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

May 5, 2026, 9:25 AM ET

New England Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins was an underrated piece of New England's deep playoff run, proving himself a trusted target to Drake Maye in some of the season's biggest moments. His 46 catches for 550 yards in 2025 were the second-highest totals of his nine-year career. Unfortunately, heading into 2026, his role in the offense is being squeezed in from all sides. The free agent acquisition of Romeo Doubs and a presumed trade for A.J. Brown will likely limit Hollins' opportunities in two-receiver sets, and while he spent nearly a quarter of his time in the slot in 2025, providing a bigger body who can help out in the running game, much of that role could be inherited by 2026 third-round pick Eli Raridon. The incoming rookie spent more time in the slot than as an inline tight end in his final, and most productive, season at Notre Dame. With Hunter Henry and 2025 third-round pick Kyle Williams still on the roster, some of the team's new additions finding the field could mean reduced opportunities for Hollins. The soon-to-be 33-year-old veteran will still have his moments, but outside of best ball formats, he will offer little upside from the end of the bench, and his sinking dynasty value is reflected by RotoBaller's WR147 ranking.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

May 5, 2026, 9:13 AM ET

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki had a quiet 2025 season, with his 42 targets and 28 receptions the lowest totals since his rookie campaign. Like most Bengals pass catchers, he struggled through the early portion of the season with Jake Browning replacing an injured Joe Burrow. While a mid-season trade for Joe Flacco was able to stabilize the offense, Gesicki missed the majority of Flacco's starts with a pectoral injury that landed him on injured reserve. Upon his return, six of his final seven games were again started by Burrow, and across those outings, Gesicki played as the TE15 in Half-PPR formats. While he will always slot behind Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins in the target pecking order, should one miss time, Gesicki has a history of stepping in as a top-two option in the passing game, giving him serious upside in one of the league's most high-powered offenses. He'll turn 31 in the opening weeks of the 2026 season, but Cincinnati added little competition through either free agency or the NFL Draft, and at RotoBaller's dynasty TE47, he's a low-cost depth piece who can offer a serious ceiling under the right circumstances.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

May 4, 2026, 4:27 PM ET

New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen said that rookie third-round wide receiver Malachi Fields, who stands at 6-foot-4 and 223 pounds, can be the team's "power forward" in the WR room in 2026, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN. The Giants lost Wan'Dale Robinson in free agency this offseason, and Darius Slayton (abdomen) will be out until July after core-muscle surgery, so the 22-year-old Fields could see plenty of offensive snaps for the G-Men in his first year in the NFL next to Malik Nabers (knee) and offseason acquisition Darnell Mooney after the Giants traded up to select him in the third round. Fields spent the first four years in college at Virginia before finishing his career at Notre Dame in 2025, where he caught 36 passes for 630 yards (17.5 yards per catch) and five touchdowns in 12 games played. Fields is a big-play threat that could really complement Nabers well in an offense led by rising young QB Jaxson Dart. There's plenty to like about Fields long-term in dynasty/keeper leagues, but he'll probably go undrafted in redraft leagues later this year.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN New York - Jordan Raanan

May 4, 2026, 4:20 PM ET

Las Vegas Raiders rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick in this year's NFL draft, primarily took snaps under center during the media viewing period of rookie minicamp over the weekend, according to Ryan McFadden of ESPN. It's what Mendoza is expected to do in new head coach Klint Kubiak's offensive scheme whenever he gets the nod to start under center. Mendoza said he "still has a long way to go" to learn to play under center after he operated mostly in shotgun formation at California and Indiana in college. The young signal-caller took a total of five snaps under center in three collegiate seasons. The Heisman Trophy winner is putting his best foot forward with his offensive linemen and is trying to take in as much information as possible as he heads into his first year in the NFL in 2026. In rookie-only dynasty drafts, Mendoza will most likely be the No. 2 player off the board, behind Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Love. In Year 1, Mendoza is expected to sit behind veteran Kirk Cousins to begin the year, and the Raiders wouldn't be opposed to the young QB working as the backup for his entire rookie season. It means fantasy managers should avoid Mendoza in single-year setups.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Ryan McFadden

May 4, 2026, 4:13 PM ET

Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken wants to name a starting quarterback before the start of training camp at the end of July, but he said at the end of last week that he's not ready to name a leader in the competition, according to Zac Jackson of The Athletic. Deshaun Watson (Achilles) and Shedeur Sanders are the primary competitors for the job. Watson missed all of 2025 while recovering from a twice-torn right Achilles tendon, but reports so far have suggested that he's looking great and could have the upper hand over Sanders. Sanders, the son of former NFL star Deion Sanders, fell to the fifth round in last year's draft. He ended up starting the final seven games for the Browns in his rookie season, and he predictably struggled. "It's my job to let it play out," Monken said of the team's QB competition. In a minicamp practice recently, Watson was first in line as the QBs went through drills, but Monken said the practice script called for Sanders to take more total reps. The order of the QB reps will continue to change going forward. Watson's dynasty fantasy value might not be dead yet, and although he has much more experience and success in the NFL than Sanders, he has been hurt and unreliable in his time in Cleveland.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Athletic - Zac Jackson

May 4, 2026, 3:56 PM ET

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. (eye) reported for voluntary offseason workouts on Monday after he stayed home the last two weeks, a source told Stephen Holder of ESPN. Richardson, whose future is cloudy in Indy, at best, requested a trade this offseason. But the Colts seemingly aren't close to trading him and haven't indicated that they will release him, so the former fourth overall pick has reported to offseason workouts. The Colts unexpectedly declined Richardson's fifth-year option for the 2027 season after he played in just 17 games (15 starts) in his first three seasons in the NFL due to injuries and inconsistency at the QB position. Despite tearing his Achilles tendon late last season, Daniel Jones received a two-year contract extension from the Colts, cementing him as the team's starting QB going forward. Indy is also high on Riley Leonard, so if Richardson sticks around in 2026 in the final year of his rookie deal, he could enter the regular season as the QB3. Richardson's dynasty fantasy value is currently at rock bottom.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Stephen Holder

May 4, 2026, 3:51 PM ET

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac writes that the Pittsburgh Steelers' "patience could be starting to wear thin" with free-agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers since he still has yet to commit to re-signing with the organization to be their starter in 2026. Although nothing is official, all reports have indicated that the 42-year-old future Hall of Famer is leaning toward re-signing with Pittsburgh for a 22nd year in the NFL. The Steelers have the right of first refusal and can match any offer sheet that Rodgers might receive from another team after they placed an unrestricted free-agent tender on him. Mason Rudolph and Will Howard were already on Pittsburgh's roster at the QB position before the team selected former Penn State signal-caller Drew Allar at No. 76 overall in this year's NFL draft. If Rodgers re-signs with the Steelers, as expected, he'll be the starter under center going into Week 1 this fall. The Steelers have upgraded their WR room this offseason, but Rodgers would continue to be a low-upside QB2 in superflex fantasy football leagues.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Gerry Dulac

May 4, 2026, 3:05 PM ET

Veteran quarterback Skylar Thompson is expected to sign with the Baltimore Ravens, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Thompson did not appear in an NFL game in 2025, spending most of the year on the Pittsburgh Steelers' Injured Reserve due to a hamstring injury. Across three games (one start) for the Miami Dolphins in 2024, Thompson completed 63.6% of his pass attempts for 187 yards, zero touchdowns, and zero interceptions. Rapoport reports that Baltimore plans to carry five quarterbacks for the time being, meaning that Thompson will join a crowded competition for the QB2 role in Baltimore behind Lamar Jackson. Thompson and fellow veteran Tyler Huntley may be the favorites for the role, with undrafted free agents Diego Pavia and Joe Fagnano adding some competition as well.--Will Brady
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport

May 4, 2026, 2:57 PM ET

A fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Indianapolis Colts running back DJ Giddens failed to carve out a consistent role in his team's offense as a rookie. Across nine games, the 22-year-old recorded 26 carries for 96 yards and failed to haul in a single reception out of the backfield. As long as superstar Colts running back Jonathan Taylor remains healthy, Giddens has no path to fantasy-relevant playing time in Indianapolis. Giddens could carry some value as a handcuff option, as his primary competition for the Colts RB2 role is 2026 seventh-rounder Seth McGowan. Still, Giddens has done little to this point in his NFL career to inspire confidence that Indianapolis would feel comfortable handing him the reins should Taylor go down. Coming off his underwhelming rookie season, Giddens' dynasty stock is trending down heading into 2026.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

May 4, 2026, 2:45 PM ET

The Green Bay Packers have made a move to upgrade their backup quarterback situation, signing veteran signal-caller Tyrod Taylor and releasing Desmond Ridder. Green Bay will be Taylor's eighth NFL team as he enters his 16th season in the league. He logged six games (four starts) for the New York Jets in 2025, completing 59.7% of his pass attempts for 779 yards, five touchdowns, and five interceptions. The 36-year-old still brings some juice with his legs as well, as he rushed for 143 yards and a touchdown on 27 attempts. Should anything happen to Packers QB1 Jordan Love, Taylor could have some streaming appeal as a dual-threat fantasy quarterback in 2026. As for Ridder, he'll be looking to latch on with a new team before the start of the upcoming season. The 26-year-old did not appear in an NFL game in 2025, spending time on the practice squads of both the Packers and the Minnesota Vikings.--Will Brady
Source: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero

May 4, 2026, 2:35 PM ET

Seattle Seahawks tight end AJ Barner emerged as a red zone weapon in 2025, recording 52 receptions for 519 yards and six touchdowns on 68 targets across 17 games. Seattle also used the 24-year-old as its "tush push" quarterback, which allowed Barner to pick up an extra touchdown as a rusher. All told, Barner finished as the TE14 in half-PPR fantasy scoring. However, despite the solid year, Barner may profile as a sell-high candidate in dynasty leagues heading into 2026. For one, he remained a low-volume receiver in 2025, averaging just four targets per game. Additionally, the Seahawks could expand the role of 2025 second-round tight end Elijah Arroyo, who likely offers a higher upside as a pass-catcher than Barner. Barner's rushing usage gives him some additional fantasy upside, but he's likely too reliant on touchdowns to be counted on as a reliable producer at the tight end position going forward.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller