RADIO
Rookie Jam Miller Competing for a Backup Role in New England
New England Patriots rookie running back Jam Miller will be competing for a backup role behind TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson in 2026 after he was selected in the seventh round in April out of the University of Alabama, according to Evan Lazar of Patriots.com. New England doesn't have a clear-cut RB3 on its roster like they did last summer with veteran Antonio Gibson. Lazar suggests it will be a four-man competition between Miller, Terrell Jennings, Lan Larison, and undrafted rookie Myles Montgomery for what will likely be one spot on the 53-man roster. Miller is a compact runner with good straight-line speed, and his experience as a core special-teamer early in his career at Alabama should help his cause. His best path to playing time as a rookie with the Patriots will be if Stevenson misses time due to an injury, so Miller can be avoided in redraft fantasy leagues in 2026. In dynasty/keeper formats, Miller is strictly a stash candidate in his first year if you have either Henderson or Stevenson rostered.
Source: Patriots.com - Evan Lazar
Source: Patriots.com - Evan Lazar
Tahj Brooks Competing for a Bigger Complementary Role in Bengals Backfield
Cincinnati Bengals running back Tahj Brooks only saw 16 rushing attempts for 45 yards and caught one of his two targets for nine yards in 16 games in 2025 after the Bengals took him in the sixth round out of Texas Tech. Brooks mainly saw work on special teams as a rookie and in mop-up duty on offense. Chase Brown is the unquestioned leader of Cincinnati's backfield going into the 2026 season yet again behind an offensive line that is returning all five starters from last year. Veteran Samaje Perine figures to lead the group behind Brown again in 2026, which leaves Brooks competing for touches as the RB3 for the Bengals. Most likely, Brooks will serve in more of a special teams role for the second straight year as a punt protector. For now, fantasy managers in single-year formats can ignore Brooks entirely. In dynasty/keeper leagues, he's merely a deep-league stash for insurance if you also have Brown on your roster.
Source: Bengals.com - Michael Hull
Source: Bengals.com - Michael Hull
Calvin Austin III Competing for Depth Role in New York
New York Giants wide receiver Calvin Austin III will merely be competing for a depth role with his new team this summer in training camp. Malik Nabers (knee), Darius Slayton, and Darnell Mooney are locked into the top-three receiver spots for the G-Men heading into the 2026 season, with Austin battling Odell Beckham Jr., JuJu Smith-Schuster, rookie Malachi Fields, and Isaiah Hodgins for a backup role. The 27-year-old Austin caught 84 of 143 targets for 1,100 yards and eight touchdowns in 48 games (16 starts) in his three seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers after he was a fourth-round pick in 2022 out of the University of Memphis. Austin currently appears to be ahead of OBJ and Smith-Schuster, with his primary competition likely to come in the form of Fields for the WR4 role in what should be a more balanced offense under new head coach John Harbaugh. Austin should be avoided in 12-team fantasy drafts this fall, with his only path to waiver-wire appeal early on likely coming if Nabers is not ready to play to begin the regular season.
Source: SNY - Alex Smith
Source: SNY - Alex Smith
Darnell Mooney All But Guaranteed Starting Slot Duties
SNY's Alex Smith writes that New York Giants veteran wide receiver Darnell Mooney is "all but guaranteed to be the starting slot receiver" in his first year with the team in 2026. Mooney will have big shoes to fill in replacing Wan'Dale Robinson, who caught 185 of his 280 targets for 1,713 yards and seven touchdowns the last two years in New York, in the slot. Mooney had a down year with the Atlanta Falcons in 2025 with 32 catches for 443 yards and only one touchdown on 72 targets in 15 starts, but he also has had two seasons near the 1,000-yard receiving mark in his career. Whether Mooney can become an effective sleeper target for fantasy managers this year will likely depend on how Malik Nabers (knee) bounces back from his torn ACL and how quickly rookie wideout Malachi Fields can get up to speed in his first NFL season as a big-bodied, down-the-field threat. Fantasy managers definitely shouldn't just assume Mooney is going to be peppered with targets like Robinson was. The G-Men will have a new offense under head coach John Harbaugh this year, which is expected to rely more on the ground game. Mooney is considered RotoBaller's No. 93 fantasy WR for 2026 in what could be a low-volume role as he competes for targets with Nabers, Darius Slayton, and tight end Isaiah Likely.
Source: SNY - Alex Smith
Source: SNY - Alex Smith
RJ Harvey Watching More Film as he Heads Into Year 2
Denver Broncos running back RJ Harvey said he made it a point of emphasis to study more film of other successful RBs as he enters his second year in the league in 2026, according to Andrew Mason of Denver Sports. Harvey has studied footage of Christian McCaffrey, Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III, and Jahmyr Gibbs, in particular. "Just watching more film, watching other guys around the league, watching their film ... just trying to see things on film that they do, trying to help better my game," Harvey said. "In Year Two in the system, I feel way more comfortable and it's only going to get better from where I left off." Through his first 10 games, Harvey had five or fewer carries seven times with J.K. Dobbins dominating touches. Harvey took on a bigger role after Dobbins' season-ending foot injury, but he was mostly inconsistent, averaging 3.4 yards per rushing attempt in the final seven games of the regular season and 3.0 yards per tote in two playoff games. The 25-year-old former second-rounder could have more of a pass-catching role in head coach Sean Payton's offense in 2026, but the addition of rookie Jonah Coleman and the re-signing of Dobbins means Denver will likely go with a committee approach at RB. Harvey's fantasy stock has fallen after his first NFL season, but he could still be a useful RB3/flex option in PPR leagues at a lowered cost.
Source: Denver Sports - Andrew Mason
Source: Denver Sports - Andrew Mason
Jahmyr Gibbs Has a Clear Case as the Overall RB1 in Redraft Leagues
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs was one of the best players at his position in the NFL in 2025, recording 1,839 scrimmage yards and 18 touchdowns on 320 touches across 17 games. The 24-year-old averaged 5.0 yards per carry for the third consecutive season while also setting career-highs in targets (94), receptions (77), receiving yards (616), and receiving touchdowns (five). Entering 2026, Gibbs may play an even larger role in the Detroit offense after the team's offseason trade of veteran back David Montgomery to the Houston Texans. Gibbs is understandably valued extremely highly by current redraft ADP, typically being selected as either the first or second running back off the board. Gibbs' main competition, Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson, is also a fantastic player with monster upside. However, the offensive ecosystem around Gibbs in Detroit appears more stable than the ecosystem around Robinson in Atlanta, where there are major questions at the quarterback position. When splitting hairs between two elite options, that may be enough of a difference for fantasy managers to go with Gibbs over Robinson.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Has Dallas Goedert Become Undervalued by Current Redraft ADP?
Across 15 games in 2025, Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert finished as the TE6 in per-game PPR scoring by recording 60 catches for 591 yards and 11 touchdowns on 82 targets. The 31-year-old's fantasy production was largely fueled by a major spike in touchdown production, which has rightly led to expectations of regression in 2026. Across seven seasons with the Eagles before 2025, Goedert had averaged just 3.4 touchdown catches per season. However, the Eagles traded away star wide receiver A.J. Brown over the offseason and hired a new offensive coordinator in Sean Mannion, both of which could open up the team's passing offense and create more opportunities for Goedert. While fantasy managers should not expect him to repeat his TE6 production from a year ago, Goedert profiles as a value selection at his current redraft ADP of TE15.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Christian Watson's High-End Upside Makes him a Priority Target at Current ADP
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson missed the first seven games of the 2025 season while recovering from offseason knee surgery. However, the 27-year-old was a productive player upon his return, recording 35 catches for 611 yards and six touchdowns on 55 targets across 10 games. Entering 2026, the Packers' offseason subtraction of wide receiver Romeo Doubs could mean that Watson is the team's clear WR1. Green Bay still has several talented pass-catchers in wide receivers Jayden Reed and Matthew Golden, as well as tight end Tucker Kraft (knee). The team has also typically operated a run-heavy offense and utilized Watson primarily as a downfield option, both of which have limited his target volume in the past. Still, Watson has flashed high-end upside throughout his career, and the team recently committed to him in the form of a four-year, $92 million contract extension. As the WR29 by current redraft ADP, Watson is a risky selection but also one that could pay major dividends for fantasy managers.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Theo Johnson May Be Re-Emerging as a Dynasty Buy-Low Target
New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson was a steady contributor to his team's passing game in 2025, recording 45 catches for 528 yards and five touchdowns on 74 targets across 15 games. Still, New York made a significant addition at the tight end position in free agency, signing Isaiah Likely to a three-year, $40 million contract. Given the team's financial commitment and Likely's familiarity with new Giants head coach John. Harbaugh from their time together in Baltimore, Johnson seems likely to open the year as the TE2 in New York. However, the Giants' wide receiver corps currently profiles as one of the weaker units in the NFL, particularly given star wideout Malik Nabers' (knee) uncertain health outlook. As a result, the team could lean into more two-tight end sets to get two of their better pass-catchers on the field at the same time. In dynasty leagues where his value has tanked following New York's acquisition of Likely, Johnson could be worth targeting as a buy-low candidate.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Kyle Monangai's Dynasty Stock Surging Ahead of 2026
A seventh-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai recorded 947 scrimmage yards and five touchdowns on 187 touches across 17 games as a rookie. Monangai entered the season firmly behind veteran Bears back D'Andre Swift on the depth chart, but Monangai worked his way into a more even playing time split by the end of the season. From Week 12 through the end of the regular season, neither Bears running back played more than 59% or fewer than 41% of the team's offensive snaps. In 2026, both backs will likely play significant roles in what should be a very strong Bears running game. However, Swift will be a free agent at season's end and may not be in Chicago's long-term plans. Given his production as a rookie and his pathway to RB1 duties in Chicago, Monangai profiles as a clear dynasty buy ahead of 2026.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Skyler Bell a Late-Round Redraft Sleeper to Target Entering 2026
Buffalo Bills rookie wide receiver Skyler Bell was one of the most productive pass-catchers in college football in 2025, recording 101 catches for 1,278 yards and 13 touchdowns across 13 games at the University of Connecticut. After being drafted in the fourth round this past April by Buffalo, Bell has a chance to emerge as an immediate contributor in the NFL. The Bills added veteran wideout DJ Moore over the offseason to a wide receiver corps that also features Khalil Shakir, Joshua Palmer, and Keon Coleman. However, Buffalo has been searching for high-impact wide receiver talent for the last several seasons. If Bell proves that he can be a difference-maker with a strong showing this summer, the Bills' incumbent wide receiver options will not hold him back from seeing the field. As the WR106 by current redraft ADP, Bell is a late-round sleeper for fantasy managers to target entering 2026.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Darnell Washington Unlikely to Be a Major Fantasy Factor After a Career Year
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Darnell Washington enjoyed the first top 40 fantasy finish of his young career in 2025, but with changes coming to the Steelers offense ahead of his fourth season, his TE38 result could prove to be a high-water mark. After operating with an extra tight end on the field at one of the league's highest rates in 2025, the Steelers have moved on from offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, with new head coach Mike McCarthy set to call plays and expected to heavily utilize three-receiver sets as he has throughout his career. Pittsburgh traded for two-time 1,000-yard receiver Michael Pittman Jr. and spent a second-round pick on Alabama's Germie Bernard, further suggesting a move away from the 2025 offense that ran primarily through its tight ends and running backs. Veteran Jonnu Smith, who led all Steelers tight ends with 57 targets in 2025, remains unsigned, but with Pittsburgh's offseason moves hinting at a de-emphasis on the position, those vacated looks are more likely to be spread among the new wide receivers. With sixth-year veteran Pat Freiermuth the more likely option to be regularly mixed into the passing offense, Washington is not a player drafters will need to target in 2026.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Le'Veon Bell Arrested in Canton
Former NFL running back Le'Veon Bell, who spent his most productive seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, has been jailed in Canton, Ohio, in what has been described as a "courtesy hold for another agency." Bell was taken into custody as part of an arrest warrant issued in the state of Michigan, and while details of that warrant have not been released, he is reportedly being held in the Stark County, Ohio jail. Now 34 years old, Bell last played in the NFL in 2021 for the Baltimore Ravens and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, handling a total of 39 carries across eight total games.
Source: Mike Florio - Pro Football Talk
Source: Mike Florio - Pro Football Talk
Rome Odunze Will Soon Get the Opportunity to Test His Structurally Altered Foot
Injuries derailed what looked to be a promising sophomore season for Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze, but when Bears veterans gather for training camp on July 28, he'll be presented with the season's first opportunity to test his bothersome left foot in a padded practice setting. Odunze suffered a stress fracture in the foot that kept him out of the final five games of the regular season, but he elected not to have offseason surgery, opting instead for what he has called the "new normal" of a calloused and slightly shifted foot structure. Through the first four weeks of the 2025 season, Odunze was the fantasy WR3 before the foot first became an issue, but with him slowed later in the year, rookies Luther Burden III and Colston Loveland stepped into prominent roles that leave Chicago's target pecking order somewhat unsettled heading into 2026. RotoBaller ranks Odunze as the WR33, a full 12 positional spots behind Burden, but it should surprise nobody if he's able to pick up where he started last season and command the top pass-catching spot in what projects to be an ascending Chicago offense.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Isiah Pacheco a Flex-Worthy Back with Immense Insurance Upside
When Detroit Lions veterans gather for training camp on July 28, free agent acquisition Isiah Pacheco will have his first opportunity to prove that the Lions still possess the top running back tandem in the league. Expectations are through the roof for three-time Pro Bowler Jahmyr Gibbs following the offseason trade that sent David Montgomery to the Texans, but having already handled 337 opportunities in 2025, it's unrealistic to think he'll absorb the bulk of Montgomery's 182 vacated touches, and so in factors Pacheco. After racking up more than 2,100 yards and 14 touchdowns across his first two years with the Chiefs, Pacheco has dealt with injuries over the past two seasons that have seen his efficiency plummet and limited him to only 952 total yards. In Detroit, he won't be asked to carry the load, but the opportunities he does see could be of the high-value variety, with the Lions again projected to have one of the highest-scoring offenses in the league and Montgomery averaging 16 carries from within the five-yard line over his three seasons with the team. At RotoBaller's WR43, Pacheco holds enough standalone value to make him worthy of selection at the end of 2026 drafts, but his true value comes through the insurance he provides as a back capable of handling an every-down role in a worst-case injury scenario.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
