April 13, 2026

Louisville wide receiver prospect Chris Bell will be one of the riskiest selections in the NFL Draft and dynasty rookie drafts alike. For much of his senior season, early draft analysis had him ranked right alongside what has now become the Big Three of receiver prospects in Carnell Tate, Makai Lemon, and Jordyn Tyson as a potential first-round pick. An ACL tear in his final game of the season all but shattered that possibility, and he now profiles as more of a mid-to-late Day 2 pick who may require what amounts to a redshirt season as a rookie. While Bell's production doesn't stack up to the receivers at the top of the class, his pre-injury athletic profile was what made him stand out. At 6'2" and 222 pounds, he hit an in-game speed of 22 MPH, allowing him to win after the catch with both physicality and acceleration. How the injury will impact him in the all-important early stages of his professional career is yet to be seen, but if he can return to anything resembling his senior year form without falling too far behind the NFL pace, he could become a steal for whoever is willing to make the gamble.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

April 13, 2026

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith is a former Heisman Trophy winner and 2021 first-round pick, and while he's generally recognized as one of the best pure separators in the league, he's had a fantasy finish inside the WR20 only once in his five-year career. His 9.6 Half-PPR points per game in 2025 were the lowest since his rookie season, and yet, even set to turn 28 during the 2026 season, he could be one of the smartest buys in dynasty. Jalen Hurts is owed no guaranteed money beyond this season, and very public rumblings from Philadelphia's front office have implied they want to see a marked improvement in quarterback play before reinvesting in him. Saquon Barkley, now 29, has entered a stage of his career where workload considerations may become a factor. But perhaps most importantly, more and more writing on the wall has suggested that AJ Brown has played his last down with the Eagles. Should Brown be traded after June 1st, as many around the league are expecting, the path would clear for Smith to assume a true alpha role for the first time since he was a 22-year-old rookie.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

April 13, 2026

Houston Texans running back Woody Marks handled more than 230 opportunities as a rookie, the third-highest total of any first-year player in his class, despite being the ninth running back selected in the 2025 NFL Draft. He flirted with low RB2 status over the second half of the season but got there on volume alone, as his efficiency numbers ranked near the bottom of the league. Marks could buck the trend, but historically, rookie running backs who receive that sort of workload after falling to the third day of the draft tend to get there because of a lack of surrounding talent, and that kind of situational success has been mostly unsustainable. In Marks' case, Houston has already added David Montgomery via trade, and he should be able to add the sort of between-the-tackles presence they may have thought they had in Nick Chubb last season. Marks is unlikely to see another 200 carries in year two, but where he could see a boost is through the passing game. He saw only a 6.7% target share after leaving USC as one of the most prolific pass-catching backs in college football history. With Montgomery in the fold to handle early down work, Marks could settle into his more natural role as a third down, change of pace back, offsetting some of his fantasy production as a receiver, even if his overall volume should drop.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

April 13, 2026

Among one of the deepest classes of tight end prospects in recent history, Vanderbilt's Eli Stowers stands out for his rare athleticism. While Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq made headlines with his 4.39-second 40-yard dash, it was Stowers whose historic Combine testing allowed him to register an unofficial Relative Athletic Score of 9.46, a 95th percentile mark for the position. Sadiq will almost certainly be the first tight end selected in the NFL Draft, likely to hear his name called in the middle part of the first round, while Stowers profiles as more of a mid-Day 2 pick. However, part of what makes Sadiq an attractive NFL prospect doesn't necessarily translate to fantasy. He is a willing and sturdy blocker who won't look out of place in a game trending towards heavier personnel packages as an answer to more two-high shells. Stowers, on the other hand, plays more of a jumbo slot role and has reportedly been evaluated as a wide receiver by several teams. He could become an immediate target-earner in the mold of a Harold Fannin Jr., and while there's little doubt as to who will be the first tight end selected into the NFL, dynasty rookie drafts do not necessarily need to follow suit.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

April 12, 2026

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston is on track to handle an increased workload during the 2026 season. Keenan Allen remains a free agent, and at this point, it seems unlikely that he'll return to the Bolts. Barring a big Tre' Harris breakout, Johnston should take over as the Chargers' No. 2 wide receiver behind Ladd McConkey. The TCU product's biggest issue in the past has been drops, so he'll need to demonstrate more reliable hands in order to thrive with additional volume. We saw his improved catching skills last year, as he finished the season with a career-low two drops despite handling a career-high 77% snap share. Managers should feel encouraged by his reliability last season, when he finished as the WR34 with 735 yards and eight touchdowns. He's trending up and represents an intriguing target in dynasty leagues.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

April 12, 2026

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has cooled off slightly over the last three seasons, but he remains a high-end scoring fantasy option in fantasy football. After an impressive seven-year stretch in which he delivered six TE1 finishes and one TE2 finish, he has been the TE3, TE5, and TE3 over the last three years, respectively. His reception total dropped to 76 last season (his lowest mark since 2015), but he still mustered 851 yards and five touchdowns. Fantasy managers' biggest complaint was likely that he lacked consistency, ranking outside the top 16 fantasy tight ends in eight of his 17 games. He also took a major step backward near the end of the season; over his final five weeks, he ranked 35th among tight ends in fantasy points per game. Part of that was because Patrick Mahomes (knee) tore his ACL in Week 15, but it was a disappointing stretch nonetheless. Managers pursuing Kelce in redraft leagues next season will have to be okay with his high ceiling and low floor. The conversation in dynasty leagues is a little more complex. Kelce's new three-year deal with the Chiefs has two void years, so it's effectively a one-year deal that will let him retire after 2026. Assuming this is his last year in the league, managers should look to trade away Kelce for some sort of return this offseason.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

April 12, 2026

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker is one of the biggest risers this offseason, offering WR3/flex appeal for deeper fantasy leagues in 2026. The 24-year-old missed the first six games of last season but quickly took on a substantial role upon his return. After a reduced role in his first game back, he played at least 66% of the offensive snaps in each of his remaining 10 contests. He supplanted Xavier Legette as the Panthers' No. 2 receiver behind Tetairoa McMillan. Taking on a bigger offensive workload, he averaged 3.7 catches, 46.9 yards, and 0.4 touchdowns per game from Week 11 through Week 18. Coker ranked as the WR26 in PPR leagues during that span, and he kept his momentum going into the playoffs, where he caught nine passes for 134 yards and one touchdown in the Panthers' Wild Card loss. He ranks 173rd overall in RotoBaller's early redraft rankings for 2026, making him a projected 12th-round pick in 12-team leagues. He also ranks as the WR61 in the latest dynasty rankings, but he has top-36 upside and is an intriguing low-cost target in dynasty trades this offseason.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

April 12, 2026

Buffalo Bills wide receiver DJ Moore is coming off a subpar season, but this past offseason's trade should bode well for his fantasy outlook going forward. Moore was held to a modest 50 catches, 682 yards, and six touchdowns as a Chicago Bear in 2025, ranking as the overall WR35 in PPR leagues. That was Moore's worst single-season fantasy finish since his rookie campaign in 2018, when he was the WR39. It seemed as though the 28-year-old simply fell out of favor in head coach Ben Johnson's new-look Bears offense last year. The veteran receiver dropped below Luther Burden III, Rome Odunze, and Colston Loveland in the pecking order, so when the Bears were offered a second-round pick for him, they pounced on the opportunity. It was a somewhat pricey addition for the Bills, but it should elevate their offense and give them a true WR1. He'll immediately become Josh Allen's favorite target, surpassing Khalil Shakir on the depth chart. Moore is under contract through 2029, so he has a relatively favorable fantasy outlook. There are worse things than operating as Josh Allen's favorite target for four consecutive years, so as long as he stays healthy, Moore could return to his pre-2025 form going forward. He's an intriguing buy-low candidate in dynasty leagues this offseason.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

April 12, 2026

Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry was a top-eight fantasy option at his position for the fourth year in a row last season. He ranked as the overall RB8 in 2025 with 1,745 scrimmage yards and 16 touchdowns. Even at 32 years old, Henry has proven to be a productive and reliable ball-carrier, as well as a high-end option for fantasy managers. While he's certainly more valuable in redraft leagues than dynasty formats given his age, he projects as an RB1 once again in 2026. Fortunately for Henry, the Ravens didn't bring in any major running back competition, leaving Rasheen Ali and pass-catching specialist Justice Hill as his backups. The head coaching change from John Harbaugh to Jesse Minter could have an impact on his future, but we don't expect a massive shift. Henry ranks #12 among running backs in RotoBaller's redraft rankings for 2026, and he ranks #27 among running backs in the latest dynasty rankings.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

April 12, 2026

Los Angeles Rams running back Jarquez Hunter was a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and a popular traits-based dynasty stash. At 5'10" and 209 pounds, Hunter is a near carbon copy of both Kyren Williams and Blake Corum, but profiling as the most explosive of the three, there were calls for him to immediately supplant Corum on the depth chart, especially after seeing so little from the latter as a rookie. Unfortunately, Hunter's rookie season was even less eventful, seeing the field in only five games, and even then, limited exclusively to a handful of special teams snaps. The blueprint for a year-two breakout in Sean McVay's system is already on display in what Corum did in 2025. Unfortunately for Hunter, said breakout was strong enough to create a true blockade to fantasy relevance. Williams and Corum are expected to split work again in 2026, and barring injury, there is no clear path to additional involvement, considering 2025 marked the first time in four seasons that McVay gave more than 77 carries to even a second running back. Dynamic abilities are what made Hunter one of the first Day 3 backs selected in a loaded draft class, so he should still be held by dynasty managers with a deep enough bench to do so, but until the environment in front of him changes, expectations should remain low.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

April 12, 2026

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey burst onto the scene as a 2024 rookie, finishing his first season with 1,149 yards and seven touchdowns on a team-leading 82 receptions. He entered his second season priced as a low-end WR1 in both redraft and dynasty leagues as fantasy managers underestimated the impact of a returning Chargers legend. Keenan Allen came back to Los Angeles in 2025 as a 33-year-old veteran and promptly led the team in targets and receptions, operating primarily in the same short-to-intermediate parts of the field as McConkey. Heading into the NFL Draft, Allen remains unsigned, and McConkey should see every chance to thrive in new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel's rhythm-based scheme that will maximize his ability to add yards after the catch. Among players with at least a 60% snap share out of the slot, McConkey's 4.8 yards after catch average through his first two seasons already lands him near the top of the league, but McDaniel should repeatedly motion him into position to make even greater use of his 4.39-speed and return to something resembling his rookie form.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

April 12, 2026

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Ryan Flournoy had some fantasy-relevant moments in his second season as a sixth-round pick out of Southeast Missouri State, namely a six-catch, 114-yard outing in his first start of the season, filling in for the injured CeeDee Lamb. Unfortunately for Flournoy, when the Cowboys are at full health, the path to consistent fantasy contribution is obstructed from all sides. George Pickens was one of the biggest breakouts of 2025, and he appears slated to return for at least one more year on the franchise tag. Jake Ferguson was one of the most targeted tight ends in the league, and Lamb topped 1,000 receiving yards for the fifth straight year, despite missing three games. Impressively, Flournoy did lead the Cowboys in targets and receptions in a wild Week 14 loss to the Lions that saw him finish the game with 115 yards and a score in a week where Dallas had its full complement of pass catchers. Such flashes should not be unexpected from the big-bodied receiver in year three, but until the depth chart ahead of him thins out, Flournoy will be hard to trust with any sort of reliability outside of best ball formats.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

April 12, 2026

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young entered the league with all the expectations of a No. 1 overall pick, but through his first three seasons, consistency has evaded him. Carolina has exercised the fifth-year option on his rookie contract, giving the team two more years of affordable control and Young an additional chance to prove he's worthy of a massive pay raise. After a lackluster rookie campaign, Young was able to overcome a second-season benching in 2024, and with an improved surrounding cast, namely Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan, he put up his best statistical season to date in 2025, finishing year three with 3,011 yards and 23 touchdowns on a 63.6% completion rate, all career highs. Unfortunately, that increased production, modest as it was, still came with fits and starts. Young topped 200 passing yards only once through the first 10 weeks before throwing for a career high 448 yards in a Week 11 win over the Falcons. He then went on to average 175 yards per game the rest of the way, including a brutal 54-yard outing in fantasy championship week. Carolina will likely look to add more offensive firepower through the upcoming NFL Draft, and Young did establish a late-season rapport with his big-bodied slot receiver Jalen Coker, so the pieces could be in place for yet another step forward. Unfortunately, until he's shown he can regularly string together week-winning performances, he profiles as little more than a QB3 in superflex dynasty leagues.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

April 12, 2026

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Devaughn Vele was acquired via trade weeks before the start of the 2025 season after seeing scattered success as a rookie with the Denver Broncos. New Orleans gave up a fourth and seventh round pick for the 2024 seventh-rounder, but with so little time to learn the new system, he was rarely used early in the year, garnering only 54 yards on six catches before the team's Week 11 bye, despite the Saints passing at one of the league's highest volumes. In the four weeks coming out of the bye, his involvement increased substantially, twice leading the team in targets, offering a strong complementary option to Chris Olave, and becoming a trusted middle-of-the-field presence for Tyler Shough. Vele's season ended prematurely when a shoulder injury landed him on injured reserve, but in those four post-bye contests, he averaged 4.8 receptions for 59.8 yards, and following his first full offseason with the team, he could see similar usage in 2026. The Saints invested real draft capital into Vele, and he has experience operating both from the slot and out wide, so he should be able to find a useful role even if New Orleans does take a receiver early in the upcoming NFL Draft. It should, however, be remembered that Vele came into the league as an older prospect and will turn 29 midway through his third season, so if he doesn't find sustained fantasy relevance in 2026, the window to do so will close quickly.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

April 12, 2026

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor was a high-end RB1 and a dark-horse MVP candidate throughout the first half of the 2025 NFL season. Across his first 10 games of the year, he was averaging 113.9 rushing yards, 3.0 receptions, 26.0 receiving yards, and 1.7 touchdowns per contest. He ranked as the overall 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. Things went downhill from there, though, as the Colts hit their bye week and soon after lost Daniel Jones to a season-ending Achilles injury. The suboptimal quarterback play of Riley Leonard and Philip Rivers made it challenging for Jonathan Taylor to maintain his superstar role. He averaged 12.6 fantasy points per game (23rd-best) the rest of the way. Jones has a strong chance to be healthy in Week 1 of the 2026 season, which would be great news for Taylor. The 27-year-old has proven that he can still be an elite ball-carrier if the offense is in decent shape. He continues to be treated as a top running back option in RotoBaller's latest dynasty football rankings, where he ranks as the overall RB6.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller