Fantasy Football News

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Sean Tucker (undisclosed) did not practice Wednesday, according to Greg Auman. No reason for the absence was immediately provided. Tucker made Tampa Bay's initial 53-man roster after beating out Josh Williams for the final spot in the backfield and is currently listed third behind Bucky Irving and Kenny Gainwell. The fourth-year back appeared in all 17 games last season, carrying 86 times for 320 yards and seven touchdowns while adding eight catches for 34 yards and another score. His eight scrimmage touchdowns led the Buccaneers in 2025. There is not enough information yet to know whether Wednesday's absence is anything to worry about. Tucker's status at the next practice should give a better idea of what is going on.

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Bhayshul Tuten was sent home from practice Wednesday because of an illness, according to Ryan O'Halloran. There is no indication right now that Tuten is dealing with anything beyond being sick. The second-year back is coming off a rookie season in which he ran 83 times for 307 yards and five touchdowns while adding 10 catches for 79 yards and two more scores. Tuten and Chris Rodriguez Jr. were listed as co-starters throughout the preseason, and Jacksonville's post-cutdown roster breakdown still projects both at the top of the backfield. The Jaguars open Sept. 13 against Cleveland, so there is plenty of time before game week. For now, this looks like a simple illness absence, with his next practice status the thing to watch.

Denver Broncos rookie running back Jonah Coleman could move into a much bigger role sooner than expected. According to Dan Graziano of ESPN, the belief is that Coleman will overtake RJ Harvey on the depth chart early in the season and would be Denver's top choice to handle the lead job if J.K. Dobbins misses time. The Broncos took Coleman in the fourth round this year despite already having Dobbins and Harvey, and they have liked his fit from the start. Sean Payton praised the 5-foot-8, 220-pound back's physical running style, intelligence and ability to handle third-down work after the draft. Denver also viewed Coleman as a strong pass protector coming out of Washington. Dobbins remains the starter after rushing for 772 yards in 10 games last season, but injuries have followed him throughout his career. Coleman still has to earn his way past Harvey, but ESPN's report gives the rookie a clear path to becoming much more than a depth piece.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (toe) did some running on a side field with trainers Wednesday, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. Stroud noted that Egbuka showed no obvious problems with the toe while running. The second-year receiver has been out since injuring it during an Aug. 12 joint practice with the Jets. Initial testing showed a sprained toe, and Egbuka still has not returned to team practice. Head coach Todd Bowles said Tuesday that he wants to see how Egbuka looks next week before making a call on his Week 1 availability. Egbuka caught 63 passes for 938 yards and six touchdowns as a rookie last season. Tampa Bay opens Sept. 13 at Cincinnati, so there is still time, but getting back into practice will be the next important step.

Green Bay Packers running back MarShawn Lloyd could get the first shot at the starting job while Josh Jacobs is on the Commissioner's Exempt List. ESPN's Dan Graziano reports that the coaching staff has liked what it has seen from Lloyd throughout the offseason and training camp, and believes he could run with the opportunity. Lloyd has barely had a chance to show anything in the regular season, playing just one game across his first two years because of injuries. He had six carries for 15 yards in that 2024 appearance and did not play at all in 2025. This summer has gone much better. Lloyd stayed healthy through camp, mixed in with the first-team offense and had 10 carries for 30 yards with two catches in the preseason, including an 11-yard touchdown against Denver. Green Bay also has Chris Brooks and recently acquired Kaleb Johnson, so the job is not automatically Lloyd's. But if he stays healthy and produces, ESPN's report makes it clear he has a real chance to claim the backfield.

Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams could emerge as the team's leading receiver this season, according to Dan Graziano of ESPN. Williams is coming off another big year, catching 65 passes for 1,117 yards and seven touchdowns on 102 targets in 2025. He averaged 17.2 yards per catch and topped 1,000 yards for the second straight season. The Lions have spent the past few years asking Williams to become more than a downfield threat, and there were signs of that growth in camp. Jared Goff recently praised the nuance Williams has added to his route running, while new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing has challenged him to play more physically. The obvious obstacle is Amon-Ra St. Brown, who drew 172 targets and finished with 1,401 receiving yards last year. Williams also led the NFL with 12 drops. Still, if Petzing can get him involved more consistently at every level of the field, a career year is firmly in play.

New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart feels "in command" for Week 1 despite going nearly a month without live game action, according to Patricia Traina of Sports Illustrated. Dart attempted four passes in the Giants' preseason opener Aug. 15, but then head coach John Harbaugh kept him sidelined for the final two preseason contests. As a result, nearly a month will separate his last live game action from the Giants' season opener Sept. 13. While that long absence may raise some question marks, especially in a new offensive system, Harbaugh explained the decision was rooted in minimizing injury risk and the confidence he has in the quarterback's work ethic during practice. Dart himself added that he felt like he has been able to prepare for the regular season by playing against the Giants' starting defense in practice. "I feel so much better," Dart said. "I feel in command. I feel confident. In this offense, there's a lot that's put on the quarterback's plate, but it's exactly how I want it. It's exactly how I viewed this coming together." All signs point to Dart making a Year 2 leap. He was the overall QB14 despite making just 12 starts last season, so he has legitimate top-eight fantasy upside in 2026 if he can stay healthy for the full year. As it stands, he has an ADP of 103, which makes him the 11th quarterback off the board.

The Philadelphia Eagles do not view the upcoming 2026 season as a make-or-break year for quarterback Jalen Hurts, according to general manager Howie Roseman (via Eliot Shorr-Parks of SportsRadio 94WIP). Roseman made it clear that Hurts' future in Philadelphia does not depend on his performance this season, and he pointed out "all the winning Hurts has done," according to Shorr-Parks. Indeed, the Eagles have made the Super Bowl in two of the last four seasons, winning the Lombardi Trophy two years ago. Hurts holds an impressive 57-25 record as a starter in the NFL, and he's been equally dominant from a fantasy football perspective, ranking as a top-nine fantasy quarterback in each of the last five seasons. The sky is the limit for Hurts in this year's new-look system led by offensive coordinator Sean Mannion, giving the 28-year-old quarterback top-five upside. As it currently stands, he has an ADP of 71.9 and ranks as the overall QB3 in RotoBaller's latest redraft rankings for 2026.

Kansas City Chiefs rookie wide receiver Cyrus Allen has quickly earned the trust of his quarterbacks, including Patrick Mahomes. "Even when there were a couple routes he ran the wrong thing and lined up the wrong way in the game, the quarterback still threw the ball to him," head coach Andy Reid told Jesse Newell of The Athletic. "You go, 'All right. There's a certain trust there.' And he'll work through all the other stuff." Mahomes recently dubbed Allen one of the team's biggest camp standouts, and Newell noted that the team's quarterbacks have all been very comfortable throwing him the ball even when he's covered. That level of trust should go a long way in the regular season. Even though Allen is set to open the year behind Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy on the depth chart, he could work his way onto the fantasy radar by midseason, especially if Rice or Worthy get injured. Having Mahomes throwing him the football should only boost his stock in redraft and dynasty formats. Allen currently has an ADP of 186.5, which corresponds to the 16th round of drafts and makes him the 68th receiver off the board.

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Caleb Douglas has generated plenty of buzz after a strong showing throughout training camp and the preseason. Douglas, a third-round rookie out of Texas Tech, sat out the Dolphins' final preseason game, which is a good sign that he'll earn the start in Week 1 against Las Vegas. Miami arguably has the worst wide receiver room in the league, so there's a real opportunity here for Douglas to cement himself as Malik Willis' favorite target. There's a relatively simple path to him leading the team in catches and receiving yards, especially given his main competition right now is Malik Washington and fellow third-rounder Chris Bell. The biggest obstacle for Douglas might be the state of the Dolphins' offense. We expect Miami to run a lot, we're worried about Willis' accuracy as a passer over a full season, and touchdowns may be few and far between. Simply being the Dolphins' potential No. 1 receiver gets him onto the fantasy radar, though, and he's a worthwhile late-round pick for managers in deeper leagues. After all, he has WR3/flex upside once he gets a few games under his belt.

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix will take the field next week with the best receiver room of his career. Headlined by Jaylen Waddle and Courtland Sutton, Nix has never previously had a supporting cast this talented. As a result, he could be on track to post the best fantasy marks of his career if he can stay healthy for the full season. Waddle and Sutton both had 900+ yards last season, but there's plenty of talent lower on the depth chart, too. Pat Bryant and Troy Franklin combined for over 1,000 yards between the two of them. Furthermore, we're expecting a bounce-back year from tight end Evan Engram, and the running back room should be highly effective with a mix of JK Dobbins, RJ Harvey, and even rookie Jonah Coleman. Nix has been the fantasy QB7 in each of his first two pro seasons, but we wouldn't be shocked to see him finish within the top five this year. With that in mind, he is an absolute steal in fantasy drafts right now. He currently has an ADP of 113.4, which corresponds to the 10th round and makes him the 15th quarterback off the board.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren isn't the flashiest name in fantasy football, but he has become a reliable option for managers in half-PPR and full-PPR leagues. Warren is one of just four running backs with 500+ rushing yards and 300+ rushing yards in each of the last three seasons. The other players who fit that description are Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Breece Hall. That's not a bad group to be associated with, and it's an indicator of both his versatile skill set and his ability to stay healthy. He has missed just three games over the last three years, and he should continue to carve out a sizable role this year despite the coaching shift from Mike Tomlin to Mike McCarthy. Furthermore, the Steelers did bring in Rico Dowdle, but he's more of a Kenny Gainwell replacement. Dowdle shouldn't threaten Warren's role any more or less than Gainwell did last year. As quarterback Aaron Rodgers gets older and his checkdown rate goes up, Warren stands to benefit. He has been a top-22 fantasy running back in two of the last three seasons, and he should be a fringe RB2/RB3 once again this year.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (shoulder) was a full-go in Tuesday's practice as he prepares for Week 1's matchup against the Cleveland Browns. Thomas fell awkwardly on his shoulder during a joint practice with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but head coach Liam Coen expressed no concern about his availability for the regular season. After a monster rookie season in 2024, Thomas struggled, hauling in just 48 of 91 targets for 707 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games, dropping from 14.1 points per game to 8.2 in 2025. Now with Parker Washington having a great camp and Jakobi Meyers still expected to receive volume, Thomas is a far riskier option in 2026.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (hand) will practice Wednesday as he prepares for Week 1 against the Cleveland Browns. Meyers was seen wearing a brace on his right hand, which head coach Liam Coen described as "a jammed hand." With him practicing more than a week before Week 1, he should be good to go. After being traded from Las Vegas to the Jaguars last season, Meyers hauled in 42 of 61 targets for 483 yards and three touchdowns in nine games, averaging just under 10 half-PPR fantasy points per game. With the emergence of Parker Washington and the talented first-round receiver Brian Thomas Jr. still in the mix, Meyers faces a difficult path to high volume in 2026. However, if his ADP has declined significantly because of his injury, he's a good late-round value in fantasy drafts.

Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid has been amid a ton of training camp buzz throughout the offseason and appears set for a big role in this offense. In 12 games, Kincaid hauled in 39 of 49 targets for 571 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 8.8 half-PPR fantasy points per game last season. The upside is there, but some big factors that appear to be emerging heading into 2026 are holding back his fantasy value. Kincaid has missed nine games over the last two seasons due to hamstring and knee injuries, but has looked healthy throughout camp. Snaps will be the major question, and with head coach Joe Brady in full control of the offense, Kincaid's snap count will be known in Week 1. Kincaid isn't a strong start at tight end for Week 1 against the Houston Texans, but is a high-upside option assuming he stays healthy and plays more snaps in 2026.

Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert is primed for another high-volume season in 2026. With the departure of star wide receiver A.J. Brown, the entire Eagles' receiving core is set for a larger target share in 2026. Goedert hauled in 60 of 82 targets for 591 yards and 11 touchdowns last season with Brown in the mix. He scored 10 of the 11 touchdowns in the red zone, including eight within the six-yard line. The Eagles also have the easiest strength of schedule for tight ends next season, including a Week 1 matchup against the Washington Commanders, who allowed the fourth-most half-PPR fantasy points to tight ends last season. While he has flown under the radar for most of the fantasy draft process, Goedert should continue to produce low-end TE1 production in 2026.

San Francisco 49ers edge rusher Nick Bosa (knee) will travel to Australia as the team prepares to face the division-rival Los Angeles Rams. Bosa tore his ACL in Week 3 of last season and, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan, has been dealing with "knee tendinitis," missing most of training camp. With the star pass rusher traveling to Melbourne, it remains unclear whether he will be active, but it is a positive sign for his availability. In seven seasons with the 49ers, Bosa has recorded 64.5 sacks and has emerged as one of the NFL's premier pass rushers when healthy. He will be necessary for the 49ers against the Rams, who were the league's top-scoring offense last season.

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (Achilles) is traveling to Australia and is trending toward playing in Week 1 against the Los Angeles Rams, according to Ian Rapoport. The 49ers are traveling to Melbourne, Australia, on Wednesday, more than a week before Week 1. Kittle tore his Achilles during their Wild Card victory over the Philadelphia Eagles, but with the star tight end "absolutely crushing" his recovery goals, it seems optimistic that he will be active next Thursday night. The 10th-year tight end has averaged double-digit fantasy points in every year except his rookie year and had 57 receptions for 628 yards and seven touchdowns in 11 games in 2025. While a limited workload is very possible for Kittle, especially only eight months post-surgery, he should be in fantasy lineups for Week 1, assuming he's active.

Miami Dolphins running back Ollie Gordon II (rib) continues to see his fantasy football stock rise after an encouraging training camp and preseason. Gordon rushed for 47 yards on 11 carries during the preseason, and he also caught a pass for 10 additional yards. Outside of an isolated issue where head coach Jeff Hafley called him selfish for a 15-yard penalty, Gordon was praised by members of the coaching staff for the development and improvement that he has shown. Most notably, in early August, Hafley said that Gordon had the makings of a future every-down back in the NFL. That's high praise from the head coach, especially in an era of the league where true every-down backs are hard to come by. Miami obviously has a different every-down back right now in De'Von Achane, who possesses top-five upside in fantasy football. However, it sounds like Gordon is trending up and could have a significant role in the offense this year. Given the Dolphins' anticipated reliance on running the football, it wouldn't be a total shock to see two different running backs -- Gordon and Achane -- carve out fantasy relevance. For now, though, Gordon is more of a speculative late-round target in hopes that he can eventually ascend into the RB3/flex range. All the while, he remains a very appealing handcuff who could jump to the RB2 tier if Achane were to suffer an injury.

San Francisco 49ers tight end Jake Tonges' fantasy appeal is quickly slipping away. It initially seemed like Tonges was set for the No. 1 tight end role to open the season and therefore a late-round fantasy sleeper, but the increased likelihood of George Kittle (Achilles) playing in Week 1 has thrown a wrench in that outlook. Tonges was only going to be a potential fantasy starter if Kittle missed time; last year, he averaged 0.5 touchdowns and 12.3 fantasy points per game with Kittle on the sideline. There's still a chance that's the case for Week 1 of the 2026 season, but that's a worst-case scenario. Kittle is almost guaranteed to be back by Week 2 at the latest, leaving Tonges back in a depth role and off the fantasy radar. Rostering handcuffs in fantasy football is a good strategy, but it's not worth it at the tight end position. Tonges can be left on waivers in all redraft leagues, assuming Kittle is a go for the season opener.