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Patriots Sign Christian Gonzalez to a Four-Year Extension
The New England Patriots have signed star cornerback Christian Gonzalez to a four-year, $135 million contract extension, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz. The deal includes $102 million guaranteed. By signing this new contract, Gonzalez earns $33.75 million per season, and he officially becomes the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history. The Pro Bowler's contract had been a topic of discussion all offseason, and the two sides were able to reach an agreement less than 48 hours before the Patriots' regular season opener against the Seattle Seahawks. It's a well-deserved payday for the 24-year-old, who made 69 tackles, defended 10 passes, and earned a 65.8 PFF defense grade last season. Now that he has his new nine-figure deal, Gonzalez will turn around and be tasked with covering Seahawks star wide receiver (and reigning Offensive Player of the Year) Jaxon Smith-Njigba on primetime television.
Source: Jordan Schultz
Source: Jordan Schultz
Emmett Johnson Worth Rostering as Handcuff in Powerful Offense
Kansas City Chiefs running back Emmett Johnson may be a fifth-round rookie, but he's already on the fantasy radar as a potential waiver wire target. Johnson will open the year as the Chiefs' No. 2 running back, largely because he impressed the coaching staff so much with his pass-blocking ability. We may not see Johnson carve out standalone fantasy value on a weekly basis in his current role, but he would jump to the lead-back role and possess RB2 value if workhorse Kenneth Walker III were to miss time. It's worth noting that the ex-Seahawk missed at least two games every year from 2022 through 2024, so Walker's managers would be justified in adding his handcuff off the waiver wire. Because of his potential to feast if Walker misses any time, Johnson should be picked up off the waiver wire in all leagues with 12+ teams.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jalen McMillan's Experience an Advantage in Depth-Chart Competition
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan (knee) is competing for the No. 3 role on the depth chart, and his experience in the Bucs' offense gives him an early advantage over his teammates. Chris Godwin Sr. and Emeka Egbuka (toe) project as Tampa Bay's top two wideouts, leaving McMillan and Ted Hurst III vying for the next spot in the pecking order. The good news for McMillan is that Hurst is a rookie, which means his ascension into a meaningful role might be delayed as he adapts to NFL speed. On the other hand, McMillan has been in the NFL since 2024 and has 17 games' worth of experience (plus three offseasons) under his belt. His familiarity with the system and his connection with quarterback Baker Mayfield go a long way, especially considering that McMillan averaged 10.4 fantasy points per game in PPR leagues as a rookie. Managers should expect McMillan to open the year as the Bucs' No. 3 wide receiver, which also puts him on the fantasy radar in deeper leagues. The 24-year-old is a matchup-dependent WR3/flex as it is, and he would jump into the WR3 tier on a consistent basis if Godwin or Egbuk were to miss time. As a result, McMillan should be added off the waiver wire in all 12+ team leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Christian McCaffrey in Full Uniform for Tuesday's practice in Australia
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (undisclosed) is in full uniform for the team's practice in Melbourne, Australia, on Tuesday, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN. The team's final injury report for the day will tell us more about CMC's status for the Week 1 showdown on Thursday against the division-rival Los Angeles Rams, but it looks like he is heading in the right direction to be active. The Niners kept McCaffrey in bubble wrap during the preseason, and he has been sitting out of practices for several weeks due to undisclosed tightness. The star RB said the plan was always for the team to play it safe with him to have him fully ready for the start of the 2026 regular season, and it makes sense given his lengthy injury history. Until further notice, there is no reason for fantasy managers to pull CMC out of their starting lineups for Week 1. The 30-year-old four-time Pro Bowler and 2023 Offensive Player of the Year is a league-winner if he stays healthy, which is what he did in 2025, when he ran for 1,202 yards and 10 touchdowns while adding 102 receptions for 924 yards and seven touchdowns in 17 regular-season games.
Source: ESPN.com - Nick Wagoner
Source: ESPN.com - Nick Wagoner
De'Zhaun Stribling in Full Uniform for Practice
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling (shoulder) was seen wearing his full uniform for Tuesday's practice in Australia, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com. It should be noted that this practice is occurring on Tuesday in Australian local time, but the timing lines up with Monday night for folks in the Pacific Time Zone of the United States. Time zone specifics aside, fantasy managers should feel encouraged that the rookie was able to don full pads with the 49ers' season opener less than three days away. Assuming he suits up for Week 1 against the Los Angeles Rams, Stribling projects to handle a decent workload alongside Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel Sr. We wouldn't recommend starting the 23-year-old in fantasy lineups until we see what his role looks like, but he's absolutely worth stashing on the bench in 12+ team leagues and even some deeper 10-team formats, too.
Source: Nick Wagoner
Source: Nick Wagoner
Malik Davis a Priority Handcuff on the Waiver Wire
Dallas Cowboys running back Malik Davis is the undisputed No. 2 option on the depth chart, making him a priority target on the waiver wire in fantasy football. Specifically, he has appeal as a handcuff for managers in 14+ team leagues, as well as managers who have Javonte Williams in leagues with 10 or 12 teams. Williams is expected to occupy an every-down role this season, which means he's a candidate for some wear and tear. If he were to miss any time due to injury, his managers would want to be ready to plug and play his replacement, which would be Davis. Adding Davis off the waiver wire doesn't give managers a running back with standalone weekly fantasy value, but rather protects those managers in case Williams misses any time this season. We saw what Davis could do in the lead-back role last year, as he totaled 28 carries, 124 rushing yards, and one touchdown across the two games in which Williams played less than 50% of the snaps.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Ray Davis Offers Late-Round Value
Buffalo Bills running back Ray Davis doesn't offer much standalone value, but is an intriguing handcuff option. Davis hasn't seen a ton of work on the ground due to the fact that James Cook has been mostly healthy. However, Davis remains one of the more popular handcuff options because of the way the Bills love to pound the ball on the ground. The 26-year-old only rushed the ball 58 times last season, but averaged 4.74 yards per carry. Davis is successful when he gets an opportunity, but his chances have been limited so far during his two years in the league. Davis isn't a must-roster player, but is someone worth considering during the final round on Draft Day due to his potential upside if Cook ever goes down.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
George Kittle's Week 1 Workload is Undecided
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (Achilles) was seen participating in practice on Monday. 49ers offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak says Kittle looks good for the season opener, but his workload is still to be determined, Cam Inman reports. Kittle still needs to get through a few more practices, but is trending towards playing on Thursday versus the Los Angeles Rams. The 32-year-old made an incredibly quick recovery from a torn right Achilles that he suffered during a playoff game in January. When healthy, Kittle is a top-tier tight end, but fantasy managers might need to be patient with him for a game or two.
Source: Cam Inman
Source: Cam Inman
Rashod Bateman is Avoidable in Redraft Formats
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman is trending in the wrong direction heading into the regular season. Bateman could be facing a suspension by the league after getting arrested on violence charges in June. The investigation is not over yet, but a potential suspension does significantly hurt Bateman's value. Bateman is currently the No. 2 option behind Zay Flowers on the depth chart. Rookie Ja'Kobi Lane appears to be quickly gaining ground and could jump Bateman for that spot soon. The 26-year-old finished with 19 receptions for 224 receiving yards and two touchdowns in 13 games with the Ravens last season. Fantasy managers in redraft formats can find a much more reliable option than Bateman.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Aaron Donald Non-Committal on Week 1 Status
Los Angeles Rams All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald has been non-committal on whether he will play in the Week 1 season opener in Melbourne, Australia, on Thursday against the division-rival San Francisco 49ers, according to Vincent Bonsignore of The California Post. "We're taking it day by day," Donald said on Monday. The 35-year-old veteran was already believed to have traveled with the Rams to Australia, but that is uncertain now. After coming out of retirement to join All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett in L.A. in 2026, Donald is expected to be more of a situational pass-rusher to maximize his effectiveness, and he might not make his season debut until Week 2 or 3 as he continues to work his way back into football shape. The former 13th overall pick in 2014 from Pittsburgh is a future Hall of Famer and has been a Pro Bowler in all 10 of his NFL seasons with the Rams, racking up 111 sacks in his 154 regular-season games played. With more of a limited role in his return in 2026, though, Donald will be more of a boom/bust fantasy asset in IDP formats.
Source: The California Post - Vincent Bonsignore
Source: The California Post - Vincent Bonsignore
Chig Okonkwo Could be Headed Towards Breakout Campaign
Washington Commanders tight end Chig Okonkwo is likely an afterthought for most fantasy managers, but he deserves a serious look this upcoming season. The Commanders signed Okonkwo to a three-year deal this past offseason. The assumption is that they gave him a long-term deal with the intention of him operating as the top pass-catching tight end. The 27-year-old was recently listed as the starter on the unofficial depth chart. Okonkwo has posted three straight seasons with 50 receptions or more. He'll now be in a better offense led by quarterback Jayden Daniels. If everything goes right, Okonkwo has legitimate top-12 upside with his new organization.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Nick Bosa Will Play in Week 1
According to Nick Wagoner, San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa (knee) will be available for the Week 1 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. The return of Bosa is a significant boost for the 49ers' defense heading into Thursday's game in Australia. Bosa has been working his way back from a torn ACL he suffered in Week 3 of last season. 49ers defensive coordinator Raheem Morris is confident that Bosa is going to be out there for the season opener. IDP managers should manage their expectations with this being his first game back since surgery. It wouldn't be shocking to see the 49ers be careful with Bosa during his first game since September of last year.
Source: Ian Rapoport
Source: Ian Rapoport
Hunter Henry Remains a High-Floor Deep-League Tight End Option
New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry put together a quietly productive season in 2025, recording 60 catches for 768 yards and seven touchdowns on 87 targets across 17 games. The 31-year-old finished second on the Patriots in targets and first in touchdown receptions. New England added some significant pass-catching talent over the offseason, trading for star wide receiver A.J. Brown and signing veteran wideout Romeo Doubs in free agency. Still, Henry remains atop the team's tight end depth chart entering 2026, and he proved last season that he has the trust of Patriots quarterback Drake Maye in the red zone. Particularly in deeper league formats, Henry profiles as a high-floor tight end option who should be a worthy streamer in the right matchups for fantasy managers in 2026.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Denzel Boston a Must-Add Wide Receiver Amidst Preseason Buzz
After recording over 1,700 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns across his final two collegiate seasons at the University of Washington, wide receiver Denzel Boston was selected 39th overall in the 2026 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. Boston has reportedly been an impressive performer throughout the preseason in Browns camp, and he could be in line for a significant role in the Cleveland offense right away. With fellow rookie KC Concepcion and veteran wideout Jerry Jeudy as his primary competition, Boston has a legitimate chance to emerge as the Browns' WR1 before the end of the year. Despite the underwhelming quarterback situation in Cleveland, Boston profiles as a must-add wide receiver in any fantasy league where he remains unrostered ahead of 2026.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Ollie Gordon II Ditches No-Contact Jersey on Monday
Miami Dolphins running back Ollie Gordon II (ribs) was no longer wearing a red, no-contact jersey in practice on Monday, according to David Furones of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Gordon, who is expected to enter the 2026 campaign this weekend as the RB3 in Miami behind De'Von Achane and Jaylen Wright, is heading in the right direction to be available for the Week 1 regular-season opener on Sunday, Sept. 13, versus the Las Vegas Raiders on the road. However, with a limited role as the No. 3, fantasy managers cannot legitimately consider Gordon a starter on offense in fantasy lineups. The 22-year-old former sixth-round selection from Oklahoma State carried the ball 70 times for 199 yards (2.8 yards per tote) and three touchdowns in 17 games as a rookie, adding seven catches for 32 yards and one touchdown as a receiver in a rough Miami offense. Gordon is only rostered in 1% of Yahoo leagues and will not become a target off the waiver wire unless one of Achane or Wright misses time with an injury.
Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel - David Furones
Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel - David Furones
