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Alec Pierce Expected to be Limited in Camp After Ankle Surgery
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce (ankle) is expected to be limited for some, if not all, of training camp this summer after having offseason ankle surgery in late March, per Stephen Holder of ESPN. There's still plenty of time for him to get up to speed for the regular-season opener, though, and Pierce is "preparing to ascend to the No. 1 receiver role" after the Colts traded Michael Pittman Jr. to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Holder adds that it's "an inopportune time for Pierce to be out of the lineup," especially when considering starting QB Daniel Jones (Achilles) is also recovering from a torn Achilles tendon late last year. With Adonai Mitchell no longer in town either, Josh Downs figures to operate as the Colts' top receiver, with Ashton Dulin, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, and rookie Deion Burks behind him. Pierce will no doubt have a bigger role on offense in 2026 if he's healthy after leading the NFL in yards per catch in each of the last two seasons, but his ankle injury could give fantasy managers pause in taking him as an upside WR3/flex in 2026 as he heads into his fifth NFL season.
Source: ESPN.com - Stephen Holder
Source: ESPN.com - Stephen Holder
Khalil Shakir a Dynasty Sell-High Candidate Ahead of 2026
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir has been a steady security blanket in his team's passing game in recent years, recording back-to-back seasons with at least 95 targets, 70 catches, 700 receiving yards, and four touchdowns. The 26-year-old was Buffalo's leading target-earner in 2025 and finished the year as the WR43 by measure of per-game PPR scoring. However, Shakir's place in the Bills' offense may be altered in 2026. Buffalo traded for wide receiver DJ Moore, who now profiles as the team's clear WR1. The Bills also used a fourth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on wideout Skyler Bell, who was an All-American in his final season in college and could push Shakir for playing time in the slot. Given his likely workload reduction and his lack of high-end upside, Shakir profiles as a potential dynasty sell-high candidate entering 2026.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Tetairoa McMillan Practicing at Training Camp
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (foot), who missed most of spring workouts with a foot injury, was seen in uniform and practicing on Thursday in the team's first training camp practice, according to Joe Person of The Athletic. The Panthers held McMillan out of offseason workouts as a precaution, and he should be full-go for Week 1 of the 2026 regular season this fall. The 23-year-old former eighth overall pick last year out of the University of Arizona was named the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2025 after catching 70 of his 122 targets for 1,014 yards and seven touchdowns in 17 regular-season starts as he immediately became Carolina's WR1. With added muscle and a more versatile role -- he could play out of the slot more in 2026 -- the Hawaiian native could be poised to build on his impressive rookie campaign. Target McMillan as a low-end WR2 with upside to jump into the WR1 tier if he continues to improve as a sophomore.
Source: The Athletic - Joe Person
Source: The Athletic - Joe Person
Jordan Mason May Be Undervalued by Current Redraft ADP
Across 16 games (five starts) in 2025, Minnesota Vikings running back Jordan Mason recorded 809 scrimmage yards and six touchdowns on 173 touches. The 27-year-old's fantasy upside in PPR scoring formats is limited by his lack of pass-game involvement, as he's recorded just 28 catches across 61 career NFL games. Mason is also likely to split reps for the second straight season in 2026 with veteran Vikings back Aaron Jones Sr. However, Jones Sr. is entering his age-32 campaign and has missed at least five games in two out of the last three years. At this point in their respective careers, Mason profiles as the better between-the-tackles rusher and could take over as Minnesota's primary early-down back. The overall health of the Vikings offense should be improved this year as well, as the team added veteran quarterback Kyler Murray over the offseason. At his current redraft ADP of RB43, Mason could be a value pick for fantasy managers.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Malik Nabers Expected to Avoid PUP List to Open 2026 Season
ESPN's Jordan Raanan writes that New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (knee) is expected to avoid opening the 2026 regular season on the Physically Unable to Perform list. However, it remains to be seen when he will practice with the team this summer as he continues to rehab from a torn ACL and meniscus in his right knee that he suffered in Week 4 last season. It's certainly possible that Nabers will be ready for a Sunday night showdown in Week 1 against the division-rival Dallas Cowboys, but nobody knows for sure. We already know that Nabers has high-end WR1 upside in fantasy football when he's healthy, especially with impressive young QB Jaxson Dart leading the offense, but his knee injury has dropped him to a low-end WR2 (ranked No. 24 overall) in RotoBaller's positional rankings for the upcoming season because of his injury uncertainty. We'll be watching his recovery closely this summer and whether he opens training camp on the PUP list. Nabers had surgery last October and a clean-up procedure on his knee this spring.
Source: ESPN New York - Jordan Raanan
Source: ESPN New York - Jordan Raanan
Fernando Mendoza Signs Rookie Contract
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza has signed his rookie contract, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Raiders rookies are due to report to the team facility today, with the team's training camp officially beginning on Tuesday. Now that Mendoza's contract is signed, his participation in training camp will not be impacted in any way. The number one overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Mendoza threw for 3,535 yards, 41 touchdowns, and six interceptions while rushing for 276 yards and seven scores across 16 games in his final collegiate season at the University of Indiana. The 22-year-old is expected to see some first-team reps in training camp, but he will likely enter camp behind veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins on the team's depth chart. Still, Mendoza profiles as the quarterback of the future in Las Vegas, and it may only be a matter of time before he takes over as the team's QB1.
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
Jonathon Brooks Seeing First-Team Reps in Training Camp
Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks is seeing action with the first-team offense during the team's first day of training camp practices on Thursday, according to Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer. A second-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Brooks played in just three games as a rookie before suffering a knee injury that knocked him out for the remainder of 2024 and all of 2025. However, the 23-year-old appears to be fully healthy heading into 2026. The Panthers have veteran back Chuba Hubbard atop their running back depth chart, but the team let running back Rico Dowdle walk in free agency. Dowdle collected 1,373 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns on 275 touches for Carolina in 2025, leaving plenty of production on the table for Brooks to potentially step into in 2026. Brooks averaged over six yards per carry during his college career at Texas and was considered a high-end running back prospect before the injury issues. If he can stay healthy and put together a solid preseason, his fantasy stock will continue to rise throughout the summer.
Source: The Charlotte Observer - Mike Kaye
Source: The Charlotte Observer - Mike Kaye
Tank Bigsby Could be One of the Top RB Handcuffs to Roster
Philadelphia Eagles running back Tank Bigsby is heading into his first full year as the top backup in Philly to star Saquon Barkley after the Eagles acquired him from the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2025 after just one game. In 16 regular-season games in Philly last year, Bigsby had 58 rushing attempts for 344 yards (5.9 yards per carry) and two rushing touchdowns, adding only three receptions for 32 yards as a pass-catcher. The 24-year-old is a power back with little pass-catching prowess, but if Barkley were to miss time due to injury in 2026, the former third-rounder by the Jaguars in 2023 out of Auburn would at least be the team's unquestioned early-down back in an offense looking to bounce back from a woeful 2025 campaign. Bigsby's big-play abilities -- he has six carries of 20-plus yards in his last 231 rushing attempts -- make him an intriguing handcuff option for fantasy managers who take Barkley early in drafts. The downfall is that Bigsby's fantasy upside as a lead back if Barkley is injured will be limited because he has shown very little in the way of producing as a pass-catcher. The Eagles have Will Shipley, Dameon Pierce, and Elijah Mitchell in the RB room, too, but it would be a surprise if Bigsby didn't enter the regular season as the unquestioned RB2.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Woody Marks a Sneaky Value Pick in PPR Formats in 2026
Houston Texans running back Woody Marks led the team in rushing in 2025 in his rookie season after being taken in the fourth round (116th overall) out of USC, carrying the ball 196 times for 703 yards and two touchdowns in 16 regular-season games (eight starts). The 25-year-old added 24 receptions for 208 yards and three touchdowns on 36 targets as a pass-catcher. Fantasy managers may be down on him going into his second NFL season due to the Texans' offseason addition of David Montgomery, which could present a buying opportunity in both redraft and dynasty/keeper leagues this year. Running backs coach Danny Barrett said he still thinks the Georgia native will take on a sizable role in the team's backfield this year despite Monty's presence. Marks lacks the explosiveness as a pure runner -- he averaged just 3.6 yards per carry as a rookie -- and although he disappointed somewhat as a receiver in 2025, that's where most of his value will most likely lie in 2026. He profiles as a nice late-round target for RB depth in PPR leagues, and he'll be a solid handcuff to Montgomery as well.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Nick Sirianni Calls DeVonta Smith a "Special Player"
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni called wide receiver DeVonta Smith a "special player" and said he's excited about the extra opportunities coming his way in 2026 now that A.J. Brown is in New England, according to Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports. "I'm excited for the extra opportunities that DeVonta is going to get his way," Sirianni said. "And I know every time that we've given him extra opportunities, he's always taking advantage of those. And so now he's going to get more of those." Brown had over 5,000 receiving yards in just four seasons with the Eagles, but Smith, 27, has gone over 1,000 receiving yards in three of his five NFL seasons and has averaged 111 targets per season. If the 27-year-old former 10th overall pick from the University of Alabama in 2021 gets up to 140-150 targets in 2026, a monster year could be in store. The Eagles appear to be all-in on Smith as their new WR1, so his expanded target share alone should prop him up as a low-end WR1/high-end WR2 in fantasy with a strong floor. RotoBaller currently has Smith ranked as the No. 12 fantasy WR with Brown out of the picture in 2026.
Source: NBC Sports Philadelphia - Dave Zangaro
Source: NBC Sports Philadelphia - Dave Zangaro
Malik Davis Not a Lock for RB2 Role in Dallas
ESPN's Todd Archer writes that there will be a battle for the No. 2 running back role in training camp this summer behind starter Javonte Williams that will consist of Jaydon Blue, Phil Mafah, and Malik Davis. Davis won the job a year ago and had a 100-yard game, but he "seems to be something of a forgotten man entering camp." The 27-year-old former undrafted free agent out of the University of Florida had 52 carries for 250 yards and two touchdowns in his third NFL season in 2025, adding two receptions for 16 yards for the Cowboys. It sounds as though Davis is going to need to step up in camp to hold off both Blue and Mafah. Blue didn't live up to expectations in his rookie campaign, but he has impressed the coaching staff this offseason and can be a difference-maker with his speed. Mafah, a seventh-rounder last year, could also be a dependable depth back. Davis averaged a healthy 4.8 yards in 2025, but he doesn't have any standout traits in the backfield and isn't much of a pass-catcher. Don't automatically assume that he's the handcuff to roster in 2026 if you take Williams.
Source: ESPN Dallas - Todd Archer
Source: ESPN Dallas - Todd Archer
Parker Washington Expected to Retain Punt-Return Duties
John Shipley of Sports Illustrated writes that it "feels like" Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington will continue to return punts in 2026, even though he's set to play a larger role in the offense after a breakout 2025 campaign. The Jaguars have "gone above and beyond to praise" Washington's return ability this offseason. "I love Parker back there. I think we'll just try and have to see how that plays out with the roster and how that looks come Week 1. And it may be changing throughout the season. There may be games when we need a big play, and he's back there, and there's other times when we'll provide a big play from somebody else," special teams coach Heath Farwell said. The 24-year-old former sixth-rounder in 2023 out of Penn State broke out with 58 catches (95 targets) for 847 yards and five touchdowns in 16 regular-season games last year, adding seven catches for 107 yards and another score in the team's playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills. Even though Jacksonville's WR corps is stacked with Jakobi Meyers, Brian Thomas Jr., and Travis Hunter, Washington is a fantasy target on the rise as a WR3/flex option going into the 2026 campaign.
Source: Sports Illustrated - John Shipley
Source: Sports Illustrated - John Shipley
Chuba Hubbard a Low-Upside Pick in the Middle Rounds of 2026 Drafts
Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard has proven fully capable of handling lead back responsibilities, but without any special elements to his profile, he has no guarantees of holding onto the role once challenged for it. In an injury-plagued 2025 season, he was overtaken on the depth chart by Rico Dowdle, and now with Dowdle out the door in free agency, he'll face competition from 2024 second-round pick Jonathon Brooks. A series of serious knee injuries have limited Brooks to only nine total carries in his professional career, but he comes into year three as healthy as he's been since the start of his final collegiate season, and he represents the much higher ceiling out of the Panthers backfield. Hubbard and Brooks are going within four running back spots of one another by current ADP, and while Hubbard will likely see the opportunity to begin the season in a starting role, his grasp on the job should be considered tentative. As RotoBaller's RB28, the sixth-year veteran has fallen to an area of drafts where fantasy managers would be better suited taking higher-upside swings, and coincidentally, one such candidate can be found in Hubbard's own running back room.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Kimani Vidal an Underrated Insurance Running Back
While excitement continues to build around the Los Angeles Chargers' offense, an often overlooked player has become third-year running back Kimani Vidal. Omarion Hampton flashed enough in an injury-shortened rookie season to show why he was a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and Keaton Mitchell's game-breaking speed makes his fit in a Mike McDaniel offense easy to envision, but it was Vidal who led the team in carries and rushing yards a season ago, and he could still serve an important role moving forward. While Mitchell has more standalone fantasy value as the likely change-of-pace back, he is ill-equipped to handle a full workload should Hampton miss time again in his second season, making Vidal more of the true handcuff in this offense. At RotoBaller's RB74, he is not a player who needs to be targeted in fantasy drafts, but Vidal should still be viewed as one of the league's more valuable insurance backs, especially with the Chargers expected to field a much healthier offensive line in 2026.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Joe Mixon Tells Former Teammates His Career is Over
Free-agent running back Joe Mixon's (ankle, foot) NFL career has come to an end, according to Texans beat reporter Aaron Wilson. With teams around the league reconvening for the start of training camps, some of the still-unsigned veteran free agents could soon be presented with opportunities to find a new home, but Mixon has reportedly informed former teammates that he has taken his last professional snap. After a successful first season with the Texans, Mixon sustained a curious foot injury during the 2025 offseason that sidelined him for the entire season and led to his release in March. Very few details have since emerged about the ailment that was first speculated to be related to the ankle injury that caused him to miss time in 2024 but was officially designated a non-football injury. Thursday's report brings closure to what has been one of the stranger stories in the NFL over the past year-plus.
Source: Aaron Wilson
Source: Aaron Wilson
