Fantasy Football News

Detroit Lions running back Sione Vaki is a "natural pass-catcher," and "the opportunity is there" for him to cut into presumed Lions RB2 Isiah Pacheco's touches, per Colton Pouncy of The Athletic. A fourth-round pick in 2024, Vaki has mostly played special teams through his first two professional seasons and has just seven career NFL carries. The Lions still have star running back Jahmyr Gibbs firmly atop their running back depth chart, but the team replaced veteran RB2 David Montgomery with Pacheco over the offseason. Pacheco has significantly more experience than Vaki, but he's averaged just 3.8 yards per carry on over 200 attempts since the start of the 2024 season. If Vaki can prove himself with a strong performance in training camp and the preseason, he could potentially threaten Pacheco's status as the Lions' clear backup running back. In deeper dynasty leagues, Vaki could be worth stashing just in case he emerges as the handcuff option in Detroit should Gibbs get injured.

Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic lists Baltimore Ravens running back Rasheen Ali as one of the players on the team's roster bubble entering training camp. A fifth-round pick by Baltimore in the 2024 NFL Draft, Ali has logged 26 touches across 21 games over the first two years of his professional career. With Derrick Henry and Justice Hill both firmly ahead of him on the Ravens' running back depth chart, Ali would likely continue to play a limited role on offense if he remains in Baltimore in 2026. However, Ali's uncertain roster status may speak volumes about Baltimore's faith in 2026 fifth-round pick Adam Randall. With Henry entering his age-32 season and Hill set to hit free agency next spring, it would make sense for the Ravens to be taking a long look at their young running backs. If Baltimore decides to let Ali go before the start of the season, it could be an indication of the team's faith in Randall.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterbacks Will Howard and Mason Rudolph could be battling for the "QB2 job and, potentially, a spot on the 53-man roster" in training camp, per Mike DeFabo of The Athletic. A sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Howard battled injury as a rookie and did not see any game action in his first professional season. Aaron Rodgers remains atop the Steelers' depth chart for 2026, leaving Howard unlikely to play a fantasy-relevant role as long as Rodgers remains healthy. The Steelers also drafted quarterback Drew Allar in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, leading to speculation that Howard's place on the Pittsburgh roster could be in major jeopardy. While Howard may still end up off the Steelers roster, it appears that he may have a legitimate chance to beat out both Allar and Rudolph for the team's backup job entering 2026. Rudolph has 34 games (19 starts) of NFL experience under his belt, but Howard may be the higher-upside option. In deeper fantasy leagues, Howard could still be worth stashing in case he establishes himself during the preseason.

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks has stood out as the team's most physical wideout against press-man coverage, per Brooks Kubena of The Athletic. Kubena also reports that Eagles players and coaches have said Wicks was underrated during his time with the Green Bay Packers. Philadelphia acquired Wicks from Green Bay this past offseason for a pair of late-round draft picks, and the 25-year-old enters training camp competing with rookie wideout Makai Lemon for the team's WR2 job alongside DeVonta Smith. Wicks flashed upside at certain points in his three-year career with the Packers, but ultimately failed to carve out a significant role in the Green Bay offense. Across 14 games (seven starts) in 2025, Wicks recorded 30 catches for 332 yards and two touchdowns on 46 targets. However, Wicks should have a clearer path to playing time and fantasy-relevant target volume in Philadelphia than he did in Green Bay's crowded wide receiver room. At his current redraft ADP of WR93, Wicks could be a late-round sleeper to target.

Brooks Kubena of The Athletic writes that fans and fantasy managers should "expect career highs in targets and catches to be shattered" for Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith. After years of playing a supporting role in Philadelphia alongside wideout A.J. Brown, Smith is entering 2026 as the Eagles' clear WR1 following the team's offseason trade of Brown to the New England Patriots. Smith was a productive player in 2025, recording 77 catches for 1,008 yards and four touchdowns on 113 targets across 17 games. However, his status as the team's WR2 and Philadelphia's conservative, run-heavy offense both played a factor in his WR20 finish. The Eagles have a new offensive coordinator in place for 2026 in Sean Mannion, who is looking to open up the team's passing game. All in all, Smith appears poised for a career year in 2026 and profiles as a low-end WR1/high-end WR2 for fantasy managers.

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson thinks that new head coach Mike LaFleur's offense will put him in a "position to succeed" after his breakout 2025 campaign, according to PHNX Cardinals. "Look at the history of like the Rams with Puka and Cooper Kupp playing the Z role, the ball's gonna find you a lot," Wilson said. The 26-year-old former third-rounder from Stanford in 2023 surprisingly finished as a top-15 fantasy wideout last year, setting career highs across the board in catches (78), targets (126), receiving yards (1,006), touchdowns (seven), and yards per catch (12.9) in his third year in the NFL. The move from Kyler Murray to veteran Jacoby Brissett at QB opened the floodgates for Wilson, and it also helped that Marvin Harrison Jr. battled through several nagging injuries that caused him to miss time. Brissett is back as Arizona's starter under center, but the passing volume he had last year isn't sustainable in a new offense, and Harrison is now healthy and motivated. Wilson will be a key weapon in the Cardinals' passing game going forward, but fantasy managers shouldn't be buying his 2025 production. RotoBaller is expecting regression, ranking him as the overall WR40 for the upcoming campaign.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray and wide receiver Jordan Addison have been working out together for the last two months in Dallas, Texas, according to Jordan Schultz. Both players also reported to Minnesota early this week to prepare for the start of training camp, and they both have hopes for a big year in 2026. Murray and Addison are motivated to succeed after down years in 2025. The 28-year-old Murray only played in five games due to a foot injury in his final year in Arizona, throwing for 962 yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions. The former first overall pick in 2019 out of Oklahoma is competing with J.J. McCarthy for the starting QB gig for the Vikes this year, but given his experience and dual-threat abilities, Murray feels like the favorite entering camp. Murray will see his ADP rise if he's named the starter, but right now, he's an intriguing low-cost, low-end QB2 target with upside. Addison, 24, had a career-low 610 receiving yards and only three TDs in 14 games in 2025, but he wasn't helped by the team's lackluster QB play. He's locked in as the WR2 in Minnesota behind Justin Jefferson, and he, too, could be primed for a bounce-back year if Murray wins the job and elevates the passing attack. Addison is currently ranked as RotoBaller's No. 36 fantasy WR for 2026.

The Seattle Seahawks signed tight end Nick Vannett to an undisclosed deal on Friday, according to John Boyle of the team's official website. The Seahawks drafted Vannett in the third round (94th overall) in 2016 from Ohio State. The 33-year-old spent the first three years of his NFL career in Seattle before they traded him to the Pittsburgh Steelers during the 2019 season. Since the trade, he has spent time with the Steelers, Denver Broncos, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, Los Angeles Chargers, Tennessee Titans, Minnesota Vikings, and Los Angeles Rams. In his 10 years in the NFL, the journeyman tight end has accumulated 108 receptions on 150 targets for 1,012 yards and nine touchdowns in 121 games played (54 starts). His most successful season came in 2018 with Seattle, when he caught 29 passes for 269 yards and three touchdowns in 15 games. If Vannett earns a spot on the 53-man roster for the regular season in 2026, he will most likely serve as a blocking TE and on special teams, making him avoidable in all fantasy leagues.

The Baltimore Ravens hosted veteran free-agent wide receiver Sterling Shepard for a workout on Friday, according to Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team. The Ravens are apparently looking for some receiver depth before the start of training camp after drafting rookies Elijah Sarratt and Ja'Kobi Lane. The 33-year-old Shepard would bring some veteran experience to the WR room for the Ravens and give them more depth behind Zay Flowers and fading veteran Rashod Bateman. Shepard served in a depth role the last two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, combining for 71 catches on 104 targets for 705 yards and two touchdowns in 27 games (seven starts). The former second-rounder in 2016 from the University of Oklahoma had a career-high 872 receiving yards in 2018 with the New York Giants and a career-high eight touchdowns as a rookie in 2016, but he has had exactly one touchdown reception in each of the last five years. Shepard would not be very attractive for fantasy purposes if he were to land in Baltimore, a place that hasn't boasted too many fantasy-relevant WRs over the years.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles has already declared running back Bucky Irving (shoulder) as healthy following offseason shoulder surgery, but there are still some reasons for concern if you're considering drafting him in fantasy football. Irving burst on the scene as a rookie in Tampa in 2024 with 1,122 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 207 carries while also catching 47 passes for 392 yards as a receiver, but he had an injury-plagued 2025 and finished with 588 rushing yards and just one TD while adding 30 receptions for 277 yards and three more scores. He's looking to return to the 1,000-yard mark in 2026, but will that be possible following the addition of Kenny Gainwell? Pewter Report's Scott Reynolds writes that there's a reason why Bowles has called Irving and Gainwell 1A and 1B. Gainwell is very talented, and the Bucs gave him a two-year, $14 million deal in free agency. He has impressed new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, and he will "see plenty of snaps and touches" this fall to "reduce Irving's workload so he can be more effective with fewer plays." It's how the Bucs' backfield operated when Irving and Rachaad White shared the workload in 2024. Between durability concerns and the loss of volume to Gainwell, Irving is shaping up as a volatile low-end RB2 target in 2026 fantasy drafts.

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice (knee) has been cleared for the start of training camp next week, head coach Andy Reid told Matt McMullen of Chiefs.com. Rice will be ready to rock, along with star quarterback Patrick Mahomes (knee), in training camp practices next week after he had a minor clean-up procedure on his right knee in May. As long as the 26-year-old former second-rounder in 2023 out of SMU isn't in anymore danger of being suspended by the league to begin the 2026 season, his ADP should continue to rise after playing in just 12 regular-season games the last two years combined due to injuries and suspension. Rice caught 79 of his 102 targets for 938 yards and seven touchdowns in 16 games (eight starts) as a rookie, and he has clear WR1 upside as Mahomes' top target if he can stay active for an entire season again. The Chiefs will be leaning on the Mahomes-Rice connection a ton if both players are healthy in 2026. Right now, Rice is a bargain based on his current WR2 ADP, but that could change fast now that he's fully healthy for training camp.

Updating a previous report, Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said on Friday that quarterback Patrick Mahomes (knee) has been fully cleared to participate in the start of training camp practices next week, according to Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team. A previous report from ESPN's Jeremy Fowler suggested that Mahomes was hoping to take part in 11-on-11 team work next week after being limited to seven-on-seven drills during the offseason program while rehabbing a torn ACL and LCL in his left knee from late last season. It appears that Mahomes has gotten the clearance. The 30-year-old three-time Super Bowl MVP and two-time regular-season MVP still has boxes to check, but barring a setback during camp and the preseason, he figures to be KC's starting QB for Week 1 against the division-rival Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football. Going up against Denver's stout defense out of the gates will be a good test of Mahomes' health if he plays. We've learned not to bet against Mahomes at this point, but his redraft and dynasty stock going into 2026 is as low as it's ever been as he returns from a serious knee injury. Draft him as a low-end QB1 with upside if the Chiefs' offense can bounce back.

Indianapolis Colts running back Seth McGowan has a simple path to fantasy relevance: beat DJ Giddens for the job behind Jonathan Taylor. The seventh-round rookie ran for 725 yards and 12 touchdowns at Kentucky, with another 126 yards on 19 catches. There is some appeal here. McGowan has the size for short-yardage work, and Taylor handled 323 carries last season. The problem is that Indianapolis has not promised meaningful weekly touches to its backup, and Giddens owns better draft capital after going in the fifth round a year earlier. RotoBaller still has McGowan at rookie RB11, but neither Colts reserve is being drafted inside the top 70 backs. That makes McGowan a deep dynasty stash, not a redraft sleeper. Until he wins the RB2 job, he is mostly an insurance bet with no standalone value.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports that Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (knee) is hoping to take part in 11-on-11 team drills when the team starts up training camp practices next week. Mahomes' rehab from a torn ACL and LCL in his left knee late last season has gone well this offseason, but he was limited to seven-on-seven work during the offseason program. Regardless of what Mahomes does on the field this summer, Fowler says that the Chiefs are going to be extra cautious with the star signal-caller. The 30-year-old two-time MVP and six-time Pro Bowler wants to eventually get back into a normal practice routine, and he still would like to get some action in a preseason game as well before being a full-go for the Week 1 regular-season opener on Monday night against the division-rival Denver Broncos. Mahomes has yet to be cleared for 11-on-11 work in camp, and he has some boxes to check before being ready for the season opener in early September, but all signs right now point to him having a realistic shot to get there. Coming off a serious knee injury in a Chiefs offense that is looking to regain its identity, Mahomes is considered a low-end QB1 in fantasy with more risk than ever before.

Free-agent wide receiver Stefon Diggs is still waiting on a team after catching 85 passes for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns with New England last season. The production says there is something left. The empty depth-chart line is why the price has cratered. RotoBaller ranks him WR68 in dynasty and WR62 for PPR redraft, with the newest all-position dynasty list placing him 145th overall. The NFL has closed its conduct investigation without discipline, and multiple teams have reportedly checked in, but no landing spot means no target projection. That makes Diggs more useful to contenders than rebuilders. He is worth a cheap inquiry in dynasty and a late redraft stash, not a player to draft as though last year's role will follow him. Once he signs, the market may move quickly. Until then, managers are buying the possibility of a role, not the role itself.

Between Arizona Cardinals rookie first-round running back Jeremiyah Love and free-agent pickup Tyler Allgeier, it will be tough to predict how the backfield touches will shake out to begin the 2026 season. Donnie Druin of Sports Illustrated writes that it doesn't feel as though the Cardinals "will fully name one ball-carrier as a labeled starter." The Cardinals' backfield is going to look much different this year in new head coach Mike LaFleur's offense after both James Conner (ankle, foot) and Trey Benson (knee) suffered season-ending injuries early in 2025. Both Conner and Benson are still around, and although they figure to be No. 3 and No. 4 in the pecking order, their presence might be another reason not to go all in on Love, the third overall pick in April, as a true RB1 in 2026 in his first year in the NFL. It's hard to ignore the 21-year-old's production in his final two seasons at Notre Dame, though, as he went over 1,100 yards in both seasons with 35 total rushing touchdowns and five receiving TDs in 28 games. Love is the total package as an explosive runner with soft hands. He should have the upper hand for touches over Allgeier based on his draft capital alone, but Allgeier could continue to vulture TDs, much like he did in Atlanta. RotoBaller has Love ranked as the No. 13 overall fantasy RB for 2026.

Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams lost work to Blake Corum last season without losing his lead role. Williams finished with 1,252 rushing yards, 36 catches, and 13 total touchdowns on 295 touches, while Corum played 30.5% of the offensive snaps and handled 145 carries. The rotation helped keep Williams fresh. It also makes another 300-carry season hard to project. That makes the format matter. RotoBaller has Williams at RB16 in dynasty and RB14 in half-PPR redraft. The dynasty price is easier to buy. He is signed through 2028 and remains the more established scorer and receiver in one of the league's strongest offenses. Redraft is closer to fair value than a discount because Corum has earned weekly work. Williams still carries RB1 upside, but managers should buy the dynasty dip without pretending the committee risk disappeared.

Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton turned nine rookie games into 737 scrimmage yards and five touchdowns, enough to keep the breakout buzz alive after two ankle injuries disrupted his season. He averaged 4.4 yards per carry and caught 32 passes, so the appeal is not tied only to early-down volume. The runway also looks cleaner in Year 2. Keaton Mitchell and Kimani Vidal are the main backs behind him, while Mike McDaniel is moving the offense toward an outside-zone scheme. The fit is exciting. The price has already caught up. RotoBaller ranks Hampton 21st overall in dynasty and 19th in PPR redraft, where he is the RB11. Managers are paying for a healthy season and a larger workload, not finding a hidden sleeper. The ankle history keeps him from being risk-free, but Round 2 remains a fair place to bet on the breakout.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase caught 125 passes for 1,412 yards and eight touchdowns last season, and the quieter scoring total did nothing to loosen his grip on the top dynasty spot. Chase still led the NFL with 185 targets. He has also cleared 1,200 receiving yards in four of five seasons, with Joe Burrow and Tee Higgins remaining alongside him in Cincinnati. RotoBaller ranks Chase first overall in dynasty, while he sits fifth overall and WR2 in its PPR redraft rankings. That is hardly a bargain, but it is not an overvaluation, either. Chase is 26, signed through 2029, and attached to one of football's best passers. Rebuilders do not need to move him simply because they are not ready to contend. Unless the return looks like a franchise-changing haul, there is little reason for any dynasty manager to sell.

Denver Broncos tight end Evan Engram is still recognizable enough to tempt fantasy managers, but last season gave them little reason to chase the name. He caught 50 passes for 461 yards and one touchdown across 16 games while starting twice and playing only 42% of the offensive snaps. Denver has since added Jaylen Waddle, and fifth-round rookie Justin Joly brings another movable receiving option to the tight end room. Engram remains atop the depth chart for now. That does not guarantee the larger role he never found in 2025. RotoBaller ranks him TE35 for redraft, and he has slipped to 265th overall in its newest dynasty rankings. A rebound is possible if the playing time changes, but that is a preseason hope, not an expectation. Engram belongs on deep-league watch lists. Standard-league managers can find better late-round bets.