May 21, 2026, 1:30 PM ET

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Ty Simpson won't start right away, but his long-term upside in such a prominent offense gives him significant value in dynasty fantasy football leagues. Matthew Stafford is already 38 years old, and although he continues to play at an MVP level, there's no debate that he's in the final stage of his career. Whether he gives it one more year or a few more remains unclear, but the selection of Simpson indicates that the Alabama prospect will be the Rams' quarterback of the future. With the Rams interested in signing wide receiver Puka Nacua long-term, Simpson should have a star-studded receiving corps at his disposal whenever he does take over as the starter. As a result, he ranks as the QB26 in RotoBaller's dynasty rankings. That doesn't quite get him into the first round of rookie drafts, though. Instead, he projects as an early second-round pick.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

May 21, 2026, 1:23 PM ET

Although Las Vegas Raiders rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza worked mostly third in the team's OTA practice on Wednesday behind Kirk Cousins and Aidan O'Connell, he has impressed the coaching staff, according to Sam Warren of The Athletic. The No. 1 overall pick in this year's NFL draft mostly worked with rookies during competitive periods of practice. Mendoza and O'Connell will get their fair share to compete for the starting job going into Week 1 of the regular season, but Cousins appears to be in the driver's seat to start the season opener in early September. The rookie's positioning in the QB rotation is due to his inexperience in the NFL and in new head coach Klint Kubiak's offense. Despite being eased in, the former Indiana product hasn't failed to impress. "Anything that you put in front of him, he's going to attack it," Kubiak said. "Anything that's new, he spends extra time on it. You can tell he fixes things from one day to the next. Very coachable, and that can be said for all those quarterbacks in the room." Although Mendoza might not start from Day 1 at the next level, he's still the clear-cut top QB in rookie-only drafts in dynasty leagues going into the 2026 season, and he could be starting in Vegas sooner rather than later, depending on how Cousins fares.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Athletic - Sam Warren

May 21, 2026, 1:15 PM ET

Tennessee Titans head coach Robert Saleh said that second-year quarterback Cam Ward (shoulder) is "perfectly healthy" and is throwing the football around during offseason workouts, according to Jim Wyatt of the team's official website. Ward suffered a sprained AC joint in his right throwing shoulder in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but he didn't have any structural damage and will be a full-go by the time training camp rolls around in late July. Last year's No. 1 overall pick predictably struggled in his rookie season as Tennessee's starter under center from Day 1, completing 59.8% of his passes for 3,169 yards, 15 touchdowns, and seven interceptions in 17 starts. He also had 159 rushing yards and two touchdowns to finish as the QB22 in fantasy in his first year in the league. It didn't help that he was sacked a league-high 55 times. But with an upgraded supporting cast on offense and with new play-caller Brian Daboll in town, Ward is primed for a Year 2 leap. RotoBaller has him ranked as the QB25 in redraft formats for 2026.--Keith Hernandez
Source: TennesseeTitans.com - Jim Wyatt

May 21, 2026, 1:10 PM ET

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook III has not been present for the team's OTA practices this week, according to Matt Parrino of Syracuse.com, and third-year RB Frank Gore Jr. has stood out in his absence. Gore looked "explosive and decisive" while running through holes. Although OTAs are voluntary in the offseason, it's notable that Cook is a no-show, especially after already signing a four-year, $46 million contract extension last summer. Cook may already be unhappy with his contract after all of De'Von Achane, Kenneth Walker III, Breece Hall, and Travis Etienne Jr. were given bigger deals this offseason. The three-time Pro Bowler led the NFL with 1,621 rushing yards on a career-high 309 carries last year while scoring 12 touchdowns in 17 regular-season games to finish as the RB5 in half-PPR scoring. He also had 33 catches for 291 receiving yards and two touchdowns through the air. Cook has now scored on the ground 28 times in the last two seasons, and he'll continue to be viewed as a top-five fantasy RB with QB Josh Allen leading an explosive offense behind a strong offensive line.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Syracuse.com - Matt Parrino

May 21, 2026, 12:55 PM ET

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Darnell Washington is trending in the wrong direction in dynasty fantasy football leagues, and managers could justify dropping him as the post-rookie draft roster crunch approaches. Washington had 31 catches, 364 yards, and one touchdown last year, and we're not convinced he'll be able to surpass those numbers in 2026. Now heading into his fourth year, the odds aren't in Washington's favor. Not only has he failed to live up to expectations through three NFL seasons, but he also has no connection to the new Steelers coaching staff, led by Mike McCarthy. Furthermore, the Steelers brought in competition in the form of fifth-round rookie Riley Nowakowski. Washington should hold onto the No. 2 tight end role (behind Pat Freiermuth and ahead of Nowakowski) initially, but he could end up falling to third as the year goes on. Washington is also heading into a contract year, which could be more incentive for the Steelers to reduce his reps and lean more on Freiermuth and Nowakowski. While free agency could be a much-needed fresh start for Washington next year, he doesn't have the track record needed to sign somewhere as a starting tight end. Therefore, both in the short term and long term, Washington's dynasty outlook is bleak. Managers can absolutely justify dropping him, as he has fallen to TE52 in RotoBaller's latest dynasty fantasy football rankings.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

May 21, 2026, 12:47 PM ET

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza might not start Week 1, but he remains an appealing dynasty option and the clear-cut No. 1 quarterback among this year's rookies in fantasy football. Mendoza worked behind Kirk Cousins and Aidan O'Connell during OTAs on Wednesday. Managers shouldn't read too much into this pecking order, as it's common for rookies to take the backseat during practices this early in their careers. With that said, it does seem like there's a real chance that Cousins starts Week 1 for the Raiders while Mendoza learns from him, develops, and prepares to take over the offense midseason. Regardless of whether Mendoza starts right away or rides the bench for a little while, he's an undisputed riser in dynasty fantasy football leagues. His passing skills, mobility, and toughness give him top-12 quarterback upside, and he should have a very long career ahead of him. Currently, he ranks as the overall QB17 in RotoBaller's dynasty fantasy football rankings, and he projects as a mid-first-round pick in 2026 rookie drafts.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

May 21, 2026, 12:37 PM ET

Free-agent wide receiver Tyreek Hill (knee) remains unsigned heading into the final stretch of May. There are still more than three months until the NFL season, but managers would like to see Hill sign sooner rather than later so that they can evaluate his landing spot and fantasy football outlook. There have been very few indications of which teams might pursue Hill, so it appears that his free agency remains wide open. With that being said, the Chiefs seem like a natural fit. Not only is he familiar with the organization and Patrick Mahomes, but Kansas City could use a clear-cut No. 1 wide receiver as Rashee Rice (personal) continues to deal with off-the-field problems and Xavier Worthy has not yet lived up to his first-round draft capital. Hill played in four games with the Dolphins last year, averaging 5.3 catches, 66.3 yards, and 0.3 touchdowns per contest. He's not far removed from his WR2 finish in 2023, but he's certainly in the back half of his career and may have trouble returning to top-12 receiver form. Nevertheless, his experience and speed make him an intriguing receiver in redraft leagues, as well as dynasty leagues where he can be acquired for a reasonable price.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

May 21, 2026, 12:28 PM ET

New England Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins' role isn't perfectly clear ahead of the 2026 season, as there continue to be plenty of questions and moving parts in Foxborough. Most notably, we still don't know whether the Patriots will trade for A.J. Brown, a move widely reported but not yet official. If Brown does head to New England, Hollins would fall to fourth on the depth chart behind Brown, Romeo Doubs, and Kayshon Boutte. However, other questions also exist in regard to the depth chart. Most notably, Boutte's role is uncertain, as he continues to skip offseason workouts in search of a new contract. It's possible that Boutte could be traded (perhaps to the Eagles for Brown), and if that happens, it'd be great news for Hollins. Regardless of how the rest of New England's offseason shakes out, Hollins proved last year that he deserves to have a prominent role in this offense going forward. He served as one of Drake Maye's favorite targets, catching 46 passes for 550 yards and two touchdowns over 15 games. His best stretch came from Week 7-16, when he ranked as the WR39 and averaged 7.4 fantasy points per game (half-PPR). He wasn't a dependable WR3/flex every single week, but he was on the fantasy radar more often than not, giving managers a potential starter in deeper leagues. If he keeps it up in 2026, he'll remain a low-cost, low-risk receiver with WR3/flex upside.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

May 21, 2026, 10:00 AM ET

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson topped 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in 2025 and was one of the most impactful fantasy receivers in the league over the second half of the year. Wilson played the final eight weeks of the season on a 119-catch, 1,647-yard, 15-touchdown pace that made him the WR2 over that stretch. At RotoBaller's dynasty WR34, his ranking may seem low for a 26-year-old wideout who just helped to win leagues, but almost all of Wilson's damage was done while Marvin Harrison Jr. was either sidelined or playing through injury. Wilson's full-season pace across the ten games in which Harrison saw at least 30 offensive snaps falls to a much more pedestrian line of 44 receptions, 530 yards, and three scores. Arizona is also likely to field a much more balanced offense in 2026 after throwing the ball at a near record level once Jacoby Brissett took the starting job in Week 6. The Cardinals added Tyler Allgeier through free agency before spending the third overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Jeremiyah Love. The team also drafted quarterback Carson Beck at the top of the third round, while Brissett and the team are currently in a contract dispute. With an eye clearly on the future and a loaded 2027 draft class, there are no guarantees of who will be under center for Arizona by year's end, potentially hurting the stock of all Cardinals pass catchers and further impacting Wilson's sell window.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

May 21, 2026, 9:48 AM ET

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson took advantage of an early-season opportunity to finish as the TE8 in half-PPR formats in 2025. With five-time Pro Bowler CeeDee Lamb missing meaningful time with a high-ankle sprain, Ferguson's 13.6 fantasy points per game through Week 7 were enough to make him the TE1 to that point. Unfortunately, with Lamb returning to health and George Pickens experiencing a true fourth-year breakout, Ferguson was unable to sustain that pace down the stretch, finishing as the TE22 over the final 11 weeks of the season. With the Cowboys deploying 11 personnel at one of the league's highest rates, and the team capable of trotting out two bona fide Alphas even in two-receiver sets, Ferguson's ceiling will always be capped in a fully healthy Dallas offense, though the same is true for all but the truly elite tight end talents around the NFL. Ferguson's advantage comes in running with one of the most high-powered offenses in the league while providing injury insurance to not just one, but two capable target-earners. Having already shown his ability to win weeks when called upon, the 27-year-old Ferguson comes into 2026 as RotoBaller's dynasty TE13.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

May 21, 2026, 9:38 AM ET

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers broke the single-season rookie reception record in 2024, and while injuries largely defined his second season, when healthy, he was still a force. Bowers missed five total games, was shut down twice, and was clearly affected throughout the year by a bone bruise and PCL sprain. However, in his two healthiest games of 2025 (Week 1 to begin the season and Week 9 when initially returning from injury), he caught 17 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns, finishing as the TE2 and TE1 while averaging 27.8 half-PPR points. At only 23 years old, Bowers is RotoBaller's TE1 and one of the most valuable players in all of dynasty. Klint Kubiak arrives in Vegas having deployed heavy personnel packages at one of the league's highest rates with Seattle, and with no Jaxon Smith-Njigba-type on the Raiders' roster, Bowers could see one of the highest first-read target shares in the league. Now tied to 2026 first overall pick Fernando Mendoza for the foreseeable future, Bowers has a chance to dominate for a long time at a position that can provide a league-winning advantage for fantasy.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

May 21, 2026, 9:28 AM ET

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki has finished outside the top 20 at the position in three of the last four seasons, and while missing four games in 2025 with a pectoral injury, his TE40 fantasy finish marked the worst result since his rookie season. Gesicki's spot on the depth chart is relatively enviable, often working as the third option in the passing game. But with Ja'Marr Chase earning more than 170 targets in each of the past two seasons and Tee Higgins averaging 101 looks of his own in that span, there is less available work for a third option, particularly when acknowledging the pass-catching prowess of running back Chase Brown. The Bengals' high-powered offense is always capable of providing spike weeks, but without an injury ahead of him, predicting when those weeks might come for Gesicki can be a frustrating task that often leaves him out of starting lineups. Entering his age-31 season, he remains a must-roster dynasty player, simply for what he can provide as injury insurance should one of the team's elite target-earners miss time, but at RotoBaller's TE48, Gesicki offers very little standalone value.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

May 21, 2026, 9:16 AM ET

Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nolan Smith was arrested last Friday and accused of speeding and reckless driving after he was clocked going 135 mph in a 70 mph zone. The arrest happened in Georgia, where the 25-year-old Smith played his college ball for the Bulldogs. A first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Smith has had a rotational role off the edge for the Eagles, with his best season coming in 2024 when he recorded career-highs of 6.5 sacks and 8 tackles for loss. Smith was released shortly after the arrest, after making bond, and a future court date has been set but not yet announced. The NFL has imposed fines and suspensions on players with similar charges in the past, but a determination on Smith has yet to be made as the Eagles prepare to begin organized team activities on Tuesday.--Patrick McGrath
Source: Adam Schefter

May 20, 2026, 9:40 PM ET

New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart thinks the offense will be a run-first unit in 2026 under new head coach John Harbaugh, according to Ryan Dunleavy of The California Post. "It sounds like we're not going to be throwing the ball a lot," Dart said. "We're going to keep giving it to Skatt until they can stop it." The Giants took Dart in the first round (25th overall) last year out of Ole Miss, and he quickly took over the starting QB job from Russell Wilson. The 23-year-old displayed some very intriguing dual-threat skills and finished as the QB14 in fantasy with 2,272 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, and five interceptions while adding 86 carries for 487 yards and nine touchdowns as a rusher in 14 games (12 starts). Dart's 487 rushing yards were third in the NFL, behind only Josh Allen and Justin Herbert, and his nine rushing TDs were tied for second with Trevor Lawrence. Long-term, Dart has high-end QB1 upside for fantasy managers, and he should be considered a low-end QB1 target in Year 2 in 2026 in an offense with plenty of talent around him through the air and in the backfield.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The California Post - Ryan Dunleavy

May 20, 2026, 9:28 PM ET

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Joshua Palmer (ankle) was seen working out on the side for most of Tuesday's OTA practice session, according to Alaina Getzenberg. Palmer had a season to forget in 2025 in his first year with the Bills after opening his NFL career with four years with the Los Angeles Chargers. The 26-year-old played in just 12 games and caught 22 of his 37 targets for 303 yards and no touchdowns, the first time in his five-year career that he didn't score at all. Palmer also missed both of the Bills' playoff games and finished out the season on Injured Reserve with an ankle injury. The former third-round pick by the Chargers in 2021 out of Tennessee is still rehabbing his ankle in May, although he should have plenty of time to get ready for the Week 1 regular-season opener this fall in early September. After the addition of deep threat DJ Moore and rookie wideout Skyler Bell, Palmer figures to have an even tougher path to consistent targets from quarterback Josh Allen. Palmer isn't even inside RotoBaller's top-100 WR rankings for the upcoming 2026 season.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Alaina Getzenberg