to the postseason in 2025, but he finished as the QB19 in fantasy scoring with 3,322 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, and seven interceptions in 16 regular-season games. The Steelers added receiver Michael Pittman Jr. in a trade this offseason, but Rodgers should still be viewed as a low-upside, low-end QB2 in fantasy if he officially returns to Pittsburgh for one more year in 2026.

Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen told the media on Tuesday that quarterback Daniel Jones (Achilles) is "dropping back and throwing" as he recovers from a torn Achilles that he suffered in the Week 14 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars last year, according to Mike Chappell of FOX 59. General manager Chris Ballard said on Monday in a pre-draft news conference that Jones is "progressing really well." Despite the 28-year-old's torn Achilles, the Colts doubled down on him as their starting QB this offseason by signing him to a two-year, $88 million deal to bring him back for the next two seasons. The former sixth overall pick of the New York Giants in 2019 out of Duke looked great in his 13 starts in his first year in Indy in 2025 before going down with his Achilles injury, throwing for 3,101 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. There is optimism that he'll be ready for Week 1 of the 2026 regular season, although fantasy managers should be viewing him as a risk/reward QB2 in drafts this fall.

Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike (neck), who suffered a season-ending and career-threatening neck injury in Week 2 of last year, underwent neck surgery last week that left his doctors believing he will be able to resume playing in 2026, sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN. Madubuike has been taking part in the team's voluntary offseason program, but to what extent is unknown. When healthy, the 28-year-old nose tackle was a big part of the interior of Baltimore's defensive line, getting named to back-to-back Pro Bowls in 2023 and 2024. In that span, he had 99 tackles (59 solo), 19.5 sacks, 23 tackles for loss, 50 QB hits, and two forced fumbles in 34 starts. Getting the former third-rounder in 2020 out of Texas A&M back for the upcoming season would be a massive boost for the Ravens' defense, and it could affect their strategy in the upcoming NFL draft.

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said that wide receiver Kayshon Boutte is not present this week for the start of voluntary offseason workouts, according to Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. The Patriots and Boutte have been in communication, but the 23-year-old wideout has chosen to stay away from the team after a report surfaced on Monday that Boutte's name has come up in trade talks as he enters the final year of his contract in 2026. The Pats signed former Packers receiver Romeo Doubs in free agency, and they are expected to complete a trade for Philadelphia Eagles pass-catcher A.J. Brown after June 1, making Boutte expendable. Boutte was the Patriots' sixth-round pick in 2023 out of LSU. He only appeared in five games in his rookie campaign, but he's gone over 500 receiving yards in each of the last two seasons, and he scored a career-high six touchdowns in 14 regular-season contests (10 starts) in 2025. If New England does indeed acquire Brown from Philly, Boutte's best chance for a boost in fantasy value will be via a trade to another organization.

Carolina Panthers second-year wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan said that he dropped 10 to 15 pounds during his rookie season in 2025 and got down to around 205 pounds, according to Joe Person of The Athletic. As a result, McMillan spent the offseason working on his "power" and weight/muscle gain. The 23-year-old former eighth overall pick out of the University of Arizona was named the Offensive Rookie of the Year after catching 70 of his 122 targets for 1,014 yards and seven touchdowns in 17 starts in his first year in the league. McMillan immediately became quarterback Bryce Young's go-to target in the passing game, and his arrow is firmly pointing upward in dynasty/keeper leagues as he heads into Year 2. He should grow in offensive coordinator Brad Idzik's scheme in his second season after finishing last year as the WR15 in half-PPR scoring. In redraft leagues this fall, fantasy managers should consider McMillan a low-end WR1/high-end WR2.