Aug 30, 2026, 9:49 AM ET

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan recently met with the media, and a passing comment about George Kittle (Achilles) could be interpreted to mean that the All-Pro tight end has had a setback in his recovery from the Achilles injury that ended his 2025 season. While discussing the potential Week 1 availability of a handful of injured players, Shanahan mentioned his star tight end, saying, "Guys like Kittle, who's taken a step back." He was not asked for further clarification, but with Kittle having been activated from the active/physically unable to perform list on August 23rd, it's possible Shanahan meant a step toward playing. Following a string of positive recovery news, Kittle had risen to RotoBaller's TE9, but as posited by Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Shanahan will likely have some further explaining to do when he next meets with the media.--Patrick McGrath
Source: Mike Florio

Aug 30, 2026, 9:36 AM ET

Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson recently told reporters that seventh-year running back D'Andre Swift is "primed for a big year," and in putting together a final 53-man roster projection, The Athletic's Dan Wiederer suggests that enthusiasm could lead to an expanded workload in 2026. Swift had a career year a season ago in his reunion with Johnson, and with Kyle Monangai (knee) potentially limited to begin the year, and the Bears favored in five of their first six games, Swift could emerge as an early-season bell cow. Johnson has credited running backs coach Eric Studesville with helping Swift see the game better, and with the pieces coming together for a hot start to the year, Swift is a player to target in 2026 drafts as RotoBaller's RB17.--Patrick McGrath
Source: Dan Wiederer

Aug 30, 2026, 9:24 AM ET

Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III (groin) did not participate in the team's final preseason game as he continues to work his way back from the groin injury that has sidelined him for much of training camp, but following the Bears' 24-15 win over the Titans, head coach Ben Johnson offered some strong reassurance about his Week 1 availability. "He looks 100% to me," Johnson told the media. Burden had been a standout in nearly every session to begin camp, but went down to the ground and left with trainers after getting tangled with cornerback Tyrique Stevenson on August 8th and has not returned to practice since. Following Johnson's latest update, the arrow is pointing back up, and big things are expected of Burden in his second season, making him a potential league-winning selection at his currently discounted ADP of WR24.--Patrick McGrath
Source: Jason Lieser

Aug 30, 2026, 9:12 AM ET

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Keenan Allen was arrested early Sunday morning with preliminary misdemeanor charges of driving while intoxicated and DWI endangering a person, according to WTHR in Indianapolis. Allen has yet to be formally charged, but a police report and online jail records indicate the incident occurred in downtown Indianapolis around 1 a.m., though it was not reported until closer to 3 a.m. The 34-year-old Allen, who ranks 10th all-time among wide receivers in career receptions, recently signed a one-year deal with the Colts and is expected to see a significant role in his reunion with Shane Steichen, but fantasy managers will now need to think twice about where they are willing to select him in 2026 drafts, as the NFL does not need to wait for the legal process to play out before levying any suspension against him.--Patrick McGrath
Source: WTHR

Aug 30, 2026, 12:57 AM ET

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson may have trouble reaching his ceiling once again in 2026. Jefferson went from the WR2 in 2024 to the WR21 in 2025, with the main difference being that he was catching passes from a mix of J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer. This upcoming season, Jefferson will be on the receiving end of passes from Kyler Murray. While the two have demonstrated a decent rapport this preseason, we're a bit concerned about what will happen when Murray starts to face defenders in a game environment. Both Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson were somewhat quiet when they had Murray as their quarterback, so we can't quite guarantee that the ex-Cardinal will be an upgrade over McCarthy. At the very least, though, it's a fresh look for an offense that wants to return to its pre-2025 form. Jefferson is currently the WR6 in RotoBaller's redraft rankings, which indicates that the rankings experts are expecting him to bounce back in a huge way. It seems like most of the fantasy football community would agree, as Jefferson currently has an ADP of 12.4 (WR6).--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Aug 30, 2026, 12:51 AM ET

Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins is coming off a remarkable 2025 season that saw him post the best fantasy finish of his career as the overall WR8 in PPR leagues. It was a shaky year for the Texans and C.J. Stroud, but that didn't stop Collins from totaling 71 catches, 1,117 yards, and six touchdowns. Last season, he didn't have to share any targets with Tank Dell (knee), but he did share some volume with Christian Kirk, Jayden Higgins, and Jaylin Noel. This year is mostly similar, with the main difference being that Higgins is done for the year with a knee injury and Dell should return midseason. Because of Higgins' injury, the Texans also went out and added Kayshon Boutte via trade. By themselves, none of Dell, Noel, or Boutte should be a major threat to Collins' volume and production, but collectively, it's starting to look like a fair number of mouths to feed. Now that fantasy draft season is in full swing, Collins has an ADP of 23.8 (WR9), while RotoBaller has him ranked as the WR10 for redraft leagues.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Aug 30, 2026, 12:25 AM ET

New York Jets running back Breece Hall is incredibly talented, but the subpar state of the team's offense has had a negative impact on his fantasy production in recent years. Hall went from the RB2 in 2023 to ranking outside the top 15 fantasy running backs in each of the last two years. Last season, he missed just one game but was held to 1,065 rushing yards, 350 receiving yards, and five touchdowns, which were modest numbers by his standards. We don't expect a huge change in Hall's volume and yardage this upcoming season, but we'd love to see him score more than five touchdowns. His exact scoring tendencies should likely depend on quarterback Geno Smith, whose play will be a main reason why the Jets score a certain number of touchdowns. If the offense is due for another iffy season, Hall will be a mid-range RB2. If you expect the Jets to get him closer to 8-10 touchdowns, he'll jump to low-end RB1 territory. As it stands, he ranks as RotoBaller's RB16 and has an ADP of 33.9 (RB16).--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Aug 30, 2026, 12:20 AM ET

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith will occupy a much bigger role this season following the departure of former teammate A.J. Brown via trade. Smith has been a top-20 fantasy receiver in three of his last four seasons, including a finish as the overall WR20 in PPR leagues last year. He was healthy for all 17 games in 2025, catching 77 passes for 1,008 yards and a career-low four touchdowns. We're not expecting a major bump in touchdowns since the Eagles like to run the ball around the goal line, but Smith certainly should earn more targets, catches, and yards with Brown gone. Plus, as one of the most talented No. 2 receivers in years past, Smith should have no trouble adapting to the No. 1 role, even though it means he'll be going up against other teams' top cornerbacks. Smith has jumped to WR13 in RotoBaller's latest redraft rankings, and he currently has an ADP of 32.1 (WR14).--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Aug 30, 2026, 12:17 AM ET

Cleveland Browns tight end Harold Fannin Jr. faces minimal competition within his position group, setting him up for another big year in fantasy football. Fannin excelled as a rookie last year, despite dealing with inconsistent quarterback play and losing some volume to David Njoku. He finished his first pro season with 72 catches, 731 yards, and six touchdowns, ranking as the overall TE6 in PPR leagues. While subpar quarterback play likely awaits Fannin again in Year 2, he now has the tight end room all to himself after Njoku left in free agency. As a result, we can expect the Bowling Green product to rank as a mid-range TE1 once again this year. The only bad news is that his price tag has already adjusted to these 2026 expectations; he currently has an ADP of 80.6, which corresponds to the seventh round and makes him the eighth tight end off the board. You're not getting him at a discount, but you're not necessarily overpaying either. Fannin is being drafted ahead of George Kittle, Travis Kelce, and Dallas Goedert, so managers will have some difficult decisions to make at the tight end position in the middle rounds of drafts this year.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Aug 29, 2026, 11:31 PM ET

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba is fresh off a spectacular 2025 season in which he was named Offensive Player of the Year. He was in a tight race with Puka Nacua for the title of top-scoring fantasy receiver, and although those honors ultimately went to the Rams receiver, Smith-Njigba was still a fantasy league winner with 119 catches, 1,793 receiving yards, and 10 touchdowns. Heading into 2026, Smith-Njigba should continue to be viewed as an elite option at the wide receiver position. His price tag has adjusted to his remarkable year, but even at an ADP of 6.1, we'd still feel confident drafting the Seahawks' superstar. He has quarterback stability with Sam Darnold returning to feed him the football, and he has a legitimate chance to finish as the overall WR1 in fantasy leagues if Nacua ends up being suspended for his off-the-field actions. Smith-Njigba's current ADP makes him the third receiver off the board behind Nacua and Ja'Marr Chase. Fantasy football experts seem to agree with this price tag, as he checks in as the WR3 in RotoBaller's latest redraft rankings for 2026. You're not getting Smith-Njigba at a discount right now, but you're also not overpaying. He's a very talented, high-upside option in the middle of the first round.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Aug 29, 2026, 11:22 PM ET

Chicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland should offer TE1 upside in fantasy football this season, but it will come at a high price. Loveland currently has an ADP of 40.8, which corresponds to the fourth round of drafts and makes him the third tight end off the board. Loveland had a slow start to his career, but he turned things around and impressed during the second half of his rookie season. From Weeks 9-18, he scored six touchdowns and ranked as the overall TE2 behind only Trey McBride. In addition to possessing raw talent, Loveland should continue to benefit from playing in an upward-trending system led by offensive mastermind Ben Johnson. As it stands, he ranks as the overall TE3 in RotoBaller's latest redraft rankings, which falls in line with his current ADP. He's priced appropriately, so while managers will have to make a significant investment in order to draft Loveland, it should pay off with a top-five finish in fantasy football.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Aug 29, 2026, 11:17 PM ET

The New Orleans Saints have received trade interest in Spencer Rattler, but they expect to keep him on their 53-man roster, according to Jeremy Fowler. The former fifth-round pick will offer quality depth as the backup quarterback behind Tyler Shough. Rattler, 25, started the first eight games of the 2025 season before being benched for Shough. In those eight games, he completed 67.7% of his pass attempts for 1,586 yards, eight passing touchdowns, and five interceptions. He also tallied 167 rushing yards, 18 sacks, and two lost fumbles. Rattler's mobility gave him occasional QB2 appeal in fantasy football, but for the most part, managers wanted no part of starting him. That will remain the case if he's thrust into action due to a Shough injury in 2026.--Andersen Pickard
Source: Jeremy Fowler

Aug 29, 2026, 9:59 PM ET

New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo should open the 2026 season as the top option on the depth chart, and although the team has a very crowded backfield, the second-year ball-carrier should continue to produce in fantasy football. Skattebo was the overall RB7 from Weeks 2-8 last year before suffering multiple leg injuries, including a dislocated ankle. He's healthy now, but managers have grown concerned about the number of veteran running backs that surround him in the backfield. New York entered this year with Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Devin Singletary, and they also recently added Najee Harris. Tracy could carve out some standalone fantasy value, but for the most part, we don't expect these ball-carriers to negatively impact Skattebo's outlook. In fact, having more depth could actually be helpful for Skattebo, as sharing some of the workload will allow him to stay fresh while he (theoretically) still gets on the field for the highest-leverage rushing attempts. Skattebo has an ADP of 42.9 and currently ranks as the RB22 in RotoBaller's latest redraft rankings for 2026.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Aug 29, 2026, 9:54 PM ET

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey has an average draft position of 6.4, making him a mid-first-round pick in most fantasy leagues this year. That's a hefty price tag, but McCaffrey's track record suggests that he's absolutely worth it. Last year, the star running back tallied 1,202 rushing yards, 102 catches, 924 receiving yards, and 17 total touchdowns, which allowed him to rank as the clear-cut overall RB1 in fantasy football. He has now been the RB1 in two of his last three seasons, as well as a top-two fantasy running back in three of his last four. There has been plenty of dialogue this draft season about McCaffrey's injury risk impacting his draft stock, but that seems a bit excessive. First of all, McCaffrey has only been truly plagued by injuries in one of his last four seasons (2024). He missed zero games in 2022, one game in 2023, and zero games in 2025. Additionally, passing on a player just because they might get injured is bold. In the NFL, nobody is safe from injuries, so passing on McCaffrey certainly doesn't guarantee that the other player you choose to draft will stay healthy. All in all, the 30-year-old running back continues to prove that he's a star in this league with league-winning upside in fantasy football. He should be drafted as such in the early or middle portion of the first round in 2026 drafts.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller