May 14, 2026, 2:15 PM ET

Although Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange played in a career-low 12 regular-season games in 2025 due to a hip injury, he still managed to set career highs across the board in receptions (46), targets (60), receiving yards (540), and touchdowns (three). The 25-year-old became the team's clear TE1 after Evan Engram left in free agency last offseason. Jacksonville added rookies Nate Boerkircher and Tanner Koziol in this year's draft, but Strange is locked in as the Jags' top pass-catching TE in 2026 in an offense that took over in the second half of last season. That's the good news. The bad news is that Strange's weekly ceiling could remain relatively low while battling for targets with a deep receiving corps that includes Jakobi Meyers, Brian Thomas Jr., Parker Washington, and Travis Hunter (knee). Quarterback Trevor Lawrence showed plenty of chemistry with Strange, but his volume will probably leave him in TE2 territory in redraft fantasy leagues going into the upcoming campaign. In dynasty leagues, Strange's stock is on the rise in an improved offense under head coach Liam Coen, and RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 16 TE.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Pro Football Reference

May 14, 2026, 2:06 PM ET

Some NFL teams could see the Pittsburgh Steelers at least considering moving on from star linebacker T.J. Watt, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. If Pittsburgh ends up signing fellow linebacker Nick Herbig to a long-term extension, the Steelers would have three large contracts (Watt and Alex Highsmith as well) allocated to one position. The 31-year-old Watt is a legacy player, but he will turn 32 in October and has guaranteed salaries of $32 million in both this year and next year. For as good as Watt has been -- he's an eight-time Pro Bowler and four-time first-team All-Pro -- the former first-rounder isn't getting any younger, and he missed three of the team's final four games in 2025 due to a partially collapsed lung. He has led the NFL in sacks three different times, but after recording 19 sacks in 2023, he has had a combined 18.5 sacks the last two years. It's still hard to imagine the Steelers moving on from the face of their franchise, but if he has another lackluster season in 2026, his time might be up in the Steel City.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Jeremy Fowler

May 14, 2026, 1:59 PM ET

Washington Commanders second-year running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt (also known as Bill) came into his rookie campaign in D.C. as a sexy sleeper at the position in 2025, and his path to regular playing time in his first year in the NFL was wide open when veteran Austin Ekeler tore his Achilles early on. The 25-year-old ended up leading the team with 175 carries for 805 rushing yards (4.6 yards per carry) and eight touchdowns in 17 games (seven starts). He didn't contribute much in the passing game, though, with only nine receptions on 13 targets for 68 yards, and he fumbled four times (two lost). JCM was the RB29 in half-PPR scoring, which has to be considered a success after Washington took him in the seventh round in 2025. The 5-foot-11, 208-pounder from New Mexico is a big-bodied, big-play back whose dynasty stock is on the rise going into his sophomore season. However, to take the next step, he'll need to improve as a pass-catcher. If he cannot make strides out wide, the Commanders have both Rachaad White and Jeremy McNichols to contribute in the passing game. With a clear path to RB1 duties, Croskey-Merritt is a dynasty riser as RotoBaller's RB42, and he's considered an RB3/flex in redraft leagues with at least the team's early down role in his grasp.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Pro Football Reference

May 14, 2026, 12:39 PM ET

Washington Commanders running back Kaytron Allen is regarded as one of the biggest steals of the 2026 NFL Draft, and he could have an immediate impact in fantasy football. Allen fell to the sixth round despite setting the all-time rushing yards record at Penn State, where Saquon Barkley played. He had at least 980 scrimmage yards in each of his four seasons at school, and he set career-bests in 2025 with 1,371 scrimmage yards and 15 touchdowns. The 23-year-old was probably going to be a steal wherever he ended up in the draft, but the landing spot in Washington is even more ideal than others. The Commanders lost Chris Rodriguez Jr. in free agency, so Allen should come in and immediately compete with Jacory Croskey-Merritt for a significant workload every week. Croskey-Merritt was a 2025 seventh-round pick who finished his rookie season with 805 rushing yards and eight touchdowns, and we wouldn't be surprised to see Allen follow a similar path from Day 3 pick to rookie standout. Allen currently projects as an early third-round pick in 2026 rookie drafts, but managers shouldn't rule out taking him in the second, especially since he could be a top-36 fantasy running back as a rookie.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

May 14, 2026, 12:33 PM ET

Minnesota Vikings running back Demond Claiborne might not contribute right away, but he has long-term upside in dynasty fantasy football leagues. The Vikings selected Claiborne, a Wake Forest product, in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Across his final two years in the ACC, he totaled 1,956 rushing yards, 51 catches, 394 receiving yards, and 23 total touchdowns. He'll face much tougher defenses in the NFL, but it was encouraging to see him produce at such a high level while routinely facing Power 4 programs. In Minnesota, he'll initially slot in behind Aaron Jones, Jordan Mason, and perhaps Zavier Scott. However, Jones is likely headed into his final year with the Vikings, and Scott's job isn't guaranteed, so there could be a path for Claiborne to eventually take over as the No. 2 running back behind Mason. Because of that potential trajectory, Claiborne is a worthwhile selection in the early to middle portion of the third round of fantasy football rookie drafts.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

May 14, 2026, 12:02 PM ET

Baltimore Ravens running back Adam Randall could get involved on third downs during his rookie season. The Clemson product was selected in the fifth round of last month's NFL Draft after tallying 1,068 scrimmage yards and 13 touchdowns in his final year with the Tigers. A significant portion of his production came in the passing game, as he caught 36 passes for 254 receiving yards. The Ravens have a dependable and consistent ball-carrier in Derrick Henry, but they could use some pass-catching competition behind him. Justice Hill has been the Ravens' third-down back in the past, but he's now 28 years old and could be falling out of favor with the team's new coaching staff. That paves the way for Randall to contribute right away, even if it's only on half the passing downs. There's long-term dynasty upside for the 21-year-old to become an RB3/flex in dynasty leagues. For now, he projects as a mid-to-late third-round pick in 2026 fantasy football rookie drafts.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

May 14, 2026, 11:53 AM ET

Tennessee Titans running back Nicholas Singleton finds himself in a favorable opportunity to produce during his rookie season. Although his fifth-round draft capital is far from ideal, the landing spot is somewhat perfect. The Titans have Tony Pollard in a contract year, and Tyjae Spears isn't much more than a third-down pass-catching specialist. Singleton has the potential to take on an every-down role if Pollard gets hurt or takes on a lesser role in what is likely his final season with the Titans. With that being said, Singleton will still have to earn snaps, especially as a rookie. Training camp and the preseason will be a good opportunity for the Penn State product to prove that he deserves playing time. He's no stranger to producing against talented defenses, as he totaled 1,474 scrimmage yards and 17 touchdowns during the 2024 NCAA season. As it stands, he ranks #37 among running backs in RotoBaller's latest dynasty fantasy football rankings.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

May 14, 2026, 11:13 AM ET

New Orleans Saints rookie wide receiver Bryce Lance could be a perfect fit with his new team. The North Dakota State product was selected in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Although he doesn't have the greatest draft capital as a Day 3 pick, he's a perfect scheme fit for the Saints, who have been looking for a speedy receiver to replace Rashid Shaheed. Lance ran a 4.34-second 40-yard dash at the Scouting Combine, and he caught a whopping 126 passes for 2,150 yards and 25 touchdowns over his final two years at school. The Saints have a somewhat crowded receiver room headlined by Chris Olave and Jordyn Tyson, but we could see Lance stepping into the No. 3 role by midseason. Even if he doesn't start every game or play the majority of the snaps, he offers tremendous fantasy upside as a downfield threat who needs just one or two big plays to explode in fantasy football. With such a high ceiling, he's a worthwhile pick in the second round of 2026 rookie drafts.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

May 14, 2026, 10:01 AM ET

Las Vegas Raiders running back Mike Washington Jr. had one of the most impressive showings at the 2026 NFL Combine, clocking a 4.33-second 40-yard dash at 223 pounds, but with neither that size nor speed consistently showing through in his college production, he fell to the fourth round in a weak running back class. Washington forced missed tackles at one of the lowest rates in the 2026 class, and despite the verifiable speed, he also ranked in the bottom half of breakaway run percentage. Landing in Vegas with first-year head coach Klint Kubiak, there is a reasonable expectation that he could see a healthy early workload in a change-of-pace role behind 2025 sixth overall pick Ashton Jeanty. The difference between this running back room and the one Kubiak ran in Seattle is that the talent gap between Jeanty and Washington is vastly wider than that between Kenneth Walker III and former second-round pick Zach Charbonnet. If taken on his word, Kubiak will see that Washington has a hand in keeping Jeanty fresh, and at RotoBaller's rookie RB7, that could be enough to sell high on a player who simply may not be able to keep pace long-term.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

May 14, 2026, 9:50 AM ET

With the New York Jets spending two first-round picks on rookie pass-catchers in the 2026 NFL Draft, third-year wide receiver Adonai Mitchell has fallen all the way to WR99 in RotoBaller's dynasty rankings. Given his deployment by the Jets following a 2025 mid-season trade from the Colts, he may not be overly impacted by the additions of tight end Kenyon Sadiq and possession receiver Omar Cooper Jr. Both rookies found most of their collegiate success working in the short-to-intermediate areas of the field, particularly over the middle. The two combined to see more than 54% of their 2025 targets between the hashes, within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. By contrast, Mitchell saw only four total targets in that area across his eight games with the Jets, leading all qualified receivers on the team with a 14.6-yard average depth of target while playing more than 80% of his snaps on the outside. The retreading of quarterback Geno Smith and offensive coordinator Frank Reich may not have been the most inspired choices, but the Jets offense appears to be trending in the right direction, and if the 23-year-old Mitchell can clean up the 15.2% drop rate that has plagued him through two seasons in the league, his big-play ability makes him an intriguing low-cost dynasty buy, particularly in best ball formats.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

May 14, 2026, 9:37 AM ET

Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard has topped 1,000 rushing yards and 30 receptions in each of the last four seasons, never finishing below RB24 in that time, but at 29 years old, dynasty managers have seemingly been looking to move on from him for half his career. With the Titans' selection of Penn State's Nicholas Singleton in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, Pollard has fallen to RotoBaller's dynasty RB41, making him a prime buy-candidate for competing managers looking to add depth to a position that can never be deep enough. New Titans offensive coordinator Brian Daboll comes into Tennessee familiar with Pollard's work, as some of the latter's best games with the Cowboys came against Daboll's Giants teams. With Singleton never fully living up to the hype that made him a five-star recruit, evidenced by his fall to the fifth round, and Tyjae Spears seeing more than 10 carries only once in 2025, the starting running back job in Tennessee should still belong to Pollard. With the Titans' offense trending up heading into 2026, another RB2 finish is well within the realm of possibility.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

May 14, 2026, 9:25 AM ET

2025 second-round pick Mason Taylor showed some promising moments in his rookie season with the New York Jets on his way to amassing 369 yards on 44 receptions. However, with the Jets' selection of tight end Kenyon Sadiq with the 16th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Taylor could now be on a path toward fantasy hardship, similar to the one seen by the Raiders' Michael Mayer. While Sadiq does not come into the league with the college resume of Raiders 2024 first-round pick Brock Bowers, he put on a clinic at the NFL Combine and is expected to claim the top tight end spot in New York. With the league trending toward more 12 and 13 personnel, Taylor will still have his opportunities in Frank Reich's tight end-friendly offense, but having forced zero missed tackles as a rookie, his skill set is not one that can necessarily translate to fantasy success without an abundance of volume. The Jets also spent their third of three first-round picks on receiver Omar Cooper Jr., who occupies a similar area of the field and will make a reliable target share even harder to come by. At RotoBaller's dynasty TE23, Taylor is still a worthwhile hold who could step into the occasional spike week as an injury replacement, but as long as Sadiq is healthy, it will be difficult to trust the 22-year-old second-year player out of LSU.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

May 14, 2026, 9:13 AM ET

With Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane agreeing to a four-year, $68 million extension on Wednesday, the team backed up early offseason claims that they were looking to build an offense around the 24-year-old former third-round pick, and they locked up one of fantasy's most exciting players through the 2030 season. With Miami bringing in a new coaching staff and front office for 2026, the Dolphins completely overhauled a roster that finished 7-10 in 2025, but made it clear that Achane would remain the focal point of any new-look offense. With a quarterback in Malik Willis who has never attempted more than 61 passes in a season and a receiving core largely built through this most recent draft, there will likely be some bumps along the way, but Achane will never stray far from front and center, and he has already proven he can excel for fantasy in a below-average offense. At RotoBaller's dynasty RB5, he is lumped into a second tier of running backs that he could rightfully claim to be at the top of. Achane is the only running back in the league to score double-digit fantasy points in every game in 2025 and joins only Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs as players to finish as the RB6 or better in each of the past two seasons. While the new contract may make buying opportunities tougher, he is still worth pursuing if his current manager believes his value will be impacted by the Dolphins' offensive landscape.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

May 13, 2026, 9:23 PM ET

The New York Jets agreed to terms on an undisclosed deal with veteran free-agent wide receiver Tim Patrick on Wednesday after he visited with the team, a source told Rich Cimini of ESPN. Patrick played in 16 regular-season games with the Jacksonville Jaguars last year and finished with only 15 receptions for 187 yards and three touchdowns on 24 targets in his sixth year in the NFL. A once-promising career was derailed with the Denver Broncos in 2022 and 2023 when he suffered torn ACLs in his knee in back-to-back seasons. The 32-year-old veteran originally went undrafted out of Utah before debuting in the NFL back in 2018 in Denver. He spent four years with the Broncos before playing for the Detroit Lions in 2024 and in Jacksonville last season. Patrick will bring a veteran presence to New York's WR room in 2026 and will offer versatility and depth to a unit that already includes Garrett Wilson, Adonai Mitchell, and rookie first-rounder Omar Cooper Jr. In an offense run by veteran QB Geno Smith as most likely the WR4, Patrick won't be on the fantasy radar at all in redraft or dynasty formats.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN New York - Rich Cimini

May 13, 2026, 9:17 PM ET

New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (knee) underwent a second surgery on his right knee to remove scar tissue that was causing stiffness, sources told Dan Duggan of The Athletic. Duggan was told that the second surgery took place "multiple weeks ago," and it was described as a "clean-up." It's not expected to impact Nabers' recovery timeline, and the Giants are still hoping that he will be ready for the Week 1 regular-season opener in early September. The 22-year-old wideout first had ACL and meniscus surgery back on Oct. 28 of last year. Nabers tore his ACL and meniscus in Week 4 of last season and finished with just 18 catches for 271 yards and two touchdowns in his sophomore season. While the Giants don't seem to be too worried, it's something that we will watch closely, and it could affect Nabers' readiness for the start of training camp at the end of July. We already know that Nabers is one of the best pass-catchers in the game when healthy, but the risk of him coming off major knee surgery cannot be ignored. When fully healthy, there shouldn't be anything stopping Nabers from being a high-end WR1 in fantasy. In dynasty formats, RotoBaller has the former sixth overall pick ranked as the No. 5 wideout, behind Ja'Marr Chase, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Puka Nacua, and Justin Jefferson.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Athletic - Dan Duggan