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Jaylen Wright Listed as RB2 on Dolphins' Depth Chart
Jaylen Wright is listed as the No. 2 running back on the Miami Dolphins depth chart, behind bell-cow tailback De'Von Achane. While Achane is expected to touch the ball at an extremely high rate in Miami's offense, Wright should be the first Dolphin off the bench to spell Achane when he is tired or needs to come out of the game for any purpose. Wright is listed ahead of Ollie Gordon II (ribs), who is dealing with an injury to his ribs, and Carlos Washington Jr. on the depth chart. The Dolphins selected Wright out of Tennessee in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft (No. 120 overall). Wright is rostered in just 2% of Yahoo leagues right now, but is worth a look in dynasty leagues or deeper leagues as Achane's handcuff. He ranks as RotoBaller's No. 66 running back and is a name to monitor in deep-league and best-ball formats as a late-round flyer.
Source: Miami Dolphins
Source: Miami Dolphins
Is Jalen Tolbert Losing Fantasy Relevance in Miami?
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jalen Tolbert may struggle to find fantasy relevance in 2026. While he is currently listed as one of three starting wide receivers on Miami's depth chart, it has been rookie Caleb Douglas who has created all of the buzz throughout training camp. Meanwhile, wide receivers Malik Washington and Chris Bell, as well as tight end Greg Dulcich, will also be involved in the passing game, with quarterback Malik Willis now running the offense in Miami. Perhaps most importantly, head coach Jeff Hafley has made it clear that he plans to have a run-heavy offense with a large dose of running back De'Von Achane. Tolbert will see his fair share of targets, but his path to making a fantasy impact in 2026 appears to be narrow. Tolbert is currently rostered in 0% of Yahoo leagues and ranks as RotoBaller's No. 113 wideout in half-PPR leagues, making him more of a stash in dynasty leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Gunnar Helm Emerging as a Deep-League Sleeper
Tennessee Titans tight end Gunnar Helm is a name to watch on draft day. He is listed as the starting tight end on the Titans' depth chart and is in line for plenty of targets from quarterback Cam Ward in 2026. Helm is currently rostered in just 3% of Yahoo leagues. Based on roster percentages, he is most likely going to be available on your waiver wire, and he is an intriguing stash option in deeper leagues with 14 to 16 teams. Helm, whom the Titans drafted in the fourth round (120th overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft, recorded 44 receptions for 357 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie last season. He currently ranks as RotoBaller's No. 32 tight end. Helm is worth monitoring as the 2026 campaign gets underway.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Michael Mayer Has Path to Fair Share of Targets with Raiders
While all of the buzz is on Brock Bowers in Las Vegas -- and rightfully so -- don't count out Michael Mayer as a relevant deep-league fantasy tight end for the Raiders this season quite yet. Mayer is entering the final year of his contract in 2026 and has a lot to prove. Mayer is listed as the second tight end on the Raiders' depth chart, behind Bowers. While Bowers is likely to lead the team in targets, he will also get a lot of defensive attention. Las Vegas' wide receiver corps of Tre Tucker, Jalen Nailor, and Jack Bech, among others, is largely underwhelming on paper, which should allow Mayer to have opportunities in the passing game with veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins at the helm. Despite this, Mayer is not necessarily somebody to roster just yet in standard redraft leagues. In fact, he is only rostered in 1% of Yahoo leagues right now. He is somebody to monitor on the waiver wire as he currently ranks as RotoBaller's No. 33 tight end in PPR/half-PPR leagues. If the WR room struggles early on, Mayer could carve out a role on a weekly basis.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Tua Tagovailoa Could Be on a Short Leash if Named the Starter
NFL Network national insider Ian Rapoport expects Tua Tagovailoa to be on "a little bit of a short leash" if he is named the starting quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons. Tagovailoa is competing with Michael Penix Jr. for the QB1 role in Atlanta. Penix is recovering from a partial ACL tear that he suffered in November 2025, which required surgery. Penix was fully cleared to practice in late August, but his timeline for returning to game action remains unknown. Tagovailoa struggled in the preseason, and his confidence seems to be waning. Rapoport noted that Penix would likely be the starter if he were healthy, but that Atlanta is left in "limbo" in terms of what to do at the quarterback position right now. The Falcons signed Tagovailoa to a one-year contract worth $1.215 million in March. Tagovailoa has a current Yahoo ADP of 201 and is best left on the waiver wire in all standard leagues as things currently stand.
Source: Ian Rapoport
Source: Ian Rapoport
Will Shipley Is Firmly Third in Philadelphia's Backfield
Philadelphia Eagles running back Will Shipley played well enough this summer, but nothing he did changed his place in the backfield. Shipley rushed for 56 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries against New England and comfortably survived final cuts. He also enters Week 1 behind both Saquon Barkley and Tank Bigsby. Bigsby separated himself as the primary backup during camp after rushing for 344 yards and two touchdowns on only 58 carries last season, while Shipley barely touched the ball on offense. He finished 2025 with 14 carries for 49 yards and nine catches for 56 yards, doing much more of his work on special teams. Philadelphia kept only three running backs on the initial 53-man roster, so Shipley's standing is pretty clear. There is some contingency value if injuries start piling up, and his receiving ability gives the Eagles another option. For fantasy purposes, though, Bigsby is the insurance back behind Barkley. Shipley is difficult to justify in ordinary redraft leagues while he remains third in line.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Rhamondre Stevenson Continues to Gain Redraft Momentum
New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson has picked up another reason to climb draft boards. TreVeyon Henderson (ankle) was in street clothes for Saturday's practice and has not been back on the field since getting hurt Aug. 24. New England opens at Seattle on Wednesday, so Henderson is running out of time to get meaningful work in before Week 1. Stevenson was already making a push for the larger role. He handled 58 carries during New England's four playoff games last season, while Henderson had 30, and Stevenson also caught 12 passes for 126 yards during that run. His regular season included 948 yards from scrimmage and a career-high nine touchdowns despite missing three games. Henderson could still return before Wednesday and will have a role once healthy, but this backfield looks a lot less murky than it did earlier in the summer. RotoBaller now has Stevenson at RB23 in half-PPR formats. For drafts happening this weekend, he's one of the clearer running back risers on the board.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Elijah Sarratt Comes Out of Camp Behind the Rookie Curve
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Elijah Sarratt had a solid first NFL summer, but another rookie made a much stronger push for immediate work. Sarratt opened the preseason with six catches for 66 yards against Philadelphia, then managed only two catches for four yards over the final two games. Meanwhile, Ja'Kobi Lane kept stacking plays throughout camp and has emerged as Baltimore's No. 3 receiver behind Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman. The current depth chart has Sarratt behind Lane, while Devontez Walker is also expected to have a significant role in the offense. That leaves Sarratt looking at more special-teams work than offensive snaps to begin the year. There is still plenty to like long term about a fourth-round pick who led the nation with 15 receiving touchdowns at Indiana last season, and his strong preseason opener wasn't meaningless. For 2026 redraft purposes, though, Lane's emergence made an already difficult path to targets even tighter. Sarratt is better viewed as a dynasty stash than someone likely to help fantasy managers early.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Pat Freiermuth Has More Receiving Work Up for Grabs
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth should have a little more room to operate after spending last season stuck in a crowded rotation. Freiermuth played just over half of Pittsburgh's offensive snaps and saw 54 targets, the exact same number as Jonnu Smith. Smith is gone now after being released in March, leaving Freiermuth, Darnell Washington and Robert Tonyan in the tight end room. That doesn't mean Washington disappears. He actually played slightly more snaps than Freiermuth last season and should remain heavily involved, especially as a blocker. There is still less competition than a year ago, when Freiermuth fell to 41 catches for 486 yards and four touchdowns after posting a 65-653-7 line in 2024. He also showed some early chemistry with Aaron Rodgers this summer, including a 23-yard touchdown during a two-minute drill in camp. DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. will command plenty of targets, but Smith's departure gives Freiermuth a better chance to stay on the field and get back into the TE2 conversation.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Xavier Legette's WR3 Role Looks Much Safer
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette has a clearer hold on the No. 3 role after Chris Brazzell II went down with a season-ending knee injury. Brazzell had looked good early in camp and was expected to have a role, but surgery on the LCL in his left knee ended his rookie year before it started. Legette is now listed with the first-team offense alongside Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker, and Carolina held all three out of the preseason finale because their roster spots were secure. That matters after Legette slipped to 35 catches for 363 yards and three touchdowns last season. His own summer was encouraging, too. Dave Canales praised the work Legette put into the details of his game, and the former first-round pick was having a strong camp before a foot issue cost him some time late in August. He returned to practice on Sept. 1. McMillan and Coker remain ahead of him in the target pecking order, so the fantasy ceiling is still limited. The WR3 path, though, looks much cleaner than it did entering camp.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
TreVeyon Henderson in Street Clothes for Saturday's Practice
New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson (ankle) is in street clothes for the team's practice on Saturday, according to Andrew Callahan of The Boston Herald. Henderson tweaked his ankle in practice early last week and has not returned since, putting his availability for the Week 1 regular-season opener against the Seattle Seahawks on Wednesday firmly in question. His injury and the fact that he did not stand out as a pass protector in training camp have caused backfield mate Rhamondre Stevenson to become more attractive in fantasy football drafts in New England's backfield. When Henderson is healthy, he will have a significant role alongside Stevenson after rushing for 911 yards and nine rushing touchdowns on 180 carries as a rookie in 2025, but it is clear that head coach Mike Vrabel still has a ton of trust in Stevenson. At RotoBaller, Stevenson is ranked as the RB23 with the season opener in less than a week, with Henderson checking in at No. 29 at the RB position. If Henderson is out or limited in the Super Bowl rematch next week, Corey Kiner would be in line to work as the RB2 behind Stevenson.
Source: The Boston Herald - Andrew Callahan
Source: The Boston Herald - Andrew Callahan
Brenton Strange May Have a Hard Time Taking the Next Step
Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange still has plenty of sleeper appeal after catching 46 passes for 540 yards and three touchdowns in only 12 games last season. Finding another big jump in volume might be the difficult part. Jacksonville enters 2026 with Brian Thomas Jr., Jakobi Meyers and Parker Washington leading a deep receiver group, and Travis Hunter is still expected to have a role on offense. The Jaguars also added rookie tight ends Nate Boerkircher and Tanner Koziol, both of whom flashed as receivers during camp. That doesn't put Strange's job in danger. Jacksonville gave him an extension in June, and he remains the clear starter after becoming one of Trevor Lawrence's more reliable options last year. The team also plans to use more multiple-tight-end sets, which could open up different ways to deploy him. There are just a lot of players asking for the football. Strange still makes sense as a TE2 with upside, but the crowded passing game makes a full breakout tougher to count on.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Colby Parkinson Facing More Pressure for Passing-Game Work
Los Angeles Rams tight end Colby Parkinson is coming off the best season of his career, but his grip on the receiving work looks shakier heading into 2026. Parkinson caught 43 passes for 408 yards and a franchise-record eight touchdowns last year, production that leaned heavily on his work near the goal line. The Rams still use enough multi-tight-end sets to keep him involved, but Terrance Ferguson made a strong push for more this summer. The second-year tight end flashed throughout camp, drew praise from Sean McVay for his versatility and playmaking, and now shares first-team billing with Parkinson on the Rams' unofficial depth chart. Tyler Higbee, Davis Allen and second-round rookie Max Klare only make the room deeper. Parkinson isn't being pushed out of the offense, and he had his own good moments in camp. The concern is how many routes and red-zone looks are left once the snaps get spread around. After scoring eight times on only 56 targets last season, Parkinson looks much more touchdown-dependent than his 2025 finish suggests.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Andrei Iosivas Has Less Room for Error This Year
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Andrei Iosivas is still holding onto the No. 3 job, but the players behind him made that spot feel a little less comfortable this summer. Iosivas caught 33 passes for 435 yards and two touchdowns last season, numbers that already left him well outside the weekly fantasy picture behind Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. He had a good camp himself, and Cincinnati's current depth chart still lists him with the first-team offense. The concern is what happened behind him. Fourth-round rookie Colbie Young kept making plays downfield and scored in the preseason, while Dohnte Meyers finished August with a team-high 11 catches for 121 yards and repeatedly stood out in practice. Bengals coaches have continued to point to Iosivas' experience as an advantage, so this is not a case of him losing the job. It is a case of the margin getting thinner. With Chase and Higgins already soaking up most of the useful volume, even a small reduction in snaps would make Iosivas tougher to justify outside of deeper leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Deshaun Watson's Starting Job Doesn't Erase Preseason Concerns
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson won the starting job, but his preseason left plenty of reasons to stay cautious in fantasy. Watson looked comfortable in the opener against Chicago, completing 11 of 15 passes for 126 yards, although he lost a fumble on a fourth-down sack. A week later, the offense went nowhere against Buffalo. Watson finished 5-for-12 for 36 yards with an interception before Cleveland shut down its starters for the preseason finale. Todd Monken still gave him the Week 1 job after evaluating the full offseason, camp, joint practices and games, so the Browns clearly saw more than the uneven game tape. Fantasy managers don't have to be as patient. Watson hasn't played a regular-season snap since tearing his Achilles in October 2024, then re-rupturing it and missing all of 2025. The job is his, but the August inconsistency did little to suggest an immediate fantasy rebound. Watson is best left to deeper Superflex formats until he shows he can string together productive games again.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
