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Bryce Young's Passing Surge Transforms His Fantasy Outlook
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young has emerged as one of the NFL's biggest early-season fantasy risers, producing at a level few expected entering 2026. The 25-year-old has thrown for at least 287 yards in all four starts, completing 101 of 162 passes for 1,268 yards, nine touchdowns, and two interceptions. Young was particularly impressive before Carolina's Week 5 bye, completing 29 of 41 attempts for 329 yards and two touchdowns in a 32-26 victory over the Detroit Lions. His improvement becomes even more striking when compared with last season, when he averaged just 188.2 passing yards and 29.9 attempts per game. Those figures have climbed to 317 yards and 40.5 attempts through four contests in 2026, giving Young the passing volume necessary to support consistent fantasy production. His limited rushing contributions, totaling 19 yards and one touchdown, remain a concern for his weekly ceiling. However, RotoBaller ranks Young as the QB11 entering Sunday's road matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles, making him a legitimate starting consideration in 12-team fantasy leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
More Recent News
Travis Kelce Could See Heavier Workload After Chiefs' Bye
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has an opportunity to see his fantasy value climb as the team prepares for Sunday's Week 6 matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers. The 37-year-old leads Kansas City with 16 receptions for 246 yards and two touchdowns on 22 targets through four games, although his involvement has been inconsistent. Kelce caught nine passes for 101 yards and a touchdown against Indianapolis in Week 2 but managed just four receptions for 74 yards over his next two outings. The situation could change with Tyquan Thornton (ankle) now on injured reserve and Rashee Rice (hamstring) uncertain for Sunday after missing Wednesday's practice. Thornton's absence removes one of Kansas City's most productive downfield threats, while another missed game for Rice would leave Patrick Mahomes without two established receiving options. Xavier Worthy figures to benefit from the depleted receiving corps as well, particularly after catching four passes for 70 yards against Las Vegas in Week 4. Kelce remains a must-start TE1 regardless of Rice's availability, with the potential for a more substantial target share if Kansas City enters Sunday's contest shorthanded.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Dallas Goedert's Return Brings Immediate Target Surge
Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert (knee) wasted little time reestablishing himself in the passing game after missing two contests, catching six of nine targets for 38 yards in Sunday's 19-17 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 31-year-old led Philadelphia in both receptions and targets, drawing more opportunities in his return than he received across his first two appearances combined. Goedert now has 11 catches for 119 yards and two touchdowns in three games, although 77 yards and both scores came in the season opener against Washington. His increased involvement could continue with DeVonta Smith (hamstring/toe) still sidelined after missing Wednesday's practice, while Dontayvion Wicks (hamstring) was limited. The Eagles host the Carolina Panthers in Week 6, presenting an appealing matchup against a defense that has struggled to contain opposing tight ends. Goedert's target share could decline once Smith returns, but his immediate involvement following the knee injury is an encouraging development. He belongs in the TE1 conversation for Week 6, with additional upside if Philadelphia remains shorthanded at wide receiver.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Emeka Egbuka Turning the Corner After Posting Season-High in Receptions
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka has posted inconsistent and underwhelming results this season, but his solid volume in Week 5 could suggest that he's back on track going forward. Egbuka finished last Thursday's contest with nine targets, six catches, and 38 receiving yards, and he also boosted his fantasy value with a 14-yard touchdown run. The 24-year-old is averaging a modest 4.2 catches per game while ranking as a high-end WR3, but that fantasy stock could ascend into the WR2 territory if he continues to produce at a similar level as last week. The only real concern right now is the quarterback play of backup Jayden Daniels. While Daniels did target Egbuka nine times last week, the second-year receiver averaged just 4.2 yards per target, indicating that there isn't much of a connection between quarterback and receiver deep downfield. That could change when Baker Mayfield (thumb) returns to action, but in the meantime, we'd still roll out Egbuka as a high-end WR3 in fantasy football.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Javonte Williams Continues to Face Minimal Competition for Touches
Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams continues to post impressive results in fantasy football, mostly because of his prominent role as the undisputed No. 1 option on the depth chart. Even when he struggled to get things going in terms of efficiency last week, Williams maintained a season-high 85% snap share, and a touchdown helped him to score more than 14 points in PPR leagues. He now ranks as the overall RB7 in PPR scoring, putting him well on his way to finish as a top-12 running back for the second year in a row. Williams, who has seven touchdowns through five games, is already up to 91 touches this season, while depth options Tyler Goodson, Emari Demercado, and Hunter Luepke have combined for 19 touches so far. As long as Williams is healthy, his high snap share and volume will keep him in the low-end RB1 conversation for fantasy football.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
George Kittle Maintaining Top-Five Status with Remarkable Snap Share
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle occupied a limited role back in Week 1, but across the four weeks since then, he has ranked as the overall TE2 in half-PPR scoring (behind only Brock Bowers). A high snap share has been a primary factor in Kittle's success; he has played in at least 85% of the snaps in each of his last three games, and at least 90% of the snaps in each of his last two games. The 33-year-old has yet to catch more than six passes in a game this season, but he consistently gets on the field and gets looks from quarterback Brock Purdy. Plus, he's a major weapon around the goal line with four touchdowns over his last four games. Kittle will maintain his top-five status for as long as he stays healthy, starting with a Week 6 contest against the Washington Commanders, who most recently surrendered 11 catches, 94 yards, and two touchdowns to Isaiah Likely.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Parker Washington Shakes Off Rare Dud Outing, Returns to Top-Tier Form
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington had a disappointing performance back in Week 4 with just one catch for seven yards, but outside of that game, he has been truly remarkable this season. Through five weeks, Washington has been the undisputed No. 1 receiver in Jacksonville, catching 22 passes for 352 yards and four touchdowns. Despite the uncharacteristic one-catch outing in Week 4, Washington has managed to rank as the overall WR9 in scoring (PPR) so far this season. As long as he remains healthy, he should continue to handle a large workload like he did last week, when he caught six of nine targets for a pair of touchdowns. It's also worth noting that he has played at least 80% of the offensive snaps in each of his last four games, showing off his consistent playing time. The 24-year-old has been one of the most pleasant surprises in fantasy football this year, and he should continue to rank as a mid-to-low WR1 with potential league-winning upside.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Chuba Hubbard Emerging as One of the Biggest Steals in Fantasy Football
Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard has drastically exceeded expectations this season. The 27-year-old has 306 rushing yards, 10 catches, 84 receiving yards, and five touchdowns through four games in 2026, establishing himself as a steal relative to his price tag in 2026 fantasy drafts. He ranks as the overall RB6 so far in terms of half-PPR points per game. Hubbard has faced minimal competition for touches all season long, and his role became even more clearly defined in Week 3 when Jonathon Brooks (core) was placed on injured reserve. Volume-wise, over his last two games, Hubbard stole the show with an 84% overall snap share and 44 total touches. There is no reason to leave Hubbard on the bench in fantasy football as long as he continues to produce at a decent level. He'll rank as a fringe top-10 fantasy running back rest-of-season, starting with a Week 6 matchup against the struggling Philadelphia Eagles.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Bucky Irving in Complete Control of Lead-Back Role
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving has full control over the No. 1 role in the backfield through the first five weeks of the season, and we don't expect that to change anytime soon. Irving is coming off his best game of the year, in which he totaled 175 scrimmage yards and two total touchdowns. Even with Kenny Gainwell, Sean Tucker, and Jalon Daniel all pushing to earn rushing attempts, Irving has shown no signs of relinquishing his lead-back role. After all, he had 23 touches last week. After missing seven games last year and finishing as the RB34 in PPR leagues, it certainly appears as though Irving is in the midst of a significant bounce-back campaign. We'll look for him to keep up that momentum heading into Week 6 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have allowed the 13th-fewest rushing yards per game in 2026.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Kenneth Walker Looks to Continue His Hot Start
Kansas City Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker is returning from his team's bye week with a home game this week against the Chargers. He has gotten off to a fantastic start with his new team, racking up 537 rushing yards in four games with four rushing touchdowns. He has also been very involved in the passing game with 12 catches on 19 targets for 84 receiving yards and two more touchdowns. He has been an elite fantasy running back so far this season, and he will return to action in a favorable matchup against the struggling Chargers. If he continues to be the focal point of the Chiefs' offense, Walker should remain an elite option at the position and is emerging as one of the top early-season contenders for fantasy football MVP this season.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
MarShawn Lloyd Regains Top Spot in Green Bay's Backfield
Green Bay Packers running back MarShawn Lloyd started the season as the team's first option to replace Josh Jacobs (personal), but he struggled to get much traction and had a key fumble against the Jets. As a result, Kaleb Johnson and Chris Brooks got more work with Lloyd in a smaller role in Week 2 and Week 3. In Week 4, though, Lloyd played a season-high 55% of snaps, and in Week 5, he played 44% of snaps, posting solid fantasy performances each week. He had five catches in Week 4 to show his potential as a receiver and converted two short rushing touchdowns in Week 5 to show his potential as the team's preferred short-yardage option. Lloyd is trending back toward a larger role in the timeshare and can be a touchdown-dependent FLEX play for as long as he stays in that position.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Pierre Strong Jr. Can Be a PPR option in Very Deep Leagues
Green Bay Packers running back Pierre Strong Jr. stepped right into a meaningful role in his Packers' debut in Week 5. Strong was released by the Packers when they acquired Kaleb Johnson before the season, but he rejoined the practice squad and was signed to the 53-man roster last week. He played ahead of Johnson in Week 5, filling in the role vacated by Chris Brooks (ankle), who is on IR. Strong played 24 snaps (41%) while Johnson only played nine (15%), which mostly came near the end of the game after the result was mostly decided. Strong only had seven rushing yards on his five carries, but did add three catches for 11 yards. Strong should have a role for the next few weeks, and he's worth a stash in very deep leagues since he could get more work if Lloyd struggles. No Packers running back has done much on the ground this season, but Strong's early contributions as a receiver out of the backfield make him interesting in PPR formats.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Darnell Washington Worth a Stash in Deep Leagues
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Darnell Washington has been getting enough work in the last few weeks to be worth watching, even though Pat Freiermuth is clearly the top tight end for Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers typically does a good job spreading the ball around to multiple targets, and Washington is a big target for him to utilize, especially in the red zone. Washington has at least three targets in each of his last three games, and he got into the end zone against the Browns in Week 4. In Week 5, he had two catches on three targets for 12 yards against the Colts. He isn't getting enough work to be a regular starting option in standard-sized leagues, but he does have enough touchdown-dependent upside to be worth a stash in deep leagues. If he became a full-time starter, he'd have potential top-10 upside.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Ty Johnson Can Be a Deep-League Stash in PPR Leagues
Buffalo Bills running back Ty Johnson has played more than 20% of his team's snaps in each of his three games since recovering from a hamstring injury that cost him the first two games of the season. Johnson has not gotten much going on the ground, but he has been involved as a receiver out of the backfield. He had four catches on Monday against the Rams for 72 yards, and he also had four catches for 50 yards in his first game of the season in Week 3 against the Chargers. He only has one carry (for three yards) this season, but his third-down role makes him worth a look in deep PPR leagues. He splits backup work behind James Cook III with Ray Davis, which limits his upside, but his work as a receiving back makes him a deep league FLEX play that isn't touchdown-dependent. He and the Bills are on a short week but should be in a fantasy-friendly spot in Week 6 against the Raiders in Las Vegas.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Tucker Kraft's Reception Share Showing Crucial Growth
Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft got off to a slow start near the start of the season, but he has turned a corner by posting an increased reception share over the last few weeks. Across his last three games, Kraft has 20 targets, 15 catches, 132 yards, and one touchdown. He has posted double-digit fantasy points in each of his last two games, and he has a snap share of at least 92% in two of his last four contests. This increased volume and production has come at the same time as wide receivers Christian Watson and Matthew Golden ranking as top-12 receivers in total fantasy scoring this year. The Packers have posted mixed results this year, but their offense has still managed to support fantasy relevance for Kraft, Watson, and Golden all at the same time. The 25-year-old tight end continues to operate as a top-10 fantasy option at his position heading into Week 6 against the Dallas Cowboys.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Drake Maye Flips a Switch, Starts Playing at an Elite Level
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye was playing at a very concerning level through the first three weeks of the season, but he seemed to flip a switch in Week 4. Now, over his last two games, he has a whopping eight touchdowns and just two turnovers, including five total touchdowns in Week 5 against the Las Vegas Raiders. Maye has now ranked as the highest-scoring quarterback in each of the last two weeks, signifying an utterly impressive turnaround. There's no guarantee that Maye continues to play at this level for the rest of the season, but he has quickly gotten himself back into the overall QB8 spot in total scoring this year, and he should only trend upward with top wide receiver A.J. Brown (ankle) likely returning from injured reserve very soon. The former No. 3 pick out of UNC is firmly back in must-start territory moving forward. He should continue to feast in Week 6 against a very shaky New York Jets defense.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jameson Williams Remains a Big-Play Threat with Large Workload
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams is trending up in fantasy football, largely due to his sizable workload and big-play upside. Williams has played at least 89% of the snaps in each of his last games, and during that two-week span, he has eight catches, 149 yards, and two touchdowns. The bulk of those catches and yards came in Week 4. In fact, he only had two catches in Week 5, but both of those catches went for touchdowns. Therein lies a little bit of risk in starting Williams; his fantasy value is somewhat dependent on big plays, including touchdowns. The good news is that Williams has repeatedly shown that he is capable of breaking off these big plays, so the boom performances typically outweigh the bust performances. Because of his consistently large workload, the 25-year-old continues to rank as a low-end WR2 or high-end WR3 going forward.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Matthew Golden Continues to Enjoy a Remarkable Year 2 Breakout
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Matthew Golden has carved out an enormous role in his second pro season, cementing himself as a low-end WR1 in fantasy scoring so far. Golden was highly disappointing as a rookie last year with a WR89 finish in scoring. However, he is enjoying an enormous Year 2 breakout so far this season with 24 catches, 397 yards, and two touchdowns. Relative to last year, he has more yards, more touchdowns, the same number of targets, and just five fewer catches, despite playing just five games so far this season and 14 last season. Equally impressive is the fact that Golden has achieved these marks despite sharing volume with Christian Watson. The Packers have supported top-tier production from both receivers, with Golden ranking as the WR11 and Watson as the WR3. Golden's big-play upside should allow him to continue to produce in Week 6 against the Dallas Cowboys, whose secondary has repeatedly shown it can be susceptible to giving up big plays over the top.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Bhayshul Tuten Taking on a Substantially Larger Workload
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Bhayshul Tuten has ascended into an enormous role in the backfield, averaging 20 touches per game over the last three weeks. He has at least 9.8 points in PPR leagues in every game this year, and he ranks as the overall RB17 so far. While Tuten's ceiling hasn't been very impressive, he has maintained a high floor while operating as a consistent RB2 option in fantasy football. Most importantly, his ascension has led to a massive decrease in volume for Chris Rodriguez Jr. Once viewed as a candidate to split touches with Tuten, Rodriguez saw his snap share drop to 13% last week as he handled just two rushing attempts. As long as Tuten is healthy, he is going to continue to operate as the near-every-down back in Jacksonville while maintaining his fantasy relevance. He can be started in most leagues, regardless of matchup.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Ollie Gordon II Looks to be the Leader of Miami's Backfield
Miami Dolphins running back Ollie Gordon II dominated offensive snaps played (43) and touches (18) in a 31-24 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 5. Gordon rushed 18 times for 88 yards (4.9 yards per carry) and a touchdown. He was not targeted in the passing game, however. It is clear that the Dolphins see Gordon as their lead tailback with De'Von Achane (knee) on injured reserve and out for the remainder of the season. Fellow tailback Jaylen Wright (foot) entered Week 5 with a questionable tag due to a foot injury and played just nine offensive snaps. Wright rushed six times for 11 yards (1.8 yards per carry). Perhaps Wright's foot issue is the reason why his touches have been limited, but in the two games that Achane has missed, Gordon has carried the ball 27 times for 188 yards (6.96 yards per carry) and scored two touchdowns, while also recording three receptions for 14 yards. Gordon has scored a touchdown in three consecutive games. Meanwhile, Wright has accumulated 11 rushes for just 18 total yards (1.64 yards per carry) over the past two weeks. Wright has not recorded a reception or touchdown in 2026. The Dolphins have a bye week in Week 6, but Gordon offers RB2 or flex appeal moving forward.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Denzel Boston Fitting in Nicely in Cleveland
Cleveland Browns rookie second-round wide receiver Denzel Boston is the team's leading receiver through the first five games of his first season in the NFL, catching 16 of his 29 targets for 330 yards and three touchdowns. Meanwhile, rookie first-round receiver KC Concepcion Jr. has 18 catches for 149 yards and no touchdowns, and he went down early in the Week 5 loss to the New York Jets with a scary concussion. Boston, 22, is on the Week 6 injury report with a foot injury, but he was limited in practice on Wednesday and should have a good chance to play this Sunday against the division-rival Baltimore Ravens. He has had at least seven targets in three of the last four games and would see an even bigger target share this weekend if Concepcion cannot clear the league's concussion protocol by the weekend. Boston is the current betting favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year. The quick rise of both Boston and Concepcion has put Jerry Jeudy on the trade block. Boston should be considered a must-start against the Ravens, especially if Concepcion does not play.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
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