March 11, 2026
The San Francisco 49ers and tight end
Jake Tonges agreed to a new two-year contract for $8 million on Wednesday, agent Steve Caric told Adam Schefter of ESPN. The deal includes $5.5 million guaranteed. Tonges had the best year of his career in 2025 in his third year in the NFL and second in the Bay Area, filling in nicely as the team's top pass-catching tight end when
George Kittle was sidelined due to injury. The 26-year-old caught 34 of his 46 targets for 293 yards and five touchdowns in 17 regular-season games (two starts) after not having a single catch in his first two NFL seasons. Tonges went undrafted out of Cal before debuting in the NFL in 2022 with the Chicago Bears. Kittle is recovering from a torn Achilles that he suffered in the postseason, so he almost certainly won't be ready for the start of the 2026 regular season. Tonges showed last year that he has the ability to be a valuable sleeper TE in a good offense with Kittle sidelined.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
March 11, 2026
Free-agent safety Jaylinn Hawkins plans to sign with the Baltimore Ravens for two years and $10 million, a source told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Hawkins will head to Baltimore for his seventh year in the NFL after having one of the best years of his career with the New England Patriots in 2025. The 28-year-old former fourth-round pick by the Atlanta Falcons in 2020 out of Cal totaled 71 tackles (45 solo), a career-high 1.5 sacks, five QB hits, a career-high four interceptions, six pass breakups, one forced fumble, and a fumble recovery in 15 regular-season starts in his second year with the Patriots. The 836 defensive snaps he played were the second-highest total of his career. He was a key part of the team's secondary, but now he'll head to the AFC North and try to help the Ravens get back to the postseason. There's a good chance Hawkins will be in more of a rotational role at safety in Baltimore.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Jeremy Fowler
March 11, 2026
The Washington Commanders agreed to an undisclosed three-year deal with free-agent tight end
Chig Okonkwo on Wednesday, according to Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network. Okonkwo led the Titans with 560 receiving yards on 56 catches (79 targets) last year, but he caught just two touchdowns and lost a lot of valuable targets and playing time to rookie
Gunnar Helm. The 26-year-old tight end finished as only the No. 22 player at his position in half-PPR scoring.
Zach Ertz is a free agent and probably won't return to Washington, so Okonkwo has an opportunity to become the Commanders' top pass-catching TE going into next season. It could be a huge boost to his fantasy value as long as starting quarterback
Jayden Daniels can remain healthy in his third year in the league. Okonkwo will definitely become at least a more attractive TE2 with upside for more in D.C.
UPDATE: Okonkwo's three-year deal is worth up to $30 million.--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Mike Garafolo
March 11, 2026
The San Francisco 49ers agreed to an undisclosed contract extension with running back
Patrick Taylor Jr. (shoulder) on Wednesday, according to Equity Sports. A shoulder injury suffered in the preseason last year caused Taylor to miss the entire 2025 campaign, but he'll be back in the Bay Area as RB depth in 2026 behind
Christian McCaffrey,
Jordan James, and
Isaac Guerendo. There have been talks that the Niners are interested in bringing back
Brian Robinson Jr., who was the direct backup to McCaffrey last year in the backfield. The 27-year-old Taylor went undrafted out of Memphis before latching on with the Green Bay Packers in 2021. He had his most productive season in the NFL in 2024 in his first year with the 49ers, rushing the ball a career-high 39 times for 183 yards (4.7 yards per carry) and one touchdown in 13 games played (one start). Barring injuries in front of him, Taylor won't be on the fantasy radar.
--Keith HernandezSource: Equity Sports
March 11, 2026
The Minnesota Vikings and running back
Aaron Jones Sr. agreed to a revised contract on Wednesday to keep him in town for the 2026 season, sources told the NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Jones will lower his base salary to $5.5 million to stay with the Vikings for one more season. Minnesota was getting ready to release the 31-year-old veteran at the start of the new league year before this contract restructure. Jones battled injuries throughout the 2025 season and was limited to 12 games, finishing with 132 carries (his lowest total since his rookie season in 2017 with the Green Bay Packers) for 548 yards and two touchdowns. He added 28 catches for 199 yards and another TD on 41 targets. Jones should be able to bounce back with better health in 2026, but the Vikings might also prefer to give backfield mate
Jordan Mason a bigger workload in an effort to keep Jones healthy. There's also the possibility of the Vikes adding to the RB room via the NFL draft in April.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
March 11, 2026
Three-time Pro Bowl safety Kevin Byard is signing a one-year, $9 million deal with the New England Patriots on Wednesday, sources told Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. The 32-year-old veteran defensive back is coming off his third career Pro Bowl selection in 2025 in his second year with the Chicago Bears. Byard had 93 tackles (61 solo), a league-leading seven interceptions, and eight pass breakups in 17 regular-season starts. The strong season was good enough to land him as the No. 4 overall defensive back in IDP fantasy formats. It was Byard's sixth season in 10 years in the NFL with at least four interceptions, so it would be an understatement to call him a ball hawk. He'll now head to New England to try to help the Patriots get back to the Super Bowl. Byard should once again be in play as a weekly DB in IDP formats in his new home in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
March 11, 2026
The New York Jets agreed to an undisclosed one-year deal with free-agent kicker
Cade York on Wednesday, sources told FOX Sports' Jordan Schultz. Former Jets kicker
Nick Folk signed with the Atlanta Falcons earlier this week, so the Jets will add York, a former fourth-rounder, and give him a chance to win the starting job to open the 2026 season. The Cleveland Browns took the 25-year-old placekicker with the 124th overall pick in 2022 out of LSU. York has only kicked in the NFL for two seasons, going 33-for-45 on field goals (73.3%) and 51-for-54 on his extra-point attempts in 23 games played for the Browns, Cincinnati Bengals, and Washington Commanders. He didn't play at all last year and spent the 2024 season with both Washington and Cincy. Right now, York and
Lenny Krieg are the two kicking options on New York's roster. Fantasy managers will want to avoid the kicking situation for the Jets in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Post - Brian Costello
March 11, 2026
The Carolina Panthers re-signed tight end
James Mitchell to an undisclosed one-year deal on Wednesday, a league source told Joseph Person of The Athletic. Mitchell was a restricted free agent. Mitchell will return to Carolina for a second season in 2026 after catching all three of his targets for 28 yards in just five games played a year ago. The 26-year-old was drafted in the fifth round (177th overall) by the Detroit Lions in 2022 out of Virginia Tech. In his first three years in the league in Detroit, Mitchell had 13 receptions on 13 targets for 141 yards and one touchdown in 29 games played (one start). He is not anywhere close to fantasy relevance in Carolina and will serve in a depth role at TE once again behind the likes of
Ja'Tavion Sanders,
Tommy Tremble, and
Mitchell Evans.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Joe Person
March 11, 2026
The Cleveland Browns agreed with free-agent tight end
Jack Stoll on an undisclosed one-year deal on Wednesday, sources told Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network. The former Philadelphia Eagles undrafted free agent will head to the AFC North after spending a year with the New Orleans Saints in 2025. The 28-year-old Nebraska product played the first three years of his NFL career in Philly, catching 20 of his 27 targets for 183 yards and no touchdowns in 50 games (26 starts). Last year with New Orleans, Stoll played in 15 games (four starts) and caught just six of 11 targets for 46 yards and the first touchdown of his career. He finished the year on Injured Reserve due to a knee injury, but he should be a full-go for the start of the 2026 campaign later this year. In Cleveland, Stoll will provide depth behind
Harold Fannin Jr., who quickly took over as the Browns' top pass-catching TE in his first year in the league. Stoll can be ignored in all fantasy formats with his move to Cleveland.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Mike Garafolo
March 11, 2026
Former Arizona Cardinals quarterback
Kyler Murray (foot), who will officially be released at the start of the new league year on Wednesday, and the Minnesota Vikings have "mutual interest," according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Nothing appears imminent between the Vikings and Murray, and although the 28-year-old former first overall pick can also talk to other teams, the most likely landing spot for the dual-threat QB will be in Minnesota. If he were to land with the Vikings, Murray would probably be the favorite to start in 2026 over
J.J. McCarthy, as long as he's fully recovered from the foot sprain that knocked him out for the final 12 games of last year. Murray's rushing ability alone puts him in the low-end QB1 conversation in fantasy, but in Minnesota, he'd definitely have the best chance of bouncing back with a strong WR duo in
Justin Jefferson and
Jordan Addison. After drafting McCarthy in the first round in 2024, the Vikings are having second thoughts as to whether he's franchise QB material.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
March 11, 2026
ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime writes that running back
David Montgomery will enter the 2026 season as the "No. 1 back" for the Houston Texans after they acquired him from the Detroit Lions for offensive lineman Juice Scruggs and two draft picks. Montgomery had 2,506 rushing yards and 33 touchdowns in his three seasons with the Lions. The Texans were led last year by fourth-round rookie
Woody Marks and veteran
Nick Chubb and ranked 22nd in rushing yards per game (108).
Joe Mixon (ankle, foot) missed the entire season and is expected to be released soon. Marks led the Texans with 703 rushing yards in his first year in the NFL, but it sounds like he'll take on more of a complementary role going into Year 2. Montgomery was unhappy with his role in Detroit last year behind
Jahmyr Gibbs, as he had his fewest carries (158) and touches (182) in a season in his career despite playing in all 17 games. The 28-year-old should see more opportunities in Houston, although Marks won't suddenly go away, and Houston's offensive line was a weakness last year.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - DJ Bien-Aime
March 11, 2026
With the new league year starting on Wednesday, the San Francisco 49ers plan to release wide receiver
Brandon Aiyuk (knee), according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN. If the move to release Aiyuk doesn't come on Wednesday, it should be soon. The Washington Commanders are the most likely landing spot for Aiyuk, most likely on a one-year, prove-it deal. The Niners are expected to use a post-June 1 designation on Aiyuk's release, which is why they had to wait until the start of the new league year. The former first-rounder will leave behind $13.325 million in dead-cap money in 2026 and $21.247 million in 2027, with the 49ers getting a credit of $4.987 million towards next year's salary cap. Aiyuk didn't make it far after signing a four-year, $120 million contract with San Fran in August of 2024, as he played in only seven games that year before suffering a season-ending knee injury. He didn't play at all in 2025 and will be a big unknown in fantasy football in Washington or wherever he ends up.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Nick Wagoner
March 11, 2026
NFL teams that remain interested in Las Vegas Raiders All-Pro pass-rusher Maxx Crosby (knee) think that the Raiders aren't going to come off their asking price of two first-round picks, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. The Baltimore Ravens agreed to send the Raiders their first-round picks this year and next year in exchange for Crosby last Friday, but they backed out of the deal on Tuesday and instead chose to keep their draft picks and sign All-Pro defensive end Trey Hendrickson. The short-term prospects of Crosby's health are all positive after he had surgery to fix his meniscus in January, although his long-term durability is more of a question, which is what could have given Baltimore cold feet. The 28-year-old Crosby should be ready for the start of Week 1 of the 2026 season later this year, but it remains to be seen if he'll be back with Vegas or be rushing the QB for another team. Either way, he should be a high-end defensive lineman in IDP fantasy leagues as long as he's healthy.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Dianna Russini
March 11, 2026
The Jacksonville Jaguars do not appear to be shopping wide receiver
Brian Thomas Jr. "by any means," according to John Shipley of Sports Illustrated. There is "definite interest" around the league in Thomas, according to a league source with knowledge of the situation, but some teams thought to be previously interested have moved on to other options because the Jags don't seem to be in a rush to trade Thomas. The widely held belief across league circles is that the Jaguars have an "extremely high" asking price for Thomas and "do not see any reason to budge." The Buffalo Bills entered the offseason "extremely high" on the idea of trading for Thomas, but their acquisition of
DJ Moore suggests they are out on Thomas. Teams believe Jacksonville's price for Thomas is "at least one premium pick." The former LSU star might have trouble reaching the heights of his rookie season again (87-1,282-10 line) with
Jakobi Meyers and
Parker Washington around, but a rebound from last year's 48-707-2 line is possible if he stays with the Jags heading into his third NFL season.
--Keith HernandezSource: Sports Illustrated - John Shipley
March 11, 2026
The New England Patriots have put a potential trade for Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver
A.J. Brown on the "back burner," according to The Athletic's Chad Graff. The Patriots tried to pull off a blockbuster trade for Brown before the legal tampering period opened on Monday, but nothing worked out since the Eagles have "little financial incentive" to deal Brown before June 1 and are "demanding a considerable return because of it," asking for more than just a first-round draft pick. If the Eagles move Brown before June 1, they'd be stuck with more than $43 million in dead salary cap while losing more than $20 million in camp space for 2026. They'd have a $16 million dead-cap charge while gaining $7 million in cap space if Brown is traded after June 1. The urgency for a receiver was also lessened when they agreed to sign
Romeo Doubs to a deal on Tuesday. If New England grabs a wideout in April's draft, they could move on from Brown altogether.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Chad Graff
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