RADIO
Kyren Williams' Workload Ceiling Takes a Hit
Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams remains the lead option in a high-powered offense, but Blake Corum's continued rise puts some pressure on his 2026 workload ceiling. Williams started all 17 games last season and rushed 259 times for 1,252 yards and 10 touchdowns, adding 36 catches for 281 yards and three more scores. Corum became more involved late in 2025 and carried that momentum into camp, where the Rams repeatedly highlighted his improved explosiveness and agility. He was again one of the offensive standouts during the team's final open practice. Williams still produced at an RB1 level as Corum's role grew, finishing as the RB10 over the final six weeks while Corum was RB17 during that stretch. He also remains the better receiving option and continues to work with Matthew Stafford and the first-team offense. The concern is not that Williams has lost the backfield. It is that another season near 300 touches looks harder to project with Corum earning more work. RotoBaller currently ranks Williams RB13, keeping him firmly in fantasy-starter territory, but with a little more workload risk than before.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Nate Boerkircher Securing Jacksonville's TE2 Role
Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Nate Boerkircher has strengthened his redraft outlook by emerging as the clear No. 2 option behind Brenton Strange. The second-round rookie has been listed directly behind Strange on Jacksonville's depth chart throughout the preseason, and the Jaguars gave another indication of how they view him by sitting both tight ends against Carolina last Friday. Boerkircher did play in the preseason opener against New Orleans and went without a target, though his work as a blocker drew positive reviews. His receiving upside has shown up more often in practice. The 6-foot-5, 250-pound rookie caught a red-zone touchdown from Trevor Lawrence during joint work with Carolina, and Jacksonville has discussed using more multiple-tight end packages this season. Boerkircher caught only 38 passes for 417 yards and four touchdowns across his college career, but the Jaguars believe those numbers undersold what he can offer as a receiver. Strange remains firmly atop the position and Jacksonville has plenty of other targets, so standard-league value will be difficult to find early. Still, Boerkircher's increasingly secure TE2 role makes him a name to watch in deeper redraft and tight end-premium formats.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Tyler Higbee's Crowded Tight End Room Limits Redraft Appeal
Los Angeles Rams tight end Tyler Higbee remains part of the first-team offense, but the depth around him continues to work against his redraft value. Higbee caught 25 passes for 281 yards and three touchdowns in 10 games last season, then re-signed with Los Angeles on a two-year deal in March. He has been healthy this summer and recorded two receptions during the Rams' August 11 joint practice with Dallas, so this is not a case of Higbee falling out of the offense. The problem is volume. Colby Parkinson posted 43 catches for 408 yards and eight touchdowns in 2025, Terrance Ferguson and Davis Allen are both back, and Los Angeles added Max Klare with the 61st overall pick. The Rams leaned heavily on multi-tight end personnel last season, but having five capable options makes it difficult for any one of them to command steady targets behind Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. RotoBaller's August 25 half-PPR rankings have Higbee 368th overall. He can still pop for a touchdown in the right matchup, but standard redraft managers should view him as a streaming option rather than a weekly starter.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Ja'Tavion Sanders Falling Out of the Redraft Picture
Carolina Panthers tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders has seen his redraft outlook take another hit with Darren Waller now working into the first-team offense. Sanders already had competition from Tommy Tremble and Mitchell Evans, and Carolina's latest unofficial depth chart lists him third at the position. Waller is still buried on that chart while he ramps up, but the practice usage tells a different story. The veteran got his most extensive team-drill work Wednesday, including snaps with Bryce Young and the starters, and Young connected with him several times during the joint practice against Houston. Sanders is coming off a disappointing second season in which he caught 29 of 34 targets for 190 yards and one touchdown in 13 games, down from 342 receiving yards as a rookie. Waller, meanwhile, scored six touchdowns in nine games for Miami last season and gives Carolina another proven receiving option at tight end. His age and injury history leave some uncertainty, but Sanders' immediate path to routes and targets has narrowed considerably. RotoBaller recently recommended leaving him undrafted in most 2026 leagues, which fits where his redraft value stands now.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Olamide Zaccheaus Holding Onto a Starting Role
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus has quietly improved his redraft outlook by holding onto a starting role as the preseason winds down. Atlanta's latest unofficial depth chart still lists Zaccheaus with the first team, ahead of rookie Zachariah Branch in the slot. The game usage has backed that up. In the preseason opener, Zaccheaus played six of eight first-team snaps with Tua Tagovailoa, while Branch saw just one. The Falcons then sat Zaccheaus, Drake London, and Jahan Dotson against Indianapolis, and Branch remained mostly with the reserves. Zaccheaus also moved outside during a two-minute drill in joint practices so Atlanta could get Branch onto the field in the slot, showing there is at least a path for both to play. The 29-year-old caught 39 passes for 313 yards and two touchdowns with Chicago last season after posting 45 catches for 506 yards and three scores with Washington in 2024. London, Dotson, Kyle Pitts, and Bijan Robinson will limit the ceiling, and Branch remains a threat to earn more work. Still, Zaccheaus has done enough to enter Week 1 as the favorite for a meaningful complementary role.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Carnell Tate Flashing in Thursday's Joint Practice
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Carnell Tate had a much-needed productive day in Thursday's joint practice with Chicago. AtoZ Sports Nashville reported that Cam Ward found Tate on a back-shoulder throw down the sideline to open a move-the-ball period, then hit him for a red-zone touchdown. Tate also got open for another potential score, but Ward missed the throw. The No. 4 overall pick has been one of Tennessee's more noticeable practice players this summer, including a three-touchdown day earlier in August, but none of it has shown up in preseason games yet. Tate has been targeted five times through two exhibitions without a catch. He also missed one practice last week because of stiffness before returning two days later. Thursday was a better snapshot of what Tennessee has been seeing from Tate in camp. He has started with the first-team offense this preseason and remains positioned for a significant role alongside Calvin Ridley and Wan'Dale Robinson.
Source: AtoZ Sports Nashville
Source: AtoZ Sports Nashville
Ted Hurst III Making a Late Push for Redraft Relevance
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Ted Hurst III has pushed himself onto the deep-league redraft radar with a strong finish to training camp. The third-round rookie stood out during Tuesday's joint practice with Jacksonville, beating Jaguars cornerback Travis Hunter for a 15-yard gain over the middle and continuing a summer in which Baker Mayfield has shown growing trust in him. Head coach Todd Bowles said earlier this month that Mayfield trusts Hurst to be where he needs to be, while Mayfield later praised the rookie's size, speed and ability to win contested catches. Hurst's preseason numbers have been quiet, with two catches for 19 yards on seven targets through two games, but Tampa Bay has repeatedly turned to him while Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan and Tez Johnson have missed practice time. He also started alongside David Sills V against Kansas City with several regulars sidelined. The path gets much tighter if Egbuka, McMillan, Chris Godwin Jr. and Johnson are all healthy, so Hurst is not a standard-league priority yet. Still, RotoBaller ranks him 11th among rookie wide receivers, and his late-camp rise makes him worth monitoring in deeper redraft formats.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Keenan Allen Set for Preseason Finale Reps
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Keenan Allen will play in Saturday's preseason finale against the Detroit Lions, according to Stephen Holder. Head coach Shane Steichen said Allen wants to get on the field after signing with Indianapolis on Aug. 19. The 34-year-old did not play against Atlanta last week, when the Colts rested most of their starters. Allen spent the 2025 season back with the Chargers and caught 81 passes for 777 yards and four touchdowns across 17 games. He is still getting settled into a Colts offense that also features Josh Downs and tight end Tyler Warren, so even a brief appearance gives him some live work before Week 1. Steichen had previously said most starters would play around eight to 12 plays in the finale, although he did not give Allen a specific workload Thursday. Allen's fantasy role still needs some sorting out, but his willingness to play after joining the team so late in camp is a positive sign.
Source: Stephen Holder
Source: Stephen Holder
Isiah Pacheco Up in the Air for Week 1 With Back, Knee Injuries
When asked about Detroit Lions running back Isiah Pacheco's (back, knee) status for the Week 1 regular-season opener against the New Orleans Saints, head coach Dan Campbell said, "I can't give you anything definitive." Campbell said that Pacheco picked up a back injury in training camp, in addition to his MCL sprain, according to Colton Pouncy of The Athletic. Right now, Pacheco's knee is not the concern. If the 27-year-old Pacheco is unavailable to play in the season opener in early September, Sione Vaki is likely to step up into the RB2 role in Detroit behind starter Jahmyr Gibbs. Pacheco ran for 1,765 yards and 12 touchdowns on 375 carries while adding 57 catches for 374 yards and two more TDs as a receiver in his first two years with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022 and 2023, but he combined for just 201 carries, 772 rushing yards, and two touchdowns in 20 games in the last two years while dealing with various injuries. When healthy, he's expected to be the backup in a change-of-pace role for Gibbs, but he is not selling himself as a handcuff target for fantasy managers with more injury issues before the start of the 2026 season. Right now, Pacheco is ranked as the RB54 at RotoBaller.
Source: The Athletic - Colton Pouncy
Source: The Athletic - Colton Pouncy
Tucker Kraft Could Have Competition for Targets in 2026
Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft (knee) tore his ACL in Week 9 last year against the Carolina Panthers, halting what was looking like a true breakout year for the former third-rounder from South Dakota State. Despite coming off a major knee injury, fantasy managers have not been shy about drafting him as a top-five player at his position for 2026, especially after he avoided landing on the Physically Unable to Perform list to begin training camp this summer. The 25-year-old caught 32 passes for 489 yards and six touchdowns in eight games a year ago, and he has 13 total touchdowns the last two seasons, making him a popular breakout candidate again this year. However, the argument for Kraft being a clear top-five TE might have taken a bit of a hit with Green Bay's signing of former Pro Bowler Jonnu Smith on Thursday. Kraft will be the Packers' unquestioned top pass-catching tight end if he is healthy, but Smith's presence could create target competition that could prevent him from reaching his true fantasy ceiling. Two years ago with the Miami Dolphins, Smith caught 88 passes for 884 yards and eight touchdowns in 17 games.
Source: Jordan Schultz
Source: Jordan Schultz
Packers Signing Tight End Jonnu Smith to One-Year Deal
The Green Bay Packers are signing former Pro Bowl tight end Jonnu Smith to an undisclosed one-year deal on Thursday, sources told Jordan Schultz. Smith is one of the league's most respected veterans, and he has recorded 345 career catches and 30 touchdowns in his nine years in the NFL with the Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, Atlanta Falcons, Miami Dolphins, and Pittsburgh Steelers. The Packers will be Smith's fourth different team in the last four years. The former third-rounder in 2017 by the Titans out of Florida International had a career year in Miami in 2024, catching 88 of 111 targets for 884 yards and eight touchdowns in 17 games, but he cratered to a 38-222-2 line in 17 regular-season games last year in Pittsburgh while sharing work with Pat Freiermuth. With Luke Musgrave (neck) on the Physically Unable to Perform list, the 31-year-old should become Green Bay's TE2 behind Tucker Kraft (knee), who is coming off a torn ACL last year. Smith is unlikely to have standalone fantasy value with the Packers unless Kraft misses more time with an injury, but his presence is not great news for Kraft's potential breakout in 2026.
Source: Jordan Schultz
Source: Jordan Schultz
Seahawks, Leonard Williams Agree to Three-Year Extension
The Seattle Seahawks and star defensive end Leonard Williams agreed to a three-year, $90 million contract extension on Thursday that will keep him in Seattle for the foreseeable future, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. The deal includes $56 million guaranteed. Williams has made the Pro Bowl in each of his two full seasons with the organization and helped the club win the Super Bowl last year after recording 62 tackles (33 solo), seven sacks, nine tackles for loss, 22 QB hits, and a pass breakup in 17 regular-season starts. The 32-year-old veteran had 11 sacks the year before in 16 regular-season games. Since being drafted sixth overall in 2015 out of USC by the New York Jets, Williams has a total of 61.5 sacks and 637 tackles (331 solo) in 11 seasons across 175 regular-season games (166 starts). He will continue to be a key piece of Seattle's defensive line in one of the top overall defenses in the league in 2026.
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
Tucker Kraft Claims he Won't be on a Snap Count
Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft (knee) said on Wednesday that he is "not doing the rep count stuff anymore," according to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. ESPN's Rob Demovsky reported on Wednesday that Kraft, who tore his ACL in Week 9 last year against the Carolina Panthers, is expected to be a "full-go" for Week 1 of the 2026 regular season. The 25-year-old was a full participant in the team's joint practice on Wednesday against the Arizona Cardinals and took a couple of hard hits, which backs up the notion that he should be ready for the regular-season opener without being on a snap count. The former third-rounder from South Dakota State could reach a contract extension with Green Bay soon, too, that might make him the highest-paid TE in the league. Kraft caught 32 passes for 489 yards and six touchdowns in just eight starts in 2025 and had seven touchdowns the year before. If he can avoid another serious injury in 2026, he has a clear path to being a top-five fantasy tight end in an offense that lost two key receivers in the offseason in Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks.
Source: The Athletic - Matt Schneidman
Source: The Athletic - Matt Schneidman
Dohnte Meyers Rising in Bengals Offense, has Path to Targets
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Dohnte Meyers has arguably been the biggest story of training camp this summer, according to Jay Morrison of Sports Illustrated, and he continues to grow his trust within the offense. The former DoorDash driver and Canadian Football League wideout took first-team reps at practice on Tuesday with WR1 Ja'Marr Chase (knee) sitting out due to an injury scare from Monday. After that, Meyers and quarterback Joe Burrow spent almost 40 minutes working on throws, routes, and chemistry. "He's had a great camp. He's quick, shifty, understands what we're trying to do. He's played a lot in the CFL. He's got a lot of reps under his belt. He's a guy that we've seen a lot out of," Burrow said. It is definitely notable that Burrow is willing to work with him outside of team practice, but it's no guarantee that he'll make the final 53-man roster heading into the 2026 regular season. But the way Bengals teammates have buzzed about Meyers since the spring, it might be an upset if Meyers isn't on the team come Week 1. For now, he is merely a name to monitor, but if Meyers continues to produce and gain chemistry with Burrow, he could push Andrei Iosivas for the WR3 role later this year.
Source: Sports Illustrated - Jay Morrison
Source: Sports Illustrated - Jay Morrison
Steelers Restructure DK Metcalf's Contract
The Pittsburgh Steelers restructured the contract of wide receiver DK Metcalf on Thursday, converting his base salary into a signing bonus to create nearly $18 million in salary cap space in 2026, according to Field Yates of ESPN. The restructure comes after the Steelers signed the veteran wideout to a four-year, $132 million deal in March of last year. In his first year in the Steel City, the former second-rounder by the Seattle Seahawks in 2019 from Mississippi caught 59 passes for 850 yards and six touchdowns in 15 regular-season games while working with quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The Steelers gave Metcalf some help this offseason by trading for Michael Pittman Jr. and drafting Germie Bernard, but a true bounce-back to the 1,000-yard mark might not be in the cards in a new offense that could continue to run through the ground game. The two-time Pro Bowler recently returned from a nagging, undisclosed injury in training camp and should be fine for the regular-season opener against the Atlanta Falcons. Metcalf is best valued as a WR3/flex as one of Rodgers' best red-zone weapons in 2026.
Source: ESPN.com - Field Yates
Source: ESPN.com - Field Yates
