Fantasy Football News

New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith will not play in Friday night's preseason finale against the New York Giants, a source told Brian Costello of the New York Post. Most of the Jets starters who have played in the preseason are expected to sit out on Friday. The 35-year-old veteran only played in the preseason game on Aug. 21 against the Pittsburgh Steelers and went 7-for-7 passing for 65 yards and a touchdown. The two-time Pro Bowler and former second-rounder by the Jets in 2013 from West Virginia is hoping to bounce back in 2026 in his return to New York after throwing a league-high 17 interceptions and getting benched late last season with the Las Vegas Raiders. Smith has looked good in training camp this summer while running offensive coordinator Frank Reich's scheme, and he will have more talent to work with through the air in 2026 than he did in his lone season in Sin City. Still, fantasy managers in single-QB leagues should be ignoring Smith, and he will merely be a low-end QB2 for those in two-QB superflex formats.

New England Patriots kicker Andy Borregales has bounced back ever since his ugly showing in Week 1 of the preseason. During Thursday's preseason finale against the Cleveland Browns, he went 2-for-2 on field goals and also made his lone extra point attempt. The field goals weren't particularly impressive, as they came from 26 and 33 yards out, but it was nice to see him demonstrate some accuracy. He missed three kicks in the first week of the preseason, but he has gone 3-for-3 on field goals since then. There was never much doubt that Borregales would make the team, as he was the only kicker on the Patriots' roster this summer. Nevertheless, fantasy managers should be encouraged that he overcame his initial struggles and the team never felt compelled to bring in any external competition. He was the K10 in fantasy football as a rookie last year, but he has fallen to K22 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football draft rankings for 2026.

New England Patriots wide receiver Kyle Williams was involved in another explosive play on Thursday as he caught a 45-yard touchdown pass in Week 3 of the preseason against the Cleveland Browns. Williams finished the game with two catches, 55 yards, and one touchdown. This marks the end of a fantastic preseason for the former Washington State receiver. He found the end zone in each of the Patriots' three games, and he finishes the preseason with a total of six catches, 166 yards, and three touchdowns. There was never a doubt that Williams was going to make the 53-man roster, but this impressive stretch of games could help him carve out an even larger role. He already started climbing up the depth chart this week after the team traded away Kayshon Boutte to Houston. Fantasy managers should look to stash Williams in all dynasty leagues, and there's even some low-end appeal in deeper redraft formats. He's the WR121 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football draft rankings for 2026.

New England Patriots wide receiver Kyle Dixon caught all eight of his targets for 71 yards during Thursday's preseason finale against the Cleveland Browns. Dixon had just two catches through the first two weeks, so it was encouraging to see him catch eight passes in three quarters. However, it may be too little, too late. Oftentimes, Week 3 of the preseason is an opportunity for projected roster casualties to showcase themselves in hopes of miraculously sticking on the roster or marketing themselves for other teams in free agency. The latter could be the case for Dixon, who doesn't seem to have a clear role in the Patriots' receiver room and will likely be released if the team chooses to carry six receivers. He's a candidate to wind up on New England's practice squad, but the solid showcase on Thursday could be enough to secure a depth spot on another roster. Dixon is an undrafted free agent from Culver-Stockton College, an NAIA program. During his final year at school, he caught 83 passes for 1,282 yards and a dozen touchdowns.

Tennessee Titans second-year receiver out of Florida, Chimere Dike, is looking to build off a rookie campaign that saw him get 74 targets, 48 receptions, 423 receiving yards, and four touchdowns. Dike finished the season as the WR50, and while he has great speed (4.34 40-yard time), the Titans drafted rookie Carnell Tate in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, have Calvin Ridley, and signed Wan'Dale Robinson from the New York Giants. Target competition for Dike will be an uphill battle this season, as even without Tate and Robinson in the picture, he only saw a 14 percent target share. Robinson is known as a target hog, as he's seen 280 targets over the past two seasons, and Tate profiles as a legitimate future WR1. The one silver lining for Dike is he was ninth in the NFL in red zone target share last season, but with the increased target competition, Dike is going undrafted in most formats. RotoBaller ranks Dike as the WR96 and 249th player off the board. Fantasy Managers should look elsewhere in redraft formats.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins has put together two top-20 finishes at the wide receiver position over the past two seasons and three of the last four. Last season, Higgins finished as the WR15, hauling in 59 of his 98 receptions for 846 yards (14.3 yards per catch) and 11 touchdowns. He was 13th in the NFL with 14.1 fantasy points per game and played in 15 games. In 2024, he finished as the WR5 in fantasy points per game with 18.5 and played in 12 games. The key for Higgins is health, as he has played only one full 17-game season and has had multiple seasons with only 12 games played. In 2025, Higgins finished 3rd in the NFL in deep targets, second in total TDs, and is a high-upside player being drafted in the late third round. On a points-per-game basis, Higgins is one of the top receivers in the game. RotoBaller ranks Higgins as the WR16, so fantasy managers looking to capitalize on a high-upside player at the receiver position should look in Higgins' direction.

Dallas Cowboys star receiver CeeDee Lamb is looking to bounce back in 2026 after a down season in 2025 that was plagued by an ankle injury and saw him finish as the WR22 for the season. In 14 games played, he finished the season with 75 catches on 117 targets, 1,077 yards, and three touchdowns. The three touchdowns were a career low for him, and with George Pickens joining this wide receiver room in 2025, it was clear that it gave quarterback Dak Prescott another reliable target in the passing game. Over the previous three seasons, Lamb finished as a top-10 WR and is looking to regain his WR1 status. Most draft boards have Lamb going in the first round, ahead of Pickens, who finished as the WR5 last season, showing the market is expecting a bounceback season for Lamb. RotoBaller ranks Lamb as the WR5 and 10th player overall. Fantasy managers looking to draft a motivated 27-year-old receiver primed to regain his WR1 status in a high-powered offense should look Lamb's way.

According to Evan Lazar, senior reporter for the Patriots, star wide receiver A.J. Brown will not be playing Thursday night in the Patriots' final preseason game against the Cleveland Browns. Brown is one of 37 Patriots not in uniform tonight, which indicates the team will be resting a majority of its key starters. Brown did not record any preseason stats in any of the three Patriots preseason games, but reports from camp have suggested good chemistry with third-year quarterback Drake Maye. Brown enters his eighth NFL season at 29 years old and his first season with the Patriots, where he should be the clear alpha in the wide receiver room. Brown has recorded north of 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first seven seasons and has scored seven-plus touchdowns in seven of his eight seasons. He projects to be a WR1 for fantasy managers and is one of the trendiest names in fantasy football entering the 2026 season.

According to David Lombardi of The San Francisco Standard, San Francisco 49ers rookie second-round wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling (shoulder) won't be playing in Thursday night's matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders in the final preseason game for the 49ers before they open up their season at MCG Stadium in East Melbourne, Australia, on Thursday, September 10th, against the Los Angeles Rams. Stribling is projected to be the No. 3 receiver in this 49ers passing attack after Ricky Pearsall (knee) has been ruled out for the season. Additionally, he made his presence felt in training camp and backed it up in his first two preseason games, hauling in 11 of his 13 targets for 109 yards. It appears the team will rest him along with a majority of their key starters, and fantasy managers targeting a wide receiver late in drafts should be looking Stribling's way.

Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said on Thursday that the team has ruled out a long-term injury for second-year wide receiver Tory Horton (undisclosed), according to Corbin K. Smith of Emerald Spectrum. Horton has not practiced within the last week with an undisclosed ailment, but it sounds as though he will have a chance to be ready for the Week 1 regular-season opener against the New England Patriots in a Super Bowl rematch. The 23-year-old former fifth-rounder from Colorado State only played in eight games in his rookie campaign in 2025 due to injuries, and although he had just 13 receptions for 161 yards, he made noise with five touchdowns as a big-play threat for quarterback Sam Darnold. With Jake Bobo (knee) already ruled out for the entire season, Horton will have an opportunity to seize an important depth role on offense behind wideouts Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Rashid Shaheed, and Cooper Kupp. However, for fantasy purposes, Horton is going to need to show more to attract interest off the waiver wire in redraft leagues in 2026.

The New York Giants officially placed wide receiver Calvin Austin III (knee) on season-ending Injured Reserve on Thursday, according to Patricia Traina of Sports Illustrated. Austin will miss the entire 2026 season after tearing the ACL in his right knee during training camp practice on Tuesday. With the 27-year-old now out of the picture in the Big Apple this year, it will help Odell Beckham Jr.'s odds of making the 53-man roster as he competes with Braxton Berrios, Jalin Hyatt, and Isaiah Hodgins in a depth role behind Malik Nabers (knee), Darius Slayton, and Darnell Mooney. Austin was heading into his first year with the G-Men after signing a one-year, $1.5 million deal with the team in March. The former fourth-rounder in 2022 by the Pittsburgh Steelers from Memphis failed to capitalize on his opportunity in Pittsburgh last year, catching just 31 of 55 targets for 372 yards and three touchdowns in 14 regular-season games after going for a career-high 548 yards and four TDs in his second year in 2024. Austin can obviously be ignored in all fantasy formats in 2026.

Green Bay Packers running back MarShawn Lloyd is currently surging up fantasy football draft boards ahead of the 2026 season, even though he has only appeared in one game with the Packers due to injuries since being drafted in the third round in 2024 out of USC. Lloyd has also been rising up RotoBaller's RB rankings for the upcoming season now that there is a real possibility that he could open the 2026 regular season as the Packers' starting running back in light of Josh Jacobs' (groin) legal issues. Jacobs was formally charged on Thursday with misdemeanor battery and misdemeanor criminal damage to property for an incident that occurred back in late May. Packers brass admitted on Wednesday that they are preparing for the possibility that Jacobs is suspended by the NFL. Chris Brooks would be Lloyd's only competition for lead-back duties if Jacobs were to miss games in 2026. Although Lloyd has not been able to stay on the field early in his NFL career, the Packers still believe in his abilities. His speed and athleticism will make him very intriguing as a fantasy starter if Jacobs is suspended.

Kansas City Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker has made it clear that his running style preference is to work under center, which is expected to be a big part of the team's offense in 2026, according to Nate Taylor of ESPN. Walker, the reigning Super Bowl MVP, presents a dangerous threat that should force linebackers and safeties to move forward before quarterback Patrick Mahomes attempts a play-action pass. Walker ranked fourth in percentage of runs that gained 10-plus yards, according to NextGen Stats. "No. 9. That's all I can say," Mahomes said, referencing Walker's jersey number, when asked what intrigues him most about the offense. "That change and the ability to catch, run, pass protect, do everything. [He can] make a play out of nothing into a 20-yard gain. That's going to be the biggest impact, I think, we'll have -- just finding the ways to get him the ball." If KC can make Walker more of a true dual-threat player, they should have more success as they attempt to get back to the playoffs. "He looks like he's the full package," head coach Andy Reid said of Walker. "He works at it. That's the part I appreciate. He's always asking questions." If Walker can avoid injuries in 2026 in his first year in KC, his volume alone as the team's workhorse should give him a high floor as a low-end RB1/high-end RB2 in fantasy.

ESPN's Adam Schefter said on The Pat McAfee Show on Thursday that he does not think that star cornerback Christian Gonzalez and the New England Patriots have been close to a new deal. The Seattle Seahawks signed star cornerback Devon Witherspoon, who has the same agent as Gonzalez, to an average of $33 million per year. Schefter says that the Patriots "don't appear to be wanting to give" Gonzalez Witherspoon-type money or make him the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL. There is still some time between now and the start of Week 1 of the regular season, though, and Schefter believes "there's probably one more push by both sides to try and get a deal done before the season starts." The 24-year-old former 17th overall pick from Oregon still has two years remaining on his current deal after his fifth-year option was picked up back in April, but that doesn't mean a new deal will not be agreed upon before Week 1. A Pro Bowler for the first time in 2025, Gonzalez has quickly emerged as one of the top shutdown corners in the NFL, and he was a big reason why the Pats advanced to the Super Bowl in 2025.

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir (undisclosed) is in street clothes during pregame warmups and will not play in Thursday night's preseason finale against the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers, according to Alex Brasky of Sports Illustrated. Shakir has been out for the past week at training camp with an undisclosed injury, and he will now sit out the preseason finale on Thursday. The 26-year-old's injury is not believed to be serious, though, so he should rejoin the team at practice next week and be ready for the Week 1 regular-season opener on Sunday, Sept. 13, against the Houston Texans. In his fourth year in the NFL in 2025, Shakir took a slight step back, catching 72 of his 95 targets for 719 yards and four touchdowns in 16 regular-season games for Buffalo as one of quarterback Josh Allen's top targets. Shakir's 76-821-4 line in 2024 may be his ceiling in fantasy, which could especially be true after the team added receiver DJ Moore to the mix this offseason. The former fifth-rounder in 2022 from Boise State has seen his stock fall going into the 2026 campaign, and RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 54 fantasy pass-catcher.

Pittsburgh Steelers veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers is not dressed for warmups and will not play in the team's preseason finale on Thursday evening against the Buffalo Bills, according to Alan Saunders of PGH Steelers Now. Rodgers will end up sitting out all three of the team's preseason games this summer as he heads into what is expected to be the final year of his storied career. The 42-year-old future Hall of Famer and four-time MVP led the Steelers to the postseason in 2025 in his first year with the team, but for fantasy purposes, he had limited upside in a run-first offense. Rodgers completed 65.7% of his 498 pass attempts for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns, and seven interceptions in 16 regular-season games. The Steelers added receiver Michael Pittman Jr., who could thrive underneath on short routes, but he alone will not miraculously elevate the aging Rodgers to QB1 status in fantasy in 2026. Rodgers finished as the QB19 last year and should be regarded as a low-end QB2 in superflex leagues with minimal upside as he looks to finish his career on a high note.

New England Patriots second-year running back TreVeyon Henderson (ankle) should be "good to go" for Week 1 of the 2026 regular season, with a league source telling The Boston Globe's Christopher Price that he avoided a serious right-ankle injury when he slipped on the turf at practice earlier this week. Unsurprisingly, Henderson, who missed practice this week after tweaking his ankle, did not travel with the team for their preseason finale against the Cleveland Browns as a precaution. The 23-year-old has improved since injuring his ankle earlier this week, but we will continue to keep tabs on his status as the Week 1 season opener quickly approaches in early September. The former second-rounder from Ohio State will split the backfield with Rhamondre Stevenson in his sophomore campaign after producing an impressive 911 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns on 180 carries in 17 regular-season games in 2025. He added 35 catches for 221 yards and another score as a receiver. Henderson's lack of progress in pass-blocking is a concern for his overall fantasy upside, though, which could cap his ceiling in Year 2 as an RB3/flex play if Stevenson stays healthy throughout the year.

Updating a previous report, Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs is scheduled for an initial court appearance on Nov. 17 after he was charged on Thursday with misdemeanor battery and misdemeanor criminal damage to property, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN. The charges have come more than three months after Jacobs was arrested following an alleged domestic-violence incident at his home near Green Bay. Jacobs is subject to a suspension by the NFL, which is conducting its own investigation. Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said that the organization is preparing for a potential suspension and is keeping the door open to potentially adding another RB before the start of the 2026 regular season to boost their backfield depth behind MarShawn Lloyd and Chris Brooks. The team also has Pierre Strong Jr. in their RB room. It's beginning to look more likely that Jacobs will face a suspension to begin the 2026 campaign, which makes him harder to get behind as an RB2 target in upcoming fantasy drafts, despite his status as Green Bay's RB1 and his nose for the end zone (28 rushing touchdowns the last two years and four double-digit rushing TD seasons in his seven NFL campaigns).

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman (foot, toe) was seen on the sideline on Thursday before the team's preseason finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers without a walking boot, according to Alex Brasky of Sports Illustrated. Coleman will not play on Thursday night after spraining his right foot/toe in the preseason opener, but with his foot no longer in a walking boot, he could progress towards being ready for the Week 1 regular-season opener against the Houston Texans on Sunday, Sept. 13. Despite being a disappointment in his first two seasons in Buffalo after he was selected in the second round from Florida State, the Bills' brass hasn't given up on him and expect him to be a key part in the passing game in 2026 alongside newcomer DJ Moore and Khalil Shakir. Coleman had 38 catches on 59 targets for 404 yards and four touchdowns in 13 regular-season games in 2025 and was benched for being late to a team meeting. Maturity issues and drops have tanked his fantasy value in both redraft and keeper leagues, with Coleman currently being ranked as the WR116 at RotoBaller. If Coleman is out or limited in Week 1, Joshua Palmer and rookie Skyler Bell would be battling for WR3 duties in Houston.

After a strong finish to the 2024 season, Denver Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. earned some sleeper buzz in fantasy circles ahead of the 2025 campaign. However, the 24-year-old delivered an underwhelming 2025 season, recording 37 catches for 322 yards and one touchdown on 51 targets across 15 games. While Mims Jr.'s role as a return man keeps his roster spot in Denver safe, his target volume may dip even further in 2026 following the Broncos' offseason acquisition of star wideout Jaylen Waddle. Between Waddle, Courtland Sutton, Pat Bryant, and Troy Franklin, Denver has four wideouts who could all be ahead of Mims Jr. on the team's final depth chart once the season begins. In all but the deepest of league formats, Mims Jr. appears unlikely to play a fantasy-relevant role in 2026.