Fantasy Football News

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz is locked into the No. 2 role for now with J.J. McCarthy expected to miss multiple weeks because of an ankle injury. Kyler Murray was already named Minnesota's starter, leaving Wentz and Max Brosmer as the healthy quarterbacks behind him while McCarthy recovers. Wentz was making a strong case for the backup job even before the injury. He started Friday's preseason finale against Denver and completed three of four passes for 15 yards over two series. The 33-year-old also has recent experience stepping in for Minnesota, starting five games last season and throwing for 1,216 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions before a left shoulder injury ended his year. The Vikings haven't formally announced a new depth chart, but there isn't much uncertainty about who would enter first if Murray were forced out of a game. Wentz is back in the primary backup role for the opening weeks.

The Washington Commanders placed running back Jeremy McNichols (quadriceps) on Injured Reserve on Sunday on roster cutdown day, according to Zach Selby of the team's official website. The move leaves the Commanders with three RBs on their initial 53-man roster -- Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Rachaad White, and rookie Kaytron Allen. The 30-year-old McNichols was designated to return in 2026, but he will not be eligible to make his season debut until Week 5 after injuring his quad earlier in August. The former fifth-rounder by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2017 NFL draft from Boise State is entering his third year in D.C. after combining for 99 carries, 482 rushing yards, and five touchdowns in 34 games (two starts) with Washington in the last two years. McNichols has added 34 receptions for 223 yards on 43 targets as a receiver. Once McNichols returns from IR, he will most likely factor in on special teams for the Commanders, leaving him off the fantasy football radar in all leagues.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle) is expected to miss multiple weeks, according to Adam Schefter. McCarthy suffered the injury during Minnesota's Aug. 22 preseason game against Baltimore and was unable to recover in time for Friday's finale against Denver. The Vikings had hoped to give him the entire first half in that game, but Carson Wentz started instead. Minnesota initially considered McCarthy day-to-day, making Schefter's new timetable a notable change. The 2024 first-round pick still made the Vikings' initial 53-man roster alongside Kyler Murray, Wentz and Max Brosmer. Murray was already named the starter earlier this month, so McCarthy's absence does not change Minnesota's QB1 situation. McCarthy started 10 games last season, throwing for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while adding 181 rushing yards and four scores. His injury does leave Wentz and Brosmer as Minnesota's healthy options behind Murray for the opening weeks.

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. finally had a normal summer after injuries wrecked most of his second season. Harrison managed 41 catches for 608 yards and four touchdowns in 12 games last year while dealing with a concussion, an appendectomy, a heel injury and a separate foot issue that eventually landed him on injured reserve. This August has looked much better. He made plays throughout camp, including a 50-plus-yard catch from Jacoby Brissett on Aug. 4, then caught a seven-yard touchdown in his first preseason action against Las Vegas. Mike LaFleur has also been clear about the role, calling Harrison Arizona's X receiver while planning to move him around through formations and motion. Trey McBride and Michael Wilson are coming off huge seasons, so the targets won't simply funnel his way. Harrison still has to earn them. RotoBaller has him at WR32 in half-PPR, though, and that's a much easier price to stomach after a healthy summer. He heads into Week 1 with a much cleaner redraft case than he had a month ago.

Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams isn't losing his starting job, but his workload ceiling looks a little shakier heading into Week 1. Williams was still excellent last season, rushing 259 times for 1,252 yards and 10 touchdowns while adding 36 catches for 281 yards and three more scores. The issue is how much work Los Angeles now has reason to give away. Blake Corum finished 2025 with 145 carries for 746 yards and six touchdowns, then spent August drawing praise for looking quicker and more explosive. He was one of the standouts in the Rams' final open practice, and the team kept only Williams, Corum and Ronnie Rivers on the initial 53-man roster. Williams remained productive even after the split tightened late last year, so this isn't a major fade. RotoBaller still has him at RB13. The concern is simply that another season near 300 touches is getting harder to project with a capable second back pushing for more work.

Green Bay Packers running back Kaleb Johnson went from being off the redraft radar in Pittsburgh to having a real path to touches almost overnight. The Packers acquired the 2025 third-round pick on Sunday for a 2028 sixth-rounder, the same day Josh Jacobs was placed on the Commissioner's Exempt List. Johnson is not jumping MarShawn Lloyd, who enters the season as Green Bay's No. 1 back, and Chris Brooks is still part of the mix. The situation is a lot better than the one Johnson left behind, though. He managed only 69 yards on 28 carries as a rookie and was a cut candidate in Pittsburgh after averaging 3.1 yards per carry this preseason. Green Bay still chose to trade for the 6-foot-1, 224-pound back rather than wait for him to hit waivers. Johnson rushed for 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns in his final season at Iowa, so the pedigree is there even if the NFL production hasn't been. With Jacobs unavailable and Lloyd carrying a lengthy injury history, Johnson is back on the late-round redraft radar.

Washington Commanders running back Kaytron Allen has a little more room to work with after final cuts. Jeremy McNichols (quadriceps) was placed on injured reserve with a designation to return, which keeps him out for at least the first four games. Washington also released Robert Henry Jr. and Craig Reynolds, while Jerome Ford had already landed on IR earlier in August. Allen is still behind Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Rachaad White, so this is not suddenly a path to starter volume. It does move the sixth-round rookie closer to regular-season touches, especially after he handled 36 preseason carries for 119 yards and a touchdown. Allen also got first-team work late in camp while Croskey-Merritt and White were banged up, though he split some of those reps with Henry. The finale was rough, with Allen losing a fumble on his first touch, and he averaged only 3.31 yards per carry during the preseason. Still, McNichols being unavailable for at least four games leaves Allen with a clearer early-season role than he had a week ago.

A reunion with the Philadelphia Eagles and free-agent veteran tight end Zach Ertz (knee) is on the table, league sources told EJ Smith of PHLY Sports. The Eagles are carrying Dallas Goedert, Johnny Mundt, rookie Eli Stowers, and EJ Jenkins at the tight end position on their initial 53-man roster, but Smith writes that the room "still lacks solid depth" if Goedert misses time with an injury, as he has in four of the last five seasons. Nothing is imminent with Ertz, as the 35-year-old is nearing the nine-month recovery mark from a season-ending ACL tear he suffered on Dec. 7. Ertz, who had 50 catches for 504 yards in 13 games last year before his injury, would be a welcome addition for the Eagles in his 14th NFL season. He was cleared for football activities earlier this month. If the Eagles reunite with Ertz, he could potentially be next in line as Philly's top pass-catching option at TE if Goedert were to go down with another injury in 2026. Ertz was a former second-rounder by the Eagles in 2013 out of Stanford, and he spent the first eight years of his NFL career with the team, earning three trips to the Pro Bowl from 2017-2019.

The case for New Orleans Saints running back Travis Etienne Jr. being a surefire RB1 in fantasy football took a hit on Sunday on roster cutdown day when the Saints did not place veteran Alvin Kamara (knee) on Injured Reserve for the start of the 2026 campaign. It is still unclear if Kamara will be active for the Week 1 regular-season opener against the Detroit Lions, but the fact that he will not be forced to miss at least the first four weeks of the season is bad news for Etienne's potential upside early on. The Saints signed the 27-year-old to a four-year, $52 million contract in March in free agency after he produced his third 1,000-yard season with seven rushing touchdowns in 17 regular-season games in 2025 in his final year with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Etienne also had 36 receptions (52 targets) for 292 yards and six receiving touchdowns, but Kamara, when healthy, figures to eat into Etienne's pass-catching opportunities. Fantasy managers should treat Etienne as a low-end RB1/high-end RB2 going into upcoming drafts.

The Las Vegas Raiders trimmed some depth at the running back position on roster cutdown day on Sunday, giving rookie fourth-round RB Mike Washington Jr. an even clearer path to a sizable early-season workload, even if starter Ashton Jeanty (ankle) is ready to go for the Week 1 regular-season opener against the Miami Dolphins. Washington looked good in the team's preseason finale last week against the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday, rushing eight times for 49 yards, including a couple of chunk gains on the ground. The 23-year-old impressed the Raiders' coaching staff this summer during training camp, and he is firmly entrenched as the RB2 in Sin City, with only Dylan Laube behind him in the running back room. In upcoming fantasy football drafts, managers should view Washington as a strong handcuff option for Jeanty with a potential path to a starting role in Week 1 if Jeanty is limited or ruled out entirely. The drawback to Washington is that he was not very efficient as a pass-catcher in college, and he comes with some ball-security issues. RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 49 fantasy RB for 2026.

It looks pretty obvious that Detroit Lions second-year wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa is locked into the WR3 role behind Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams going into the Week 1 regular-season opener in early September after the team cut Greg Dortch on Sunday to trim their roster down to 53 players. The 24-year-old third-rounder from Arkansas caught only 16 passes as a rookie for 239 yards, but he scored six touchdowns on 27 targets over 17 games played as a notable red-zone weapon for quarterback Jared Goff. With TeSlaa's role in the Lions' passing game likely to increase in his second year in the NFL, he should not be forgotten as a valuable late-round flier for touchdown upside. The 6-foot-4, 214-pounder could once again struggle for consistent targets as long as both St. Brown and Williams stay healthy, but with Dortch now cut and Kalif Raymond in Chicago, there is a path for TeSlaa to take a step forward as a sophomore in the NFL. RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 69 fantasy wideout for the upcoming 2026 season.

Arizona Cardinals running back Tyler Allgeier has a prime opportunity for a hefty early-season workload out of the Cardinals' backfield to open up his first year in the desert. It would be an understatement to say that Arizona's backfield is banged up heading into their Week 1 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. Trey Benson (knee) is on Injured Reserve and will miss the entire season, James Conner (foot) will miss at least the first four games of the year while on IR, and rookie first-rounder Jeremiyah Love (ankle) has been nursing an ankle sprain that could keep him limited or out altogether in the season opener. It all means that the 26-year-old Allgeier should handle the bulk of the Cardinals' backfield touches early on in 2026. That could all change as Love gets healthier and Conner makes his season debut, going into Week 1, Allgeier should be locked into fantasy football lineups as at least a flex play. RotoBaller currently has the former Atlanta Falcons RB ranked as the RB48 in half-PPR setups. Allgeier averaged 4.3 yards per carry in his four years in Atlanta while recording a career-high eight rushing touchdowns in 17 games as the backup to Bijan Robinson in 2025.

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker was a sleeper receiver for a breakout in 2025, but he managed to play in only 11 games for the second straight season due to injuries, finishing with 33 receptions for 394 yards and three touchdowns on 43 targets in his second year in the NFL. The 24-year-old former undrafted free agent from Holy Cross is once again set up for a potential breakout season in 2026 if he can finally play a full year in his third NFL campaign. The Panthers cut receivers David Moore and Ja'Seem Reed on roster cutdown day on Sunday, giving Coker even less competition for targets. He is Carolina's clear WR2 behind Tetairoa McMillan and could be an excellent late-round value pick in upcoming fantasy football drafts. Coker is currently ranked as the WR51 at RotoBaller. In the final eight regular-season games last year, Coker caught 29 passes for 349 yards and three touchdowns before catching nine passes for 134 yards and a touchdown on 12 targets in the wild-card loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Do not forget about Coker as you build your WR depth.

Seattle Seahawks running back George Holani is expected to have a sizable role to open the season. ESPN projects first-round rookie Jadarian Price as the lead back for now, but expects a heavy dose of Holani because of his receiving and pass-blocking ability, particularly on third downs. Seattle's own roster breakdown also says Price and Holani figure to split the workload early. Zach Charbonnet remains on the PUP list while recovering from the ACL tear he suffered in January and must miss at least the first four games. Emanuel Wilson is also working back from an undisclosed injury after missing the preseason finale. Holani saw only 22 carries for 73 yards and one touchdown in 11 games last season, though he later handled 47 offensive snaps across Seattle's final two playoff wins after Charbonnet went down. Price should still lead the backfield in carries, but Holani has a real chance to handle passing-down work and enough touches to matter in deeper fantasy leagues early on.

The Denver Broncos waived running back Jaleel McLaughlin on Sunday as they trimmed their roster down to reach the league-mandated 53-player roster limit, according to Aric DiLalla of the team's official website. The Broncos went with Tyler Badie, who plays more of a role on special teams, over McLaughlin as the No. 4 RB behind J.K. Dobbins, RJ Harvey, and rookie Jonah Coleman to begin the 2026 season. McLaughlin operated as a depth back for the Broncos in each of his three seasons with the team, but although he had limited opportunities, he was productive when he touched the football. In 41 games (nine starts) for Denver, McLaughlin had 4.8 yards per carry for 1,093 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 226 rushing attempts, adding 59 receptions on 69 targets for 263 yards and four additional touchdowns as a receiver. It is possible that the 25-year-old former undrafted free agent from Notre Dame returns to the Broncos' practice squad if he goes unclaimed on waivers.

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Carnell Tate didn't catch a pass in the preseason, but his August was better than that box-score line makes it look. The fourth overall pick finished with zero receptions on six targets in three exhibitions, then closed camp with one of his best practices of the summer. Tate caught a team-high seven passes and scored twice in the Aug. 27 joint session with Chicago, with Cam Ward repeatedly coming back to him. That wasn't an isolated day. Tate scored three times in practice on Aug. 9, twice more on Aug. 15 and finished Tennessee's 15 open camp practices with 33 catches. The Titans also list him as a starter alongside Calvin Ridley and Wan'Dale Robinson. There is still reason to keep expectations under control. Tate has plenty of competition for targets, and the preseason production was empty. Still, the role is there and his connection with Ward improved as camp went along. The rookie enters Week 1 with more redraft appeal than his exhibition stat line suggests.

Seattle Seahawks rookie first-round running back Jadarian Price is ready to lead the team's backfield while it waits for Zach Charbonnet (knee) to return from the torn ACL he suffered last postseason, ESPN's Brady Henderson writes. Outside of a week that he missed with a minor injury, Price had a strong summer during training camp, showing the vision, decisiveness, and athleticism that made him the 32nd overall pick back in April. Price "has looked as good as advertised -- and in some ways better." "He's done a great job. He really has -- all three downs," head coach Mike Macdonald said. "He's a rookie in terms of, there's going to be things that we're going to attack in his game that will show itself in games. We haven't been afforded the luxury of having the bodies right now at running back to give him the reps in a [preseason] game that we would normally give to a rookie runner." Henderson adds that "the best guess is that the Seahawks are planning, for now, to roll with Price as their lead back while mixing in a heavy dose of George Holani." Holani seems better suited for third-down work because of his pass-blocking skills. Emanuel Wilson (undisclosed) is the power complement, but he has been sidelined the final two weeks of camp with an undisclosed injury. Price's sizable role entering his rookie campaign will make him a low-end RB2 target in fantasy drafts, but just know that Seattle's entire backfield picture could change drastically once Charbonnet returns.

Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown finished August about as well as he could have. He was already coming off 117 catches for 1,401 yards and 11 touchdowns on a career-high 172 targets, and nothing in camp suggested that volume is about to disappear. Tim Twentyman wrote on Aug. 15 that St. Brown looked better than he ever had and had been nearly impossible to cover. The strong finish kept coming. He turned a fourth-and-two catch from Jared Goff into a 32-yard touchdown on Aug. 26, then caught four passes on one late-camp drive the next day, including a 16-yard score. Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta, Jahmyr Gibbs and Isaac TeSlaa will all get their share, so another 172 targets is no guarantee. St. Brown has been Detroit's steady answer anyway. RotoBaller currently has him as the WR4 for 2026, and his camp did nothing to loosen that grip. For a receiver already going in the first round, that's enough to count as a win.

Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs was already set for more work after David Montgomery was traded to Houston. August made that setup look even better. Dan Campbell called Gibbs the Lions' bell cow back in June, and there is no established Montgomery-type partner waiting behind him. Isiah Pacheco was signed for the No. 2 role, but he missed most of camp with a sprained MCL and is now also dealing with a back injury. His Week 1 status is still up in the air. Campbell said Saturday that he would be comfortable using Jacob Saylors as Gibbs' primary backup if Pacheco can't go. Gibbs, meanwhile, finished camp making plays, including a 59-yard touchdown run during Detroit's final practice. He totaled 1,839 scrimmage yards and 18 touchdowns last season while playing a career-high 67% of the offensive snaps. RotoBaller still has Gibbs as its RB1 and No. 1 overall player in PPR. He was already an elite pick. The backfield around him now makes an even bigger workload easier to picture.

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor isn't falling because his role suddenly changed. It's the price after a season that will be tough to repeat. Taylor led the NFL with 323 carries and scored 20 total touchdowns in 2025, finishing with 1,585 rushing yards and another 378 through the air. Indianapolis has openly spent camp looking for a dependable No. 2 back who can help keep him fresh after that workload, with DJ Giddens and Seth McGowan making the initial 53-man roster behind him. Taylor is still the clear starter, and the Colts signed him to an extension in August. This isn't a playing-time scare. The risk is paying a first-round price after he handled more carries than anyone in football. RotoBaller's Aug. 30 early-round avoids piece also noted how much game script mattered last year: Taylor averaged 31.5 PPR points in Colts wins and 12.4 in losses. He's still an elite fantasy back. There's just less margin for error at the current cost.