March 11, 2026
Former New York Jets wide receiver
John Metchie III is signing an undisclosed one-year deal with the Carolina Panthers on Wednesday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Metchie will reunite with quarterback
Bryce Young, with whom he played college ball at Alabama. The 25-year-old was originally a second-round pick (44th overall) by the Houston Texans in the 2022 NFL draft. Metchie had an unfortunate setback with a cancer diagnosis and missed the entire 2022 season, but he has slowly bounced back and posted a career-high 274 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 33 receptions in 16 games (seven starts) with the Jets and Philadelphia Eagles last year. Metchie will now head to the NFC South, where he'll serve in a depth role behind
Tetairoa McMillan and
Jalen Coker. His previous connection with Young should help, but barring an injury ahead of him on Carolina's WR depth chart, it's hard to imagine Metchie having much weekly fantasy football appeal in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
March 11, 2026
The Jacksonville Jaguars are signing former Washington Commanders running back
Chris Rodriguez Jr. to an undisclosed two-year deal on Wednesday, sources told Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. Rodriguez will head to the AFC South after three years in Washington. The 25-year-old former sixth-round pick by the Commanders in 2023 out of Kentucky had his best year in 2025, carrying the ball 112 times for 500 yards and six touchdowns, which were all career-highs. He also caught three passes for 30 yards in 13 games played (seven starts) in D.C. In his three years with Washington, C-Rod had 10 rushing touchdowns while averaging a healthy 4.6 yards per tote. Jacksonville lost
Travis Etienne Jr. to the New Orleans Saints in free agency and will now go into the 2026 campaign with Rodriguez,
Bhayshul Tuten, and
LeQuint Allen Jr. as their backfield options, barring another RB addition in the upcoming draft. Tuten figures to be the Jags' RB1, but Rodriguez could easily have flex appeal in a complementary role in a rising offense.
UPDATE: Rodriguez will make $10 million on his two-year deal.--Keith HernandezSource: FOX Sports - Jordan Schultz
March 11, 2026
Free-agent quarterback
Jake Browning plans to sign an undisclosed one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a source told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Browning will go from backing up
Joe Burrow in Cincinnati to backing up
Baker Mayfield in Tampa. The 29-year-old signal-caller from Washington has three years of NFL experience with the Bengals, appearing in 17 games (10 starts). In those games, Browning completed 68.5% of his 368 pass attempts for 2,707 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions. He led the league with a 70.4% completion percentage in his rookie year in 2023, when he was forced to make seven starts with Burrow injured. In Tampa, Browning will serve as a solid backup option for Mayfield, whose aggressive style of play opens him up to plenty of injuries. If Browning is forced into starts for the Bucs in 2026, he definitely won't have the top-notch receiving corps he worked with in Cincy.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Jeremy Fowler
March 11, 2026
The New York Jets agreed to terms with former Las Vegas Raiders offensive guard Dylan Parham on a two-year deal worth up to $20 million on Wednesday, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Parham will help bolster the Jets' offensive line in 2026 after spending the first four years of his NFL career in the desert. The Raiders drafted the 26-year-old in the third round in 2022 out of Memphis. Parham will be expected to protect veteran quarterback
Geno Smith, with whom he played last year in Las Vegas. Along a young and inexperienced offensive line in New York, Parham should be expected to start for the team next season. Parham has started 63 of the 64 games he's appeared in over the last four years with the Raiders. It's unclear exactly where he'll play, but he has experience at left and right guard and at center, giving the Jets options.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
March 11, 2026
The Baltimore Ravens agreed to terms on an undisclosed deal with free-agent tight end
Durham Smythe on Wednesday, sources told Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. Smythe will likely be the blocking replacement at the position for
Charlie Kolar, who left in free agency this week to join the Los Angeles Chargers. The 30-year-old veteran will reunite with new Ravens offensive coordinator Declan Doyle after being coached by him with the Chicago Bears in 2025. The former fourth-round pick by the Miami Dolphins in 2018 out of Notre Dame won't be anywhere near the fantasy radar in any format going into next season. Smythe had a career-low four catches on six targets for 25 yards in 17 regular-season games with the Bears last year, and he has a measly 136 receptions for 1,253 yards and three touchdowns in his eight-year NFL career.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Jeff Zrebiec
March 11, 2026
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers tendered an undisclosed one-year deal to restricted free-agent running back
Sean Tucker on Wednesday, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. Tucker will most likely return to Tampa for a fourth season and will provide valuable RB depth behind starter
Bucky Irving and newcomer
Kenneth Gainwell. The 24-year-old former undrafted free agent out of Syracuse saw a career-high 86 rushing attempts last year for 320 yards and a career-best seven rushing touchdowns in 17 games played. Tucker added eight receptions for 34 yards and a touchdown through the air as he saw increased playing time due to Irving missing extended time in 2025 with an injury. Because he'll be the RB3 to open the 2026 season if he sticks in Tampa, Tucker won't be on the fantasy radar in most single-year fantasy leagues, but he'll be a high-priority waiver addition if Irving were to miss time with an injury again.
--Keith HernandezSource: Tampa Bay Times - Rick Stroud
March 11, 2026
The Arizona Cardinals officially released quarterback
Kyler Murray (foot) at the start of the new league year on Wednesday, according to ESPN's Kevin Seifert. Murray is "at or near the top" of the Minnesota Vikings' QB wish list this offseason as they look to pair a veteran to push young signal-caller
J.J. McCarthy. Murray's fantasy football stock is way down after he missed the final 12 games of the 2025 season in Arizona due to a foot sprain he suffered in Week 5. The 28-year-old former first overall selection in 2019 out of Oklahoma wasn't in sync before his injury, either, throwing for 962 yards, six touchdowns, and three picks in five games started. Despite his poor final season in Arizona, Murray will be attractive to teams looking for a cheap and experienced option at the position, as the Cardinals are paying the $38.8 million guarantees still owed to him. If Minnesota adds Murray and he wins the starting gig over McCarthy, he'd be a clear QB2 bounce-back candidate.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Kevin Seifert
March 11, 2026
The Atlanta Falcons officially released veteran quarterback
Kirk Cousins at the start of the new league year on Wednesday, according to Kevin Seifert of ESPN. The 37-year-old four-time Pro Bowler spent the last two seasons in Atlanta, where he threw for 5,229 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 21 interceptions in 24 games (22 starts). He was benched late in the 2024 campaign in favor of rookie
Michael Penix Jr. and entered last season as the clear backup. Cousins ended up starting eight games for the Falcons in 2025 due to Penix's season-ending knee injury. He had a few notable performances, but overall, he looked more like a QB nearing the end of his career. Cousins had 1,721 passing yards, 10 touchdowns, and five picks for the Falcons last year. He'll be an option to reunite with the Minnesota Vikings this offseason, but a starting job isn't going to be guaranteed, no matter where Cousins resurfaces for the 2026 campaign.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Kevin Seifert
March 11, 2026
The San Francisco 49ers and tight end
Jake Tonges agreed to a new two-year contract for $8 million on Wednesday, agent Steve Caric told Adam Schefter of ESPN. The deal includes $5.5 million guaranteed. Tonges had the best year of his career in 2025 in his third year in the NFL and second in the Bay Area, filling in nicely as the team's top pass-catching tight end when
George Kittle was sidelined due to injury. The 26-year-old caught 34 of his 46 targets for 293 yards and five touchdowns in 17 regular-season games (two starts) after not having a single catch in his first two NFL seasons. Tonges went undrafted out of Cal before debuting in the NFL in 2022 with the Chicago Bears. Kittle is recovering from a torn Achilles that he suffered in the postseason, so he almost certainly won't be ready for the start of the 2026 regular season. Tonges showed last year that he has the ability to be a valuable sleeper TE in a good offense with Kittle sidelined.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
March 11, 2026
Free-agent safety Jaylinn Hawkins plans to sign with the Baltimore Ravens for two years and $10 million, a source told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Hawkins will head to Baltimore for his seventh year in the NFL after having one of the best years of his career with the New England Patriots in 2025. The 28-year-old former fourth-round pick by the Atlanta Falcons in 2020 out of Cal totaled 71 tackles (45 solo), a career-high 1.5 sacks, five QB hits, a career-high four interceptions, six pass breakups, one forced fumble, and a fumble recovery in 15 regular-season starts in his second year with the Patriots. The 836 defensive snaps he played were the second-highest total of his career. He was a key part of the team's secondary, but now he'll head to the AFC North and try to help the Ravens get back to the postseason. There's a good chance Hawkins will be in more of a rotational role at safety in Baltimore.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Jeremy Fowler
March 11, 2026
The Washington Commanders agreed to an undisclosed three-year deal with free-agent tight end
Chig Okonkwo on Wednesday, according to Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network. Okonkwo led the Titans with 560 receiving yards on 56 catches (79 targets) last year, but he caught just two touchdowns and lost a lot of valuable targets and playing time to rookie
Gunnar Helm. The 26-year-old tight end finished as only the No. 22 player at his position in half-PPR scoring.
Zach Ertz is a free agent and probably won't return to Washington, so Okonkwo has an opportunity to become the Commanders' top pass-catching TE going into next season. It could be a huge boost to his fantasy value as long as starting quarterback
Jayden Daniels can remain healthy in his third year in the league. Okonkwo will definitely become at least a more attractive TE2 with upside for more in D.C.
UPDATE: Okonkwo's three-year deal is worth up to $30 million.--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Mike Garafolo
March 11, 2026
The San Francisco 49ers agreed to an undisclosed contract extension with running back
Patrick Taylor Jr. (shoulder) on Wednesday, according to Equity Sports. A shoulder injury suffered in the preseason last year caused Taylor to miss the entire 2025 campaign, but he'll be back in the Bay Area as RB depth in 2026 behind
Christian McCaffrey,
Jordan James, and
Isaac Guerendo. There have been talks that the Niners are interested in bringing back
Brian Robinson Jr., who was the direct backup to McCaffrey last year in the backfield. The 27-year-old Taylor went undrafted out of Memphis before latching on with the Green Bay Packers in 2021. He had his most productive season in the NFL in 2024 in his first year with the 49ers, rushing the ball a career-high 39 times for 183 yards (4.7 yards per carry) and one touchdown in 13 games played (one start). Barring injuries in front of him, Taylor won't be on the fantasy radar.
--Keith HernandezSource: Equity Sports
March 11, 2026
The Minnesota Vikings and running back
Aaron Jones Sr. agreed to a revised contract on Wednesday to keep him in town for the 2026 season, sources told the NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Jones will lower his base salary to $5.5 million to stay with the Vikings for one more season. Minnesota was getting ready to release the 31-year-old veteran at the start of the new league year before this contract restructure. Jones battled injuries throughout the 2025 season and was limited to 12 games, finishing with 132 carries (his lowest total since his rookie season in 2017 with the Green Bay Packers) for 548 yards and two touchdowns. He added 28 catches for 199 yards and another TD on 41 targets. Jones should be able to bounce back with better health in 2026, but the Vikings might also prefer to give backfield mate
Jordan Mason a bigger workload in an effort to keep Jones healthy. There's also the possibility of the Vikes adding to the RB room via the NFL draft in April.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
March 11, 2026
Three-time Pro Bowl safety Kevin Byard is signing a one-year, $9 million deal with the New England Patriots on Wednesday, sources told Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. The 32-year-old veteran defensive back is coming off his third career Pro Bowl selection in 2025 in his second year with the Chicago Bears. Byard had 93 tackles (61 solo), a league-leading seven interceptions, and eight pass breakups in 17 regular-season starts. The strong season was good enough to land him as the No. 4 overall defensive back in IDP fantasy formats. It was Byard's sixth season in 10 years in the NFL with at least four interceptions, so it would be an understatement to call him a ball hawk. He'll now head to New England to try to help the Patriots get back to the Super Bowl. Byard should once again be in play as a weekly DB in IDP formats in his new home in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
March 11, 2026
The New York Jets agreed to an undisclosed one-year deal with free-agent kicker
Cade York on Wednesday, sources told FOX Sports' Jordan Schultz. Former Jets kicker
Nick Folk signed with the Atlanta Falcons earlier this week, so the Jets will add York, a former fourth-rounder, and give him a chance to win the starting job to open the 2026 season. The Cleveland Browns took the 25-year-old placekicker with the 124th overall pick in 2022 out of LSU. York has only kicked in the NFL for two seasons, going 33-for-45 on field goals (73.3%) and 51-for-54 on his extra-point attempts in 23 games played for the Browns, Cincinnati Bengals, and Washington Commanders. He didn't play at all last year and spent the 2024 season with both Washington and Cincy. Right now, York and
Lenny Krieg are the two kicking options on New York's roster. Fantasy managers will want to avoid the kicking situation for the Jets in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Post - Brian Costello
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