RADIO
Trevor Lawrence Offers League-Winning Upside at a Low-QB1 Cost
For four and a half seasons, Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence was viewed as a fantasy disappointment after coming into the league with monumental expectations as the first overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, but halfway through the 2025 season, something clicked for him in Liam Coen's play-action and motion-heavy offense. Over the final 10 weeks of the season, Lawrence was the QB1, scoring 6.7 fantasy points per game with his legs alone while garnering MVP consideration. The team's mid-season trade for Jakobi Meyers helped to retool the wide receiver room following Travis Hunter's season-ending LCL tear, and a connection with Parker Washington turned the third-year veteran into the latest receiver to star out of the slot in Coen's offense. Even with Brian Thomas Jr. facing second-year struggles, the Jaguars' offense proved to be one of the league's most dynamic down the stretch, and with nearly his full complement of pass-catchers returning for 2026, Lawrence is well set up for another big year and could prove to be a league-winner for the second consecutive season, as he's currently being drafted as the QB10.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Zavion Thomas Sets the Tone by Going 97 Yards on His First NFL Play
Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver Zavion Thomas did not participate in the team's first two preseason outings as he dealt with minor knee soreness earlier in camp, but he wasted no time making his presence felt on Saturday night. Thomas got behind the defense with a double move on the first play of his NFL career and outraced everyone for a 97-yard touchdown to set the tone in a 24-15 win over the Titans. He would finish the night with five catches on five targets and a team-leading 140 yards to go with his game-opening score, showcasing his value as a potential third or fourth receiver in what projects to be a high-powered Chicago offense. The Bears have no lack of playmakers atop the depth chart with second-year pass-catchers Luther Burden III and Colston Loveland and former ninth overall pick Rome Odunze. Still, Thomas' unique skill set could lead to manufactured touches in a gadget role and a path to fantasy relevance. Landing outside of RotoBaller's top 300 players, he is not a player who needs to be targeted in 2026 drafts, but his early-season involvement should be monitored, with fantasy managers ready to make a waiver claim.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Nicholas Singleton Ends Preseason Without Any Signature Moments
Tennessee Titans rookie running back Nicholas Singleton ran the ball seven times for 26 yards in Saturday's 24-15 loss to the Chicago Bears, adding two receptions for 18 yards and putting a cap on a solid but unspectacular first preseason. Both Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears have looked sharp in their limited action, each averaging more than 5.6 yards per carry on 12 combined totes, but with neither suited up for the final game of the 2026 preseason, Singleton got the start and earned a target on an opening drive that went three-and-out. Singleton was selected in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, but with many believing he would have gone earlier if not for a broken foot sustained during Senior Bowl practice, he was a popular sleeper pick to start the summer. After running firmly behind Pollard and Spears for most of camp, the veterans appear to have a lock on any fantasy viability to be found out of the Titans' running backs room, and at RotoBaller's RB75, Singleton is not a player who needs to be considered in 2026 drafts.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Jalon Daniels Wins Buccaneers Backup Job
Following an impressive training camp and appearances in all three of the team's preseason games, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will name undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels as the backup quarterback behind Baker Mayfield, according to NFL Insider Ian Rapoport. A true dual threat across his extended time at Kansas, Daniels ended his six-year collegiate career with 9,273 passing yards, 1,916 rushing yards, and 90 combined touchdowns. He began training camp as the fourth quarterback behind veteran Jake Browning and 2025 practice squader Connor Bazelak, but he has made plays throughout the summer and will begin his rookie season in the number two role.
Source: Ian Rapoport
Source: Ian Rapoport
Gervon Dexter Traded to Falcons for Clark Phillips III and a Pick
The Chicago Bears have sent defensive tackle Gervon Dexter to the Atlanta Falcons in a trade for cornerback Clark Phillips III and a fifth-round pick, according to NFL Insider Adam Schefter. A second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Dexter has appeared in 49 games for the Bears, starting all 17 contests in 2025 while recording a career-high six sacks. Phillips, who went in the fourth round of the same draft class, has appeared in 28 games for the Falcons, making only seven career starts and missing all but one game of the 2025 season with a triceps injury, and he will add depth to a thin Bears cornerback room. In Atlanta, Dexter will battle for a rotational role on the interior of the Falcons' 3-4 base defense, but neither player is expected to make an impact in IDP fantasy leagues.
Source: Adam Schefter
Source: Adam Schefter
Lions Comfortable with Jacob Saylors as the No. 2 Running Back
Detroit Lions running back Jacob Saylors has carried the ball only twice since coming into the league as an undrafted free agent in 2023, but he could open the season as the team's primary backup behind three-time Pro Bowler Jahmyr Gibbs. After trading away veteran David Montgomery, the Lions signed Isiah Pacheco (back, knee) to a one-year free agent deal, but with the former Chief dealing with back and knee injuries and his Week 1 availability up in the air, head coach Dan Campbell told reporters on Saturday that he'd be comfortable playing Saylors in that role if necessary, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. "I'm comfortable with those guys. And I just like the thought of having a guy in our system, think that's important. Knows our terminology, knows our guys, knows the protections. Just kind of knows it all, man. Understands our quarterback and how he thinks. I just think that's important." Saylors, who has seen the Lions' heaviest running back rush share in each of the past two preseasons, ran for 100 yards on 17 carries in Saturday's 25-16 win over the Colts, and he is now a player to pay attention to as a potentially critical handcuff to begin the 2026 season.
Source: Dave Birkett
Source: Dave Birkett
Has George Kittle "Taken a Step Back"?
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan recently met with the media, and a passing comment about George Kittle (Achilles) could be interpreted to mean that the All-Pro tight end has had a setback in his recovery from the Achilles injury that ended his 2025 season. While discussing the potential Week 1 availability of a handful of injured players, Shanahan mentioned his star tight end, saying, "Guys like Kittle, who's taken a step back." He was not asked for further clarification, but with Kittle having been activated from the active/physically unable to perform list on August 23rd, it's possible Shanahan meant a step toward playing. Following a string of positive recovery news, Kittle had risen to RotoBaller's TE9, but as posited by Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Shanahan will likely have some further explaining to do when he next meets with the media.
Source: Mike Florio
Source: Mike Florio
D’Andre Swift Could See a Bigger Workload in 2026
Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson recently told reporters that seventh-year running back D’Andre Swift is "primed for a big year," and in putting together a final 53-man roster projection, The Athletic's Dan Wiederer suggests that enthusiasm could lead to an expanded workload in 2026. Swift had a career year a season ago in his reunion with Johnson, and with Kyle Monangai (knee) potentially limited to begin the year, and the Bears favored in five of their first six games, Swift could emerge as an early-season bell cow. Johnson has credited running backs coach Eric Studesville with helping Swift see the game better, and with the pieces coming together for a hot start to the year, Swift is a player to target in 2026 drafts as RotoBaller's RB17.
Source: Dan Wiederer
Source: Dan Wiederer
Luther Burden III "Looks 100%", Positive Sign for His Week 1 Availability
Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III (groin) did not participate in the team's final preseason game as he continues to work his way back from the groin injury that has sidelined him for much of training camp, but following the Bears' 24-15 win over the Titans, head coach Ben Johnson offered some strong reassurance about his Week 1 availability. "He looks 100% to me," Johnson told the media. Burden had been a standout in nearly every session to begin camp, but went down to the ground and left with trainers after getting tangled with cornerback Tyrique Stevenson on August 8th and has not returned to practice since. Following Johnson's latest update, the arrow is pointing back up, and big things are expected of Burden in his second season, making him a potential league-winning selection at his currently discounted ADP of WR24.
Source: Jason Lieser
Source: Jason Lieser
Keenan Allen Arrested Sunday Morning for DWI
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Keenan Allen was arrested early Sunday morning with preliminary misdemeanor charges of driving while intoxicated and DWI endangering a person, according to WTHR in Indianapolis. Allen has yet to be formally charged, but a police report and online jail records indicate the incident occurred in downtown Indianapolis around 1 a.m., though it was not reported until closer to 3 a.m. The 34-year-old Allen, who ranks 10th all-time among wide receivers in career receptions, recently signed a one-year deal with the Colts and is expected to see a significant role in his reunion with Shane Steichen, but fantasy managers will now need to think twice about where they are willing to select him in 2026 drafts, as the NFL does not need to wait for the legal process to play out before levying any suspension against him.
Source: WTHR
Source: WTHR
Justin Jefferson's Upside Remains Capped by Quarterback Situation
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson may have trouble reaching his ceiling once again in 2026. Jefferson went from the WR2 in 2024 to the WR21 in 2025, with the main difference being that he was catching passes from a mix of J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer. This upcoming season, Jefferson will be on the receiving end of passes from Kyler Murray. While the two have demonstrated a decent rapport this preseason, we're a bit concerned about what will happen when Murray starts to face defenders in a game environment. Both Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson were somewhat quiet when they had Murray as their quarterback, so we can't quite guarantee that the ex-Cardinal will be an upgrade over McCarthy. At the very least, though, it's a fresh look for an offense that wants to return to its pre-2025 form. Jefferson is currently the WR6 in RotoBaller's redraft rankings, which indicates that the rankings experts are expecting him to bounce back in a huge way. It seems like most of the fantasy football community would agree, as Jefferson currently has an ADP of 12.4 (WR6).
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Nico Collins' Price Tag Falls in Line with Ranking for 2026
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins is coming off a remarkable 2025 season that saw him post the best fantasy finish of his career as the overall WR8 in PPR leagues. It was a shaky year for the Texans and C.J. Stroud, but that didn't stop Collins from totaling 71 catches, 1,117 yards, and six touchdowns. Last season, he didn't have to share any targets with Tank Dell (knee), but he did share some volume with Christian Kirk, Jayden Higgins, and Jaylin Noel. This year is mostly similar, with the main difference being that Higgins is done for the year with a knee injury and Dell should return midseason. Because of Higgins' injury, the Texans also went out and added Kayshon Boutte via trade. By themselves, none of Dell, Noel, or Boutte should be a major threat to Collins' volume and production, but collectively, it's starting to look like a fair number of mouths to feed. Now that fantasy draft season is in full swing, Collins has an ADP of 23.8 (WR9), while RotoBaller has him ranked as the WR10 for redraft leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Quarterback Situation Baked Into Breece Hall's Current ADP
New York Jets running back Breece Hall is incredibly talented, but the subpar state of the team's offense has had a negative impact on his fantasy production in recent years. Hall went from the RB2 in 2023 to ranking outside the top 15 fantasy running backs in each of the last two years. Last season, he missed just one game but was held to 1,065 rushing yards, 350 receiving yards, and five touchdowns, which were modest numbers by his standards. We don't expect a huge change in Hall's volume and yardage this upcoming season, but we'd love to see him score more than five touchdowns. His exact scoring tendencies should likely depend on quarterback Geno Smith, whose play will be a main reason why the Jets score a certain number of touchdowns. If the offense is due for another iffy season, Hall will be a mid-range RB2. If you expect the Jets to get him closer to 8-10 touchdowns, he'll jump to low-end RB1 territory. As it stands, he ranks as RotoBaller's RB16 and has an ADP of 33.9 (RB16).
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
DeVonta Smith Taking on WR1 Responsibilities in 2026
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith will occupy a much bigger role this season following the departure of former teammate A.J. Brown via trade. Smith has been a top-20 fantasy receiver in three of his last four seasons, including a finish as the overall WR20 in PPR leagues last year. He was healthy for all 17 games in 2025, catching 77 passes for 1,008 yards and a career-low four touchdowns. We're not expecting a major bump in touchdowns since the Eagles like to run the ball around the goal line, but Smith certainly should earn more targets, catches, and yards with Brown gone. Plus, as one of the most talented No. 2 receivers in years past, Smith should have no trouble adapting to the No. 1 role, even though it means he'll be going up against other teams' top cornerbacks. Smith has jumped to WR13 in RotoBaller's latest redraft rankings, and he currently has an ADP of 32.1 (WR14).
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Harold Fannin Jr. Has Position All to Himself, Comes with a Steep Price Tag
Cleveland Browns tight end Harold Fannin Jr. faces minimal competition within his position group, setting him up for another big year in fantasy football. Fannin excelled as a rookie last year, despite dealing with inconsistent quarterback play and losing some volume to David Njoku. He finished his first pro season with 72 catches, 731 yards, and six touchdowns, ranking as the overall TE6 in PPR leagues. While subpar quarterback play likely awaits Fannin again in Year 2, he now has the tight end room all to himself after Njoku left in free agency. As a result, we can expect the Bowling Green product to rank as a mid-range TE1 once again this year. The only bad news is that his price tag has already adjusted to these 2026 expectations; he currently has an ADP of 80.6, which corresponds to the seventh round and makes him the eighth tight end off the board. You're not getting him at a discount, but you're not necessarily overpaying either. Fannin is being drafted ahead of George Kittle, Travis Kelce, and Dallas Goedert, so managers will have some difficult decisions to make at the tight end position in the middle rounds of drafts this year.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
