Fantasy Football News

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said that both wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins will play against the Detroit Lions on Thursday in the team's preseason opener, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer's Kelsey Conway. Chase and Higgins will most likely work a few offensive series with quarterback Joe Burrow. Even though Burrow missed half of last season due to a turf-toe injury, Chase managed his fifth straight 1,000-yard season, found the end zone eight times, and led the NFL with 185 targets in 16 starts. The 26-year-old five-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro is still the best receiver in the NFL and could approach his career high of 1,708 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns from the 2024 season if Burrow stays healthy again in 2026. There's a reason why Chase is the consensus top overall fantasy wideout. He's had at least 1,046 receiving yards, 81 catches, and seven touchdowns in his five years in the NFL with the Bengals.

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said that quarterback Joe Burrow will play against the Detroit Lions in the team's preseason opener on Thursday, per Kelsey Conway of The Cincinnati Enquirer. Burrow will also be out there with his top two receivers in Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, although they will probably only stay in the game for a couple of offensive series, at the most. The 29-year-old Burrow and the Bengals offense got off to a bit of a slow start in training camp, but they have been coming alive of late and figure to be in good shape for the 2026 season as long as Burrow stays healthy. The three-time Pro Bowler played in a career-low eight games last year due to turf toe, throwing for 1,809 yards, 17 touchdowns, and five interceptions a year after leading the NFL in passing yards (4,918), touchdown passes (43), completions (460), and pass attempts (652). He's an obvious bounce-back candidate in 2026 with top-five QB upside in fantasy football, even though most of his production comes solely from his arm.

Denver Broncos wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (leg) remains absent from training camp practice on Tuesday, although he is present, according to Zac Stevens of DNVR Sports. Waddle remains day-to-day after dealing with muscle tightness in his leg since last week. His injury is not considered serious, and the Broncos are likely just taking extra precaution for their new addition that they spent first- and third-round picks on to acquire in the offseason. The Broncos have their preseason opener this Friday against the Atlanta Falcons, and Waddle almost certainly will not play in that contest as he continues to recover. The 27-year-old former sixth overall pick from the University of Alabama could be the Broncos' leading target and receiver in 2026 in his first year in the Mile High City, making him a popular WR2 target with upside, especially in leagues that reward points for each catch. Waddle had three 1,000-yard seasons in Miami to begin his career, and he came just short of a fourth with 910 yards and six touchdowns in 16 starts in 2025.

The Minnesota Vikings have named Kyler Murray as their starting quarterback, sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN. Things had been trending this way early in training camp, even though J.J. McCarthy had his fair share of positive throws in practice since the start of the summer. The 29-year-old Murray was brought in on a one-year deal in March to push McCarthy for the starting job after McCarthy struggled mightily with accuracy, decision-making, and injuries in 2025 in his first full year as the starter in Minnesota. Murray, the former first overall pick by the Arizona Cardinals in 2019, has the experience edge, more dual-threat abilities, and has apparently shown enough in head coach Kevin O'Connell's offensive system to win the job early in camp. Murray has high-end rushing upside and will also be working with the best WR duo in his career in Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. Now that he's officially been named the starter, Murray's fantasy football stock will rise heading into upcoming drafts as a high-end QB2 with upside for QB1 production in his new home with the Vikings.

Denver Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins (undisclosed) is back at training camp practice on Tuesday with his pads on, according to Zac Stevens of DNVR Sports. Dobbins, who has a lengthy injury history in the NFL, was pulled from practice early on Monday with an undisclosed soft-tissue injury. It appears that the 27-year-old's injury wasn't very serious. The former second-rounder in 2020 from Ohio State was on his way to a career year last season in his first year with the Broncos before he suffered a season-ending foot injury. In 10 games played, Dobbins had 772 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 153 rushing attempts while adding 11 receptions for 37 yards as a pass-catcher. The previous year with the Los Angeles Chargers, Dobbins had a career-high 905 rushing yards and a career-high-tying nine rushing TDs in 13 games played. He has averaged 5.2 yards per carry in his five NFL seasons, but he has never played a full season due to injuries. Dobbins should be Denver's primary option on early downs in 2026 in his second year in the Mile High City, but with his injury history and a potential committee backfield with RJ Harvey and rookie Jonah Coleman, Dobbins has a low ceiling and a low floor. RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 31 fantasy RB.

New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson continues to shine in the receiving game out of the backfield at training camp and made multiple nice touchdown catches in practice on Tuesday, according to Mark Daniels of MassLive.com. With second-year back TreVeyon Henderson reportedly not making much progress as a pass-blocker this summer, Stevenson appears to have taken advantage and continues to work in passing situations out of the backfield. Henderson is still the more explosive back with more long-term fantasy upside in New England, but the 28-year-old Stevenson is not going away in 2026. It says a lot that Stevenson dominated the team's backfield touches last postseason during the team's Super Bowl run. With that said, Stevenson's depth chart position with the Pats is still shaky entering his sixth NFL season, and he could quickly be in head coach Mike Vrabel's doghouse if his ball-security issues resurface. Injuries have been an issue for Stevenson, too. But going into the 2026 campaign, Stevenson could be a nice RB3/flex at a discount for fantasy managers. RotoBaller currently has Stevenson ranked as the No. 26 fantasy RB, with Henderson right behind him at 27.

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. UPDATE: General manager Chris Ballard said that while Pierce still doesn't have a timetable to come off the PUP list, he hasn't had any setbacks and is making positive strides in his recovery, per ESPN's Stephen Holder.

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.