March 12, 2026
Left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. signed an undisclosed two-year contract extension with the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. Brown is a cornerstone of Cincy's offensive line and also a Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee. On an offensive line that has seen its fair share of struggles in recent seasons, Brown is the prime protector of Pro Bowl quarterback
Joe Burrow, so he's a pretty important piece of the offense. The 29-year-old previously signed a four-year, $64 million deal that made him the biggest free-agent signing in Bengals history at the time. In his eight seasons in the league, Brown has a Super Bowl ring, four Pro Bowl berths, and a franchise tag. Not only has Brown's play been top-notch, but he's played in all 17 regular-season games in two of his three seasons in Cincinnati.
--Keith HernandezSource: Bengals.com - Geoff Hobson
March 12, 2026
The Miami Dolphins announced on Thursday that they re-signed kicker
Riley Patterson to an undisclosed deal. The Dolphins moved on from
Jason Sanders, who missed the entire 2025 season due to injury, and also signed former Atlanta Falcons kicker
Zane Gonzalez earlier this week. The 26-year-old Patterson filled in nicely for Sanders last year, making 27 of his 29 field-goal attempts and 34 of his 35 extra-point opportunities over 17 games. However, because of Miami's inconsistent offense, he finished as just the No. 16 kicker in overall fantasy points. Given how well Patterson kicked in 2025, he should be considered the favorite for placekicking duties in Miami over Gonzalez going into the 2026 regular season this fall. In his five years in the NFL, Patterson has made 87.4% of his 103 field-goal attempts, including going 7-for-13 from 50-plus yards out. If he wins the starting job this summer, Patterson will be a low-end starting kicker in deeper fantasy leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: Miami Dolphins
March 12, 2026
The Baltimore Ravens released quarterback
Cooper Rush on Thursday, according to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. Rush signed a two-year, $6.2 million deal with Baltimore last offseason, but he'll be looking for work this offseason after one year with the Ravens. The 32-year-old veteran signal-caller appeared in four games for the Ravens last year and started two games with
Lamar Jackson injured, going 34-for-52 passing for 303 yards, no touchdowns, and four interceptions. The former undrafted free agent out of Central Michigan debuted in the NFL in 2017 with the Dallas Cowboys and has completed 61.1% of his passes for 3,766 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions in his eight-year career. Rush was expendable in Baltimore with
Tyler Huntley returning to back up Jackson for the 2026 season.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
March 12, 2026
Wide receiver
Jauan Jennings had 15 receiving touchdowns and 1,618 yards on 132 receptions (203 targets) the last two years for the San Francisco 49ers. The 28-year-old former seventh-round pick in 2020 out of Tennessee is one of the top available wideouts on the open market now, and he seems unlikely to return to the Bay Area after the Niners signed future Hall of Famer
Mike Evans earlier this week. Behind Evans, the Niners have
Ricky Pearsall,
Demarcus Robinson,
Jacob Cowing, and
Jordan Watkins. The Niners could use more depth at the position, especially with Pearsall barely playing due to injuries in his first two seasons, but it still feels more likely that San Fran will wind up letting Jennings walk as a free agent. Jennings would obviously have a much lower floor in fantasy if he re-signed with the Niners. NFL.com's Steve Wyche thinks the Falcons would be a perfect fit for Jennings to work alongside
Drake London and tight end
Kyle Pitts Sr.--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
March 12, 2026
The Cleveland Browns officially released tight end
David Njoku and right guard Wyatt Teller with post-June 1 designations on Thursday, according to Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN. The Browns will break Njoku's dead salary cap into $9.5 million in 2026 and $14.7 million in 2027 while getting a bit of cap relief after June 1. Njoku's fantasy value in 2025 tanked with the quick emergence of rookie TE
Harold Fannin Jr., who surprisingly led the team in receiving in his first year in the NFL. The 29-year-old Njoku's opportunities shrank, and he also missed some time late in the year with a knee injury. He finished with 33 receptions for 293 yards and four touchdowns on 48 targets over 12 games. Njoku's 293 yards were his fewest since 2020. Now healthy, Njoku will seek employment elsewhere in 2026 and could bounce back as a low-end TE1 option in fantasy if he lands in the right situation.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Daniel Oyefusi
March 12, 2026
A first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver
Ricky Pearsall has missed 14 games due to injury over the first two years of his NFL career. When healthy, Pearsall's production has been more solid than spectacular. Across nine games played in 2025, the 25-year-old hauled in 36 receptions for 528 yards and zero touchdowns on 53 targets. The 49ers made one of the biggest splashes of the early portion of free agency by signing veteran wide receiver
Mike Evans to a three-year deal. While the 32-year-old Evans may no longer be the player he once was at his peak, he still projects as San Francisco's top outside wideout and could push Pearsall to the WR2 role. On the bright side for Pearsall's production outlook, the 49ers could be losing wide receiver
Jauan Jennings to free agency and will likely be without star tight end
George Kittle (Achilles) for a chunk of 2026 as Kittle recovers from a torn Achilles tendon. Still, the signing of Evans could signal that San Francisco does not view Pearsall as a number-one wide receiver option going forward and may be bad news for his long-term dynasty outlook.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
March 12, 2026
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back
Bucky Irving (shoulder) has been an electric player when healthy through his first two NFL seasons, collecting nearly 2,400 scrimmage yards and 12 touchdowns across 27 games played. However, Irving recently underwent offseason shoulder surgery after missing seven games in 2025 due to shoulder and ankle ailments. While Irving is expected to be ready to go for the start of 2026, the 23-year-old is an undersized back, and Tampa Bay may have questions about his ability to hold up while shouldering a true RB1 workload. The Buccaneers made a big splash at the running back position early in free agency, signing veteran back
Kenneth Gainwell to a two-year deal with an eight-figure guarantee. Gainwell is coming off a breakout season with the Pittsburgh Steelers and could emerge as Tampa Bay's primary receiving and short-yardage back. The Buccaneers also have a solid third-string option in
Sean Tucker, who racked up eight touchdowns in 2025. Irving's fantasy value in dynasty formats looks a bit less clear after the addition of Gainwell to the Tampa Bay backfield.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
March 12, 2026
Seattle Seahawks running back
Zach Charbonnet (knee) saw his 2025 season come to an unfortunate end when he went down with a torn ACL during his team's NFC Divisional Round win over the San Francisco 49ers. As a result, Charbonnet could miss time to start the 2026 campaign. However, Charbonnet now projects as Seattle's clear RB1 upon his return after former Seahawks back
Kenneth Walker III agreed to terms with the Kansas City Chiefs on a new three-year contract earlier this month. The Seahawks will almost certainly bring in another body or two to the running back room before the start of the season. Still, Charbonnet's current competition in the backfield is the unproven running back tandem of
George Holani and
Kenny McIntosh (knee). Provided Charbonnet does not experience any setbacks in his recovery, he could emerge as a workhorse back and Seattle's clear RB1 of the future. Despite his current injury status, Charbonnet's dynasty stock should be trending up following Walker III's free agent departure.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
March 12, 2026
The Los Angeles Chargers are signing free-agent running back
Keaton Mitchell to a two-year, $9.5 million deal that includes $5 million guaranteed, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Mitchell spent the first three seasons of his career with the Baltimore Ravens, compiling 951 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns on 140 touches. Injuries limited the 24-year-old to just 26 games played over three years, and he's also been stuck behind workhorse back
Derrick Henry in Baltimore. However, Mitchell has been a highly efficient rusher when given the opportunity, averaging 6.3 yards per carry. In Los Angeles, Mitchell will likely be fighting with
Kimani Vidal for the RB2 role behind 2025 first-round pick
Omarion Hampton. Mitchell's speed and big-play ability will likely appeal to new Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel. While Hampton still projects as the team's clear lead rusher, Mitchell's arrival could create a slight logjam for backfield touches in Los Angeles.
--Will BradySource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
March 12, 2026
The Kansas City Chiefs made a big splash in the early portion of free agency by signing running back
Kenneth Walker III away from the reigning Super Bowl-champion Seattle Seahawks. Across 17 games with Seattle in 2025, Walker III recorded 1,309 scrimmage yards and five touchdowns on 252 touches. The 25-year-old spent most of the year splitting touches with fellow Seahawks back
Zach Charbonnet (knee) until Charbonnet suffered a torn ACL in the NFC Divisional Round. In Kansas City, Walker III should be the clear number one back and could easily set a career-high in touches. While the Chiefs may be without quarterback
Patrick Mahomes (knee) in the early portion of 2026 as Mahomes recovers from a knee injury, Walker III should be well-positioned for success in an offense that is typically one of the NFL's best. As long as he can stay healthy, Walker III has a clear pathway to fantasy RB1 production for the duration of his three-year contract in Kansas City.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
March 12, 2026
Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network reports that the Miami Dolphins have officially released quarterback
Tua Tagovailoa with a post-June 1 designation, leaving the veteran signal-caller free to sign a minimum contract with the Atlanta Falcons. The number five overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Tagovailoa's Miami tenure will come to a close after six seasons. In 2025, he completed 67.7% of his pass attempts for 2,660 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions across 14 starts. The Falcons are reportedly planning to hold an open competition between Tagovailoa and incumbent quarterback
Michael Penix Jr. (knee). Penix Jr. is recovering from a knee injury that ended his 2025 season, so Tagovailoa may have a slight leg up heading into offseason workouts. Both quarterbacks should be in a favorable environment for success, as the Falcons have multiple high-end offensive weapons and an established new play-caller in head coach Kevin Stefanski.
--Will BradySource: NFL Network - Cameron Wolfe
March 12, 2026
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver
Emeka Egbuka has climbed up the depth chart and could open next season as
Baker Mayfield's No. 1 target in the passing game. Legendary wide receiver
Mike Evans recently signed with the 49ers after 12 years in Tampa Bay, leaving Egbuka and
Chris Godwin Jr. atop the wide receiver depth chart. Both Egbuka and Godwin had their ups and downs last season, but the former has significantly greater upside and offers more of a threat to make big plays in contested one-on-one scenarios downfield. In other words, he edges out Godwin in terms of the superstar potential needed to fill the void of someone like Evans. The former Ohio State first-round pick finished his rookie campaign with 63 catches, 938 yards, and six touchdowns. He was the overall WR23 in PPR leagues, and that was after he came back down to earth during the second half of the season. Through the first five weeks of his rookie season, he had ranked as the WR3 in PPR leagues. Egbuka has already shown that he can be a top-five fantasy receiver, so we wouldn't be totally surprised if he returns to that form as the post-Evans era gets underway in 2026.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
March 12, 2026
Arizona Cardinals running back
Trey Benson (knee) seemed like an intriguing buy-low candidate in fantasy football entering this offseason, but his upside has been squandered following the Cardinals' backfield roster moves so far in free agency. The Cardinals restructured a deal to keep
James Conner in Arizona, signed
Tyler Allgeier, and also brought back
Zonovan Knight. Their urgency to put pen to paper with three different running backs could spell disaster for Benson going forward, and even though he's not a cut or trade candidate, he could be falling out of favor in Arizona, where new head coach Mike LaFleur is starting to put his own print on the offense. In his second pro season last year, Benson, a former third-round pick, amassed 160 rushing yards and 64 receiving yards over four games (one start). Just as he was starting to take on a larger role with Conner injured, Benson suffered a knee injury of his own and missed the rest of the season. At this point, it seems like the best-case scenario for Benson is the third-string running back role, and even that's not guaranteed after Knight signed his deal. Dynasty managers should hold Benson for now; he has minimal fantasy football trade value, but at just 23 years old and one year removed from being a backup running back, it's too soon to cut bait entirely.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
March 12, 2026
Washington Commanders running back
Jacory Croskey-Merritt currently sits atop the depth chart as the new league year gets underway. With
Chris Rodriguez Jr.,
Austin Ekeler, and
Jeremy McNichols all departing for free agency, Croskey-Merritt remains the lone holdover from Washington's 2025 backfield. That could change via free agency, the NFL Draft, or even a trade, but for now, it appears that Croskey-Merritt has an early leg up on the backfield competition for 2026. He's coming off a solid rookie season in which he amassed 873 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns. We should also note that it's not like Washington is just waiting to bring back some of its familiar faces, either. Rodriguez has already signed with Jacksonville, and it seems unlikely that Ekeler will return to Washington following his Achilles injury. Dynasty managers should hold Croskey-Merritt for now. Although he could be a buy-low candidate, there's also the risk of his value slipping if Washington does make a running back splash in the next month or so.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
March 12, 2026
The Minnesota Vikings have released safety Harrison Smith, according to an announcement on the team's official website. Smith's release will be categorized as the post-June 1 variety, which allows the Vikings to release him immediately while still spreading his cap hit over two seasons. A defensive legend in Minnesota, Smith has spent his entire 14-year career with the Vikings, amassing 207 appearances, 203 starts, and six Pro Bowl nods. He remained effective at 36 years old last season, producing two interceptions, 10 passes defended, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, one sack, and 54 tackles. The Vikings' announcement describes Smith's release as procedural and leaves the door open for him to sign a different contract that would bring him back to Minnesota for a 15th season. If he does choose to continue his NFL career, he'll have the option to explore opportunities with all 32 NFL teams. However, it's difficult to envision him wearing anything other than purple and gold.
--Andersen PickardSource: Craig Peters
RADIO
