Fantasy Football News

Former Eagles, Cardinals, and Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz (knee) has been cleared for football activities and wants to play in the 2026 season, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Ertz suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during Week 14 last season, marking his second ACL tear. He was seen catching passes from former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck at Stanford, where they played together in 2010 and 2011. If Ertz suits up for the 2026 season, he will be 36 years old, in his 14th NFL season, and coming off a late-season ACL injury that looked gruesome. Fantasy managers should lower expectations for the veteran tight end. While we're unclear about any exact landing spots for Ertz in 2026, wherever he goes will have fantasy implications that affect fantasy drafts this season.

New York Giants wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (knee) did not participate in Tuesday's practice with a knee issue. Head coach John Harbaugh said Smith-Schuster's injury is not expected to be long-term and that he is dealing with some swelling. Smith-Schuster, entering his 10th NFL season, is coming off a season in which he had 33 receptions for 345 yards and one touchdown. He is competing with multiple receivers on the Giants roster, including Odell Beckham Jr., Braxton Berrios, and others. The veteran receiver hopes this knee issue is resolved soon, as any missed practice or preseason time could be detrimental to his chances of making the roster.

Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson (knee) returned to practice on Tuesday after a flare-up last week, according to head coach Mike LaFleur. Benson is coming off a 2025 season in which he missed most of the year following meniscus surgery in October. The 2024 third-round pick is on the roster bubble, competing for touches with third-overall pick Jeremiyah Love, Tyler Allgeier, and former starter James Conner. Benson is a trade candidate, as his current RB4 role is well below his talent level. Fantasy managers will need to monitor the former Florida State running back's status heading into 2026, as he could offer late-round appeal if traded to the right situation.

Denver Broncos wide receiver Pat Bryant has stood out so far at the team's training camp as he hopes to win the WR3 job. The 2025 third-round pick began to take over as the team's WR2 toward the end of the season, playing over 60% of the snaps in three of the last four games. Now, with Jaylen Waddle in Denver and expected to be a lead receiver alongside Courtland Sutton, Bryant will have to fend off Troy Franklin and Marvin Mims Jr. to be fantasy relevant in 2026. However, head coach Sean Payton is expected to use different packages that include all three receivers. Bryant is ranked WR76 in RotoBaller's rankings and should be considered with late-round picks in fantasy this season.

Cleveland Browns rookie wide receiver Denzel Boston has had a strong training camp so far in 2026. The second-round pick from the University of Washington has been among the most talked-about players in camp through five practices, showcasing his contested-catch ability and knack for winning 50/50 balls. He has also developed solid chemistry with young quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who is battling for the starting quarterback job. While he's currently in a crowded receiver room with Jerry Jeudy, Isaiah Bond, and rookie first-round pick KC Concepcion, Boston offers something none of those receivers have, size. Boston is currently going off the board as the WR60 and could flirt with being the team's outside receiver if he can continue to perform in camp.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders worked with the first-team offense for the third time in training camp and had his best day with that group. Sanders was on target, made high-level throws, and outplayed Deshaun Watson, who was reportedly inconsistent and struggled with accuracy on Tuesday. Watson entered as the favorite to win the Browns' starting job, but it appears the tides are turning in the second-year quarterback's favor. The Browns open the regular season against the Jacksonville Jaguars and will have a decision by then. Until then, Sanders will need to remain on point and defy the odds to keep the starting job.

The Athletic's Dan Duggan reports that the New York Giants' offense has been scuffling early in training camp this summer, and the "expected growing pains have been evident" for second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart in head coach John Harbaugh's new offense. Former Giants head coach Brian Daboll imported many of the passing concepts from Ole Miss' playbook last year to help Dart enjoy success as a rookie, but Harbaugh and new offensive coordinator Matt Nagy have "challenged Dart to run a more traditional offense." The former first-rounder has had to play more under center to facilitate what is expected to be a more run-heavy offensive approach. Dart was in the shotgun on 79.9% of his snaps as a rookie, so the transition has been a major adjustment. It helps explain why New York's offense has looked "disjointed" early on, and part of the problem has been the team's dominant pass rush. Despite the offense's struggles, Harbaugh has praised Dart, saying "he's done an outstanding job" while having a lot on his plate. Dart is tempting as a QB1 in fantasy because of his elite rushing ability, but this should help temper some expectations for him going into Year 2 in his first full season as the Giants' starter. He's best drafted as a low-end QB1/high-end QB2 in what probably won't be a linear development for him in the new offense.

The Athletic's Kevin Fishbain reports that Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai (undisclosed) returned to team drills in training camp practice on Tuesday. Monangai recently missed some practices due to an undisclosed soft-tissue injury, but the Bears never seemed very concerned, and the second-year RB is now making his way back into team drills this week. Fantasy managers should have no concerns at this point regarding Monangai potentially missing the start of the 2026 regular season. The 24-year-old former seventh-round pick last year from Rutgers had a nice showing in his first NFL season in 2025 while sharing the backfield with RB1 D'Andre Swift, carrying the ball 169 times for 783 yards and five touchdowns in 17 regular-season games (one start). He wasn't very efficient as a pass-catcher, though, catching 18 of 30 targets for 164 yards as a receiver. Monangai is set to reprise his role as a backfield complement to Swift in 2026, limiting his weekly fantasy football upside as more of an RB3/flex play. He's a must-have as a handcuff if you draft Swift early on.

Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post reports that New York Giants veteran wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. had a "major" uptick in first-team reps at training camp practice on Tuesday and had a near touchdown ruled out of bounds. OBJ came into Giants camp this summer competing for a depth role with the likes of JuJu Smith-Schuster, Isaiah Hodgins, Braxton Berrios, and Jalin Hyatt, and by all accounts, he's putting his best foot forward to win a roster spot at the end of camp and the preseason. It has helped the 33-year-old veteran's cause that Malik Nabers (knee) and Darius Slayton (abdomen) are being held out of practices. Beckham still has a ways to go to make the Giants' final roster, and even if he does, it still seems like an uphill battle for the former first-rounder to carve out a big enough role in New York's offense to warrant attention in fantasy football leagues. He's managed just 44 receptions on 82 targets for 620 yards and three touchdowns in 23 games (six starts) over the last two years with the Baltimore Ravens and Miami Dolphins.

Green Bay Packers All-Pro pass-rusher Micah Parsons (knee) said it's "very realistic" to play in Week 6 against his former team, the Dallas Cowboys, according to Ryan Wood of USA Today Sports. "Is it possible? Yes, so I wouldn't say it's not possible. At the same time, in the next 10, 12 weeks from now, we've got to make it possible by putting the work in," Parsons said. The 27-year-old is unlikely to come off the Physically Unable to Perform list for the start of the 2026 regular season after tearing his ACL against the Denver Broncos in late December of last year, which means he will be forced to miss at least the first four weeks of his second season with the Packers. The former 12th overall pick by the Cowboys in 2021 from Penn State continued to be a difference-maker on defense in 2025 in his first year with the Packers, recording 41 tackles (19 solo), 12.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, 27 QB hits, and two forced fumbles in 14 games played. Missing at least the first four games will surely hurt Parsons' fantasy appeal in IDP formats in 2026, but he'll still be worth stashing in those leagues as an elite sack artist.

The Chicago Bears and right tackle Darnell Wright agreed to a four-year, $116 million contract extension with $93 million guaranteed on Tuesday, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. The deal is the biggest ever for a right tackle and the most guaranteed money for an offensive lineman in NFL history. The 24-year-old has helped the Bears stabilize their offensive line in recent years, and he's started all 49 of the games that he's appeared in over his first three years in the league. The Bears definitely hit on Wright when they selected him with the 10th overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft out of the University of Tennessee. The $29 million average annual value of Wright's new deal is the second-most for an offensive tackle, trailing only the $30.1 million that Washington Commanders tackle Laremy Tunsil received in the extension he signed in March. With Wright's help last year, the Bears' offense ranked third in rushing to help them win the NFC North title.

San Francisco 49ers former first-round wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee) will have season-ending knee surgery on his PCL, and because surgery for his type of knee injury is extremely rare, it's hard to say whether he'll ever be able to return to his pre-injury form, according to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. Most isolated PCL injuries heal on their own, but Pearsall's did not. Dr. Prem Ramkumar said that surgery for an isolated PCL injury is so rare among pro athletes that there isn't enough data to predict whether Pearsall will return to his pre-injury form next season. Reconstructing a damaged PCL often doesn't provide substantially more stability than allowing the ligament to scar and heal without surgery. The 25-year-old former 31st overall pick in 2024 from the University of Florida is a full-blown injury risk after just two seasons in the league, in which he played in just 20 games (13 starts). Pearsall was set to be a big part of San Fran's passing game alongside veteran Mike Evans this year, but that's out the window now. He's obviously off the board in redraft leagues in 2026, and fantasy managers in dynasty/keeper leagues don't have a lot of incentive to buy low on Pearsall at this point.

New York Jets second-year tight end Mason Taylor is set to have more opportunities in the passing attack with rookie first-round tight end Kenyon Sadiq (hernia) likely to miss at least a chunk of the preseason, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN. Jeremy Ruckert took advantage of Sadiq's absence in training camp practice on Tuesday with a team-high four catches. "I see him breaking out this year," head coach Aaron Glenn said of Taylor, a 2025 second-round pick who made a team-high 44 receptions for 369 yards last season. The Jets plan to use more two-tight-end packages involving Taylor and Sadiq in new offensive coordinator Frank Reich's scheme, but those plans will be on hold after Sadiq had a setback following offseason hernia surgery. Taylor is still a hard sell in redraft leagues with Sadiq now in the fold in an offense run by veteran QB Geno Smith, but now might be the time to buy low on Taylor in dynasty/keeper leagues. Sadiq, although he possesses elite physical traits, wouldn't be the first rookie TE in the NFL to get started slow, and his injury doesn't help his cause.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler writes that "it feels" as if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and quarterback Baker Mayfield "are on a collision course for the franchise tag" next season, which would pay him at least $47 million next year. Tampa could not get a deal with Mayfield done after offering two years and $100-plus million, and the veteran signal-caller has been very disappointed with the team's lack of interest in getting something done before training camp started. The last three Bucs players who received the franchise tag -- Antoine Winfield Jr., Chris Godwin Jr., and Shaquil Barrett -- all eventually got long-term deals. Another option would be to franchise tag Mayfield and trade him to a QB-needy team. If that were to happen, Fowler speculates that Mayfield could be a short-term option for the Los Angeles Rams after Matthew Stafford retires if they think Ty Simpson isn't quite ready. Mayfield has always played with a chip on his shoulder, but he'll have extra motivation in 2026. His dip in production last year could have been due to multiple injuries he played through, but fantasy managers should have their doubts about a rebound in 2026 now that future Hall of Fame receiver Mike Evans is no longer around.

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington has a chance to climb to the top of an unsettled depth chart after making strides with his route pacing and breaks, according to C. Isaiah Smalls II of the Miami Herald. Washington said he learned from playing behind Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, particularly in how they ran routes, prepared and attacked the game. Both receivers are now gone, leaving Washington with a much larger opportunity alongside new quarterback Malik Willis. The former sixth-round pick caught 46 passes for 317 yards and three touchdowns in 2025, then added 110 yards and another score on 17 carries. Those numbers do not make him an established lead receiver, and he still has to separate from Jalen Tolbert, Tutu Atwell and Miami's rookie additions. Still, Washington's familiarity with the offense and growing connection with Willis give him a legitimate path to leading the team in targets. He is worth monitoring in deeper fantasy leagues while Miami sorts out the receiver hierarchy.

Atlanta Falcons promising edge rusher Jalon Walker (knee) is feared to have suffered a torn ACL in training camp practice on Tuesday, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Walker will undergo an MRI exam to confirm the injury after being carted off the practice field on Tuesday with a left-leg injury. This would be a brutal blow for a Falcons defense that already had pass-rush questions going into the 2026 campaign. If Walker is indeed done for the year, Atlanta will need James Pearce to step up in a huge way. The 22-year-old Walker, the 15th overall pick in last year's NFL draft out of the University of Georgia, played in 15 games (nine starts) in his first NFL season and finished with 36 tackles (24 solo), 5.5 sacks, nine QB hits, a pass breakup, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery for Atlanta.

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jalen Nailor has emerged as one of the team's most consistent pass-catchers early in training camp, according to the Las Vegas Sun. Nailor won all three of his one-on-one reps during Monday's first padded practice, then connected with Kirk Cousins on a long post route during team drills. He also made two red-zone catches from Cousins on Friday, continuing a connection the pair developed during their two seasons together in Minnesota. Nailor signed a three-year, $35 million contract with Las Vegas after posting career highs of 29 receptions and 444 yards with four touchdowns in 2025. The Raiders have moved him between the slot and outside, and the Sun currently views Nailor and Tre Tucker as the clear top two receivers. Brock Bowers remains the offense's premier target, but Nailor is building a strong case for a meaningful role. His contract, versatility, and early chemistry with Cousins put him on the late-round radar in deeper fantasy drafts.

ESPN's Ben Solak writes that he saw what looked like an "unimpeded" Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones (Achilles) at training camp. Solak added that it doesn't look like Jones is only 7 1/3 months removed from Achilles surgery. If anything, Jones is "just a little stiff and uncertain when he's moving." Still, Solak thinks Jones "looks good," but he's not 100% on his Achilles just yet, so it remains to be seen how close he'll be to 100% by Week 1 of the 2026 regular season in September. The 29-year-old is in a "good place," though, and head coach Shane Steichen isn't modulating how he distributes reps or calls plays in training camp to account for Jones' recovery. It looks like the former sixth overall pick by the Giants in 2019 from Duke will be ready for Week 1, which would be great news for the Colts' offense. Jones was on his way to a career-best season in 2025 in his first year in Indy, but coming off a torn Achilles tendon and without receiver Michael Pittman Jr., there are plenty of reasons for fantasy managers to be skeptical of a repeat. Jones should be targeted as a low-end QB2 in superflex leagues with limited upside.

Washington Commanders running back Kaytron Allen has a clear selling point. The sixth-round rookie left Penn State as the program's career rushing leader with 4,180 yards and 39 touchdowns, and Washington drafted him to handle the kind of physical, short-yardage work that can keep drives alive. The fit is easy to understand. The role is not. Jacory Croskey-Merritt rushed for 805 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie, then caught all three of his targets during what the team called his best practice of camp. Rachaad White broke a long outside run in the first padded session and remains the most accomplished receiver in the group. Jeremy McNichols, Jerome Ford, and Robert Henry Jr. are still around as well. RotoBaller has Allen at RB55 in PPR, RB58 in half-PPR, and RB8 among rookie backs. His quickest route to fantasy value is winning the goal-line job, but Washington has not handed it to him. Allen remains a worthwhile dynasty stash because the room could open quickly. Redraft managers should wait for the preseason to show whether he has a real weekly role.

Some Atlanta Falcons people on the ground think that tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. is "moving better than he has in years," according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Pitts' confidence has wavered in previous seasons while battling a lingering knee injury, but he's at full health this offseason, and new head coach Kevin Stefanski's offense is set up for him. The Falcons' receiver depth is still a major question mark behind WR1 Drake London, leaving Pitts as "a certified first or second option" in the passing attack. Fowler mentions that Pitts has been going as a top-five fantasy TE in drafts after his big 2025 season in which he caught a career-high 88 passes on 118 targets for 928 yards and a career-high five touchdowns in 17 starts. We know that the former fourth overall pick in 2021 from the University of Florida is going to have a big role in 2026, but it's just a matter of whether QBs Tua Tagovailoa/Michael Penix Jr. can get him the ball consistently. Pitts finished last year as the No. 2 fantasy TE and has high-end TE1 potential yet again this year, albeit with some risk based on Atlanta's less-than-ideal QB situation.