Sep 4, 2026, 6:38 PM ET

New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo suffered a gruesome dislocated ankle injury that ended his rookie season after just seven games last year, but that might not stop new head coach John Harbaugh from giving the second-year back a heavy workload in 2026, according to Chris Bumbaca of USA Today Sports. "We talk a lot. When he walks up to me and tells me, 'Are you ready for 20-plus carries a game?' I think I'm in a pretty good spot," Skattebo said. The 24-year-old former fourth-rounder from Arizona State admitted that he briefly considered retirement after his injury last year, but Skattebo is back in the fold for his sophomore season and figures to lead the G-Men in backfield touches, even with Tyrone Tracy Jr. (neck) and Najee Harris being involved. Skattebo averaged 19.5 touches per game in his first eight contests in 2025, rushing for 410 yards and five touchdowns on 101 rushing attempts. He also added 24 receptions for 207 yards and another two scores. His three-down upside is evident, and if he sees 20-plus touches a game, Skattebo could approach RB1 territory in Year 2. RotoBaller has Skattebo ranked as the No. 21 fantasy back.--Keith Hernandez
Source: USA Today Sports - Chris Bumbaca

Sep 4, 2026, 6:22 PM ET

Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams enjoyed a career year in 2025 in his first year in Dallas, carrying the ball 252 times for 1,201 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns in 16 starts. He added 35 receptions on 51 targets for 137 yards and another two touchdowns as a receiver. The Cowboys and fantasy managers are expecting something similar for an encore in 2026 behind a strong offensive line. However, The Dallas Morning News' Joseph Hoyt reports that the Cowboys mentioned that they "wanted to be conscientious of the tread he was putting on his tires." Hoyt thinks that Williams getting back to the 252-carry mark from a year ago "feels like a stretch," and Dallas could lean more on No. 2 back Malik Davis. Still, Hoyt has Williams projected for another 1,000-yard season with nine rushing touchdowns on 215 carries. Fantasy managers selecting Williams as a low-end RB1/high-end RB2 would be fine with that final stat line. RotoBaller currently has the former Denver Broncos RB ranked as the No. 12 overall option at his position.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Dallas Morning News - Joseph Hoyt

Sep 4, 2026, 5:34 PM ET

The Dallas Morning News' Joseph Hoyt predicts that Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens will have a better fantasy football season in 2026 than CeeDee Lamb for the second straight year. Hoyt projects Pickens to come down with 90 catches, 1,380 yards, and 12 touchdowns after the 25-year-old caught 93 of 137 targets for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns as a first-time Pro Bowler in 2025 in his first year with the Cowboys. Pickens was late to some team meetings and did not always appear to be locked in, but teammates and coaches have said he has been different as he heads into a contract year. The former second-rounder by the Pittsburgh Steelers has continued to make plays in training camp and looks as comfortable as ever in a pass-happy offense. It might be difficult for Pickens to outproduce Lamb for a second straight season, but even if he doesn't, he should have a pretty high fantasy floor. RotoBaller has Pickens ranked as the No. 8 fantasy WR for 2026, with Lamb coming in at No. 5. If Pickens stays healthy, he should have another big season.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Dallas Morning News - Joseph Hoyt

Sep 4, 2026, 5:17 PM ET

The "feedback internally has been positive" in regard to how Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts has acclimated to offensive coordinator Sean Mannion's new West Coast-style system, according to Tim McManus of ESPN. Mannion's system is a significant departure from how the Eagles' offense has operated in the past under head coach Nick Sirianni, and it involves a "heavy under-center operation." Passing-game coordinator Josh Grizzard has described it as a "timing-based aerial attack" that will require Hurts to have consistent footwork and trust in his receivers to be in the right place at the right time. It has not been perfect this summer as Hurts adjusts to the new scheme -- he threw double-digit interceptions during training camp -- while making more over-the-middle throws. McManus concludes by saying that the consensus is that Hurts is "bought in and fighting hard through the learning curve." Despite the Eagles offense struggling last year, Hurts threw for a career-high 25 touchdowns and added 421 rushing yards and eight rushing scores to remain a top-10 fantasy QB. With improved offensive-line play, the three-time Pro Bowler has a chance to be even better in this new offense, giving him clear top-five QB upside in fantasy football.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Tim McManus

Sep 4, 2026, 5:07 PM ET

Houston Texans wide receiver Kayshon Boutte said he has been working every day to build chemistry with quarterback C.J. Stroud after he was acquired in a trade from the New England Patriots, according to Cole Thompson of Texans Wire. "Big playmaking ability. Whether it's short routes, mid-routes, deep routes, go ball, I'm going to always build that trust every day with C.J. [Stroud]," Boutte said when asked about what he brings to Houston's offense. The 24-year-old former sixth-rounder by New England in 2023 from LSU was buried on the Pats' WR depth chart this summer after offseason additions of A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs, but in Houston, he is expected to operate as the WR2 behind Nico Collins after Jayden Higgins (knee) was ruled out for the season due to a torn ACL. Boutte never reached 600 receiving yards in three seasons with the Patriots, but he did score a career-high six times on 33 receptions in 14 regular-season games in 2025. He will have to hold off Jaylin Noel, Xavier Hutchinson, and eventually Tank Dell (knee), but with more opportunities coming in his new digs, Boutte is in play as a late-round flier at WR.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Texans Wire - Cole Thompson

Sep 4, 2026, 4:58 PM ET

Entering his first season with the team in 2026, New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown looks like the clear focal point of his team's passing game. Even in a tumultuous 2025 season with the Philadelphia Eagles, in which he publicly agitated for more targets and a larger role, Brown recorded 78 catches for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns across 15 games. With the Patriots, Brown should be rejuvenated and could have a chance to get back to his peak form, when he recorded 2,952 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns across two seasons with the Eagles in 2022 and 2023. Brown's profile carries some risk for fantasy managers, as he's entering his age-29 season and has missed six games over the past two years due to knee and hamstring injuries. Still, Brown is in a strong position in New England to recapture his top-12 fantasy WR status.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 4, 2026, 4:47 PM ET

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Ryan Flournoy established a role in his team's passing game in 2025, recording 40 catches for 475 yards and four touchdowns on 56 targets across 16 games (four starts). Flournoy has a pair of high-volume target earners ahead of him on the Cowboys wide receiver depth chart in CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, which may make it difficult for him to provide consistently fantasy-relevant production. However, Flournoy routinely garnered praise from both Cowboys coaches and reporters for his work throughout training camp and the preseason. If either Lamb or Pickens goes down with an injury for any stretch of time in 2026, Flournoy could immediately step into a high-value role in Dallas. As a late-round draft target, Flournoy should be on the radar of fantasy managers.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 4, 2026, 4:38 PM ET

A third-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, San Francisco 49ers rookie running back Kaelon Black entered training camp in competition with fellow 49ers back Jordan James for the team's RB2 role behind Christian McCaffrey. However, James battled some injury issues throughout the summer, and recent reporting out of San Francisco indicates that Black currently has a hold on the backup running back job. As long as McCaffrey remains healthy, Black is unlikely to play a fantasy-relevant role in 2026. Still, McCaffrey is now 30 years old and logged an NFL-high 413 touches in 2025. The superstar back also has a history of suffering season-altering injuries, as he's played seven games or fewer in three of his nine NFL campaigns. If he is indeed the clear RB2 in San Francisco, Black carries high-end handcuff appeal into 2026.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 4, 2026, 4:31 PM ET

Tennessee Titans new head coach Robert Saleh is convinced that new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll will help quarterback Cam Ward improve in his second season in the NFL, according to Turron Davenport of ESPN. "This kid's not going to fail," Saleh said. "Obviously, I put my job on that one, but he's not going to fail. He's special." Ward did little to impress anyone in two preseason games, but he looked much better in joint practices against the Seattle Seahawks and Chicago Bears. Last year's first overall pick, Ward finished his rookie campaign with 3,169 passing yards (17th), 15 touchdowns (25th), and seven interceptions (tied for 10th-most), but he showed improvement in his final five games, throwing eight TDs and just one interception. "I have a lot of confidence in this young man," Daboll said. The new coaching staff is not looking to tweak Ward's throwing motion, but they are putting an emphasis on his decision-making, encouraging him to take what the defense is giving him while also looking for opportunities to make chunk gains down the field. With the offseason additions of receivers Wan'Dale Robinson and rookie Carnell Tate, Ward will have more help in the passing game. The jury is still out on Ward as he heads into Year 2, but with a better supporting cast of coaches and receivers, he is trending up in superflex fantasy leagues as a low-end QB2 option with upside in 2026.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Turron Davenport

Sep 4, 2026, 4:26 PM ET

Across 17 games in 2025, Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard recorded 1,288 yards from scrimmage and five touchdowns on 275 touches. The 29-year-old has quietly been one of the NFL's most consistent running backs in recent years, recording at least 1,000 rushing yards and 1,250 scrimmage yards in four consecutive seasons. Pollard has also been exceptionally durable, missing just two games in that stretch. While playing in subpar Tennessee offenses, Pollard's fantasy value has been held down by his lack of red zone opportunities. However, the Titans project to be a more dangerous offense in 2026 with Brian Daboll now calling plays and quarterback Cam Ward entering his second NFL season. Fellow Titans back Tyjae Spears will steal some work from Pollard, but Pollard has averaged over 17 touches per game while sharing a backfield with Spears over the past two seasons. As a steady low-end RB2/high-end flex, Pollard may be undervalued in fantasy drafts entering 2026.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 4, 2026, 4:19 PM ET

Across 16 games in 2025, Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert completed 66.4% of his pass attempts for 3,727 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. The 28-year-old also rushed for a career-high 498 yards and two touchdowns on 83 attempts, which helped him finish the year as the fantasy QB10 in both overall and per-game scoring. Entering 2026, there's reason to believe Herbert could be well-positioned to top 4,000 passing yards for the first time since 2022. The Chargers have a new offensive coordinator in former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, who should help open up the offense with more explosive plays down the field. Herbert also has a much healthier offensive line in front of him and an extremely talented group of offensive weapons to throw the ball to. As long as he stays healthy, Herbert has a chance to put together his most productive statistical season since 2021, when he threw for 5,014 yards and 35 touchdowns.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 4, 2026, 4:16 PM ET

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston quietly put together the best season of his career in 2025, and the setup around him looks even more interesting now. Johnston caught 51 passes for a career-high 735 yards and eight touchdowns in 14 games while averaging 14.4 yards per catch, another career best. It was also his second straight season with eight scores. Mike McDaniel takes over the offense this year and has been particularly bullish on Johnston, praising the growth he has already shown and the explosiveness he brings to the receiver room. Johnston should also get more chances to create after the catch, something he has openly said fits his game. The summer ended on a high note when he hauled in a 65-yard touchdown from Justin Herbert in the preseason finale. Ladd McConkey remains the safer bet to lead Los Angeles in targets, and Tre' Harris will have a role, so Johnston may still have some uneven weeks. After improving again in 2025, though, there are more ways for him to produce in this offense than there were a year ago.--Bruno Mulé
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 4, 2026, 4:09 PM ET

Across 16 games in 2025, Philadelphia Eagles running back Tank Bigsby recorded 58 carries for 344 yards and two touchdowns. Entering 2026, Bigsby's path to fantasy-relevant production remains blocked by star Eagles back Saquon Barkley. However, Barkley is now entering his age-29 season and has amassed over 800 touches (including the postseason) over the last two seasons. If Barkley were to suffer an injury, Bigsby would likely see a significant role increase and would immediately leap into top-24 running back territory for fantasy managers. In the lone game that Barkley missed in 2025, Bigsby recorded 106 scrimmage yards and a touchdown on 18 touches. For fantasy managers searching for a premium handcuff running back option, Bigsby should be at the top of the priority list.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 4, 2026, 3:54 PM ET

Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews has a clearer path back to meaningful volume after spending last season in a crowded position group. He saw only 70 targets in 17 games, finishing with 48 catches for 422 yards and five touchdowns while Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar also handled substantial snaps. Both are gone now, and Baltimore enters 2026 with Andrews leading a rebuilt room that includes Durham Smythe and rookies Matt Hibner and Josh Cuevas. Smythe is expected to handle much of the blocking work, while the younger tight ends are still carving out roles. Andrews also looked sharp in camp, including one of his best practices in August when he scored in the red zone and made another catch in traffic near the goal line. Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman will still command plenty of looks, and rookie Ja'Kobi Lane earned a substantial role this summer. Even so, Andrews has far less competition at his own position. After averaging just 4.1 targets per game last year, there is a real path for that number to climb.--Bruno Mulé
Source: RotoBaller