Fantasy Football News

In his first season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers completed more than 65% of his passes for 3,322 yards and 24 touchdowns to only seven interceptions; respectable numbers that earned him a QB18 finish, but a far cry from the MVP form that saw him finish as the QB7 or better in 10 of his first 13 seasons as a starter. Seven different times he finished a year as either the fantasy QB1 or QB2, and while those days are comfortably behind him, the 42-year-old 21st-year veteran should not be completely written off for 2026. With Mike McCarthy assuming the head coaching job in Pittsburgh, an offense that already threw the ball at the league's seventh-highest rate with Rodgers in 2025 could see even more volume when the two reunite. The Cowboys were one of the league's pass-heaviest teams in the final years of McCarthy's tenure, while the Packers led the league with a 67.5% pass rate the last time Rodgers led his offense. With Rodgers average depth of target ranking dead last in the NFL in 2025, his fantasy ceiling has fallen significantly in recent years, but with the Steelers actively surrounding him with capable pass-catching running backs and short area targets like Michael Pittman Jr. and Germie Bernard, an elevated floor should keep him in the streaming conversation throughout the 2026 season. At RotoBaller's QB29, Rodgers can still be a safe and consistent second quarterback in superflex leagues, providing value at ADP and allowing drafters to chase riskier upside from their QB1 slot.

The fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. once sat as high as QB5 in consensus dynasty rankings, looking like an unstoppable fantasy force through the first two and a half games of his career. A significant shoulder injury ended his rookie season after only 84 pass attempts, a sample size small enough to keep his significant flaws hidden behind his unmatched rushing upside. Since then, Richardson has completed less than half of his 266 attempts, repeatedly proven incapable of holding the starting job, and fallen to the bottom of the Colts' depth chart. With Daniel Jones recovering from the Achilles tear that ended his 2025 season and limited to 7-on-7 work during last month's minicamp practices, Richardson split starter reps with 2025 sixth-round pick Riley Leonard, with neither able to separate in any meaningful way. Jones is expected to ramp up participation when the team reconvenes for training camp, potentially amounting to another missed opportunity for Richardson. Because of his rare physical abilities, Richardson remains capable of racking up fantasy points anytime he gets onto the field, but with his career trending in the wrong direction, that solace makes him little more than a frustrating dynasty hold.

As a rookie in 2025, Indianapolis Colts running back DJ Giddens was frequently held out of games as a healthy scratch, and across his nine appearances, he carried the ball only 26 times, failing to reach 100 yards on the season. Any significant additions to the Colts' running back room in the 2026 offseason could have theoretically left last year's fifth-round pick fighting for a roster spot, but with Indianapolis allowing both Ameer Abdullah and Tyler Goodson to depart in free agency and spending only a seventh-round pick on Kentucky's Seth McGowan in the 2026 NFL Draft, Giddens is right back in line to serve as Jonathan Taylor's primary backup. With Taylor handling an astronomical 86.6% of the team's running back carries in 2025, it's unlikely that the backup role provides any significant work barring a major philosophical shift or injury, neither of which can be ruled out following Taylor's 369-touch campaign. In a worst-case scenario where the three-time Pro Bowler is forced to miss significant time, Giddens and McGowan would likely split work, giving both a potential avenue to see their value rise and making them both worthwhile end-of-bench stashes in deep dynasty leagues.

New England Patriots wide receiver Kyle Williams caught only 10 passes in a disappointing 2025 rookie season. While the elite speed that had fantasy managers excited about his spot on a somewhat pedestrian depth chart allowed him to convert three of those receptions into touchdowns while averaging more than 20 yards per catch, he will need to find more ways to stand out in his second season in a receiver room that suddenly ranks among the most loaded in the league. Trade and free agent acquisitions A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs are likely to see the majority of time in two-receiver sets. Behind them, Williams' speed is a standout quality among a diverse supporting group of Mack Hollins, DeMario Douglas, and Kayshon Boutte, who remains on the roster despite being the subject of trade rumors for much of the offseason. However, without the play strength to regularly shift inside, the 2025 third-round pick could struggle to find consistent work in an offense that regularly asks its receivers to help out in the run game. Williams has the traits to make him a low-exposure late-round pick in best-ball drafts, but a lack of reliable usage will make him hard to trust in lineup leagues, and he's fallen to WR88 in RotoBaller's latest dynasty rankings.

Philadelphia Eagles rookie tight end Eli Stowers will be a piece of the puzzle in replacing A.J. Brown's team-leading 120 targets from a season ago. How big a piece remains to be seen, but indications ahead of this month's training camp suggest that the second-round pick out of Vanderbilt remains clearly behind Dallas Goedert and Johnny Mundt as the third tight end on the depth chart. Goedert led the Eagles with 11 touchdowns in 2025, while Mundt was signed to a one-year deal this offseason for what he provides as a blocker, an area of Stowers' game that will need to see notable improvement before he can earn anything close to a full-time role. At 6'3" and 239 pounds, Stowers is likely to work primarily as a jumbo slot as a rookie, but with an apparent leg injury limiting him for parts of minicamp, he still has a ways to go before fantasy managers should expect consistent contributions. Still entirely capable of developing into the top pass-catching tight end in a deep rookie class, Stowers is a wise dynasty investment with plenty of room for long-term growth, but as RotoBaller's TE37, he is unlikely to factor into drafts for 2026 redraft leagues.

Baltimore Ravens veteran wide receiver Rashod Bateman won't be fighting for a roster spot in training camp this summer, but he's at a career crossroads going into the 2026 season, according to Ravens Wire. The 26-year-old former first-rounder should still have a role in Baltimore's new offense, but the competition around him has improved, and one would argue it's more competition than he's had at any point in his career. Zay Flowers is the team's unquestioned top wideout, but Baltimore added rookies Elijah Sarratt and Ja'Kobi Lane in April's NFL draft, and they have the potential to contribute sooner rather than later. Meanwhile, Devontez Walker's stock is trending up after a strong offseason. Targets and snaps "feel far less guaranteed than they once did." The former 27th overall pick in 2021 out of the University of Minnesota had a career-best 45 catches, 756 yards, and nine touchdowns in 17 games in 2024, but he tanked in 2025 with just 19 catches, a career-low 224 yards, and only two TDs in 13 games. Injuries and inconsistency have kept Bateman from realizing his potential as a former first-rounder, and with added competition in 2026, he's unlikely to approach his career-high numbers from 2024.

New York Jets running back Braelon Allen played in just four games in 2025 in his second year in the league due to injuries and finished with 18 rushing attempts for 76 yards and one touchdown, adding two catches for 17 yards. The 22-year-old former fourth-round pick in 2024 out of the University of Wisconsin attacked his rehab process with "hunger and a whole lot of motivation," according to Amanda Vogt of the team's official website. Allen is motivated to turn things around going into the 2026 campaign, and at 250 pounds, says he's the biggest, strongest, and fastest he's ever been. "I played 238-240 [pounds] last year," Allen said. "The most recent [DEXA scan] I did was by far my best. The most lean muscle mass I've ever had, the lowest percentage of body fat, perfect symmetry in both my legs and my arms; everything looked exactly how we wanted it to." According to head coach Aaron Glenn, the Jets have "a three-headed monster" at RB with Allen, Breece Hall, and Isaiah Davis. However, Hall is the Jets' clear RB1 after agreeing to a three-year, $45.75 million contract extension and reaching 1,000 rushing yards in 2025 for the first time in his career. At best, Allen will be hoping for a short-yardage/goal-line role in New York, which makes him mostly a handcuff option for Hall's fantasy managers in deeper leagues.

The New Orleans Times-Picayune's Jeff Duncan writes that "it would not be shocking" if the New Orleans Saints parted ways with veteran running back Alvin Kamara this offseason. Parting ways "might be in the best interests of the star RB and the team that drafted him nine years ago." If the Saints were to trade or release Kamara, they could hand the keys to the offense to newcomer Travis Etienne Jr. and give more snaps to Devin Neal, Kendre Miller, and Audric Estime. It would be a big changing of the guard in the Big Easy, as Kamara is the leading rusher in team history and one of the most popular players to ever wear the black and gold. The Saints have treated the 30-year-old five-time Pro Bowler with respect and have given him his space; they have yet to approach him about a pay cut, and it's unclear if they will before training camp starts at the end of July. If the Saints elect to keep Kamara on the roster, his $10.5 million salary cap hit will be the sixth-highest among RBs in the NFL. Duncan adds that although both sides have played nice so far, "there's no denying the vibe between the sides has been off throughout the offseason." If Kamara stays in New Orleans, he'll be the clear RB2 behind Etienne, tanking his fantasy football value going into his 10th year in the league.

Chicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland got his NFL career off to a slow start in 2025 after he was selected 10th overall out of the University of Michigan, but he eventually kicked it into high gear and finished with 58 receptions, 713 yards, and six touchdowns in 16 regular-season games (11 starts) to land as the TE12 in half-PPR scoring. At this time last year, Loveland was rehabbing an injury he sustained in his final year with the Wolverines, which forced him to miss some of the offseason program and the start of training camp. His 58 catches, 713 yards, and six TDs led the Bears, and the 22-year-old became a favorite target of quarterback Caleb Williams down the stretch. "I love what he brings to the table. He's one of the most consistent players I've been around, and that's saying a lot for a young guy, because I think it takes a while before guys can truly understand what it means to be a professional," head coach Ben Johnson said. With receiver DJ Moore now in Buffalo, Loveland should have an even bigger target share in 2026 in Year 2, and he has as much upside at the TE position as anyone. RotoBaller has Loveland ranked as the No. 3 TE for the upcoming season.

For the first time in his career, Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce topped 1,000 receiving yards in 2025 and was handsomely rewarded with a new four-year, $114 million contract minutes after officially reaching free agency. With the Colts trading away their leading target-earner from each of the past five seasons in Michael Pittman Jr., there is little doubt as to who their primary receiver will be in 2026, and with an opportunity to blend some of the league's most high-value targets with a significant volume increase, Pierce has legitimate week-winning potential. Targeted only 149 times over the past two seasons, Pierce has scored on 8.7% of those opportunities while registering a staggering 21.8 yards per reception. With his primary competition now coming from second-year tight end Tyler Warren and a slot receiver in Josh Downs who saw fewer than 30 total snaps in two receiver sets in 2025, Pierce could threaten to match his two-season target total in 2026 alone. After undergoing offseason ankle surgery, Pierce's ADP has fallen to WR38, routinely pushing him into the seventh round or later, but with expectations of a full recovery by the start of the season, fantasy managers would be hard-pressed to find more upside from that area of 2026 drafts.

One season after tearing his ACL while playing for the Houston Texans, 11th-year wide receiver Stefon Diggs was the top receiving option for a 2025 New England Patriots team that reached the Super Bowl. While the Patriots opted to move on from Diggs while aggressively rebuilding their receiver room around MVP runner-up Drake Maye, the four-time Pro Bowler is still more than capable of providing a veteran presence to a number of teams and could find a fantasy-relevant role in a handful of receiver rooms as currently constructed. In a rotational role in his lone season in New England, Diggs topped 1,000 yards on 85 receptions, finishing as the WR18 while rarely seeing higher than a 60% snap share. Still a savvy route-runner with some of the best hands in the league, Diggs converted 60% of his receptions into first downs and could continue to see high-value opportunities in a part-time role. Even without a team at the moment, at RotoBaller's WR62, the free agent receiver is a clever stash in the final rounds of 2026 drafts.

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan finished as the WR15 in his first professional season, and with the coaching staff remaining largely intact and the team returning nine of 11 offensive starters from a season ago, the only thing standing in the way of a true WR1 breakout could be an overall lack of passing volume. As a rookie, McMillan more than doubled his next closest teammate with a 26.3% target share, but in an offense that threw the ball only 515 times, his 120 total targets ranked 13th in the league. While the biggest change coming to Carolina's offense for 2026 is offensive coordinator Brad Idzik's promotion to full-time playcaller, head coach Dave Canales will still have his fingerprints on the team's weekly game plans, and only nine teams have thrown fewer passes than the Panthers since he took over in 2024. While an improving receiver room could lead Idzik to play more to the team's strengths, an increase of overall volume could be counter-balanced by the rising involvement of third-year receiver Jalen Coker, who missed the first six weeks of the season, but found himself on a 95-target pace of his own over the final seven games of the regular season and playoffs. At RotoBaller's WR18, McMillan profiles as one of the safest, most reliable WR2 options in 2026, but for drafters seeking top-five upside, other receivers going in his range of the draft come with higher ceilings (and more accompanying risk).

Washington Commanders tight end Chig Okonkwo has long displayed the occasional flash of game-breaking athleticism, but since coming into the league as a fourth-round pick out of Maryland, he's rarely been part of an offense equipped to make use of those abilities. That may no longer be the case in 2026. After leading the Titans in receptions and yards in his final season in Tennessee, Okonkwo signed a three-year, $27 million deal with the Commanders, and under first-time offensive coordinator David Blough, he could become a featured piece of a Washington offense looking to put last season's injury-riddled struggles behind them. Blough is expected to adopt elements of the Ben Johnson offense he was part of as backup quarterback in Detroit; the same offense that led to a TE1 finish from rookie Sam LaPorta in 2023 and now has the Bears' Colston Loveland knocking on the door of the position's top tier. With the wide receiver depth chart notably thin behind two-time Pro Bowler Terry McLaurin, Okonkwo could easily step in as the number two option in the passing game, inheriting a role that saw veteran Zach Ertz earn a 19% target share across his 30 games with the team. Currently being drafted as the TE17, Okonkwo is a late-round sleeper with both the ability and opportunity to produce legitimate TE1 upside in 2026.

Following a lengthy contract dispute that carried well into August, Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin was unable to simply flip the switch for the start of the 2025 season, spending the first few weeks reacclimating to the speed of the game after sitting out for much of training camp before suffering a significant quadriceps injury in Week 3 and missing seven of the team's next eight games. With his own injury aligning unfortunately against those of second-year quarterback Jayden Daniels, the two played only two complete games together and were unable to build on the immediate connection they made in 2024. While a repeat of his career-best 13-touchdown performance was always viewed as an unlikely outcome, and McLaurin was already pegged as a regression candidate heading into the year, the Commanders' disastrous 2025 season has potentially swung the pendulum too far in the other direction, making him one of 2026's best potential values. An emphasis on an under-center passing game in new offensive coordinator David Blough's first season at the controls should lead to more explosive play opportunities, and with McLaurin still standing head and shoulders above a receiver room whose secondary option could be third-round rookie Antonio Williams, he figures to be the primary benefactor. Only one injury-riddled season removed from his WR6 finish of 2024, McLaurin is currently being drafted as the WR23, making him one of the higher-upside picks outside the opening rounds of 2026 drafts.

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Jahan Dotson hasn't caught 50 passes in an NFL season, hasn't reached 20 receptions in either of the last two years, and has averaged just 380 receiving yards per season in his four years in the NFL with the Washington Commanders and Philadelphia Eagles after Washington took him 16th overall in the 2022 draft out of Penn State. He joined the Falcons this offseason on a two-year, $15 million deal, and while not much is expected of him, the 26-year-old pass-catcher has an opportunity in his new digs to become the WR2 behind Drake London. London is the only receiver on the roster who had more than seven catches in Atlanta in 2025. Dotson's rookie year in 2022 was his best, when he caught 35 of 61 targets for 523 yards and seven touchdowns in D.C. He's seen 31.5% of his career targets from the slot, but he may be asked to play more outside in Atlanta in new head coach Kevin Stefanski's offensive scheme. The speedy 5-foot-11, 184-pounder should be viewed as a deep sleeper in 2026 fantasy drafts, especially with the Falcons' quarterback situation unsettled going into training camp this summer.

Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews' TE16 finish in 2025 was his worst result since his 2018 rookie campaign, and after top-four finishes in three of four seasons from 2019 to 2022, he has now finished outside the top 12 in two of the last three years. While it would be easy to write off the ninth-year veteran who will turn 31 before the start of the season, the Ravens and new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle are in need of playmakers in the passing game, and in signing Andrews to a three-year extension while allowing Isaiah Likely to depart in free agency, the team has signaled its belief that Andrews could still be one of them. Andrews' 8.8 yards per reception in 2025 were by far the lowest of his career, having never previously dipped below 12 yards per catch, and with Doyle emphasizing a need for more explosive plays, he should see more of the seam-stretching usage of past seasons. With his red zone prowess never in question, Andrews could see a significant bounce-back in an offense whose second receiver spot alongside two-time Pro Bowler Zay Flowers will likely come down to career underperformers Rashod Bateman or Devontez Walker, or one of the team's 2026 rookies, Ja'Kobi Lane or Elijah Sarratt. At RotoBaller's TE6, expectations remain high for Andrews, and with a current ADP of TE11, he has the potential to plug in as a season-long starter from the closing rounds of 2026 drafts.

New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. has taken advantage of opportunities given, but through his first two years in the league, he's rarely appeared to be the Giants' primary plan. As a fifth-round rookie in 2024, he began the year behind free agent acquisition Devin Singletary and didn't see more than five carries in a game until the veteran missed time with a groin injury. Tracy responded with 129 yards on 18 carries in his first career start and held onto the position the rest of the way, finishing as the RB16 over the final 14 weeks of his rookie season. Heading into year two, Tracy kept the starting job for exactly one week before being supplanted by fourth-round rookie Cam Skattebo, who led the room in snaps, carries, and yards from Weeks 2-7. Skattebo's season-ending ankle injury eventually allowed Tracy to reclaim lead responsibilities, and he again finished the year on a fantasy-relevant 12-week stretch as the RB20, though the offense as a whole lacked the spark provided by the rookie out of Arizona State. With Skattebo expected back for the start of the season, Tracy is RotoBaller's RB46, and while Skattebo's hard-running style could ultimately add to Tracy's value as an in-season insurance pickup, he is not a player expected to factor into most 2026 drafts.

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Chimere Dike's 2,427 all-purpose yards in 2025 were the most by any player since Darren Sproles broke the single-season record in 2011, but with only 423 of those yards coming in the passing game, he made little fantasy impact as a rookie, outside of leagues with niche scoring settings. With the Titans overhauling what was one of the weakest receiver rooms in the league a year ago, Dike's impact is again expected to be felt primarily in the return game. Free agent wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson followed new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll from New York to Tennessee after having caught 185 passes in his final two seasons with the Giants, and the Titans spent the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate, transforming a room that was led by rookie Elic Ayomanor's 515 yards a season ago. Dike is still likely to be mixed in offensively, but more as a luxury than a necessity, allowing him to focus primarily on special teams, where his field-flipping abilities provide the most value to the team. At RotoBaller's WR92, the second-year receiver is likely to go undrafted in any 2026 redraft leagues without a heavy emphasis on return yardage.

Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams finished as the fantasy WR5 over the final 10 weeks of the 2025 season, and while many are quick to point to the absence of tight end Sam LaPorta as the driving factor behind his late-season breakout, there's evidence of his leveling up even before LaPorta was placed on injured reserve with a herniated disc. The two games following Detroit's Week 8 bye proved to be LaPorta's final two outings of the season, but they were also arguably his most productive two-game stretch of 2025, totaling 150 yards on 11 catches while reeling in one of his three touchdown grabs on the year. In those two games, the start of his end-of-season run of dominance, Williams caught 10 passes for 185 yards and two scores, finishing as the WR14 and WR3. With LaPorta expected to be healthy again for 2026, the Lions are likely to deploy more of the two-receiver sets from which Williams has proven to be a dynamic weapon. If Williams can find more consistency in his fifth season, an expectation expressed publicly by wide receiver coach Scottie Montgomery in one of his final media sessions of minicamp, the 2022 first-round pick could pick right back up on the 82-catch, 1,400-yard, and nine-touchdown pace with which he ended 2025, and he should have little trouble outproducing his current ADP as WR26.

It took Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown until Week 7 of the 2025 season to post a weekly fantasy finish inside the top 20, but from that point forward, he never looked back. Brown finished as the RB19 or better in each of his final 11 games, only twice finishing outside the top 15. The team's mid-season trade for veteran quarterback Joe Flacco helped to steady a faltering offense without three-time Pro Bowler Joe Burrow, and Brown was perhaps the biggest benefactor, finishing as the RB7 from that point forward. With Burrow at full health and Flacco back under contract to back him up, Brown's high floor remains very much intact, while a projected philosophical shift could help to raise his ceiling in 2026. Brown was one of the league's most explosive runners when the team went under center, but with the Bengals ranking 31st in the league in that category, he rarely had the opportunity to take advantage. Reports out of minicamp have suggested that the team could mix in more under-center runs, and even a modest increase, along with the offensive consistency allowed by the presumed health at quarterback, could have Brown flirting with a top-five finish. Heading into the year, he is RotoBaller's RB10, and drafters should again feel comfortable making Brown their RB1 in 2026.