RADIO
Roman Wilson Has a Tough Path to Week 1 Role Despite Solid Camp
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Roman Wilson reportedly put together an impressive training camp, and we saw him catch three passes for 23 yards throughout the preseason. However, the current state of the Steelers' receiver room will make it very challenging for him to carve out any sort of fantasy relevance this year. Through two seasons in the NFL, Wilson has just 12 catches, 166 yards, and two touchdowns. He was buried on the depth chart last year, and even if he opens this season as the No. 3 receiver on the depth chart, he'll still be stuck behind DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. in an offense that doesn't have an absurd amount of passing volume available for its depth targets. Plus, there's a chance that Wilson could slip further down the depth chart as rookie Germie Bernard, who had five catches for 64 yards and a touchdown in the preseason, continues to acclimate to the NFL. Fantasy managers can leave Wilson on waivers in all redraft and most dynasty leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Brian Thomas Jr.'s Target Share Uncertain for Week 1
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. took a major step backward in his second pro season last year, and he remains a very uncertain wide receiver for fantasy managers in 2026. Thomas went from ranking as the WR4 in 2024 to the WR44 in 2025. While he did miss three games last year, that brief absence doesn't account for the 45% reduction in receptions, 45% reduction in receiving yards, and 80% reduction in touchdowns from Year 1 to Year 2 in the NFL. More likely than not, we can blame his step backward on a mix of talent and surroundings. Not only did he look like a different, less dominant receiver last year, but he also faced more competition with Travis Hunter's arrival to the NFL, Parker Washington's breakout, and the Jaguars' midseason trade for Jakobi Meyers. Unfortunately for Thomas, those three receivers are back this year, and tight end Brenton Strange could also be on the brink of handling a larger target share. Thomas continues to be plagued by uncertainty in fantasy football, dropping him to the low-end WR3 tier for the time being.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Dylan Laube Off the Fantasy Radar Entirely
Las Vegas Raiders running back Dylan Laube is no longer worth rostering in fantasy football. There was a stretch where Laube had some appeal as a handcuff behind Ashton Jeanty, but he never ended up logging more than four touches in a single game last season. The New Hampshire product now has 10 career offensive touches and two career fumbles, which is not a good ratio, although it's worth noting that he has also earned plenty of returns on special teams. Laube opens the season as the No. 3 running back on the Raiders' roster, and it's hard to see him carving out any sort of offensive role behind Jeanty and up-and-coming rookie Mike Washington Jr. Both backs have generated plenty of buzz throughout the offseason, so they're both on the fantasy radar while Laube is essentially a non-factor. He can be dropped in most leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Luke McCaffrey Slipping Down the Depth Chart in New-Look Receiver Room
Washington Commanders wide receiver Luke McCaffrey is falling down the depth chart ahead of the 2026 NFL season, and as a result, his fantasy outlook has taken a massive hit. McCaffrey, a 2024 third-round pick out of Rice, is the brother of 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey. He has never finished higher than WR108 in his two NFL seasons, and he missed eight games due to injury last season. The Commanders beefed up their wide receiver room this offseason with Stefon Diggs and Antonio Williams, who will operate behind Terry McLaurin. That leaves McCaffrey vying for the No. 4 receiver spot at best, although he's also losing ground to Dyami Brown, Treylon Burks, and Jaylin Lane. If not for his special teams value, McCaffrey would probably have found himself on the roster bubble by now. He can be dropped in all fantasy leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
KaVontae Turpin Falling Out of Favor in Dallas
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver KaVontae Turpin's fantasy relevance is quickly slipping away. Turpin has put together back-to-back WR77 finishes in PPR leagues, and he had occasional streaming appeal in 2024 when opportunities opened up for him to take on a bigger role. However, he was never able to establish himself as a dependable target week in and week out. Last season, he fell down the depth chart following the acquisition of George Pickens and the breakout of Ryan Flournoy. At best, he projects as the No. 4 receiver this season behind CeeDee Lamb, Pickens, and Flournoy, but he could also fall as low as sixth on the depth chart. We would not be surprised if Turpin sits out any games as a healthy scratch this season while the Cowboys work to solidify the back half of their depth chart. He should be dropped in all fantasy leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Tyquan Thornton's Fantasy Appeal Slipping Away
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyquan Thornton is trending down in fantasy football ahead of the 2026 NFL season. While Thornton remains in the No. 3 spot on the depth chart for now, he'll likely lose his grasp on that role by midseason. He's already behind Rashee Rice, Travis Kelce, and Xavier Worthy in the passing game order, and soon, he could also be surpassed by up-and-coming rookie Cyrus Allen. The fifth-round pick out of Cincinnati reportedly had a great training camp, earning the trust of quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the coaching staff. Thornton, on the other hand, has struggled to emerge as a consistent threat in the passing game throughout his four seasons in the league. Now heading into Year 5, Thornton has yet to finish higher than WR81 in a single season.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Chicago's D/ST Worthy of Consideration Versus Panthers
The Chicago Bears' D/ST is a recommended fantasy option for Week 1 when they take on the Carolina Panthers on the road. For what it's worth, the Bears' defense was one of the worst in terms of yards (fourth-most) and points (tenth-most) allowed per game in 2025. However, the unit also forced the league's most turnovers (33), while the team as a whole had the best differential (+22). This Sunday, they'll face an advantageous matchup against a Panthers offense that scored the sixth-fewest points per game last season (19). This matchup isn't without risk, as Chicago's weakness against the ground game aligns with Carolina's strength. Still, Bryce Young's inconsistencies should leave the door open for an opportunistic Bears defense to make field-flipping plays. As it stands, the unit is a fringey top option, landing as RotoBaller's D/ST12 ahead of the favorable outing.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Cairo Santos in Favorable Week 1 Spot
Chicago Bears veteran placekicker Cairo Santos presents as a strong fantasy asset when his team squares off with the Carolina Panthers on the road in Week 1. The 34-year-old was solid for Chicago in 2025, connecting on 25-of-30 field goal attempts and all 39 of his extra-point attempts. While Santos was nothing more than a middle-of-the-road option last year, he should be afforded plenty of opportunities to be impactful in this campaign. In addition to being tethered to an explosive, exciting offense, the playmakers throughout the defense led the league in takeaways with 33 a season ago. All in all, the veteran is primed to be a useful alternative in fantasy lineups for the duration of the season and can be trusted as a sound start to kick off the 2026 campaign. He's RotoBaller's K9 leading up to the team's first outing.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Kyle Monangai a Full-Go for Opener Vs. Carolina
Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai will head into this weekend's outing against the hosting Carolina Panthers, seemingly healthy after a full week of practice. The second-year back hyperextended his knee roughly a month ago. Considering there's been no update since his return on Monday, it feels safe to assume that Monangai will resume his role as a 1B/change-of-pace option behind incumbent starter D'Andre Swift. While the former's upside is capped for as long as he shares Chicago's backfield, he's one of the league's premier handcuffs. Monangai also has the talent to carve out standalone value on an aggressive offense. In Week 1, he'll get an excellent matchup in a Panthers' defensive front that was a bottom-half unit in rushing yards per game last year. Game script could be favorable if the Bears jump out to an early lead, but Monangai is otherwise a touchdown-dependent option in the early going. For now, he'll rank as the PPR RB42 in RotoBaller's Week 1 rankings.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Colston Loveland Set for Monster First Outing
Chicago Bears second-year tight end Colston Loveland is primed for a strong outing this Sunday against the Carolina Panthers on the road. Loveland's rookie campaign may have started slowly, but he made an impact on an offense loaded with talent and erupted down the stretch. From Week 17 through the divisional round, the former Michigan Wolverine racked up 28 receptions, 378 yards, and two touchdowns on a ludicrous 48 targets (29.1%), notching no fewer than 10 looks in any appearance. Now, heading into his second year, Loveland is the clear leader of Chicago's tight end room and poised to handle a heavy workload in an ascending offense. Even in a unit brimming with capable playmakers, the 22-year-old is a locked-in, high-end asset at his position. Additionally, he could see a bump in volume with several of his teammates dealing with preseason injuries. He's RotoBaller's PPR TE2 for Sunday's opening bout.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Oscar Delp May Open the Year at Bottom of Depth Chart
New Orleans Saints tight end Oscar Delp (hamstring) has modest draft capital as a Day 2 pick, but he may still open the season as the No. 3 option on the depth chart. Juwan Johnson is the undisputed starter at tight end, offering legitimate top-10 upside. Noah Fant is also a candidate to emerge ahead of Delp in the pecking order. While that's far less of a sure thing, it seems somewhat reasonable given Fant's experience as a productive tight end in the NFL. On the other hand, Delp is still just a rookie, and at the moment, he's having trouble even staying on the field. The Georgia product still has some low-end upside in dynasty leagues long-term, but he can be dropped to waivers in all redraft leagues at this point. His path to relevance in 2026 features plenty of obstacles.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Ted Hurst III Could See Expanded Role in Week 1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Ted Hurst III is set to make his professional debut against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1. The third-round pick might actually see a bigger role than expected in the season opener. Fellow wideout Jalen McMillan (groin) is currently considered questionable for Sunday's game. His absence could mean that Tez Johnson or Hurst moves into the starting unit. Between the two, Hurst might be the bigger threat after his impressive showing in camp. Recently, Bucs' offensive coordinator Zac Robinson praised Hurst for his work. The 22-year-old could make for a deep league dart throw if McMillan is unable to play.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Jaylin Lane Struggling to Find Role in New-Look Receiver Room
Washington Commanders wide receiver Jaylin Lane may struggle to carve out a substantial role in the team's new-look receiver room. The Commanders signed Stefon Diggs and drafted Antonio Williams this past offseason, slotting them into the second and third receiver roles behind Terry McLaurin. That leaves a combo of Lane, Dyami Brown, and Treylon Burks competing for the No. 4 spot on the depth chart. Lane might benefit from being the youngest of that group, but that also means he has the least experience and the least impactful track record. As a rookie last year, the Virginia Tech product caught just 16 of his 32 targets for 225 yards. We'd expect Lane to remain on special teams, with his occasional offensive snaps not providing enough stability for any sort of fantasy relevance. He can be left on waivers in all redraft leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Luther Burden III Could See Bigger Role in Week 1
Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III is without an injury designation for his team's opening game against the hosting Carolina Panthers. Burden sustained a groin injury in early August that derailed his preseason, but he returned to practice ahead of Week 1 and did so at full capacity. The 22-year-old's late-2025 surge jettisoned him up draft boards this Summer, and rightfully so considering his talent and participation in an ascending, young offense. He'll get a Panthers squad to open the year that has made some improvements on the defensive side, but is by no means a scary matchup. More so, Burden could be in line for a heavier target share if fellow wideout Rome Odunze (calf) is hampered by a soft-tissue issue picked up last week. For now, fantasy managers can roll out the Missouri native as a high-upside WR3/flex, with the innate ability to break off a big play at a moment's notice. Burden is RotoBaller's PPR WR27 for the first week of play.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Dawson Knox Falls Down the Pecking Order in Buffalo
Buffalo Bills tight end Dawson Knox continues to be a secondary option in the team's passing offense. The Buffalo pass-catching group is led by DJ Moore, Khalil Shakir, and Dalton Kincaid, resulting in Knox falling down the pecking order. He was the overall TE28 in PPR leagues last year, and his ranking will likely fall even lower in 2026 now that Moore has been added to the team. His fantasy production also benefitted from Kincaid missing some games and playing a lower snap share even when healthy, which probably won't happen again in 2026. Knox would have some streaming appeal if Kincaid were to get hurt, but until then, he can be avoided in all redraft and most dynasty leagues. He ranks as the TE37 in Week 1 against the Houston Texans, who allowed the 13th-fewest fantasy points to tight ends last season.
Source: Buffalo Bills
Source: Buffalo Bills
