RADIO
Drake London Remains a Viable WR1 Option Despite QB Concerns
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London had the tail end of his 2025 season disrupted after he suffered a knee injury that kept him sidelined from Week 12 through Week 16. However, even in a season in which he ultimately missed five games due to injury, London finished the year with 68 catches for 919 yards and seven touchdowns on 112 targets. Over the last two seasons with Atlanta, London has averaged 9.3 targets per game and hauled in 16 touchdown catches. While the Falcons have a pair of capable pass-catchers in tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. and running back Bijan Robinson, London profiles as the team's most dangerous wide receiver by a mile and should dominate target share once again in 2026. Atlanta's uncertain quarterback situation is a potential limiting factor for London's fantasy upside, but the 25-year-old has proven he can produce through underwhelming quarterback play in the past. Particularly in PPR-scoring leagues, London remains a viable fantasy WR1 despite the less-than-ideal offensive environment around him in Atlanta.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Rome Odunze Could Be Poised for a Breakout Campaign in 2026
Across 12 games in 2025, Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze recorded 44 catches for 661 yards and six touchdowns on 90 targets. The 24-year-old got off to a hot start to the year, but his production tailed off in the second half of the season, and he missed time with a foot injury down the stretch. Including the Bears' two playoff contests, Odunze recorded more than three receptions in just one out of seven games he suited up in after Week 8. However, Odunze has been healthy throughout this summer, reportedly having no issues with the foot injury that hampered him in 2025. In contrast, Bears wideout Luther Burden III (groin) has been dealing with a groin injury throughout much of training camp. Additionally, Chicago could be looking to funnel more targets to Odunze in 2026 after the team traded away veteran wide receiver DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills at the start of the offseason. Entering the year, Odunze may be flying under the radar at his current redraft ADP of WR27.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Zay Flowers Dealing With Lower-Body Injury
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (lower body) did not practice on Monday and "seems to be dealing with a lower-body injury," according to Jonas Shaffer of The Baltimore Banner. Across 17 games in 2025, the 25-year-old recorded 86 catches for 1,211 yards and five touchdowns on 118 targets. With a fully healthy season from Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, Flowers' numbers could take another leap forward in 2026. However, Flowers has been battling an undisclosed injury for about a week now. Ravens head coach Jesse Minter has previously said that the star wide receiver should be ready for Week 1, so it does not appear to be a serious ailment. Still, Flowers' health status is definitely something for fantasy managers to monitor until he returns to the practice field with no restrictions. When he's on the field, Flowers profiles as a high-end fantasy WR2.
Source: The Baltimore Banner - Jonas Shaffer
Source: The Baltimore Banner - Jonas Shaffer
Joe Milton III Released by Cowboys
Quarterback Joe Milton III is being released by the Dallas Cowboys, according to Adam Schefter. The move comes just one day after Dallas initially kept Milton, Dak Prescott and Sam Howell on its 53-man roster. Milton and Howell spent the summer battling for the backup job, and Milton looked like the favorite after the first two preseason games. He finished August 29-of-43 for 378 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions while also rushing for a score. His final outing wasn't nearly as strong, however, as Milton went 8-of-15 for 92 yards against New Orleans before Howell threw for 155 yards and two touchdowns in the second half. Milton also appeared in four games for Dallas last season, throwing for 183 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. His release leaves Howell as the clear backup behind Prescott for now, unless the Cowboys make another move at quarterback.
Source: Adam Schefter
Source: Adam Schefter
Blake Corum a Potential Draft-Day Bust at Current ADP
Across 17 games in 2025, Los Angeles Rams running back Blake Corum recorded 746 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 145 carries. With an average of 5.1 yards per attempt, the 25-year-old was a highly efficient player. However, the presence of star Rams back Kyren Williams prevented Corum from seeing more opportunities. Entering 2026, Corum and Williams appear poised to once again share touches. Corum slowly ate into Williams' playing time over the course of the season in 2025, so the backs could operate with a true 50/50 split in 2026. Corum also profiles as maybe the top handcuff running back in fantasy football, as his value would skyrocket if Williams were to miss any time. Still, Corum's production upside appears limited as long as Williams remains healthy. Corum also may not have much standalone appeal in PPR leagues in a split backfield, as he's recorded just 15 total receptions across 34 career NFL games. Corum has definite upside, but he also carries some bust potential at his current top-100 redraft ADP.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Rico Dowdle's Role Looks Safer After Final Cuts
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rico Dowdle came out of final cuts with a cleaner path to touches. Pittsburgh traded Kaleb Johnson to Green Bay and moved on from Travis Homer and Lew Nichols, leaving Jaylen Warren and Dowdle as the only players listed strictly at running back on the initial 53-man roster. Eli Heidenreich remains as an RB/WR and is third on the depth chart, but the top of the room is clearly Warren and Dowdle. That matches what the Steelers said all summer. Offensive coordinator Brian Angelichio said both backs would be a big part of the offense, and Dowdle played 10 snaps to Warren's nine in the preseason game against the Jets. Dowdle also brings consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons, including 1,076 yards and six touchdowns on 236 carries for Carolina last year. Warren still sits first on the depth chart, so this is not a workhorse setup. The cuts do make Dowdle's share of the backfield feel a lot safer heading into Week 1.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Michael Pittman Jr. Expected to be Ready to Go for Week 1
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (hamstring) will be eased in, but he is expected to be ready to go for Week 1 in a matchup against the Atlanta Falcons, according to ESPN's Brooke Pryor. The Steelers are expected to have both Pittman and DK Metcalf (undisclosed) available for the season opener, but they could both be on a snap count after missing a chunk of time in training camp this summer. The 28-year-old Pittman had a career-high seven touchdowns in 17 games in his final year with the Indianapolis Colts in 2025 before the Steelers traded for him in the offseason. He also had just 784 receiving yards on 80 receptions, his lowest yardage total since his rookie season in 2020. In his first year in Pittsburgh, the former second-rounder from USC will give quarterback Aaron Rodgers another experienced pass-catcher underneath. But in an offense that could remain a run-first unit, Pittman will be more of a WR4/flex target in fantasy football drafts while playing second fiddle to Metcalf. RotoBaller has Pittman ranked as the WR42 as he heads into his seventh NFL campaign.
Source: ESPN.com - Brooke Pryor
Source: ESPN.com - Brooke Pryor
Jordan Love Has Legitimate QB1 Upside at a QB2 Price
Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love is still being treated like a QB2, but the setup around him is getting more interesting. Love threw for 3,381 yards, 23 touchdowns and only six interceptions in 15 games last season, completing a career-high 66.3% of his passes. The fantasy output lagged behind, with Love averaging 16.1 points per game while Green Bay finished 27th in pass attempts. We've already seen the other side of this. Love threw for 4,159 yards and 32 touchdowns in 2023. Matthew Golden has been one of the Packers' biggest playmakers this summer, Tucker Kraft is back from his torn ACL, and Love went 5-for-7 for 56 yards and a touchdown on his lone drive against Denver. Josh Jacobs' status is also uncertain after landing on the Commissioner's Exempt List, which could put more on the passing game. Love still doesn't offer much with his legs after rushing for 199 yards and no touchdowns last year. RotoBaller has him at QB19. That's QB2 territory, but the ceiling is considerably higher.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
DK Metcalf Expected to be Ready for Week 1
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf (undisclosed) is going to be eased in, but he is expected to be ready to go for the Week 1 regular-season opener against the Atlanta Falcons, according to Brooke Pryor of ESPN. Metcalf missed a good chunk of time in training camp this summer with an undisclosed ailment, but he was able to return to practice last week and should be active to kick off the regular season. Fantasy managers setting lineups for Week 1 do not exactly want to hear that the 28-year-old is being eased in, though, which means he could be on a snap count, along with Michael Pittman Jr. (hamstring). Not only will Metcalf be working with an aging quarterback in the final year of his career in 2026, but he will have added competition for targets from Pittman, so fantasy managers should not just assume he will bounce back from a 59-850-6 line in 15 regular-season games in 2025 in his first year in the Steel City. With a minor injury concern heading into his eighth year in the NFL, Metcalf is more of a WR3/flex with touchdown upside in 2026 fantasy drafts.
Source: ESPN.com - Brooke Pryor
Source: ESPN.com - Brooke Pryor
Tee Higgins Looks Ready to Pick Up Where He Left Off
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins has quietly had the kind of August fantasy managers wanted to see. He caught 59 passes for 846 yards and a career-high 11 touchdowns last season, even with Joe Burrow limited to eight games, and that scoring connection has carried into camp. Burrow ended an Aug. 9 practice with a touchdown to Higgins, who boxed out DJ Ivey in the end zone. Eleven days later, Higgins caught all five passes thrown his way during a joint practice with Chicago, including another red-zone score. There is still no getting around Ja'Marr Chase, who commanded 185 targets last season, and durability remains the obvious concern after Higgins has completed only one 17-game season in his career. Still, the role has looked exactly as advertised this summer. RotoBaller has Higgins at WR16 after a WR15 finish in 2025, and he enters Week 1 looking like one of the stronger high-end WR2 bets on the board.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
CeeDee Lamb's WR1 Ceiling Looks Less Certain
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb is healthy again, but his path back to the very top of the fantasy position looks a little less clean than it did earlier this summer. Lamb still topped 1,000 yards last season despite missing three full games with a high ankle sprain, finishing with 75 catches for 1,077 yards and three touchdowns. The bigger issue now is George Pickens. Pickens led Dallas with 93 catches, 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns in 2025, and the buzz around him only grew during camp. DallasCowboys.com writer Nick Eatman recently suggested Pickens may have elevated into the receiver defenses worry about most, while RotoBaller noted Monday that there has been plenty of chatter about Pickens having the better camp. Lamb remains an elite option and has looked sharp with Dak Prescott, including several deep connections in August. He is also healthy entering Week 1. Still, RotoBaller currently has Lamb at WR5 in half-PPR. With Pickens pushing for an even bigger role, Lamb's ceiling looks a little less automatic than it once did.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Cade Klubnik Wins Jets' Backup QB Job
New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said on Monday that rookie fourth-round quarterback Cade Klubnik will be the team's backup signal-caller to begin the 2026 regular season, according to Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic. Klubnik got the nod after the Jets cut both Brady Cook and Bailey Zappe on roster cutdown day on Sunday. The 22-year-old from Clemson went 21-for-34 passing for 197 yards with one interception in three preseason games. If anything happens to veteran starter Geno Smith this year, Klubnik will be thrown into the fire as the Jets' starter under center. The 35-year-old Smith is under contract for only one season, too, so if the Jets move on after one year, Klubnik could be the favorite to start for Gang Green going into Week 1 of the 2027 season. The 6-foot-2, 207-pounder had his best collegiate season in 2024 as a junior at Clemson, throwing for 3,639 yards, 36 touchdowns, and six interceptions in 14 games played. Klubnik is only stash-worthy as a QB prospect in dynasty/keeper leagues.
Source: The Athletic - Zack Rosenblatt
Source: The Athletic - Zack Rosenblatt
Dillon Gabriel's Back Injury Not Considered Serious
Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken does not think that quarterback Dillon Gabriel's (back) injury is a major injury, according to Zac Jackson of The Athletic. Monken thinks Gabriel first injured his back on a third-down run in the preseason finale last Thursday against the New England Patriots. With Gabriel opening the 2026 regular season on Injured Reserve (he will be required to miss at least the first four weeks), rookie Taylen Green and Shedeur Sanders will split scout-team reps in the next two weeks. As long as Gabriel does not suffer a setback with his back in the next couple of weeks, he should be ready to rejoin the 53-man roster for Week 5. For now, the second-year QB's injury allows the Browns to keep Green on their active roster as the QB3 behind Sanders and starter Deshaun Watson. The 25-year-old former third-rounder from Oregon failed to do much outside of short-area throws as a rookie, throwing for 937 yards, seven touchdowns, and two interceptions in 10 games (six starts) before an injury opened up the starting gig for Sanders the rest of the season in 2025.
Source: The Athletic - Zac Jackson
Source: The Athletic - Zac Jackson
TreVeyon Henderson's Lead-Back Case Takes a Hit
New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson (ankle) entered camp with a chance to push for more of the backfield duties. That never really happened. Henderson was explosive as a rookie, finishing with 911 rushing yards, 221 receiving yards and 10 total touchdowns, but New England leaned heavily on Rhamondre Stevenson during the playoffs. That carried into August. Patriots.com called Stevenson the team's most consistent between-the-tackles runner, pass protector and route-runner and said he remains the lead back, while Henderson was described more as a change-of-pace option. Henderson also hurt his right ankle when he slipped during practice on Aug. 24. He avoided a serious injury and is expected to be ready for Week 1, so the ankle itself isn't the biggest concern. The bigger issue is that the expected Year 2 role growth never showed up. Henderson still has enough speed to create fantasy points on limited touches, but his path to taking over this backfield looks weaker than it did entering camp.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Emari Demercado Joins Cowboys' Backfield Via Waiver Claim
The Dallas Cowboys claimed running back Emari Demercado off waivers from the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday, according to Tom Pelissero of The Ringer. In a surprising move on roster cutdown day on Sunday, the Cowboys waived both running backs Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah, leaving them with just Javonte Williams and Malik Davis in their backfield entering Week 1 of the 2026 regular season. Demercado, who was with the Chiefs during training camp, will now head to Dallas, where he will serve as the RB3 to open the regular season. The 27-year-old former undrafted free agent out of TCU spent his first three NFL seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, averaging a notable 6.5 yards per carry for 819 yards and three rushing scores in 40 games (two starts) while adding 50 receptions on 70 targets for 324 yards and one touchdown as a receiver. Demercado has been efficient when he has gotten opportunities so far, but he will open 2026 as the clear third option out of Dallas' backfield, and he could also face competition from fullback Hunter Luepke.
Source: The Ringer - Tom Pelissero
Source: The Ringer - Tom Pelissero
