March 3, 2026
Detroit Lions tight end
Sam LaPorta (back) missed the final eight weeks of the 2025 regular season, and when he returns in 2026, he'll find himself in a new-look offense. The strong supporting cast remains in place (minus
David Montgomery), but we expect to see a new offensive scheme and style of play after Detroit made a coaching staff change. The Lions hired former Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing to the same role, indicating we could see even more emphasis on the tight end position next year. Petzing helped pepper
Trey McBride with targets last year; the 26-year-old was the TE2 in PPR leagues in 2024, and the TE1 last season. LaPorta is looking to return to that type of elite form. He was the TE1 himself as a rookie in 2023, but he dropped to TE8 in 2024 and TE27 in his injury-shortened 2025 campaign. When healthy last season, LaPorta averaged 4.4 catches, 54.3 yards, and 0.3 touchdowns per game. If Petzing places an emphasis on getting the tight end even more involved, he'll make a strong push to be a top-five fantasy option at the position in 2026. Because he's coming off an injury, he's an intriguing buy-low option in dynasty leagues, as well as an underpriced draft pick at his ADP in redraft formats.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
March 3, 2026
Chicago Bears running back
D'Andre Swift faced strong competition from rookie
Kyle Monangai during the 2025 NFL season, but he managed to hold onto his lead-back role thanks to a productive campaign of his own. Swift benefited from new head coach Ben Johnson's offense, ultimately finishing the year with 1,087 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns, both career highs. He also caught 34 passes for 299 yards and another touchdown through the air. Swift's snap share had dipped to just above 50% by the end of the season. Still, over the final six weeks, he had 13.5 carries per game, 1.7 receptions per game, and five total touchdowns. Monangai had a strong season of his own and should take on a bigger role next year, but Swift showed that he deserves to continue to lead this backfield, at least for the time being. He'll need to continue playing well to fend off Monangai in his second season. Swift is still an attractive RB2 option in redraft leagues, but the eventual threat of Monangai taking over -- even if not imminent -- makes the veteran running back a sell-high candidate in most dynasty formats.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
March 2, 2026
The Houston Texans plan to release veteran safety Jimmie Ward (foot) after his contract tolled last year on the Physically Unable to Perform list, a league source told Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Sports. Ward was scheduled for a $2.75 million base salary in 2026. Ward didn't play a single snap for the Texans in 2025 and had foot surgery in December. The 34-year-old veteran defensive back is nearing the end of his career and probably won't have a strong market in free agency this offseason. By cutting Ward, the Texans will save $750,000 in salary cap space for this season. The former 30th overall pick in 2014 by the San Francisco 49ers out of Northern Illinois, Ward only played in 20 games in his time in Houston since the start of the 2023 season, and he recorded 98 tackles (65 solo), five tackles for loss, three interceptions (one returned for a TD), seven pass breakups, and a forced fumble.
--Keith HernandezSource: KPRC 2 Sports - Aaron Wilson
March 2, 2026
The Los Angeles Rams announced on Monday that they tendered exclusive-rights free-agent kicker
Harrison Mevis and wide receiver
Xavier Smith. Neither Mevis nor Smith will be allowed to negotiate with other teams this offseason. Mevis, 23, made his NFL debut last year and was impressive, making 12 of his 13 field-goal attempts (made his lone try from 50-plus yards) and all 39 of his extra-point tries in nine regular-season games. He finished the year ranked as the No. 8 fantasy kicker in terms of fantasy points per game at 8.3. In the playoffs, Mevis was a perfect 15-for-15 on field goals (six) and extra-point tries. The former undrafted kicker out of Missouri should enter the 2026 season as the favorite to be L.A.'s starting kicker, which will make him pretty attractive in fantasy football in one of the league's highest-scoring offenses.
--Keith HernandezSource: Los Angeles Rams
March 2, 2026
Missouri wide receiver
KEvin Coleman Jr. had a modest performance at the NFL scouting combine, trying to sneak into the conversation as a potential Day 2 pick. Most mock drafts seem to have Coleman being selected on Day 3, and he likely needed a better Combine to significantly bump up his projected selection. In the end, Coleman had a 4.49-second 40-yard dash (24th out of 34 wide receivers) and a 10-foot, six-inch broad jump (18th out of 25 wide receivers). He ranks as the #41 rookie in RotoBaller's latest superflex dynasty leagues for football in 2026. The stats are a little more encouraging, as Coleman finished the year with 732 yards and nine touchdowns. He is a projected fourth-round pick and, at best, will be an end-of-draft option for many dynasty managers.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
March 2, 2026
Washington wide receiver
Denzel Boston chose not to participate in most testing at the NFL Scouting Combine. Boston opted out of major drills, such as the 40-yard dash, and was only evaluated in the 20-yard shuttle and vertical jump. He finished the shuttle drill in 4.28 seconds, ranking third out of seven wide receivers. Meanwhile, his 35" vertical jump ranked 21st among 30 receivers. Draft critics seem to have mixed opinions on whether Boston should have completed more drills. On one hand, he posted a great stat line of 881 yards and 11 touchdowns in college last season, which could speak for itself -- or at least provide a lot more context than an individual Scouting Combine drill. On the other hand, for a healthy player without top-tier status, participating in more tests could have boosted his status among teams that weren't previously sold on him. For what it's worth, Boston still ranks as the #2 wide receiver and #5 prospect in RotoBaller's latest superflex rookie rankings for 2026.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
March 2, 2026
USC wide receiver
Makai Lemon is one of the most talented prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft, but character concerns could result in him falling down draft boards. Former NFL player Breiden Fehoko posted on X that he "talked to a scout just now who said he didn't know what Makai Lemon's motive was behind his combine interviews but whoever advised the kid needs to be fired. 'Absolutely bombed it.'" We can only put so much stock into an unconfirmed report from a non-established source, but it's worth noting that Fehoko's claims were echoed by some other media personalities in attendance at the Scouting Combine. It's unfortunate for the young prospect, who could be the first wide receiver off the board after posting 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns last year. Time will tell whether the pure talent allows scouts to overlook potential character concerns or if the developments of the past week will impact his draft stock.
--Andersen PickardSource: Breiden Fehoko
March 2, 2026
Indiana quarterback and top NFL Draft prospect
Fernando Mendoza continues to generate plenty of buzz. Even though the reigning national champion didn't work out at the Scouting Combine, he still attended for team interviews and media availability. With the draft less than two months away, it appears that Mendoza remains the consensus No. 1 pick in most NFL mock drafts. However, there's a bit of a discrepancy between NFL mock drafts and fantasy football mock drafts. In superflex dynasty leagues, managers will have to make a tougher decision between Mendoza or Notre Dame running back
Jeremiyah Love at the 1.01 selection. Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy with 3,535 passing yards, 41 passing touchdowns, 276 rushing yards, seven rushing touchdowns, and six interceptions. He was elite, but his projected NFL landing spot -- the Las Vegas Raiders -- is less than ideal. The alternative is Love, who had 1,652 scrimmage yards and 21 touchdowns. Those are impressive numbers considering that he shared some of his snap share with
Jadarian Price and also dealt with adversity after Notre Dame made a midseason coaching change. The decision of which player to draft at 1.01 will likely come down to managers' positional needs and Love's landing spot. For what it's worth, RotoBaller's latest rookie superflex rankings have Love at #1 and Mendoza at #2.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
March 2, 2026
Notre Dame running back
Jadarian Price put together an impressive performance at the Scouting Combine ahead of next month's NFL Draft. He finished with 21 reps in the bench press, which ranked fourth-most among running back prospects, and his 4.36-second 40-yard dash time ranked second. These results follow an impressive NCAA season that saw Price post 674 rushing yards, 87 receiving yards, and 13 total touchdowns. He has a nose for the end zone and averaged 6.0 yards per carry, showcasing a blend of scoring and yardage efficiency that should set him up for success in the NFL and in fantasy football. A potential second-round pick in the NFL Draft, Price ranks as the #31 running back in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football rankings for 2026.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
March 2, 2026
Louisville wide receiver
Chris Bell (knee) said last Friday that he is on track in his recovery from a torn ACL that he suffered on Nov. 22 of last year, and he should be able to take part in training camp this summer, according to Jeff Legwold of ESPN. Bell went through medical evaluations at last week's NFL scouting combine but didn't take part in any workouts and is not expected to have a pro-day workout before April's NFL draft. He said he's been cleared by Dallas Cowboys team physician Dr. Dan Cooper, who performed Bell's surgery. Mel Kiper Jr.'s No. 11 WR in this year's draft class will begin running this week. Despite coming off a torn ACL, the 6-foot-2, 222-pounder could come off the board in the second round of this year's NFL draft because of his size and speed combination. Bell tallied 72 taches for 917 yards and six touchdowns in 2025 in his final season at Louisville.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Legwold
March 2, 2026
The Seattle Seahawks tendered exclusive-rights free-agent running back
George Holani to a one-year, league-minimum deal on Monday, according to John Boyle of Seahawks.com. The team did the same with safety Ty Okada. Neither player will be able to negotiate with other teams and will return to Seattle in 2026. Holani, 26, only carried the ball 22 times for 73 yards and one touchdown while catching both of his targets for 15 yards in 11 regular-season games in 2025 in his second year in the NFL. The former undrafted free agent out of Boise State could have a much bigger complementary role in 2026, though, with Super Bowl LX MVP
Kenneth Walker III set to hit the open market and with
Zach Charbonnet (knee) potentially unavailable for the start of the regular season after tearing his ACL in the playoffs. In addition to being valuable RB depth for the Seahawks, Holani should also be an asset in the return game on special teams next year.
--Keith HernandezSource: Seahawks.com - John Boyle
March 2, 2026
The Pittsburgh Steelers are telling teams, at least right now, that tight end
Pat Freiermuth is "not available," according to Mike DeFabo of The Athletic. According to a league source, at least six teams would be interested in "exploring the idea of acquiring" Freiermuth. Fellow TE
Jonnu Smith's situation "seems a bit more fluid." General manager Omar Khan said the Steelers are in a fine salary cap situation to "keep both," but they are also in the process of understanding what a change in their offensive philosophy will "mean for personnel." Freiermuth and Smith essentially canceled each other out in fantasy football, with neither TE being in the top 20 in overall half-PPR points at season's end. After a career year in Miami in 2025, Smith had just 38 catches for 222 yards and two TDs, while Freiermuth took a step back, too, with a 41-486-4 line. The Steelers trading Smith out of town would be good news for both Freiermuth's and Smith's fantasy value heading into 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Mike DeFabo
March 2, 2026
The Athletic's Zach Berman writes that "there's an internal sentiment" among the Philadelphia Eagles that wide receiver
DeVonta Smith "has another level he can reach," regardless of what happens with fellow wideout
A.J. Brown. Smith's 113 targets in 2025 were the second-most of his career, and they still ranked 22nd in the NFL. Since entering the NFL in 2021 as a first-rounder (10th overall) out of Alabama, the 27-year-old is 77th in targets per route and 10th in receiving yards per target. Berman goes on to write that the Eagles' new scheme "must find ways to highlight Smith and diversify his routes." The easiest path to a potential breakout in 2026 is if the Eagles trade Brown. That would give Smith a clear path to WR1 duties in a new offense in Philadelphia with potentially even more targets from quarterback
Jalen Hurts. If Brown stays with the Eagles, Smith will still be a fine fantasy target, but more of a boom/bust one.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Zach Berman
March 2, 2026
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said on the Dan Patrick Show on Monday that Miami Dolphins quarterback
Tua Tagovailoa is a "second-tier option" this offseason as the Minnesota Vikings look to pair a veteran signal-caller with
J.J. McCarthy. Arizona Cardinals QB
Kyler Murray and the Las Vegas Raiders'
Geno Smith are considered in the first tier. Minnesota is an attractive destination for signal-callers that will either be traded or released since they have a QB guru in head coach Kevin O'Connell and one of the best receivers in the league in
Justin Jefferson. Minnesota doesn't have a ton of money to spend, but they should be able to land a pretty good value on a QB this offseason that will most likely compete with McCarthy for the starting role in 2026. After another disappointing season for Tua in 2025, his fantasy stock in dynasty/keeper leagues continues to drop, and he may find himself as a backup QB to begin the 2026 season outside of Miami.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Jeremy Fowler
March 2, 2026
Former SMU safety Ahmaad Moses (back) will have spinal fusion surgery this week after an MRI exam at the NFL scouting combine last week showed a herniated disk, according to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. "The expectation is that the recovery will be six months, and Ahmaad will make a full recovery. He anticipates returning during the early part of the 2026 season," agent Joe DiBenedetto said. Specifically, Moses had a single-level spinal fusion. The young defensive back will most likely miss most of training camp and the preseason, making him a candidate to start his rookie season in the NFL on the Physically Unable to Perform list or Injured Reserve. Moses wasn't a high-end defensive back prospect to begin with, and his new injury will likely ensure he's a Day 3 pick. In his senior year at SMU in 2025, Moses had 104 tackles (54 solo), one sack, five interceptions (one returned for a TD), and 5.5 tackles for loss in 13 games played.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
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