RADIO
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
Brian Robinson Jr. Could Hold Standalone Value in Addition to Insurance Upside
Atlanta Falcons running back Brian Robinson Jr. failed to reach 100 carries for the first time in his career in his lone season with the 49ers in 2025. With injuries hitting the team hard, four-time All-Pro Christian McCaffrey was one of the few players to stay healthy wire-to-wire, limiting Robinson's opportunities in what has long been viewed as one of fantasy's most valuable insurance roles. In signing a one-year deal with the Falcons, Robinson again finds himself as a high-value handcuff, this time to two-time Pro Bowler Bijan Robinson, who has not missed a start through his first three seasons in the league. While the incumbent Robinson has seen heavier usage year after year, there has still been enough remaining opportunity for his primary backup to see some standalone fantasy value, with Tyler Allgeier averaging 117.9 fantasy points across their three seasons together. A new coaching staff in Atlanta could ultimately prove to make any past workload splits moot, but as RotoBaller's RB46, Robinson Jr. is projected to have some flex appeal in 2026 with obvious week-winning upside should an unfortunate injury force him to take on a larger role.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Ray Davis Carries Little Standalone Value into 2026
Buffalo Bills running back Ray Davis saw his usage cut nearly in half in his second season, but in bumping his per-carry average up to 4.7 yards per attempt, he showed enough growth to suggest he could keep the Bills' running game on track should he ever need to handle an expanded role. Three-time Pro Bowler James Cook has missed only two games in his four-year career and has developed into one of the league's true bell cow backs, handling a career-high 349 opportunities in 2026. Providing very little in the passing game, Davis has almost no bankable standalone value, with veteran Ty Johnson likely to hold onto the primary change-of-pace role and making the third-year back reliant upon an injury to see fantasy viability in 2026. At RotoBaller's RB59, Davis is not necessarily a player who needs to factor into draft plans, but he would become an obvious waiver priority should the situation ahead of him change.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Travis Kelce Has Become One of Fantasy's Biggest Sleepers in 2026
While long gone are the league-winning days of a sustained fantasy peak as high as the tight end position has ever seen, veteran Travis Kelce remains an important piece of the Kansas City Chiefs' offense, and he has become an overlooked value in the late rounds of 2026 drafts. Across three down years by his own lofty standards, Kelce has finished as the TE3, the TE6, and the TE3 since 2023, topping 75 catches and 800 receiving yards in all three seasons. The Chiefs are anticipating a return to form from wide receiver Rashee Rice after he's missed 22 games over the past two seasons due to injury and suspension. Still, the core of Kansas City's pass catchers remains relatively unchanged, and Kelce should continue to serve as one of Patrick Mahomes II's most trusted outlets as the two-time MVP regains confidence in his surgically repaired left knee. With a recent inflow of talented young players at the position, Kelce is no longer a threat to claim the top spot for fantasy, but as RotoBaller's TE12, he's a safe bet to outperform ADP expectations once again while providing one of the highest weekly floors in the league.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jordan James Could Be Part of One of Fantasy's Most Important Camp Battles
San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan James did not record a single offensive statistic as a fifth-round rookie in 2025. While the 49ers dealt with a string of high-profile injuries throughout the year, one player who remained almost surprisingly healthy was four-time All-Pro Christian McCaffrey. At 29 years old, the ninth-year veteran handled the largest workload of his career on the way to an RB1 fantasy finish, limiting primary backup Brian Robinson Jr. to only 92 carries in his lone season with the team. With Robinson departing in free agency, James will battle 2026 third-round pick Kaelon Black for those primary backup responsibilities, and with McCaffrey another year older with a spotty history of stringing together heavy-touch seasons, it remains arguably the most valuable handcuff role in fantasy. The 49ers will hold their first public training camp practice on Sunday, and while it may still be some time before they don pads for the first time, the battle between San Francisco's two young runners will be one to pay close attention to. In the meantime, James is worthy of a late-round dart throw at the end of drafts as RotoBaller's RB56.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Mack Hollins an Important Role Player with Little Fantasy Value
New England Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins has a special relationship with his current offensive coordinator, as the two most productive seasons of his career have come with Josh McDaniels calling plays. Hollins caught a career-high 57 passes for 690 yards in 2022 with the Las Vegas Raiders, and added another 46 grabs for 550 yards in last season's reunion in New England. While his physicality and knack for coming up big in the clutch have made him a vital piece of McDaniels' offenses, even at his best, he has rarely been a reliable fantasy contributor, and with the Patriots receiver room seeing a massive influx of talent ahead of 2026, he's unlikely to hold onto the role that saw him lead all New England receivers in snaps per game a season ago. An important role player and one of the bigger personalities in the league, Hollins is unlikely to factor into many weekly fantasy decisions in his tenth year in the league, and he is RotoBaller's WR92.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Mac Jones an Important Backup to Roster in Superflex Leagues
Given an extended opportunity in 2025, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones proved himself one of the more capable backups in the league, winning five of his eight starts while providing fantasy managers with a usable streaming option. Following an extensive recovery from the turf toe injury that caused him to miss significant time, starter Brock Purdy is reportedly at full health entering training camp, but should he miss time again in 2026, Jones has proven worthy of making a priority waiver add in single-quarterback leagues, and he is a must-roster player in superflex dynasty formats. The former first-round pick is on the final year of his two-year deal, and he should not be fully overlooked for a starting role in 2027. Until then, he remains one of the more valuable insurance quarterbacks in the league.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Tyreek Hill Says He Has "No Power" in His Leg
As teams around the league begin to gather for training camps, veteran wide receiver Tyreek Hill (knee) remains a free agent, and in a workout video posted to his YouTube channel on Wednesday, Hill candidly shares information about his ongoing rehab, notably stating that he has "no power in [his] left leg" 10 months after undergoing LCL surgery. The video shows him using the surgically repaired leg to push off a wall, and although Hill declined to provide a timeline for his return, he reiterates that recovery is going well and expresses gratitude to those who have been a part of the process. The five-time All-Pro dislocated his knee and tore multiple ligaments in a September matchup against the Jets, and he was released by the Dolphins in February. At 32 years old, his window of fantasy relevance was already tightening. While he's hung onto a spot on RotoBaller's rankings for 2026, currently sitting at WR98, the chances of Hill contributing in a meaningful way for fantasy appear to be dwindling, and he can be avoided in any leagues without a deep bench and injured reserve slots.
Source: Pro Football Talk
Source: Pro Football Talk
Jaylin Noel has Deep-League Sleeper Potential in Year 2
Even though Houston Texans wide receiver Jaylin Noel figures to be a bigger part of the passing game in his second season in 2026, most fantasy managers won't be looking his way after he posted a 26-292-2 line in 17 regular-season games (three starts) last year after he was selected in the third round (79th overall) out of Iowa State. Nico Collins and fellow second-year wideout Jayden Higgins figure to be the team's top-two WRs, so ultimately, Noel's case for a second-year breakout could depend on how much Tank Dell can do after missing the entire 2025 season following a devastating knee injury in 2024. The 23-year-old reportedly looked strong during minicamp this offseason, and he made the most of his limited opportunities in his rookie campaign in an inconsistent offense. If Noel stakes claim to the No. 3 role in Houston, his raw athleticism and versatility make him an interesting late-round dart throw in fantasy drafts this fall. He finished his rookie year just inside the top-100 WRs in half-PPR points, but RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 79 WR going into Year 2.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Tank Dell a Giant Question Mark Coming Off Major Knee Injury
Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell (knee) had a promising rookie season in 2023 after he was taken with the 69th overall pick in the third round out of the University of Houston, catching 47 of his 75 targets for 709 yards and seven touchdowns in just 11 regular-season games. It all came crashing down in 2024 when the 26-year-old tore multiple ligaments in his knee and dislocated his kneecap. He missed all of last year as a result and still isn't full-go with training camp right around the corner, making his availability for the start of the 2026 season in early September still a mystery. Nico Collins is Houston's unquestioned alpha WR1, and second-year wideouts Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel are both expected to have bigger roles in the passing attack. So once Dell gets back up to speed, whenever that is, he figures to be competing for targets as the WR3 or WR4 in an offense that hasn't been nearly as good as it was the last two seasons as it was in QB C.J. Stroud's rookie season. The Texans are expecting Dell to contribute in 2026, but because he might merely be trying to work back into form for most of the year, it's hard to recommend him as a 12-team redraft stash. RotoBaller has Dell currently ranked as the No. 75 WR.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
