Sep 4, 2026, 10:09 AM ET

Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins was already viewed as a strong WR1 in fantasy football entering the preseason, but his stock continues to rise now that Jayden Higgins (knee) has been ruled out for the season. Higgins was on the inside track to being the Texans' No. 2 receiver this year, so his season-ending injury creates plenty of vacated targets. Many of those targets will now go to Collins, who was the overall WR8 last year and has been a top-12 fantasy receiver in two of the last three seasons. In 2025, he converted a career-high 120 targets into 71 catches, 1,117 yards, and six touchdowns. The quality of play from quarterback C.J. Stroud will determine Collins' exact fantasy outlook and upside, but for now, we'd expect that the loss of Higgins will boost Collins' fantasy stock. As it stands, he has an ADP of 21.8, which corresponds to the second round of fantasy drafts and makes him the 10th receiver off the board.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 4, 2026, 10:00 AM ET

San Francisco 49ers star running back Christian McCaffrey is aiming to overcome the "400-touch rule" in 2026. McCaffrey was incredible in 2025, totaling 311 carries for 1,202 yards and 10 touchdowns, and adding 102 receptions for 924 yards and seven touchdowns through the air. Despite not being efficient on the ground last season, McCaffrey made up for it with elite receiving production, and he is the main reason fantasy managers should not fade the star this season. Now, fantasy managers are worried about the health of the 30-year-old back after a massive workload last season, but he's never faced a major injury that required a lengthy recovery. The addition of Kaelon Black as the backup running back shouldn't affect McCaffrey's receiving or goal-line workload. If the 49ers star running back stays healthy in 2026, he will be a contender for the RB1 overall.--Nathan Harvey
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 4, 2026, 9:47 AM ET

Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton is expected to see less volume as competition increases in 2026. Sutton has spent the last two seasons as Denver's clear WR1, totaling 155 receptions for 2,098 yards and 15 touchdowns in 34 games, averaging just over 11 half-PPR fantasy points per game. However, the trade for speedy wide receiver Jaylen Waddle should limit Sutton's production in 2026. Waddle has been used across the formation and has earned significant praise from the coaching staff and players. The emergence of second-year receiver Pat Bryant could also take targets away, as the 2025 third-round pick had a strong summer. Sutton will be in a primary X-receiver role, and while he'll have his great games, he'll be less consistent than in years past. Ranked as the WR40 in RotoBaller's positional rankings, Sutton doesn't offer enough upside despite his recent production.--Nathan Harvey
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 4, 2026, 9:36 AM ET

Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry continues to prove he has not slowed down despite entering his age-32 season. In his first two seasons in Baltimore, Henry has totaled 3,859 scrimmage yards and 34 touchdowns in 34 games, averaging 17.9 fantasy points per game. Despite a "down year" by his standards in 2025, he still finished as the RB7, even as the team struggled offensively throughout the season. In 2026, Henry remains an incredible value for fantasy managers. With Lamar Jackson back and healthy, Henry should face fewer stacked boxes than last season, when he ranked first in Defenders in the Box (7.0) and second in Stacked Front Carry % (23.8). He may not be the best receiver, but if healthy, he should contend for the NFL's leading rusher in 2026.--Nathan Harvey
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 4, 2026, 9:25 AM ET

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs was placed on the commissioner's exempt list on Sunday and has no timetable for return. Jacobs was charged with battery and criminal damage to property stemming from the offseason. A video also provides evidence against Jacobs in this trial, and if it is released, it could lead the team to cut ties with him. While there is a possibility that he returns in 2026, fantasy managers should not spend more than a late-round pick on Jacobs. MarShawn Lloyd will have a chance to take the job early in the season, and the team has continued to praise the young back. A committee once Jacobs returns is very possible, so the reward may not be as big as some fantasy managers expect. Jacobs' range of outcomes is from being a contributor in the fantasy playoffs to not playing a snap in 2026 or beyond. Make sure that you know exactly what is going on with Jacobs' situation before spending draft capital on the veteran running back.--Nathan Harvey
Source: Ari Meirov - My Sports Update

Sep 4, 2026, 9:10 AM ET

Atlanta Falcons star running back Bijan Robinson will remain a fantasy superstar in 2026 despite rumors he would not get goal-line work. Robinson had 287 carries for 1,478 yards and seven touchdowns, while adding 820 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 79 receptions. His elite production last season came while running back Tyler Allgeier shared the workload, and Allgeier had 157 total attempts for 610 yards and eight touchdowns. The Falcons replaced Allgeier with former Commanders and 49ers running back Brian Robinson Jr., and reports on his usage in Atlanta have been mixed, ranging from taking the "Allgeier role" to splitting reps with third-string back Tyler Goodson. Regardless, Robinson will remain an elite option in the first rounds of fantasy drafts. He's an elite runner and receiver and has yet to miss a game in his NFL career. He should be among the first three picks in fantasy drafts this season.--Nathan Harvey
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 4, 2026, 12:02 AM ET

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed is likely headed for a larger role on offense in 2026. Not only is Reed fully healthy after recovering from last year's injuries, but he also faces slightly less competition for targets after Romeo Doubs departed for New England in free agency. Injuries limited Reed to just 19 catches, 207 yards, and one touchdown last year, but he finished as the WR29 or higher in PPR leagues in both 2023 and 2024. Even if he doesn't return to his top-30 receiver form, he can still be a WR3/flex in fantasy leagues with 12+ teams. His biggest competition for targets is Matthew Golden, and the good news is that Reed has more experience in the NFL than Golden. Plus, Golden still needs to prove that he's worthy of a larger role after catching just 29 passes with zero touchdowns as a rookie last year, whereas Reed has more of an established track record. For now, it seems like Reed has the edge over Golden. He currently has an ADP of 117.3, which corresponds to the 10th round of fantasy drafts and makes him the 31st receiver off the board.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 3, 2026, 11:57 PM ET

Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane doesn't have a very strong supporting cast around him, but he should still prevail as a top-10 fantasy running back with elite upside this season. Miami's offense will look quite different this year with Tua Tagovailoa, Jaylen Waddle, and Tyreek Hill gone. The only truly familiar face is Achane, who has been the RB5 in PPR leagues for each of the last two years. In 2025, he tallied 1,350 rushing yards, 67 catches, 488 receiving yards, and 12 touchdowns. He offers game-changing speed and athleticism while still offering impressive touchdown potential, even if the Dolphins' offense isn't expected to see a ton of scoring opportunities. We're also excited about Achane's volume, assuming he can stay healthy. Head coach Jeff Hafley previously said that Achane could get 40+ touches per game. That's obviously hyperbole, but fantasy managers should be excited that the head coach doesn't plan to limit Achane's workload at all. Not only does he project as the Dolphins' workhorse back, but he's really the only flashy option in this offense. We would not be surprised to see him finish as the RB5 (or higher) once again this year. He's currently being drafted near the start of the second round in most leagues, which means managers at the one-two turn could pair him with someone like James Cook, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Chase Brown, or Saquon Barkley.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 3, 2026, 11:46 PM ET

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor is poised to have another very productive season in 2026. Taylor ranked as the overall RB4 in PPR leagues last year, and even that finish was somewhat underwhelming relative to how dominant he started the season. Through the first 10 weeks last year, he scored a whopping 17 touchdowns while ranking as the RB1 in PPR leagues. In fact, during that span, he scored 25.1 points more than the RB2, Christian McCaffrey. He also had a torrid stretch where he recorded five different three-touchdown games within eight weeks. In other words, Taylor was playing at an MVP level before cooling off after the bye week (and after quarterback Daniel Jones went down with an Achilles injury). Jones is healthy again, restoring a semblance of life to this offense and potentially reigniting Taylor's upside as the overall RB1 if he can stay healthy. He is currently being drafted in the middle of the first round of fantasy drafts, typically as the fourth running back off the board.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 3, 2026, 11:42 PM ET

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks is expected to occupy a starting role when the regular season gets underway next week. Wicks was traded from the Packers to the Eagles this offseason, and he'll immediately occupy a significant role following the departure of A.J. Brown. All signs point to the 25-year-old opening the regular season as Philly's No. 2 receiver, starting opposite DeVonta Smith. His track record in Green Bay was iffy, but there was never any doubt about his role with the Eagles. After all, he was held out of all three preseason games due to his status as a projected starter. We expect the Eagles' offense to trend upward under new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion, which bodes well for Wicks' upside as a low-end WR3/flex. For now, he's an extremely affordable option in fantasy drafts. The latest ADP has him as a fringe draft pick in 12-team leagues and a 14th-round pick in 14-team leagues.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 3, 2026, 11:35 PM ET

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence had an impressive 2025 season, but he could take yet another step forward with a very strong supporting cast at his disposal in 2026. Lawrence has a stacked wide receiver room featuring Brian Thomas Jr., Jakobi Meyers, Parker Washington, and (sometimes) Travis Hunter. Meanwhile, tight end Brenton Strange is expected to make a big Year 4 leap, and Bhayshul Tuten projects as another key target for Lawrence in the short-yardage passing game. Last year, Lawrence completed 60.9% of his pass attempts for 4,007 passing yards, 29 passing touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He was arguably even more impressive with his legs, rushing for an additional 359 yards and nine touchdowns. Throughout the course of the year, he totaled 38 touchdowns, allowing him to rank as the overall QB4 in fantasy football. He has a chance to replicate (or even improve upon) that career-best fantasy finish from last year. The current rankings are on the safer side, though, as RotoBaller's experts have Lawrence as the QB9 in redraft. He currently has an ADP of 93.7, which corresponds to the eighth round of drafts and makes him the 10th quarterback off the board.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 3, 2026, 11:30 PM ET

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith could be headed for a breakout season in 2026. The 27-year-old is poised to handle a significantly larger target share after teammate AJ Brown was traded to the New England Patriots. Smith had a total of nine catches and 136 yards across the two games that Brown missed last year, which likely represents his floor for the upcoming season. He is the undisputed No. 1 target in Philadelphia, offering a high-upside weapon for Jalen Hurts in all parts of the field. Perhaps the biggest question mark is whether Smith will take on a larger role around the goal line. He tallied a career-low four touchdowns last year, but he'll presumably get more goal-line targets following the departure of Brown, who scored seven touchdowns in 2025. As it stands, Smith has jumped to WR13 in RotoBaller's latest redraft rankings for 2026. He has an ADP of 31.4, which corresponds to the third round of fantasy drafts and makes him the 14th receiver off the board.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 3, 2026, 11:00 PM ET

Philadelphia Eagles' second-round rookie tight end Eli Stowers, out of Vanderbilt in the 2026 NFL Draft, has struggled in camp. He has faced heavy criticism and struggled to stand out as a receiver or blocker during practices, including a tough joint practice against the New England Patriots. Ultimately, the learning curve has been steep for him, and while he flashed some upside at the combine with his athleticism, recent reports from camp suggest he's not ready to play at the NFL level. He has also been slowed down by a hamstring injury, and Jimmy Kempski of PhillyVoice reported that he could be a healthy scratch on Sundays. During his senior season at Vanderbilt, he had 62 receptions, 769 yards, and four touchdowns. At this point, Stowers is a dynasty stash at best. RotoBaller ranks Stowers as the TE64 and 377th player off the board, making him undraftable in most standard-sized redraft formats.--Nicho Roessler
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 3, 2026, 10:46 PM ET

2025 Super Bowl-winning quarterback Sam Darnold enters his second season with the Seattle Seahawks with a chance to emerge as a high-end QB2, alongside star wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and the emergence of Rashid Shaheed, with a full offseason under his belt to build chemistry with Darnold. Shaheed was brought over to the Seahawks in Week 9 of the 2025 season. Darnold finished the 2025 season as the QB13, throwing for 4,048 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. This was followed by a season with the Vikings in 2024, where he finished as the QB9. Although he lost his offensive coordinator, Klint Kubiak, who was brought on to be the head coach for the Raiders, RotoBaller currently ranks Darnold as the QB23 and the 140th player taken off the board. Fantasy managers in superflex formats could look to target Darnold as their QB2, as he has finished in the top 15 at the position in back-to-back seasons.--Nicho Roessler
Source: RotoBaller