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Jaguars Select Nate Boerkircher With 56th Overall Pick
The Jacksonville Jaguars have selected Texas A&M tight end prospect Nate Boerkircher with the 56th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. This was the Jaguars' first selection of the draft, and they spent it on a tight end despite already having Brenton Strange on their roster. We shouldn't be too surprised by the addition, though, as pre-draft reporting indicated that the Jaguars wanted to come out of the draft with an impact tight end to complement Strange on offense. After four years with Nebraska, Boerkircher transferred to A&M for the 2025 season and ultimately tallied 19 catches, 198 yards, and three touchdowns. Those are underwhelming receiving metrics, and while the Jaguars do plan to get him more involved in the passing game, he's a blocker first and foremost. He posted a 72.2 PFF grade in run blocking last season. Ranked as the consensus #162 prospect in the draft according to NFLMockDraftDatabase.com, some might say this was a bit of a reach for Jaguars general manager James Gladstone. The fantasy rankings would tend to agree, as Boerkircher falls outside the top 85 tight ends in RotoBaller's latest dynasty rankings.
Source: Ryan O'Halloran
Source: Ryan O'Halloran
Eagles Select Eli Stowers at No. 54 Overall
The Philadelphia Eagles have selected Vanderbilt tight end prospect Eli Stowers with the 54th overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft. Stowers is just the second tight end selected so far this year, as well as the first to hear his name called on Day 2. There had been rumblings of the Vandy product being a first-round pick, but he ended up going near the middle of the second. The 23-year-old caught 111 passes for 1,407 yards and nine touchdowns over his final two seasons at school. He'll offer the Eagles a long-term solution at the tight end position with Dallas Goedert slated to hit free agency (and widely expected to sign elsewhere) next offseason. Stowers might not have much redraft appeal as long as Goedert is healthy and on the team, but he could jump onto the weekly fantasy radar in 2027. Plus, he's an appealing dynasty option in this successful Eagles offense, ranking as the overall TE15 in RotoBaller's latest dynasty fantasy football rankings.
Source: Zach Berman
Source: Zach Berman
Steelers Trade Up, Select Germie Bernard With 47th Overall Pick
The Pittsburgh Steelers have traded up to pick 47 to select University of Alabama wide receiver Germie Bernard. Per NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, the Steelers are trading picks 53, 135, and 237 to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for picks 47 and 249. Across 14 games with the Crimson Tide in 2025, Bernard hauled in 64 receptions for 862 yards and seven touchdowns. He also rushed for 101 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries, so he could bring some dual-threat appeal for fantasy managers in 2026 and beyond. The Steelers have wide receivers DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. firmly atop their depth chart at the position. However, Bernard could be in a position to earn the team's WR3 role right away. If veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers does eventually return to Pittsburgh, Bernard's run-after-catch ability could lead to him seeing plenty of short-area targets.
Source: NFL Network - Mike Garafolo
Source: NFL Network - Mike Garafolo
Cowboys Acquire Dee Winters in Trade With the 49ers
The Dallas Cowboys have acquired linebacker Dee Winters from the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for the No. 152 overall selection in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Winters started all 17 games last season, tallying 101 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and one interception (a 74-yard pick-six). The former sixth-round pick out of TCU is heading into a contract year as he wraps up his rookie contract. Dallas will now have the opportunity to extend him or let him play out the final year of his contract in a revamped Cowboys offense. The move makes sense roster-wise, as Dallas needed a linebacker upgrade desperately. Meanwhile, Winters became somewhat expendable in San Francisco after the 49ers re-signed Dre Greenlaw.
Source: Matt Barrows
Source: Matt Barrows
Browns Select Denzel Boston With 39th Overall Pick
The Cleveland Browns have selected University of Washington wide receiver prospect Denzel Boston with the 39th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. It's been an offense-heavy draft for the Browns and new head coach Todd Monken. Cleveland selected offensive tackle Spencer Fano and wide receiver KC Concepcion in the first round on Thursday night, and now, they add another receiver on Day 2. The Browns needed a major wide receiver boost after Jerry Jeudy and Cedric Tillman drastically underperformed last year. Boston broke out for 125 catches, 1,715 yards, and 20 touchdowns over his final two seasons at school. He and Concepcion will both compete for an immediate role in the Browns' offense during their rookie seasons. Boston already ranks as the overall WR34 in RotoBaller's latest dynasty fantasy football rankings.
Source: Ari Meirov
Source: Ari Meirov
49ers Take De'Zhaun Stribling to Kick Off Second Round
The San Francisco 49ers selected Ole Miss wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling with the 33rd overall pick at the top of Round 2 in the 2026 NFL draft on Friday night. Stribling has the potential to be a true WR1 down the road in San Francisco, and he's an excellent jump-ball artist down the field at 6-foot-2, 202 pounds. The Niners entered the offseason with receiver being an area of need with Brandon Aiyuk's (knee) time with the organization coming to an end, and the team not expected to re-sign Jauan Jennings. They signed future Hall of Famer Mike Evans in free agency and have now added Stribling through the draft. Stribling played two years each in college at Washington State and Oklahoma State before finishing off with Ole Miss in 2025, where he caught 55 passes for 811 yards and six touchdowns in 15 games played. Stribling could be a dynasty sleeper while working with quarterback Brock Purdy, mainly because of his elite vertical burst down the field. The selection of Stribling is bad news for the long-term value of Ricky Pearsall, a former first-rounder.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
Saints Among the Teams Showing Interest in Kayvon Thibodeaux
The New York Giants have engaged in trade talks surrounding defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux, and the New Orleans Saints are among the teams showing "strong interest," sources told Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. If a deal goes down for Thibodeaux, it could come as early as Friday night during the second and third rounds of the 2026 NFL draft. Even though the Giants recently dealt defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals for a first-rounder in this year's draft, they are open to moving Thibodeaux as well and continue to listen to offers. The Saints could use some more edge rushers, but they chose to address their offense in the first round on Thursday night by taking receiver Jordyn Tyson with the eighth overall pick. Thibodeaux, 25, was a former fifth overall pick in 2022 out of Oregon. He played in a career-low 10 games in 2025 and had a career-low 2.5 sacks, but NFL teams could be looking to buy low on him after he recorded 23.5 sacks in his first four NFL seasons. New York's selection of edge rusher Arvell Reese at fifth overall on Thursday night made Thibodeaux more expendable.
Source: FOX Sports - Jordan Schultz
Source: FOX Sports - Jordan Schultz
Rams, Matthew Stafford "Deep" in Contract Talks
The Los Angeles Rams raised plenty of eyebrows on Thursday night in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft when they took Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson at 13th overall, but NFL Network's Ian Rapoport says that head coach Sean McVay has made it clear that this is still MVP Matthew Stafford's team. Stafford is the QB of the present and the future in L.A., and the Rams and Stafford are "deep" in discussions about a contract extension. The Rams believe that there is a good chance that Stafford decides to continue his playing career beyond the 2026 season. At 38, Stafford is no spring chicken, but it didn't stop him from having the best season of his career in 2025, throwing for 4,707 yards for a career-high 46 touchdowns during the regular season. Durability should be a concern for fantasy managers in redraft leagues, but if healthy, there's no arguing that Stafford has some of the best receiving weapons in the NFL in receivers Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. The Rams drafted Simpson on Thursday night (and may have reached a bit) as the heir apparent to Stafford, but it sounds like he may not take over as the starting QB until 2028.
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
Jayden Reed, Packers Agree on Three-Year Extension
Wide receiver Jayden Reed and the Green Bay Packers agreed to a three-year contract extension on Friday worth $50.25 million in new money, including $20 million guaranteed, agents Drew Rosenhaus and Ian Grutman told Adam Schefter of ESPN. The 25-year-old former second-rounder (50th overall) in 2023 out of Michigan State had 119 receptions on 169 targets for 1,650 yards and 14 receiving touchdowns in 33 games in his first two NFL seasons for the Packers, adding three rushing touchdowns. Reed only played in seven games in 2025 due to injuries, though, and finished with a 19-207-1 line during the regular season. He's now locked in for several more seasons and will be a big part of Green Bay's offense in 2026 alongside Christian Watson and Matthew Golden. If healthy, Reed will have even more fantasy upside as a WR3/flex target with Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks out of town. Reed might not have the big-play abilities down the field like Watson and Golden, but he's more versatile and has proven to have a nose for the end zone in his first 40 NFL games.
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Steelers Looking for a Receiver Early in Second Round?
The NFL Network's Tom Pelissero said that he wouldn't be surprised if the Pittsburgh Steelers look to trade up to the top of the second round of the 2026 NFL draft on Friday night, potentially to snag a wide receiver. The Steelers were set to take USC wideout Makai Lemon with the 21st overall pick in the first round before the Philadelphia Eagles swooped in at the last moment to trade up to No. 20 to take Lemon. With Lemon gone, the Steelers settled on Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor at Pick No. 21. After losing out on Lemon on Thursday night, Pittsburgh could be looking to put together a package of late-round picks to give them ammunition to trade up early in the second round for another pass-catcher to add behind DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. If the Steelers do trade up for another wideout on Friday, their most likely target would be University of Washington receiver Denzel Boston, who is considered the best WR available on the board. Stay tuned.
Source: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
Source: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
49ers Getting Calls About No. 33 Overall Pick at Top of Second Round
NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports that the San Francisco 49ers are getting calls about the No. 33 overall pick at the top of the first round on Friday night, and it seems like they are very open to potentially moving back while acquiring more draft capital. Teams that are looking to trade up into the top part of the second round on Friday night include the Miami Dolphins, the New Orleans Saints, the Cleveland Browns, and the Jacksonville Jaguars. Players projected to come off the board early on Day 2 include Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald, University of Washington wide receiver Denzel Boston, University of Miami quarterback Carson Beck, and Tennessee cornerbacks Colton Hood and Jermod McCoy (knee). Hood was one of the biggest snubs of Round 1 on Thursday night, and he could be in play for the Niners at 33 or any team that trades up into that spot. McCoy has been considered a top-10 talent, but he's falling because of injury concerns.
Source: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
Source: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
Sean McVay Fully "On Board" With First-Round Selection of Ty Simpson
The Los Angeles Rams had one of the surprise picks on Thursday night in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft, taking Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson 13th overall. The Rams were clearly looking for the heir apparent to MVP Matthew Stafford, but many draft analysts didn't expect L.A. to go with Simpson with their first-round selection. Although head coach Sean McVay said he was "absolutely" on board with the pick, multiple team sources said they thought McVay "might have felt the need to downplay the pick to accentuate his confidence in Stafford." McVay and general manager Les Snead were in "lockstep" the entire way. When all is said and done, it was a surprising move by a Rams team that had been making all of its offseason moves with a win-now mentality to try to take advantage of what little time Stafford might have left in the league. The Simpson pick was clearly made with an eye toward the future, and he's expected to compete for the backup job with Stetson Bennett this summer. It's unclear now if the Rams are interested in re-signing veteran Jimmy Garoppolo, who has been considering retirement.
Source: ESPN.com - Jeremy Fowler
Source: ESPN.com - Jeremy Fowler
Ty Simpson to Compete for Backup Gig in Rookie Season
The Los Angeles Rams had one of the biggest surprise selections in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft on Thursday night when they took Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick. While Simpson figures to be the successor to MVP Matthew Stafford, many draft analysts were wondering if Simpson would fall out of the first round of the draft entirely. After the pick was made, head coach Sean McVay said, "This is Matthew's team." The 38-year-old is entering his 18th season, but he was at the top of his game last year, and it's unclear how long he wants to continue playing. McVay made sure to run the selection of Simpson by Stafford first. L.A. became the first team to have a QB named MVP and then select a signal-caller in the first round since the Packers in 1967. With Jimmy Garoppolo considering retirement, McVay said that Simpson will compete for the backup gig with Stetson Bennett. Simpson doesn't have a long resume from college, but he's a hard worker and is in an excellent situation with the Rams to eventually replace Stafford. Fantasy managers in dynasty/keeper leagues will need to be patient with Simpson.
Source: ESPN.com - Sarah Barshop
Source: ESPN.com - Sarah Barshop
Eagles, Patriots Expected to Resume A.J. Brown Talks Around June 1
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported on Thursday that the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots are expected to resume trade talks about wide receiver A.J. Brown around June 1, when it will help the Eagles salary-cap wise to trade the disgruntled Brown. The Patriots signed former Green Bay Packers wideout Romeo Doubs in free agency in March, but they might not be done upgrading their receiving room this offseason for young quarterback Drake Maye. On the other side, everything the Eagles have done with their WR room since the start of the new league year points to Brown being dealt after June 1. Philly first acquired wideout Dontayvion Wicks from Green Bay, and then they traded up in the first round of Thursday night's 2026 NFL draft to select USC receiver Makai Lemon at 20th overall. ESPN's Adam Schefter recently said a Brown trade is becoming more likely, which would reunite him with head coach Mike Vrabel. The two worked together in Tennessee previously. The 28-year-old Brown had his sixth 1,000-yard season in seven years in the NFL in 2025 with the Eagles, but he was unhappy with his role and had a career-low 12.9 yards per catch in 15 regular-season starts. A move to New England could boost his fantasy ceiling yet again.
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
Fernando Mendoza to Sit All Year Behind Veteran QB?
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport said on Thursday that Las Vegas Raiders veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins is expected to mentor first overall pick Fernando Mendoza this year, and Cousins is expected to be the team's starter under center to kick off the regular season in early September. Rapoport also says that the Raiders hope Cousins can run the offense all year while Mendoza learns on the sidelines. In a perfect scenario, Mendoza would be ready to roll as the full-time starter in 2027. Given Cousins' declining play and elevated injury risk at 37 years old, it would be a surprise if he were the Raiders' starter in 2026 from wire to wire. The 22-year-old Mendoza should be the No. 2 pick in rookie-only dynasty/keeper leagues this year, behind only Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Love. The Indiana product doesn't have a ton of dual-threat upside at the next level, but his accuracy in the pocket should give him a safe long-term fantasy floor while paired with offensive-minded head coach Klint Kubiak. In redraft leagues, Mendoza won't be as attractive in 2026, but he'll still have appeal as a QB2 with upside in superflex setups if Cousins falters or gets hurt.
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
