RADIO
Jack Bech Set for a Starting Role in Second Season
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jack Bech is expected to occupy a starting role this season. Bech should consistently handle a large snap share as the team's primary slot receiver, playing alongside Tre Tucker and Jalen Nailor. Bech finished his rookie season last year with a modest 20 catches for 224 receiving yards, but he had an impressive stretch near the end of the year, catching 12 passes for 132 yards across four games. The state of the Raiders' offense this year remains a question mark with Kirk Cousins starting at quarterback, but Bech's role as the starting slot receiver should get him on the fantasy radar in deeper leagues. Plus, if the Raiders do find themselves playing from behind often, they'll likely pass the football more, which benefits Bech. At the moment, he ranks as RotoBaller's WR114 in redraft leagues. He has an ADP of 274.8, which makes him the 100th receiver off the board in fantasy drafts.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Dylan Sampson a Handcuff with Pass-Catching Upside
Cleveland Browns running back Dylan Sampson enters the 2026 season as a solid handcuff in fantasy football, but he also has a chance to carve out standalone value with his pass-catching ability. Sampson was limited to just 175 rushing yards across 15 games in his role behind Quinshon Judkins last year, but he made an impact as a receiver with 33 catches, 271 receiving yards, and two receiving touchdowns. Judkins will occupy the lead-back role again this year, but he may not play every down, opening the door for Sampson to get targets specifically on third downs. Plus, if Judkins were to miss any time due to injury, Sampson would step into the lead-back role. As it stands, he's the RB55 in RotoBaller's latest redraft fantasy football rankings. He has an ADP of 168.4, which corresponds to the 14th round and makes him the 53rd running back off the board.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Mason Taylor Facing Competition in Jets' Tight End Room
New York Jets tight end Mason Taylor enters a Week 1 matchup against the Tennessee Titans as the team's designated starter at TE. However, rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq, whom the Jets selected out of Oregon in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft at No. 16 overall, is also competing for reps and targets. Tight end Jeremy Ruckert also remains on the roster for the Jets and will look for a role. Taylor, who was a second-round selection by the Jets in 2025 (No. 42 overall), recorded 44 receptions for 369 yards and a touchdown as a rookie last season. Taylor certainly has the opportunity for an expanded role in 2026, but it could just be a matter of time before Sadiq surpasses him on the depth chart. As for now, Taylor has a chance to show what he can do. It is also possible the two play in 12-personnel formations together. Taylor is rostered in just 1% of Yahoo fantasy leagues at the moment and ranks as the No. 42 tight end, according to RotoBaller. Outside of deep tight end premium dynasty leagues, Taylor is off the fantasy radar in most formats.
Source: New York Jets
Source: New York Jets
New Role, Crowded Depth Chart in Cleveland Clouds Jerry Jeudy's Value
Jerry Jeudy is listed as a starting wide receiver for Week 1 on the Cleveland Browns' depth chart, but his exact role remains uncertain. Cleveland head coach Todd Monken is expected to move Jeudy around as a Z or F receiver, instead of his usual role as an X, which is generally considered a team's No. 1 wideout. However, Monken noted that Jeudy could still play as the X as well. With rookie Denzel Boston now expected to play the X spot, fellow rookie wideout KC Concepcion also emerging as a starter, and tight end Harold Fannin Jr. expected to remain heavily involved, Jeudy may not see as many targets as he did last season (106). Jeudy ranked second on Cleveland in 2025 with receptions (50) and receiving yards (602), behind Fannin. He also scored just two touchdowns. Jeudy, RotoBaller's No. 77 wide receiver (half-PPR), is currently rostered in just 12% of Yahoo leagues, but is somebody to monitor in the later rounds of upcoming fantasy football drafts.
Source: Cleveland Browns
Source: Cleveland Browns
Jaylen Wright Listed as RB2 on Dolphins' Depth Chart
Jaylen Wright is listed as the No. 2 running back on the Miami Dolphins depth chart, behind bell-cow tailback De'Von Achane. While Achane is expected to touch the ball at an extremely high rate in Miami's offense, Wright should be the first Dolphin off the bench to spell Achane when he is tired or needs to come out of the game for any purpose. Wright is listed ahead of Ollie Gordon II (ribs), who is dealing with an injury to his ribs, and Carlos Washington Jr. on the depth chart. The Dolphins selected Wright out of Tennessee in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft (No. 120 overall). Wright is rostered in just 2% of Yahoo leagues right now, but is worth a look in dynasty leagues or deeper leagues as Achane's handcuff. He ranks as RotoBaller's No. 66 running back and is a name to monitor in deep-league and best-ball formats as a late-round flyer.
Source: Miami Dolphins
Source: Miami Dolphins
Is Jalen Tolbert Losing Fantasy Relevance in Miami?
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jalen Tolbert may struggle to find fantasy relevance in 2026. While he is currently listed as one of three starting wide receivers on Miami's depth chart, it has been rookie Caleb Douglas who has created all of the buzz throughout training camp. Meanwhile, wide receivers Malik Washington and Chris Bell, as well as tight end Greg Dulcich, will also be involved in the passing game, with quarterback Malik Willis now running the offense in Miami. Perhaps most importantly, head coach Jeff Hafley has made it clear that he plans to have a run-heavy offense with a large dose of running back De'Von Achane. Tolbert will see his fair share of targets, but his path to making a fantasy impact in 2026 appears to be narrow. Tolbert is currently rostered in 0% of Yahoo leagues and ranks as RotoBaller's No. 113 wideout in half-PPR leagues, making him more of a stash in dynasty leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Gunnar Helm Emerging as a Deep-League Sleeper
Tennessee Titans tight end Gunnar Helm is a name to watch on draft day. He is listed as the starting tight end on the Titans' depth chart and is in line for plenty of targets from quarterback Cam Ward in 2026. Helm is currently rostered in just 3% of Yahoo leagues. Based on roster percentages, he is most likely going to be available on your waiver wire, and he is an intriguing stash option in deeper leagues with 14 to 16 teams. Helm, whom the Titans drafted in the fourth round (120th overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft, recorded 44 receptions for 357 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie last season. He currently ranks as RotoBaller's No. 32 tight end. Helm is worth monitoring as the 2026 campaign gets underway.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Michael Mayer Has Path to Fair Share of Targets with Raiders
While all of the buzz is on Brock Bowers in Las Vegas -- and rightfully so -- don't count out Michael Mayer as a relevant deep-league fantasy tight end for the Raiders this season quite yet. Mayer is entering the final year of his contract in 2026 and has a lot to prove. Mayer is listed as the second tight end on the Raiders' depth chart, behind Bowers. While Bowers is likely to lead the team in targets, he will also get a lot of defensive attention. Las Vegas' wide receiver corps of Tre Tucker, Jalen Nailor, and Jack Bech, among others, is largely underwhelming on paper, which should allow Mayer to have opportunities in the passing game with veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins at the helm. Despite this, Mayer is not necessarily somebody to roster just yet in standard redraft leagues. In fact, he is only rostered in 1% of Yahoo leagues right now. He is somebody to monitor on the waiver wire as he currently ranks as RotoBaller's No. 33 tight end in PPR/half-PPR leagues. If the WR room struggles early on, Mayer could carve out a role on a weekly basis.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Tua Tagovailoa Could Be on a Short Leash if Named the Starter
NFL Network national insider Ian Rapoport expects Tua Tagovailoa to be on "a little bit of a short leash" if he is named the starting quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons. Tagovailoa is competing with Michael Penix Jr. for the QB1 role in Atlanta. Penix is recovering from a partial ACL tear that he suffered in November 2025, which required surgery. Penix was fully cleared to practice in late August, but his timeline for returning to game action remains unknown. Tagovailoa struggled in the preseason, and his confidence seems to be waning. Rapoport noted that Penix would likely be the starter if he were healthy, but that Atlanta is left in "limbo" in terms of what to do at the quarterback position right now. The Falcons signed Tagovailoa to a one-year contract worth $1.215 million in March. Tagovailoa has a current Yahoo ADP of 201 and is best left on the waiver wire in all standard leagues as things currently stand.
Source: Ian Rapoport
Source: Ian Rapoport
Will Shipley Is Firmly Third in Philadelphia's Backfield
Philadelphia Eagles running back Will Shipley played well enough this summer, but nothing he did changed his place in the backfield. Shipley rushed for 56 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries against New England and comfortably survived final cuts. He also enters Week 1 behind both Saquon Barkley and Tank Bigsby. Bigsby separated himself as the primary backup during camp after rushing for 344 yards and two touchdowns on only 58 carries last season, while Shipley barely touched the ball on offense. He finished 2025 with 14 carries for 49 yards and nine catches for 56 yards, doing much more of his work on special teams. Philadelphia kept only three running backs on the initial 53-man roster, so Shipley's standing is pretty clear. There is some contingency value if injuries start piling up, and his receiving ability gives the Eagles another option. For fantasy purposes, though, Bigsby is the insurance back behind Barkley. Shipley is difficult to justify in ordinary redraft leagues while he remains third in line.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Rhamondre Stevenson Continues to Gain Redraft Momentum
New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson has picked up another reason to climb draft boards. TreVeyon Henderson (ankle) was in street clothes for Saturday's practice and has not been back on the field since getting hurt Aug. 24. New England opens at Seattle on Wednesday, so Henderson is running out of time to get meaningful work in before Week 1. Stevenson was already making a push for the larger role. He handled 58 carries during New England's four playoff games last season, while Henderson had 30, and Stevenson also caught 12 passes for 126 yards during that run. His regular season included 948 yards from scrimmage and a career-high nine touchdowns despite missing three games. Henderson could still return before Wednesday and will have a role once healthy, but this backfield looks a lot less murky than it did earlier in the summer. RotoBaller now has Stevenson at RB23 in half-PPR formats. For drafts happening this weekend, he's one of the clearer running back risers on the board.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Elijah Sarratt Comes Out of Camp Behind the Rookie Curve
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Elijah Sarratt had a solid first NFL summer, but another rookie made a much stronger push for immediate work. Sarratt opened the preseason with six catches for 66 yards against Philadelphia, then managed only two catches for four yards over the final two games. Meanwhile, Ja'Kobi Lane kept stacking plays throughout camp and has emerged as Baltimore's No. 3 receiver behind Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman. The current depth chart has Sarratt behind Lane, while Devontez Walker is also expected to have a significant role in the offense. That leaves Sarratt looking at more special-teams work than offensive snaps to begin the year. There is still plenty to like long term about a fourth-round pick who led the nation with 15 receiving touchdowns at Indiana last season, and his strong preseason opener wasn't meaningless. For 2026 redraft purposes, though, Lane's emergence made an already difficult path to targets even tighter. Sarratt is better viewed as a dynasty stash than someone likely to help fantasy managers early.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Pat Freiermuth Has More Receiving Work Up for Grabs
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth should have a little more room to operate after spending last season stuck in a crowded rotation. Freiermuth played just over half of Pittsburgh's offensive snaps and saw 54 targets, the exact same number as Jonnu Smith. Smith is gone now after being released in March, leaving Freiermuth, Darnell Washington and Robert Tonyan in the tight end room. That doesn't mean Washington disappears. He actually played slightly more snaps than Freiermuth last season and should remain heavily involved, especially as a blocker. There is still less competition than a year ago, when Freiermuth fell to 41 catches for 486 yards and four touchdowns after posting a 65-653-7 line in 2024. He also showed some early chemistry with Aaron Rodgers this summer, including a 23-yard touchdown during a two-minute drill in camp. DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. will command plenty of targets, but Smith's departure gives Freiermuth a better chance to stay on the field and get back into the TE2 conversation.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Xavier Legette's WR3 Role Looks Much Safer
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette has a clearer hold on the No. 3 role after Chris Brazzell II went down with a season-ending knee injury. Brazzell had looked good early in camp and was expected to have a role, but surgery on the LCL in his left knee ended his rookie year before it started. Legette is now listed with the first-team offense alongside Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker, and Carolina held all three out of the preseason finale because their roster spots were secure. That matters after Legette slipped to 35 catches for 363 yards and three touchdowns last season. His own summer was encouraging, too. Dave Canales praised the work Legette put into the details of his game, and the former first-round pick was having a strong camp before a foot issue cost him some time late in August. He returned to practice on Sept. 1. McMillan and Coker remain ahead of him in the target pecking order, so the fantasy ceiling is still limited. The WR3 path, though, looks much cleaner than it did entering camp.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
TreVeyon Henderson in Street Clothes for Saturday's Practice
New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson (ankle) is in street clothes for the team's practice on Saturday, according to Andrew Callahan of The Boston Herald. Henderson tweaked his ankle in practice early last week and has not returned since, putting his availability for the Week 1 regular-season opener against the Seattle Seahawks on Wednesday firmly in question. His injury and the fact that he did not stand out as a pass protector in training camp have caused backfield mate Rhamondre Stevenson to become more attractive in fantasy football drafts in New England's backfield. When Henderson is healthy, he will have a significant role alongside Stevenson after rushing for 911 yards and nine rushing touchdowns on 180 carries as a rookie in 2025, but it is clear that head coach Mike Vrabel still has a ton of trust in Stevenson. At RotoBaller, Stevenson is ranked as the RB23 with the season opener in less than a week, with Henderson checking in at No. 29 at the RB position. If Henderson is out or limited in the Super Bowl rematch next week, Corey Kiner would be in line to work as the RB2 behind Stevenson.
Source: The Boston Herald - Andrew Callahan
Source: The Boston Herald - Andrew Callahan
