RADIO
Terrance Carter Jr. Remains a Must-Start After Quiet Week 1
Texas Tech tight end Terrance Carter Jr. caught just three passes for 28 yards in the team's 33-10 win over Abilene Christian, which was a disappointing showing in what looked like a juicy matchup for the senior. Carter heads into another promising matchup against Oregon State this week, and although his floor is clearly low, he remains a must-start. Tight end production will vary widely throughout the season, and even the earliest-drafted players at TE don't have consistent floors. With just one week of data to go off of, Carter's fantasy managers shouldn't be pressing the panic button. He should produce several spike weeks as quarterback Will Hammond gets more comfortable in the QB1 role.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Yandy Diaz Remains an Elite Batting-Average Asset
Across 615 plate appearances in 2026, Tampa Bay Rays designated hitter Yandy Diaz is hitting .305/.372/.467 with 21 home runs, 77 RBI, 83 runs scored, and three stolen bases. Even at 35 years old, Diaz remains one of the most reliable hitters in baseball. He consistently hits the ball hard (48.1% hard-hit rate) while also avoiding swing-and-miss (14.1% strikeout rate), which makes him a high-end batting average asset for fantasy managers. Diaz is also the everyday leadoff hitter in Tampa Bay, which gives him a chance to top 90 runs and RBI in 2026. The veteran slugger is off to a scorching hot start to September, hitting .400 with two home runs and five extra-base hits across his first 33 plate appearances this month. As long as he stays healthy the rest of the way, Diaz should continue to provide excellent four-category production for fantasy managers.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jonah Coleman Could be a Late-Season League-Winner
Denver Broncos running back Jonah Coleman has consistently earned the praise of coaches, teammates, and media throughout his first preseason in the NFL. The fourth-round pick out of Washington was already trending up as soon as the Broncos drafted him, and nothing has changed in the last few months. He continues to have massive upside in dynasty leagues after posting 3,496 scrimmage yards and 33 touchdowns over his last three years of school, and he's even rising up the rankings in redraft leagues. As it stands, Coleman is worthy of a roster spot in 12+ team leagues, despite the fact that he's third on the depth chart behind J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey. After the first few weeks of the season go by and Coleman gets more acclimated to the NFL, we fully expect him to carve out a meaningful role alongside Dobbins and Harvey. Just like we saw Harvey emerge as a fantasy league winner in the second half of the 2025 season, Coleman could do the same in 2026.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Barion Brown Could Operate as a Starter After Strong Camp
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Barion Brown could get into the starting lineup for Week 1 against the Detroit Lions. Brown had a strong camp, and he's in the mix for the No. 3 receiver role (and a starting job) after the Saints placed rookie Jordyn Tyson (hamstring) on injured reserve. As it stands, Brown projects as the third receiver behind Chris Olave and Devaughn Vele, although he's also likely behind Juwan Johnson in the pecking order. Nevertheless, the rookie out of LSU caught four passes for 53 yards during the preseason, and he proved that he deserves more opportunities than fellow rookie Bryce Lance. Whether or not Brown's No. 3 receiver role is enough to get him on the fantasy radar remains to be seen, but he is definitely trending up as the Saints look to distribute Tyson's temporarily vacated targets. He's an intriguing player to stash for the first few weeks in 14+ team leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Josiah Hartshorn Homers Again, Dynasty Arrow Still Pointing Up
Chicago Cubs first base/outfield prospect Josiah Hartshorn parlayed his regular-season success into postseason success, registering an impressive performance in Game 1 of the High-A playoffs on Tuesday, albeit in a losing effort. The South Bend Cubs lost 8-3 to High-A Quad Cities, but Hartshorn went 3-for-5 with a solo home run in the contest. The Cubs' top-ranked prospect (MLB No. 39) began the season at Single-A and was promoted to High-A after just 39 games, proceeding to excel at the next level. The 2025 sixth-round draft pick hit .297 with 18 home runs and 12 steals in 83 games, while his .965 OPS led the entire Midwest League. The switch-hitter boasts big power, and although his strikeout rate increased with the advancement to High-A, it was still just 21.4 percent, while he continued to display a keen eye, walking at a 14.6 percent rate. Look for the 19-year-old to potentially make a run at Triple-A at some point next season, and debut in 2028. With an arrow pointing up, managers in dynasty leagues, especially those looking for some future power production, should be looking to stash him away if still available.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Patrick Overmyer Trying to Follow Up Solid Week 1 Performance
Houston tight end Patrick Overmyer recorded a big-time game in Houston's Week 1 victory over Oregon State and has another enticing matchup against Southern on Saturday. Overmyer finished the Cougars' Week 1 victory with six receptions for 84 yards, averaging 14 yards per reception. Houston quarterback Conner Weigman aired it out in the win, recording 305 yards passing and a touchdown. This week, Houston goes up against a Southern defense that has allowed an average of 218.5 yards passing during its first two matchups of the season. Overmyer is RotoBaller's TE5 this week and is projected to score 9.6 fantasy points. Start him with confidence.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
AJ Barner Could Have a Larger Role After Strong Camp
Seattle Seahawks tight end AJ Barner put together a strong camp, and he could be headed for a larger role during the 2026 season. Barner has impressed with 10 touchdowns over his two NFL seasons, and he finished last year as the overall TE14 in PPR leagues. He was able to maintain his fantasy relevance despite facing competition from Elijah Arroyo, who had second-round draft capital last year. This season, we expect Barner to get a similar amount of playing time, and that could actually lead to more volume. Now that he has established himself on offense for two years in a row, he should see his target share increase. Additionally, he should benefit from playing for new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury. Fleury was the tight ends coach in San Francisco, so he brings a strong background in the position to his new job with the Seahawks. In fact, it has already been reported by ESPN's Jeremy Fowler that Fleury plans to use a lot of two-tight-end sets in Seattle. That bodes well for Barner, who has a very strong chance to emerge as a top-12 fantasy tight end in Year 3.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
L.J. Phillips Jr. Out for Iowa's Rivalry Matchup in Week 2
After recording just four carries for five yards in Iowa's season opener against Northern Illinois last week, Hawkeyes running back L.J. Phillips Jr. (ankle) limped off the field during the first quarter with a high ankle sprain that will keep him sidelined for a Week 2 rivalry matchup against Iowa State. CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz reported the nature of the injury, while Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz declared Phillips Jr. out. "He will not be ready this week, and we hope it doesn't last too long," said Ferentz, per the Iowa Hawkeyes' YouTube channel. Phillips Jr. is in his first season with Iowa after spending the first two seasons of his collegiate career with the University of South Dakota. Last year with USD, Phillips recorded 1,921 yards and 19 touchdowns. In his stead, Kamari Moulton will handle a heavy load following a stellar 11-carry, 183-yard, two-touchdown performance against the Huskies last week.
Source: Iowa Hawkeyes YouTube
Source: Iowa Hawkeyes YouTube
Chris Rodriguez Jr. Emerging as Key Part of Backfield
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. has emerged as a last-minute riser in fantasy football ahead of the start of the 2026 NFL season. The narrative for several months has been that Bhayshul Tuten would lead the Jags' backfield, and while that still might be the case, it's worth noting that the team's official depth chart lists Tuten and Rodriguez as sharing the No. 1 role. Perhaps we shouldn't be that surprised. After all, Tuten was the backup to Travis Etienne Jr. last year, so he hasn't handled a workhorse role yet. Additionally, there was plenty of buzz during the offseason that head coach Liam Coen expected big things from Rodriguez, whom he coached in college. The exact fantasy outlook for both of these backs remains a bit murky until we've seen how the backfield shakes out through the first game or two. For now, we'd view Tuten as a fringe RB2/RB3 and Rodriguez as a fringe RB3/RB4. That's still enough to get Rodriguez on the fantasy radar in 10+ team leagues, and he's a potential Week 1 flex for managers in 14+ team leagues, especially against a Browns defense that is trending down.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Rashid Shaheed Could Emerge as Key Part of Offense
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Rashid Shaheed could play a pivotal role on offense this season. Shaheed had a very positive camp, earning praise from coaches, teammates, and media. It was a great step in the right direction for the 28-year-old, who was due to make a leap after posting relatively modest numbers following his trade from New Orleans to Seattle last season. Shaheed finished last year as the WR39 in PPR leagues, catching 59 passes for 687 yards and two touchdowns. Those are fine numbers, but the latest buzz from Seattle indicates that Shaheed should take another step forward after his first full offseason with the Seahawks. In fact, it's not crazy to say that he could open the year as the team's No. 2 receiver, ahead of Cooper Kupp. While Kupp is getting older and declining in productivity, Shaheed is trending up, and he represents a flashy playmaking option for quarterback Sam Darnold. A top-36 finish is well within reason for the Seahawks, who will likely lean on the passing game with Kenneth Walker gone and Zach Charbonnet (knee) on the PUP list. Shaheed ranks as a WR4/WR5 for now, but in a perfect world, he has high-end WR3 upside.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Marshawn Lloyd Ready to Lead the Packers Backfield
Green Bay Packers running back MarShawn Lloyd is ready to step into the lead-back role for Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings, despite playing just one game over the last two seasons. Injuries have kept Lloyd sidelined for all but one game throughout his NFL career. However, the Packers are optimistic he'll be able to fill the void left by Josh Jacobs, who was recently placed on the commissioner's exempt list. "[Lloyd is as] ready as he's ever been since he's been here," general manager Brian Gutekunst told Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. "He looks good. He's handling all the physicality, the things that he needs to as a running back." Head coach Matt Lafleur has echoed Gutekunst's optimistic tone, but he also declined to pencil Lloyd into a specific workload. Given that Lloyd has just seven touches as a pro, it's unlikely that he'll occupy an every-down role. In all likelihood, Kaleb Johnson and Chris Brooks will earn some touches. With that being said, if there's a Green Bay running back to roster, it's Lloyd. He projects as a fringe RB2/RB3 this week and for the duration of Jacobs' absence.
Source: Rob Demovsky
Source: Rob Demovsky
Trey'Dez Green Looks to Justify Lofty Ranking
Following a massive effort in the 2025 Texas Bowl, which put a cap on a solid second collegiate campaign, LSU tight end Trey'Dez Green recorded a solid performance in the Tigers' season-opening win over Clemson. Green, the No. 1 tight end in RotoBaller's positional rankings, finished the 51-10 win with four receptions for 58 yards and will now face another lesser opponent in Louisiana Tech, which recorded a throttling 80-6 win over Northwestern State in Week 1. In that win, LA Tech limited Northwestern State to just 43 yards passing. Last week against Clemson, LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt totaled 230 yards passing and a touchdown. Green is projected to score 10.7 fantasy points, and it's fair to expect more than that in what should be a lopsided matchup in the Tigers' favor.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Ethan Davis Hoping for More in Week 2
With a more challenging matchup coming up in Week 2, Tennessee tight end Ethan Davis is looking to jumpstart his season. Following a blowout win over Furman last week, the Volunteers are preparing to take on Georgia Tech on the road on Saturday, when Davis hopes to add to his ho-hum performance against the Paladins. The Tennessee tight end finished the game with just one catch for 17 yards, but found the end zone to record his first touchdown of the season. Last week against Colorado, Georgia Tech allowed the Buffaloes to total just 124 yards passing on an average of 4.6 yards per completion. Still, tight end Charlie Williams scored a touchdown while totaling two receptions for 28 yards. Davis has scored in two of his past four games, dating back to last season.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Tre Tucker Has Clear Path to Fantasy Relevance in 2026
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker had a strong training camp and is expected to be the team's top wide receiver in 2026. In 2025, Tucker hauled in 57 of 92 targets for 696 yards and five touchdowns, while adding 51 rushing yards on 11 carries. With Jakobi Meyers gone and the team not making any significant additions, Tucker is in a good spot in head coach Klint Kubiak's offense. Tucker was a favorite of Kirk Cousins' during the preseason, catching five passes for over 50 yards in just three drives together. While he is not a clear startable option in Week 1, his current role in Las Vegas is enticing, and fantasy managers should take note of his workload against Miami.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Tyson Jost Agrees to Tryout Deal With Predators
Center Tyson Jost will join the Nashville Predators for training camp on a professional tryout agreement, Alex Daugherty of the Tennessean reports. Jost hopes to earn a second chance with the franchise after spending the 2025-26 season in Nashville. He registered 16 points (eight goals, eight assists) in 69 appearances. The 10-year veteran has tallied 165 points (69 goals, 96 assists) in 564 career games. Even if he makes the roster, Jost will have a limited role with the Predators, keeping him off fantasy radars.
Source: Alex Daugherty
Source: Alex Daugherty
