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Kyler Murray, J.J. McCarthy Sharing Reps
Minnesota Vikings quarterbacks Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy are splitting up first-team reps to begin mandatory minicamp. Murray is currently the favorite to win the starting job, but the Vikings aren't going to hand him the job. The expectation is that the Vikings are going to give both quarterbacks a fair chance during the preseason. Murray has mentioned that the most difficult part for him so far has been transitioning to a new roster while splitting up the reps. It's not an ideal situation, but the Vikings need to evaluate what they have in both quarterbacks before picking a starter. Murray is a seven-year veteran, so the experience alone will likely be enough to earn him the starting role in Week 1.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Zach Charbonnet Could Return in Early October
Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (knee) could make a return to the field earlier than expected. According to Corbin K. Smith, Charbonnet is on track to return in early October. That's encouraging news considering Charbonnet suffered a torn ACL during the divisional round victory over the San Francisco 49ers in mid-January. Typically, these injuries take anywhere from 9 to 12 months to fully heal. He underwent surgery in February, so an October timetable is a little early, but it doesn't seem out of the question. In the meantime, the Seahawks are likely going to lean on rookie Jadarian Price and Emanuel Wilson in the backfield. An early October return date would give Charbonnet more stash value heading into draft season.
Source: Corbin K. Smith
Source: Corbin K. Smith
Saquon Barkley Getting More Work in the Passing Game
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley has been getting more work in the passing game than expected early in camp. During the first two minicamp sessions, Barkley looks to be taking on a larger role as a pass-catcher. Last season, Barkley hauled in 37 receptions for 273 receiving yards with two touchdowns through the air. Over the last five seasons, Barkley has only surpassed 50 receptions in a single season once. It seems possible that the Eagles want to limit his rushing reps and see him take on a larger role as a pass-catcher in the backfield. If that happens, Barkley could potentially see a rise in PPR fantasy value.
Source: Bleeding Green Nation
Source: Bleeding Green Nation
Alec Pierce Might Not be Ready for Start of Training Camp
When asked about wide receiver Alec Pierce's ankle surgery, Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen allowed for the possibility of him not being ready for the start of training camp in late July, according to Stephen Holder of ESPN. The head coach said it could be "a couple weeks in." Pierce broke out in 2025 in his fourth year in the league with 47 receptions on 84 targets for a career-high 1,003 yards and six touchdowns in 15 games played. It was the second year in a row that he led the league in yards per reception at 21.3. The momentum he created last year has been stalled by offseason ankle surgery, though, and it sounds like he won't be ready for the start of camp this summer. It could be an issue for the Colts' WR room after they traded Michael Pittman Jr. to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the offseason. If Pierce's ankle injury limits him early on in 2026, the Colts would be asking Josh Downs, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Ashton Dulin, and rookie Deion Burks to step up. Pierce's fantasy stock is on the rise as a big-play threat at the position, but he's becoming more of a risky boom/bust WR3/flex target as the 2026 season nears.
Source: ESPN.com - Stephen Holder
Source: ESPN.com - Stephen Holder
Jacory Croskey-Merritt Continues to Work Off to the Side During OTAs
Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt (undisclosed) continues to work on the side field during OTAs this week, according to Ben Standig of The Athletic. It has been the case during all three sessions open to the media this week. It's unclear what Croskey-Merritt is dealing with, but he'll have another chance to get back on the field with the rest of his teammates during mandatory minicamp from June 16-18. After being taken in the seventh round last year, the 25-year-old saw 175 rushing attempts for 805 yards (4.6 yards per carry) and eight touchdowns while adding nine receptions for 68 yards as a pass-catcher in 17 games (seven starts). Ball security and improving as a pass-catcher are things that Bill needs to do in Year 2 to hold off the likes of Rachaad White, Jerome Ford, Jeremy Nichols, and rookie sixth-rounder Kaytron Allen. At the very least, JCM should be Washington's early-down back in an offense that should improve if quarterback Jayden Daniels can stay healthy after an injury-plagued season. RotoBaller has Croskey-Merritt currently ranked as the No. 43 fantasy RB going into the 2026 season.
Source: The Athletic - Ben Standig
Source: The Athletic - Ben Standig
Browns Not Naming a QB1 Coming Out of Minicamp
Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken said he won't name a starting quarterback coming out of mandatory minicamp, according to Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. "I'm not there yet," Monken said. Deshaun Watson and second-year signal-caller Shedeur Sanders will be splitting reps evenly during minicamp this week. The 30-year-old Watson has had a disastrous tenure with the team after signing a five-year, $230 million deal in March of 2022 due to suspension and a twice-torn Achilles tendon. The three-time Pro Bowler appears to have put his Achilles injury in the past, though, and reports this offseason suggest that Monken could be leaning toward giving Watson the reins in the starting role to begin the 2026 season. Watson certainly has the experience advantage over Sanders, who notably fell all the way to the fifth round in last year's NFL draft. Whoever wins the Browns' starting QB job will have a short leash and won't be much more than a shaky low-end QB2 option for fantasy managers in superflex leagues. Monken might not tell us who his starting QB is until sometime in training camp in August.
Source: The Cleveland Plain Dealer - Mary Kay Cabot
Source: The Cleveland Plain Dealer - Mary Kay Cabot
KC Concepcion, Denzel Boston to "Play a Lot" as Rookies
The Athletic's Zac Jackson writes that Cleveland Browns rookie wide receivers KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston are "going to play a lot as rookies." Boston has been "one of the standouts" of offseason practices, and both wideouts have "started taking full rotations" with the No. 1 and No. 2 offensive groups in the last two weeks. Second-year wideout Isaiah Bond has been impressive recently, too, and head coach Todd Monken singled him out as a player who has shown improvement this spring. Concepcion and Bond have the kind of speed that the Browns haven't had consistently in recent years at the position. Most fantasy managers in 12-team leagues aren't going to be looking to Cleveland for late-round dart throws at the position, given the uncertainty in the QB competition between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders, but don't be surprised if one or both of Concepcion or Boston become intriguing early-season waiver-wire targets if Jerry Jeudy continues to be underwhelming as the WR1 for the team. The Browns have plenty of draft capital invested in the two rookies, as Concepcion was a first-rounder, and Boston was selected in the second round in April.
Source: The Athletic - Zac Jackson
Source: The Athletic - Zac Jackson
Bengals Restructure Joe Burrow's Contract, Create Salary Cap Space
The Cincinnati Bengals restructured the contract of quarterback Joe Burrow on Tuesday, creating $10 million in salary cap space, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. The move was due in part to the cash needed for the trade that landed the Bengals defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence this offseason. The 29-year-old QB has four years left on his five-year, $275 million deal that he signed in September of 2023. Burrow, a three-time Pro Bowler, only played in eight games in 2025 in his sixth year in the NFL, a major disappointment after he led the NFL in attempts (652), completions (460), passing yards (4,918), touchdowns (43), and yards per game (289.3) in 2024. He doesn't have the dual-threat abilities of some of the other elite names at the position, but what Burrow lacks in rushing skills, he makes up for with his arm strength and precision as a passer, and he has one of the best WR corps in the league with Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins as his top-two receivers. Burrow is a high-risk/high-reward midrange QB1 target in fantasy football drafts for the 2026 season, and he's currently ranked as RotoBaller's QB5.
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Cam Skattebo Taking Part in 11-on-11 Reps at Minicamp
New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo (ankle) is taking live 11-on-11 reps at minicamp on Tuesday for the first time since suffering a gruesome dislocated ankle in Week 8 of his rookie season last year, according to Dan Duggan of The Athletic. Barring a setback, the 24-year-old former fourth-round pick out of Arizona State should be fully healthy for the start of training camp next month and the Week 1 regular-season opener in 2026 in September. Tyrone Tracy Jr. remains in New York, but Skattebo should be the Giants' primary early-down back in new head coach John Harbaugh's offense, which is expected to feature a bigger emphasis on the ground game. In eight games (five starts) before suffering his season-ending ankle injury in 2025, Skattebo averaged 4.1 yards per carry, 410 rushing yards, and five touchdowns on 101 carries while also catching 24 passes for 207 yards and another two scores. His fantasy stock for 2026 and beyond is on the rise, and Skattebo is currently ranked as the No. 20 RB in fantasy for the upcoming season.
Source: The Athletic - Dan Duggan
Source: The Athletic - Dan Duggan
Joel Bitonio Hangs Up his Cleats
Cleveland Browns long-time offensive lineman Joel Bitonio announced his retirement from the NFL on Tuesday, according to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. The 34-year-old will hang up his cleats after 12 years in the NFL, all with the Browns. He was selected with the 35th overall pick in the second round of the 2014 NFL draft out of the University of Nevada, and he turned out to be a good one, earning seven Pro Bowl selections and being named to two first-team All-Pro units. Bitonio's seven Pro Bowl selections tied with former pass-rusher Myles Garrett for the fourth-most in Browns history. He was also named the Browns' Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2022. His 178 starts are the most by any Cleveland player since the franchise returned to Cleveland in 1999, and he was the longest-tenured player on the team until his contract voided in March. The Browns will have a much different-looking offensive line in 2026 under new head coach Todd Monken.
Source: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
Source: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
Harold Fannin Jr. Continues to Miss Offseason Workouts
The Athletics Zac Jackson reports that Cleveland Browns tight end Harold Fannin Jr. (undisclosed) is absent from the team's minicamp practices this week and hasn't been seen at all this spring. The Browns haven't specified the reason for Fannin's absence, but he was dealing with a groin injury at the tail end of his first year in the NFL in 2025. It doesn't sound like the 21-year-old's injury issue is all that serious, but Fannin's status is certainly worth keeping a close eye on as Cleveland enters training camp at the end of July. The former third-rounder (67th overall pick) last year out of Bowling Green led the Browns in receiving with 72 catches for 731 yards and six touchdowns on 107 targets in 16 games played in his first year in the NFL. Although Cleveland's quarterback situation still isn't exactly ideal, Fannin's pass-catching prowess has boosted him into low-end TE1 consideration as he heads into his sophomore season. He should once again be one of the focal points in the passing game for the Browns in 2026 as long as he's healthy.
Source: The Athletic - Zac Jackson
Source: The Athletic - Zac Jackson
Alaric Jackson Arrested on Domestic-Violence Charge
Los Angeles Rams left tackle Alaric Jackson was arrested on a felony domestic-violence charge on Monday night, according to Sarah Barshop of ESPN. The Los Angeles Police Department said the charge was for "a person who willfully inflicts corporal injury" against a spouse. NBC 4 reported that "Jackson thought the woman was recording him with her phone and allegedly tried to take the phone out of her hand." "Investigators said the woman had scratch marks on her arm." The 27-year-old offensive lineman was sued in 2025 by a woman who alleged he recorded her without her consent during sex, repeatedly refused to delete the video, and taunted her with it. The lawsuit was moved to federal court and eventually was dismissed on April 10. Jackson also served a two-game suspension in August of 2024 when the NFL announced he violated the league's personal-conduct policy. After agreeing to a three-year, $57 million extension with the Rams in February of last year, Jackson could be facing another suspension to open the 2026 campaign.
Source: ESPN.com - Sarah Barshop
Source: ESPN.com - Sarah Barshop
Aaron Donald Likely to Unretire to Rejoin Rams?
ESPN's Adam Schefter thinks it's "more likely than not" that defensive tackle Aaron Donald unretires to rejoin the Los Angeles Rams and new star pass-rusher Myles Garrett in 2026. Nobody else is saying what Schefter is saying, but they are acknowledging the fact that Donald is considering coming out of retirement to try to help the Rams get back to the Super Bowl, which will be held at SoFi Stadium this year. We are a ways away from Donald actually announcing that he is going to return, but it feels like it will be hard for him to pass up having a chance to headline a pass-rushing unit in L.A. that would feature arguably two of the best sack artists of all time. Schefter said that if he had to guess, he would guess that Donald returns to make the Rams the unquestioned Super Bowl favorite in 2026. The 35-year-old veteran is still probably in phenomenal shape after recording eight sacks and 53 tackles (28 solo) in 16 starts in 2023 in his final year in the league. The 10-time Pro Bowler and eight-time All-Pro had a whopping 111 sacks in his 10 years in the league.
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
David Montgomery to be Three-Down Back for Texans?
The Houston Texans acquired veteran running back David Montgomery from the Detroit Lions in an offseason trade, and he's set to be the lead RB this year in Houston. The Texans ran the ball 387 times a year ago, but they just weren't very effective after not having Joe Mixon (foot) for the entire season. Monty has already been receiving "rave reviews" from offensive coordinator Nick Caley, and the Texans think that Montgomery could be a "potential three-down back" in 2026 as they look to create more physicality in their running game, according to Cameron Wolfe of the NFL Network. Woody Marks took over lead-back duties for the team a year ago in his rookie season out of necessity, and he's not guaranteed to have a big role in his second season as long as Montgomery stays healthy. A lot depends on the progress of Houston's offensive line and quarterback C.J. Stroud's ability to bounce back after several disappointing seasons. If those two things align, Monty could emerge as a solid RB2 for fantasy managers after seeing his role decline in 2025 in his final year in Detroit.
Source: NFL Network - Cameron Wolfe
Source: NFL Network - Cameron Wolfe
Dolphins Seeing Progress From Malik Willis
Miami Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley said that he's seeing progress, command, and confidence from quarterbacks Malik Willis and Quinn Ewers as the offseason program continues, according to Marcel-Louis-Jacques of ESPN. "He's more comfortable. I think he's looked as good as he's looked since I met him," Hafley said about Willis, adding that he's excited to ramp things up come training camp. A recent report from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel's David Furones quoted Hafley as saying that the 27-year-old Willis' chemistry with his new receivers was "a work in progress." The former third-round pick by the Tennessee Titans in 2022 out of the University of Liberty looked good with a 78.7% completion percentage in his last two years with the Green Bay Packers, albeit in a small sample size of 11 games played and only three starts, but the Dolphins felt it was enough to hand him a three-year, $67.5 million deal in free agency to be their starter in 2026 and beyond. Willis will probably be up and down in a rebuilding offense in his first year in South Beach, but you can't deny that the opportunity is there for him to make noise. But with playmakers lacking in the passing game in Miami, fantasy managers should consider Willis a low-end QB2 option in superflex formats in 2026.
Source: ESPN.com - Marcel Louis-Jacques
Source: ESPN.com - Marcel Louis-Jacques
