Jun 27, 2026, 12:04 PM ET

The Detroit Lions have made it clear that running back Jahmyr Gibbs will be their bell-cow back in 2026, which means that newcomer Isiah Pacheco must prepare for a backup role in his new digs, according to Kory Woods of MLive Media Group. Pacheco, who won two Super Bowls with the Kansas City Chiefs, signed a one-year deal with Detroit to replace David Montgomery, who was traded to the Houston Texans in early March. The 27-year-old former seventh-rounder in 2022 out of Rutgers started 31 of 34 games in the last three seasons in KC, but he's preparing for a much different role in Detroit. He's looking at a drastically reduced role in the Lions' backfield, especially after dealing with injuries in recent seasons. Pacheco missed nine games in 2024 with a broken right fibula and missed a month with an MCL sprain in 2024. In his first two years in the league, Pacheco averaged at least 4.6 yards per carry, but that number has dropped to 3.8 yards per attempt the last two years. Pacheco is committed to his new role behind Gibbs, but he has tumbled to No. 44 in RotoBaller's RB rankings for the 2026 campaign, making him more of a handcuff for Gibbs' managers.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLive Media Group - Kory Woods

Jun 27, 2026, 11:19 AM ET

Former Navy star Eli Heidenreich is listed as an RB/WR with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he was assigned a RB number (No. 29) and has been working with the RBs during individual drills and "overwhelmingly lined up" in the backfield during team drills during offseason workouts, according to Mike DeFabo of The Athletic. RBs coach Ramon Chinyoung Sr. called Heidenreich the "Swiss Navy Knife," but how much the Steelers open up their playbook in 2026 under new head coach Mike McCarthy might ultimately determine whether the 22-year-old will have a shot to make the 53-man roster for the regular season. How well he performs in pass protection, something Heidenreich wasn't asked to do much in college, could determine his fate early in his rookie season. DeFabo thinks Heidenreich will need to play his way onto Pittsburgh's roster during training camp, and it might take an injury for that to happen. Most likely, the former Midshipman will start his NFL career on the Steelers' practice squad.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Athletic - Mike DeFabo

Jun 27, 2026, 11:00 AM ET

Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer singled out wide receiver Ryan Flournoy as a player who stood out during the team's offseason workouts during organized team activities and minicamp, according to Joseph Hoyt of The Dallas Morning News. "Ryan Flournoy, I really think is taking the next step," Schottenheimer said. "I think he has a chance to be a terrific receiver in this league." The 26-year-old former sixth-rounder in 2024 out of Southeast Missouri State is the unquestioned WR3 going into the 2026 season behind CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, and he has been given more of a leadership role this offseason as he heads into his third year in the NFL. Flournoy took a big step in his second season last year, catching 40 passes for 475 yards and four touchdowns in 16 games (four starts) after posting a 10-102-0 line in his rookie campaign. RotoBaller currently has Flournoy ranked at No. 63 at the WR position, but if anything were to happen to either Lamb or Pickens, he'd become a must-add off the waiver wire in Dallas' pass-happy offense.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Dallas Morning News - Joseph Hoyt

Jun 27, 2026, 10:52 AM ET

The Houston Texans traded for former Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery in the offseason and signed him to a two-year, $16.5 million extension. KPRC 2 Sports' Aaron Wilson writes that the arrival of Montgomery in Houston "should allow the Texans to build a punishing run game and become a better red-zone and play-action offense." "He's all-day tough," offensive coordinator Nick Caley said of Montgomery. "His body of work will speak for itself. Runs behind his pads, stays grounded. Arm tackles aren't getting it done. He's going to try to run through you every single chance. He can set guys up. He understands how to set blocks and to deliver and help deliver defenders to the blocker." The lack of a consistent ground game was one of the big reasons the Texans offense sputtered in 2025. Gone are Joe Mixon (foot) and veteran Nick Chubb. Monty will provide a bruising complement to the more shifty Woody Marks, who should work in more of a pass-catching role in Year 2. After being the clear lead back to Jahmyr Gibbs last year in Detroit, Montgomery should be Houston's RB1 in 2026, giving him clear RB2 upside again in fantasy football.--Keith Hernandez
Source: KPRC 2 Sports - Aaron Wilson

Jun 27, 2026, 10:00 AM ET

Heading into his fourth professional season, dynasty managers pretty much know what to expect from Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Andrei Iosivas. With the Bengals' most notable addition to the receiver room coming in the form of fourth-round pick Colbie Young, Iosivas is all but locked into the WR3 role he's held for the past two seasons. While five missed games from Tee Higgins allowed Iosivas to find the end zone six times in 2024 (a number that dropped to only two in 2025), the rest of his stat line has remained incredibly consistent. Playing in all 17 games in both seasons, the 2023 sixth-round pick averaged 34.5 catches for 457 yards on a 9.6% target share, hardly straying from that baseline in either season. With Higgins and three-time All-Pro Ja'Marr Chase both on the field, Iosivas has been limited largely to clear-out routes with few opportunities of his own. While his size and versatility have allowed him to step in for either in the event of injury, in more cases than not, targets have been funneled primarily through whichever of the pair remains healthy, with Iosivas' own usage uptick still making him little more than a streaming flex option. Entering the final season of his rookie contract, the 26-year-old could still find greater opportunity on a more manageable depth chart in 2027, but at RotoBaller's dynasty WR141, any upside hype once surrounding Iosivas has all but faded away.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

Jun 27, 2026, 9:49 AM ET

Los Angeles Rams tight end Colby Parkinson led his position group in targets, receptions, yards, and touchdowns in 2025, finishing third on the team across all categories, behind only Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. Veteran Tyler Higbee comes into the year healthy after missing the majority of the 2025 season with the ACL tear suffered in 2024, and the Rams spent second-round capital on Max Klare after selecting Terrance Ferguson in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. While that level of competition could make Parkinson's 2025 TE15 finish a near impossibility to repeat in most situations, the Rams' extensive use of three tight end personnel at least keeps the seventh-year veteran fantasy relevant in the final season of his current contract. While Ferguson and Klare are likely the future of the position in Los Angeles, Parkinson should still see enough usage to make him a viable dynasty depth piece with occasional streamability in 2026 and a chance to find a new role elsewhere in 2027. At 27 years old, he is easily acquirable as RotoBaller's dynasty TE32.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

Jun 27, 2026, 9:37 AM ET

Miami Dolphins running back Ollie Gordon II played in all 17 games as a rookie but accumulated fewer than 200 rushing yards at an unimpressive 2.8 yards per carry average. Unable to take advantage of the early time missed by 2024 fourth-round pick Jaylen Wright, Gordon's fantasy prospects look grim heading into his second season. At 6'2" and 225 pounds, there is still a possibility for Gordon to develop into an effective goal line back after scoring more than 30 rushing touchdowns in his final two seasons at Oklahoma State, but with the Dolphins projected as one of the league's lowest scoring offenses in year one of a clear rebuild under new head coach Jeff Hafley, red zone opportunities could be few and far between. A true focal point of Miami's new-look offense, De'Von Achane has handled more than 285 opportunities in each of the past two seasons, and while that sort of continued usage could be flirting with disaster at only 5'8" and 188 pounds, any extended backfield split of Gordon and Wright is unlikely to produce the types of scoring opportunities necessary for either to make a meaningful fantasy impact. With traits unique to the position, Gordon remains a dynasty hold for managers with the luxury to do so, but in shallower leagues, he can be moved on from in favor of any player with a more obvious upside path.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

Jun 27, 2026, 9:25 AM ET

Baltimore Ravens running back Adam Randall stands out from previous receivers turned running backs in that he's 6'2" and 235 pounds. While neither his background as a pass-catcher nor his impressive size consistently showed up in his one full season as a running back at Clemson, he has obvious tools with which to work and an opportunity to learn behind one of the best to ever do it. With five-time Pro Bowler Derrick Henry still projected to hold a bell cow role in first-time coordinator Declan Doyle's offense, little is expected of Randall in his first year, but with Henry turning 33 by season's end, opportunity could be on the horizon if the fifth-round rookie can continue to develop. With his unique skill set allowing him to potentially fill in for either Henry or dedicated pass-catcher Justice Hill should injuries necessitate, there is still a path for Randall to contribute in year one, but still quite new to the position, the 21-year-old rookie profiles more as a dynasty stash with potential long-term upside.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

Jun 27, 2026, 9:13 AM ET

Tennessee Titans running back Nicholas Singleton was a fifth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and while Day 3 running backs have rarely found fantasy success, there is enough working in his favor to make him a worthwhile pick in the later rounds of rookie drafts. Singleton catches the ball well and has a rare blend of size and athleticism. While that skill set did not always translate into breakaway runs or broken tackles, his college production was still impressive, despite sharing the backfield with Penn State's all-time leading rusher, Commanders' sixth-round pick Kaytron Allen. In Tennessee, Singleton's new running mates will be a 29-year-old Tony Pollard and fourth-year back Tyjae Spears, who has missed nine games over the past two seasons and watched his production drop year after year. Having broken a bone in his foot during the Senior Bowl, it's possible that a healthy Singleton could have gone earlier in the draft, but with him falling as far as he did, to a team with no other back besides Kalel Mullings under contract beyond this season, the potential exists for him to become one of the more valuable rookies to emerge from an underwhelming draft class.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

Jun 26, 2026, 11:28 PM ET

Jacksonville Jaguars general manager James Gladstone said shortly after the 2025 season ended that the team had started preliminary contract-extension discussions with wide receiver Parker Washington and tight end Brenton Strange, according to Michael DiRocco of ESPN. The Jags agreed to a three-year extension worth up to $48 million ($25 million guaranteed) with Strange on Wednesday. Washington, 24, stepped up in a big way in 2025 after injuries to rookie Travis Hunter and Brian Thomas Jr., finishing with 58 receptions on 95 targets for 847 yards and five touchdowns in 16 regular-season games (seven starts) in his third year in the NFL. DiRocco thinks that Washington fits right into a current group of seven wideouts in the NFL that make between $16 and $18 million. A potential new deal for Washington could be for three years and $53 million, with between $25 and $30 million guaranteed. Washington's breakout has lessened Jacksonville's need to use Hunter on offense in his second season in 2026. RotoBaller currently has Washington ranked as the No. 34 fantasy wideout, and he should once again be a go-to target for quarterback Trevor Lawrence.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Michael DiRocco

Jun 26, 2026, 11:14 PM ET

The Tampa Bay Times' Rick Stroud doesn't think the Tampa Bay Buccaneers want to give running back Bucky Irving 15-plus carries again in 2026 due to injury concerns. When discussing newcomer Kenneth Gainwell, who was the MVP of the Pittsburgh Steelers offense last year, Stroud said, "That's not backup money. I think they will go with the hot hand." The Bucs signed Gainwell to a two-year, $14 million contract in free agency in March after the 27-year-old had a career year in 2025 in the Steel City, carrying the ball 114 times for 537 yards (4.7 yards per carry) and five touchdowns while catching 73 passes for 486 yards and three touchdowns on 85 targets as a pass-catcher in 17 regular-season games (two starts). Tampa's offense is switching to more outside zone as well, which could favor Gainwell in his new digs. It's obviously bad news for Irving and his fantasy stock going into 2026 after he played in just 10 games due to injuries in Year 2. Fantasy managers should target the 23-year-old as more of an RB3/flex than a legitimate RB2, with Gainwell gaining steam as an RB3/flex with more appeal in PPR leagues.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Tampa Bay Times - Rick Stroud

Jun 26, 2026, 9:16 PM ET

The Canadian Football League announced on Friday that former Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby will not be allowed to join any of its teams for the upcoming season, according to ESPN. "Upholding the integrity of the league and ensuring fair competition are paramount to the CFL," the CFL said in a statement. "The allegations involving Brendan Sorsby are serious and concerning. At this time, the CFL will not register a contract for him, and no team will be permitted to add him to its negotiation list." Sorsby hadn't publicly expressed interest in joining the CFL, but his options are limited now that the NFL announced earlier this week that they would not hold a supplemental draft for him before the 2026 season. Sorsby admitted to placing thousands of bets on college and pro sports while playing at Indiana and Cincinnati. His attorney, Jeffrey Kessler, told ESPN that the NFL's decision not to hold a supplemental draft was a collective bargaining agreement violation and that they would pursue possible action with the Players Association. Sorsby's options are limited after he admitted to gambling, and he may have to sit out a year before entering the 2027 NFL draft.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com

Jun 26, 2026, 4:58 PM ET

Across 16 games in 2025, Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert completed 66.4% of his pass attempts for 3,727 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. The 28-year-old also rushed for a career-high 498 yards and two scores, which helped him finish as the fantasy QB10 on a per-game basis. Entering 2026, Herbert could be in a position to put together his best fantasy season to date. The Chargers have a new play-caller in place in Mike McDaniel, who should help open up the offense. Los Angeles will also have its star tackle duo of Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt back in action after the two combined to play just six games in 2025. Finally, Herbert has a strong core of young playmakers around him in wide receivers Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston, tight end Oronde Gadsden II, and running back Omarion Hampton. If the Chargers offense takes a step forward in its first season under McDaniel and Herbert maintains his increased rushing aggression from a season ago, he could be undervalued by current redraft ADP as the ninth quarterback off the board.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Jun 26, 2026, 4:46 PM ET

Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane (shoulder) put together an all-world season in 2025, recording 1,838 yards from scrimmage and 12 touchdowns on 305 touches across 16 games. Even with the rest of the Miami offense crumbling around him, Achane led the NFL in yards per carry (5.7) and recorded 67 catches for 488 yards and four touchdowns on 85 targets. The Dolphins overhauled their coaching staff, quarterback room, and wide receiver room over the offseason, leading to speculation that Achane might have been on the trade block. Instead, Miami inked Achane to a four-year contract extension, cementing him as one of the team's building blocks as it enters a new era. The 24-year-old is recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, but should be ready to go for the start of 2026. Even with the uncertain offensive environment around him in Miami, Achane should be viewed as an elite running back option in dynasty formats.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Jun 26, 2026, 4:32 PM ET

The sixth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty entered his rookie season with plenty of fantasy hype. The 22-year-old volumed his way to a solid season, recording 1,321 scrimmage yards and 10 touchdowns on 321 touches across 17 games. However, he averaged just 3.7 yards per carry and finished as the RB16 by per-game PPR scoring. While Jeanty's lack of efficiency is a bit concerning, he was working within one of the worst offensive ecosystems in 2025. The Raiders enter 2026 with a new coaching staff, an overhauled offensive line, and hope at quarterback in the form of rookie signal-caller Fernando Mendoza. Jeanty proved as a rookie that he has a three-down skill set and can absorb a heavy workload. If the changes around him in Las Vegas lead to some more holes for him to run through, Jeanty could break out as a superstar in 2026. In any dynasty league where his value has dipped below high-end RB1 status, managers should look to buy low.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller