RADIO
Jaxon Smith-Njigba Wants to Be an "Upgraded Version" of Himself
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba led the NFL with 1,793 receiving yards in 2025 on his way to winning the Offensive Player of the Year Award and finishing the year as the fantasy WR2, but he is not simply resting on his laurels. In discussing his expectations for the upcoming season, Smith-Njigba told reporters, "I want y'all to see different levels, almost a different player out there, and just kind of an upgraded version." The Seahawks were able to retain a remarkable number of starters from their Super Bowl-winning squad, but their biggest hit could come from the loss of offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, who schemed up big plays for Smith-Njigba through heavy motion and play action usage. With his 15.1 yards-per-reception average putting him in rarified air among players with more than 110 catches, Smith-Njigba is a possible regression candidate for 2026, but as the clear focal point of the Seahawks' offense, expectations remain high, and he is RotoBaller's WR3.
Source: Around the NFL
Source: Around the NFL
Caleb Williams Says Bears Offense Will Be "More Entertaining" in 2026
The Chicago Bears offense is projected to be one of the more fantasy-friendly units in 2026, and on a recent appearance on the Up & Adams Show with Kay Adams, quarterback Caleb Williams did little to temper expectations, saying, "It's going to be more entertaining than last year, hopefully not as much of a heart race, but it's going to be a little more entertaining throughout the whole game and what we're going to bring to the table as a team." Already responsible for some of the wildest highlights of the 2025 season, that is a high bar to clear, and how that entertainment factor could translate for fantasy has drafters understandably excited about the Bears offense as a whole. Williams is RotoBaller's QB7, and after a trade sent veteran receiver DJ Moore to Buffalo, targets are expected to be funneled through Rome Odunze and second-year players Luther Burder III and Colston Loveland, none of whom fall outside RotoBaller's top 75 players for 2026. Meanwhile, running backs D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai both have the potential to outperform ADP expectations in year two under Ben Johnson.
Source: Up & Adams Show with Kay Adams
Source: Up & Adams Show with Kay Adams
Colts Could Look at Keenan Allen for Wide Receiver Depth
The depth of the Indianapolis Colts wide receiver room was always going to be one of the team's bigger areas of concern, and with Alec Pierce (ankle) beginning training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list, the team may already be looking to add additional bodies, with The Athletic's James Boyd pointing to veteran Keenan Allen as a potential fit. Now 34 years old, the six-time Pro Bowler is predominantly a slot receiver, a box the Colts seemingly already have checked with Josh Downs, but Allen led the Chargers with 81 receptions in 2025, and he has experience in Shane Steichen's system from Steichen's time in Los Angeles. Pierce signed a four-year, $114 million deal this offseason to stick with the team and take over primary receiver responsibilities, but he has not practiced since opting for ankle surgery in March. The Colts' first practice of training camp is scheduled for Wednesday, and any prolonged absence by Pierce without a corresponding roster move could put significant strain on an offense that would then be forced to feature some combination of Ashton Dulin and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine in starting roles.
Source: James Boyd - The Athletic
Source: James Boyd - The Athletic
Seahawks Building a Role for Rashid Shaheed
The Seattle Seahawks traded for speedy wide receiver Rashid Shaheed at last season's trade deadline, but with him learning a new offense on the fly, the majority of his contributions to the team's title run came through special teams, with the fourth-year player catching only 15 passes in his nine regular-season games with Seattle. Now with a full offseason under his belt, expectations are high, and Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer believes the Seahawks will look to build a specialized role around his straight-line speed and elusiveness. With new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury arriving from San Francisco, where Klint Kubiak also spent time before his 2025 stint with Seattle, Breer speculates that a package of gadget plays could be drawn up for Shaheed similar to how the 49ers used Deebo Samuel Sr. in the past. Shaheed was playing at close to a 1,000-yard pace with the Saints before the trade, so his upside is obvious when used effectively, and he is RotoBaller's WR57 for 2026.
Source: Albert Breer
Source: Albert Breer
Josh Jacobs Investigation "Still Open"
The investigation into Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs is "still open," the Brown County District Attorney's Office told Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. Jacobs was arrested in Wisconsin and jailed in late May on five charges related to domestic abuse. He was released from jail the following day because there was insufficient evidence to pursue criminal charges at the time, and they had reason to believe there may be additional evidence that would impact what/if criminal charges were appropriate. The 28-year-old practiced all offseason with the Packers, and there's no telling when this legal situation will wrap up. As things currently stand, Jacobs looks likely to be Green Bay's starting RB in Week 1 of the 2026 regular season, but that could change if evidence surfaces that could reopen Jacobs' case as a criminal investigation. For fantasy purposes, Jacobs remains a midrange RB2 target for managers with three 1,000-yard seasons under his belt in seven NFL campaigns and a whopping 28 rushing touchdowns in his two seasons with the Packers.
Source: The Athletic - Matt Schneidman
Source: The Athletic - Matt Schneidman
Mack Hollins Willing to Play Tight End for the Patriots
New England Patriots 32-year-old wide receiver Mack Hollins said on Monday that he is "willing to play some tight end this season," Karen Guregian of MassLive.com reports. Hollins also stated that "he just wants to win some games". Hollins had one of his better seasons in 2025, thanks to the breakout campaign of star quarterback Drake Maye, hauling in 46 of his 65 targets for 550 yards and two touchdowns with an impressive 11.96 YPR. During the offseason, the Patriots bolstered their wide receiver room, bringing in 26-year-old Romeo Doubs from the Packers and superstar A.J. Brown from the Eagles. While the Patriots did decide to move on from Stefon Diggs, the wide receiver room is crowded with Brown, Doubs, DeMario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte, Kyle Williams, and Hollins. Meanwhile, the tight end position outside of Hunter Henry is fairly thin, and Hollins is a huge wide receiver, standing at 6'4", 221 lbs. The best thing that Hollins can do for himself is find ways to get on the field more often, and the potential transition to tight end could boost his fantasy value, especially in the red zone, if it means getting him on the field more often.
Source: MassLive.Com
Source: MassLive.Com
Najee Harris Remains Unsigned, His Value Will be Dependent on Where He Lands
27-year-old running back out of Alabama, Najee Harris, tore his Achilles early in the 2025 season after he was signed to a one-year deal by the Los Angeles Chargers. He finished the season with only 15 rush attempts for 61 yards and three receptions for 25 yards. Harris spent his first four seasons in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers and finished as the RB20 or better in all four of those seasons, rushing for more than 1,000 yards and six touchdowns in all of those seasons. Harris has never been an extremely efficient runner, as evidenced by his career 3.9 YPC; however, he has proven to be a workhorse, logging 255 or more carries in all of his first four seasons. At 27 years old, it's fair to ask what he has left in the tank; however, if he were to sign with a team that would provide him with a timeshare or ample opportunities, he could return to the fantasy radar. Based on name value alone, Harris remains a hold in dynasty formats that roster more bench spots; however, in most redraft formats, he goes undrafted because he is still on the free-agent market.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Jaylen Warren Competing for Touches Once Again With the Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers 27-year-old running back out of Oklahoma State, Jaylen Warren, finds himself in another timeshare backfield in 2026, even after the Steelers moved on from Kenny Gainwell and brought in 28-year-old Rico Dowdle. Warren finished the 2025 season as the RB16, with 211 carries for 958 rushing yards and six touchdowns. He contributed through the air as well, hauling in 40 of his 45 targets for 333 yards and two touchdowns. It was Warren's best season of his professional career, which spans four years. New Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy and Dowdle spent time together in Dallas in 2024, and Dowdle has now put together back-to-back seasons with over 1,000 rushing yards and five or more total touchdowns. Warren figures to maintain his primary role as the pass-catching back; however, the goal-line work and the timeshare between the two will be sorted out as training camp continues. Neither back is expected to take the lion's share of work, making both backs valuable in what figures to be a run-heavy, short, intermediate passing offense with 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers still under center. Warren remains a valuable fantasy asset in both redraft and dynasty formats heading into the 2026 season.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Cole Kmet Seeing His Value Decline in All Formats
Chicago Bears 27-year-old tight end Cole Kmet saw a significant decrease in production last season as the Bears drafted Colston Loveland 10th overall in the 2025 NFL draft last season. Kmet finished as the TE7 in 2022 and 2023, with his fantasy production driven by volume and touchdowns: he scored 7 touchdowns in 2022 and 6 in 2023. During the 2025 season, Kmet only saw 48 targets and hauled in 30 of them for 347 yards and two touchdowns. While the Bears have an elite offense, the passing attack is projected to run through second-year wideout Luther Burden III and third-year receiver Rome Odunze to go along with Loveland, who broke out in a massive way in the second half of last season. Kmet's value hinges mostly on Loveland's health, and Kmet finds himself entering the 2026 season as a strong drop candidate in dynasty formats and going undrafted in a lot of fantasy leagues.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Dyami Brown Not a Draft Target in All Fantasy Formats
Washington Commanders wide receiver Dyami Brown is back in Washington for the 2026 season, where he began his NFL career, coming off a season in Jacksonville in 2025, where he hauled in 20 of his 37 targets for 227 yards and one touchdown. While he had an impressive 11.35 YPR, he finished the season as the WR114 and, through his five-year career, has never finished a season better than WR99. For his career, he has 79 receptions, 1,011 yards, and five touchdowns through the air. He finds himself in a position to fight for a starting spot in a thin Commanders wide receiver room, as Terry McLaurin is the clear wide receiver in the room to go along with Brown, Van Jefferson, Jaylin Lane, Luke McCaffrey, and third-round pick Antonio Williams. However, it will be an uphill battle for the 26-year-old, and he should not be on fantasy managers' radar in any formats as we enter draft season.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Seahawks Plan to Waive Kenny McIntosh
The Seattle Seahawks plan to waive injured running back Kenny McIntosh (knee), sources told Brady Henderson of ESPN. The 26-year-old former seventh-round pick in 2023 from the University of Georgia started training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list while recovering from a torn ACL that he suffered during camp last summer. McIntosh didn't play at all for Seattle last year after carrying the ball 31 times for 172 yards and zero touchdowns on the ground in 20 games (zero starts) in his first two years in the NFL. He added three catches for 22 yards as a pass-catcher in 17 regular-season games in 2024. McIntosh will need to prove he's recovered from his serious knee injury a year ago for any other NFL teams to show interest in him before the start of the 2026 campaign as running back depth. He's well off the fantasy radar right now in all leagues.
Source: ESPN.com - Brady Henderson
Source: ESPN.com - Brady Henderson
Rookie Jordyn Tyson "Checks All the Boxes" for a Wide Receiver
Despite seeing minimal on-field work during the offseason program as he managed a prior hamstring injury suffered in college, New Orleans Saints rookie first-round wide receiver Jordyn Tyson has impressed the team's coaching staff, per John DeShazier of the team's official website. The Saints took Tyson early in the draft in an attempt to give All-Pro wideout Chris Olave some help, and he can play both outside and in the slot. "He has attributes that you look for in a wideout," receivers coach Keith Williams said. "He has good size, good speed, he's sudden, he's a 'hands' catcher, he's athletic, he's got good run-after-the-catch. He checks a lot of the boxes that you look for in a wideout." Quarterback Tyler Shough said in mid-July that Tyson should be "firing on all cylinders" for training camp and the preseason after a hamstring injury cut short his final collegiate season at Arizona State in 2025. The 21-year-old will be intriguing in both redraft and dynasty/keeper drafts in his first NFL campaign for his size and after-the-catch abilities. There could be enough volume for both Olave and Tyson for Tyson to be a weekly WR3/flex option for fantasy managers, even in 12-team formats.
Source: NewOrleansSaints.com - John DeShazier
Source: NewOrleansSaints.com - John DeShazier
George Pickens Officially Arrives for Cowboys Training Camp
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens officially arrived in Oxnard, California, on Monday for the start of the team's training camp, according to NFL.com. Pickens signed his franchise tag for the 2026 season and will make $27.3 million this year. Despite a career year in 2025 in his first year in Dallas, the Cowboys want to see the 25-year-old run it back in his second year with the team. The former second-rounder in 2022 by the Pittsburgh Steelers out of the University of Georgia caught 93 of his 137 targets last year for a career-high 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns in 17 games (15 starts). Pickens was the Cowboys' leading receiver, getting a boost from CeeDee Lamb missing three games due to injury. He will have plenty of motivation for another big year as he heads into free agency next March, and the Cowboys' pass-happy offense could support both Pickens and Lamb once again. Lamb is probably the safer high-upside WR1 pick in fantasy, but after Pickens' big 2025, he is also going to be taken as a WR1 in the early rounds of fantasy drafts this fall.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
Jamal Adams Signs With the Vikings
Three-time All-Pro safety Jamal Adams is signing an undisclosed deal with the Minnesota Vikings on Monday, multiple sources told Jordan Schultz. The 30-year-old former sixth overall pick by the New York Jets in the 2017 NFL draft out of LSU moved from strong safety to linebacker last year with the Las Vegas Raiders and recorded 45 tackles (30 solo), one sack, five tackles for loss, and a forced fumble in 17 games (four starts) in his ninth year in the league. Last year was the first time since 2018 that Adams played in every regular-season game. The veteran defensive back was once one of the most attractive safeties in IDP fantasy leagues because of his ability to come up in the box and defend the run, but because of injuries and his move to linebacker, he's no longer on the fantasy radar in those formats. Adams has 22.5 sacks in his nine-year career, but has had just one sack since the start of the 2021 season.
Source: Jordan Schultz
Source: Jordan Schultz
Chris Brooks Placed on NFI List to Start Training Camp
The Green Bay Packers placed running back Chris Brooks (undisclosed) on the Non-Football Injury list on Monday for the start of training camp, according to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. It's a bad start for Brooks this summer as he looks to compete for a backup role with MarShawn Lloyd behind starter Josh Jacobs, but he can be activated from the NFI list at any time during camp. The 26-year-old former undrafted free agent out of BYU has seen just 82 rushing attempts in his three years in Green Bay for 395 yards (4.8 yards per carry) and one touchdown in 41 games played (zero starts), adding 24 receptions for 160 yards as a pass-catcher. If healthy, Lloyd probably has the leg up for the RB2 role in Green Bay behind Jacobs, but Lloyd has already had a pretty lengthy injury history in his short time in the NFL. Barring another injury to Lloyd before the start of the 2026 season, fantasy managers in all single-year formats can continue to ignore Brooks.
Source: The Athletic - Matt Schneidman
Source: The Athletic - Matt Schneidman
