Fantasy Football News

The Indianapolis Colts worked out free-agent wide receiver Chase Claypool on Thursday. Claypool is attempting an NFL comeback after not playing in the league since 2023. He last suited up for the Miami Dolphins during the 2023 campaign. He finished with eight receptions for 77 yards and one touchdown in 12 games with Miami. The 28-year-old was a former second-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2020. He hasn't really done anything meaningful on the football field since leaving the Steelers during the 2022 season. Even if he lands with the Colts, Claypool would likely only be depth and have a minimal role.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. is reportedly in competition for the backup role ahead of the 2026 season. Daniel Jones is the clear starter in Indy, but the backup gig is still up for grabs. JJ Stankevitz is reporting that Richardson and Riley Leonard are "neck and neck" for the QB2 job. The team plans to continue to rotate the two quarterbacks between the second and third-team offense throughout camp. Richardson hasn't actually played meaningful football since the 2024 season. Leonard threw for 415 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions in five games last season. Whoever wins the backup job could have some stash value with Jones coming back from an Achilles injury.

Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry has been one of the top players at his position for many years. Despite his stellar performance, fantasy managers need to start thinking about when Henry might decide to retire. The 32-year-old is entering his 11th season in the NFL. Despite his age, Henry recently said that he's not thinking about retirement right now. He is focused on being the best player possible and helping the Ravens win football games. Henry has finished in the top-8 or better in each of the last four seasons. At some point, you would think age regression would play a factor, but Henry is apparently a different animal. He's currently ranked as the RB13 in redraft leagues heading into the season.

The San Francisco 49ers signed free-agent wide receiver Deebo Samuel on Thursday. According to Jordan Schultz, they've agreed on a one-year, $7 million deal for the upcoming 2026-2027 campaign. It was rumored that the two sides were interested in a reunion after Samuel left for the Washington Commanders last season. The 49ers are in need of reinforcements after the news that fellow wideout Ricky Pearsall (knee) could miss the entire season. Samuel figures to immediately slot alongside Mike Evans as the No. 2 wideout on this roster. The expectation is that rookie De'Zhaun Stribling and Christian Kirk will compete for the third wideout spot, assuming Pearsall is truly out for the year. Samuel is coming off a 72-catch season with the Commanders in 2025. He should be able to offer around top-30 upside at his position.

Seattle Seahawks rookie running back Jadarian Price was operating as the top back during the team's first full scrimmage on Thursday. The expectation is that Price is going to split the first-team reps with George Holani during training camp. Price has more upside and carries higher expectations after being taken 32nd overall by the Seahawks during this year's draft. Zach Charbonnet (knee) is still working his way back from an ACL injury he suffered in January. With a solid performance in camp, Price could be the RB1 heading into Week 1. Rotoballer currently has Price ranked as the RB26 in redraft formats. His status could rise here shortly if he continues getting RB1 reps.

Through eight days of training camp, Arizona Cardinals running back Tyler Allgeier has been getting the majority of the carries with the first-team offense, with rookie running back Jeremiyah Love getting the rest, according to Josh Weinfuss of ESPN. Allgeier signed a two-year, $12 million contract with the Cardinals this offseason and is expected to have a key role in what could be a run-heavy offense in Arizona. The 26-year-old has had a solid start to his career despite backing up star running back Bijan Robinson. He averaged 4.3 yards per carry in four years with Atlanta and averaged 2.9 yards after contact last season. The Cardinals are likely easing Love into the offense, but the No. 3 overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft projects to be the leader of the team's backfield. Arizona also has James Conner (knee) and Trey Benson as well, making this a very crowded backfield. Allgeier is currently RotoBaller's RB50, but that stock could rise if he continues to work with the first-team offense in most of training camp.

Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze (foot) made comments back in June about his injured foot being the "new normal," which led many to believe he'd never be the WR the team envisioned he'd be when they took him ninth overall in 2024 from the University of Washington. The 24-year-old third-year wideout clarified his "new normal" comments from earlier in the offseason by saying on Thursday that "wasn't really what he meant." What he meant was that he was injured last year, suffering a stress fracture in his foot that limited him in the second half. Odunze had 20 catches for 296 yards and five touchdowns through the first four weeks before catching 24 passes for 365 yards and one TD in the final eight regular-season games. He said his "foot feels great" and "amazing" now and that his foot issue from a year ago isn't a "chronic" injury. Fantasy managers shouldn't be avoiding Odunze in upcoming drafts, especially with DJ Moore now in Buffalo. All the offseason hype has been on second-year wideout Luther Burden III, potentially making Odunze an excellent value pick with WR2 upside in 2026.

Buffalo Bills kicker Tyler Bass (pelvis) told reporters that he's fully healthy and ready to go after rehabbing a pelvic injury that cost him all of last season, according to Matt Parrino of Syracuse.com. "It was hard to get out of bed for a couple weeks," Bass said. "When I started kicking, we started with baby steps- 20-yarders, 10-yarders, and then working from there. It wasn't until midway through OTAs that I started feeling like myself again." The 29-year-old kicker finished as a top-10 player at his position in fantasy in 2024, when he made 24 of his 29 field-goal attempts (4-for-4 from 50-plus yards) and 59 of his 64 extra-point tries in 17 regular-season games. The former sixth-round pick in 2020 from Georgia Southern is an 84.5% field-goal kicker (16-for-23 from 50-plus yards) in his five years in the NFL, and he could be a nice fantasy sleeper at the kicking position in Buffalo's high-scoring offense if he can manage to stay healthy in his return in 2026.

Kansas City Chiefs new backup quarterback Justin Fields made some impressive throws in training camp practice on Thursday, including a perfectly placed pass outside the numbers to receiver Andrew Armstrong during 7-on-7 drills, according to Chiefs.com's Matt McMullen. Fields added another excellent throw to hit tight end Mason Pline deep down the sideline. The 27-year-old former 11th overall pick by the Chicago Bears from Ohio State was a massive free-agent bust with the New York Jets in 2025, only playing in nine games and eventually being benched in favor of veteran Tyrod Taylor. Fields, who has always possessed elite rushing ability at the QB position, just has yet to put it all together as a passer to make him a viable long-term starter. He threw for 1,259 yards, seven touchdowns, and one interception in his nine starts for the Jets, and now he finds himself as QB insurance in KC for Patrick Mahomes (knee), who is recovering from a torn ACL and LCL late last season. Mahomes appears to be on track for Week 1 of the 2026 regular season, but if anything were to happen to Mahomes again, Fields would become an interesting dual-threat weapon in head coach Andy Reid's offense.

San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch said in January that wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) would never play for the organization again, but has the team's stance changed following a potential season-ending knee injury to Ricky Pearsall? The Niners signed the 28-year-old Aiyuk to a four-year, $120 million contract in August of 2024, and then the former first-rounder from Arizona State played in only seven games that year before suffering a torn ACL and MCL in his right knee. Aiyuk was looking like an ascending young wideout before getting a big new deal, recording back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons with 15 total touchdowns in 2022 and 2023. His knee injury kept him sidelined for all of last year, at which point the off-the-field issues between Aiyuk and the 49ers started, causing the team to void the remaining guarantees in his contract. San Fran was hoping to trade Aiyuk this offseason, but they found no takers. He is on the left-squad list for the start of training camp, and the 49ers have been expected to cut him eventually. But with Pearsall likely done for the entire 2026 season, Aiyuk could be the team's locked-in WR2 behind Mike Evans if the two sides can put the past behind them. This scenario feels like a long shot, but we've seen crazier things happen.

Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio confirmed on Thursday that linebacker Zack Baun will wear the green dot on his helmet as the quarterback of the defense this year in place of Nakobe Dean, who was the Eagles' primary defensive play-caller last year. The 29-year-old Baun had 88 tackles (60 solo), two sacks, an interception, and two pass breakups in his first four years in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints after they took him in the third round in 2020 out of Wisconsin. It wasn't until Baun joined the Eagles in 2024, though, that he truly broke out. He has been a Pro Bowler in each of the last two seasons while recording a total of 274 tackles (157 solo), seven sacks, 18 tackles for loss, 10 QB hits, three interceptions, 11 pass breakups, six forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries in 32 starts. Baun's impressive last two seasons with the Eagles in a primary starting role have made him a top-15 fantasy linebacker in IDP formats going into 2026.

As expected, Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Jahan Dotson is running with the starters in the early days of training camp, according to Will McFadden of AtlantaFalcons.com. McFadden added that Dotson made an early play in Thursday's full-team period that "showed why he could be an excellent complement for the other weapons in this offense." Dotson ran a crosser route and quietly created separation to catch the ball over the middle with plenty of room to gain yards after the catch. The middle of the field is an area that the Falcons have been looking to attack more consistently, and Dotson "could be a player who shines in that role." The 26-year-old could become the team's WR2 behind starter Drake London in new head coach Kevin Stefanski's offense, making him a late-round sleeper target. Dotson has found the end zone just once in the last two years with the Philadelphia Eagles, but is a former first-rounder who produced 1,041 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns in his first two years with the Washington Commanders.

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave has agreed to a four-year extension worth up to $132 million, including $90 million guaranteed, according to Adam Schefter. His agents, Drew and Jason Rosenhaus, provided the terms to ESPN. The deal follows a career year in which Olave caught 100 of 156 targets for 1,163 yards and nine touchdowns over 16 starts, earning second-team All-Pro honors. It was his third 1,000-yard season in four years, with an injury-shortened 2024 as the only exception. New Orleans had already exercised Olave's fifth-year option for 2026, but the extension now keeps him under team control well beyond the end of his rookie contract. The contract does not alter his immediate role, but it gives dynasty managers long-term stability around a receiver who remains the focal point of the Saints' passing game.

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Shemar Stewart (knee) will miss several weeks after hyperextending his left knee during Wednesday's practice, according to Charlie Goldsmith. Head coach Zac Taylor said Stewart avoided a major injury, welcome news after the 2025 first-round pick was carted off and initially unable to put weight on the leg. Injuries already cost Stewart a large part of his rookie season. He played eight games with five starts, spent five games on injured reserve with a knee injury, and missed four earlier contests because of an ankle issue. Stewart finished with 11 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, and one pass deflection. Cincinnati will now be without him for another chunk of valuable development time, although the diagnosis is far better than it first appeared. For fantasy purposes, Stewart remains a wait-and-see option in deeper IDP leagues.

Washington Commanders wide receiver Treylon Burks (foot) did not practice Thursday because of foot soreness, according to Ben Standig. There was no further update on the severity of the issue. Burks is trying to build on a productive offseason while competing for work behind Terry McLaurin in a receiver room without a settled No. 2. Washington re-signed the former first-round pick in March after he caught 10 passes for 130 yards and one touchdown in eight games last season. Health remains central to his case. Burks has played 35 games through four NFL seasons, with 11 being his career high in any one year. The missed practice is worth tracking, but there is not enough information yet to suggest a longer absence. For now, fantasy managers only need to monitor how quickly he returns and whether he can regain the momentum he built during offseason work.

Chicago Bears wide receiver Kalif Raymond has been getting the ball often early in training camp. Brad Biggs noted that Raymond has been heavily involved and that it is already easy to see head coach Ben Johnson has plans for him as the team's third receiver. That should not come as much of a surprise. Raymond spent four seasons with Johnson in Detroit, and Johnson said in June that the veteran is more than a gadget player and could have a major role in the offense. Raymond caught 24 passes for 289 yards and one touchdown in 15 games for the Lions last season, but Chicago appears interested in using him more creatively. Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III are still the top two options in the receiver room, which limits Raymond's path to dependable weekly volume. Even so, his early camp usage is worth following. He is more of a deep-league watch-list player than a standard redraft pick right now.

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Ryan Flournoy added muscle this offseason, and head coach Brian Schottenheimer has taken notice. Asked by Nicole Hutchison whether that change came from a conversation about helping Flournoy take the next step, Schottenheimer praised his "incredible" work ethic and called him another offseason award winner. The comments fit Flournoy's rise over the past year. After being waived at the end of training camp and returning on the practice squad, he earned his way back onto the active roster before Week 2. Flournoy went on to catch 40 of 56 targets for 475 yards and four touchdowns in 16 games, highlighted by 114 yards against the Jets and 115 against the Lions. He now enters 2026 as Dallas' third receiver behind CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. That is a difficult setup for steady weekly volume, but Flournoy has already shown he can produce when called upon. He is best viewed as a deep-league watch-list option rather than a standard redraft target.

San Francisco 49ers backup quarterback Mac Jones (undisclosed) is healthy for the start of training camp after dealing with an undisclosed issue during the offseason, according to Vic Tafur and Matt Barrows of The Athletic. Jones started slow in Wednesday's practice before improving throughout the session and finishing 11-for-15 passing. The 27-year-old signal-caller kept the Niners' offense afloat last year with Brock Purdy missing extended time with a turf-toe injury, throwing for 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns, and six interceptions on 289 pass attempts in 11 games (eight starts) in his first year in the Bay Area. While Jones was not a standout by any means for fantasy football purposes as more of a game manager, he was a real-life savior for head coach Kyle Shanahan's offense, leading to the 49ers rebuffing trade inquiries on Jones in the offseason. That stance could change this summer if a QB-needy team makes the Niners an offer they can't refuse, but for now, Jones is an extremely valuable insurance policy for Purdy under center.

Dallas Cowboys running back Jaydon Blue was one of the players who stood out during Wednesday's first training camp practice, head coach Brian Schottenheimer said, according to Jon Machota. Blue also mixed in with the first-team offense and broke a 45-yard run that would have resulted in a touchdown during the non-padded session. The 22-year-old appeared in five games as a rookie, finishing with 38 carries for 129 yards and one touchdown while catching one pass for five yards. Javonte Williams remains firmly established as Dallas' lead back after rushing for 1,201 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2025. The competition behind him remains unsettled, with Phil Mafah receiving the initial No. 2 reps Wednesday and Malik Davis returning after recording 250 rushing yards last season. Blue's 4.38 speed gives him an explosive trait that separates him from the other reserve options, but one strong practice does not secure the backup job. He remains a worthwhile late-round watch while competing for a meaningful complementary role.

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed is healthy for the start of training camp after a foot fracture and broken collarbone limited him to seven games in 2025, according to USA Today's Packers Wire. Reed caught 19 passes for 207 yards and one touchdown last season after leading Green Bay in receiving yards in each of his first two campaigns. The Packers signed the 26-year-old to a reported three-year, $50.25 million extension in April, reinforcing his place alongside Christian Watson and Matthew Golden at the top of the receiver room. Green Bay traded Dontayvion Wicks to Philadelphia and allowed Romeo Doubs to leave in free agency, creating a more streamlined depth chart. Reed's healthy start gives him an opportunity to rebuild his timing with Jordan Love after an injury-disrupted season. His previous production creates a credible rebound case, although Watson and Golden could keep targets distributed across Green Bay's passing attack.