RADIO
Jayden Higgins Still a Dynasty Buy Before the Hype Grows Louder
A second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Houston Texans wide receiver Jayden Higgins saw his usage steadily ramp up over the back half of his rookie season, and after standing out in a non-contact minicamp setting, big things are expected of him in year two. Higgins has reportedly impressed teammates and coaches alike with added muscle and increased play speed, and he could become a fixture on the outside opposite two-time Pro Bowler Nico Collins. In seven of his final 11 games of 2025, Higgins either caught at least five passes, racked up 50+ yards, or scored a touchdown, topping 9.0 half-PPR fantasy points in six of those outings. After middle-of-the-pack finishes across most offensive categories, meaningful improvements are expected of a Texans unit that added running back David Montgomery and should see further development from not only Higgins but fellow 2025 Day 2 pick Jaylin Noel. At RotoBaller's dynasty WR44, Higgins is a relatively low-cost trade target who could see his price rise precipitously should the drum beat continue to grow louder when the team reconvenes for training camp.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jacoby Brissett's Dynasty Value Largely Unaffected by Contract Situation
When the Arizona Cardinals signed quarterback Jacoby Brissett to a two-year, $12.5 million deal in 2025, it was presumably to serve as the backup to two-time Pro Bowler Kyler. With the relationship between Murray and the Cardinals deteriorating shortly after that, Brissett ended up starting the final 12 games of the 2025 season and now finds himself as a bridge quarterback for either 2026 third-round pick Carson Beck or whoever the team hands the reins to in 2027. Seeking a guaranteed commitment in line with the elevated role, Brissett skipped all voluntary offseason activities and did not participate in team drills during mandatory minicamp. While a lot can still happen in the three months leading up to the Cardinals' Week 1 matchup with the Chargers, only a full split from the team would drastically alter Brissett's dynasty value ahead of the 2026 season. Brissett is 33 years old and potentially holding the final starting opportunity of his career, and with the Cardinals signing running back Tyler Allgeier in free agency and spending the third pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Jeremiyah Love, it's unlikely that he sees the type of passing volume he did a year ago. Still a usable second or third quarterback in superflex leagues, Brissett is RotoBaller's dynasty QB31.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Is Jaylen Warren Still Undervalued in 2026?
Despite two top 25 finishes in the past three seasons, Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren has never seen a preseason ADP inside the top 30 running backs, and that continues to be the case heading into 2026. Warren is currently the consensus RB30 following his RB16 finish in 2025. With the Steelers committing $5 million in guaranteed money to free agent Rico Dowdle, Warren's weekly ceiling appears capped in what could be close to a 50/50 workload split, though he is no stranger to sharing the Pittsburgh backfield. His career-best season came with teammate Kenneth Gainwell trailing only Christian McCaffrey, Bijan Robinson, and Jahmyr Gibbs in running back receptions, while his RB25 finish in 2023 saw him end the year more than 100 carries behind Najee Harris. Dowdle perhaps represents his most well-rounded running mate to date, but nothing the fourth-year player can do should be enough to keep Warren off the field and away from his own fantasy-relevant touches. Capable of matching ADP expectations in a true committee split, Warren's upside far exceeds that of other backs taken in his range when considering the full backfield takeover that could befall him in the event of an injury to Dowdle, and he represents some of the best value from the middle rounds of 2026 drafts.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Can Joe Burrow Challenge to be QB1 in 2026?
Since being selected first overall in the 2020 NFL Draft, only injuries have been able to slow Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. Over his past 25 starts, Burrow has averaged 2.4 touchdown passes per game, and in a fantasy space largely dominated by quarterback mobility, he is one of the few players who can routinely challenge for a QB1 finish on arm talent alone. While the notable improvements made to a Bengals defense that ranked among the worst in the league could put him in more favorable game scripts and ultimately lower his ceiling, Burrow comes into 2026 healthy and still surrounded by one of the NFL's premier pass-catching units. Burrow is RotoBaller's QB5, but if the Bengals offense can stay intact in a way that it has rarely been able to do in recent years, he is as safe a bet as any to lead the league in touchdown passes and could easily outperform ADP.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Can Treylon Burks Turn His Career Around in a Thin Commanders Receiver Room?
Following a rash of injuries, the Washington Commanders elevated wide receiver Treylon Burks from the practice squad to the active roster for eight of the final nine games of the 2025 season. While he made only 10 catches over that time, he showed enough to earn another one-year prove-it deal from the team in free agency, and with one of the thinnest depth charts in the league behind locked-in starter Terry McLaurin, Burks has a chance to carve out a meaningful role in his fifth professional season. 2025 fourth-round pick Jaylin Lane caught only 16 passes as a rookie, but the Commanders selected Antonio Williams in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft and are expecting larger contributions from third-year professional Luke McCaffrey, who was beginning to pick up steam before a broken collarbone ended his sophomore campaign. At 6'2" and 225 pounds, Burks offers a different body type from the rest of the room, but despite a highlight-worthy primetime touchdown grab for the Commanders last season, he's found the end zone only three times in his career. At RotoBaller's dynasty WR140, the door is not completely shut for a fantasy revival, but even as part of a muddied depth chart, Burks' underwhelming history makes him little more than an unexciting stash.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Cole Kmet's Dynasty Value Fading as Offense Improves Around Him
Despite leading the team in total snaps at the position, by the end of the 2025 season, Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet had clearly been overtaken by rookie Colston Loveland. With Chicago operating out of multi-tight end sets at one of the league's highest rates, Kmet is still expected to be a major part of the team's base offense in 2026, but from a fantasy perspective, he is now well behind Loveland and an exciting pair of young receivers in Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III. An incredibly durable player throughout his six-year career, Kmet finished as the TE7 in both 2022 and 2023 on the strength of full availability and 13 touchdown receptions over those two years, but he has not since reached 50 receptions or 500 yards. Still only 27 years old, he remains a dynasty hold for his unique insurance upside, but under contract for two more seasons, RotoBaller's TE50 will not reach free agency and a potentially beneficial change of scenery until 2028.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Quinn Ewers Little More Than a Back-of-Roster Dynasty Handcuff
A seventh-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Miami Dolphins quarterback Quinn Ewers was given the chance to start the final three games of his rookie season. While he did not look glaringly out of place running an NFL offense, averaging 189.7 passing yards across those starts while throwing three touchdowns and three interceptions, the new Dolphins regime moved quickly to add former Packer Malik Willis on a three-year, $67.5 million deal that would presumably lock him in as the starter for the duration of Ewer's rookie contract. At RotoBaller's QB49, Ewers is still a roster-worthy handcuff in superflex dynasty leagues, though any fantasy consideration he sees is likely to come in a worst-case, emergency situation with no other fill-in options. Even then, his upside will still be capped by his conservative play style and Miami's lack of receiver talent, making him an easy player to move on from for managers facing a roster crunch.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
What Impact Can Calvin Austin III Make for the Giants in 2026?
With the New York Giants having signed or drafted six different wide receivers since the start of the new league year, one of their more under-the-radar additions was veteran Calvin Austin III, who agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million deal after three seasons with the Steelers. At 5'9" and 162 pounds, he offers a similar body type to free agent departee Wan'Dale Robinson, who led the team with 92 catches in 2025, though their usage has differed, with Austin seeing only about half of his snaps out of the slot over the past two seasons. Deployed more as a field stretcher than a true volume threat during his time in Pittsburgh, Austin has topped 400 receiving yards only once, and in New York, his skill set could overlap significantly with fellow free agent acquisition Darnell Mooney. With no clear picture of exactly how the Giants will utilize their deep group of new pass catchers, the only near certainty is that when healthy, the offense will run through 2024 first-round pick Malik Nabers. Ranked outside of RotoBaller's top 300 players for 2026, Austin is a player who will begin the year on waivers in most leagues and is likely to remain there barring the unforeseen.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Is Zach Ertz Worth Holding in Dynasty Leagues?
With NFL teams now in their summer break between minicamp and training camp, three-time Pro Bowl tight end Zach Ertz remains a free agent. The 13-year veteran was enjoying another solid campaign with the Commanders in 2025 before tearing his ACL in early December. Assuming a standard nine-month recovery timeline, he could be ready to return to action for the start of the 2026 season, but at 35 years old, teams might be rightfully hesitant to make a financial commitment at this time. Ertz is on record as recently as April that he intends to return for his 14th season, but it may require a training camp or early-season injury before a landing spot becomes known. In a league trending loudly toward more heavy personnel usage, a team could benefit greatly from Ertz's services, with the crafty route runner racking up 825 career receptions, including a then-tight end record 116 in 2018. Prior to his injury in 2025, Ertz was the fantasy TE20, and he remains a dynasty hold who can likely still make a usable contribution if given another chance.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Dyami Brown a Dynasty Drop Candidate in His Return to Commanders
Following four seasons with the Washington Commanders and a 14-catch, 229-yard postseason run in 2024, wide receiver Dyami Brown signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2025, but after a disappointing 20-catch, 227-yard performance, he has reunited with Washington on another one-year deal. Terry McLaurin and Luke McCaffrey are familiar faces from his last stint with the team, but the Commanders have spent third and fourth-round picks on Antonio Williams and Jaylin Lane in the past two drafts, while adding tight end Chig Okonkwo and running back Rachaad White as free agents in 2026. Still far from the league's most talented group of pass catchers, the Commanders' depth is notably stronger than what Brown faced in 2024 when he served as the team's third receiver behind Olamide Zaccheaus. Turning 27 this season, the sixth-year veteran has topped 300 yards only once and never bested two touchdowns or a WR99 finish, and at RotoBaller's dynasty WR131, Brown is not a player who needs to be rostered.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Is Chris Brooks' Dynasty Cost Still Too Low With Uncertainty in RB Room?
With running backs Chris Brooks and Emanuel Wilson both facing restricted free agency after the 2025 season, the Green Bay Packers opted to extend an offer to Brooks while allowing Wilson to depart. With the team bypassing the position in both free agency and the draft, Brooks now finds himself battling with 2024 third-round pick MarShawn Lloyd for what could become one of the most valuable insurance roles in the league. With Josh Jacobs' status up in the air following a Memorial Day weekend arrest, either could be thrust into an unexpected starting role in what has been one of the league's run-heaviest offenses in recent years. A frustrating string of injuries has limited Lloyd to only seven total touches over his two years in the league and positioned Brooks as the presumed favorite to claim the primary backup role, though it stands to reason that neither would handle anything close to the 300-carry workload that Jacobs has been given when at full health. With so much uncertainty surrounding both Jacob's legal situation and any division of labor should he miss time, both Brooks and Lloyd need to be rostered in all dynasty leagues, and at RotoBaller's RB94, Brooks is a cheap trade target and smart insurance policy for all Jacobs managers.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jerome Ford Faces a Camp Battle to Maintain Dynasty Relevance
After a quiet final season in Cleveland that saw him run for only 73 yards in 13 games before ending the year on injured reserve, running back Jerome Ford signed a one-year, $1.4 million deal with the Washington Commanders and could now find himself fighting for a roster spot. While the Commanders' running back room is not bursting with talent, it has become a deep group with a wide variety of skill sets. Jacory Croskey-Merritt led the team with 873 yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns as a rookie in 2025, and the team added pass-catching specialist Rachaad White in free agency before spending a 6th-round pick on Penn State's all-time leading rusher, Kaytron Allen. Ford has shown efficiency as a runner and is an underrated receiver; although he does not excel in any one area, his versatility could be key to earning a role on gamedays. Unfortunately, projecting no higher than the third or fourth running back on a team that will also see a fair share of rushing yards claimed by quarterback Jayden Daniels, the soon-to-be 27-year-old Ford has become a depreciating dynasty asset and a potential drop candidate.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Can John Metchie III Carve Out a Fantasy-Relevant Role with the Panthers?
After a quiet start to the year with the Philadelphia Eagles, wide receiver John Metchie III was a 2025 trade deadline acquisition of the New York Jets, where a much thinner depth chart allowed him to catch 28 passes for 253 yards and two scores over his final eight games. While not earth-shattering numbers, his 17-game pace of 60-538-4 would represent career-highs across the board, and he proved himself a fantasy viable player with two finishes as the WR17 or better. His one-year deal with the Carolina Panthers was one of the more under-the-radar signings of the 2026 free agency period, but in another receiver room that thins out quickly behind Tetatiroa McMillan and Jalen Coker, there is a role to be carved out in an offense that has seen more than 63% of its targets go to wide receivers in the past two years under Dave Canales. The Panthers spent a 2026 third-round pick on Chris Brazzell II, and 2024 first-rounder Xavier Legette is still on the team, so there's no guarantee of Metchie's spot in the pecking order, but at RotoBaller's WR129, he is a dart throw whose value has sunk so low he can almost be seen as a free throw-in as part of a larger trade.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jalen Milroe Remains a High-Ceiling, Low-Floor Dynasty Hold
After being selected in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Jalen Milroe carried the ball three times as a rookie, fumbling once on his way to four yards while attempting zero pass attempts, and he has fallen to QB42 in RotoBaller's dynasty rankings. Always viewed as a developmental prospect, he was never going to threaten for a starting role in his first season, but with veteran Drew Lock still on the roster and presumed to again serve as Sam Darnold's primary backup after signing a two-year deal in 2025, Milroe is unlikely to see even a path to playing time until 2027. An athletic marvel, Milroe scored 20 rushing touchdowns in his final season at Alabama and ran an unofficial 4.37-second 40-yard dash at his 2025 Pro Day, and with a skill set that has historically translated to fantasy points regardless of on-field results, he remains a hold in all superflex dynasty leagues. While accuracy issues could prevent him from ever making a start in the NFL, his rushing upside would make him an immediate plug-and-play fantasy option if ever provided the opportunity.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Can Jalen Tolbert Find Fantasy Relevance in a Wide-Open Dolphins Receiver Room?
After four up-and-down seasons with the Cowboys, wide receiver Jalen Tolbert signed a one-year, $1.4 million deal with the Miami Dolphins, and after spending 2025 behind one of the league's top tandems in CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, he now finds himself in arguably the most wide-open receiver room in the NFL. Tolbert's 49 receptions in 2024 are the highest single-season total of any wide receiver on Miami's roster, topped only by running back De'Von Achane, who has averaged more than 72 catches per year over the past two seasons. The Dolphins spent heavily on the position in the 2026 NFL Draft, selecting Caleb Douglas and Chris Bell in the third round before taking Kevin Coleman Jr. in round five, but Tolbert's versatility could allow him to carve out an early role in a room rounded out by Tutu Atwell and incumbent Malik Washington. On average, no Dolphins receiver is going earlier than round 18 in 2026 drafts, with Tolbert ranked as RotoBaller's WR91. While history would suggest at least one player will outperform ADP, a true fantasy ceiling is still capped in what projects to be one of the league's lowest scoring offenses, and Tolbert will be difficult to trust anywhere outside of best ball formats.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
