RADIO
Klint Kubiak Says Raiders' Starting QB Job is Kirk Cousins' to Lose
When asked about the team's quarterback battle, Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak said it is Kirk Cousins' job to lose. Following their 27-14 preseason loss to the Arizona Cardinals, Kubiak said, "Kirk's been getting the reps with the 1s, and it's his job to lose." Cousins had a strong first drive in Thursday night's game, completing five of six passes for 50 yards and a touchdown to tight end Michael Mayer. While rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza had a solid night as well, Kubiak's commitment to Cousins has dropped Mendoza on fantasy draft boards this season. If Cousins starts in Week 1, he will likely be a non-factor in fantasy leagues this season, while Mendoza's stock will fall in Superflex leagues.
Source: Ryan McFadden - ESPN
Source: Ryan McFadden - ESPN
Rookie Running Back Noah Whittington Has a Busy Start to the Preseason
Houston Texans running back Noah Whittington finished his team's preseason loss to the Chargers with 13 carries for 40 yards and also caught his only target for a loss of four yards. The undrafted rookie from Oregon fits the profile of a potential rotational back due to his compact frame and powerful running style. His heavy workload could lead to him earning a spot on the team, and since Houston likes to rotate running backs, he could end up with fantasy value at some point this season. Woody Marks and Jawhar Jordan are back to carry the load alongside newcomer David Montgomery, though, so Whittington will need to show more explosiveness before he threatens for enough work to be fantasy relevant. It is worth noting, though, that he got plenty of chances to make an impact in Preseason Week 1 against the Chargers.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Jared Wayne Scores the Texans Only Touchdown
Houston Texans wide receiver Jared Wayne stepped into an expanded role for his team with the key starters at skill positions not playing on Thursday night in their preseason contest against the Chargers. Wayne led the team in targets with five and tied for the lead in catches with three. He snagged a touchdown pass from Davis Mills and finished with 17 receiving yards. Wayne has been on the fringes of Houston's roster since he first joined them as an undrafted free agent in 2023. He made his debut with two catches for 20 yards when injuries tested the team's receiver depth against the 49ers last year, and he will likely be a depth option on the roster again this year. If injuries deplete the receiver room, he could be a deep-league sleeper to watch. His touchdown came on a contested catch in the front corner of the end zone and gave the Texans the lead at that point of the first quarter.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Jeremiyah Love Suffers Ankle Injury, Could Have Returned
Arizona Cardinals rookie running back Jeremiyah Love (ankle) suffered an ankle injury during the team's 27-14 preseason win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Head coach Mike LaFleur told the media that Love had a minor ankle injury but could've returned and should be good to practice next week. The third-overall pick had a strong showing on Thursday night, totaling 72 scrimmage yards and a touchdown on 14 attempts. Love was the first back on the field tonight, with veteran Tyler Allegeier spelling him. While it's possible the team was trying to get their inexperienced back more work during the preseason, seeing him dominate the time share is a great sign for fantasy managers. As long as Love is healthy, he should be a strong RB2 in 2026.
Source: Theo Mackie - AZC Sports
Source: Theo Mackie - AZC Sports
Drew Allar Shines in Preseason Debut
Pittsburgh Steelers rookie quarterback Drew Allar turned in an excellent showing Thursday night, completing 10 of 13 pass attempts for 153 yards and two touchdowns while adding a rushing score in a 28-9 preseason win over the Green Bay Packers. Although Allar did not enter until late in the third quarter, he made an immediate impact by leading a five-play, 80-yard touchdown drive. He connected with fellow rookie Kaden Wetjen on a slant that nearly went the distance, but Wetjen was eventually brought down at the three-yard line after a 74-yard gain. Allar finished the drive with a three-yard rushing touchdown. The 22-year-old later found Wetjen for a five-yard touchdown and rookie fullback Riley Nowakowski for a four-yard score that sealed the victory late in the fourth quarter. While it seems unlikely that Allar will surpass both Mason Rudolph and Will Howard on the depth chart before the regular season, a few more performances like this could keep him in the conversation for the QB2 job behind Aaron Rodgers. His next opportunity comes next Friday against the New York Jets.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Kyle Monangai More Than Just a Handcuff Running Back
Chicago Bears 24-year-old running back Kyle Monangai enters his second full season as the RB2 in an elite Bears offense, and during his rookie season he rushed for 783 yards and five touchdowns on 169 carries (4.63 YPC), and saw 30 targets for 164 yards. The Bears ranked fifth in the NFL last season in team run plays per game, and Monangai benefited greatly from that. He was 17th in the NFL in yards per touch. While he was successful on a per-touch basis, his explosiveness and efficiency left room for improvement. He was 31st in explosive rating and 34th in juke rate, to go along with 44th in yards created per touch, which accounts for all yards above and beyond what was blocked per carry and reception after the first evaded tackle. Backfield mate D'Andre Swift remains the clear No. 1 running back in this offense, but Monangai still carries fantasy appeal with Swift in the picture. RotoBaller ranks him as the RB35 off the board, and fantasy managers looking to stash a running back with some upside should look to target Monangai in redraft formats. Given his age, he is also a good dynasty option as well.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Davante Adams Could be in Line for Early-Season Explosion
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Davante Adams could see a heavy workload in the first few games of the season. In his first season with the Rams in 2025, Adams recorded 789 yards and 14 touchdowns in 14 games, finishing as the WR8 in half-PPR formats. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported earlier in the week that the NFL is reviewing a potential suspension of star receiver Puka Nacua for making antisemitic slurs and allegedly biting a woman during the offseason. Depending on the severity of any suspension, Adams will be assigned a heavy workload during that period. He is currently ranked WR20 in RotoBaller's positional rankings, which could be an incredible value if Nacua misses time.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Shedeur Sanders Carries Some Fantasy Appeal in Deeper Formats
Cleveland Browns second-year quarterback out of Colorado, Shedeur Sanders, enters the 2026 season in a quarterback competition with Deshaun Watson, who missed the entire 2025 season while recovering from a re-ruptured right Achilles. Sanders played in eight games in 2025 and threw for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, and rushed for 169 yards and one touchdown. While he does provide some fantasy appeal with his rushing upside and big-play ability, it remains to be seen if he will have that opportunity. Watson hasn't performed at a high level since 2020, but he is still 30 years old and likely has a fast track to be the starter for the Browns over Sanders. Sanders was extremely inefficient in 2025, ranking 30th in yards per attempt, 38th in true passer rating, and 38th in adjusted yards per attempt. Sanders offers some dynasty appeal given his age, and in superflex formats, he could be used as a bench spot if he wins the starting job. RotoBaller ranks Sanders as the QB34 entering the season.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Brenton Strange Faces Crowded Jaguars Passing Attack
Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange faces heavy target competition heading into the 2026 season. Strange had a solid third season, hauling in 46 of 60 targets for 540 yards and three touchdowns in just 12 games, averaging 7.9 half-PPR fantasy points per game. However, the Jaguars' receiving corps looks loaded, with the addition of second-round tight end Nate Boerkircher and the return of emerging players Parker Washington and Travis Hunter. Despite a strong showing in 2025, Strange is likely the fourth or fifth option in this passing offense. Currently listed as the TE17 in RotoBaller's positional rankings, Strange seems like too high a price to pay in 2026.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Cam Little Looking to Build Off Breakout Season
Jacksonville Jaguars placekicker Cam Little aims to build on a strong second season in 2026. Last year, Little made 30 of 34 field goals, including a 68-yarder that set the NFL record for the longest, and 50 of 51 extra points. He finished as the fifth-ranked kicker in fantasy formats, averaging 9.6 fantasy points per game. The third-year kicker will be 23 by the start of the season and is already setting records and eyeing the first-ever 70-yard field goal, which he has made only in the preseason. With head coach Liam Coen and quarterback Trevor Lawrence hoping to build on a strong first season together, Little hopes for more opportunities in 2026.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Andrei Iosivas Not on the Fantasy Radar in Any Draft Formats
Cincinnati Bengals 26-year-old wide receiver Andrei Iosivas enters his fourth NFL season as the projected No. 3 receiver in this lethal Bengals passing attack. Over his first three seasons with the Bengals, he has earned 144 targets, hauled in 84 of them for 1,030 yards, and 12 touchdowns. Over a three-year span, that is nothing to write home about, and he is clearly an afterthought when you are behind guys like Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase. 2025 was his lowest touchdown production since entering the league, with only two, after he had six in 2024 and four in 2023. The only real path for Iosivas to be fantasy relevant is if one of those receivers were to get hurt, and even then, he would be viewed as a low-end WR3 at best. RotoBaller currently ranks him as the WR90, and that's after he finished the 2025 season as the WR58.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Will Howard Impresses in First NFL Action
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Will Howard completed seven of nine pass attempts for 86 yards in a 28-9 preseason win over the Green Bay Packers. The second-year pro, who missed the entire 2025 season with a hand injury, made his NFL debut in the second quarter after taking over for veteran Mason Rudolph. On his second possession, Howard led the offense on a quick 80-yard drive that culminated in a one-yard rushing touchdown by running back Lew Nichols. Howard displayed a strong connection with tight end Robert Tonyan, as the two connected for four receptions and 61 yards on just four targets. The 24-year-old played into the third quarter before giving way to rookie Drew Allar, who also turned in an impressive performance. Howard is worth monitoring in dynasty formats as he competes for a backup job heading into the regular season.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Rome Odunze Could Emerge As Bears' WR1
With second-year wide receiver Luther Burden III (groin) expected to miss time in the preseason, wideout Rome Odunze has an opportunity to make his case for Chicago's WR1 spot. Odunze hauled in 44 of 90 passes for 661 yards and six touchdowns in 12 games, averaging just over 10 half-PPR fantasy points per game. Odunze had a fantastic start to the 2025 season, averaging over 13 points per game and scoring five touchdowns in the first eight weeks. With D.J. Moore's departure and Burden dealing with an injury that could affect his Week 1 status, Odunze could step into a heavy workload to start the season. Currently ranked WR33 in RotoBaller's positional rankings, the former ninth overall pick could be a great value if he can build on his sophomore season.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jerry Jones has No Regrets About Trading Micah Parsons
Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said he has no regrets about trading All-Pro pass-rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers last year, according to Todd Archer of ESPN. The Cowboys traded Parsons to the Packers for defensive tackle Kenny Clark and first-round picks in 2026 and 2027. Dallas used the 2027 first-rounder and their own second-rounder in 2026 to acquire defensive tackle Quinnen Williams from the New York Jets at the 2025 trade deadline. The Cowboys used the 2026 first-rounder to take pass-rusher Malachi Lawrence with the No. 23 overall pick in April's draft. "Even though Micah's an outstanding talent [that] anybody would like to have, the bottom line is that I like what the result of the trade has ended up as I stand here today," Jones said Thursday. The move to trade Parsons also gave the Cowboys more salary cap space to sign safety Jalen Thompson and to trade for Rashan Gary. Dallas now has six players making $20 million or more per season. Parsons was on his way to a career year in his first season with the Packers, totaling 12.5 sacks in 14 games before suffering a season-ending torn ACL and meniscus late in December. The 27-year-old isn't expected to make his 2026 debut until Week 6 this fall.
Source: ESPN Dallas - Todd Archer
Source: ESPN Dallas - Todd Archer
Theo Johnson Losing Redraft Value as the Season Approaches
New York Giants 25-year-old tight end Theo Johnson finished the 2025 season as the TE19, with 528 receiving yards and five touchdowns on 74 targets. He had an impressive 11.73 yards per reception and became one of Jaxson Dart's favorite targets. However, the biggest thorn in Johnson's side is the offseason signing of 26-year-old tight end Isaiah Likely, who has been generating a lot of buzz in camp and has been one of Dart's favorite targets thus far. The wide receiver room for the Giants is extremely cloudy, with Malik Nabers (knee) recovering from injury and guys like Darius Slayton, Calvin Austin, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Odell Beckham Jr., rounding out the receiver room. While Johnson proved to be reliable and explosive in 2025 (10th in explosive rating), the target share will take a significant step backwards and Johnson likely won't remain fantasy relevant unless he has a spike in touchdown production. RotoBaller ranks Johnson as the TE39 entering the season, which makes him a dynasty stash at best.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
