Fantasy Football News

New York Jets rookie first-round tight end Kenyon Sadiq (hernia) still isn't practicing at training camp, but he has improved enough to jog/run while observing drills, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN. Sadiq had surgery in the spring for a hernia, and he recently suffered a setback that has kept him from working with the rest of the team this summer. Despite the setback, the 21-year-old from the University of Oregon is still expected to be ready for the Week 1 regular-season opener in September. However, given all the valuable time that Sadiq has missed as he enters his first NFL season, it would be wise to expect some growing pains as he's eased into the Jets' offense, especially with an already very capable pass-catching TE on the roster in Mason Taylor. The 6-foot-3, 245-pounder is a physical freak with high-end athleticism, giving him plenty of upside at the tight end position in the long-term. But for the 2026 season, fantasy managers may want to temper expectations and treat him as more of a low-end TE2 stash target. RotoBaller has Sadiq ranked as the No. 26 fantasy TE right now.

Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said that as of right now, quarterback Jordan Love will play in the team's preseason opener on Thursday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers, although he said he reserves the right to change his mind, per Rob Demovsky of ESPN. LaFleur said there is "value in getting mentally prepared to go play a game." If Love does play on Thursday night, he likely won't be in the game for more than a couple of offensive series, and he probably won't be working with all of the team's offensive skill players. Going into his fourth year as the Packers' full-time QB, Love ranks 19th in RotoBaller's QB rankings for the 2026 season after throwing for 3,381 yards, 23 touchdowns, and six interceptions in 15 regular-season starts in 2025. Consistency has evaded the former first-rounder from Utah State, but there is still plenty of fantasy upside because of his success with the deep ball in Green Bay's offense. With better health from the entire Packers' offense this year, Love is an intriguing QB2 target with upside.

Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said that quarterback Bo Nix's deep-ball accuracy during training camp practices has been "off the charts," according to Nick Kosmider of The Athletic. Nix's evasiveness and his ability to avoid sacks and negative plays have been invaluable to the Broncos' offense the last two years, but his efficiency deep down the field has been lacking. If head coach Sean Payton had to nitpick, it's that sometimes Nix goes through his first progressions too fast. New offensive coordinator Davis Webb said that Nix is "definitely progressing in that area," and it appears he's making strides with his deep passing game as well. The Broncos traded a first- and third-rounder to acquire speedy receiver Jaylen Waddle in the offseason, which should help Nix continue to improve as a deep passer. Nix has a high ceiling in fantasy because of his rushing ability, but fantasy managers have a reason to be hesitant after Nix underwent offseason ankle surgery. Target him as a low-end QB1/high-end QB2 in fantasy drafts.

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (quadriceps) is back at training camp practice on Tuesday, according to Sam Cohn of The Baltimore Sun. Flowers will most likely be limited in his return to practice after he left Saturday's practice early due to a contusion to his left quad muscle. The injury was never considered serious, so it should not affect whether the 25-year-old will be ready for the start of the 2026 regular season in September. The former 22nd overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft out of Boston College is Baltimore's unquestioned WR1, and the Ravens recently rewarded him with a four-year contract extension worth up to $140 million. The two-time Pro Bowler is looking for his third straight 1,000-yard campaign in 2026 in a new Ravens offense led by offensive coordinator Declan Doyle. As long as he stays healthy, Flowers should have a pretty big target share, giving him a high fantasy floor. Target him as a low-end WR1/high-end WR2 early in upcoming fantasy football drafts. RotoBaller has Flowers ranked as the No. 15 WR.

Kansas City Chiefs rookie wide receiver Cyrus Allen has been one of the early standouts at training camp this summer for the Chiefs. The 23-year-old fifth-rounder from the University of Cincinnati missed some time with a shin injury last week, but he's back on the field again and had the first two completions from quarterback Patrick Mahomes on Tuesday during the early team blitz period, per The Kansas City Star's Pete Sweeney. Allen has built clear chemistry with Mahomes in practice. However, if all of Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, and Tyquan Thornton are healthy during the regular season, Allen is going to be fighting an uphill battle for consistent snaps on offense. The 5-foot-11, 180-pounder never had more than 778 receiving yards in his four collegiate seasons at Cincinnati, Texas A&M, and Louisiana Tech, but he did manage to score 13 touchdowns on 51 receptions with the Bearcats in 2025. It's hard to envision major fantasy upside for Allen in 2026, but he's an interesting stash candidate in dynasty/keeper leagues.

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (groin) has been sidelined since Thursday while dealing with a groin issue, and in speaking with reporters on Tuesday, head coach Matt LaFleur said, "He's gonna be out for at least this week." The Packers open their preseason schedule on Thursday with a road game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and while Jacobs was unlikely to see much, if any, work even if healthy, the given timeline sets the team's second preseason game against the Broncos on August 21 as his next opportunity for a tune-up ahead of the regular season. Injuries derailed Jacobs' 2025 campaign, and a tumultuous offseason followed by soft tissue concerns in training camp have seen him slip in 2026 drafts, often into the third round. While now a riskier pick than he has been in previous seasons, Jacobs still has RB1 upside and could prove to be one of the season's top values if he can stay on the field and healthy.

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye is not expected to play in the team's preseason opener on Thursday against the Indianapolis Colts, according to Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald. "I wouldn't anticipate seeing Drake out there Thursday," head coach Mike Vrabel said. Not even the experts most bullish on Maye would have predicted him to finish second in the MVP voting while leading the Patriots to the Super Bowl in 2025 in his first full season as the starter under center. The 23-year-old former third overall pick from North Carolina excelled with the deep ball and had a league-best 72% completion percentage while throwing for 4,394 yards, 31 touchdowns, and only eight interceptions in 17 regular-season starts. The Patriots' soft schedule definitely helped Maye's cause, as he came back down to Earth in the playoffs and struggled mightily in the Super Bowl loss against an elite defense. But with receivers A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs now in the fold in 2026, the impressive young QB has now jumped into RotoBaller's top-five rankings at the position.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs (groin) is in attendance for Tuesday's joint practice session with the New England Patriots, according to The Athletic's James Boyd. Downs missed three consecutive practices while dealing with a groin issue, but after a travel day on Monday, he will take the field in Foxboro. With starters unlikely to see much, if any, action in the team's preseason opener on Thursday, Tuesday's work against an unfamiliar opponent will serve to prepare the team for the regular season, and Downs' presence is a major boon. At RotoBaller's WR40, Downs is a 2026 breakout candidate who could be in line for his second career 100-target season following the departure of Michael Pittman Jr. in an offseason trade to the Steelers.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce (ankle) did not receive a second platelet-rich plasma injection this offseason after having surgery on his left ankle in late March, a league source told Nathan Brown of the Indianapolis Star. Monday night's source told the Indy Star that it had misspoken. Pierce remains on the Physically Unable to Perform list in training camp, and there is no timetable for him to return to practice with the rest of the team. The 26-year-old still has time to get back on the field and get ready for the Week 1 regular-season opener, but the longer he's away from the team, the harder it will be to get behind him as a solid fantasy contributor in 2026. When healthy, the former second-rounder from the University of Cincinnati has been a strong deep threat for the Colts' offense, leading the league the last two seasons in yards per reception 21.8 while scoring 13 touchdowns. Pierce is expected to take on a much bigger role in Indy's passing attack in 2026 with Michael Pittman Jr. out of town, but he might need to be eased in to start his fifth NFL campaign. Fantasy managers should consider Pierce more of a boom/bust WR3/flex commodity as he continues to rehab from ankle surgery.

Philadelphia Eagles wide receivers DeVonta Smith (hamstring) and rookie first-rounder Makai Lemon (hamstring) will miss another day of training camp practice on Tuesday, according to Martin Frank of the Delaware News Journal. Smith is missing a fifth straight day of practice due to a hamstring injury, but he was seen doing some running before practice, and the Eagles are not concerned that his injury will keep him from suiting up in the 2026 regular-season opener in Week 1. Philly is being extra cautious with Smith, who is their new No. 1 receiver now that Pro Bowler A.J. Brown is in New England. The 27-year-old former 10th overall pick out of the University of Alabama had the third 1,000-yard season of his career in 2025 and added four touchdowns in 17 regular-season games. With more targets coming his way and a higher floor for fantasy managers, Smith is now being viewed as a low-end WR1 as the Eagles' new No. 1 receiver, even though he's missing time in training camp with an injury. The fact that Smith was doing some running before practice on Tuesday means he could be back sooner rather than later.

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson broke out in 2025 to the tune of 1,006 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on his way to a WR2 fantasy finish over the final eight games of the season. Now entering the final year of his rookie contract, Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort reiterated that the team wants to keep Wilson in their long-term plans while carefully tempering expectations. Asked on Monday if he expects a deal to get done, Ossenfort told the assembled media, "He's a guy we want around here a long time," but stopped short of over-committing. "Expect? That's a tough word. Our interest is in keeping him here." Wilson is RotoBaller's dynasty WR32, and should he reach free agency in 2027 at the age of 27, he should find a receptive market, particularly if he's able to follow up on his late-season success in 2026.

Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael has hinted that the Buffalo Bills will look to use running back James Cook III more in the passing game this year, per Alex Brasky of Sports Illustrated. "Anytime you can get the ball in his hands, you have an opportunity for a big play. I think that he can bring value, not only in the run game and the pass game as well," Carmichael said. Cook led the NFL with 1,621 rushing yards and also scored 12 touchdowns on a career-high 309 carries in 17 regular-season games last year, adding 33 receptions for 291 yards and another two scores as a pass-catcher. It was a big year for the 26-year-old, but new head coach Joe Brady has hinted at the possibility of Buffalo lightening Cook's rushing load going into his fifth season in the league. One way to have Cook take less of a beating would be to cut back on his carries and give him more work in the passing game. Even if Cook's overall rushing workload drops, he could easily finish as a top-five RB in fantasy if he adds more targets in the passing game in Buffalo. The three-time Pro Bowler has had a nose for the end zone the last two years, scoring 28 rushing touchdowns after finding paydirt just four times as a rusher in his first two years in the league.

Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio spoke with reporters on Tuesday, and in discussing what he's seen from the other side of the ball, he said that quarterback Jalen Hurts "looks faster" in camp this year. While Fangio enters his third season with the Eagles, Sean Mannion is Philadelphia's fifth offensive coordinator in as many years, and with the team seeing a number of significant offensive changes ahead of the 2026 season, there could be an emphasis on more frequently utilizing Hurts' legs after his 421 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns in 2025 both represented five-year lows. Hurts is RotoBaller's QB6 and can usually be drafted at the end of a tier of quarterbacks with legitimate week-winning upside.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler writes that Seattle Seahawks tight end AJ Barner is an "ascending" TE who "should come into his own in Year 3." Barner is finally healthy after multiple offseason surgeries, and new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury's scheme "should accelerate his progress." Fowler adds that Barner "can do a little bit of everything." The Seahawks will have two tight ends on the field "very, very often," according to Barner. The 24-year-old former fourth-rounder in 2024 from the University of Michigan took a step forward last year in his second season, catching 52 of 68 targets for 519 yards and six touchdowns in 17 regular-season games after posting a 30-245-4 line as a rookie. However, with second-year player Elijah Arroyo expected to be a much bigger part of Seattle's passing attack, Barner's fantasy value will likely come with a low ceiling as more of a touchdown-dependent TE2 streamer as long as Arroyo stays healthy. RotoBaller currently has Barner ranked as the No. 29 fantasy TE for the 2026 season, right behind Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton.

New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart ended a third-down run during Monday's practice with a slide along the sideline, drawing an unexpected reaction from the defense, who actually applauded his effort to avoid contact. Defensive captain Brian Burns spoke with reporters after practice and explained the unusual moment. "We've been begging him to do that for a while," he shared. "So, I'm glad that he's starting to practice it." After taking over as starter in Week 4 of his rookie season, Dart was the fantasy QB8 on a per-game basis, but he missed two games with a concussion. His elite rushing upside makes him an attractive mid-round quarterback in 2026, but an at-times-reckless play style dating back to his time in college will always put him at risk of missing time, so the self-preservation shown on Monday was a welcome sight for Giants fans, players, and fantasy managers alike.

Seattle Seahawks running back Jadarian Price (lower body) could be pressing for a bigger role in the team's backfield rotation right away. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports that Price will be hard to keep off the field, and that coach Mike Macdonald has been impressed with his attention to detail and coachability. Unfortunately, Price has been dealing with a lower body injury that has kept him out of practice the last few days without a clear timeframe for his return. When he is back, he will likely mix in with veterans George Holani and Emanuel Wilson while Zach Charbonnet recovers from his torn ACL. With the defending champs looking to replace the production of both Charbonnet and free agent Kenneth Walker in the backfield, Price has a very high ceiling if he can make some noise in the preseason. He's currently the No. 23 RB in RotoBaller's rankings, which indicates just how high his upside is in Seattle.

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks is lined up to be a major contributor in his expanded opportunity with his new team, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. Wicks is entering his fourth year in the NFL, and after being traded from Green Bay to Philadelphia, the fifth-round pick from Virginia signed a one-year extension to stay with the Eagles for at least this season and next season. He only had 30 catches for 332 yards and two touchdowns last season in Green Bay's deep receiver room, but he could be the early favorite to land the Eagles' WR2 spot and has been taking advantage of more work with DeVonta Smith (hamstring) and Makai Lemon (hamstring) sidelined. Wicks is currently the No. 82 WR in RotoBaller's rankings, and with his ADP of 192 on Yahoo fantasy football, he will be a great depth and sleeper pick if he is ready to step in as a major contributor in the Eagles' passing game.

New York Jets wide receiver Adonai Mitchell is expected to make a sizable jump this season, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. Mitchell was the Colts' second-round pick in 2024 but has only had 464 receiving yards in 25 games with the team before coming to the Jets as part of the return in the Sauce Gardner trade. Mitchell has been very strong in training camp, earning praise from coach Aaron Glenn, who said that the combination of Smith and Mitchell "is really starting to impress me." Mitchell is in a contract year as well, which could motivate him to post a big year. He is currently the No. 69 WR in RotoBaller's rankings with a Yahoo fantasy football ADP of 153. He has the potential to be a regular contributor and a nice sleeper play if he locks down the WR2 spot in New York and continues to build a strong connection with Smith.

Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty had a solid rookie season, totaling over 1,000 yards rushing and receiving while scoring 10 total touchdowns. According to reports out of training camp by ESPN's Dan Graziano, the team is looking to get him even more involved as a receiver out of the backfield. Last year, he hauled in 55 catches on 73 targets for 346 yards and five receiving scores, but his elusiveness in space and big-play ability on the edges could lead to even more production in his second season for the No. 6 overall pick from Boise State. Jeanty has a lofty Yahoo fantasy ADP of 13.6, but he has league-winning upside if his role expands, and the Raiders' offense takes a step forward under new coach Klint Kubiak with improved quarterback play this season. He won't come cheap in most drafts, but with more work in the passing game, he has an extremely high ceiling.

Denver Broncos wide receiver Pat Bryant looks ready to make a big impact in his team's upgraded passing game this season. The second-year receiver has been a standout in training camp, and coach Sean Payton said that the team will not keep him off the field this season. Payton went on to say, "He's got really, really good hands. He's extremely smart; he knows all the positions. There's a lot of confidence in his catch radius. He's big." Last year, the third-round rookie caught 31 passes for 378 yards and one touchdown in 15 games, but he is emerging as the team's third receiver behind Jaylen Waddle and Courtland Sutton. He'll have standard-sized league value if he beats out Troy Franklin and Marvin Mims Jr. for that role, and he's worth a late-round flier at his current Yahoo Fantasy ADP of 248.