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Gunnar Helm has TE2 Streaming Potential in Season Opener Against Jets
Tennessee Titans second-year tight end Gunnar Helm is not going to be considered a TE1 yet in any fantasy football leagues as he begins his second year in the NFL, but there is intriguing potential with the former fourth-rounder from the University of Texas now that Chig Okonkwo is no longer in town in 2026. In 16 games with the Titans as a rookie in 2025 while sharing snaps and targets with Okonkwo, Helm caught 44 of 55 targets for 357 yards and two touchdowns. The 24-year-old will be looking to build on those numbers as a sophomore in a new offense led by coordinator Brian Daboll. The 6-foot-5, 241-pounder gradually took over as Tennessee's primary tight end late last year and has a path to a much bigger year under Daboll, especially if second-year QB Cam Ward can take the necessary steps towards improvement in his second season. In a Week 1 matchup against the New York Jets on Sunday, fantasy managers in deeper two-TE leagues can absolutely use Helm in a starting spot as he looks to get his second season started on the right foot.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Ryan Flournoy A Bench Stash For Week 1
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Ryan Flournoy flashed serious potential last season, especially when his teammate, WR CeeDee Lamb, was out with an ankle injury. Aside from a few big games, though, he didn't produce much, as the target competition was simply too fierce. Lamb shares the field with wide receiver George Pickens, one of the best in the NFL, and tight end Jake Ferguson, who's capable of playing well in any given week. Flournoy is more likely the odd man out, though he could see a few games here and there with nice production. It's simply impossible to predict when these might happen, even in good schematic matchups on paper. The New York Giants will face Dallas in Week 1, and their soft pass defense should allow Dallas' receivers plenty of space to get open and make catches. But it will likely be Lamb and Pickens absorbing most of the productive targets for fantasy football. Flournoy is an intriguing start in very deep dynasty leagues, but in typical redraft leagues, it's tough to trust him in starting lineups. He's a bench stash for now.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Brandon Aubrey An Elite Fantasy Football Kicker Option For Week 1
Dallas Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey is one of the best kickers in the NFL playing on one of the best offenses in the NFL. He was a top-3 ranked kicker in each of his three seasons in the NFL so far, and unless he severely drops off this season, he should remain as one of the best starting options at his position. He did miss a kick in the preseason, but his accuracy remains excellent in the regular season, as he boasts an 88 percent career field goal percentage. He's also made 35 field goals from 50 or more yards out, averaging over 58 fantasy points per season on those field goals alone. The kicker position isn't exactly high-scoring when compared to QB, RB, or WR, but Aubrey deserves a start in all leagues nonetheless. The Cowboys will take on the New York Giants in Week 1. Last season, when the Cowboys debuted against the Giants, Aubrey racked up 23 PPR fantasy points. The fourth-year pro is RotoBaller's No. 1 overall kicker in its half-PPR fantasy football rankings. He's set for a big day against a defense that Dallas has ran the score up on numerous times in recent years.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Chris Brooks in the Mix for a Week 1 Role in Green Bay
The Green Bay Packers' backfield is in flux entering their Week 1 season-opening matchup against the Minnesota Vikings, with starting running back Josh Jacobs on the commissioner's exempt list for the foreseeable future due to legal issues. That will give Chris Brooks a bigger opportunity than usual to begin the regular season, but as the likely RB3 behind MarShawn Lloyd and Kaleb Johnson, fantasy managers in deeper leagues probably should not be too excited about using him as a flex to begin the year. The 26-year-old former undrafted free agent from BYU has not seen more than 36 carries in any of his first three seasons in the NFL, combining for 82 rushing attempts for 395 yards and only one rushing touchdown in his 41 games played (zero starts) for the Packers and Miami Dolphins (2023). The best thing going for Brooks is that he has more NFL experience than Lloyd and Johnson combined, but that will not guarantee him a fantasy-relevant role with the Packers in the absence of Jacobs. For now, he remains merely a deep-league bench stash, especially if you have Jacobs rostered as well.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Javonte Williams Set To Resume Workhorse Role In Week 1
Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams is the unquestioned workhorse RB for his team. Last season, he handled a large workload, with 252 carries and 35 receptions in 16 games played. The strength of the team's offensive line and his success with breaking tackles aided him to an RB12 overall finish despite missing one game. He doesn't have a ton of pass-catching upside, but perhaps that could change. The Cowboys released their young RB, Jaydon Blue, earlier in the offseason. And Williams' backup, Malik Davis (hip), requires surgery for an injured hip and will head to the injured reserve list to miss at least four games. RB Emari Demercado will back up Williams now. Demercado has served as a pass-catching back in previous seasons, so Williams could remain mostly in a rushing role, which will keep him as a low-end RB1 for Week 1. The New York Giants have struggled in run defense for many seasons, and while the Cowboys have injuries to starters on the offensive line, Williams' volume should make him a fine start in fantasy leagues at a position of scarcity.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Cooper Rush Gets the Start in Week 1, but Tough Matchup Awaits
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Cooper Rush will get the starting nod on Sunday against the Steelers with Tua Tagovailoa (oblique) and Michael Penix Jr. (knee) both ruled out. Rush will have a full complement of offensive weapons at his disposal, including stars Drake London, Bijan Robinson, and Kyle Pitts Sr., but a road matchup against the Steelers could make for a rough afternoon. The Pittsburgh defense was exploitable against the pass in 2025, conceding 244.9 yards per contest, which was fourth-most in the NFL, and 30 passing touchdowns. However, the addition of Jamel Dean in the offseason should help, and a healthy T.J. Watt could make things very uncomfortable for Rush. With the Falcons owning an implied point total of 17.5, second-lowest of any Week 1 contest, the potential for the veteran QB to put up big numbers doesn't look good. With a ranking of QB31 this week at RotoBaller, the 32-year-old signal caller should be avoided in both season-long and DFS if at all possible.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jaguars D/ST Contender for Top Fantasy Unit in Week 1
The Jacksonville Jaguars defense/special teams unit has a chance to be the top option in Week 1 against the Cleveland Browns. Deshaun Watson will be the starting quarterback for the Browns, whose offense consists of lots of young and unproven players. The Jaguars D/ST finished among the top in fantasy last season due to their ability to force turnovers. They have a chance to force even more turnovers to start the year in this juicy matchup. The defense was second in turnovers forced last season, while the Browns' offense was third in offensive turnovers. That huge mismatch makes for about as good a combination as you can get for a fantasy defense. The Jaguars D/ST is a must-start in Week 1 and has a clear path to finish as the top unit of the week.
Source: D/ST RotoBaller
Source: D/ST RotoBaller
Dak Prescott Set To Shine In 2026 Debut
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott was one of the best draft picks to be made in two-QB and superflex leagues with six-point passing touchdown scoring rules in 2026. He's a highly productive, accurate QB in a very well-designed offense with arguably the best array of pass-catching weapons in the NFL. Wide receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens rank among the NFL's elite at the position, and WR Ryan Flournoy emerged as a legitimate option last season. Additionally, tight end Jake Ferguson has been productive at times. The offensive line is missing its starting right guard, Tyler Smith (thumb), for their Week 1 matchup against the New York Giants. But Dallas' offensive line has played well, so they should be fine. The Giants have a soft secondary that Prescott should be able to exploit in his season debut. He's a must-start in 2QB leagues and a solid mid-end QB1 in 1QB leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Lions Restructure Amon-Ra St. Brown's Deal
The Detroit Lions restructured the contracts of wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and left tackle Penei Sewell on Saturday to create over $30 million in salary cap space, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. With St. Brown's restructure, $26 million of his salary was converted into a signing bonus, which created $20.8 million in cap space for the next two seasons. The 26-year-old has been a Pro Bowler in each of the last four seasons with the Lions, catching a ridiculous 457 of his 623 targets for 5,340 yards and 39 touchdowns in 66 regular-season starts. He has recorded 1,000 receiving yards in the last four seasons as well, while finding the end zone double-digit times in each of the last three years. St. Brown caught 117 of his 172 targets for 1,401 yards and 11 touchdowns in 17 starts in 2025, and he is one of the safest fantasy football wideouts in the league as he enters his sixth season in 2026 with a Week 1 matchup at home against the New Orleans Saints.
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Jake Ferguson A Risky Start In Week 1
Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson was one of the best in the NFL last season in the games that his teammate, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, missed due to injury. This year, Ferguson is the third option, at best, in a passing offense that features two elite wideouts -- Lamb and teammate George Pickens. Those two deserve at least 10 targets a game between them, depending on who you ask. Additionally, WR Ryan Flournoy has drawn praise from film reviewers, and played quite well last season. He could carve out a bigger role in this offense. Ferguson may be the odd man out, and in fantasy football, upside wins championships. From Week 8 onward in 2025, Ferguson averaged under 7.0 PPR fantasy points per game. The New York Giants tend to allow a lot of fantasy points to opposing pass-catchers, but outside of dynasty TE-premium leagues, Ferguson is a risky player to start.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
CeeDee Lamb A Mid-To-Low-End WR1 In Week 1
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb has only finished as a WR7 or higher once in his career in the NFL. He's one of the NFL's best route-runners, especially on short and intermediate length routes, but the presence of another elite wideout on the team, George Pickens, nerfs his upside. Lamb should still be heavily targeted, but it's reasonable to temper expectations. Lamb scored just three touchdowns in 14 games last season while Pickens hauled in nine in his 17 games. Some TD regression is reasonable, though. In his last fully healthy season, No. 88 caught 12 TD passes. He may need a lot of targets to get to that point, though, and with Pickens on the field, Lamb probably won't reach his target numbers from seasons past. Still, a matchup with a soft New York Giants coming up, Lamb should produce well now that he's fully healthy. Start him in all leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
George Pickens A Borderline WR1 In Week 1
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens proved he was one of the best overall wideouts in the NFL in 2025. His production certainly benefited from the injury to elite WR teammate CeeDee Lamb, but even when both were on the field, Pickens clearly looked like and produced like the better receiver. This season, Lamb should be fully healthy from his ankle sprain last season, so perhaps he presents more of a challenge to Pickens' dominance. Still, the Cowboys have one of the best passing offenses in the NFL, and it's capable of supporting two high-end fantasy football producers. Pickens is healthy, and has been monstrously difficult to defend in contested catch situations and downfield targets. He has fantastic hands and top-tier concentration and strength at the catch point. Pickens is a must-start in all fantasy leagues for Week 1 against the New York Giants, who have had trouble with their pass defense for many seasons now.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Chris Rodriguez Jr. a Bench Stash Entering Week 1
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. is an interesting fantasy option entering Week 1 against the Cleveland Browns. The 25-year-old back played well in college at Kentucky while playing in Liam Coen's offense, so the two reuniting is an interesting storyline. Rodriguez Jr. has shown signs of being a good rusher in the NFL, but has very limited receiving skills, making him unlikely to ever be a bell cow. However, with him being listed as a co-starter with young, unproven back Bhayshul Tuten, the Kentucky product could be involved enough in the offense to be fantasy relevant. For now, that is hard to know for sure, so fantasy managers should be patient with putting him in starting lineups. However, in deeper leagues, he isn't a bad option as a low-end FLEX play. It should take a week or two to truly know Rodriguez Jr.'s fantasy value this season, so keep him on the bench for now in Week 1 in standard leagues.
Source: Chris Rodriguez Jr. RotoBaller
Source: Chris Rodriguez Jr. RotoBaller
Calvin Ridley Holds Minimal Upside in Week 1 Despite Path to Starting Role
After dealing with a hamstring injury and a broken fibula that limited him to just seven games in 2025, wide receiver Calvin Ridley enters the 2026 campaign healthy and as a starter for the Tennessee Titans. The Titans take on the New York Jets in Week 1. Ridley will play alongside fellow wideouts Wan'Dale Robinson and Carnell Tate (rookie), as well as tight end Gunnar Helm, as he looks to establish himself as a top target for quarterback Cam Ward in the passing game. The 31-year-old Ridley recorded just 17 receptions for 303 yards and zero touchdowns during his injury-plagued 2025 campaign, but the veteran has amassed 405 catches for 5,678 yards and 40 touchdowns throughout his career. Ridley is currently rostered in just 4% of Yahoo leagues right now and ranks as RotoBaller's No. 80 wide receiver (half-PPR) in Week 1. It is safe to keep Ridley out of lineups for Week 1, but his situation is worth monitoring.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Kyle Pitts Sr. Looking Like a Risky Low-End TE1 in Week 1
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. had a fantastic 2025 campaign in which he set career highs in targets (118), receptions (88), and touchdowns (five) while totaling 928 receiving yards, finishing as the TE2 overall despite the likes of Michael Penix Jr. (knee) and Kirk Cousins at the helm. This Sunday, with both Penix and Tua Tagovailoa (oblique) sitting out, Cooper Rush will be under center, so expectations for the former first-rounder should be tempered. The Falcons will take on the Steelers on the road this Sunday, and if Pittsburgh had a glaring vulnerability in 2025, it was against opposing TEs, yielding 11 touchdowns to them, which was second-most in the NFL. Still, even though Pitts figures to be the second or third option in the passing attack, with the downgrade at quarterback, the 25-year-old looks like a low-ceiling, low-floor TE1 this week.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
