Fantasy Football News

New York Jets offensive coordinator Frank Reich said that veteran quarterback Geno Smith is the "perfect fit" for his offense, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN. "I feel his resilience, his toughness," Reich said. The Jets swung and missed with their free-agent acquisition of QB Justin Fields last year, so this year they acquired Smith from the Las Vegas Raiders after he was one of the worst starting signal-callers in the league in 2025. Perhaps they're hoping the 35-year-old veteran can lead the Jets to the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 draft like he did for the Raiders this year. The former second-rounder by the Jets in 2013 out of West Virginia made back-to-back Pro Bowls in 2022 and 2023 with the Seattle Seahawks, but he went 2-13 in his 15 starts for the Raiders in 2025, throwing for 3,025 yards, 19 touchdowns, and a league-high 17 interceptions. He also took the most sacks of any QB with 55. Smith will start for the Jets in Week 1, but we wouldn't be surprised if he was benched sooner rather than later. At best, he's a QB3 option in superflex fantasy leagues for the 2026 campaign despite the Jets adding some weaponry to their offense in this year's draft in the form of tight end Kenyon Sadiq and receiver Omar Cooper Jr.

When a source was asked if the noise about veteran free-agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers going to the Arizona Cardinals was real, the source said, "Not at all," according to Josh Weinfuss of ESPN. If Rodgers decides to return for a 22nd year in the NFL, it will only be for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Cardinals have veteran signal-callers Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew under center, and just drafted former University of Miami QB Carson Beck in the third round of the 2026 NFL draft. All signs this offseason have pointed to a reunion between Rodgers and Pittsburgh, although recent reports suggest the Steelers' brass could be growing impatient since the 42-year-old has yet to make a decision on his playing status for the 2026 season. Even if another team like Arizona were to make an offer to Rodgers, the Steelers have the right of first refusal to match any offer sheet. They have Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, and rookie Drew Allar in their QB room, but if Rodgers re-signs, he'll be the starter once again for the upcoming season. Despite improvements to the team's WR room, Rodgers figures to be a low-upside QB2 in superflex fantasy leagues if he's playing in 2026. RotoBaller currently has him ranked as the No. 29 player at the position.

Jacksonville Jaguars general manager James Gladstone said on Wednesday on the Rich Eisen Show that wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter (knee) should be "full-go" for the start of training camp in late July and that he will play both on offense and defense again in 2026 in his second NFL season. The 22-year-old former Heisman Trophy winner tore the LCL in his knee in late October, cutting what could have been a promising rookie year short. The former second overall pick out of Colorado finished his rookie campaign with 28 receptions on 45 targets for 298 yards and one touchdown in seven games on offense, and he really didn't do much as a receiver until his final game in London against the Los Angeles Rams, when he went over 100 yards for the first time and scored his lone TD. Gladstone elaborated that Hunter is expected to see an uptick in usage as a defensive back in 2026, but that won't mean that Hunter's usage on offense will decrease. He's going to play both ways, but the Jags have more of a need in their defensive backfield than they do in their WR room. On offense, Hunter will still be involved, but with Jakobi Meyers, Brian Thomas Jr., and Parker Washington all still around, it's going to be difficult for him to stand out from a production standpoint every week as a pass-catcher. Hunter's redraft and dynasty stock is down considerably from what it was a year ago at this time, and RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 75 fantasy wideout for the upcoming season.

Free-agent quarterback Russell Wilson said the New York Jets offered him a contract after he visited their facilities last week, according to Ryan Dunleavy of The California Post. The 37-year-old former Super Bowl champion said his visit with the Jets "was great," but he's also mulling a potential opportunity in television with CBS Sports for the 2026 season. If Wilson were to sign with the Jets, it would be as a backup to veteran Geno Smith. The Jets already have rookie Cade Klubnik, Bailey Zappe, and Brady Cook in their QB room in addition to Smith. The 37-year-old 10-time Pro Bowler is nearing the end of his amazing NFL career after the Seattle Seahawks took a chance on him in the third round (75th overall) in 2012 out of Wisconsin. Since leaving Seattle following the 2021 season, Wilson hasn't had much success in Denver, Pittsburgh, and New York. He made six appearances (three starts) with the Giants last year and threw for 831 yards, three touchdowns, and three picks before being benched for young QB Jaxson Dart. At this point, a starting gig in the NFL probably isn't in the cards for Wilson.

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud has been locked in this offseason and is focused on ways to improve after a second straight disappointing campaign in 2025. ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime reports that Stroud made a noticeable change to his diet to slim down this offseason, avoiding sugars and carbs. The Texans picked up Stroud's fifth-year option for the 2027 season, but 2026 will be a prove-it year to convince the team that he deserves a long-term extension. Photographs on Instagram that Stroud has shared in the weight room show a more shredded and slimmed-down version of himself. The former second overall pick out of Ohio State was a Pro Bowler in his first NFL season in 2023, throwing for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns, and five interceptions in 15 regular-season starts, but he hasn't come close to those numbers the last two seasons, and he threw for a career-low 3,041 yards and 19 TDs in 2025. The 24-year-old hasn't always been helped by the offensive line in front of him, but he appears determined to turn things around, and a bounce-back campaign could be coming if second-year wideouts Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel can step up behind WR1 Nico Collins. Target Stroud as a QB2 with upside in fantasy drafts this fall.

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Bhayshul Tuten still doesn't have the backfield all to himself, but he could be the team's top dynasty running back because of his age. All signs point to a true 50/50 split between Tuten and Chris Rodriguez, so even though they have different value in dynasty leagues, they're similarly valued in redraft formats. From a dynasty perspective, we're more intrigued by Tuten, who is just 23 years old, than Rodriguez, who is 26. Ever since he was drafted last year, it seemed like Tuten could be the eventual No. 1 ball-carrier in Jacksonville, and that outlook remains in place after the team watched Travis Etienne Jr. depart in free agency. Rodriguez could represent a thorn in his side, but he could also be a valuable complementary piece to keep Tuten's legs fresh and keep the offense less predictable. Given that we never felt like Tuten was going to be a dynasty RB1 anyway, we're not too concerned about the presence of Rodriguez. Tuten has low-end RB2 or high-end RB3 appeal this year, and he ranks as a low-end RB2 in RotoBaller's latest dynasty fantasy football rankings.

The San Francisco 49ers give a handful of draft prospects "gold helmet" designations for their exemplary standing in several areas, including leadership and football intelligence. Former Ole Miss wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling, who the team selected at 33rd overall at the top of the second round, is considered one of the "gold helmet" prospects, according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic. "The passion the guy has, the work ethic, the toughness, the durability. He checks all those boxes at a high level," vice president of player personnel Tariq Ahmad said. The 23-year-old Stribling also scored the highest ever in a personality test called the Judgment Index, which seeks to shed light on a player's decision-making skills and value. Stribling was a surprise pick at that spot early in the second round, as he never had over 882 receiving yards or six touchdowns in his five collegiate seasons at Washington State, Oklahoma State, and Ole Miss. At best, Stribling will be an option as San Fran's WR3 in his rookie season in 2026 behind Mike Evans and Ricky Pearsall. He won't be on the fantasy radar in single-year leagues in 2026, but his size (6-foot-2, 207 pounds) and speed (4.36-second 40-yard dash) give him upside in the long term if his intangibles set him apart.

Free agent running back Joe Mixon (ankle, foot) remains unsigned, and now that we've reached the month of May, there are serious questions about whether he'll be able to occupy a meaningful role for the 2026 season. Mixon missed all of last year due to injury, and while we know he was dealing with ankle and foot issues, the Texans were very secretive about his status and why his injury timeline dragged on so much longer than anticipated. Even as Mixon hits free agency, we still haven't heard any updates about his health or status. The fact that none of the 32 teams has signed him feels discouraging, though. It was a rapid fall-off for the veteran back, who is just one year removed from tallying 1,016 rushing yards, 309 receiving yards, and 12 touchdowns in Houston. Now, if he does sign somewhere, it'll likely be in a backup role, capping his standalone value in the RB3/flex tier (at best). As long as he's unsigned, Mixon is somewhat untouchable in fantasy football, slotting in as the overall RB73 in RotoBaller's latest dynasty rankings.

Denver Broncos running back RJ Harvey remains the projected No. 1 option atop the depth chart, but it would be surprising to see him carve out an every-down role after the team re-signed J.K. Dobbins and drafted Jonah Coleman. It took a while for Harvey to occupy a significant role as a rookie last season, and he only started averaging 16+ touches per game once Dobbins went down with an injury. Now that Dobbins is healthy and back on the roster, he should chip into Harvey's workload. Meanwhile, we expect Coleman to steal some touches, too. It might not happen right away since he's a rookie with Day 3 draft capital, but there have been plenty of analysts who view Coleman as an eventual three-down back and potential late-round steal. The problem with adding Coleman to the mix is that it doesn't just impact Harvey's redraft value, but it hurts him in dynasty leagues, too. He has fallen to RB25 in RotoBaller's latest dynasty fantasy football rankings, and it's difficult to envision him climbing much higher than that as the Broncos appear committed to a shared backfield.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield still finished as the QB12 in fantasy football last season, but it was a down year by his standards. He had been the QB10 and QB4 in the previous two seasons, and he finished 2025 with a relatively underwhelming stat line of 3,693 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. While some of the blame can be attributed to a wide receiver room that struggled to stay healthy, we would have liked to see him prevail and continue to produce, especially since it's such a talented wide receiver depth chart. Mike Evans departed in free agency, but with Chris Godwin Jr., Emeka Egbuka, and Jalen McMillan at his disposal, Mayfield still has plenty of targets who can help him get back to the top-eight range in fantasy football. He could also benefit from a coaching staff change, as the Bucs brought in Zac Robinson to replace offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard. Furthermore, there could be some added motivation from the fact that Mayfield is heading into a contract year. If he doesn't sign an extension before the season, there's a chance he could be showcasing himself for all 32 teams. With that being said, there's also slightly less certainty about his future beyond 2026, which is why we've seen him drop to QB19 in RotoBaller's dynasty fantasy football rankings.

Atlanta Falcons running back Brian Robinson Jr. represents an intriguing dynasty target this offseason. Not only is he a top handcuff running back behind Brian Robinson, but he could also have some standalone value given the Falcons' tendency to use multiple running backs. Atlanta brought in Robinson to replace Tyler Allgeier. While we don't typically think of Robinson as a big pass-catching threat, he is averaging more than 1.25 receptions per game throughout his career, and he had 36 catches across 15 games in 2023 alone. He won't necessarily steal a ton of receiving work from Bijan Robinson, who is an incredible receiver, too. However, Brian Robinson Jr.'s versatility at least gives him a chance to rotate in on a wide variety of downs, not just third. Whatever his role ends up being, it's far more appealing than last season in San Francisco, where he barely touched the ball behind Christian McCaffrey. Robinson remains a top handcuff, and he could even have some standalone RB3/flex value if he vultures some of Bijan Robinson's touches early in the season.

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (back) is working on returning from an injury that sidelined him for the final eight games of the 2025 season. Because of the injury, he finished as the TE27 in PPR leagues, catching a modest 40 passes for 489 yards and just three touchdowns. LaPorta wasn't a major touchdown threat last year, but he was on pace to set a new career-high in receiving yards before the injury. Together, he and Amon-Ra St. Brown stepped up as highly dependable targets for quarterback Jared Goff. While this is a crowded offense, the Lions have shown that they can make it work. Goff is capable of supporting big years from all of LaPorta, St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Jahmyr Gibbs. As a result, as long as he's healthy in 2026, we expect a big bounce-back year from LaPorta. He's the TE6 in RotoBaller's latest dynasty fantasy football rankings, and dynasty managers can get him at a discount because he's coming off an injury.

Kansas City Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker III suggested on Up & Adams that he could be used more as a receiver with his new team in 2026. The MVP of Super Bowl LX while with the Seattle Seahawks has been spending time with quarterback Patrick Mahomes (knee) this offseason and is preparing for an expanded role as a pass-catching RB. "We've been working on getting connected in the passing game and everything, so that's good," Walker told Kay Adams. "I feel like I'll be used more in the pass game." Walker averaged fewer than 40 catches and 300 yards receiving per season over his four years with the Seahawks. He was most involved as a pass-catcher in 2024, catching 46 passes on 53 targets, but it came with just 299 receiving yards, and he has only two receiving scores in his career. In the last five years, the Chiefs have featured three different RBs with at least 40 catches in a season, and in two of those seasons, Eric Bieniemy was the offensive coordinator. The move to KC is a definite boost for Walker's fantasy value in redraft and dynasty leagues, and RotoBaller currently has him ranked as the No. 10 overall RB for the 2026 season.

Following a 2025 mid-season trade that brought him to Jacksonville, veteran wide receiver Jakobi Meyers was a key piece in unlocking quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars' offense as a whole. After playing on only 27 total snaps in his first game with the team, Meyers averaged seven targets and 4.9 receptions from Week 11 onward, finishing as the fantasy WR17 across that stretch. With a full offseason in Liam Coen's offense, Meyers is expected to take another step forward, but the crowded receiver room in Jacksonville could ultimately limit his ceiling. Even with Travis Hunter reported to see limited offensive reps in year two, Meyers still shares a room with 2024 first-round pick Brian Thomas Jr. and Parker Washington, who finished as the WR11 over the final 10 weeks of the year. Heading into his eighth season, the 29-year-old Meyers is RotoBaller's dynasty WR40, which could be viewed as a slight mispricing with the 24-year-old Washington slotting in several spots below him at WR49 and Thomas only up at WR27, just two seasons removed from his WR4 finish as a rookie. For contending dynasty managers, Meyers is a solid hold who can provide reliable weekly fantasy floors, but for those seeking more upside, Thomas and Washington may represent the more attractive swings at their currently depressed values.

Houston Texans wide receiver Jayden Higgins showed flashes as a second-round rookie in 2025, but his path to a Year 2 leap could come with struggles along the way. The biggest obstacle could be the quarterback play of C.J. Stroud, who has regressed each year since his historic rookie campaign in 2023. The Texans have invested heavily in the offensive line, which should have a ripple effect on Stroud and the offense as a whole, but Higgins will still need to carve out a meaningful role to find dynasty staying power. Higgins scored two touchdowns in the three games missed by two-time Pro Bowler Nico Collins, and with the two both profiling as prototypical X-receivers, Higgins may not always find the field in two-receiver sets. With fellow second-year Cyclone Jaylin Noel expected to inherit Christian Kirk's role out of the slot, Higgins could find himself in a rotation with Tank Dell, who is on track to return from the 2024 knee injury that cost him the entire 2025 season. Higgins has the traits to become a consistent fantasy producer, but dynasty managers may be underwhelmed by the opportunities he sees in his second season, and at RotoBaller's WR44, he merely remains a hold until he proves he can overcome the situation.

Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift has finished as the RB23 or better in each of his six seasons in the league, most recently turning in a career-best RB15 finish in 2025. Entering his second season in Ben Johnson's Bears offense, RotoBaller's dynasty RB26 represents an affordable RB2 who may not always look pretty, but consistently returns value. Johnson has modeled his offense in Chicago after the one he ran so successfully in Detroit. With Swift handling the role he first held with the Lions before it was perfected by Jahmyr Gibbs, he should continue to offer a reliable floor even with 2025 seventh-rounder Kyle Monangai proving capable of handling the David Montgomery role as a rookie. Quarterback Caleb Williams and the Bears offense as a whole are expected to take another step forward in year two under Johnson, which could lead to more scoring opportunities for both backs. At 27 years old, Swift should still have plenty of good football ahead of him, making him a smart dynasty buy who could realistically help to extend the window for contending managers.

The long-term dynasty success of Houston Texans running back Woody Marks will likely come down to his role in the passing game. As a rookie in 2025, Marks caught only 24 passes despite coming into the league as one of the most prolific receiving backs in college football history. With eight-year veteran Nick Chubb offering little in the running game, Marks was forced into a lead-back role for much of the season, but the fourth-round pick was not overly efficient on the ground, averaging only 3.6 yards per carry. With the Texans sending fourth and seventh-round picks to acquire David Montgomery, the former Lion and Bear is expected to handle the bulk of early-down, between-the-tackles work for Houston. The Texans have a recent history of turning the backfield over to a fourth-round rookie, with Dameon Pierce picking up 939 yards on 220 carries in 2022, only to drop off the fantasy map in later seasons. For Marks to have any dynasty staying power, he will need to lean on his obvious pass-catching abilities to carve out a meaningful change-of-pace role.

Buffalo Bills running back Ray Davis was viewed as one of the more valuable handcuffs in the league coming into his second season, but with James Cook handling the largest workload of his career en route to the 2025 rushing title, Davis offered almost nothing to fantasy managers. And when Cook did leave the field, it was more regularly the superior pass-catching Ty Johnson who took his place, limiting Davis to only 275 yards on 58 carries despite suiting up for all 17 games. The Bills brought in no additional running backs through either free agency or the NFL Draft, which could be viewed as a small victory for Davis, but is more likely an indicator that the situation could play out similarly in 2026. With Davis coming into the league as an older prospect, the 2024 fourth-round pick will already turn 27 during his third season, and if he has not already hit waiver wires in dynasty leagues, he is a suitable drop candidate to make room for the incoming crop of rookies.

Veteran free-agent wide receiver Stefon Diggs was found not guilty on Tuesday of assaulting his private chef in a pay dispute, according to ESPN. Diggs pleaded not guilty in February to a felony strangulation charge and a misdemeanor assault and battery charge that stemmed from the alleged dispute. The four-time Pro Bowler is now cleared for a return to the field, but he could still face discipline from the NFL as part of the league's personal-conduct policy. Jamila Adams, a former live-in personal chef, testified that Diggs slapped and choked her during an argument. "The evidence has shown what we've maintained from day one: Mr. Diggs was wrongly accused, and this case represents exactly the kind of opportunistic targeting that players can face the moment they step off the field," Diggs' attorneys said in a statement. Despite his off-the-field issues, Diggs is the top available player on the open market this late into the offseason after recording the seventh 1,000-yard season of his career in 2025 with the New England Patriots. He was released in March after signing a three-year, $69 million deal with the Pats last year. Diggs' 2026 fantasy value will depend entirely on where he lands.

Despite some speculation that he might retire at the end of the 2025 season, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce remains atop his team's depth chart heading into 2026. The 36-year-old is no longer the player he once was at his peak, but he still turned in a productive season with 76 catches for 851 yards and five touchdowns on 108 targets across 17 games in 2025. Kelce's fantasy value is closely tied to the health of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (knee), who is currently making his way back from knee surgery. Mahomes is expected to participate in OTAs, which could mean he's on track to be fully healthy by Week 1 of 2026. As long as he has his quarterback, Kelce looks like a good bet to put together another top-12 tight end season in PPR-scoring fantasy leagues. His uncertain future beyond 2026 limits his dynasty upside, but Kelce remains an appealing win-now option at the tight end position.