Fantasy Football News

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell said he's "not even sweating it" when discussing running back Jahmyr Gibbs' hold-in as he seeks a contract extension early in training camp, according to Eric Woodyard of ESPN. Gibbs completed a conditioning test on Wednesday, in which Campbell said he "had a little bit of a back" issue, so it's unclear if the star RB will start practicing with the team right away once he inks a new deal. The 24-year-old's back injury might not be all that serious, but it's definitely something that we will keep a close eye on as camp rolls on. Fantasy managers probably have nothing to worry about right now with Gibbs' back injury and his hold-in, but the longer it lasts, the more concerning it will become for a player who is ranked as RotoBaller's No. 1 overall fantasy RB. He has been a Pro Bowler in each of his three NFL seasons after Detroit took him 12th overall from the University of Alabama in 2023. Gibbs' production speaks for itself, as he's racked up an incredible 3,580 rushing yards and 39 touchdowns while adding 181 receptions for 1,449 yards and another 10 scores as a receiver in 49 regular-season games. He's in his prime in an up-tempo, high-scoring offense as the best dual-threat back in the league.

With the news that wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee) is facing season-ending surgery for a PCL injury, it means that San Francisco 49ers All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey could see an even larger target share in the passing game in 2026. McCaffrey, who has a lengthy injury history of his own, was the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year in 2025 after he played in just four games due to injury in 2024. The four-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro was the top fantasy RB after running for 1,202 yards and 10 touchdowns on 311 carries while adding a whopping 102 receptions for 924 yards and another seven TDs on 129 targets across 17 starts. At this point in CMC's career as he heads into his 10th NFL season, it seems likely that the Niners would be looking for ways to reduce his workload, especially when considering his injury history and coming off a career-high 413 touches last year. But the 49ers might not have that luxury, with their players already dropping like flies due to injury early in training camp. As long as he's healthy, McCaffrey should continue to be the engine of head coach Kyle Shanahan's offense, cementing him as a no-doubt top-five fantasy RB.

It looks like the San Francisco 49ers are expecting wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee) to miss the entire 2026 season, according to NBC Sports' Matt Maiocco. "This doesn't look good... I think it's reasonable, rational, logical, for the 49ers to NOT expect Ricky Pearsall to make any contribution in 2026," Maiocco said. The 25-year-old former first-rounder from the University of Florida played in only nine regular-season games in 2025 in his second year in the league due to a PCL injury in his knee. The 49ers were hoping that the PCL issue would heal itself in the offseason, but that doesn't appear to be the case after Pearsall experienced swelling in the same knee after running all the routes in the first few days of training camp. It now appears that Pearsall is headed for season-ending surgery, which will obviously make him undraftable in all single-year fantasy leagues in 2026. The oft-injured pass-catcher's dynasty/keeper-league stock also takes a big hit. With Pearsall likely done for the year, it gives rookie second-rounder De'Zhaun Stribling a real opportunity to lock down the WR3 role in San Fran behind veterans Mike Evans and Christian Kirk.

Jacksonville Jaguars second-year running back LeQuint Allen Jr. has been a name to watch early in the team's training camp practices, and he had another explosive run on Thursday while stiff-arming a defender, according to Jaguars beat writer Travis Holmes. Keep in mind that Chris Rodriguez Jr. (foot) is being limited to individual drills early in camp after having foot surgery and missing the entire offseason program. Still, the 21-year-old Allen's work so far this summer is noteworthy as he works to be the team's primary pass-catching option on third downs in Year 2. After he was selected in the seventh round from Syracuse last year, Allen found little work behind Travis Etienne Jr. and Bhayshul Tuten, carrying the ball 23 times for 94 yards and zero touchdowns in 17 regular-season games (one start). He added 10 receptions for 54 yards. Allen is unlikely to do much as a pure runner as the RB3, but he could offer some deep-league PPR appeal in a larger role in an ascending Jaguars offense. Fantasy managers in standard-sized 12-team leagues can likely leave Allen to the waiver wire to begin the 2026 season.

Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears has been heavily involved in the team's passing game early in training camp and has made the most of his screens and dump-offs through two days, according to PaulKuharsky.com. Spears is still sharing a backfield with Tony Pollard, and the Titans added more competition in this year's draft with fifth-rounder Nicholas Singleton, but the 25-year-old could be in a position to succeed in 2026 with Brian Daboll now running the Titans' offense. He has been impressive all offseason and should have the RB2 role locked down going into the start of the regular season, and the former third-rounder in 2023 from Tulane could operate as more of the 1B this year to Pollard's 1A. Spears has never had more than 453 rushing yards or four rushing touchdowns in any of his three NFL seasons, but he does have 127 catches on 155 targets in his 42 games played, and he could become an even bigger pass-catching weapon in Tennessee as second-year QB Cam Ward looks to take the next step. Fantasy managers should consider Spears as a sneaky late-round sleeper in point-per-reception leagues.

New England Patriots rookie third-round tight end Eli Raridon said at training camp on Thursday that things are slowing down for him, according to Mark Daniels of MassLive.com. Raridon said it has been night and day from the spring. Even though the Patriots still have Hunter Henry as their top pass-catching tight end, and after they added receivers A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs in the offseason, Raridon could make an impact as a receiver in 2026 in his first year in the NFL. The 22-year-old should be considered the favorite for TE2 duties with Julian Hill (knee) already ruled out for the season. He needs to refine his blocking skills, but Raridon is certainly a young TE name to keep an eye on for those in deep fantasy leagues in 2026. Raridon has excellent size (6-foot-6, 245 pounds), athleticism, and speed to give New England another weapon to challenge opposing defenses down the field. He doesn't come without durability concerns, though, having already torn his ACL twice. Raridon is a fine TE to stash in dynasty/keeper leagues, but he can be ignored for now in most redraft formats.

DK Pittsburgh Sports reports that Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rico Dowdle got reps ahead of Jaylen Warren in training camp practice on Thursday, which was the opposite of Wednesday. However, both RBs took reps with the first-team offense. Warren lost considerable pass-catching work to Kenny Gainwell in 2025, but he still managed a career-high 958 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 211 carries while adding 40 receptions for 333 yards and another two TDs as a receiver in 16 regular-season games in his fourth year in the NFL. Gainwell is gone, with Dowdle taking his place in Pittsburgh's backfield alongside Warren. With Dowdle now in the picture, Warren's rushing workload will likely take a hit, but he could replace that volume with more work as a pass-catcher, and we all know how veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers loves to dump off the football late in his career. This could be a true even split between Warren and Dowdle in 2026, with RotoBaller ranking Dowdle as the No. 30 overall fantasy RB, and Warren at No. 31. Warren should have slightly more upside as an RB3/flex option in PPR formats.

Green Bay Packers second-year wide receiver Matthew Golden is flashing big-play upside early in training camp, and he had another 20-plus-yard catch in practice on Thursday, per Ryan Wood of USA Today Sports. Golden, who was the 23rd overall pick last year from the University of Texas, failed to stand out in his rookie campaign in the team's crowded WR picture, ultimately finishing with 29 receptions on 44 targets for 361 yards and zero touchdowns in 14 regular-season games (five starts). But with Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks no longer on the team, the 22-year-old is primed for a much larger role in the Packers' passing attack in 2026. Golden was the team's most productive pass-catcher late last year as well, so fantasy managers targeting him are banking on a Year 2 breakout. He caught four passes for 84 yards and his first NFL touchdown in the playoff loss to the division-rival Chicago Bears. Given his current ADP, Golden is undervalued and profiles as an excellent value pick later in fantasy drafts in 2026.

Penn Live's Nick Farabaugh writes that Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Roman Wilson is getting a lot of looks from veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers in training camp practice on Thursday, and he's "easily been the most targeted player" through two days. The Rodgers-Wilson connection has already looked a lot better on Thursday after the two had two miscommunications on Wednesday. The 25-year-old saw the majority of the reps as the WR3 on Wednesday in three-receiver sets alongside DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr., and he's looking to get more involved in 2026 after catching just 12 of 21 passes for 166 yards and two touchdowns in 13 games played in 2025 in his second year in the NFL. Wilson's main competition for the WR3 role this summer is rookie second-rounder Germie Bernard, but so far, it looks like Wilson's job to lose. The former third-rounder is a name to watch in Steelers camp, but the WR3 role in Pittsburgh with Rodgers leading the show in his final NFL season probably won't amount to much volume to make him all that intriguing in 12-team fantasy leagues.

Carolina Panthers rookie third-round wide receiver Chris Brazzell II (knee) will undergo season-ending surgery on his left knee, a league source with knowledge of the situation told Joseph Person of The Athletic. The Panthers initially planned to go with a non-surgical path for Brazzell's moderate LCL tear, which would have kept him out for two months. But after receiving a second opinion, they have decided to do what's best for the young wideout's long-term health. The University of Tennessee product injured his knee during 7-on-7 drills in training camp practice on Wednesday. It's a tough break for the 6-foot-4 pass-catcher, as he entered camp with a realistic chance to unseat Xavier Legette for WR3 duties in 2026 behind Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker. Legette will now obviously be the favorite for the No. 3 receiver job, although he could face competition from David Moore and John Metchie III, who played with quarterback Bryce Young at Alabama. Fantasy managers can avoid Brazzell now in all single-year leagues.

Sports Illustrated's John Shipley writes that Jacksonville Jaguars running back Bhayshul Tuten was the player of the day in training camp practice on Wednesday, and his "terrific practice performances" have been "a consistent part of the Jaguars' practices." It has helped that Chris Rodriguez Jr. (foot) missed the entire offseason program due to a foot injury that required surgery, and he was held to individual drills in the first camp practice on Wednesday. Tuten continues to get reps as the RB1, but for as good as he has looked, Shipley cautions that Rodriguez has yet to play, and the pads have not come on yet. Jacksonville's backfield could look a lot different once Rodriguez is added to the fold, but for now, Tuten has taken the early lead in the RB competition in Duval. And with Travis Etienne Jr. now in New Orleans, the second-year back has Year 2 breakout potential after carrying the ball 83 times for 307 yards and five touchdowns in 15 games as a rookie. Tuten caught only 10 passes for 79 yards and another two scores, but LeQuint Allen Jr. figures to see most of the pass-catching reps out of the Jags' backfield. Tuten's lack of pass-catching skills could be the only thing holding him back from a sophomore breakout. Target him as a low-end RB2 with upside in upcoming fantasy drafts.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington was the team's most impressive player in training camp practice on Thursday, per John Shipley of Sports Illustrated. Washington had multiple big catches and was a tough cover for anyone in the secondary who was put up against him. Shipley wrote that Brian Thomas Jr. also had a couple of chunk gains on passes, but it was Washington "who stood out and stole the show." Even in a crowded WR corps that includes Thomas, Jakobi Meyers, and Travis Hunter, the 24-year-old Washington appears ready to be an even bigger part of the Jaguars' passing attack in 2026 after he broke out with 58 catches, 847 yards, and five touchdowns (all career highs) in 16 regular-season games a year ago. He's not big at 5-foot-10, 204 pounds or extremely fast, but Washington is an excellent route-runner and averaged a career-best 14.6 yards per reception in 2025. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence could spread the wealth with all his options, which will limit Washington's fantasy upside, but at this point, he's been hard to ignore and has clear WR2 upside going into his fourth NFL season. RotoBaller has Washington ranked as the No. 32 WR.

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. (foot) suffered a foot injury on the first day of the offseason program in the spring, keeping him out for all of organized team activities and minicamp after he required surgery. Rodriguez was cleared for the start of training camp, but he only took part in individual drills on Wednesday and was held out of team work. Sports Illustrated's John Shipley writes that the Jaguars are taking things "nice and slow" with their big offseason addition to the backfield. The plan is for the Jaguars to ease C-Rod back in and have him ready to go for the Week 1 regular-season opener against the Cleveland Browns. His absence has allowed Bhayshul Tuten to get all the work with the first-team offense, and he's looked great. Still, the Jags plan is for Rodriguez to be a key piece of their ground game in 2026, and it helps his cause that he has history with head coach Liam Coen from his days at Kentucky in college. He's coming off a strong season in Washington -- 112 rushes for career highs in rushing yards (500) and rushing touchdowns (six) in 13 games -- but he's never been a true lead back in the NFL, and that won't happen in Jacksonville, either. Tuten has a leg up to lead the backfield in touches, with C-Rod competing for a change-of-pace role with third-down pass-catcher LeQuint Allen Jr. Rodriguez should be considered more of an RB3/flex going into his first year in Duval.

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy is already showing deep-play upside early in training camp, with Chiefs.com's Matt McMullen noting that quarterback Patrick Mahomes found Worthy for a deep touchdown down the middle of the field during 11-on-11 team drills in practice on Thursday. It was a "beautiful throw and catch." Worthy suffered a torn labrum in Week 1 of last year that required offseason surgery in January. The 23-year-old speedster played in only 14 games in 2025 and had a disappointing 42-532-1 final line after catching 59 passes for 638 yards and six touchdowns in 17 games as a rookie. Now fully healthy and ready for a full route tree again, the former 28th overall pick from the University of Texas should be a big mover on fantasy draft boards as the Chiefs' offense looks to bounce back and return to the playoffs. The 5-foot-11, 165-pounder is naturally a bigger injury risk because of his slight frame, but he makes up for it with elite speed. RotoBaller has Worthy ranked as the No. 43 fantasy WR right now, and he's shaping up as a potential great value pick in upcoming drafts.

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks made the play of the day in training camp practice on Thursday and is quickly emerging as the team's No. 2 wideout behind DeVonta Smith now that A.J. Brown is gone, according to Jeff Neiburg of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Quarterback Jalen Hurts made an impressive throw across his body deep down the field to Wicks, who jumped over defensive backs Cole Wisniewski and Jakorian Bennett to make the 40-plus-yard catch. Wicks is among the early camp risers in terms of fantasy football stock after the Eagles acquired him from the Green Bay Packers in the offseason. The 25-year-old former fifth-rounder from Virginia never had more than 581 receiving yards or 39 receptions in his three years in Green Bay, although he has averaged 12.3 yards per catch and had nine total touchdowns in his first two seasons in the NFL. Wicks was also always part of a jumbled WR room with the Packers. In Philly, it appears he could be locked into the WR2 role, which would afford him a much better target rate while seeing the field more often in a new offense that is looking to rebound in a major way. Wicks is shaping up as an interesting late-round fantasy sleeper at WR in 2026.

Houston Texans second-year wide receiver Jayden Higgins has been seeing early targets in training camp practice from quarterback C.J. Stroud, and head coach DeMeco Ryans said he's seen Higgins take a Year 2 jump, according to Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle. Ryans envisions Higgins becoming a weapon opposite WR1 Nico Collins. All signs have been pointing to the 23-year-old pass-catcher taking a leap in Year 2 after he caught 41 of his 68 targets for 525 yards and six touchdowns in 17 regular-season games (10 starts) as a rookie. The former second-rounder from Iowa State could really take the next step if Collins, who is no stranger to injuries, misses more time with an injury in 2026. Higgins has consistently drawn praise this year, dating back to offseason workouts. He could really benefit from the Texans' upgrades on their offensive line and the departure of veteran wideout Christian Kirk. Higgins is ranked at No. 55 among WRs by RotoBaller, but his draft stock should continue to rise if he keeps standing out in training camp this summer.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving was limited to 10 games in 2025 in his sophomore season while dealing with ankle and shoulder injuries, but he is fully healthy for training camp this summer and has been taking first-team reps, according to Scott Smith of the team's official website. Not only was he taking first-team reps, but Smith reports that Irving was running at full speed and looked like the back he was during his remarkable rookie campaign in 2024, in which he had 1,122 rushing yards and eight touchdowns, adding 47 receptions for 392 yards as a receiver in 17 games. "He feels fine, he's great," said head coach Todd Bowles. "He's full speed. He's full-go right now. Obviously, when we get in pads, we're not easing him back from anything. So, we feel pretty good right now." Coming off injuries and with the addition of pass-catching back Kenny Gainwell, Irving has fallen in the fantasy rankings and should be targeted as more of a low-end RB2. It certainly feels like the Bucs plan to give Irving more help with Gainwell and Sean Tucker to keep him healthy all year.

Philadelphia Eagles running back Tank Bigsby ran for a touchdown and caught a pass from quarterback Jalen Hurts over the middle during training camp practice on Thursday, according to John Clark of NBC Sports. Bigsby is getting "a lot of action" during the first couple of days of training camp in Philly. Before training camp started, the expectation was that Bigsby would be locked in as the team's RB2 behind starter Saquon Barkley, and after the first couple of practices, that is firmly the case. The 24-year-old was acquired from the Jacksonville Jaguars last year just before Week 2 of the season, and he finished the year with 58 carries for 344 yards (5.9 yards per tote) and two touchdowns in 16 games with the Eagles. The former third-rounder from Auburn is a rugged runner with plenty of big-play potential, giving Philly a nice complement to Barkley's finesse style. At the very worst, Bigsby should be considered one of the top handcuff backs in the league going into the 2026 campaign. RotoBaller has the fourth-year player ranked just inside the top-50 fantasy RBs this year.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield said he feels "disrespected" by his contract situation after trying to work out an extension with the team before the start of training camp, according to Pewter Report. The 31-year-old will head into the final year of the three-year, $100 million deal he signed with the Bucs in March of 2024 and looks set to hit free agency in 2027, unless the two sides can work something out during their exclusive negotiating window early next year. The Buccaneers will have the option to place the franchise tag on Mayfield, but that seems unlikely, especially if he takes another step back in 2026. Mayfield was a back-to-back Pro Bowler in 2023 and 2024 in his first two years with the team, but he threw for 3,693 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions in 17 starts in 2025 as the team failed to make the playoffs. He was reportedly playing hurt for most of the year with various ailments. Mayfield will surely be motivated to step up this year, but without future Hall of Fame receiver Mike Evans and in a new offense, fantasy managers certainly have their doubts, as do the Bucs. RotoBaller has Mayfield ranked as the No. 20 fantasy QB in 2026. UPDATE: ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports that Mayfield said the Bucs offered him a two-year contract.

After missing spring workouts while recovering from offseason core-muscle surgery, New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton was in attendance for the team's first practice of training camp. While the Giants have 14 wide receivers listed on their 90-man roster, few roles, if any, have been secured behind 2024 first-round pick Malik Nabers, so the team will be looking for players who can consistently make plays in a game-like setting, and Slayton reportedly connected with quarterback Jaxson Dart on a deep out over starting cornerback Paulson Adebo. Barely clinging to fantasy relevance, Slayton is RotoBaller's WR104 ahead of the 2026 season. Still, if he can continue to string plays together throughout camp, he could prove to be a necessary piece of the Giants' new-look offense and see his fantasy value rise.