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 McMaffrey 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

Aug 29, 2026, 9:48 PM ET

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson had an incredible breakout season in 2025 as he ranked as the overall WR10 in PPR leagues with 78 catches, 1,006 yards, and seven touchdowns. He was particularly dominant after Jacoby Brissett took over as quarterback, and he ranked as the overall WR2 in PPR leagues from Weeks 11-18. Brissett will be the Cardinals' starter again in 2026, and while components of Arizona's offense look a little different, the top of the wide receiver room is quite similar. Wilson and Marvin Harrison Jr. round out the top of the depth chart, although it's worth noting that Harrison has been incredibly disappointing in his first two pro seasons. Therefore, Wilson should continue to be Brissett's favorite wide receiver, as well as his favorite target not named Trey McBride. Although Wilson is coming off such an incredible year, his price tag is treating him as somewhat of a mediocre player. He currently has an ADP of 93.7, which corresponds to the eighth round of fantasy drafts and makes him the 37th receiver off the board. Therefore, managers have a chance to draft him at a discount before the regular season gets underway.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Aug 29, 2026, 9:41 PM ET

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook III has been a top-eight fantasy option each of the last two seasons, and he shows no signs of slowing down ahead of the 2026 campaign. Cook rushed for a career-high 1,621 yards last year, added another 33 catches and 291 receiving yards, and scored 14 total touchdowns. His touchdown total dipped slightly from 2025 to 2026, but he improved in every other category. In addition to the overall counting stats, we're very impressed by the fact that he rushed for 5.25 yards per carry, which is the highest mark since his rookie campaign in 2022. Last year, fantasy managers said they were concerned about drafting Cook because he was due for touchdown regression and was going to lose volume to Josh Allen in the rushing game. Neither of those things happened, and even though Allen remains a presence in the rushing attack for 2026, this backfield belongs to Cook. He's an every-down back who should command a ton of volume (including around the goal line) in a very powerful offense. That's a recipe for success in fantasy football, and it's why Cook is a consensus first-round pick in drafts once again. Specifically, he ranks as the RB5 in RotoBaller's latest redraft rankings.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Aug 29, 2026, 9:37 PM ET

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts has finished as the QB8 in fantasy football each of the last two seasons, but he has top-five upside heading into the 2026 campaign. The Eagles' offense is projected to improve this year under new coordinator Sean Mannion, and Hurts is one of several players who stand to benefit. For starters, the tush push is expected to remain a staple of Mannion's offense, leaving plenty of touchdown opportunities for Hurts. Meanwhile, he reportedly looks faster and is expected to run more in the new system, giving him additional volume and yardage in the rushing attack. Furthermore, Hurts only has 11 interceptions over his last two seasons, so his lack of turnovers should also help his fantasy stock. Even after five consecutive top-10 fantasy finishes, Hurts finds himself trending upward once again. He ranks as the overall QB3 in RotoBaller's latest redraft rankings for 2026.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Aug 29, 2026, 9:20 PM ET

Detroit Lions running back Trayveon Williams strengthened his case to make Detroit's initial 53-man roster on Saturday, recording 57 rushing yards and two touchdowns on nine carries in his team's 25-16 win over the Indianapolis Colts. Williams finished the preseason strong, recording over 100 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns across Detroit's final two exhibition contests. The Lions have star running back Jahmyr Gibbs as their RB1, but the team's RB2 role is currently a bit unsettled with veteran back Isiah Pacheco (back, knee) battling back and knee injuries. If Pacheco misses time to start the year, Williams could be in the mix with running backs Jacob Saylors and Sione Vaki for playing time behind Gibbs in Detroit. The veteran Williams may be the most experienced back of the bunch, as he's appeared in 75 games across seven NFL seasons. In deeper fantasy leagues, Williams is a name to monitor as Detroit sets its 53-man roster in the coming weeks.--Will Brady
Source: ESPN.com

Aug 29, 2026, 9:19 PM ET

Indianapolis Colts running back Seth McGowan rushed for 20 yards on five carries during Saturday's preseason contest against the Detroit Lions. He also had a five-yard reception in the loss. McGowan finished the preseason with 74 scrimmage yards across three games, and he might have done enough to win the backup job behind Jonathan Taylor. Entering the summer, the backup competition was between McGowan and DJ Giddens, a 2025 fifth-round pick who had 96 rushing yards last year. In addition to out-producing Giddens this preseason, McGowan is younger, although he has slightly lower draft capital as a seventh-round pick. It's important to note that both running backs are merely competing for a handcuff role here, as Jonathan Taylor is the undisputed every-down back in Indianapolis. Taylor was responsible for a whopping 86.6% of the Colts' running back carries last year, and he figures to achieve a similar mark in 2026. If McGowan is confirmed as Taylor's backup, he'll still be avoidable in shallower redraft leagues, and he'll be a mere stash in dynasty and deeper redraft formats.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Aug 29, 2026, 9:15 PM ET

Indianapolis Colts running back DJ Giddens had two carries, eight rushing yards, and a rushing touchdown during Saturday's preseason contest against the Detroit Lions. He also tallied an eight-yard reception. It was a rewarding game for the second-year back, as the entire bench cleared out and celebrated with Giddens after he scored the first touchdown of his career. However, it may not have been enough to solidify him as the No. 2 running back behind Jonathan Taylor. His primary competition for the backup role is rookie Seth McGowan, who ended up tallying 25 scrimmage yards in the loss, bringing his preseason total to 74 yards. If Giddens somehow opens the regular season as the No. 2 back, he can be stashed in deeper fantasy leagues as a handcuff for Taylor. However, if he drops to third on the depth chart, he will become droppable in almost all leagues.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller