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Mike Gesicki Faces Uncertain Role Entering 2026
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki enters his ninth NFL season facing more competition for targets than in any previous year. In 2025, Gesicki had just 28 receptions for 307 yards and two touchdowns in 13 games, finishing as the TE40 in half-PPR formats. Now, with wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins set to dominate the target share, and other playmakers, including running back Chase Brown and wideout Andrei Iosivas, handling secondary roles, Gesicki is facing limited targets despite an elite quarterback in Joe Burrow. However, he's unlikely to have a high snap count in 2026, as tight ends Drew Sample (58%) and former Bengal Noah Fant (38%) each played more snaps than Gesicki in 2025. With young player Erick All Jr. standing out in training camp as well, Gesicki could be a much smaller factor than he's been in his first two seasons in Cincinnati.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Mike Washington Jr. Could Earn RB2 Role
Las Vegas Raiders running back Mike Washington Jr. could have an immediate impact on the team. The 23-year-old was selected in the fourth-round of this year's draft out of Arkansas. He rushed for over 1,000 yards and scored eight touchdowns during his final season in college. Given the lack of viable options in the backfield, Washington could immediately slot into the RB2 role in Las Vegas. Ashton Jeanty is going to be the workhorse RB1, but he'll need to rest at some point. Washington could be an interesting change-of-pace back who could be one injury away from starting. He's someone worth taking a look at as a late-round handcuff.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Braelon Allen is Gaining Stash Value
New York Jets running back Braelon Allen is quickly gaining value early in camp. Fellow back Isaiah Davis (knee) suffered an injury that is going to keep him sidelined for a couple of weeks. The team believes he'll be ready for the regular season, but his absence gives Allen a straight shot at the No. 2 role in New York. Without Davis in the picture, Allen should have no problem securing the backup gig to Breece Hall, although that still wouldn't result in any standalone value as the backup in New York. Allen would likely be the change-of-pace back and would be the next man up if anything happens to Hall. The 22-year-old has shown flashes of potential in the past and deserves to be rostered in at least deep leagues to begin the season.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Tucker Kraft is Absent from Friday's Practice
Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft (knee) was absent from Friday's practice session, according to Matt Schneidman. Kraft is currently working his way back from a torn ACL that he suffered in Week 9 of last season. Kraft has been practicing for the last week, so his absence could just be for rest purposes. There is no word on Kraft suffering any kind of setback, so the assumption is that the Packers are just giving him the night off. The Packers are hopeful that Kraft will be ready to play for Week 1 of the regular season. He's coming off a significant injury, so fantasy managers shouldn't expect too much out of Kraft right away.
Source: Matt Schneidman
Source: Matt Schneidman
Josh Jacobs Misses Another Practice on Friday
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (groin) was absent from Friday's practice session, according to Matt Schneidman. This is the second straight day that Jacobs has missed practice due to a groin injury. It's early in camp, so it's not surprising to see the Packers playing it safe with Jacobs. This injury is not viewed as a long-term issue, so fantasy managers shouldn't have anything to worry about right now. MarShawn Lloyd is getting first-team reps without Jacobs available. He could be an interesting handcuff option for fantasy managers if Jacobs does miss any time. For now, Jacobs should be considered day-to-day and should be back at practice in a few days.
Source: Matt Schneidman
Source: Matt Schneidman
Isaiah Likely Becoming Favorite Target for Giants QB
New York Giants tight end Isaiah Likely could be ready to make a big impact with his new team. In recent practices, Likely has been quarterback Jaxson Dart's favorite target. He snagged a team-high four receptions during Friday's practice session. The wide receiver room is a bit cloudy right now, so Likely has a chance to step up and make an impact in a big way. The 26-year-old could end up being the top target in New York until Malik Nabers (knee) returns to the field. Likely is Rotoballer's TE14, but he has the upside to be a top-10 player at his position this season.
Source: Dan Duggan
Source: Dan Duggan
Tre Tucker Leaves Practice With Leg Injury on Friday
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker (leg) left training camp practice on Friday with an undisclosed leg injury, according to Joshua Jacopetti. Fellow wideout Dont'e Thornton Jr. also left Friday's practice with an undisclosed injury, so the Raiders' WR depth will be tested this weekend. The 25-year-old Tucker is expected to start alongside newcomer Jalen Nailor in 2026 in the team's new offense under head coach Klint Kubiak, with veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins and rookie Fernando Mendoza running it. Tucker had career highs across the board in 2025 in his third year in the NFL, catching 57 of his 92 targets for 696 yards and five touchdowns in 17 starts. The efficiency was not there in a bad Raiders offense, but that could change with new personnel and a new scheme this year. Still, the 25-year-old is a hard sell in 12-team fantasy football leagues, even with a potentially more efficient Raiders offense in 2026. RotoBaller has Tucker ranked as the No. 65 fantasy WR in half-PPR formats.
Source: Joshua Jacopetti
Source: Joshua Jacopetti
Jadarian Price Misses Friday's Practice With Lower-Body Soreness
Seattle Seahawks rookie running back Jadarian Price (lower body) missed Friday's training camp practice with "lower-body soreness," according to Gregg Bell of The Tacoma News Tribune. We should find out more on the severity of Price's injury, but it doesn't sound all that serious. But if this injury were to linger for the first-rounder out of Notre Dame, both George Holani and Emanuel Wilson would become more interesting in fantasy football while the Seahawks wait for Zach Charbonnet (knee) to recover from his ACL tear last postseason. Early in training camp, Price has been behind Holani, but he has seen reps with the first-team offense and figures to be involved early on in his rookie season with Charbonnet sidelined. The 22-year-old should be the Seahawks' most attractive fantasy RB until Charbonnet returns, and managers should consider him a low-end RB2/high-end RB3/flex target with plenty of long-term upside. If fully healthy, Price should earn most of Seattle's backfield touches, but when Charbonnet returns, it could be a different story.
Source: The Tacoma News Tribune - Gregg Bell
Source: The Tacoma News Tribune - Gregg Bell
Ravens Using Rashod Bateman "Much Differently"
Baltimore Ravens veteran wide receiver Rashod Bateman said on Friday that new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle is using him much differently than in his previous years with the Ravens, according to Bobby Trosset. "I'm moving around all over the place. In the past, I've been a one-dimensional receiver. I feel like he sees my talent. As a receiver, you want somebody to believe in you, to see your ability. I'm in the slot, outside. That's a blessing for me. I appreciate him for doing that so I get to show my talent more & more," Bateman said. It's something for fantasy managers to consider before completely writing off the 26-year-old former first-rounder in 2021 from the University of Minnesota. However, it's still hard to fathom Bateman being a weekly fantasy starter after disappointing in all but one of his five NFL seasons to this point, outside of his 45-756-9 line in 17 games in 2024. That feels especially true after Baltimore added rookie receivers Ja'Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt, who will be looking to take valuable targets away from Bateman in 2026. Unless WR1 Zay Flowers misses time with an injury, Bateman probably won't be much more than a deep-league bench stash at the WR position.
Source: Bobby Trosset
Source: Bobby Trosset
Emmett Johnson Named as a Faller in Chiefs Camp
The Athletic's Jesse Newell considers Kansas City Chiefs rookie running back Emmett Johnson a faller early in training camp this summer after he was selected in the fifth round in April's NFL draft. Newell likes Johnson's long-term prospects with the organization, but as of now, he has "been a clear fourth in the RB pecking order in practices," behind both Brashard Smith and Emari Demercado. At minimum, KC should have plenty of special teams work for the rookie. Head coach Andy Reid said earlier this week that the team wants to see Johnson keep his pad level lower while running. "You go high at this level, and you're going to get rearranged," Reid said. "And you don't want that to happen." Right now, the Chiefs feel more comfortable with their other depth options at the position behind RB1 Kenneth Walker III. The 22-year-old from the University of Nebraska could make up some ground as camp goes on and in preseason action, but as things currently stand, he's merely a dynasty/keeper stash.
Source: The Athletic - Jesse Newell
Source: The Athletic - Jesse Newell
Jaxson Dart Looks Much Better in Friday's Practice
New York Giants second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart has struggled early on in training camp while learning the team's new offense under head coach John Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, but Art Stapleton of The Bergen Record reports that Dart had his best practice of camp on Friday. He looked "much more decisive vs. pressure" and made the "proper reads." The football hit the ground only once on the final drive-the-field period against a mix of first- and second-team defenders. To cap it off, Dart hit receiver Darius Slayton for a touchdown. The 23-year-old former first-rounder from Ole Miss has the high-end dual-threat abilities to become a strong QB1 option for fantasy managers sooner rather than later. He quickly took over the Giants' starting QB job in 2025 and threw for 2,272 yards, 15 touchdowns, and five interceptions in 14 games (12 starts), adding 487 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on the ground to finish as the QB14 in fantasy. New York's expected run-first offense in 2026 could cap Dart's fantasy upside, but at the very least, he should be considered a low-end QB1/high-end QB2 for his rushing upside.
Source: The Bergen Record - Art Stapleton
Source: The Bergen Record - Art Stapleton
Cam Skattebo Doesn't Return to Friday's Practice After a Collision
New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo (leg) went down in training camp practice on Friday after a collision with linebacker Arvel Reese, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN. Skattebo was seen stretching his left leg and didn't return to practice, although he stayed on the sideline. It's unclear what the severity of Skattebo's leg injury is, but it's definitely concerning after he suffered a season-ending right-ankle injury as a rookie in 2025 that consisted of an ankle dislocation, an open-tibia fracture, and a ruptured deltoid ligament. The 24-year-old entered camp as a full-go, and all expectations are that he will be the team's RB1 in new head coach John Harbaugh's offense in 2026, which is expected to be more run-heavy. We will closely monitor his new injury, and if it ends up being something that keeps him from playing in Week 1 against the division-rival Dallas Cowboys, Tyrone Tracy Jr.'s fantasy stock will skyrocket. RotoBaller has Skattebo ranked as the No. 20 RB in half-PPR fantasy leagues as he enters his sophomore campaign. UPDATE: Harbaugh said Skattebo's exit from practice on Friday is "nothing serious at all," per The Athletic's Dan Duggan.
Source: ESPN New York - Jordan Raanan
Source: ESPN New York - Jordan Raanan
Marvin Mims Jr. Leaves Friday's Practice With Apparent Injury
Denver Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. (undisclosed) left Friday's training camp practice with an apparent injury after pulling up short on a deep-ball route, according to Nick Kosmider of The Athletic. The fourth-year pass-catcher was examined by trainers on the field before being taken to the trainer's room. Any injury that causes Mims to miss extended time would really hurt his chances of securing a key role in the Broncos' passing attack for the start of the 2026 regular season. The former second-rounder in 2023 from the University of Oklahoma had a career-best 39 catches for 503 yards and six touchdowns in 17 regular-season games in 2024, but he regressed last year with a 37-322-1 line in 15 regular-season games, and his path to fantasy relevance took a hit in the offseason when the Broncos traded for speedy wideout Jaylen Waddle. Whenever Mims gets back on the field, he'll be competing with Troy Franklin and Pat Bryant for WR3 duties behind Waddle and veteran Courtland Sutton. At best, Mims is shaping up as a boom/bust deep threat bench stash in the deepest of fantasy football leagues.
Source: The Athletic - Nick Kosmider
Source: The Athletic - Nick Kosmider
Dont'e Thornton Jr. Leaves Practice Early on Friday
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. (undisclosed) was forced to leave training camp practice early on Friday with an undisclosed injury, according to Sam Warren of The Athletic. It's unclear at this time if Thornton's injury will keep him out for an extended period of time this summer as he competes for the WR3 job with Jack Bech and Malik Benson behind Jalen Nailor and Tre Tucker. After being selected in the fourth round (108th overall) last year from the University of Tennessee, Thornton caught just 10 of his 30 targets for 135 yards and zero touchdowns in 15 games (eight starts) in a pretty dysfunctional offense. It remains to be seen if he'll be in line for a bigger offensive role in Year 2 under new head coach Klint Kubiak, but reports early in camp have suggested that Benson could be leading the competition for the WR3 role in Vegas. The Raiders are expected to rely more heavily on two-tight-end sets in 2026, so as things currently stand, Thornton is a receiver to avoid for fantasy managers in standard-sized 12-team leagues.
Source: The Athletic - Sam Warren
Source: The Athletic - Sam Warren
Titans, Guard Peter Skoronski Agree to Four-Year Extension
The Tennessee Titans and standout offensive guard Peter Skoronski agreed to a four-year, $100 million deal on Friday with $88 million guaranteed that makes him the highest-paid guard in the league, sources told Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. The 25-year-old was taken with the 11th overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft from Northwestern, and he'll now be locked up long-term as one of the top protectors of second-year quarterback Cam Ward. The move comes after the Titans already picked up Skoronski's $19.07 fifth-year option for the 2027 campaign back in April. He will remain as the Titans' starting left guard for the 2026 season after starting all 48 games that he's appeared in over his first three NFL seasons with Tennessee. Skoronski has not missed a game since the start of the 2024 campaign after playing in 14 games as a rookie in 2023.
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
