Fantasy Football News

Sports Illustrated's Jared Koch writes that the buzz surrounding Houston Texans second-year wide receiver Jayden Higgins has only grown since the team wrapped up their organized team activities and minicamp earlier this month. There have been plenty of signs that the 23-year-old is gearing up for an increased role in the offense in 2026, and he has looked strong during offseason workouts. "Higgins certainly has looked that part in the spring. His frame is nearly identical to Nico Collins', and while Collins is the physically stronger player, Higgins is a smoother, looser athlete than the Texans' incumbent No. 1--one staffer illustrated it as having a power forward (Collins) and small forward (Higgins) at the position. And having those two guys at around 6'4" on the outside certainly stands to present defenses with a host of problems," Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer wrote. From Weeks 9-18 last year, Higgins averaged over five targets and 40 yards a game, scoring four touchdowns over that span. He had a much bigger role later last year and finished with 41 catches, 525 yards, and six TDs in 17 games (10 starts). Higgins is absolutely worth a late-round pick as a young WR with breakout potential as he heads into his second season in the NFL.

In a video posted to Instagram, San Francisco 49ers disgruntled wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) said that if the Niners release him, he will sign with the Washington Commanders "tomorrow," according to ESPN. Aiyuk, who didn't play at all in 2025 due to a knee injury suffered in 2024, is still under contract with the 49ers, so it's unclear if Washington is actually interested in signing the former first-round talent. San Fran has held onto Aiyuk in hopes of trading him this offseason, but general manager John Lynch said in January that it was "safe to say that Aiyuk has played his last snap with the Niners." The 49ers may be waiting for the start of training camp at the end of July to decide on Aiyuk's status. The Niners signed Aiyuk to a four-year, $120 million contract extension in August of 2024, but he ended up playing in only seven games that year due to a torn ACL, MCL, and meniscus in his right knee. The Commanders have been a popular potential destination for Aiyuk to pair with WR1 Terry McLaurin after they have not re-signed Deebo Samuel Sr. in the offseason.

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith has been a productive player since entering the NFL in 2021, averaging 77 catches for 1,003 yards and six touchdowns on 110 targets per season across the first five years of his career. While Smith has still provided fantasy value, his upside in recent seasons has been capped by the Eagles' run-heavy offense and his status as the team's WR2 behind A.J. Brown. Entering 2026, Smith could have a chance to take his production to a new level following the Eagles' trade of Brown to the New England Patriots. While Philadelphia used a first-round pick in the 2026 Draft on wideout Makai Lemon, Smith profiles as his team's clear WR1. The Eagles could also look to open up their offense a bit in 2026 under the stewardship of new play-caller Sean Mannion. For dynasty contenders, targeting Smith ahead of what could be a full-on superstar breakout could be a wise move.

Alyssa Barbieri of Bears Wire lists Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams as an offseason winner as he heads into his third year in the NFL. Williams, the first overall pick in 2024 out of USC, had a trying first year in the NFL. But in Year 2 in 2025 in his first season with head coach Ben Johnson calling the plays, Williams improved, throwing for 3,942 yards, 27 touchdowns, and seven interceptions in 17 starts. Barbieri writes that Williams is poised for another jump in his development while working in the same scheme for a second straight year. The third-year signal-caller continued to make plays during offseason workouts and has plenty of talent on offense around him, despite the loss of receiver DJ Moore in the offseason. The biggest improvement last year came in the sack department, as Williams took only 24 sacks after leading the league with 68 as a rookie. Although Williams' completion percentage dropped from 62.5% to 58.1%, his arrow is pointing firmly up in redraft and dynasty/keeper fantasy leagues. RotoBaller has Williams ranked as the No. 7 fantasy QB for 2026.

A second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, New York Jets tight end Mason Taylor recorded 44 receptions for 369 yards and a touchdown on 65 targets across 13 games as a rookie. While Taylor's numbers may not leap off the page, he actually led the team in catches while playing with the highly underwhelming quarterback trio of Justin Fields, Tyrod Taylor, and Brady Cook. Despite Taylor's encouraging rookie year, New York used a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on tight end Kenyon Sadiq. However, Sadiq's high-end athleticism may allow him to play more like a slot receiver than a traditional in-line tight end, which could allow him and Taylor to share the field consistently. Taylor's dynasty outlook has definitely taken a hit since the Jets drafted Sadiq, but this may be an opportunity for dynasty managers to buy super low on a talented player who is still just 22 years old.

New York Giants new head coach John Harbaugh said that second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart is "adjusting really well" to the new offensive scheme this offseason, according to Charlotte Carroll of The Athletic. Dart will be working mostly with new offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, offensive assistant Greg Roman, and passing-game coordinator and QBs coach Brian Callahan as he looks to take the next step following an impressive rookie campaign in the Big Apple. Nagy has worked previously with Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow, so Dart should be in good hands. However, under Harbaugh and Roman, the Giants almost certainly will lean more on the running game. The most important thing that Dart needs to work on is not exposing himself to big hits when he takes off as a runner. The 23-year-old former first-rounder out of Ole Miss took over as the Giants' starter early in 2025 and finished with 2,272 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, and five interceptions in 14 games (12 starts), adding 487 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on 86 carries. Dart has clear high-end fantasy upside because of his dual-threat abilities as a runner and passer. RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 12 fantasy QB going into 2026.

Pittsburgh Steelers rookie wide receiver Germie Bernard showed off an intriguing fantasy skill set in his final collegiate season in 2025. Across 14 games for the University of Alabama, Bernard recorded 64 catches for 862 yards and seven touchdowns while rushing for 101 yards and two scores on 18 carries. Entering 2026, Bernard may be competing with fellow rookie wideout Kaden Wetjen to be Pittsburgh's primary slot receiver. The Steelers have two veteran wideouts in DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. who will likely command the majority of the team's targets, which may limit Bernard's short-term fantasy upside. Still, Bernard's ability to affect the game as both a rusher and a receiver gives him plenty of long-term upside. For rebuilding dynasty managers, Bernard profiles as a logical target in rookie drafts.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence had his best season as a pro in 2025 in head coach Liam Coen's first year with the team. The 26-year-old former first overall pick in 2021 out of the University of Clemson went 13-4 in the regular season in 2025 with 4,007 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in 17 starts. He added a career-high 359 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on 82 carries. Lawrence finished sixth in the league in passing yards and fifth in passing touchdowns. Expectations are now high in 2026 for a repeat in Coen's offense, and RotoBaller has Lawrence ranked just inside the top-10 fantasy QBs. With a strong offensive scheme helping him and plenty of weapons in the passing game, Lawrence is set up for success, but he's been working hard this offseason to try to improve as a deep passer and to improve his chemistry with receiver Brian Thomas Jr., who had a down sophomore campaign. Lawrence completed just 36.1% of passes 20-plus yards down the field in 2025. If Lawrence and the Jags can improve their efficiency downfield, a true breakout for the signal-caller could be coming.

As the Cincinnati Bengals and offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher figure out how to become more explosive on offense in 2026, they are experimenting with using quarterback Joe Burrow more under center, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic. The top-five teams in usage of under-center and under-center play action in 2025 all finished in the top quarter of the league in explosive-play rate. Burrow has produced just one explosive completion while using under-center play action in the last three seasons. The 29-year-old three-time Pro Bowler has been working on under-center play-action drops during the offseason program, and he's made it clear that he's on board with tinkering in this realm. Cincy posted 0.16 EPA per play on plays with Burrow, and receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins on the field the last two years, which was the best in the NFL by a wide margin. But the Bengals ranked 22nd in explosive-play rate in 2025, a fourth straight season in the bottom third of the league. Burrow played in a career-low eight games last year due to injury after passing for a league-high 4,918 yards and league-high 43 touchdowns in 2024. A bounce-back seems inevitable if he can stay on the field in 2026, especially if the Bengals offense can find more explosive plays. RotoBaller has Burrow ranked as the No. 5 fantasy QB.

Cleveland Browns rookie wide receiver Denzel Boston enters 2026 with a chance to carve out a significant role in his team's passing game right away. The 22-year-old was a highly productive player for the University of Washington in 2025, recording 62 catches for 881 yards and 11 touchdowns across 12 games. The Browns took him with the 39th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and Boston could now be competing with fellow rookie KC Concepcion for the WR1 role in Cleveland. While veteran Jerry Jeudy and young wideouts Isaiah Bond and Cedric Tillman remain on the Browns roster, none of the three were able to step up and produce in 2025. The one limiting factor on Boston's short-term production outlook is the quarterback situation in Cleveland, which once again projects as one of the NFL's worst in 2026. Still, Boston does not need an elite passing game around him to outproduce his current redraft ADP as the 62nd wide receiver off the board. Entering 2026, fantasy managers should consider taking a low-cost swing on a high-upside player in Boston.

Across 16 games in 2025, Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young completed 63.6% of his pass attempts for 3,011 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. The 24-year-old also provided modest production with his legs, rushing for 216 yards and two scores on 54 attempts. While Young has made definite strides since his disastrous rookie season in 2023, he's yet to prove he can provide consistent top-12 fantasy production. At the same time, Young finished as the QB19 in 2025, putting him solidly in the QB2 range. There's also a chance that the Panthers operate with less of a run-heavy approach in 2026 after losing running back Rico Dowdle in free agency. Even if Young's development stagnates and his 2026 production mirrors his 2025 output, he should outperform his current redraft ADP of QB26. In superflex formats, Young may be a sneaky sleeper for fantasy managers to target.

Baltimore Ravens new head coach Jesse Minter said that All-Pro running back Derrick Henry will need to adjust to terminology changes this year under new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. The Ravens made some big changes in the offseason, firing long-time head coach John Harbaugh and adding Minter, who will be in his first year as a head coach in the NFL in 2026. Previous offensive coordinator Todd Monken left to become the Cleveland Browns' head coach. Henry and the other Ravens' offensive playmakers have expressed excitement about Doyle's new scheme as they look to bounce back from a frustrating 2025 season that ended without a playoff appearance. The 32-year-old Henry has a lot of tread on his tires after 10 years in the NFL, but he managed his seventh 1,000-yard season (fourth straight) in 2025 and will once again be Baltimore's featured back in his 11th campaign. He's RotoBaller's No. 8 fantasy RB for 2026 and should come off the board in the second round of drafts.

The third overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Arizona Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Love is widely considered to be an elite running back prospect. Across 12 games at Notre Dame in 2025, the 21-year-old recorded 1,652 scrimmage yards and 21 touchdowns on 226 touches. Given the draft capital that the Cardinals invested in Love, he profiles as one of their key building blocks on offense going forward. However, Love may not dominate touches in the Arizona backfield right away as a rookie. The Cardinals signed veteran back Tyler Allgeier to a two-year contract in free agency and also still have running backs James Conner and Trey Benson on their roster. While Arizona made some additions to its offensive line over the offseason, this is still a team that finished 31st in rushing yards and scored just nine rushing touchdowns a season ago. Love's long-term upside is sky-high, but he may be overvalued as a low-end RB1 by current redraft ADP.

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson has earned 263 targets and caught 185 balls over the past two seasons, mostly with Brian Daboll as his play-caller. With the two reuniting in Tennessee after Robinson signed a four-year, $70 million deal in free agency, his usage should remain consistent. While 2025 represented a career year for Robinson and his first 1,000-yard campaign, he actually had one more target and one more reception in the previous season, making him a valuable PPR contributor even as teammate Malik Nabers was breaking the Giants' single-season reception record. In Tennessee, much of the hype is rightfully around fourth overall pick Carnell Tate, but Tate has never earned targets at a level approaching Nabers, and it should come as no surprise if it's actually Robinson who leads the team in catches in 2026. While his ceiling will be capped as Tate takes more ownership of the offense throughout the year, Robinson should continue to provide safe floors and consistently usable fantasy performances, particularly in full-PPR leagues, and at RotoBaller's WR52, he is an undervalued late-round pick who can provide stability to almost any type of roster build.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough finished second in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting while playing only half a season in 2025. Taking over a 1-7 team, Shough won five of his nine starts and had the Saints looking like arguably the most dangerous team in the division by year's end. Heading into his first full season as a starter, New Orleans' offense has regularly been tabbed as a unit on the rise, making Shough a legitimate QB2 option in superflex dynasty leagues. Kellen Moore's offenses have always been at their best with two capable receivers, which they appear to have in 2025 second-team All-Pro Chris Olave and 2026 first-round pick Jordyn Tyson. The Saints also spent big on free agent running back Travis Etienne Jr., giving the 26-year-old Shough a plethora of weapons and a clear path to upside after averaging more than 19 fantasy points per game across his final six starts of 2025. Adding deceptive value with his legs, Shough pairs an increasingly reliable floor with a rising ceiling, and at RotoBaller's QB21, he is a player that drafters should feel comfortable making their second quarterback in dynasty startups.

Before a knee injury ended his 2025 campaign, New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson was the WR5 through the first five weeks of the season. Heading into 2026 healthy and in what looks to be an uptrending offense, Wilson has the potential to volume his way to a top 10 finish over a full season. The Jets spent first-round picks on tight end Kenyon Sadiq and wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr., moves that could help elevate the offense as a whole without adding insurmountable competition for Wilson's targets. In his first full season with the team, Adonai Mitchell looks to handle WR2 responsibilities, though his game has been predicted more on big plays than volume, and in Frank Reich's mesh-heavy offense, Wilson should be given ample opportunity to work with the ball in space. New York traded for quarterback Geno Smith, who now faces allegations of battery but has not been charged, so while his legal situation warrants monitoring, he still represents an upgrade at the position. In a best-case scenario, Wilson's ceiling is as high as nearly any receiver currently being drafted outside of the first two rounds, and at RotoBaller's WR14, he's one of the last players that drafters should feel comfortable enough to make their WR1 in a running back-heavy build.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka was the first player in NFL history to record 25-plus receptions, 400-plus receiving yards, and five-plus touchdowns in his first five career games, pacing as the WR3 over that stretch. While his torrid opening pace fell off dramatically over the back half of the year, there's still plenty to be excited about if he can reestablish a more consistent connection with quarterback Baker Mayfield in his second season. Even while disappointing fantasy managers, Egbuka finished the year with 938 yards on 63 receptions, and with six-time Pro Bowler Mike Evans no longer part of the team, the 2025 first-round pick should see an uptick in first-read targets. At RotoBaller's dynasty WR12, opinions are likely split on the 23-year-old wideout, making him an intriguing trade target who could be viewed as a foundational piece to a rebuilding roster or a usable weekly contributor for contending managers.

Following a late-season emergence that helped to unlock the Jacksonville Jaguars' offense, the buzz around wide receiver Parker Washington has not quieted, and NFL reporter Cameron Wolfe believes that he will be one of Jacksonville's top two receivers in 2026, along with Brian Thomas Jr. Washington was the fantasy WR11 over the final 10 weeks of the season, elevating quarterback Trevor Lawrence into the MVP discussion with his revelatory playmaking abilities, and after a strong showing at minicamp, Wolfe believes he will be "hard to take off the field" in his fourth season. With Jakobi Meyers, Travis Hunter, and the newly extended Brenton Strange also at his disposal, head coach and playcaller Liam Coen has the flexibility to get creative in his second season at the helm, but the drumbeat for Washington continues to grow louder, and at RotoBaller's WR34, he could still represent tremendous value in the middle rounds of 2026 drafts.

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave said he would love to get something done on a contract extension before training camp this summer to "not affect team chemistry," according to Katherine Terrell of ESPN. Olave seemed optimistic during organized team activities that he and the team could get something worked out soon. The Saints have been in talks with the former first-rounder since last year about a new deal, and both sides have spoken positively of the situation. Although Olave wasn't a full participant in OTAs and minicamp as he recovered from a blood-clot issue that kept him out of Week 18 last year, he spent the offseason around the team's facility, which is a good sign. The 25-year-old wideout is expected to come off blood-thinners at the end of the month and should be a full-go for training camp at the end of July. In 16 starts in 2025 in his fourth year in the NFL, Olave meshed nicely with rookie quarterback Tyler Shough and finished with career highs in catches (100), targets (156), receiving yards (1,163), and touchdowns (nine). In head coach Kellen Moore's rising offense, Olave is a clear WR1 fantasy target with a stable floor.

The Jacksonville Jaguars and standout tight end Brenton Strange agreed to a three-year contract extension on Wednesday worth up to $48 million with $25 million guaranteed, sources told Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. In 12 games last season, the Penn State product caught 46 passes for 540 yards and three touchdowns, and he has become a key part of quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars' offensive scheme. The 25-year-old was taken in the second round (61st overall) in the 2023 NFL draft, and he has caught 91 of his 122 targets for 986 yards and six touchdowns in 43 regular-season games (26 starts) in his three years in the league. Strange has improved a bit each year in terms of production, and even though the Jags added two rookie TEs in this year's draft, he's expected to be the unquestioned No. 1 pass-catching option at the position again in 2026. With the Jaguars potentially taking another step forward in head coach Liam Coen's offense in Year 2, Strange will be an intriguing TE2 with upside in fantasy drafts this fall. RotoBaller currently has him ranked as the No. 19 fantasy TE.