April 16, 2026

The Arizona Cardinals picked up the fifth-year option on left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. (knee) on Thursday, a source told Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network. Johnson will now make just over $19 million for the 2027 season, with the former sixth overall pick back in 2023 out of Ohio State most likely to eventually sign a contract extension with the team. The 24-year-old finished last year on Injured Reserve due to a knee injury, but he should be ready in plenty of time for the start of the 2026 campaign this fall. Johnson has started in all 43 games that he's appeared in over his first three seasons with the Cardinals in the desert. He's coming off a career-low 12 games played in 2025, but Johnson could bounce back as one of the better left tackles in the league in 2026 in his fourth year in the league if he's completely past his knee injury. Johnson will be blocking the blind side for veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett to begin next season.--Keith Hernandez
Source: NFL Network - Mike Garafolo

April 16, 2026

The feeling around the NFL is that New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence is underpaid on his current deal, and the Giants want "a lot" for him in any trade, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN. According to sources, Lawrence wants to be traded, which is why he officially requested a trade. He was open to a fresh start, dating back to the start of last year. The 28-year-old former 17th overall pick in 2019 out of Clemson is coming off a down year in 2025 in which he had only half a sack in 17 games, following three straight Pro Bowl appearances from 2022 to 2024. In 2025, Lawrence had a career-high nine sacks in just 12 starts. The G-Men do not want to give Lawrence a new deal coming off his down season, and they aren't just going to give him away in a trade. They have had talks with other teams about a trade, but nothing has materialized yet. This situation could be resolved before the start of the 2026 NFL draft next Thursday night.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN New York - Jordan Raanan

April 16, 2026

Los Angeles Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz said that he's been in touch with safety Derwin James and outside linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu's agents about their contract extensions, and those talks are expected to "heat up" after the upcoming NFL draft next week, according to Kris Rhim of ESPN. James is expected to want a new deal before the start of training camp at the end of July, and depending on how contract talks go after the 2026 draft, he could be a holdout for offseason team activities and mandatory minicamp. Tuipulotu could be in the same boat this offseason. James, 29, only played in five games from 2019 to 2020 due to injuries. But since then, the former 17th overall pick in 2018 out of Florida State has played in at least 14 games a year since the start of the 2021 campaign. The five-time Pro Bowler and former All-Pro continues to be a tackling machine at defensive back in IDP fantasy formats. James had 94 tackles (50 solo), two sacks, six tackles for loss, eight QB hits, a career-high three interceptions, seven pass breakups, and a forced fumble in 16 regular-season starts in 2025. Most likely, James and the Chargers will be able to work something out to keep him happy.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Kris Rhim

April 16, 2026

The New York Jets had all the information they already needed on Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey and felt there was no reason for a pre-draft visit, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Bailey was supposed to have a top-30 visit with the Jets, but the team canceled the meeting. The 22-year-old is the leading candidate to be the second overall pick in the upcoming NFL draft by the Jets, although Ohio State edge rusher Arvell Reese could also be in play. Bailey was an absolute beast last year for the Red Raiders, tallying 32 solo tackles and leading the Big 12 in tackles for loss (19.5) and sacks (14.5) in 14 games played. In his first three collegiate seasons at Stanford, Bailey had 14.5 sacks in 32 games played. Both Bailey and Reese would immediately help a Jets pass rush that ranked second-to-last in 2025 with only 26 total sacks in 17 games.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter

April 16, 2026

Texas A&M wide receiver K.C. Concepcion wrapped up his pre-draft visits with meetings with the Los Angeles Chargers and San Francisco 49ers this week, a source told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Concepcion visited with the New York Giants, Miami Dolphins, and Buffalo Bills last week and had the New England Patriots, Tennessee Titans, Las Vegas Raiders, Cleveland Browns, and Carolina Panthers before that. The first-round candidate has been busy of late. The Chargers already have Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, and Tre' Harris at the WR position, but the Niners have more of a need at the position behind future Hall of Famer Mike Evans, given how injury-prone Ricky Pearsall has been. Neither Brandon Aiyuk (knee) nor Jauan Jennings (free agent) is expected back in the Bay Area in 2026. Concepcion is a big-play threat at wideout who had 61 catches for 919 yards and an SEC-high nine receiving touchdowns in 2025 in 13 games.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Jeremy Fowler

April 16, 2026

SNY's Connor Hughes writes that there's "significant buzz in league circles" that the Arizona Cardinals will take Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love with the third overall pick. The Tennessee Titans and New York Giants sit at No. 4 and No. 5, respectively, and they could be in play for Love, too, if he slips past Arizona. The Cardinals signed RB Tyler Allgeier in free agency, and they also have James Conner (ankle) and Trey Benson (knee) coming off season-ending injuries. "There's a lot of smoke there," Hughes says about Love going to the Cardinals. If Arizona doesn't go with Love, they could opt for whichever pass-rusher the New York Jets pass on at second overall. The Las Vegas Raiders (first overall) are expected to take Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. If Love were to land in the desert, it wouldn't be ideal for his short-term fantasy value, but in the long run, he'd be the overwhelming favorite to eventually emerge as the RB1 for the Cardinals.--Keith Hernandez
Source: SNY - Connor Hughes

April 16, 2026

Tennessee Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi said that it's "trending" toward second-year quarterback Cameron Ward (shoulder) throwing in the team's upcoming minicamp, according to Jim Wyatt of TennesseeTitans.com. Ward ended his lackluster rookie campaign in 2025 with an AC joint sprain in his right (throwing) shoulder in the Week 18 regular-season finale, but he's expected to be fine by the start of training camp and the 2026 regular-season opener in early September. The 23-year-old former first overall pick last year out of the University of Miami completed 59.8% of his passes in his rookie season while throwing for just 3,169 yards, 15 touchdowns, and seven interceptions in 17 starts. Ward led the Titans to a 3-14 record while also carrying the ball 39 times for 159 yards and two touchdowns as a rusher. It's a good time to buy low on him in dynasty leagues, as he could see Year 2 improvement under new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll with new receiver Wan'Dale Robinson in town to help the passing attack. Fantasy managers in redraft leagues should consider Ward a low-end QB2 target with upside.--Keith Hernandez
Source: TennesseeTitans.com - Jim Wyatt

April 16, 2026

Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane was not present for the start of the team's voluntary offseason workout program last week, but he was seen at the training facility on Thursday, sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN. It's believed that Achane showed up "as a sign of good faith" as he and the organization continue to talk about a contract extension. The Dolphins continue to say that Achane is off limits for a trade this offseason, even though they already released receiver Tyreek Hill (knee) and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and traded receiver Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos. The 24-year-old Pro Bowler wants the team to prove that they value him as one of the pillars of their rebuild, and all signs point to something eventually being worked out to keep the Texas A&M product in South Beach for years to come. Achane was a top-10 fantasy RB in 2025 with his first 1,000-yard rushing season and eight rushing touchdowns in 16 games. He added 67 catches for 488 yards and four more touchdowns. There will be volatility with Achane in fantasy in 2026 in an offense that could be very inconsistent again, but the high-end volume that he's expected to see will give him a high floor as an RB1.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter

April 16, 2026

Georgia wide receiver Zacharia Branch is expected to receive Day 2 capital in the upcoming NFL Draft, but with one of the more unique prospect profiles in recent history, there are questions about how his game might translate to the next level. At just 5'9" and 177 pounds, over a third of Branch's career receiving yards came on screen plays, while an astonishing 45.5% of his targets came behind the line of scrimmage, which is higher than any player ever selected in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft. While some have pointed to Luther Burden III as evidence that a player with a similar profile can succeed in the NFL, Branch's career ADoT was a full four yards lower than Burden's, and players with similar collegiate usage have had a frighteningly low fantasy hit rate. In the right landing spot, Branch could become a useful gadget player for an NFL offense, but he's unlikely to find any consistently bankable fantasy usage.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

April 16, 2026

Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton has been a reliable NFL producer who has made the occasional blip on the fantasy radar, most notably when a handful of high-volume games allowed him to land as the TE13 in 2024. While it's unlikely that many dynasty managers are rostering Otton as their TE1, he's been a fine depth piece to have for the occasional bye week or injury spot start. However, with Tampa picking at number 15 in the upcoming NFL Draft, the team has frequently been linked to Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq, an athletic marvel whose presence on the roster could push Otton toward fantasy irrelevancy. Even if the Buccaneers elect to go in another direction on Night 1, this is a deep tight end class with a number of prospects capable of creating at least a messy timeshare. While praising the group he already has in-house, general manager Jason Licht recently told reporters, "It would be great to add a tight end to the roster who brings an element that some of the others don't." Otton is currently RotoBaller's TE30 in dynasty rankings.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

April 16, 2026

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan finished his first professional season as the fantasy WR15 on his way to being named Offensive Rookie of the Year, and his arrow is realistically still pointing up. While it took him six weeks to score his first NFL touchdown, with only two receiving touchdowns through Week 10, he eventually found a knack for it, scoring five times over his final seven games. McMillan led the Panthers with a 26.3% target share, with an even more impressive 32.4% share of all first-down targets. While he could benefit from an improvement to the quality of targets, it's unlikely that anyone currently on the roster poses a serious threat to eat into his workload in year two. The Panthers have spent their last two first-round picks on the wide receiver position, and even with general manager Dan Morgan recently insinuating a third straight swing would not be out of the question, it seems improbable with several more glaring needs on the defensive side of the ball. McMillan is RotoBaller's WR9 in dynasty rankings, and he could be one of the safest young assets to build around.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

April 16, 2026

After finishing as the TE5 or better in three of four seasons from 2020 through 2023, Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson has seen a steep decline in production, with his 5.8 fantasy points per game in 2025 the lowest output since his rookie season. Perhaps reassuringly, all of Minnesota's pass catchers shared a similar story in 2025, hampered by some of the worst quarterback play in the league, with J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer combining to throw only 17 touchdown passes on fewer than 3,200 yards. The Vikings have since signed Kyler Murray to a one-year deal, and his past affinity for involving his tight ends has contributed to four combined top-10 seasons from Zach Ertz and Trey McBride. The soon-to-be-29-year-old Hockenson avoided an influx of target competition when Minnesota opted to stand pat at the position in free agency. If he can survive what looks to be a deep tight end draft class, a later career resurgence isn't out of the question with him still slated to be a primary target-earner behind only Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

April 16, 2026

After arriving on the scene as the QB5 in his first year as a full-time starter in 2023, Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love has ended back-to-back seasons in the middle of the fantasy pack. While lingering early-season injuries were thought to affect his play in 2024, he remained relatively healthy until an end-of-season concussion in 2025, finishing respectively as the QB17 and QB15 with strikingly similar numbers across both years. In 2025, his path to the middle was relatively straight. He finished four different weeks as a top-10 fantasy quarterback, tying for 15th in that regard and providing a mostly healthy floor by keeping the ball out of harm's way. He was one of 11 players with two finishes as the QB2 or better, but he also finished with fewer than 10 fantasy points at a rate slightly higher than the top-24 players at the position. With Green Bay saying goodbye to two of its leading receivers from 2025 and expecting a return to health from Josh Jacobs, the team will likely skew run-heavy enough to again cap Love's fantasy ceiling. Tucker Kraft should also be back and healthy early in the season, and the team is expecting significant growth from last year's first round pick, Matthew Golden, so there are legitimate reasons to believe the 27-year-old Love could return to his 2023 form, but the safer presumption is that he's closer to what he's shown over the past two seasons: a strong QB2 in superflex leagues who is just as likely to win you a week as he is to cost you.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

April 15, 2026

The No. 46 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, Los Angeles Rams tight end Terrance Ferguson had a quiet year as a rookie. Across 14 games, the 23-year-old recorded just 11 receptions for 231 yards and three touchdowns on 25 targets. Ferguson's path to playing time in Los Angeles was largely blocked off by Rams tight ends Colby Parkinson and Tyler Higbee, both of whom will be back in the mix in 2026. Still, Ferguson's impressive average of 21 yards per reception as a rookie and his pre-draft pedigree dictate some reason for upside for fantasy managers. Additionally, Los Angeles uses multiple tight end sets as much as any offense in the NFL, which could allow Ferguson to carve out a significant role alongside the Rams' veteran tight ends. In dynasty formats, now might be the ideal time for managers to buy low on Ferguson.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

April 15, 2026

Across 17 games in 2025, Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz recorded 82 receptions for 777 yards and three touchdowns on 106 targets. The 29-year-old's production surge came as a bit of a surprise, as he posted three consecutive seasons with fewer than 60 receptions and 90 targets from 2022 through 2024. Still, despite the bump in volume, Schultz's fantasy upside is limited by his lack of explosiveness. He averaged fewer than 10 yards per reception in 2025 and has never averaged more than 10.8 yards per catch in any of his eight NFL seasons. Schultz's 2025 production was also boosted by the absence of fellow Texans tight end Cade Stover, who missed eight games with a foot injury. Schultz maintains some fantasy value as a high-floor PPR streamer, but his dynasty upside remains capped heading into 2026.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller