April 5, 2026
The San Francisco 49ers have made it clear that wide receiver
Brandon Aiyuk (knee) won't be back with the team in 2026, but they are in no rush to get rid of him, according to The Athletic's Matt Barrows and Vic Tafur. If an NFL team is interested in Aiyuk's services and wants him in their building this spring to learn their offense, they can trade for him, but there's no reason for the Niners to do any other team a favor by handing Aiyuk over now for a draft pick. They may release him after the NFL draft at the end of April if they can't find a trade suitor by then, but they can also wait longer if they want to, as the 49ers don't owe Aiyuk anything until his option bonus is due on Sept. 1. The Washington Commanders seem like the logical destination because of general manager Adam Peters' familiarity with Aiyuk from his time in the Bay Area. Aiyuk was also teammates with Washington quarterback
Jayden Daniels at Arizona State. The 28-year-old former first-rounder had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2022 and 2023, but he played in only seven games in 2024 before tearing his ACL, and he didn't play at all last year. There are questions about Aiyuk's motivation, making him a very risky option for NFL teams and fantasy managers going forward.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Matt Barrows and Vic Tafur
April 5, 2026
Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson confirmed that wide receiver
Luther Burden III will be a big part of the team's passing attack heading into his second year in the NFL, according to CHGO Bears. "[Luther] is exactly what we thought we were getting out of the draft last year...this guy loves football. If you took football away from him, I don't know what he would want to do with himself," Johnson said. Especially since the Bears traded receiver
DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills this offseason, Burden will be a popular breakout candidate in fantasy football in 2026 as he heads into his sophomore campaign. The 22-year-old former second-rounder out of Missouri started slow last year but finished with 47 catches for 652 yards and two touchdowns on 60 targets in 15 regular-season starts. Target volume could be an issue with
Rome Odunze and tight end
Colston Loveland also being involved, but Burden will be a focal point for explosive plays in Chicago's offense going forward. His dynasty/keeper value is rising by the day.
--Keith HernandezSource: CHGO Bears
April 5, 2026
NFL executives expect the New England Patriots to acquire wide receiver
A.J. Brown from the Philadelphia Eagles in June, once the salary cap implications "become more tenable for the Eagles," according to Mike Sando of The Athletic. The Patriots have not closed the door on adding Brown this offseason despite signing
Romeo Doubs to a deal worth $17 million per year. Brown previously played for Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel with the Titans in Tennessee, so the two have a history. The 28-year-old seven-year NFL veteran had his sixth 1,000-yard season in 2025 in 15 regular-season games, but Brown has been in a three-year decline, and he had a career-low 12.9 yards per catch. Still, landing Brown would be huge for a New England team coming off a Super Bowl appearance with young quarterback
Drake Maye. Perhaps a change of scenery will be a plus for Brown, who publicly voiced his displeasure with Philly's offense in 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Mike Sando
April 4, 2026
Green Bay Packers running back
MarShawn Lloyd has struggled to stay healthy through two NFL seasons. He has logged offensive snaps in just one game so far, totaling seven touches. Nevertheless, we're intrigued by the possibility of Lloyd stepping into the No. 2 running back role next season.
Emanuel Wilson departed in free agency, leaving an open competition for the role of
Josh Jacobs' backup. Lloyd has significant draft capital attached to him as a 2024 third-round pick, whereas fellow depth option
Chris Brooks is a former Dolphins undrafted running back with a minimal track record of his own. Given that Brooks hasn't built much momentum for a push to the No. 2 role, it seems like Lloyd is the early favorite to back up Jacobs, as long as he stays healthy. Lloyd's availability is far from guaranteed, but he has a clean bill of health this offseason and should be near 100 percent entering training camp. As long as the Packers don't spend a premium pick on a rookie running back in this month's draft, Lloyd will be an intriguing dynasty trade target this offseason. In addition to being a handcuff in 2026, he has long-term upside in case he takes on a bigger role after Jacobs' contract expires in two years.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
April 4, 2026
Seattle Seahawks running back
Emanuel Wilson represents an intriguing buy-low candidate in offseason dynasty fantasy football trades. After three years in Green Bay, Wilson jumped ship and signed with the Seahawks this offseason. He'll join a Super Bowl-winning offense that had a glaring hole at running back with
Kenneth Walker III departing in free agency and
Zach Charbonnet (knee) expected to miss a portion of the 2026 season. The lead-back role is anyone's to win. While we can't rule out another signing or draft selection at the running back position, as it stands, Wilson seems to be the frontrunner for the No. 1 running back role. He has been a top-50 fantasy running back in the past two seasons, and he showed in 2025 that he was capable of stepping into a larger role when the usual starting running back goes down. Wilson may eventually relinquish the lead-back role to Charbonnet by the middle of next season, but even then, he'll continue to be a top handcuff option. The 26-year-old is currently quite affordable in dynasty leagues and is an intriguing trade target given that he should open the 2026 season as a high-end RB3 or low-end RB2 in fantasy football.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
April 4, 2026
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver
Jalen Nailor signed a lucrative three-year deal with the team this offseason. The signing rewarded him for a solid two-season stretch in Minnesota, during which he caught 57 passes for 858 yards and 10 touchdowns. His nose for the end zone is very encouraging, as it suggests that he could get onto the WR3/flex radar if he handles more volume and produces more yardage. Therein lies the big question for the 2026 season, though. As it stands, Nailor is in line to compete for No. 1 receiver duties with
Tre Tucker. However, neither Nailor nor Tucker has much of a track record in a No. 1 receiver role. With the Raiders expected to draft
Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick, we wouldn't be surprised if they bring in an established veteran to serve as the rookie's favorite target. Players like
Keenan Allen and
Jauan Jennings have both been heavily linked to Vegas. If the Raiders were to sign either one of them, Nailor would take one step down the pecking order, lowering his fantasy upside for 2026. Managers looking to buy low on the 27-year-old receiver should make sure they avoid overpaying, in case Nailor slips down the depth chart as free agency continues.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
April 4, 2026
Cleveland Browns running back
Dylan Sampson was mostly overshadowed by
Quinshon Judkins last season, but the former did flash significant upside when he got on the field. Sampson had eight catches for 64 receiving yards when Judkins missed Week 1, and he finished the year with the 23rd-most receptions among running backs despite playing just 23.2% of the offensive snaps. Judkins suffered a dislocated right ankle last December, and while he should be ready for the 2026 season opener, Sampson would be in line for a large role if he's not ready to go. Even if Judkins does have a clean bill of health, Sampson could carve out standalone value given his impact as a receiver. He profiles as a third-down back who could be a low-end RB3/flex in PPR leagues, and he would jump to the RB2 tier if Judkins misses time.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
April 4, 2026
Houston Texans wide receiver
Jaylin Noel may remain in the fourth spot on the depth chart ahead of the 2026 season. During his rookie campaign in 2025, Noel typically operated as the No. 4 receiver behind
Nico Collins,
Jayden Higgins, and
Christian Kirk, finishing the year with a modest 26 catches, 292 yards, and two touchdowns. Kirk has departed for the Bay Area, but he'll likely be replaced next season by a healthy
Tank Dell (knee). While Year 2 is a common time for wide receivers to break out, Noel may struggle to get meaningful playing time if Collins, Higgins, and Dell are all healthy. He's merely a hold in dynasty leagues right now; although he does have long-term upside, he faces an uphill battle to achieve consistent fantasy relevance in 2026.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
April 4, 2026
Veteran wide receiver
Keenan Allen remains a free agent as we turn the calendar to April. The 33-year-old has spent 13 seasons in the NFL, including a dozen with the Los Angeles Chargers. He essentially shared No. 1 receiver duties with
Ladd McConkey last year and ultimately led the team with 81 catches. He also tallied 777 receiving yards and four touchdowns, ranking as the overall WR29 in PPR leagues. Allen has previously said he only wants to play in Los Angeles, but his stance may have changed this deep into free agency. If he's open to playing elsewhere, several NFL media personalities have identified the Las Vegas Raiders as a potential landing spot. Vegas currently doesn't have an established No. 1 receiver, and Allen could be a great veteran target for rookie quarterback
Fernando Mendoza, the projected first overall pick. Allen doesn't have much value in dynasty trades, so he's purely a hold for now. Depending on the landing spot, he could be an intriguing buy-low receiver with short-term value.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
April 4, 2026
Arkansas running back
Mike Washington Jr. had a top-30 visit with the Atlanta Falcons on Friday, sources told Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. Washington also has visits in the next two weeks lined up with the Tampa Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers, and Seattle Seahawks. The 6-foot-1, 223-pounder ran an eye-opening 4.33-second 40-yard dash at the scouting combine in late February and is projected to be a Day 2 pick in this month's NFL draft. The Falcons already have stud RB
Bijan Robinson, and although they lost highly productive backup
Tyler Allgeier to free agency, they signed
Brian Robinson Jr. as their RB2 this offseason. Washington would likely open his NFL career as the RB3 in Atlanta. In his lone season with the Razorbacks in 2025, Washington had 1,070 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 167 carries, adding 28 catches for 226 yards and another score in 12 games played. He also had eight rushing touchdowns on 157 carries in 12 games in 2024 with New Mexico State after spending three seasons at Buffalo.
--Keith HernandezSource: FOX Sports - Jordan Schultz
April 4, 2026
The Ringer's Todd McShay reports that someone in the Arizona Cardinals building is "pushing really hard" to draft Notre Dame running back
Jeremiyah Love at the end of April. The Cardinals have the No. 3 overall pick in this year's draft, but they also have pressing needs on their offensive line and at defensive end. They could trade back a few spots in the first round if they think they'll still have a chance to draft the consensus top RB in this year's class. The Cardinals already have
James Conner (foot),
Trey Benson (knee), and
Tyler Allgeier in their backield, though, so Love landing in Arizona would be bad news for his short- and long-term fantasy football value. The Tennessee Titans (No. 4 overall) and New York Giants (No. 5) have also been rumored to be looking at drafting Love early in the first round this year. Love has the potential to be a three-down start at the next level after leading his conference in rushing yards in each of the last two seasons, with a total of 2,497 rushing yards and 35 touchdowns on 362 carries in 28 games. He also had 55 catches for 517 yards and five additional touchdowns as a receiver.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Ringer - Todd McShay
April 4, 2026
The Cleveland Browns have publicly praised quarterback
Deshaun Watson (Achilles) this offseason, but The Athletic's Zac Jackson said he feels "stronger than ever" that
Shedeur Sanders, not Watson, is the "favorite to win the starting job." Sanders wasn't Cleveland's first choice in 2025 and might not be their first choice for the future, either, but giving him every chance to win the job and to make real progress is "clearly the best option right now." The 24-year-old fifth-rounder is signed for three more seasons, and Jackson thinks that the best path to escaping the Watson mess is to let Sanders take the job and provide "at least league-average QB play." There will be a true competition between Sanders and Watson in training camp this summer after Sanders was highly inconsistent in his rookie season in 2025, throwing for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in eight games (seven starts). The former Colorado star has been working on getting stronger this offseason and is the Browns' "best option" at the position. Fantasy managers in dynasty/keeper leagues looking for help at QB might want to consider buying low on Sanders.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Zac Jackson
April 4, 2026
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport says that the money that the Las Vegas Raiders gave veteran quarterback
Kirk Cousins indicates that he "could or maybe should end up being the starting QB" to begin the 2026 regular season. Somehow, Cousins will be guaranteed $20 million in 2026, with almost half of the money being paid by the Atlanta Falcons, who released the 37-year-old at the start of the new league year. Even though the Raiders are expected to take Indiana QB
Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick at the end of April, Cousins is expected to be the team's Week 1 starter as they let Mendoza sit and learn early on in his first year in the NFL. The four-time Pro Bowler played in 24 games (22 starts) in his two years in Atlanta and completed 65% of his passes for 5,229 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 21 interceptions. At best, he'll be a low-end QB2 option for those in superflex fantasy leagues in 2026, and his run as Vegas' starter could be short-lived, depending on his performance and Mendoza's development.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
April 4, 2026
The Jacksonville Jaguars signed defensive end Travon Walker to a four-year, $100 million contract extension on Friday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. The deal includes $77 million guaranteed and $50 million fully guaranteed at signing. The 25-year-old is heading into his fifth NFL season in 2026 after racking up 200 tackles (101 solo), 27.5 sacks, 36 tackles for loss, 57 QB hits, one interception, seven pass breakups, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries (one returned for a touchdown) in 63 games (60 starts). Walker had back-to-back 10-sack seasons in 2023 and 2024 before totaling just 3.5 sacks last year in 14 games (12 starts). The Jaguars are hoping that the former first overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft out of Georgia can bounce back in the sack department in 2026 in his fifth year in the league after his big extension.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
April 4, 2026
Seahawks running back
George Holani has handled 25 career carries since joining Seattle as an undrafted free agent in 2024, and yet he was a popular dynasty waiver add in the early offseason. Super Bowl MVP
Kenneth Walker III left for Kansas City in the opening hours of free agency, and
Zach Charbonnet, who tore his ACL in a Divisional Round playoff win, is unlikely to be ready for the start of the season, which briefly left Holani and 2023 seventh-round pick
Kenny McIntosh as the healthiest options at the top of the depth chart. Seattle has since signed former Packer
Emanuel Wilson to a modest one-year deal, and the team is expected to address the position early in the NFL Draft. The Seahawks have already met with Washington's Jonah Coleman on a local visit and will reportedly host Arkansas'
Mike Washington Jr. on a 30-visit in the coming weeks. Whoever Seattle targets with early draft capital will likely rise to the RB2 spot behind
Jeremiyah Love in most rookie drafts, while Holani's dynasty value could settle outside the top-100 at the position after a sudden offseason spike.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
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