RADIO
Josue De Paula a Must-Add Bat Amid Playing-Time Opportunity
Across 19 plate appearances since making his MLB debut on September 11, Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder/designated hitter Josue De Paula is hitting .143 with one home run, three RBI, two runs scored, and one stolen base. While the 21-year-old has just two hits in his first five big-league games, he's drawn five walks while striking out just twice. De Paula was having an absolutely ridiculous season at Double-A Tulsa before getting called up, slashing .303/.401/.547 with 27 home runs, 104 RBI, 106 runs scored, and 31 stolen bases across 588 plate appearances. With Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (knee, biceps) currently on the injured list, De Paula appears to be in line for everyday playing time in Los Angeles. Heading into the final few weeks of the 2026 season, De Paula's massive five-category upside makes him a must-add player in leagues where he remains available on the waiver wire.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Dallas Goedert's TE1 Stock Jumps After Big Opener
Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert picked up where he left off last season, catching four of five targets for 77 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's 24-22 win over Washington. He led Philadelphia in receiving yards despite Jalen Hurts attempting only 25 passes, and his five targets were second on the team. Goedert scored 11 times in 2025, so another two-touchdown performance immediately makes last year's breakout look a little harder to dismiss as touchdown luck. The 77 yards matter just as much. Goedert topped that mark only twice all of last season, and Philadelphia now has a different-looking target tree after trading A.J. Brown during the offseason. DeVonta Smith remains the top receiving option, but Goedert showed in Week 1 that there is room for him to stay heavily involved. His fantasy stock is clearly higher coming out of the opener, with another top-10 tight end season looking more realistic than it did a week ago.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Corey Seager Has Returned to Vintage Form in September
Across 388 plate appearances in 2026, Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager is hitting .234/.325/.438 with 18 home runs, 45 RBI, 54 runs scored, and one stolen base. The 32-year-old's overall production is considerably below his career norm, and he's also missed time this season due to both back issues and a concussion. However, Seager's underlying batted-ball metrics remain very strong, as he's posted a 14.7% barrel rate and a 48.4% hard-hit rate. The veteran shortstop has also been hot of late, hitting .302 with five home runs and 11 RBI across 57 plate appearances in September. Seager's strikeout rate is up to a career-worst 22.9% in 2026, but he's struck out in just 17.8% of his trips to the plate since the All-Star break. Heading into the final few weeks of the regular season, Seager profiles as a high-end four-category producer for fantasy managers.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Tyreek Hill Could Be In-Season Option for Chiefs
Free-agent wide receiver Tyreek Hill (knee) remains a name to watch for the Kansas City Chiefs later this season. According to ESPN, Hill remains fond of his former team, and a potential in-season reunion could make sense once he is healthy enough to play. The expectation is that Hill should be closer to that point sometime around October, though there is no indication that he and the Chiefs are currently working toward a deal. Hill is still coming back from the major knee injury that ended his 2025 season after four games. He dislocated the knee and tore multiple ligaments, including his ACL, finishing the year with 21 catches for 265 yards and one touchdown. Kansas City already has Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, and Tyquan Thornton atop its receiver depth chart, so plenty would need to be sorted out if Hill eventually returns. For now, he is more of a speculative stash in deeper leagues than someone fantasy managers need to add everywhere.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Fernando Tatis Jr. Riding Extended Hot Streak to Begin September
Across 659 plate appearances in 2026, San Diego Padres outfielder/second baseman Fernando Tatis Jr. is hitting .288/.356/.465 with 23 home runs, 78 RBI, 89 runs scored, and 35 stolen bases. The 27-year-old struggled through an extended power outage at the start of the year, hitting just one home run in 245 plate appearances through the end of May. However, Tatis Jr. has been scorching hot in the second half of the season, slashing .307/.383/.623 with 18 homers across 243 plate appearances since the All-Star break. He's been particularly molten in September, hitting .358 with six home runs and four stolen bases over his first 59 trips to the plate this month. Now that Tatis Jr.'s early-season struggles are fully behind him, he profiles as a five-category superstar for fantasy managers in the final weeks of 2026.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Brock Purdy Enters Softer Stretch of Schedule
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy was excellent during the team's Week 1 victory over the Los Angeles Rams, throwing for 205 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. He also rushed for 29 yards and didn't take a sack. The passing yardage total was on the lower side, but only because the 49ers controlled the game and could afford to run the ball. Once they got in scoring range, Purdy used his arm to rattle off the three touchdowns. It will be interesting to see if the high rushing yards total is sustainable, as Purdy eclipsed the 29-yard mark just once last year, but he consistently showed that level of mobility back in 2024. Purdy was the QB6 in 2023 and the QB14 in 2024, so fantasy managers certainly wouldn't mind if he returned to that caliber of play. More touchdown opportunities await Purdy in the coming weeks as he prepares for matchups against the Dolphins and Cardinals. He should continue to rank as a top-10 quarterback in fantasy football.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Chuba Hubbard the Undisputed Top Running Back in Carolina
Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard proved that he was the primary option out of the backfield during the team's Week 1 loss against the Chicago Bears. Hubbard played 71% of the offensive snaps with 49 rushing yards, 38 receiving yards, and two touchdowns. For comparison, teammate Jonathon Brooks played just 19% of the snaps, had five touches, and averaged 3.5 yards per carry. All offseason long, there was plenty of chatter that Brooks might overtake Hubbard in the backfield. That could still happen at some point late this season or next season, but the comparison of their volume and production from Week 1 shows that the Panthers should still have confidence in Hubbard as their primary running back. He is expected to have another solid showing in Week 2 against the Atlanta Falcons, who just surrendered 46 rushing yards and 27 receiving yards to Jaylen Warren.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Matthew Golden Showing Signs of Much-Anticipated Year 2 Leap
All offseason, plenty of buzz suggested Green Bay Packers wide receiver Matthew Golden was a prime candidate to make a big Year 2 leap. That started to come to fruition on Sunday, as Golden caught six of 12 targets for 95 yards in the Packers' Week 1 loss to the Vikings. In addition to the high volume and yardage total, he also saw the field quite often, taking on an 82% snap share. Golden has officially solidified himself as the Packers' No. 2 receiver over Jayden Reed, who played just 57% of the snaps. Golden's emergence as a weekly fantasy threat is great news for managers who drafted him in the first round of dynasty league drafts last year, and also for redraft managers who got a potential steal in the back half of 2026 fantasy drafts. It also bodes well for the Packers' offense, which needed more receivers to step up after Josh Jacobs' placement on the commissioner's exempt list may have shifted the team's approach from run-heavy to pass-heavy. Golden is still behind Christian Watson on the depth chart, but all that matters is that the Texas product is on the fantasy radar and he's here to stay. He ranks as a low-end WR2 or high-end WR3 for Week 2 against the New York Jets.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Parker Washington Ascending Into Must-Start Territory for Fantasy Football
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington continues to make an incredibly positive impact in fantasy football leagues. After ascending to the WR27 mark last year despite competition from Brian Thomas Jr., Travis Hunter, and Jakobi Meyers, Washington came into 2026 looking to separate himself from this crowded receiver room. We already saw flashes of his ceiling last year, when he caught 19 passes for 347 yards and two touchdowns over the final three weeks of the season. Fast forward to Week 1 of the 2026 season and he picked up right where he left off, catching five passes for 83 yards and one touchdown. Admittedly, he had a softer matchup against the Browns, but he was still the Jags' most productive receiver in the win. His ability to shake off defenders, make big plays, and win contested scenarios bodes well for him to sustain fantasy value long-term. He's a WR2 entering Week 2 against the Broncos, even if he ends up facing cornerback Patrick Surtain II for a large portion of the game.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jadarian Price Remains Lead Back After Highly Efficient Debut
Seattle Seahawks running back Jadarian Price was highly efficient in his NFL debut last week, rushing for 52 yards on 10 carries against the New England Patriots. He also caught two passes. Price certainly didn't have an every-down workload. In fact, he played just under 50% of the offensive snaps. However, he was highly efficient when he did touch the ball, averaging 5.2 yards per carry. Teammate George Holani, who played 46% of the snaps, averaged less than 3.7 YPC, while Emanuel Wilson had just two carries for three yards. Because of the Week 1 box score, all signs point to Price remaining the lead back in Seattle. He still won't be the every-down back, but we also wouldn't be surprised to see him play more than 50% of the snaps now that he has one game under his belt. In similarly good news, a slightly softer matchup awaits Price in Week 2, as the Seahawks face the Cardinals. Arizona's defense looks sneaky good after limiting Omarion Hampton and Keaton Mitchell to 3.25 YPC, but Price is still a high-end RB3/flex in fantasy football because of his lead-back role and touchdown upside.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Vikings Work Out Three Running Backs with Jordan Mason Injured
The Minnesota Vikings worked out three free agent running backs on Tuesday, including veteran Jerome Ford, according to Will Ragatz of Bring Me The News. The timing of these workouts is particularly relevant, given that starting running back Jordan Mason (thumb) suffered an apparent thumb injury during Week 1. Officially, the team is calling it a sore thumb, and Mason will be evaluated in the days leading up to Week 2. However, the fact that the Vikings worked out three running backs indicates that there's a very real chance Mason isn't able to suit up this Sunday against the Chicago Bears. The 27-year-old played less than half of the snaps in Week 1, but he still managed double-digit fantasy points with 11 carries, 59 rushing yards, and one rushing touchdown. If he can't suit up in Week 2, Aaron Jones would take over as the lead back.
Source: Will Ragatz
Source: Will Ragatz
Alex Newhook Re-Ups With Canadiens on Four-Year-Deal
Montreal Canadiens forward Alex Newhook has signed a four-year, $22.2 million contract extension. His new contract will begin next season, after Newhook completes his current four-year, $11.6 million deal. Newhook has progressed well with the Canadiens but had to settle for just 25 points (13 goals, 12 assists) in 42 games last season after fracturing his ankle in November. The 25-year-old stood out with a team-high seven goals and 10 points in the postseason during Montreal's run to the Eastern Conference Finals. Newhook will aim to build on that momentum in 2026-27.
Source: Sportsnet
Source: Sportsnet
Capitals Agree to Eight-Year Extension With Justin Sourdif
Washington Capitals center Justin Sourdif signed an eight-year, $50.8 million pact with his team on Tuesday. Washington locked up Sourdif long-term following his encouraging rookie campaign. He finished the 2025-26 season with 35 points (15 goals, 20 assists), 108 SOG, 98 hits, and a plus-17 rating in 78 games. With Washington's frontline loaded with talent, Sourdif may struggle to match his productivity in 2026-27. However, his new deal reflects the organization's belief in his long-term value. Sourdif's new contract will take effect in 2027, after his entry-level deal expires.
Source: Washington Capitals
Source: Washington Capitals
Rasheer Fleming Could See Bigger Role in Year 2
Phoenix Suns forward/center Rasheer Fleming could see a larger rotation role in 2026-27, with John Voita of Bright Side of the Sun projecting him as the backup power forward with occasional minutes at center and small forward. The 22-year-old averaged 4.3 points and 2.3 rebounds in 12.2 minutes as a rookie, but those numbers climbed to 6.6 points and 3.4 rebounds in 18.9 minutes across 24 of Phoenix's final 25 games. Miles Bridges projects to start, leaving Fleming to battle Ryan Dunn and rookie Koa Peat for reserve minutes. Fleming showed late-season shooting growth, but he still needs a steady role before becoming a reliable fantasy option.
Source: John Voita
Source: John Voita
Ryan Leonard Signs Eight-Year Extension With Capitals
Washington Capitals right wing Ryan Leonard landed a big eight-year, $84 million contract extension on Tuesday, ESPN's Ryan S. Clark reports. He's set for a massive pay rise next season after completing his entry-level contract in 2026-27, which pays Leonard $950,000. This is a risky deal for the Capitals, as Leonard has suited up for just 84 NHL games. He has notched 21 goals and 25 assists. However, at 21, Leonard still has a lot of time to develop. The former top-10 pick also adds physicality to Washington's lineup, averaging nearly two hits per game for his career.
Source: Ryan S. Clark
Source: Ryan S. Clark
