Sep 3, 2026, 1:50 PM ET

Denver Broncos second-year running back RJ Harvey could be a key part of the team's passing game in 2026, according to Jon Heath of Broncos Wire. After the Broncos took Harvey in the second round last year out of Central Florida, the 25-year-old took on a huge role after J.K. Dobbins' season-ending foot injury and finished with 540 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns on 146 carries in 17 regular-season games, adding 47 receptions on 58 targets for 356 yards and another five TDs. His receiving skills were evident when he took a pass from quarterback Bo Nix for 21 yards and a touchdown last week. "That's where you felt the initial impact," head coach Sean Payton said of Harvey's receiving ability, "and you saw marks of that in college, and you also saw him as a runner. He's having a good camp in both areas [rushing and receiving], but it's certainly a strength of his." Denver's three-back rotation this year of Dobbins, Harvey, and rookie Jonah Coleman will limit Harvey's overall fantasy upside, but he still qualifies as a sleeper flex option in point-per-reception leagues in a Broncos offense that could be much more explosive in 2026.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Broncos Wire - Jon Heath

Sep 3, 2026, 1:48 PM ET

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen has finished no lower than the QB2 in six consecutive seasons, making a strong claim to the greatest fantasy quarterback of all time while racking up four overall QB1 finishes over that span. With the addition of wide receiver DJ Moore and the potential return to health of tight end Dalton Kincaid, Allen could find himself leading one of Buffalo's most complete offenses in years, creating the possibility of another 4,000-yard passing campaign after falling short of that mark in each of the past two seasons. With one of the safest rushing floors the league has ever known and the potential of a vintage passing ceiling, it should come as no surprise that Allen ranks as RotoBaller's QB1 and stands alone as the only player at the position routinely going in the first two rounds of 2026 single-quarterback drafts.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 3, 2026, 1:37 PM ET

Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton has rarely flashed for fantasy since coming into the league as a fourth-round pick in 2022, but he has reliably done what's been asked of him, and with the Buccaneers opening the season with a receiver room at less than full strength, he could again be asked to step up. Emeka Egbuka (toe) and Jalen McMillan (knee) have both been dealing with lingering injuries, putting their Week 1 availability in question. Even if both should suit up for the Buccaneers' season-opener against the Bengals, they could each face a snap count of sorts, providing Otton with a pathway to heavier involvement and an increased target share. Cracking the top 15 of the position four times in 2025, Otton has become a prototypical streamer, and although he ranks as RotoBaller's TE24 for 2026, he has the opportunity to re-enter that conversation straight out of the gate, making him a potentially usable piece early in the year.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 3, 2026, 1:27 PM ET

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye came one vote away from winning the MVP Award in his first full season as a starter, and head coach Mike Vrabel has seen notable improvements since he took over the team in 2025. In speaking with reporters on Thursday about Maye's growth, Vrabel pointed out, "More comfort in what we're doing. More command. More understanding." Maye threw for 4,394 yards and 31 touchdowns to only eight interceptions, adding 450 yards and four scores on the ground on his way to a QB2 finish, and the Patriots spent the offseason improving his offensive line and pass-catchers, most notably adding receivers A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs, both of whom have reportedly established a quick rapport with the 24-year-old signal-caller. Questions about how much a historically easy schedule played into Maye's success have lingered throughout the offseason, particularly after a significant postseason dropoff, but an improved offensive environment could serve to raise a fantasy ceiling that was already among the highest in the league, making him a potential value at RotoBaller's QB6.--Patrick McGrath
Source: Mark Daniels

Sep 3, 2026, 1:13 PM ET

The Seattle Seahawks selected Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price with the final pick of the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, filling one of their only obvious needs after retaining 20 of 22 starters from their Super Bowl-winning squad. With Veteran Zach Charbonnet (knee) beginning the year on the Physically Unable to Perform list after tearing his ACL in last year's Divisional Round win over the 49ers, Price is well-positioned to begin the year in something close to the every-down role last held by Kenneth Walker III, who averaged 139 yards and more than a touchdown per game during a three-game postseason run that resulted in a Super Bowl MVP Award. Price's biggest competition for touches early in the year will come from George Holani and Emanuel Wilson, two players who started a combined two games in 2025 and lack the rookie's upside. As RotoBaller's RB22, Price has week-winning potential to begin the year and the opportunity to lock down the Seahawks' primary running back spot, making him a player to target in the early-middle rounds of drafts.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 3, 2026, 1:13 PM ET

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (knee, biceps) has not pitched in a game since July 3 against the San Diego Padres due to inflammation in his left knee and occasional flare-ups of right-biceps discomfort, but he has remained in the everyday lineup as the designated hitter. According to The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya, manager Dave Roberts said he plans to talk with the four-time MVP and the team's training staff to gauge what is best for Ohtani going forward. The skipper said it is "unlikely" that the Dodgers will completely shut the Japanese superstar down and put him on the injured list, but he also left open the possibility that his stance could change. A day off could be coming for Ohtani, but Roberts does not think that an IL stint would guarantee that Ohtani can get back to 100% this season. President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said this week that he still thinks Ohtani can pitch in a game this season, but fantasy managers hoping he can help them in the postseason should not be as optimistic. The reality is that Ohtani's health issues are now affecting him at the plate, as he posted a .795 OPS in August, the lowest mark in any month of his first three seasons with the Dodgers, and his worst since his opening month in the big leagues in 2022. Since Aug. 15, he is hitting .203 with a .742 OPS. In the extra-inning loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday, Ohtani went hitless in six plate appearances with four strikeouts. He is clearly not himself right now due to nagging injuries, so fantasy managers should expect him to see some rest here soon.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Athletic - Fabian Ardaya

Sep 3, 2026, 12:56 PM ET

The Arizona Cardinals reached an agreement on Wednesday with standout wide receiver Michael Wilson on a three-year extension that keeps him in Arizona through the 2029 season, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Financial terms of the extension were not disclosed by Schefter. Wilson is expected to sign the deal on Thursday. The 26-year-old earned a new deal after setting career highs across the board in his third NFL season in 2025 in catches (78), targets (126), receiving yards (1,006), and touchdowns (seven) in 17 games played for the Cardinals. The former third-rounder in 2023 from Stanford took advantage of Arizona's pass-happy offense under former coordinator Drew Petzing, and he also benefited from Marvin Harrison Jr. missing time due to various injuries. But Wilson proved last year that he can thrive in a bigger role in the Cardinals' passing attack, and he developed valuable chemistry with veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who is still around. The offense should be more balanced under new head coach Mike LaFleur, but even with some regression baked into his profile, Wilson is an attractive WR4/flex target for fantasy managers in 2026. UPDATE: Wilson's three-year extension is worth $75 million with a maximum value of $78 million and includes $47 million guaranteed.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter

Sep 3, 2026, 12:38 PM ET

Nebraska quarterback Anthony Colandrea opens his 2026 season in a great matchup against Ohio on Saturday. A season ago while with UNLV, the QB completed 65.9% of his passes for 3,459 yards and 23 touchdowns, while being picked off nine times. He's a running threat as well after rushing for 649 yards and 10 touchdowns across 127 carries. Colandrea will face stiffer competition when Big Ten play rolls around, but this is a great matchup for him to deliver big in. Ohio gave up 352.1 yards and 21.9 points per game a season ago, but also wasn't facing teams with the talent level of Nebraska. The Cornhuskers are favored to win by multiple scores, and Colandrea could make a good first impression by putting together a big performance. Expect a good fantasy score out of the dual-threat quarterback.--Morgan Rode
Source: ESPN

Sep 3, 2026, 12:34 PM ET

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (lower body) is dressed for practice on Thursday, according to Cordell Woodland of 105.7 The Fan. It will be Flowers' first practice since the team's joint practice with the Minnesota Vikings. The 25-year-old did some sprinting off to the side during Wednesday's practice, but now he is ready to rejoin the rest of the team for the first time in a week. His lower-body injury has never appeared to be serious, so as long as he does not suffer a setback going into practices next week, Flowers should be ready for the Week 1 regular-season opener against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, Sept. 13. Flowers is coming off a second straight Pro Bowl appearance and second straight 1,000-yard receiving season in 2025, catching 86 of his 118 targets for a career-high 1,211 yards and five touchdowns in 17 starts. In half-PPR scoring, he was the WR7 overall, which was quite impressive when considering the down year that quarterback Lamar Jackson had. In a new offense that could be beneficial for his volume, Flowers has a clear path to WR1 utility again in 2026, and RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 14 player at his position.--Keith Hernandez
Source: 105.7 The Fan - Cordell Woodland

Sep 3, 2026, 12:32 PM ET

Tennessee running back DeSean Bishop kicks off his collegiate season with a very favorable test against Furman on Saturday afternoon. Bishop broke out in 2025, carrying 182 times for 1,076 yards and 16 touchdowns; he also caught 15 passes for an additional 135 yards. Bishop is expected to power the Volunteers' backfield again in 2026, and he's primed to start fast against the Paladins. Furman played in Week 0, topping Anderson (South Carolina) 20-3. The Paladins allowed just 160 total yards, with 154 of those coming through the air, but Tennessee is a much tougher challenge and it should be an easy victory this weekend. Expect Bishop to produce plenty in his time on the field, which makes him a fantasy running back to trust and start in Week 1. He should also be a quality option every single week, so expect big things from Bishop for the coming season.--Morgan Rode
Source: ESPN

Sep 3, 2026, 12:24 PM ET

Miami Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis already had the rushing ability to make himself interesting in fantasy. What happened in August gave managers a little more reason to trust the rest of his game. Miami's own camp reports repeatedly pointed to Willis processing faster and getting the football out on time, with some of his best work coming late in the summer. He produced multiple explosive throws on Aug. 17, looked sharp and in rhythm during practice a week later, then closed camp with a three-play stretch that produced three touchdowns. Willis also handled his only preseason drive well, completing four of five passes for 43 yards while leading Miami 93 yards for a touchdown against Washington. The receiving corps remains a concern, and one strong camp doesn't erase how little starting experience Willis has. His legs provide a useful fallback after he rushed for 123 yards and two scores in limited action last season. RotoBaller now has Willis at QB20. The passing progress makes that late-round gamble a lot easier to see paying off.--Bruno Mulé
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 3, 2026, 12:22 PM ET

Speaking on teammate Ja'Marr Chase's new podcast, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow said he is extremely optimistic about the 2026 season and has high hopes for the team, according to Kevin Patra of NFL.com. "I just want to win this year," Burrow said. "I just want to win. The rest will take care of itself. I think we'll break a bunch of records eventually, but I think we're going to have a really good team that has a chance to win every game that we step foot on the field for. I don't know about you, but I could really feel it in my bones, in my soul in OTAs this year -- different from years past." Burrow has also compared this Cincy squad to his 2019 LSU squad that won the national championship and has said he is "trying to manifest" another Super Bowl run. The 29-year-old three-time Pro Bowler is one of the few QBs who has top-five fantasy upside at the position strictly because of his arm and his elite pass-catching duo of Chase and Tee Higgins. As long as Burrow can stay healthy, he should bounce back as a high-end QB1 in fantasy football in 2026.--Keith Hernandez
Source: NFL.com - Kevin Patra

Sep 3, 2026, 12:21 PM ET

Rutgers wide receiver KJ Duff has a favorable fantasy matchup against Massachusetts on Thursday to kick off the season. The Scarlet Knights are favored to win by multiple scores, but Duff should be heavily involved for as long as the starting offense is on the field. Duff is coming off a big 2025 season in which he caught 60 passes for 1,084 yards and seven touchdowns. He's expected to power the wide receiver room for Rutgers, but will have a new quarterback throwing to him for the coming season. Transfer Dylan Lonergan is the starting QB to kick off the season, with AJ Surace around if Lonergan struggles at all. In a favorable matchup in Week 1, fantasy owners can still expect big things from Duff. Massachusetts allowed just 212.5 passing yards per game last season, but also 38.6 points per game, so it's possible the Rutgers' wideout finds the end zone.--Morgan Rode
Source: ESPN

Sep 3, 2026, 12:09 PM ET

Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer said he tweaked his mechanics over the offseason. He had a sidearm throwing release last season after rushing back from surgery on his broken thumb. Mateer said the injury made it difficult to grip the ball, so he tweaked his mechanics to work around it. Over the offseason, Mateer worked on drop concepts and mechanics, with an emphasis on being vertical in his release point, so expect to see that in the coming season. Mateer still completed 62.2% of his passes last season for 2,885 yards and 14 touchdowns, but he was also picked off 11 times. Mateer added 431 yards and eight scores on the ground. With new-look mechanics, and more importantly being past that injury, expect Mateer to improve, and maybe look more like he did at Washington State two years ago. The first chance for Mateer to show off his new mechanics will come on Friday against UTEP, which is a great fantasy matchup for him.--Morgan Rode
Source: On3