April 17, 2026

Before agreeing to a four-year, $48 million deal with the New Orleans Saints in the opening hours of free agency, running back Travis Etienne Jr. had finished as the RB17 or better in three of his four seasons with the Jaguars, and twice inside the top-10. While it was his elite efficiency that got him there in 2022, averaging over five yards per carry, his 2023 campaign was buoyed by increased goal line usage and his resulting 11 rushing touchdowns. After a down year in 2024, he put together perhaps his most complete season in 2025, finishing the year with 1,399 yards from scrimmage and 13 total touchdowns. Now part of a Saints offense that showed much to be excited about down the stretch, Etienne is expected to see the lion's share of the work out of a backfield that heads into the draft with a soon-to-be-31-year-old Alvin Kamara, the oft-injured Kendre Miller, and 2025 sixth-round pick Devin Neal. After hitting a top-three dynasty value in his first year as a starter, the 27-year-old Etienne is now RotoBaller's RB18, presenting rebuilding managers with a rare second sell-high window after he had fallen as low as RB40 on KeepTradeCut.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

April 17, 2026

Cardinals running back Tyler Allgeier appears to have been hand-selected for Arizona's new offensive system. First-time head coach Mike LaFleur landed in the desert with a plan and wasted no time in naming Nathaniel Hackett as his offensive coordinator. The two will presumably marry Hackett's classic West Coast scheme to philosophies from the McVay-Shanahan system, with a run game dominated by outside-zone looks. Arriving in Arizona, though, they inherited a running back room of James Conner and Trey Benson, two backs who have spent the past two years in a more North-South man/gap system. Allgeier's two-year deal with the team was one of the first announced at the start of free agency, after spending the past two seasons in Atlanta with another McVay disciple, Zac Robinson. While the transition in Arizona may be more nuanced for the team's offensive linemen than its backs, Allgeier's past experience can not be discounted, as more than 76% of his career carries have come on some variant of zone run, while that number sits at a combined 42% for Conner and Benson. The most likely outcome for fantasy is that all three backs will eat into one another's workload, making all of them unreliable as weekly plays, but with Conner about to turn 31 and coming off a severe foot injury, and Trey Benson yet to deliver up his early third-round draft capital, Allgeier could be the early front-runner for a leading role in a system with which he should have some familiarity.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

April 17, 2026

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Kenneth Gainwell was one of the league's biggest surprises in 2025, with his career-high 73 receptions trailing only Christian McCaffrey, Bijan Robinson, and Jahmyr Gibbs at the position. After keeping such elite company, he leveraged his receiving success into a two-year, $14 million deal with the Buccaneers, where he joins a team and a new offensive coordinator with prior histories of involving running backs in the passing game. Zac Robinson raised eyebrows when he initially stated his intent to deploy Bucky Irving similarly to the way he used Robinson in Atlanta, but the signing of Gainwell on the first day of free agency would suggest the bulk of the running back targets could go elsewhere. Last season, while Gainwell was nearly doubling his career receiving production in Pittsburgh, an injury-slowed Irving was splitting time with, and ceding much of the passing game work to, Rachaad White. While both backs bring versatility to what will be a new look Buccaneers offense in 2026, the safe bet will be for Gainwell to find most of his fantasy success as the dedicated passing back, as his 114 carries in 2025 also marked a career high, but were easily surpassed by Irving in only 10 games.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

April 17, 2026

Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch is expected to receive Day 2 capital in the upcoming NFL Draft, but with one of the more unique prospect profiles in recent history, there are questions about how his game might translate to the next level. At just 5'9" and 177 pounds, over a third of Branch's career receiving yards came on screen plays, while an astonishing 45.5% of his targets came behind the line of scrimmage, which is higher than any player ever selected in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft. While some have pointed to Luther Burden III as evidence that a player with a similar profile can succeed in the NFL, Branch's career ADoT was a full four yards lower than Burden's, and players with similar collegiate usage have had a frighteningly low fantasy hit rate. In the right landing spot, Branch could become a useful gadget player for an NFL offense, but he's unlikely to find any consistently bankable fantasy usage.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

April 17, 2026

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones is one of the more productive backups in the league, offering the ability to come off the bench and keep his team in the game. We saw Jones handle plenty of starter reps in 2025, as he started eight games last year with 2,151 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, and six interceptions. He even got onto the fringe of the fantasy radar by ranking as the overall QB16 from Week 2-10. However, as soon as Brock Purdy was healthy enough to play, the Niners turned to him and sent Jones to the bench. There was some speculation that Jones could be traded this offseason if the 49ers felt he was too valuable to leave on the bench. Nothing is stopping the Niners from making that deal now, but remaining with the team this deep in the offseason seems to be a pretty good sign that he'll stick around. Jones has upside when he gets onto the field, but given how difficult the roster crunch can be in fantasy football, managers don't need the former first-round pick clogging up their bench spots. He can be dropped to waivers in most formats.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

April 17, 2026

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Tez Johnson wasn't a steady fantasy option last year, but his 322 yards and five touchdowns were enough to turn some heads. Scoring five touchdowns as a rookie isn't easy, especially for a seventh-round pick buried on the depth chart. Nevertheless, Johnson emerged as a decent fantasy contributor, often filling in productivity-wise for any injured players among the core of Mike Evans, Emeka Egbuka, and Chris Godwin Jr. The good news for Johnson is that Evans has departed, leaving one fewer mouth to feed on offense. The bad news, though, is that Johnson's five touchdowns are not sustainable as long as he occupies a depth role. He's merely a depth receiver for now, but given how often wide receiver injuries occur in the NFL, there's a nonzero chance that Johnson could end up making a fantasy impact in 2026. Still, the anticipated touchdown regression has dropped Johnson down to WR95 in the latest RotoBaller dynasty rankings.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

April 17, 2026

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett offers a bridge or stop-gap option on his own team, and he could provide similar value to fantasy football managers in 2026. Brisett was thrust into the starting quarterback role somewhat unexpectedly last year, starting 10 games in the absence of Kyler Murray (foot). The veteran signal caller was easily better than anyone could have imagined, accruing 3,336 passing yards with 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Not only did he unlock a level of fantasy dependability that Murray, who is now a Viking, was never able to achieve, but he also supported top-tier fantasy performances from his teammates. Most notably, tight end Trey McBride was the year's overall TE1, and Michael Wilson enjoyed a nice breakout of his own at wide receiver with 1,006 yards and seven touchdowns. Unless the Cardinals make an aggressive quarterback selection in the NFL Draft, Brissett will be the starter for most of 2026. He has a decent chance to pick up where he left off, but the fact that he isn't guaranteed to start games beyond 2026 certainly reduces his dynasty upside. He currently ranks as the QB30 in RotoBaller's latest dynasty rankings, only offering trade appeal to fantasy managers with no other quarterback options.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

April 16, 2026

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff is far from the flashiest name in fantasy football, but his reliability has allowed him to be a top-10 fantasy option year in and year out. Goff has ranked as the QB10 or higher in each of his four seasons, including a QB9 finish in 2025 as he tallied 4,564 passing yards, 34 passing touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He lacks rushing upside, but he also does a pretty good job protecting the football, which has allowed him to remain in the top-12 range. It also helps that he has a bunch of superstars at his disposal, including Jahmyr Gibbs at running back, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams at wide receiver, Sam LaPorta at tight end, and Penei Sewell in the trenches. Older, non-rushing quarterbacks aren't typically dynasty trade targets, but if we assume that Goff will produce similarly to Matthew Stafford in his thirties, then the Cal product can still be an intriguing offseason addition in dynasty leagues. Plus, he'll remain relatively affordable in trades as long as he lacks the rushing upside that quarterbacks like Trevor Lawrence and Justin Herbert possess. A current ranking as the QB23 in RotoBaller's dynasty rankings doesn't quite reflect the short-term QB1 value he could bring to a contender in dynasty leagues.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

April 16, 2026

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones (Achilles) is working his way back from a season-ending Achilles tear that he suffered in Week 14 of the 2025 season. Jones was enjoying a career resurgence with the Colts before the crushing injury. He finished the year with 261 completions, 3,101 passing yards, 19 passing touchdowns, eight interceptions, 164 rushing yards, and five rushing touchdowns across 13 games. Prior to the Colts' Week 11 bye, Jones ranked as the overall QB5 in fantasy football. He played well for long enough that we can be confident his success was legitimate and not just a fluke. With that in mind, fantasy managers should be excited about the value he'll offer upon his return from injury. Still in his twenties and signed through 2027, Jones can be a short- to medium-term quarterback option in fantasy football. He's a top-12 quarterback option in redraft leagues, but with some uncertainty in his long-term outlook, he ranks as low as the QB27 in dynasty formats.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

April 16, 2026

Penn State running back Nicholas Singleton (foot), who broke the fifth metatarsal in his right foot during the Senior Bowl in January, has been medically cleared and has resumed running, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Now that he's healthy, Singleton is projected to be a mid-round pick in the 2026 NFL draft next weekend. The 22-year-old had two 1,000-yard seasons and 45 total rushing touchdowns in his four-year career with the Nittany Lions in college. He had a career-low 549 rushing yards on 123 carries in 12 games last year, but he added a career-high 13 rushing touchdowns as well and caught 24 passes for 219 yards and an additional TD through the air. Singleton is athletic, but he's considered more of a third- or fourth-rounder and boom/bust asset, depending on where he lands in the NFL. He has top-end speed and great burst/acceleration, but in the short-term for fantasy, Singleton will most likely be a change-of-pace/third-down back.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter

April 16, 2026

The Arizona Cardinals picked up the fifth-year option on left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. (knee) on Thursday, a source told Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network. Johnson will now make just over $19 million for the 2027 season, with the former sixth overall pick back in 2023 out of Ohio State most likely to eventually sign a contract extension with the team. The 24-year-old finished last year on Injured Reserve due to a knee injury, but he should be ready in plenty of time for the start of the 2026 campaign this fall. Johnson has started in all 43 games that he's appeared in over his first three seasons with the Cardinals in the desert. He's coming off a career-low 12 games played in 2025, but Johnson could bounce back as one of the better left tackles in the league in 2026 in his fourth year in the league if he's completely past his knee injury. Johnson will be blocking the blind side for veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett to begin next season.--Keith Hernandez
Source: NFL Network - Mike Garafolo

April 16, 2026

The feeling around the NFL is that New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence is underpaid on his current deal, and the Giants want "a lot" for him in any trade, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN. According to sources, Lawrence wants to be traded, which is why he officially requested a trade. He was open to a fresh start, dating back to the start of last year. The 28-year-old former 17th overall pick in 2019 out of Clemson is coming off a down year in 2025 in which he had only half a sack in 17 games, following three straight Pro Bowl appearances from 2022 to 2024. In 2025, Lawrence had a career-high nine sacks in just 12 starts. The G-Men do not want to give Lawrence a new deal coming off his down season, and they aren't just going to give him away in a trade. They have had talks with other teams about a trade, but nothing has materialized yet. This situation could be resolved before the start of the 2026 NFL draft next Thursday night.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN New York - Jordan Raanan

April 16, 2026

Los Angeles Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz said that he's been in touch with safety Derwin James and outside linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu's agents about their contract extensions, and those talks are expected to "heat up" after the upcoming NFL draft next week, according to Kris Rhim of ESPN. James is expected to want a new deal before the start of training camp at the end of July, and depending on how contract talks go after the 2026 draft, he could be a holdout for offseason team activities and mandatory minicamp. Tuipulotu could be in the same boat this offseason. James, 29, only played in five games from 2019 to 2020 due to injuries. But since then, the former 17th overall pick in 2018 out of Florida State has played in at least 14 games a year since the start of the 2021 campaign. The five-time Pro Bowler and former All-Pro continues to be a tackling machine at defensive back in IDP fantasy formats. James had 94 tackles (50 solo), two sacks, six tackles for loss, eight QB hits, a career-high three interceptions, seven pass breakups, and a forced fumble in 16 regular-season starts in 2025. Most likely, James and the Chargers will be able to work something out to keep him happy.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Kris Rhim

April 16, 2026

The New York Jets had all the information they already needed on Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey and felt there was no reason for a pre-draft visit, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Bailey was supposed to have a top-30 visit with the Jets, but the team canceled the meeting. The 22-year-old is the leading candidate to be the second overall pick in the upcoming NFL draft by the Jets, although Ohio State edge rusher Arvell Reese could also be in play. Bailey was an absolute beast last year for the Red Raiders, tallying 32 solo tackles and leading the Big 12 in tackles for loss (19.5) and sacks (14.5) in 14 games played. In his first three collegiate seasons at Stanford, Bailey had 14.5 sacks in 32 games played. Both Bailey and Reese would immediately help a Jets pass rush that ranked second-to-last in 2025 with only 26 total sacks in 17 games.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter

April 16, 2026

Texas A&M wide receiver K.C. Concepcion wrapped up his pre-draft visits with meetings with the Los Angeles Chargers and San Francisco 49ers this week, a source told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Concepcion visited with the New York Giants, Miami Dolphins, and Buffalo Bills last week and had the New England Patriots, Tennessee Titans, Las Vegas Raiders, Cleveland Browns, and Carolina Panthers before that. The first-round candidate has been busy of late. The Chargers already have Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, and Tre' Harris at the WR position, but the Niners have more of a need at the position behind future Hall of Famer Mike Evans, given how injury-prone Ricky Pearsall has been. Neither Brandon Aiyuk (knee) nor Jauan Jennings (free agent) is expected back in the Bay Area in 2026. Concepcion is a big-play threat at wideout who had 61 catches for 919 yards and an SEC-high nine receiving touchdowns in 2025 in 13 games.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Jeremy Fowler