Jul 18, 2026, 12:25 PM ET

Entering his fourth professional season having never topped the RB35 finish of his rookie campaign, the door still has not fully closed for Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears to find fantasy relevance in 2026. A capable pass-catcher throughout his career, Spears could find fresh opportunities with a new coaching staff inheriting a running back room that is not teeming with insurmountable talent. New offensive coordinator Brian Daboll has some familiarity with Tony Pollard from their time together in the NFC East, but he's long shown a willingness to ride the hot hand, turning his 2025 Giants backfield over to fourth-round rookie Cam Skattebo almost immediately. The Titans selected Penn State's Nicholas Singleton in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, muddying the waters slightly, but if Spears can maintain a primary pass-catching role while working his way into more of an early-down rotation, he could prove to have some usable flex weeks throughout the year. At RotoBaller's RB49, he's unlikely to be selected outside of the deepest of 2026 drafts, but he's a player to keep tabs on early in the season as a potential waiver add.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

Jul 18, 2026, 12:13 PM ET

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams finished as the fantasy QB5 in 2025 while leaving a lot of meat on the bone. His 58.1% completion rate ranked 32nd out of 33 qualifying quarterbacks, finishing ahead of only J.J. McCarthy, but much of his accuracy struggles can be explained by the same propensity for hunting big plays that is responsible for his heightened ceiling. Twice in 2025, Williams finished a week as the overall QB1, and he landed in the top 10 in more than half his starts, but a more balanced approach in his second season with Ben Johnson should lead to more consistency and a spot among the most reliable fantasy contributors at the position. Even in saying goodbye to DJ Moore, the team's leading wide receiver in each of the past three seasons, Chicago still boasts one of the most dynamic trios of pass catchers in the league in receivers Luther Burden III and Rome Odunze and tight end Colston Loveland. With all the pieces around him to take yet another step forward, Williams is RotoBaller's QB7, but he is one of a handful of players who could ultimately threaten to finish 2026 as the overall QB1.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

Jul 18, 2026, 10:00 AM ET

As a rookie in 2025, New York Jets tight end Mason Taylor led the team in both targets and receptions, but he was unable to build upon some promising early-season momentum or truly take advantage of the opportunity presented by Garrett Wilson's absence. Taylor saw a combined 22 targets in a three-game stretch from Weeks 3 through 5 that made him a popular waiver wire pickup, but even in serving as the de facto number one receiving option for large swaths of the season, he topped five targets in a game only two more times and eventually landed on injured reserve with a neck injury. The Jets have since spent a first-round pick on Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq, whose athleticism and physicality stand out in stark contrast to Taylor, who finished his rookie season without a single forced missed tackle. Incapable of consistently producing for fantasy as the top tight end on the team with Wilson sidelined for much of the year, nothing about Taylor's year-two situation suggests a sudden turnaround is on the way, and he is going largely undrafted in 2026 redraft leagues.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

Jul 18, 2026, 9:50 AM ET

The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Alabama wide receiver Germie Bernard in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and after a number of scant seasons, a team that once had a reputation for never missing at the position again looks to have one of its strongest receiver rooms in years. With the offense running primarily through the running backs and tight ends in Arthur Smith's final season as offensive coordinator, DK Metcalf's 59 catches for 850 yards and six touchdowns all led the position group by a wide margin. With new head coach Mike McCarthy assuming play-calling duties in his reunion with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, there is an expectation for more three-receiver sets and a higher passing volume. And while a 42-year-old Rodgers may no longer have the arm talent that allowed him to reach one of the highest peaks in the history of the league, Bernard's combination of size and speed, along with his dependability and inside-to-outside versatility, make him a perfect fit in an offense looking to push the ball downfield as much as Rodgers' right shoulder will allow. While a bit of an overlapping skill set with Michael Pittman Jr. could limit his ceiling, particularly early in the year, Bernard is practically free in drafts, and at RotoBaller's WR68, he's a player worth taking a late-round swing on in hopes that the Steelers offense could surprise in 2026.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

Jul 18, 2026, 9:39 AM ET

Rookie running back Jeremiyah Love has been the unquestioned fantasy darling of the 2026 draft class for months, and with the Arizona Cardinals making him the third overall pick in the NFL Draft, he finds himself in excellent company when projecting his fantasy impact. Love is the ninth running back since 2015 to earn top-12 draft capital, and all have proven capable of overcoming the situations that tend to surround teams picking that early. The average rookie season among those eight players has amounted to 1,474 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns, with none of them failing to top 1,000 yards and Ashton Jeanty's RB13 finish last season making him the first of the group to finish outside of RB1 territory, albeit barely. An athletic marvel able to win with both speed and power, Love should earn a major role almost immediately, with his workload only increasing throughout the year, and with history on his side, he has a strong possibility of outperforming his current ADP of RB12.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

Jul 18, 2026, 9:26 AM ET

In an era where rushing quarterbacks rule the day, Cincinnati Bengals signal-caller Joe Burrow is one of the few true pocket passers still capable of delivering a QB1 finish. While he is not totally incapable of scrambling to move the chains, his 257 rushing yards in 2022 remain a career high, while his five rushing scores from that same season also look to be a bit of an outlier. Meanwhile, in his three healthy seasons, he's averaged 4,668 yards and 37 touchdowns through the air, twice finishing as a top-four fantasy quarterback. Obviously, those three healthy years only account for half of his career, with durability being his biggest knock since tearing his ACL as a rookie and missing at least seven games in two subsequent seasons. However, when things are going right in Cincinnati, as they appear to be heading into 2026, Burrow remains one of the elite fantasy difference-makers, and he enters his age-30 season as RotoBaller's QB5.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

Jul 18, 2026, 9:13 AM ET

By fantasy finish alone, Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young has shown steady improvement in each of his three seasons, rising from QB23 as a rookie to QB20 in Year 2 and a QB19 finish last season. Obviously, his actual path has not been as linear, with a performance-based benching in 2024, and he now enters a critical fourth season. Young demonstrated some of the highest highs of his career in 2025, throwing for 448 yards and three scores in a Week 11 overtime win over the Falcons, but he also failed to reach 200 passing yards in 12 of 17 outings. With few notable additions on the offensive side of the ball and the Panthers slated to face a first-place schedule in 2026, much will be asked of Young as he looks to earn a long-term extension. And even if he proves capable of taking another small step forward, in a year with so many fantasy-viable options at the position, Young is not a player who should factor into draft plans in single-quarterback leagues. He enters the year as RotoBaller's QB26.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

Jul 17, 2026, 10:08 PM ET

New England Patriots running back Lan Larison is expected to compete with Terrell Jennings for the RB3 role in training camp this summer behind TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson, according to The Boston Globe's Christopher Price. Larison, 24, went undrafted last year out of UC Davis before latching on with the Patriots. He was unable to get on the field at all in 2025 due to a broken foot that he suffered in the preseason, spending the entire campaign on Injured Reserve. Now healthy, Larison will attempt to win a depth role in New England's backfield while also competing for playing time with rookie Jam Miller and Myles Montgomery. The 5-foot-11, 209-pounder has a real shot to win the RB3 job going into the start of the 2026 regular season in early September, but he can be ignored for now in single-year fantasy football leagues.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Boston Globe - Chrisopher Price

Jul 17, 2026, 10:02 PM ET

New England Patriots second-year wide receiver Kyle Williams' path to consistent targets didn't get any easier heading into his sophomore campaign in 2026 after the Patriots added A.J. Brown via trade and Romeo Doubs in free agency, but Evan Lazar of Patriots.com writes that Williams is set to compete with Mack Hollins, Kayshon Boutte, and DeMario Douglas for snaps in three-receiver sets in training camp this summer. Specifically, Williams and Douglas could be competing for a "speed" receiver role deep down the field. Hollins' versatility and willingness to do the dirty blocking work have endeared him to the coaching staff, and he gives the offense a more physical presence at the WR position. The 23-year-old Williams caught 10 of his 21 targets for 209 yards (20.9 yards per catch) and three touchdowns in 17 regular-season games after he was taken in the third round in last year's draft out of Washington State. Williams' numbers didn't exactly stand out, but he has long-term appeal as a big-play wideout in dynasty/keeper leagues after averaging 20 yards a catch as a rookie. The volume probably won't be there again for him to matter much in 12-team fantasy leagues in 2026.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Patriots.com - Evan Lazar

Jul 17, 2026, 9:52 PM ET

Clifton Brown of the Baltimore Ravens official website lists veteran wide receiver Rashod Bateman as a projected starter for the 2026 season. Brown adds that Bateman is "looking for a healthy and productive campaign" after playing in 13 games and catching just 19 passes on 38 targets for 224 yards and two touchdowns in his fifth year in the NFL. It was even more of a disappointment after the 26-year-old had a career-best 756 receiving yards and nine touchdowns on 45 catches in 17 regular-season games in 2024. Bateman could be considered a bounce-back candidate in 2026, but with no ties to the new regime in Baltimore after they fired long-time head coach John Harbaugh this offseason, it's extremely hard to recommend the former first-rounder in 2021 out of the University of Minnesota as anything more than a low-upside dart throw late in deep-league drafts. The Ravens don't have excellent WR depth behind WR1 Zay Flowers, but they did draft rookies Ja'Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt, who both should have more short- and long-term upside than Bateman.--Keith Hernandez
Source: BaltimoreRavens.com - Clifton Brown

Jul 17, 2026, 9:33 PM ET

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Nick Harris lists Dallas Cowboys running backs Phil Mafah, Jaydon Blue, and Malik Davis as on the bubble heading into training camp this summer. Behind workhorse Javonte Williams, the Cowboys don't have a clear-cut favorite for the RB2 role, "which will create a fascinating battle in training camp and the preseason." The 23-year-old Mafah, who was a seventh-rounder last year out of Clemson, played in only one game and had five rushing attempts for 18 yards and a touchdown. He also caught both of his targets for 11 yards. He's fully healthy and looking to keep the momentum going after a strong offseason "in the eyes of his coaches." Harris writes that Blue has more natural ability than Mafah and Davis due to his explosive speed and receiving abilities, but he will have to win over the coaches after he showed immaturity as a rookie in 2025. Going into training camp, Mafah is only a hold in deep dynasty/keeper leagues as he battles for a depth role in Big D.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Fort Worth Star-Telegram - Nick Harris

Jul 17, 2026, 9:28 PM ET

After a strong first year with the Dallas Cowboys, running back Javonte Williams has "cemented himself as the long-term starter," according to Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The 26-year-old was rewarded with a three-year, $24 million contract in February of this year after he had a career-high 252 rushing attempts for a career-high 1,201 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns in 16 starts, adding 35 receptions for 137 yards and two scores as a pass-catcher. At the very least, Williams will be the team's early-down back again in 2026, or a bell-cow back once again "at the worst." There aren't any real threats to his heavy volume going into his second year in Dallas, with Malik Davis, Jaydon Blue, and Phil Mafah, among others, behind him on the RB depth chart. Williams loses some luster in PPR leagues, but at the very least, he should be treated as a low-end RB1/high-end RB2 in upcoming fantasy football drafts as Dallas' unquestioned RB1. RotoBaller currently has Williams ranked as the No. 15 fantasy RB for 2026, just behind the Los Angeles Rams' Kyren Williams.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Fort Worth Star-Telegram - Nick Harris

Jul 17, 2026, 9:14 PM ET

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth could have an expanded role in 2026 in his sixth year with the organization in new head coach Mike McCarthy's offense, according to Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Freiermuth took a step back in 2025 in the Steel City in the first year with veteran QB Aaron Rodgers running the offense, and he had to share valuable targets with both Jonnu Smith and Darnell Washington, which led to a disappointing 41-486-4 line in 17 regular-season games (eight starts) for fantasy managers. The Steelers added veteran receiver Michael Pittman Jr., who figures to be a big part of the Steelers' passing attack this year, but Smith and running back Kenneth Gainwell, who had a career-high 73 receptions in 2025, are gone. With all that said, fantasy managers still probably shouldn't consider Freiermuth as much more than a low-end TE2 target in TE-premium leagues. The former second-rounder in 2021 out of Penn State has never exceeded 732 receiving yards or seven touchdowns in his five seasons, and Rodgers hasn't typically relied heavily on the tight end position in his Hall of Fame career.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Ray Fittipaldo

Jul 17, 2026, 4:59 PM ET

Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry turned in yet another highly productive season in 2025, recording 1,595 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns on 307 carries across 17 games. As he enters his age-32 season with nearly 15,000 career touches under his belt, the aging curve is an obvious red flag in Henry's profile. However, Henry has shown little sign of slowing down to this point in his career, and he should have a better offensive ecosystem around him in Baltimore this season after Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson missed four games due to injury in 2025. Henry has played in all 17 games in three consecutive seasons and recorded double-digit rushing touchdowns in eight straight campaigns. As long as he's on the field, Henry is a solid bet to provide top-12 fantasy production. At his current redraft ADP of RB13, Henry should be a draft-day target for fantasy managers.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Jul 17, 2026, 4:50 PM ET

After spending the first four seasons of his NFL career with the New York Giants, wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson signed a four-year, $70 million ($38 million guaranteed) contract with the Tennessee Titans this past spring. Robinson is coming off his best season as a pro in 2025, as he recorded 92 catches for 1,014 yards and four touchdowns on 140 targets across 16 games. After star Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (knee) went down with a season-ending knee injury in Week 4, Robinson emerged as the number one option in the New York passing game. The 25-year-old may not be the WR1 in Tennessee following the Titans' selection of wide receiver Carnell Tate with the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. However, Robinson's ability to win from the slot should make him a high-usage security blanket for young Tennessee quarterback Cam Ward. As the 45th wide receiver off the board by current redraft ADP, Robinson may be a value selection for fantasy managers.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller