April 4, 2026
New York Giants wide receiver
Darnell Mooney will compete for an opportunity to be
Jaxson Dart's No. 2 target behind
Malik Nabers. There are a lot of players in the mix for bigger pass-catching roles, and Mooney will have a chance to compete for a path to significant volume if he can stay healthy and productive throughout training camp. Mooney was seen as a potential breakout candidate prior to the 2025 season, but he ultimately fell quite short with just 32 catches, 443 yards, and one touchdown, ranking as the WR79 in PPR leagues. This offseason, he took his talents to New York, where his biggest competition will be
Calvin Austin III,
Darius Slayton,
Theo Johnson, and
Isaiah Likely. Dart is arguably more capable of supporting multiple fantasy-relevant receivers than Mooney's last quarterback,
Michael Penix Jr., so that's an encouraging sign for 2026. It's too early and too bold to say that he'll be a consistent WR3/flex in 2026, but he certainly has the upside. He had 996 yards just two years ago, and he's an intriguing buy-low candidate in dynasty leagues this offseason after a down season.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
April 4, 2026
The Kansas City Chiefs hosted USC wide receiver prospect
Makai Lemon for a top-30 visit on Thursday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Each team is allowed to host 30 players for private visits, and the Chiefs used one of theirs on a top receiver prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Chiefs hold the No. 9 selection in the draft, so there's a strong chance that Lemon will be available when they're on the clock. He's coming off a terrific season in which he caught 79 passes for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns. He'd be a good fit for the Chiefs, too, since Kansas City is looking for consistency at the wide receiver position that it hasn't had since
Tyreek Hill was on the team.
Rashee Rice continues to find himself in the middle of legal battles, and
Xavier Worthy hasn't quite lived up to the WR1 hype. The Chiefs haven't picked this high since 2013, when they selected Eric Fisher first overall, and they've never taken a receiver with a top-10 pick. Still, desperate times call for desperate measures, and the Chiefs could look to make a major splash on offense after missing the playoffs last year.
--Andersen PickardSource: Ian Rapoport
April 4, 2026
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver
Christian Kirk will embark on the next chapter of his career in 2026. After spending time with the Cardinals, Jaguars, and Texans, Kirk is now headed to the 49ers on a one-year deal. He's currently projected as the No. 3 receiver behind
Mike Evans and
Ricky Pearsall after the team watched
Jauan Jennings and
Kendrick Bourne depart in free agency. Kirk has produced a modest 55 catches, 618 yards, and two touchdowns across 21 games over the last two seasons. However, he showed that he's still capable of contributing at a high level with 144 yards in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs. Landing in San Francisco is a great fit for Kirk. In the No. 3 role last year, Bourne had 37 catches and 551 yards (but just seven catches and 91 yards in games where both Pearsall and Jennings were healthy). Kirk might not have standalone value as the No. 3 receiver, but both Evans and Pearsall have significant injury histories; they combined to miss 17 games just last season. Therefore, we wouldn't be surprised to see Kirk jump to No. 2 on the depth chart at various points next season, propelling him to the WR3/flex tier.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
April 4, 2026
Kansas City Chiefs running back
Brashard Smith remains in the No. 3 spot on the depth chart as the 2026 offseason moves along. With Isaiah Pacheco and
Kareem Hunt departing in free agency, it seemed like there would be an opportunity for Smith to step into a much larger role this offseason. However, the Chiefs had other plans, signing
Kenneth Walker III to be their every-down back and
Emari Demercado to occupy the backup role. There's a slim chance that Smith could pass Demercado on the depth chart, but the latter has a much stronger track record with 819 rushing yards and 324 receiving yards (relative to Smith's 151 rushing yards and 172 receiving yards as a rookie last season). The most likely path to fantasy relevance for Smith would probably be an injury to Walker. If Walker misses time, Demercado would presumably lead the backfield, but not in an every-down role. There would be plenty of opportunities for Smith to get involved, especially in the passing game. Smith could have been an intriguing buy-low candidate in dynasty leagues if he jumped to No. 2 on the depth chart this offseason, but since he's still nestled into the No. 3 role (and could face additional competition via the NFL Draft), he's merely a hold for now.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
April 4, 2026
The Philadelphia Eagles and quarterback
Jalen Hurts are both cognizant of the fact that he's entering the final guaranteed year of his contract, according to Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Hurts still has three years left on the extension he signed back in 2023, but only one more year is guaranteed. As McLane notes, it's common for teams and players in this situation to restructure the deal to add more years and guaranteed money, in exchange for lower annual value. However, the Eagles and Hurts have no plans to change his deal, and they'll let him enter 2026 on his current contract. That puts added pressure on him for 2026, since he has no guaranteed money beyond this season. With that being said, the Eagles would still take on a significant cap penalty if they were to take action (trade or release Hurts) next offseason. All the chatter about Hurts' future stems from his rushing production taking a step back in 2025. He was still productive, but his rushing yards and touchdowns dropped to the lowest mark since his rookie campaign in 2021. He was the QB8 in fantasy football, which tied for his worst finish since 2022. A little bit of pressure -- plus a new offensive system under
Sean Mannion -- could allow Hurts to bounce back as a top-five fantasy quarterback next year.
--Andersen PickardSource: Jeff McLane
April 3, 2026
The NFL concluded on Friday that Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver
Rashee Rice "has not engaged in conduct that violates the personal-conduct policy," according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. The investigation into accusations from his former girlfriend is now closed, and there will be no discipline from the league at this time. "Mr. Rice wants to thank the NFL for their thorough investigation, and looks forward to the start of the 2026-27 NFL season," Rice's attorney, Sean Lindsey, said in a statement. The 25-year-old Rice is no stranger to bad off-the-field publicity, as he was suspended for the first six games in 2025 due to a high-speed hit-and-run incident in Dallas. The former second-rounder in 2023 out of SMU caught 53 of his 78 targets for 571 yards and five touchdowns in his eight games played in 2025 before suffering a concussion in Week 15 and missing the final two games. The Chiefs can't be happy with Rice's choices off the field, but with no discipline affecting his fantasy value in 2026, he should have a pretty high ceiling as KC's WR1. Rice had a 79-102-7 line in 16 games in his rookie campaign, but he's played only 12 games since due to injuries and suspension.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
April 3, 2026
Los Angeles Rams running back
Kyren Williams had another terrific season in 2025, ranking as a top-10 fantasy running back for the third year in a row. He contributed over 1,500 scrimmage yards and 13 touchdowns, and he also appeared in all 17 games for the first time in his four-year career. Williams has cemented himself as the lead running back in Los Angeles. While the Rams did get
Blake Corum more involved last year, that exercise was more intended to manage Williams' workload so he stayed healthy for the full year. There's no threat of Corum stealing his job. This level of RB1 consistency is rare in fantasy football, and it could point to Williams being a top-five running back in the future. Yet, he is currently being drafted at an ADP of 54 in dynasty startups, which ranks him as the RB18 in dynasty formats. Therein lies a terrific opportunity for dynasty managers to buy low on Williams. If he's valued as the 18th-best running back but has consistently ranked within the top 10, then most managers should be pouncing at the opportunity to buy low on Williams this offseason.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
April 3, 2026
Washington Commanders tight end
Ben Sinnott patiently waited behind
Zach Ertz throughout his first two years in the NFL. Even though Ertz is now a free agent, Sinnott isn't going to get his opportunity to break out quite yet. The Commanders signed
Chig Okonkwo to be their No. 1 tight end last month, leaving Sinnott as a minimal receiving threat in the No. 2 role. As the No. 2 tight end last year, Sinnott was held to just 11 catches, 114 yards, and one touchdown -- and most of that production came after Ertz went down with a torn ACL. Sinnott lacks standalone value behind Okonkwo and might not even get onto the fantasy radar if Okonkwo misses time. Managers are starting to get pessimistic that Sinnott will ever amount to anything in fantasy football, despite him being a second-round draft pick. There could be a glimmer of hope for dynasty managers if Sinnott ends up on a different team, but he's not projected to hit free agency until after the 2027 season.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
April 3, 2026
Seattle Seahawks quarterback
Sam Darnold has been a top-13 fantasy option in each of the last two seasons. In 2025, the Super Bowl champion racked up 4,048 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. Darnold has not missed a game in back-to-back seasons (2024 with the Vikings and 2025 with the Seahawks). In fantasy football, he has benefited from the presence of
Justin Jefferson or
Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the last two years, respectively. Under contract through 2027, Darnold will now have at least two more years of Smith-Njigba at his disposal, keeping him in the low-end QB1 or high-end QB2 range. Most dynasty managers will find themselves in a position to hold Darnold this offseason. Selling high is an option, but the lack of name value or rushing upside will probably result in trade offers that don't quite live up to his value. Therefore, he's worth holding, since he still offers low-end QB1 appeal even if other managers won't offer QB1 value in trades.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
April 3, 2026
Cleveland Browns wide receiver
Jerry Jeudy is coming off a frustrating 2025 season in which he caught just 50 passes for 602 yards and two touchdowns. Despite being healthy for all 17 games as the Browns' No. 1 receiver, he finished as just the WR52 in PPR leagues. Part of the blame can be attributed to the poor quarterback play of
Shedeur Sanders and
Dillon Gabriel, but we still would have expected Jeudy to see enough volume to consistently get on the fantasy radar. This is nothing new for Jeudy, unfortunately. The former first-round pick has ranked as the WR47 or lower in five of his NFL seasons. He has just two top-45 finishes. We can expect more of the same in 2026 as Jeudy returns to an offense led by either Sanders or
Deshaun Watson. Managers can't justify dropping him in dynasty leagues as long as he's the Browns' No. 1 receiver, but he's certainly not worth starting in fantasy lineups. He's worth holding for now in hopes that you can trade him after a flukey big week.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
April 3, 2026
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback
Justin Fields can be a temporary solution for the team and fantasy managers as
Patrick Mahomes (knee) recovers from his ACL tear. Fields was solid through nine games with the New York Jets last season, amassing 11 total touchdowns, one interception, and three lost fumbles. As the Jets moved on to
Geno Smith as their quarterback, it was clear that they had no place for Fields. Thus, he was dealt to Kansas City, where he might start Week 1 if Mahomes isn't cleared to play. Fields' rushing upside should be put to good use in a Chiefs offense led by Andy Reid and Eric Bieniemy. Bieniemy was the offensive coordinator behind Mahomes' 358 rushing yards in 2022 and
Sam Howell's 263 rushing yards in 2023. Over those two seasons, Mahomes and Howell combined for nine rushing touchdowns. Fields isn't a full-season option in fantasy football, but he has QB1 upside for the first few weeks if Mahomes isn't ready. He's worth a late-round pick for managers who wait until the later rounds to select their primary quarterback.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
April 3, 2026
New England Patriots wide receiver
Kayshon Boutte continues to trend up in dynasty leagues ahead of his fourth NFL season. Boutte turned in the best season of his young career in 2025, catching 33 passes for 551 yards and six touchdowns, despite missing three games. He ultimately finished as the WR51 in PPR leagues. This wasn't good enough to consistently get him in fantasy lineups, but it was still the best mark of his career and earned him occasional flex appeal. In terms of dynasty fantasy football, Boutte's outlook is trending up. He entered this offseason as the team's No. 2 receiver, and after the team replaced
Stefon Diggs with
Romeo Doubs, he remains the No. 2 receiver. In fact, he's due for even more targets this season, since Doubs presumably won't take on all 102 of Diggs' vacated targets. Barring an
A.J. Brown trade or a flashy receiver selection in the NFL Draft, Boutte should open 2026 as the No. 2 receiver in New England, giving him WR3/flex upside in this
Drake Maye-led offense. He can still be acquired for cheap, so receiver-needy fantasy managers should consider sending out a trade offer for Boutte in dynasty leagues.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
April 3, 2026
Philadelphia Eagles tight end
Dallas Goedert had the best season of his career in 2025, logging career-high marks in catches (60) and touchdowns (11). He also had 591 receiving yards. Goedert ultimately finished as the overall TE7 in PPR leagues, despite missing two games. His big season earned him a one-year contract extension in Philadelphia, where he's the undisputed No. 1 tight end and should maintain a sizable role, especially around the goal line. Goedert's ceiling could climb even higher if the Eagles trade away wide receiver
A.J. Brown, because the 31-year-old tight end would assume a lot of his vacated targets. The Eagles are also expected to have an improved offense in 2026 under new offensive coordinator
Sean Mannion. The stars are aligning for Goedert to have another top-10 finish in 2026, and there's no disputing that he has top-five upside. However, given that he's 31 and only under contract for one more season, he's worth selling high in dynasty leagues. As it stands, he ranks #22 among tight ends in RotoBaller's latest dynasty rankings.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
April 3, 2026
New York Giants tight end
Theo Johnson had a breakout campaign in 2025, catching 45 passes for 528 yards and five touchdowns. He finished Year 2 in the NFL as the overall TE18 in fantasy football (PPR), and he firmly established himself not only as the Giants' top tight end but also as one of
Jaxson Dart's favorite targets. The bad news for Johnson is that he probably won't be Dart's top target in 2026.
Malik Nabers (knee) is returning from a torn ACL, giving Dart a superstar receiver worthy of 175 targets. We also expect newcomers
Calvin Austin III and
Darnell Mooney to have decent roles in the passing game. Meanwhile, running backs
Cam Skattebo (ankle) and
Tyrone Tracy Jr. will handle their fair share of volume. Finally, Johnson faces competition within his own position group after tight end
Isaiah Likely followed head coach John Harbaugh from Baltimore to New York. With so many mouths to feed, it's hard to imagine that Johnson will be able to fetch another 70+ targets and 40+ receptions in 2026. He is immensely talented, but the state of the offense will likely drop him to the low-end TE2 or high-end TE3 tier next year. He's a hold in most dynasty leagues, or a potential sell if you can find someone who still believes in his fantasy outlook long-term. Johnson has fallen to #34 among tight ends in RotoBaller's latest dynasty rankings.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
April 3, 2026
Chicago Bears running back
Kyle Monangai had an impressive rookie season, and he's pushing to take on even more opportunities in his second pro campaign. A glaring Year 2 breakout candidate, Monangai finished last season with 783 rushing yards, 164 receiving yards, and five touchdowns across 17 games, despite not carving out a significant role until Week 7. From Week 7-18, he ranked as the overall RB23 in PPR leagues. The 23-year-old was able to produce at such a high level despite operating as the backup to
D'Andre Swift. Both backs had strong seasons, and Swift consistently served as the lead back over Monangai, other than the one game he missed in Week 9. This Ben Johnson-led Bears offense showed that it can support two fantasy-relevant running backs, and we don't expect that to change in 2026. Going forward, Monangai should carve out an even larger role in his second pro season. In fact, he's probably going to get a chance to prove that he deserves to be the Bears' every-down back after Swift's contract expires next offseason. Even after his strong season and RB30 finish, Monangai continues to be an intriguing buy-low candidate in dynasty leagues. He currently ranks #28 among running backs in RotoBaller's latest dynasty rankings, but there's no disputing that he has top-12 upside long-term.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
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