Fantasy Football News

Houston Texans wide receiver Kayshon Boutte said he has been working every day to build chemistry with quarterback C.J. Stroud after he was acquired in a trade from the New England Patriots, according to Cole Thompson of Texans Wire. "Big playmaking ability. Whether it's short routes, mid-routes, deep routes, go ball, I'm going to always build that trust every day with C.J. [Stroud]," Boutte said when asked about what he brings to Houston's offense. The 24-year-old former sixth-rounder by New England in 2023 from LSU was buried on the Pats' WR depth chart this summer after offseason additions of A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs, but in Houston, he is expected to operate as the WR2 behind Nico Collins after Jayden Higgins (knee) was ruled out for the season due to a torn ACL. Boutte never reached 600 receiving yards in three seasons with the Patriots, but he did score a career-high six times on 33 receptions in 14 regular-season games in 2025. He will have to hold off Jaylin Noel, Xavier Hutchinson, and eventually Tank Dell (knee), but with more opportunities coming in his new digs, Boutte is in play as a late-round flier at WR.

Entering his first season with the team in 2026, New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown looks like the clear focal point of his team's passing game. Even in a tumultuous 2025 season with the Philadelphia Eagles, in which he publicly agitated for more targets and a larger role, Brown recorded 78 catches for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns across 15 games. With the Patriots, Brown should be rejuvenated and could have a chance to get back to his peak form, when he recorded 2,952 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns across two seasons with the Eagles in 2022 and 2023. Brown's profile carries some risk for fantasy managers, as he's entering his age-29 season and has missed six games over the past two years due to knee and hamstring injuries. Still, Brown is in a strong position in New England to recapture his top-12 fantasy WR status.

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Ryan Flournoy established a role in his team's passing game in 2025, recording 40 catches for 475 yards and four touchdowns on 56 targets across 16 games (four starts). Flournoy has a pair of high-volume target earners ahead of him on the Cowboys wide receiver depth chart in CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, which may make it difficult for him to provide consistently fantasy-relevant production. However, Flournoy routinely garnered praise from both Cowboys coaches and reporters for his work throughout training camp and the preseason. If either Lamb or Pickens goes down with an injury for any stretch of time in 2026, Flournoy could immediately step into a high-value role in Dallas. As a late-round draft target, Flournoy should be on the radar of fantasy managers.

A third-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, San Francisco 49ers rookie running back Kaelon Black entered training camp in competition with fellow 49ers back Jordan James for the team's RB2 role behind Christian McCaffrey. However, James battled some injury issues throughout the summer, and recent reporting out of San Francisco indicates that Black currently has a hold on the backup running back job. As long as McCaffrey remains healthy, Black is unlikely to play a fantasy-relevant role in 2026. Still, McCaffrey is now 30 years old and logged an NFL-high 413 touches in 2025. The superstar back also has a history of suffering season-altering injuries, as he's played seven games or fewer in three of his nine NFL campaigns. If he is indeed the clear RB2 in San Francisco, Black carries high-end handcuff appeal into 2026.

Tennessee Titans new head coach Robert Saleh is convinced that new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll will help quarterback Cam Ward improve in his second season in the NFL, according to Turron Davenport of ESPN. "This kid's not going to fail," Saleh said. "Obviously, I put my job on that one, but he's not going to fail. He's special." Ward did little to impress anyone in two preseason games, but he looked much better in joint practices against the Seattle Seahawks and Chicago Bears. Last year's first overall pick, Ward finished his rookie campaign with 3,169 passing yards (17th), 15 touchdowns (25th), and seven interceptions (tied for 10th-most), but he showed improvement in his final five games, throwing eight TDs and just one interception. "I have a lot of confidence in this young man," Daboll said. The new coaching staff is not looking to tweak Ward's throwing motion, but they are putting an emphasis on his decision-making, encouraging him to take what the defense is giving him while also looking for opportunities to make chunk gains down the field. With the offseason additions of receivers Wan'Dale Robinson and rookie Carnell Tate, Ward will have more help in the passing game. The jury is still out on Ward as he heads into Year 2, but with a better supporting cast of coaches and receivers, he is trending up in superflex fantasy leagues as a low-end QB2 option with upside in 2026.

Across 17 games in 2025, Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard recorded 1,288 yards from scrimmage and five touchdowns on 275 touches. The 29-year-old has quietly been one of the NFL's most consistent running backs in recent years, recording at least 1,000 rushing yards and 1,250 scrimmage yards in four consecutive seasons. Pollard has also been exceptionally durable, missing just two games in that stretch. While playing in subpar Tennessee offenses, Pollard's fantasy value has been held down by his lack of red zone opportunities. However, the Titans project to be a more dangerous offense in 2026 with Brian Daboll now calling plays and quarterback Cam Ward entering his second NFL season. Fellow Titans back Tyjae Spears will steal some work from Pollard, but Pollard has averaged over 17 touches per game while sharing a backfield with Spears over the past two seasons. As a steady low-end RB2/high-end flex, Pollard may be undervalued in fantasy drafts entering 2026.

Across 16 games in 2025, Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert completed 66.4% of his pass attempts for 3,727 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. The 28-year-old also rushed for a career-high 498 yards and two touchdowns on 83 attempts, which helped him finish the year as the fantasy QB10 in both overall and per-game scoring. Entering 2026, there's reason to believe Herbert could be well-positioned to top 4,000 passing yards for the first time since 2022. The Chargers have a new offensive coordinator in former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, who should help open up the offense with more explosive plays down the field. Herbert also has a much healthier offensive line in front of him and an extremely talented group of offensive weapons to throw the ball to. As long as he stays healthy, Herbert has a chance to put together his most productive statistical season since 2021, when he threw for 5,014 yards and 35 touchdowns.

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston quietly put together the best season of his career in 2025, and the setup around him looks even more interesting now. Johnston caught 51 passes for a career-high 735 yards and eight touchdowns in 14 games while averaging 14.4 yards per catch, another career best. It was also his second straight season with eight scores. Mike McDaniel takes over the offense this year and has been particularly bullish on Johnston, praising the growth he has already shown and the explosiveness he brings to the receiver room. Johnston should also get more chances to create after the catch, something he has openly said fits his game. The summer ended on a high note when he hauled in a 65-yard touchdown from Justin Herbert in the preseason finale. Ladd McConkey remains the safer bet to lead Los Angeles in targets, and Tre' Harris will have a role, so Johnston may still have some uneven weeks. After improving again in 2025, though, there are more ways for him to produce in this offense than there were a year ago.

Across 16 games in 2025, Philadelphia Eagles running back Tank Bigsby recorded 58 carries for 344 yards and two touchdowns. Entering 2026, Bigsby's path to fantasy-relevant production remains blocked by star Eagles back Saquon Barkley. However, Barkley is now entering his age-29 season and has amassed over 800 touches (including the postseason) over the last two seasons. If Barkley were to suffer an injury, Bigsby would likely see a significant role increase and would immediately leap into top-24 running back territory for fantasy managers. In the lone game that Barkley missed in 2025, Bigsby recorded 106 scrimmage yards and a touchdown on 18 touches. For fantasy managers searching for a premium handcuff running back option, Bigsby should be at the top of the priority list.

Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews has a clearer path back to meaningful volume after spending last season in a crowded position group. He saw only 70 targets in 17 games, finishing with 48 catches for 422 yards and five touchdowns while Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar also handled substantial snaps. Both are gone now, and Baltimore enters 2026 with Andrews leading a rebuilt room that includes Durham Smythe and rookies Matt Hibner and Josh Cuevas. Smythe is expected to handle much of the blocking work, while the younger tight ends are still carving out roles. Andrews also looked sharp in camp, including one of his best practices in August when he scored in the red zone and made another catch in traffic near the goal line. Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman will still command plenty of looks, and rookie Ja'Kobi Lane earned a substantial role this summer. Even so, Andrews has far less competition at his own position. After averaging just 4.1 targets per game last year, there is a real path for that number to climb.

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy still has a believable path back to the player fantasy managers saw as a rookie. He caught 59 passes for 638 yards and six touchdowns in 2024, then added 104 rushing yards and three more scores. Last season never really got going. Worthy dislocated his shoulder and tore his labrum on the third snap of Week 1, missed two games and played through the injury before having surgery in January. He finished with 42 catches for 532 yards and one touchdown. This summer brought another scare when Worthy sprained the same shoulder on Aug. 1, but he returned to practice nine days later and was back working with the offense later in camp. He remains a starter opposite Rashee Rice on Kansas City's current depth chart. Rice and Travis Kelce will keep the target ceiling in check, and the shoulder history can't be ignored. Still, Worthy's WR45 ranking leaves room for a rebound if better health brings back some of the explosiveness and touchdown production from his rookie year.

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jalen Nailor has a much cleaner path to volume than he ever had in Minnesota. Nailor spent four years buried behind Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, but he enters 2026 listed with the first-team offense in a wide receiver room that doesn't have an established target hog. He caught 29 of 53 targets for 444 yards and four touchdowns last season, then spent August building real chemistry with Kirk Cousins. Nailor caught a deep score from Cousins on Aug. 6, another touchdown on Aug. 10 and two more in red-zone work a week later. That doesn't guarantee a huge target share, especially with Brock Bowers likely to remain the centerpiece and Tre Tucker and Jack Bech still involved. It does give Nailor a legitimate chance to see more work than he ever did with the Vikings. Las Vegas signed him early in free agency, kept him with the starters all summer, and the opportunity held through roster cuts. For managers looking for a late-round receiver with room to beat his draft cost, Nailor has a pretty easy case to make.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough is one of the more appealing late-round bets for fantasy managers who don't want to pay up at the position. He took over in Week 9 last year and went 5-4 as a starter, finishing his rookie season with 2,384 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and six interceptions while completing 67.6% of his throws. The finish was much better than the full-season line suggests. Shough totaled 10 touchdowns from Weeks 12-18 and ranked QB5 in total fantasy points over that stretch, with 272, 308 and 333 passing yards in consecutive games from Weeks 15-17. He also ran for 186 yards and three scores on 45 carries, which gives him a little more floor than a pure pocket passer. New Orleans enters 2026 with Shough firmly entrenched as the starter and Chris Olave, Juwan Johnson and Travis Etienne Jr. around him, although first-round rookie Jordyn Tyson will open the year on injured reserve. Shough is still only QB22 in RotoBaller's Sept. 3 rankings. For managers waiting on quarterback, that leaves plenty of room for him to beat the price.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Tez Johnson has worked his way back into the late-round conversation with Emeka Egbuka (toe) and Jalen McMillan (knee) still sidelined in the team's latest update. Neither has been ruled out for Week 1, but both have missed multiple weeks, which leaves extra snaps up for grabs if one isn't ready. Johnson has already shown he can take advantage of that kind of opening. The former seventh-round pick started eight games as a rookie and caught 28 passes for 322 yards and five touchdowns, then opened this summer as one of Tampa Bay's early camp standouts. A groin strain interrupted his August, but he returned for the preseason finale and caught one pass for nine yards. Chris Godwin Jr. remains ahead of him on the depth chart, and rookie Ted Hurst III has played his way into the early-season mix, so Johnson is far from guaranteed a major role. Still, with Egbuka and McMillan not yet back, he has enough contingency value to justify a final-round shot in deeper leagues.

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington has come out of the summer with a much cleaner path to regular playing time. Tyreek Hill was released and Jaylen Waddle was traded during the offseason, and Washington now sits with Caleb Douglas and Jalen Tolbert among the three first-team receivers on Miami's current depth chart. He did enough during camp to hold onto that spot, too. Washington was regularly involved with Malik Willis, including a pair of deep catches during an Aug. 3 practice and another touchdown connection late in camp. There was already some useful versatility in his game last season, when he caught 46 passes for 317 yards and three touchdowns while adding 110 yards and another score on 17 carries. Douglas had an excellent summer and could eventually command a large share of the passing game, so Washington isn't suddenly locked in as Miami's top target. The opportunity is still much better than it was a year ago. With a starting job within reach, Washington has become a more interesting late-round option in deeper redraft leagues.

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay said that he expects every player on the team to make the trip to Melbourne, Australia, for the Week 1 tilt next Thursday against the division-rival San Francisco 49ers, which includes star defensive tackle Aaron Donald, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Although Donald, who came out of retirement to return to the Rams for the 2026 season, is with the Rams heading overseas, he is still TBD on playing in the regular-season opener. It is more realistic for the 35-year-old to make his debut in Week 2 or 3 as he continues to work back into football shape. If Donald does appear in next Thursday's game in Australia against the 49ers, it will likely be on a very limited number of pass-rushing snaps. The 10-time Pro Bowler and three-time Defensive Player of the Year has 111 sacks in 10 seasons with the Rams, but in more of a part-time pass-rushing role in his return in 2026, Donald is not going to have the same type of fantasy upside in IDP leagues that he had back in his prime.

The Philadelphia Eagles told rookie first-round wide receiver Makai Lemon to mirror the preparation of WR1 DeVonta Smith, who has been noted for his strong preparation in advance of games, according to Zach Berman of The Athletic. "I basically told him, 'Whatever Smitty does, you do.' And he's taken to that a little bit. I know that Smitty's done a good job of going out of his way to help him with some of that stuff," wide receivers coach Aaron Moorehead said. The 22-year-old 20th overall pick from USC had a quiet summer in training camp and missed valuable development time due to a nagging hamstring injury. He caught three of his five targets for five yards in the preseason finale against the Cincinnati Bengals last week. With Dontayvion Wicks rising to become the clear WR2 for Philly to start the 2026 campaign, Lemon is penciled in as the team's No. 3 wideout to begin his pro career. Lemon caught 79 passes for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns in 12 games in his final collegiate season with the Trojans and could easily leapfrog Wicks at some point this year if he reaches his true potential. Despite his quiet summer, Lemon deserves attention as a late-round WR pick in upcoming drafts for his upside.

In his three years with the Detroit Lions, running back David Montgomery finished no lower than the RB27, twice cracking the top 20 despite sharing a backfield with one of the league's most dynamic players in three-time Pro Bowler Jahmyr Gibbs. Following an offseason trade to the Houston Texans, the eighth-year veteran finds himself once more atop the depth chart. While recent buzz has suggested that 2025 fourth-round pick Woody Marks could still see a prominent role after leading the team with 703 rushing yards as a rookie, Montgomery is expected to see the bulk of the early-down work and the most valuable touches around the goal line. The Texans ranked 29th in the NFL in 2025 by converting fewer than 46% of their red zone trips into touchdowns, while Detroit was a top-eight team in that category, with Montgomery scoring five of his eight touchdowns from within the five-yard line. No longer splitting goal-line work with Gibbs, who has averaged 19 touchdowns over the past two seasons, Montgomery is a safe bet to reach double-digit scores and should provide a predictable weekly floor as RotoBaller's RB20.

Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin was limited to 10 games in 2025, with only three of those outings started by quarterback Jayden Daniels. With limited time together, the pair was unable to build upon the chemistry they'd established in 2024, when McLaurin caught a career-high 13 touchdowns, and Daniels took home Offensive Rookie of the Year Honors. Despite playing most of the season with backups Marcus Mariota and Josh Johnson, McLaurin showed no signs of slowing when he was on the field, turning in one of his most efficient seasons to date. His 2.29 yards per route run in 2025 were the most since his 2019 rookie season and ranked 13th in the NFL, and with both McLaurin and Daniels healthy heading into 2026, the eighth-year veteran has the capacity to greatly exceed his current ADP of WR26.

Denver Broncos rookie running back Jonah Coleman has been one of the most hyped players on the roster since the team spent a fourth-round pick on him in the 2026 NFL Draft, and in appearing with Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team, Broncos beat reporter Zac Stevens indicated that the buzz is well-justified. Pointing out the complexity of Sean Payton's offense, Stevens notes that Coleman has already earned the trust of Payton and new offensive coordinator Davis Webb and says, "If and when J.K. Dobbins gets hurt, it's not going to be RJ Harvey that steps up into that starting running back role. It's going to be Jonah Coleman." Dobbins has not played more than 13 games in any year since his 2020 rookie season, so if Coleman has truly earned his coaches' favor, he could prove to be one of the league's most valuable insurance backs, heading into the final weekend of draft season as RotoBaller's RB54.