RADIO
Can Travis Etienne Jr. Become a Top-Tier Dynasty Running Back?
After five years and four seasons with the Jaguars, running back Travis Etienne Jr. signed a four-year, $48 million deal with the New Orleans Saints, and just a year after entering the 2025 season in a somewhat ambiguous backfield, there is little doubt about his every-down role in Kellen Moore's up-tempo offense. In year one under Moore, with a rookie quarterback at the helm for much of the season, the Saints had the fastest pace of play in the NFL. As the operation continues to develop, there's a reasonable expectation for an uptick of no-huddle usage and more offensive plays per game, with Etienne specifically targeted in free agency for his three-down ability. With Alvin Kamara still on the roster, the depth behind Etienne is strong, but with both the Cowboys and Eagles, Moore has a history of running his offenses through a bell cow back. At 27 years old, Etienne figures to be that guy for the foreseeable future, and at RotoBaller's dynasty RB19, he's a player worth pursuing as the finishing piece of a contending roster.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Is it Time for Dynasty Managers to Sell High on Breece Hall?
New York Jets running back Breece Hall was one of his team's lone bright spots in 2025, recording 1,415 yards from scrimmage and five touchdowns on 279 touches across 16 games. Coming off three consecutive seasons with at least 1,350 scrimmage yards, Hall seemingly secured his place as a building block in the Jets offense by signing a three-year, $43.5 million contract extension in May. However, early reports out of Jets camp indicate that the team may be planning for a "three-headed monster" in their backfield between Hall, Braelon Allen, and Isaiah Davis. Dynasty managers may not want to panic just yet, as Hall's production track record and his contractual status may speak louder than early camp reports. Still, the Jets may be looking for ways to limit Hall's workload and keep him fresh throughout the entire season. It's too early for dynasty managers to be looking to sell high on Hall yet, but the Jets' backfield plans are worth monitoring throughout the remainder of the summer.
Source: ESPN - Rich Cimini
Source: ESPN - Rich Cimini
Elijah Sarratt Carries Dynasty Sleeper Appeal into 2026
Baltimore Ravens rookie wide receiver Elijah Sarratt fell to the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft after some projected that he could go as early as the second round. The 23-year-old was one of the stars of the University of Indiana's national championship-winning team in 2025, recording 65 catches for 830 yards and 15 touchdowns across 14 games. Despite the draft-day slide, Sarratt may have found himself in an ideal NFL landing spot in Baltimore. The Ravens have Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman firmly atop their wide receiver depth chart, but Sarratt should enter training camp in a competition with Devontez Walker and 2026 third-round Ja'Kobi Lane for the team's WR3 role. Baltimore also lost a big-bodied red zone threat over the offseason in tight end Isaiah Likely, who signed with the New York Giants in free agency. If Sarratt can emerge as a trusted target of Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, he should have plenty of chances to produce in a strong Baltimore offense. Sarratt profiles as a high-upside dynasty sleeper ahead of his rookie season with the Ravens.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Is Roman Hemby Worthy of a Deep-League Dynasty Roster Spot?
Despite recording 1,285 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns on 245 touches while winning a national championship during his final collegiate season at the University of Indiana, running back Roman Hemby went unpicked in the 2026 NFL Draft. However, the 23-year-old signed as an undrafted free agent with the Las Vegas Raiders and could be in position to earn a roster spot with Las Vegas in training camp. Ashton Jeanty is firmly atop the Raiders running back depth chart and should dominate backfield touches for the team in 2026. Still, Hemby looks to be fighting with the unproven running back trio of Mike Washington Jr., Dylan Laube, and Chris Collier for the RB2 role behind Jeanty. Because of his status as a UDFA, Hemby should be viewed as a long shot to carve out a fantasy-relevant role. At the same time, the situation around Hemby in Las Vegas could make him a worthy deep-league dart throw for dynasty managers.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Eric McAlister Could Be Worth Stashing in Deeper Dynasty Formats
After suffering a Jones fracture in his foot during his Pro Day this spring, former TCU wide receiver Eric McAlister (foot) did not hear his name called in the 2026 NFL Draft. McAlister also has a history of some off-field legal troubles, which may be a reason (in addition to the injury) why he is currently unsigned. However, the 23-year-old was a highly productive player in his final collegiate season, recording 72 catches for 1,190 yards and 10 touchdowns across 13 games. Once healthy, McAlister could have a chance to latch on with a team and quickly make an impact in the NFL. While McAlister remains unsigned, it's difficult to project his dynasty value. Still, he could be worth stashing as a high-upside dart throw in deeper formats before he finds a home and his price rises.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Should Dynasty Managers Sell High on Jakobi Meyers Ahead of 2026?
After being acquired from the Las Vegas Raiders by the Jacksonville Jaguars at the 2025 trade deadline, veteran wide receiver Jakobi Meyers recorded 42 catches for 483 yards and three touchdowns on 61 targets across nine games with the Jags. Meyers also signed a three-year, $60 million contract extension with Jacksonville, cementing him as part of the team's plans going forward. Meyers has quietly been a highly consistent wide receiver in recent years, posting five consecutive seasons with at least 67 catches and 804 receiving yards. However, he now finds himself part of a crowded wide receiver depth chart in Jacksonville that also includes Brian Thomas Jr., Parker Washington, and Travis Hunter. Meyers may be the highest-floor option of that bunch, but he also likely offers the most limited ceiling. If Thomas Jr. and Hunter can put together healthier seasons in 2026, Meyers may see his role shrink. As he enters his age-30 season, Meyers could profile as a sell-high candidate for dynasty managers.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Should Dynasty Managers Be Looking to Sell High on Khalil Shakir?
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir has arguably been his team's most consistent pass-catcher over the past two years, averaging 74 catches, 770 receiving yards, and four touchdowns on 97 targets per season. Particularly in PPR-scoring formats, Shakir's reliability and consistency allow him to provide fantasy managers with a safe production floor. However, his upside is also limited by his lack of downfield ability, as he averaged just 10 yards per reception and 7.6 yards per target in 2025. Additionally, Shakir's target volume in Buffalo may be trending in the wrong direction following the team's offseason acquisition of veteran wide receiver DJ Moore. If the Bills get strong production from Moore and a healthier season from tight end Dalton Kincaid, Shakir could be siloed to a complementary role in the team's passing game. Given his limited ceiling and the shifting environment around Shakir in Buffalo, dynasty managers may want to explore selling high on him ahead of 2026.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Gunnar Helm a Prime Dynasty Buy-Low Candidate Ahead of Potential Breakout
A fourth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Tennessee Titans tight end Gunnar Helm recorded 44 receptions for 357 yards and two touchdowns on 55 targets across 16 games as a rookie. Given where he was drafted and the underwhelming offensive environment around him in Tennessee, Helm's production was an encouraging sign for dynasty managers. He also spent the entire season splitting playing time with fellow Titans tight end Chig Okonkwo, who signed with the Washington Commanders in free agency earlier this spring. While Tennessee backfilled its tight end room by signing veterans Daniel Bellinger and Kylen Granson, Helm now profiles as his team's clear TE1. He should also be playing in a more productive Titans offense in quarterback Cam Ward's second NFL season and the team's first under the command of new play-caller Brian Daboll. In dynasty formats, Helm profiles as a clear buy-low candidate ahead of what could be a breakout year.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Pat Freiermuth's Role in Pittsburgh Set to Shrink Again in 2026?
Across 17 (eight starts) games in 2025, Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth recorded 41 catches for 486 yards and four touchdowns on 54 targets. The 27-year-old's final line represented a production decline from his 2024 performance, when he hauled in 65 receptions for 653 yards and seven touchdowns on 78 targets. His drop-off was partially due to the Steelers addition of tight end Jonnu Smith, who is no longer on the Pittsburgh roster heading into 2026. However, Freiermuth also lost playing time to Steelers blocking tight end Darnell Washington. Pittsburgh signed Washington to a four-year, $42 million extension in early June, which could be a sign that the team is planning to expand his role. The Steelers also traded for wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. earlier this spring, who could soak up most of Freiermuth's targets in the intermediate area of the field. Even though Freiermuth is coming off an underwhelming season, dynasty managers may want to consider selling him ahead of what could be another decline in performance in 2026.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Breece Hall Set to Be Part of a "Three-Headed Monster" in Jets Backfield?
New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said he's planning to use running backs Breece Hall, Braelon Allen, and Isaiah Davis as a "three-headed monster" in the team's backfield, per ESPN's Rich Cimini. While there was similar buzz around the Jets' backfield situation last summer, Allen suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 4. Hall emerged as the team's clear lead back, recording 1,415 scrimmage yards and five touchdowns on 279 touches across 16 games. New York also made a significant investment in Hall this offseason, signing him to a three-year, $43.5 million contract extension. Still, it appears as though the team is planning to split backfield touches more evenly in 2026. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor the situation throughout training camp, as more reports of a backfield split could create a buy-low window for Hall.
Source: ESPN - Rich Cimini
Source: ESPN - Rich Cimini
Quentin Johnston Set for Career Season with New Play-Caller?
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston could be in line for a breakout season in his first year working with new Chargers play-caller Mike McDaniel, according to Thomas Martinez of Sports Illustrated. Martinez speculates that McDaniel will help weaponize Johnston's speed by putting him in better situations to rack up yards after the catch. Johnston got off to a scorching start to the 2025 season, recording 22 catches for 337 yards and four touchdowns on 36 targets across his first four games played. However, his production tailed off over the course of the season, and he finished the year with 51 receptions for 735 yards and eight touchdowns on 84 targets across 14 games. The 24-year-old has always flashed big-play and big-game upside, but he's struggled to string together consistent production on a week-to-week basis. There's no guarantee that will change in 2026, but Johnston could have a better chance to reach his ceiling now that McDaniel is in Los Angeles.
Source: Sports Illustrated - Thomas Martinez
Source: Sports Illustrated - Thomas Martinez
Jalin Hyatt Shows Well at Giants Minicamp
New York Giants wide receiver Jalin Hyatt had a "strong" minicamp earlier this month, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN. A third-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Hyatt is entering the final year of his rookie contract and has struggled to carve out a consistent role with the Giants to this point in his career. Across eight games in 2025, the 24-year-old recorded just five receptions for 35 yards on 14 targets. However, New York enters the 2026 season with a seemingly open competition for playing time at wide receiver, particularly with star wideout Malik Nabers (knee) still recovering from a knee injury. Hyatt will also will be working with a new coaching staff in 2026, which could offer the fresh start he needs. In deeper league formats, fantasy managers may want to consider throwing a dart at Hyatt if he continues to draw rave reviews throughout the rest of the summer.
Source: ESPN - Jordan Raanan
Source: ESPN - Jordan Raanan
Kenneth Gainwell Standing Out During OTAs
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Kenneth Gainwell has been a standout in his team's offense during OTAs, per Scott Reynolds of Pewter Report. Gainwell is entering his first season in Tampa after signing a two-year, $14 million contract with the team in free agency. The 27-year-old put together a breakout season with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025, recording 1,023 yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns on 187 touches across 17 games. Gainwell recorded 73 catches on 85 targets last season, and Reynolds reports that he has "excelled as a receiver out of the backfield" early on with the Bucs. Entering 2026, Gainwell appears to be carving out a 1B role alongside the 1A in the Tampa Bay backfield, Bucky Irving.
Source: Pewter Report - Scott Reynolds
Source: Pewter Report - Scott Reynolds
Has Jordan Mason Become a Classic Post-Hype Sleeper?
Minnesota Vikings running back Jordan Mason ran for a disappointing 758 yards and six touchdowns in 2025 after an offseason of dynasty breakout calls following his trade from the 49ers. Even with veteran Aaron Jones Sr. missing five games with a hamstring injury, both Minnesota backs ended the year within 50 total snaps and five opportunities of one another. Jones handled the majority of the third-down and up-tempo work while Mason served as an early-down bruiser. With the most notable addition to the running back room coming in the form of the 195-pound Demond Claiborne in the sixth round of the NFL Draft, Mason's role appears largely unthreatened, and with seismic improvements expected for the Vikings offense as a whole, that role could carry considerably more weight. With efficiency becoming a hallmark of his game, Mason averaged 4.8 yards per carry in 2025, and with the opportunity to close out more games with a lead, the first 1,000-yard campaign of his career would not be out of the question. At RotoBaller's dynasty RB52, the disappointment of last season has driven his cost down, but at 27 years old, in an offense seemingly prepared to get back on track, Mason has again become a player to target for low-cost upside.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Can Dontayvion Wicks Emerge as Anything More Than a Dynasty Depth Piece?
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks has yet to top the 39 catches or 580 receiving yards of his 2023 rookie season, but in his first season with the Eagles, he could find himself in a new role with the potential for some spike performances. While nobody will soon mistake him for the 226-pound A.J. Brown, in a receiving quartet with DeVonta Smith, Makai Lemon, and Marquise Brown, Wicks is the only one to top 6'0" and 200 pounds and is the most likely candidate to inherit Brown's outside X-role. While Wicks has never taken more than 63% of his snaps on the boundary, a number closer to 90% for Brown last year, the former Packer was a player specifically targeted by the Eagles as trade talks around their own three-time Pro Bowler were heating up. Smith and Lemon are likely to have the more fantasy-friendly roles, but the soon-to-be-25-year-old Wicks is a low-cost dynasty depth piece. At RotoBaller's WR104, his value remains higher in best ball formats, but his multiple injury-related paths to increased opportunity should not be discounted.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
