May 5, 2026, 11:52 AM ET

The Arizona Cardinals took former University of Miami quarterback Carson Beck with the first pick in the third round of this year's draft because of his big-game experience, arm strength, size (6-foot-4, 220 pounds), accuracy, toughness, and intangibles. Beck enters a QB room in Arizona that already includes veterans Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew. New head coach Mike LaFleur said that "it won't be the worst thing" for Beck if he "ends up sitting for part or all of his rookie season." That won't be anything new for the 24-year-old, who was a backup at Georgia for his first three seasons, including sitting behind current Los Angeles Rams backup QB Stetson Bennett in 2022. "It benefits anyone in any position to be able to sit back," LaFleur said. "Sometimes, guys don't have the choice because you have to put your best 22 out on the field there." The Cardinals have some maneuvering to do with Brissett's contract this year, but that should be taken care of, and he's fully expected to start under center in 2026 after a career season in 2025 in Arizona. Beck has plenty of long-term upside as a dynasty target in fantasy, but he won't be on the redraft radar at all.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Josh Weinfuss

May 5, 2026, 11:46 AM ET

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Devaughn Vele entered this offseason as one of the biggest sleepers in dynasty fantasy football. In his final four games of 2025, Vele had caught 19 passes for 239 yards and one touchdown. He averaged 12.2 points per game in PPR leagues during that span, ranking as the overall WR21. It seemed like he might be a breakout candidate in 2026, but that trajectory came crashing down as the Saints added two receivers in the NFL Draft. Now, Vele is behind Chris Olave and Jordyn Tyson on the depth chart, and he could also end up behind rookie Bryce Lance, who has the speed necessary to fill a Rashid Shaheed-esque role in New Orleans. It's a disappointing development for managers who acquired Vele at a low cost this offseason. With that said, he's still worth holding in deeper leagues, as he's proven that he can handle volume. This Saints' offense is quickly trending up, so he could still get onto the WR3/flex radar if Olave or Tyson were to miss any time.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

May 5, 2026, 11:38 AM ET

Los Angeles Chargers rookie fourth-round wide receiver Brenen Thompson was compared to speedy former Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs wideout Tyreek Hill by head coach Jim Harbaugh, according to Kris Rhim of ESPN. New Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, who coached Hill in Miami, was advocating that the Chargers take the former Mississippi State speedster in this year's draft. He stands at 5-foot-9 and 164 pounds and will be the lightest player on the Chargers' roster, but he'll also be their fastest player after running a 4.26-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine -- the third-fastest time by a WR since 2003. Thompson had an SEC-leading 1,054 receiving yards in 2025, which set the single-season school record at Mississippi State. Hill was a first-team All-Pro in his first two seasons with McDaniel, and he had a career-high 1,799 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2023. Thompson has also been compared to former Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson. Thompson's speed is enticing, but he'll be competing for targets in L.A. in a crowded WR room that also includes Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, Tre' Harris, and Derius Davis. Most likely, the 22-year-old will operate in a part-time role in specific packages in 2026 in which the Chargers can utilize his game-changing speed.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Kris Rhim

May 5, 2026, 11:38 AM ET

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor has the potential to bounce back as the overall RB1 in fantasy football during the 2026 season. Taylor was well on his way to the overall RB1 spot during the first half of last season. He ranked as the RB1 in PPR leagues from Week 1 to Week 10, and it wasn't particularly close; he was a full 25.1 points ahead of the RB2 during that span, Christian McCaffrey, and a full 89.9 points ahead of the RB4, Jahmyr Gibbs. Unfortunately, a slow second half (largely due to Daniel Jones' season-ending injury) derailed that trajectory. The good news is that Jones (Achilles) is trending toward playing in Week 1, and the Colts could also go a little more run-heavy after trading away Michael Pittman Jr. If Jones and Taylor can both stay healthy for the full year -- which is admittedly far from guaranteed -- then the 27-year-old could certainly be the highest-scoring running back and a league winner in redraft formats. There's a little less upside in dynasty leagues, though, given that Taylor is already 27 years old. Even if he does have a bounce-back year in 2026, he's almost certainly on the back half of his career. Most dynasty managers should hold Taylor for now. However, managers looking to win now in a championship window could consider trading for him this offseason, banking on the fact that last year's RB4 finishes even higher this year.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

May 5, 2026, 11:31 AM ET

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba solidified himself among the top tier of fantasy football superstars during the 2025 campaign. In his third NFL regular season, Smith-Njigba exploded for 119 catches, 1,793 yards, and 10 touchdowns (all career-high marks). He was the WR2 in PPR leagues, ranking among the top 10 receivers for the second year in a row. As the 2026 season approaches, Smith-Njigba finds himself in Tier 1 in RotoBaller's latest dynasty fantasy football wide receiver rankings, but he hasn't yet claimed the overall WR1 spot. The latest rankings have Ja'Marr Chase first, Smith-Njigba second, and Puka Nacua third. It's a fair evaluation, especially since Chase's quarterback situation is far more appealing long-term than Smith-Njigba's. Still, it would surprise nobody if Smith-Njigba finished the 2026 season (or any season) as the overall WR1, especially given Joe Burrow's injury history in Cincinnati. All in all, Smith-Njigba is an undisputed top-three dynasty receiver, and any fantasy manager looking to acquire him will have to be comfortable parting with a hefty return package.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

May 5, 2026, 11:27 AM ET

Former Penn State quarterback Drew Allar likely would have been among the top QBs drafted in 2025 if he had skipped his senior season, according to Adam Rittenberg of ESPN. However, Allar chose to return to Penn State and had a slower-than-expected start before breaking his ankle in the middle of the season. The Pittsburgh Steelers took the 6-foot-5, 228-pounder with the No. 76 overall pick in this year's NFL draft. Big Ten coaches were lukewarm on Allar, but they noted that he "went through multiple systems and wasn't always set up to succeed." "Hopefully [Pittsburgh] will be a coaching staff that can maximize what he's good at," a Big Ten coach said. "I'm not really sure that was the case [at Penn State]." Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy will look to maximize Allar's skill set, but most likely after veteran Aaron Rodgers plays one more season in the Steel City. Allar threw for 49 touchdowns in his sophomore and junior seasons with the Nittany Lions before recording 1,100 yards, eight touchdowns, and three interceptions in six games in his senior campaign before getting hurt. Fantasy managers in dynasty formats will need to be patient with the 22-year-old, but the long-term ceiling is high.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Adam Rittenberg

May 5, 2026, 11:23 AM ET

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Darnell Washington finally seemed like he was getting closer to fantasy relevance in dynasty leagues last season. However, the chances of him getting on the fantasy radar are now declining based on the Steelers' offseason moves. For starters, the team parted ways with head coach Mike Tomlin and brought in Mike McCarthy, who has no connections to the existing roster and presumably won't have the same patience to wait for a Washington breakout. Additionally, McCarthy started to put his own stamp on the tight end room, selecting Riley Nowakowski in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. That's not elite draft capital by any means, but it's presumably enough to give Nowakowski the chance to earn the No. 2 role by the end of the season. That could be problematic for Washington, who is heading into a contract year and is already behind Pat Freiermuth on the depth chart. As of now, it seems unlikely that Washington will be able to replicate his 2025 finish, which included 31 catches, 364 yards, and one touchdown. Additionally, we wouldn't be shocked if he's on a different team in 2027. He finished last year as the TE39 in PPR leagues, and he has already fallen to TE53 in RotoBaller's latest dynasty fantasy football rankings.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

May 5, 2026, 11:19 AM ET

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley's ranking in dynasty fantasy football leagues has started to decline now that he's 29 years old. We don't quite know how many seasons he has remaining in his career, but we do know that there's still enough left in the tank for another big year or two. As a result, Barkley represents an interesting trade target for dynasty managers looking to win now. Since he's getting older, his price tag is dropping in trade talks, but he still has the potential to be the RB1 or RB2 on a championship-winning fantasy roster. After all, he was the overall RB14 in PPR leagues last year, and he was the overall RB2 just two years ago. Barkley is an elite athlete himself, and he should also benefit from the Eagles' top-tier offensive line being healthy in 2026. All signs point to him bouncing back as a potential top-12 fantasy running back. As a result, dynasty managers currently in their championship window should consider sending out an offer for the Eagles' superstar ball-carrier.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

May 5, 2026, 11:18 AM ET

Former Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza was the consensus No. 1 overall selection in this year's draft by the Las Vegas Raiders after his near-flawless performance in the College Football Playoff, which was capped by his heroic performance in the national title game to beat Miami. Most analysts believe that Mendoza is one of the more complete QB prospects because of his scarcity of turnovers and his mix of intelligence, size, and movement. However, a coach who had faced Mendoza when he played for Cal doesn't think his skill set will translate well to the next level. "He's a good decision-maker, but I don't think he's got the NFL traits," the coach said. "They're all back-shoulder [throws]. That's not working in the NFL. His receivers made plays to make him look better than he is. In the NFL, those throws are getting picked off." Mendoza had a knack for delivering on the big stage, in addition to his other impressive physical skills. However, he lacks the experience of playing under center, which is what is going to be asked of him in head coach Klint Kubiak's offense. There will be a learning curve there, which is why the Raiders prefer to have the young QB sit and learn behind veteran Kirk Cousins early in his NFL career. Mendoza should be the No. 2 pick in rookie-only dynasty drafts this year.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Adam Rittenberg

May 5, 2026, 11:13 AM ET

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson was one of the lone bright spots for the team last season, delivering 78 catches for 1,006 yards and seven touchdowns in a breakout campaign. Most of his production came in the second half of the year, too. From Week 11 through Week 18, he averaged 21.2 points per game and ranked as the overall WR2 -- behind Puka Nacua and ahead of Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Most of his production came with Jacoby Brissett as the Cardinals' quarterback. While we don't typically think of Brissett as this special playmaker, he was a solid passer for Arizona and supported big production from both Wilson and Trey McBride. The Cardinals could end up finishing last in the NFC West in 2026, as Brissett remains under center but lacks winning upside. Still, he should continue to support fantasy production from Wilson, who gets the best of both worlds. This year, he'll have consistency with Brissett throwing him the football, and next year, he'll presumably get a flashy quarterback upgrade as the Cardinals build out their offense. As long as the Cardinals' new coaching staff is willing to let Wilson prove himself as the alpha receiver over Marvin Harrison Jr., he should continue to rank as a mid-range WR2 option in both redraft and dynasty leagues.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

May 5, 2026, 11:10 AM ET

Atlanta Falcons president of football Matt Ryan acknowledged on 680 The Fan that "you just don't know" where quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (knee) is "going to be" for the start of training camp in late July. However, Ryan is confident with how Penix has approached his rehab after tearing his ACL in 2025. "Mike's in a good spot right now. As far as expectations, we don't really know what to expect at the beginning of training camp," Ryan said. The Falcons don't plan to rush Penix back to the field, which could give new QB Tua Tagovailoa a leg up in the competition for the starting job under center in Atlanta going into Week 1 of the 2026 regular season. Penix's dynasty stock is dropping quickly after he had surgery for another torn ACL in his knee back in November. It's the third time since college that he's suffered a torn ACL. The 25-year-old lefty signal-caller was mediocre before his injury in his first full year as the Falcons' starter, completing 60.1% of his passes for 1,982 yards, nine touchdowns, and three interceptions in nine starts. Penix will need to get healthy first, and then he'll need to improve his accuracy to have a chance to beat Tua out. It's looking more likely that Penix is going to enter the start of next season as Atlanta's backup.--Keith Hernandez
Source: 680 The Fan

May 5, 2026, 11:00 AM ET

Despite another disappointing season in 2025, the Houston Texans have had nothing but good things to say about quarterback C.J. Stroud this offseason, according to Matt Young of the Houston Chronicle. "C.J.'s done a really good job all offseason just continuing to be locked in, continuing to prepare the right way," head coach DeMeco Ryans said. "Proud of the work that he's putting in right now." When CEO Cal McNair was asked about Stroud, he said, "We're fully committed to C.J." The Texans unsurprisingly picked up Stroud's fifth-year option for the 2027 season, so they now have two seasons to work out a potential long-term extension with the former second overall pick in 2023 out of Ohio State. The 24-year-old had career lows in passing yards (3,041) and passing touchdowns (19) in 14 regular-season games in 2025 in his third year in the NFL. It's now been two straight down years after his Pro Bowl season in his rookie campaign, and fantasy managers will be wondering if Stroud can ever get back to his rookie level, when he threw for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns, and five interceptions in 15 regular-season starts. He's going to need both Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel to step up alongside Nico Collins, and having Tank Dell (knee) contribute will be big as well. For fantasy purposes, Stroud's dynasty stock is obviously down, but a bounce-back is entirely possible in 2026.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Houston Chronicle - Matt Young

May 5, 2026, 10:02 AM ET

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson has quietly gone about his business since coming into the league as a fourth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. He's finished as the TE8 in two of the last three seasons, and following career-highs of eight touchdowns and 82 receptions in 2025, he could still be trending up. Should either CeeDee Lamb or George Pickens miss time, Ferguson is capable of stepping up as a top-two option in one of the league's premier offenses and delivering week-winning performances, evidenced by his TE1 stretch through the first seven weeks of the season, as Lamb missed parts of four games with a high ankle sprain. Dynasty managers who have held onto the 27-year-old tight end to this point are likely aware of his value and potential, so he's not an easy player to acquire through trade, but at RotoBaller's TE13, Ferguson is a smart selection in dynasty startups, as a proven TE1 for managers unwilling to pay up at the position.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

May 5, 2026, 9:51 AM ET

Free agent wide receiver Tyreek Hill (knee) remains unsigned, and with the NFL Draft now behind us and teams moving into the final stages of the roster-building process, rumors of potential landing spots could start to pick back up again. One team he has been linked to for months is the Kansas City Chiefs, and on a recent appearance on Kansas City radio station 96.5 The Fan, ESPN Chiefs reporter Nate Taylor gave odds above 50% that Hill would reunite with the team that drafted him in 2016. Hill is 32 years old, has shown signs of decline in each of the past two seasons, and is recovering from a gruesome knee dislocation with multiple torn ligaments, so how much he has left in the tank remains to be seen, but all the way down at WR78 in RotoBaller's dynasty rankings, he's at least worth inquiring about by depth-seeking contenders.--Patrick McGrath
Source: Nate Taylor - ESPN

May 5, 2026, 9:43 AM ET

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers broke the rookie reception record in 2024 and came into 2025 as the TE1 in consensus dynasty rankings. Not to be outdone, Arizona's Trey McBride broke the tight end reception record with 126 grabs in 2025, momentarily pushing Bowers to TE2 in those same rankings. Over the course of the offseason, Bowers has reclaimed the top spot in RotoBaller's dynasty rankings, and he projects as a true difference-maker for the foreseeable future. Bowers injured his knee in the first game of the season, but continued playing through a PCL sprain and bone bruise, though he was visibly hampered until the team opted to rest him from Weeks 5 through 8. Upon his return, he scored 14.2 Half-PPR points per game, but with Vegas trending towards the first overall pick, he was eventually put on season-ending injured reserve before Week 17. While the Raiders spent the offseason building around that first overall pick, which officially became Fernando Mendoza in April, they added very few meaningful pass-catchers, with Jalen Nailor representing the biggest addition to a room led by Tre Tucker in 2025. With Bowers just seven targets away from leading the team while missing five games and never playing at full health, the expectation is that he could lap the field in 2026, giving him an extreme positional advantage and making the 23-year-old tight end one of the most valuable players in both redraft and dynasty leagues.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller