April 6, 2026
Cleveland Browns wide receiver
Isaiah Bond had a disappointing rookie season in 2025, catching just 18 of 44 targets for 338 yards through 16 games. The speedy pass-catcher out of Texas was unable to develop much of a rapport with a subpar quarterback room featuring
Dillon Gabriel and
Shedeur Sanders. On one hand, Year 2 is a common time for receivers to break out, so Bond could be due for a step forward in that regard. On the other hand, he's likely facing even more competition in the future. He spent last season operating behind
Jerry Jeudy and
Cedric Tillman. Next season, he'll likely remain behind both of them, and there's also a growing sense that the Browns will select their WR1 of the future with the sixth overall pick in the draft. That would drop Bond to fourth on the depth chart, as well as fifth in the pass-catching pecking order when you also consider breakout tight end
Harold Fannin Jr. Heading into Year 2 is encouraging for Bond, but his reduced role on the depth chart, coupled with poor quarterback play, will make it difficult for him to break out.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
April 6, 2026
Buffalo Bills running back
James Cook has been trending up in fantasy football year after year. He opened his career as the RB44 as a rookie in 2022, but he has been a top-12 fantasy running back every season since then. He jumped to the ranking of overall RB6 last year, carrying the Bills' offense with 1,621 rushing yards, 291 receiving yards, and 14 touchdowns. Before the season, critics forecasted touchdown regression for Cook. While his touchdown total did scale back slightly from 18 to 14, he was still highly productive around the goal line, and he handled a new career-high rushing workload. The Bills underwent a coaching staff shakeup during the offseason, but new head coach Joe Brady was formerly Buffalo's offensive coordinator, so we don't expect the offense to look too different next year. Cook should continue to operate as the every-down back, rarely ceding touches to
Ty Johnson and
Ray Davis. He continues to have top-five upside in redraft and dynasty formats.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
April 6, 2026
Miami Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan said on ESPN's This Is Football with Kevin Clark that he wants to see if tight end
Greg Dulcich can build on his strong finish to the 2025 season. In the final 10 weeks last year, Dulcich caught 26 passes for 335 yards and one touchdown for Miami. The 26-year-old has never played in more than 10 games in a single season in his four years in the NFL due to injury, but he could be set up for his biggest opportunity with the rebuilding Dolphins as he goes into his fifth campaign. The Dolphins traded away receiver
Jaylen Waddle and cut quarterback
Tua Tagovailoa and receiver
Tyreek Hill (knee), so Dulcich figures to see a heavy target load in 2026 from new QB
Malik Willis. In 10 games in his rookie year with the Denver Broncos, the former third-rounder in 2022 out of UCLA caught 33 passes for 411 yards and two touchdowns. Dulcich must stay healthy first, but he's not a bad dynasty buy-low candidate this offseason.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Kevin Clark
April 6, 2026
Sports Illustrated's John Shipley writes that the Jacksonville Jaguars love their running back room as they head into the 2026 NFL draft later this month. Shipley also writes that it "seems like the Jaguars are set to keep their RB group as-is" when it comes to the draft after they signed
Chris Rodriguez Jr. The Jags lost
Travis Etienne Jr. to the New Orleans Saints in free agency, but between Rodriguez,
Bhayshul Tuten, and
LeQuint Allen Jr., the team has "enough weapons" to make a leap with their running game in 2026. Tuten, who was a fourth-round pick last year out of Virginia Tech, had 83 carries for 307 yards (3.7 yards per carry) and five rushing touchdowns while adding 10 catches for 79 yards and two touchdowns. He'll be in a battle with C-Rod in training camp this summer for lead-back duties. Tuten's dynasty value is clearly on the rise with Etienne out of the picture, but he won't necessarily be handed workhorse duties, and Allen figures to be Jacksonville's primary pass-catching back. Tuten's explosiveness will make him a high-end RB2 if he's the starter on early downs.
--Keith HernandezSource: Sports Illustrated - John Shipley
April 6, 2026
Baltimore Ravens quarterback
Lamar Jackson was present for the start of the team's offseason program on Monday. Jackson is coming off an injury-plagued and disappointing 2025 campaign for Baltimore, and he's also looking to get a head start after a regime change to new head coach Jesse Minter and new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle. The four-time Pro Bowler and two-time MVP appears to be in good standing with the front office as they work towards a contract extension with two years currently remaining on the five-year, $260 million contract he signed with the Ravens in April of 2023. Jackson played in only 13 games in 2025, throwing for 2,549 yards, 21 touchdowns, and seven interceptions while rushing for 349 yards and two touchdowns on a career-low 67 rushing attempts. If the 29-year-old can put his lower-body injuries behind him in 2026, he'll be a clear bounce-back candidate with high-end QB1 potential. Jackson is still one of the most lethal dual-threat signal-callers in the NFL.
--Keith HernandezSource: Baltimore Ravens
April 6, 2026
New York Giants All-Pro defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence has requested a trade and will not take part in the team's offseason workout program that opens on Tuesday, sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN. Lawrence said there hasn't been any progress in trying to work with the team over the last two offseasons on a contract extension. The 28-year-old former 17th overall pick in 2019 out of Clemson was a Pro Bowler from 2022 to 2024 before recording just 31 tackles (14 solo) and half a sack in 17 starts in 2025 in his seventh year in the NFL. Lawrence had a career-high nine sacks in 2024 in just 12 regular-season starts. He still has two years left on the four-year, $87.5 million contract that he signed with the Giants in May of 2023. Lawrence is hoping for a change of scenery and to bounce back from a career-worst season in 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
April 6, 2026
New England Patriots wide receiver
Kyle Williams was an early third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and despite a history of draft misses at the position, a new regime in Foxborough, along with a far from insurmountable depth chart, helped to create considerable hype around the speedster out of Washington State. And yet, even as quarterback
Drake Maye made a colossal year two leap into MVP candidacy, Williams caught only 10 passes as a rookie. In speaking at the NFL owners meeting, head coach Mike Vrabel touched on Williams' speed and release off the line, traits that helped him cash in on several big plays in 2025, but noted that he would need to increase his play strength to stay on the field.
Romeo Doubs was added through free agency as a replacement for last season's top pass catcher,
Stefon Diggs, and his superior run blocking should make him more of a staple in two-receiver sets, as Diggs was frequently used as part of a rotation, particularly early in the year as he recovered from a 2024 ACL tear. The Patriots are also still linked to Eagles receiver AJ Brown, who many executives believe will be made available for trade after June 1st. With Brown, Doubs, and Williams all profiling primarily as boundary receivers, such an addition could make it difficult for Williams to find the field with any regularity.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
April 6, 2026
Titans wide receiver
Elic Ayomanor drew a respectable 17% target share as a rookie in 2025, with his 86 total targets leading a Tennessee team that saw no pass catcher reach 60 receptions, 600 yards, or five touchdowns. While the group as a whole lacked obvious star power, especially after
Calvin Ridley was lost for the season to a broken fibula, the inefficient quarterback play of rookie
Cam Ward did them no favors. Ward ranked near the bottom of the league in most passing efficiency metrics, while Ayomanor was held back by one of the highest rates of uncatchable targets among all pass catchers. The silver lining for Ayomanor is that Ward showed marked improvement over the second half of the season, raising his completion percentage and throwing 10 of his 15 touchdowns over his final seven full games. The Titans also welcome new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, whose history of elevating quarterback play should have a direct impact on Ayomanor's ability to take a second-season leap.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
April 6, 2026
As a rookie in 2025, Detroit Lions wide receiver
Isaac TeSlaa caught six touchdowns on only 26 targets and 16 receptions, a touchdown rate almost 10 times higher than the league average, and nearly double that of
Davante Adams, who led the NFL with 14 touchdown grabs. While few are calling for a repeat of such outlandish efficiency in year two, some have labeled him as a potential breakout candidate on the hopes that increased volume could make him a less touchdown-reliant fantasy asset. However, TeSlaa has never been a target-earner. His 14% target share across two seasons at Arkansas ranked well behind several of his own teammates, and even with the Lions, he was regularly on the field for more than just gadget plays designed to find him in the end zone. His 296 routes run last season put him in the top 10 in his rookie class, while his 0.81 yards per route run trailed only
Arian Smith,
Konata Mumpfield,
Dont'e Thornton Jr., and
Gage Larvadain among rookies with at least 100 routes run.
Amon-Ra St. Brown,
Jameson Williams,
Jahmyr Gibbs, and
Sam LaPorta all figure to slot in ahead of TeSlaa in the target pecking order, and unless he can bank on a second outlier season, he will likely be little more than an occasional injury replacement in 2026.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
April 6, 2026
Free-agent wide receiver
Deebo Samuel Sr. played in 16 games for the Washington Commanders in 2025, his seventh time in as many seasons that he was unable to log a full slate of games, and the oft-injured wideout currently remains unsigned. With the NFL Draft less than three weeks away, many receiver-needy teams are likely taking a more patient approach to see if they can fill that need with a younger, cheaper option in what is considered a deep draft class at the position. At his peak, Samuel was one of the most unique playmakers in the league, but that hasn't kept pundits from attaching the "Deebo" comp to a prospect almost annually, and this year is no different. Indiana's
Omar Cooper Jr. carries the moniker in the 2026 draft class, and to a lesser extent, so does Louisville's
Chris Bell, who is expected to fall in the draft following an ACL tear in the Cardinals' final game of the season.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
April 6, 2026
Giants wide receiver
Darius Slayton's 538 receiving yards in 2025 were good for the second-highest total on a New York team that saw starts from three different quarterbacks while playing almost the entire season without its clear No. 1 receiver in
Malik Nabers. In 2026, a sense of continuity is expected to return to New York, which could hurt Slayton's chances of making any meaningful impact. The team's leading receiver from last season,
Wan'Dale Robinson, reunited with former head coach Brian Daboll in Tennessee, and although they play vastly different roles, some of his production is expected to be absorbed by free agent acquisition
Darnell Mooney. Running backs
Cam Skattebo,
Tyrone Tracy Jr., and
Devin Singletary are all expected back after combining for more than 90 targets in their first season together. New York also returns tight end
Theo Johnson, who finished second on the team in targets and receptions, but the main reason analysts are expecting a year two jump from quarterback
Jaxson Dart, and a subsequently lowered ceiling for Slayton and all other Giants' pass catchers, is the anticipated return to health of Nabers. His 170 targets as a rookie broke a 21-year-old NFL record, and before tearing his ACL in Week 4, he was on pace for another 150+ in 2025.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
April 6, 2026
Denver Broncos wide receiver
Pat Bryant is no longer a top candidate to enjoy a Year 2 breakout. The second season in the league is a common time for receivers to take a major leap, and it seemed like Bryant was heading in the right direction after the 2025 campaign. After all, he had cemented himself as the Broncos' No. 3 receiver and averaged 5.3 targets over his final five games. However, his role suddenly changed when the Broncos surprisingly traded for
Jaylen Waddle out of nowhere. Denver now has Waddle and
Courtland Sutton atop its depth chart, and
Troy Franklin has a clear advantage over Bryant for the No. 3 receiver role. At this point, it seems like the Year 2 breakout is on hold for Bryant. He is a talented player, but his path to consistent fantasy production is nearly nonexistent as long as Waddle, Sutton, and Troy Franklin are healthy.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
April 6, 2026
Denver Broncos wide receiver
Troy Franklin enjoyed a second-year breakout as the overall WR31 in PPR leagues last season. It seemed like he was trending up and due for an even stronger showing in 2026, but then, the Broncos went out and traded for
Jaylen Waddle. That acquisition offers a major shakeup in Denver, establishing
Courtland Sutton and Waddle as the undisputed top two receivers on the team. As a result, Franklin will fall to the No. 3 role. Not only is he no longer a lock to consistently start games, but he's also due for a step backward in fantasy football. His 2025 finish as the WR31 could end up being the peak of the early portion of his career, as Franklin will have trouble being a top-36 fantasy receiver if both Sutton and Waddle are healthy. It'll be tough to sell high on the 23-year-old, so he's merely a hold in most leagues for now.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
April 6, 2026
Dallas Cowboys quarterbacks
Sam Howell and
Joe Milton III will compete for the backup role behind
Dak Prescott this summer, head coach Brian Schottenheimer told Todd Archer of ESPN.com. The Cowboys acquired Milton last offseason in hopes that he could offer a strong, accurate arm in case Prescott went down. Prescott was healthy for all 17 contests, but when Milton did get into the game, he struggled. He had three turnovers and just one touchdown across parts of four games. Perhaps because of his subpar results on the field, Dallas brought in Howell during the offseason. It appears that the Cowboys have a specific vision for their backup quarterback, as Howell offers mobility and a strong arm similar to Milton. The fantasy implications here are minimal, as we expect Prescott to start the full season unless he gives us a reason to believe otherwise.
--Andersen PickardSource: Todd Archer
April 6, 2026
Tennessee Titans quarterback
Cameron Ward (shoulder) has been "progressing very well" from a right shoulder injury that required offseason rehab, head coach Robert Saleh told Jim Wyatt of the team's official website. Saleh also noted that Ward has consistently been working in the building, sometimes on his own. It was a rookie season to forget for the No. 1 pick, who finished the 2025 campaign with just 3,169 passing yards, 15 passing touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He also took an NFL-high 55 sacks and lost seven fumbles. The turnover-to-touchdown ratio was far from ideal, and Ward will look to play cleaner football next season. He should benefit from an improved offense that now features wide receiver
Wan'Dale Robinson. We also expect
Gunnar Helm,
Elic Ayomanor, and
Chimere Dike to make significant second-year leaps. It's too early to proclaim Ward will be fantasy relevant across the board, but as he continues to recover amid his first full offseason in the NFL, he's certainly trending up.
--Andersen PickardSource: Jim Wyatt
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