March 26, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher
Brandon Sproat had a solid spring showing, posting a 3.46 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and a 21.2 percent K-BB% in 13 innings pitched, earning himself a spot in the Brewers' rotation to begin the year. The right-hander began last season at Triple-A, and although the season-long numbers don't jump off the page, in 10 appearances from June 28 through August 30, the former second-round draft pick recorded a 2.44 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and 70 strikeouts in 59 innings pitched (20.9 percent K-BB%), which prompted his promotion to the big leagues. The 6-foot-5 hurler had a 4.79 ERA (2.80 FIP), 1.21 WHIP, and a much lower 11.9 percent K-BB% in his four starts for the Mets last year, and while a 7.40 K/9 in the majors doesn't grab the attention of many fantasy managers, the 25-year-old will draw a very favorable home matchup against the White Sox on Sunday in his first start of 2026. That should make him a viable waiver target, even if just for streaming purposes, and he could be a sneaky DFS pick in a game that the Brewers will surely be favored to win.
--Jarod RuppSource: ESPN
March 26, 2026
Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said he'd be "foolish" not to consider veteran right-hander
Paul Sewald for save chances this year with both
Justin Martinez (elbow) and
A.J. Puk (elbow) on the injured list to begin the 2026 season, according to 12 News' Cameron Cox. Lovullo mentioned Sewald's experience at the back of the bullpen in his career, as the 35-year-old has 86 saves over his nine major-league seasons with five different teams. He certainly isn't a slam-dunk saves candidate for the D-backs or for fantasy managers, though, as he posted a weak 4.58 ERA (4.66 FIP), a 1.22 WHIP, two saves, 20 strikeouts, and six walks in just 19 2/3 innings in 2025 with the Cleveland Guardians and Detroit Tigers. Sewald should be the Diamondbacks' first choice for save chances to begin the year, but
Kevin Ginkel and
Ryan Thompson could also be sprinkled in, and this could quickly evolve if Sewald struggles. Fantasy managers are better off staying away.
--Keith HernandezSource: 12 News - Cameron Cox
March 26, 2026
Philadelphia Phillies right-hander
Zack Wheeler (shoulder) threw a bullpen session on Thursday at Citizens Bank Park and is expected to go three innings/50 pitches during his minor-league rehab start on Saturday at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, according to Corey Seidman of NBC Sports. Wheeler is making good progress in his recovery from surgery last September for venous thoracic outlet syndrome, and this will be his first game action since going under the knife. If everything goes according to plan during his rehab assignment in the minors, Wheeler could come off the IL and make his 2026 season debut in mid-April. The 35-year-old veteran is more of a risk in fantasy baseball going into his 12th season while coming off unique surgery, but Wheeler's high-end upside when healthy is too hard to ignore. He should not be available on any waiver wires to begin the year. The three-time All-Star had a 2.71 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and 195:33 K:BB in his 24 starts last year before being shut down.
--Keith HernandezSource: NBC Sports Philadelphia - Corey Seidman
March 26, 2026
Tampa Bay Rays outfielder
Chandler Simpson will start Opening Day on Thursday against the St. Louis Cardinals on the bench, according to MLB.com. The Rays will roll with
Ryan Vilade (batting second) in left field,
Cedric Mullins (batting eighth) in center field, and
Jonny DeLuca (batting sixth) in right field against Cardinals left-hander
Matthew Liberatore. Simpson, 25, bats from the left side and will have to wait to make his first start in 2026. In his first year in the big leagues in 2025, Simpson hit .299 (32-for-107) against southpaws, as opposed to a .293 (9-for-307) average versus righties. The former second-rounder in 2022 slashed an impressive .295/.326/.345 with a .671 OPS, no homers, 26 RBI, 53 runs scored, and 44 stolen bases in his first 109 big-league games. He gives fantasy managers virtually zero power, and when he is in the lineup, he'll likely be down at the bottom of the order, limiting his counting-stat upside. Still, Simpson is useful in all leagues for his elite speed in Tampa.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
March 26, 2026
Chicago White Sox catcher
Kyle Teel (hamstring) was seen getting in some pre-game work on Thursday before the team's Opening Day contest in Milwaukee against the Brewers, according to Scott Merkin of MLB.com. Teel was placed on the 10-day injured list to start the 2026 season due to a Grade 2 right-hamstring strain that he suffered in mid-March while playing for Italy during the World Baseball Classic. The White Sox expect the 24-year-old backstop to return in four to six weeks. When healthy, Teel should serve as the Pale Hose's primary catcher in 2026, sharing time with
Edgar Quero behind the dish. Until Teel can make his season debut, the White Sox will roll with Quero and
Reese McGuire at the position. Teel doesn't have a crazy-high power ceiling, but he's proven he can get on base frequently, and he even has above-average wheels for a catcher. The former 14th overall pick in 2023 out of Virginia by the Red Sox hit .273/.375/.411 with a .786 OPS, eight homers, and 35 RBI in his first 78 major-league games in Chicago in 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Scott Merkin
March 26, 2026
Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown said on Thursday that infielder
Isaac Paredes will move around at several different positions in 2026, according to Astros beat writer Javier Gonzalez. "He'll get a lot of at-bats. The plan is for him to play 3B, 1B, 2B, and DH," Brown said. Paredes is starting at the hot corner and will bat third on Opening Day on Thursday against the visiting Los Angeles Angels and right-hander
Jose Soriano with
Jeremy Pena (finger) out of the lineup.
Carlos Correa is moving to shortstop. The 27-year-old will essentially rotate around the infield when players need a day off or when injuries strike, so Paredes won't be guaranteed regular playing time throughout the year. He was limited to 102 games in 2025 in his first year in Houston due to a serious hamstring injury, but he still managed to reach the 20-homer mark for the third time in his six MLB seasons. Fantasy managers should view Paredes as a mid-tier third baseman, but to reach his true ceiling, he'll likely need an injury to open up more consistent playing time in Houston.
--Keith HernandezSource: Javier Gonzalez
March 26, 2026
The Houston Astros are hoping that left-handed closer
Josh Hader (biceps) will be facing hitters "by mid-April," general manager Dana Brown told Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Hader is starting the 2026 season on the 15-day injured list due to left-biceps tendinitis that he dealt with this spring. The good news is that the veteran southpaw has been throwing off the mound since earlier this month. However, with Hader being a couple of weeks out from potentially facing live hitters, fantasy managers might want to expect his 2026 debut to come in early May, at the earliest. Hader should not be floating around on any waiver wires to begin the year, but fantasy managers holding him might not get him back as early as they anticipated, and it remains to be seen if he'll be his normal dominant self when he returns after also dealing with shoulder issues in 2025. In the meantime,
Bryan Abreu figures to get the majority of save opportunities in Houston.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
March 26, 2026
Philadelphia Phillies rookie outfielder
Justin Crawford is starting in center field and batting ninth for the Phillies in his major-league debut on Thursday on Opening Day against the visiting Texas Rangers and right-hander
Nathan Eovaldi, according to MLB.com. Crawford earned a spot on the team's Opening Day roster after hitting .250 (13-for-52) with no homers, two RBI, 10 runs scored, three steals, two walks, and 12 strikeouts in 18 Grapefruit League games. The 22-year-old former 17th overall pick in 2022 has the opportunity to become the team's long-term option in center field after slashing .334/.411/.452 with seven home runs and 46 stolen bases at Triple-A Lehigh Valley in 2025. There's very little pop to be had here, and Crawford's counting stats might leave a lot to be desired while hitting at the bottom of the batting order, but his plus-plus speed should play as long as he's in the Phillies' lineup regularly.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
March 26, 2026
San Diego Padres outfielder
Miguel Andujar is serving as the designated hitter and will bat fifth for the Padres on Opening Day on Thursday against the visiting Detroit Tigers and left-hander
Tarik Skubal, according to MLB.com. Fantasy managers setting DFS lineups will want to avoid Andujar against the reigning American League Cy Young winner. In just two career at-bats against Skubal, Andujar is hitless. At least against lefties, Andujar will be San Diego's primary DH, with veteran
Nick Castellanos starting on the bench on Opening Day. The 31-year-old Dominican has an .807 career OPS against lefties, as opposed to a .734 OPS against right-handers. Andujar hit just .220 (11-for-50) with three home runs, 10 RBI, nine runs scored, and a stolen base in 19 Cactus League games this spring. He brings some pop from the right side, but he hasn't done much in the power department in his nine-year MLB career outside of crushing 27 long balls back in 2018 with the Yankees in just his second MLB season.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
March 26, 2026
Detroit Tigers shortstop prospect
Kevin McGonigle is starting at third base and will bat sixth in his major-league debut on Thursday on Opening Day at Petco Park in San Diego against Padres right-hander
Nick Pivetta, according to MLB.com. The 21-year-old impressed the Tigers enough to win an Opening Day roster spot, but his first start in the big leagues will come at the hot corner instead of at the 6, with
Javier Baez starting at short. The former first-rounder in 2023 hit .250 (11-for-44) with an .888 OPS, two home runs, six RBI, eight runs scored, and two stolen bases in 20 Grapefruit League games in spring training. McGonigle is mature beyond his years, is a complete hitter, and has an excellent command of the strike zone despite his age. He slashed .305/.408/.583 with a .991 OPS, 19 homers, 80 RBI, and 10 stolen bases in 88 games at three minor-league levels in 2025. McGonigle's power and speed are developing, but there's no question he is one of the best pure-hitting prospects in the majors in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
March 26, 2026
Minnesota Twins left-handed-hitting outfielder
Matt Wallner is in right field and is batting fifth on Opening Day on Thursday against the Baltimore Orioles and left-hander
Trevor Rogers at Camden Yards, according to MLB.com. At least to begin the season, the Twins plan to play Wallner every day, even though he has just a .641 OPS in his career against southpaws. Fantasy managers setting DFS lineups should probably avoid the 28-year-old, who has never faced Rogers. Wallner had a solid spring training showing, batting .333 (16-for-48) with three home runs, four doubles, six RBI, seven runs scored, and a stolen base in 18 Grapefruit League games for the Twins. If Wallner can continue to improve against lefties like he did last season (.790 OPS) and reduce his strikeout rate, there's no reason why he won't continue to play regularly in Minnesota. Last year in a career-high 104 games, he slashed .202/.311/.464 with 22 homers, 40 RBI, 47 runs, and four steals in 392 plate appearances.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
March 26, 2026
Cincinnati Reds infielder
Sal Stewart is starting at first base and is batting cleanup for the Reds on Opening Day on Thursday against the visiting Boston Red Sox and left-hander
Garrett Crochet, per MLB.com. Stewart has never faced Crochet in his career and will make for a tough sell in DFS lineups against one of the more dominant lefty arms in the game. Long-term, though, the 22-year-old former first-rounder in 2022 is a rising young power bat in fantasy baseball in the heart of what should be a pretty productive lineup. Stewart posted a 1.042 OPS, .327/.450/.592 slash line, three home runs, eight RBI, 11 runs scored, and four stolen bases in 20 Cactus League games for the Reds this spring and has breakout potential in Cincy in his first full MLB season as a regular. In 18 games in his big-league debut in 2025, Stewart went 14-for-55 (.255) with five long balls and eight RBI.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
March 26, 2026
Baltimore Orioles outfielder
Taylor Ward is starting in left field and will bat in the leadoff spot in his debut with the team on Opening Day on Thursday against the visiting Minnesota Twins and right-hander
Joe Ryan, according to MLB.com. In his career against Ryan, Ward is hitless in six at-bats with an RBI. At least until second baseman
Jackson Holliday returns from his hand injury, the 32-year-old Ward will be Baltimore's preferred option at the top of the lineup in the early going. He'll give the O's plenty of thump from the right side in the outfield in his first year with the club after cracking a career-high 36 homers and driving in 103 in 663 plate appearances over 157 games played in 2025 in his final season with the Los Angeles Angels. He will look to keep things going at the plate after a strong spring showing, batting .281 (9-for-32) with a homer, three RBI, seven runs scored, and two steals in 13 Grapefruit League contests.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
March 26, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers infielder
David Hamilton is making the start at third base and will bat seventh for the Brewers on Opening Day on Thursday at home against the visiting Chicago White Sox and right-hander
Shane Smith, according to MLB.com. Hamilton will get the nod at the hot corner for Game 1 of 162 over
Luis Rengifo. The 28-year-old is primarily an option in NL-only leagues for his speed on the basepaths. Hamilton has very little power (14 home runs in 204 big-league games). In his three seasons with the BoSox, he hit .222/.283/.359 with a weak .642 OPS, 14 long balls, 47 RBI, 76 runs scored, and 57 stolen bases in 550 plate appearances. Playing time should be easier to come by now that he's in Milwaukee, but still, Hamilton could become more of a utility infielder by season's end if the Brew Crew opt for offense over defense at third base.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
March 26, 2026
Chicago White Sox outfielder
Luisangel Acuna is starting in center field and is batting ninth on Opening Day on Thursday against the Milwaukee Brewers and right-hander
Jacob Misiorowski at American Family Field, according to MLB.com. Acuna joined the Pale Hose this offseason and will operate as the club's regular center fielder to begin the 2026 season. The 24-year-old Venezuelan began his career as an infielder before being shifted to the outfield this spring in Chicago. In 95 games with the New York Mets in 2024, he slashed .234/.293/.274 with a .567 OPS, no homers, eight RBI, 30 runs scored, and 16 stolen bases in 193 plate appearances. Acuna, the younger brother of Braves superstar
Ronald Acuna Jr., made some adjustments with his swing mechanics to try to generate more power going forward, but fantasy managers in deeper leagues should only really be counting on his speed on the basepaths.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
March 26, 2026
New York Mets infielder
Jorge Polanco is starting at first base and batting cleanup for the Mets in Thursday's Opening Day contest against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates and right-hander
Paul Skenes, according to MLB.com. The matchup for DFS purposes against the reigning National League Cy Young winner isn't a great one for DFS for Polanco, but if he hits in the four-hole regularly this year behind
Francisco Lindor,
Juan Soto, and
Bo Bichette, he will have plenty of RBI opportunities as he splits time between first base and designated hitter in his first year in Queens. In his career against Skenes, Polanco has a hit in four at-bats. The 32-year-old Dominican switch-hitter will be looking to carry over his strong spring numbers to the regular season, as he went 9-for-29 (.310) with two home runs, four RBI, and six runs scored in 11 Grapefruit League contests.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
March 26, 2026
Baltimore Orioles outfield prospect
Dylan Beavers (knee, quadriceps) is out of the team's Opening Day lineup on Thursday against the Minnesota Twins.
Tyler O'Neill is starting in right field and will hit sixth for the O's against Twins right-hander
Joe Ryan. Beavers isn't quite ready to make his 2026 debut after sitting out of action the last week with tightness in his right knee and quadriceps muscle. He managed to avoid the injured list, though, so he could be back in Baltimore's starting lineup any day now. It won't be a strict platoon in right field this year, but Beavers and O'Neill are expected to share time at the position. The 24-year-old Beavers, who hits from the left side, made his big-league debut last year and went 25-for-110 (.227) with four home runs and 14 RBI in 137 plate appearances and 35 games played. He has 20/20 potential and could force his way into more playing time if he can get past his injury and get off to a hot start at the plate in his first full MLB season.
--Keith HernandezSource: Baltimore Orioles
March 26, 2026
Boston Red Sox infielder
Marcelo Mayer is not in the starting lineup for Thursday's Opening Day contest against the Cincinnati Reds. While manager Alex Cora previously said Mayer made the roster as Boston's starting second baseman, it appears that he won't be getting many at-bats against left-handed pitching. The Red Sox face left-hander
Andrew Abbott on Thursday, and Cora has decided to start right-handed-hitting infielder
Isiah Kiner-Falefa at second base over Mayer. It's not the flashiest decision, but it makes sense. Mayer had a rough rookie season at the plate, posting a .416 OPS, a 37% strikeout rate, and 6 wRC+ against left-handed pitching (27 plate appearances). He could come off the bench if the Reds bring in a right-handed reliever, and we expect him to start at second base on Saturday against right-hander
Brady Singer.
--Andersen PickardSource: Chris Cotillo
March 26, 2026
Houston Astros shortstop
Jeremy Pena (finger) is not in the starting lineup for Thursday's Opening Day contest against the Los Angeles Angels. He is reportedly taking live at-bats at the Astros' Triple-A affiliate in Sugar Land on Thursday morning. The 28-year-old is still recovering from a right ring finger fracture that he suffered while working out for the Dominican Republic ahead of the World Baseball Classic. Pena is trending in the right direction, as he was able to log defensive innings during the Astros' exhibition game on Tuesday. However, he's evidently not quite healthy enough to start the club's season opener. Given that the injury wasn't serious enough to warrant placement on the injured list, we'd expect to see Pena in the lineup sooner rather than later. In the meantime,
Carlos Correa will play shortstop while
Isaac Paredes shifts to third base.
--Andersen PickardSource: Matt Kawahara
March 26, 2026
The New York Mets have signed outfielder
Tommy Pham to a minor-league contract, according to Jorge Castillo of ESPN.com. Pham remained a free agent throughout all of spring training, which means he hasn't played in a game since September 28, 2025, with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He'll presumably need to ramp back up before he reports to the Mets' Triple-A affiliate in Syracuse, where he'll offer depth and a proven veteran presence. The 38-year-old continued to put the ball in play last season, slashing a modest .245/.330/.370 with an 11.1% walk rate, a 20.9% strikeout rate, and 94 wRC+ across 120 games. He bats right-handed and posted reverse splits in 2025, contributing an OPS of .716 against right-handed pitching and .651 against southpaws. Given his decent numbers at the plate last year, we wouldn't be surprised if Pham is the first player the Mets turn to when an outfielder or right-handed bat gets injured this season.
--Andersen PickardSource: Jorge Castillo
March 26, 2026
Chicago Cubs infielder
Matt Shaw will bat ninth and play right field during Thursday's Opening Day contest against the Washington Nationals at Wrigley Field. Between the minors and majors, Shaw has never played the outfield in a regular-season contest. However, he did spend 50 innings in right field and 14 innings in center field during spring training, indicating that the Cubs were very interested in moving him around defensively. Indeed, they'll get his bat and glove into the lineup for Game 1 of the regular season. He slashed just .226/.295/.394 last year, but he still contributed 13 home runs, 17 steals, and 93 wRC+ across 126 games. Shaw was a rookie in 2025, so we wouldn't be surprised to see him take a step forward offensively in his second season. He'll get his first chance at making that leap on Thursday as the Cubs face Nationals right-hander
Cade Cavalli. Shaw has never faced Cavalli before, but he posted a mere .649 OPS with a 22.0% strikeout rate and 82 wRC+ against right-handed pitchers in 2025.
--Andersen PickardSource: Jacob Zanolla
March 26, 2026
The Athletic's Alec Lewis reports that the Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles are two teams that could trade for Minnesota Vikings linebacker Jonathan Greenard. Both the Colts and Eagles are in win-now mode, have explored the possibilities of signing Trey Hendrickson and Jaelan Phillips, and have invested in edge rushers in recent years. Greenard would also be a good fit with both defensive coordinators Lou Anarumo of the Colts and Vic Fangio of the Eagles. The Colts have young edge rusher Laiatu Latu, but the depth behind him is questionable, at best. Greenard had 12 sacks in 2024, but that production dipped to just three sacks in Minnesota in 2025. He was more effective as a run-stopper, but he only played in 10 games due to injuries. Before 2024, Greenard had never played all 17 games in a season. Lewis thinks that anything less than a Day 2 pick in exchange for Greenard will be a deal-breaker.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Alec Lewis
March 26, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder
Jake Bauers will bat fifth and play left field during Thursday's Opening Day contest against the Chicago White Sox. Bauers wasn't projected to start, but he ended up getting into the lineup after starting left fielder
Jackson Chourio (hand) was placed on the injured list just hours before first pitch. With Chourio slated to miss at least two weeks, we expect to see some combination of Bauers and
Christian Yelich patrolling left field for the time being. Bauers gets the first crack at the role, with Yelich remaining in the designated hitter spot for now. The former slashed .235/.353/.399 with a 14.7% walk rate, 27.1% strikeout rate, and career-high 114 wRC+ across 86 games in the majors last year. He hits lefties much better than righties, so we wouldn't be surprised to see him start the first two contests before heading to the bench when the Brewers face White Sox southpaw
Anthony Kay on Sunday.
--Andersen PickardSource: Milwaukee Brewers
March 26, 2026
St. Louis Cardinals rookie infielder
JJ Wetherholt will lead off and play second base in his MLB debut on Opening Day. Wetherholt made the major league roster out of spring training after playing just 47 games at Triple-A last year. He was terrific in the minors in 2025, slashing .306/.421/.510 with 17 home runs, 23 stolen bases, a 14.5% walk rate, a 14.7% strikeout rate, and 154 wRC+. The former first-round pick added 115 wRC+ this spring, walking at a 20.5% clip (albeit over a small sample size). Fantasy managers shouldn't panic if Wetherholt takes a little while to adapt to the environment of Major League Baseball and the higher caliber of pitching. He still projects as a long-term standout at the plate and in the field, offering plenty of fantasy appeal in 2026 and beyond. If he can stick in the leadoff role, he'll provide fantasy managers with frequent trips to the plate and a high potential for runs and stolen bases.
--Andersen PickardSource: MLB.com
March 26, 2026
The Athletic's Matt Schneidman reports that Green Bay Packers All-Pro pass-rusher Micah Parsons (knee) is expected to miss the first three or four games of the 2026 season while finishing his ACL rehab. Parsons will most likely be "scratching and clawing" to play before then, but the Packers aren't going to rush the star defensive end back before he's ready. The 26-year-old will most likely be placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list for the start of training camp at the end of July after he tore his ACL in the middle of December last year. Obviously, Parson's fantasy stock in IDP formats in 2026 will be affected by his injury, but he will still be worth stashing in those formats for his high-end upside once he returns. The former 12th overall pick in 2021 by the Dallas Cowboys out of Penn State has been a Pro Bowler in each of his five NFL seasons and has racked up a total of 65 sacks in 77 games. Before his injury last year in his first year with the Packers, Parsons had 12.5 sacks in 14 contests.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Matt Schneidman
March 26, 2026
There has been confidence from the New York Jets and running back
Breece Hall that they can reach a long-term contract extension before the deadline in mid-July, but The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt still thinks there's a "60-40" chance that Hall signs a deal versus playing on the franchise tag in 2026. General manager Darren Mougey's general philosophy is to hold off on extension talks until after free agency and the draft, so it's unlikely that the two sides agree on anything until May or later. The Jets must decide if it's worth it to them to pay an RB significant money on a long-term deal, and Hall must also decide if he wants to stay in New York long-term. The 24-year-old is a complete back and had a career-high 1,065 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 243 carries in 2025 while adding 36 catches for 350 yards and another score in 16 games. However, he finished as just the RB19 in half-PPR scoring, and his overall ceiling in fantasy could remain low as more of an RB2 while the Jets' offense, which quarterback
Geno Smith will lead in 2026, continues to hold him hostage.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Zack Rosenblatt
March 26, 2026
St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher
Matthew Liberatore has streaming appeal in fantasy baseball on Thursday. Liberatore was named the Cardinals' Opening Day starter and will get the ball against the Tampa Bay Rays. Beyond the fact that he's starting Game 1 and had an impressive 1.80 ERA with 11.4 K/9 this spring, the southpaw is a particularly appealing streaming candidate because of his matchup against Tampa Bay. The Rays' lineup projects for the sixth-lowest fWAR in 2026, according to FanGraphs, and it's laden with plenty of lefties, giving Liberatore a potential handedness advantage. Fantasy managers should consider streaming the 26-year-old on Opening Day as he faces off against the team that originally drafted him.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
March 26, 2026
The Cleveland Browns and reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett agreed on Thursday to modify the language in his contract that became official on Tuesday, league sources told Field Yates of ESPN. Garrett's previous contract called for his option bonuses in 2026, 2027, and 2028 to be exercised by the 15th day of the league year. In the amended deal, the date has been pushed back to seven days before the regular season each year. Additionally, Garrett had $8 million of his base salary in 2029 and 2030 moved into roster bonuses early in each league year. The Browns now have more flexibility to create salary cap space each year, while Garrett benefits from the modified option payments. The 30-year-old All-Pro pass-rusher agreed to a four-year extension with the Browns in March of last year before setting the league's single-season sack record with 23. It's the second time that Garrett has won Defensive Player of the Year, also taking home the honors in 2023, when he led the NFL with 33 tackles for loss. Needless to say, he'll be an elite edge rusher for fantasy managers in IDP formats again in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Field Yates
March 26, 2026
After years of underperforming his draft pedigree as the No. 4 overall selection in 2021, Atlanta Falcons tight end
Kyle Pitts Sr. showed signs of a mid-career breakout in 2025. Across 17 games, the 25-year-old hauled in 88 receptions for 928 yards and five touchdowns on 118 targets. The Falcons placed the franchise tag on Pitts Sr. earlier this offseason, meaning he will be back in Atlanta in 2026, barring a trade. It's worth noting that Pitts Sr.'s best stretch of production came late in the 2025 season with veteran quarterback
Kirk Cousins under center and star Falcons wideout
Drake London battling a knee injury. Cousins is no longer with the team, and London should be back to full health in 2026. The Falcons will rely on the quarterback combination of
Michael Penix Jr. (knee) and
Tua Tagovailoa, creating an unstable offensive environment around Pitts Sr. While Pitts Sr.'s 2025 production makes him an intriguing high-upside fantasy option, his profile still carries significant risk entering 2026.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
March 26, 2026
Houston Texans tight end
Dalton Schultz re-established himself as a viable PPR streamer in 2025, finishing the year with 82 receptions for 777 yards and three touchdowns on 106 targets across 17 games. Schultz's 106 targets represented a career high, and he averaged nearly two more catches per game in 2025 than he did in 2024. However, Schultz averaged fewer than 10 yards per reception in 2025 and has never averaged more than 7.8 yards per target in any of his eight NFL seasons. The 29-year-old's production in 2025 was also buoyed by the absence of fellow Texans tight end
Cade Stover, who missed eight games with a foot injury. While Schultz should still be Houston's lead pass-catching tight end in 2026, a fully healthy season from Stover could lead to an incremental decline in targets for Schultz. Given Schultz's lack of explosiveness, he is heavily reliant on target volume for fantasy production. Schultz's stable production floor gives him some value as a depth option for fantasy managers, but his upside remains limited heading into 2026.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
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